How to Earn Southwest Companion Pass for 2 Years

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Күн бұрын

How to Earn Southwest Companion Pass
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Southwest Airlines Companion Pass is like a buddy pass for all Southwest Flights.
If a Companion Pass Holder purchases a Southwest ticket and if there is another open seat on the same flight. The Companion Pass holder can add a companion for $0. The companion just needs to pay the mandatory government taxes and fees.
To earn Southwest Companion Pass you need to earn 135,000 Qualifying Companion pass points within a calendar year. That means from January 1 to December 31st you need to earn 135,000 Qualifying Points (Starting 2023)
One way to earn a Southwest Companion pass is to earn Southwest Airlines points through Southwest credit cards.
If you get a Southwest Business card and a Southwest Personal card that should get you enough qualifying points or close to enough points to earn Southwest Companion Pass.
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Пікірлер: 56

@MattLeitholt Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@thewave1983 Жыл бұрын

Did exactly what you recommend here last year - opened the SW Priority card when it had a 100k bonus and met the minimum spend plus 25k more spending to hit the then 125k requirement in January. Love getting that discount when flying through next year!

@lonz0_0 Жыл бұрын

So you only got 100k from thr bonus and got the rest of the points through spending on the card? Thanks!

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

Nice work on earning companion pass 🙌🏼

@thewave1983 Жыл бұрын

@@lonz0_0 Yeah, they were offering 50k points for $3k in spend through the first 3 months, then another 50k points for spending a total of $15k in the first 12 months. We had just moved so we were able to spend the total $15k plus another $10k pretty easily (furniture, repairs, etc.). Since then, they've moved the goal post considerably - only offering 50k points total and upping the companion pass requirement to 135k qualifying points earned. We'll enjoy companion pass through 2023, but after that, we'll be airline free agents. 😅

@marcusyoung5440 Жыл бұрын

LUV it (get it?) Hey thanks, great explanation! Can you do an Alaska program explanation and comparison with companion fare? Would that be your #2 best loyalty program?

@TrishaRico Жыл бұрын

Great videos...just found you and you have such good insight and explain it in a very simple manner. One question. What do you recommend if I already opened a southwest card last year but didn't spend enough to get the points (dumb I know now). Can I still open a business card and a different southwest card to get all the necessary points for the companion pass for 2 years? Thanks for your info.

@alyssamcgee5903 Жыл бұрын

Do you expect to earn the companion pass again after your current one expires? It'd be great to see a video on that for existing card holders. Almost feels impossible to obtain after the initial promo unless I spend a crap ton on my card.

@alexisanaya6910 Жыл бұрын

Do you have to register for the program first?

@djrobbyg7218 Жыл бұрын

To be clear, the Southwest Credit cards say to earn the 50k bonus points the $1k has to spent within the 1st 3 months of account opening. This means the card should be opened in November 2023, and hit the $1k to get the 50k points, then you have to earn another 85k points (if you dont apply for the business card with 80k bonus points) to hit the 135k points to earn the Companion Pass. So opening both cards in November you want to hit the $1k for the 50k and the $5k for the 80K in January 2024 or very soon after (within 3 months of account opening) Am I correct?

@riepham9211 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this info! Assuming I get the companion pass (going the credit card route) in January 2023, can you tell me what people do towards the end of 2024? Do they close the accounts and do this process all over again after the 2 years are up so they qualify for the sign go bonus again? Of course this is assuming they’re within 5/24.

@fastspeeddrifter3 Жыл бұрын

Do the points restart every calendar year? So in order to maximize my points in January, i should open up southwest cards now and do not hit spending limit until January so I could get my points in the new calendar year?

@EthanPatrick_CreditCards Жыл бұрын

Exactly! Don't earn your points until January. Any points you earn this year will not go towards companion pass next year.

@simplynikkiwick Жыл бұрын

I already have a personal card. Any suggestions of what I should do? I can open a business card and then what? Also, if my husband were to do the same, could we potentially each earn a companion pass? We have 4 kids ;)

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

You can open a business card and if your husband does the same you both can be companion pass holders!

@paigebrenner9365 Жыл бұрын

What is the best strategy if you already have the credit card to keep companion pass every year? Thanks!!

@EthanPatrick_CreditCards Жыл бұрын

Once your companion pass expires, get your companion to do the same thing for the next 2 years. Then in two more years you could apply for these cards again (if you previously cancelled them). That, or fly 100 one way flights.

@philh1826 Жыл бұрын

WTF its that much easier to earn it thru credit cards? I took like 50 flights on southwest last year and I didnt earn a companion pass.

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

Yup it's a lot of flying and a lot of spend if you want to earn Companion Pass organically

@kaheawojcieski5547 Жыл бұрын

I accumulated over 150k points in less than 1 year. I called them before the year ended and the agent told me I was not able to get CP because the 80k bonus points I got for spending X amount does not go towards CP. I'm confused. Can we or can we not use the bonus points we earned towards Companion pass?

@meganoleary584 8 ай бұрын

Can you add anyone as your companion each time can your companion change?

