Southwest Companion Pass Is Back for New Cardholders (Limited Time)

Southwest Airlines enthusiasts once again have a faster way to snag the coveted Companion Pass.

Beginning Feb. 10. 2022, Southwest co-branded credit cards give new cardholders the chance to score a lucrative sign-up bonus: “Earn the Companion Pass, plus 30,000 miles, after you spend $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months from account opening. The Companion Pass will be valid through Feb. 28, 2023.”

The Companion Pass isn’t normally an automatic credit card perk, though it has been included in the sign-up bonus a few times in the past, most recently in early 2021.

This offer is available on all Southwest consumer credit cards including:

The Southwest Companion Pass is essentially a buy-one-get-one-free pass. Every time you book a flight, you can bring another person along for free (excluding taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way).

You’d typically need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 125,000 Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year to get the Companion Pass. Cardholders already have a head start, since all the points you earn, including any anniversary bonuses, will count toward the points requirement. But this sign-up bonus makes the Companion Pass automatic if you can meet the required spending.

Previously, Southwest co-branded credit cards offered a sign-up bonus with slightly higher miles: Earn 40,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. But as long as you regularly travel with another person — and can meet the $5,000 spending requirement — the current sign-up bonus is much more valuable.

Note that if you currently have a Southwest consumer credit card or have received a bonus on a Southwest card in the last 24 months, you won’t be eligible for this offer.