Southwest Companion Pass is the highest-leverage points benefit in domestic US travel. Earn it, and you can fly anywhere on Southwest with a free companion (paying only the $5.60 in taxes per ticket) for the rest of the calendar year and all of the next. The benefit is earned via 125,000 qualifying points within a calendar year — and Chase's Southwest credit card sign-up bonuses count toward the threshold. Two cards earned correctly = 22+ months of free companion travel.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards card lineup
| Card | Annual fee | Earn structure | Notable benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus | $69 | 2x Southwest, 2x dining + select streaming, 1x other | 3,000 anniversary points; 2 EarlyBird boarding/year |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier | $99 | 2x Southwest, 2x dining + select streaming + commute, 1x other | 6,000 anniversary points; 2 EarlyBird boarding/year |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority | $149 | 3x Southwest, 2x dining + select streaming + commute | 7,500 anniversary points; 4 upgraded boardings/year; \$75 annual travel credit |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business | $199 | 4x Southwest, 3x social media + advertising, 1x other | 9,000 anniversary points; 4 upgraded boardings/year |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business | $99 | 3x Southwest, 1x other | 6,000 anniversary points |
The Companion Pass earning path
To earn the Companion Pass, you need 125,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points within a calendar year. Sources that count:
- Sign-up bonuses on Southwest credit cards (typically 50,000-100,000 each)
- Spending on Southwest credit cards
- Flying on Southwest (paid flights only; award flights don't count)
- Some partner activity (rare)
The 2-card strategy: Apply for two Southwest credit cards (one personal + one business) within the same calendar year. Each card's sign-up bonus typically ranges 50,000-90,000 points. Combined with category spending, you can hit 125,000 within ~6 months of opening, earning Companion Pass for the remainder of that year + all of the following year.
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The timing trap
The Companion Pass is valid from the date earned through the end of the next calendar year. If you earn it in January 2026, you have ~24 months of free companion travel. If you earn it in November 2026, you have only ~14 months.
Best practice: time card opens to earn Companion Pass early in the calendar year. Apply for cards in November-January, with sign-up bonuses posting in February-March, hitting 125,000 by April-May. This produces ~20 months of Companion Pass at maximum value.
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The 5/24 challenge
Chase enforces 5/24 on Southwest personal cards (the business cards typically don't add to 5/24). For travelers under 5/24:
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- Apply for one Southwest personal card (Plus, Premier, or Priority)
- Apply for one Southwest business card (Premier Business or Performance Business)
- Combined sign-up bonuses + spending = Companion Pass
For travelers over 5/24, Chase will deny personal Southwest cards. The workaround: apply for Southwest business cards only — these typically don't apply 5/24 strictly. But the Companion Pass requires 125k points from various sources, including potentially flying.
The 1-card-per-90-days rule
Chase typically allows only one Southwest card per 90 days. Plan card opens with at least a 90-day gap between applications. Don't apply for both cards on the same day.
The Companion Pass vs cash math
Companion Pass on a typical domestic Southwest flight saves $200-$500 per round-trip per companion. Over 20 months of free companion travel, frequent fliers save $5,000-$15,000+ in cash equivalent. This dwarfs the $148-$298 in combined annual fees on the two Southwest cards.
Which Southwest card to start with
| Profile | Best starting card |
|---|---|
| Want highest sign-up bonus | Southwest Priority ($149) — typically largest bonus |
| Lowest fee path | Southwest Plus ($69) — cheapest annual fee |
| Want 4x on Southwest spend | Performance Business ($199) — highest earning rate |
| Have a small business or freelance | Premier Business ($99) — good earning + business benefits |
Bottom line
Southwest Companion Pass is the highest-leverage points benefit in domestic US travel. The 2-card Chase Southwest strategy (one personal + one business) can earn it within 6 months of card opening, providing 18-24 months of free companion travel for a $148-$298 combined annual fee. Time card opens to earn the Pass early in a calendar year for maximum benefit duration. For travelers who fly Southwest 4+ round-trips per year with a partner, this is one of the strongest single benefits in points travel.
Plan your Companion Pass strategy on Pointify →
Last verified by the Pointify research team on May 1, 2026, against current Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards card terms and Companion Pass qualification rules. The 125,000-point Companion Pass threshold and qualifying-point sources may shift; verify with Southwest and Chase before applying.
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