@Axe_loves_to_Travel 11 ай бұрын

I am an existing CP holder and I have 88,264 out of 135,000 points for 2023. I doubt I will qualify based on spend - do you suggest I open a business card and meet the points required before Dec 31st 2023? If yes, then will I qualify for CP for 2024 only or 24 and 2025? Thank you

@badape3106 Жыл бұрын

What was the thing we did for booking a flight in November?

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

That was PROMOTIONAL companion pass so a little different 🙂

@wichertj3 Жыл бұрын

For companion pass, does a seat have to be available when you book your ticket and add your companion? Or does a seat have to be available before takeoff?

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

Seat has to be available before takeoff! You can book your ticket now , when you get CP in your SW account you can add your companion as long as there is a seat open before the flight departs.

@wichertj3 Жыл бұрын

@@MaxMilesPoints so in that case couldn't you book a flight with companion pass, if the airline overbooks then the companion can be asked to leave at the gate? Thanks for the response!

@brianrichards6303 Жыл бұрын

So just to be sure, if your flight is 100% booked at the time of flight your companion pass is no good? Basically you are taking a chance?

@tylermentink2276 Жыл бұрын

Does the seat have to be open at time of booking? Or at time of takeoff?

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

Time of booking. As long as there’s an open seat you can add companion and confirm the ticket at booking

@Vegas.777 Жыл бұрын

Points reset January 1 does what you spend on your credit card through December 31st but doesn't bill out till sometime in January count towards companion pass if it resets in January. In theory I had 133,000 points and spent 2,000 in December on my card would I earn the companion pass for 2 years when my credit card billed out in January?

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

All qualifying southwest companion pass points need to be earned from January 1 - December 31 of the same year. Whenever your card statement closes that when the southwest points get deposited into your account. All 135,000 need to be in your southwest account in the same calendar year. the scenario you mentioned above will not get you companion pass for two years.

@michellehann5104 Жыл бұрын

So now that I have opened both cards, personal and business... Can I start spending them this month in December or wait till January ?

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

You can start spend on them just make sure you don’t hit the minimum spend requirements for the signup bonus until January. You want the southwest points to hit your southwest account in January

@boldbot9591 Жыл бұрын

@@MaxMilesPoints I have spent $4,000 of the $5,000 spend requirement and I'm nervous I'm getting too close to the spend amount. I heard from someone else that Chase sometimes gives the "bonus" points before you hit the minimum, Do you know if this is true? I would assume if I was super close like $4,900 out of $5,000.. not $4,500 out of $5,000... would love your thoughts. Thanks

@tonyvivas64 Жыл бұрын

I do have a personal Southwest cc with 91k points as today so when I should open my business southwest cc ? And when should I spend the $5k in that cc ? Thanks

@EthanPatrick_CreditCards Жыл бұрын

You can open the card anytime, but you need to spend the points in 2023. So you could open your business card now, wait to spend in January and earn 80k points towards companion pass. But you'll still need to earn the rest of the points in 2023.

@josephine1231 Жыл бұрын

is it 80k for both business card or just the more expensive one ?

@EthanPatrick_CreditCards Жыл бұрын

Just the more expensive one. The cheaper business card is 60k points!

@ErinVicencio Жыл бұрын

This may be a dumb question, but once you earn the 135,000 pts. Do you need to keep the 135,000 pts in the account in order to keep the companion pass?

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

You don’t, you can use the 135k however you want

@makemoney6411 Жыл бұрын

@@MaxMilesPoints can u book flights with southwest points and use a companion pass or does it have to be with cash?

@stephaniepainter3855 Жыл бұрын

Can you still spend your points or do you need to have them in the bank to qualify??

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

You can still spend your points!

@edogg2832 Жыл бұрын

5/24 doesn’t apply to SW and United anymore

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

YMMV

@wakhy3923 Жыл бұрын

I earned my companion pass with southwest on 4/26/2022 and it says it expired on 2/28/2023 I should be having it until the end of 2023 per their terms and conditions. Called them about this and they gave me case number and will receive a call back in 7-10 buisness days….

@nisharao4908 Жыл бұрын

Did your card get extended?

@jcwgirl Жыл бұрын

Any update?

@TheDailyDoseLA Жыл бұрын

Hi there! Not sure why I'm confused (sorry). So is the trick is to hit 135,000 points in January? Today is April 2023. Can I sign up today and hit the 50k points /$1k spend and just keep accumulating for the next year or so? Then as I get closer to 135k, take a break, and wait for January to come, say in 2025, then hit the 135k point threshold?

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

Hey! Every January 1st points reset to 0 You need to earn ALL 135k points in 2024. So you’ll need to time your credit card bonuses accordingly as outlined in the video Let me know if that answers your question

@TheDailyDoseLA Жыл бұрын

@Max Miles Points got it! The reset is what I missed on my part. Since it's April I could either crush the sign up bonus (2) simultaneously and then il have roughly 1yr and a half of companion (what's left of this year plus next year) OR hope this promotion is around in Nov/Dec and crush it in January 2024 equaling to 2 full years...

@MaxMilesPoints Жыл бұрын

@@TheDailyDoseLA yup correct ✅!