Want one person to start flying free with you by earning the coveted Southwest Companion Pass? I’ll show you how to accomplish it in June.
First, the Southwest Companion Pass lets one person fly free with you for up to two years. We are now on our FOURTH Companion Pass and love it! You cannot beat the savings of never having to pay — either with points or cash— for one person in your group to fly.
A Companion Pass earned in June 2019 will be good until the END of 2020.
You’ll need to collect 110,000 qualifying Southwest points in ONE calendar year, to get your pass and this is most quickly easily accomplished by signing up for two Southwest credit cards: one personal and one business. But that is NOT the only way!
To find out 10 things you MUST know before earning your Southwest Companion Pass, download my FREE Cheat Sheet below.
Download Your FREE Guide & Start Flying FREE on Southwest!
How to Earn a 2019 Southwest Companion Pass Pass in June
Right now, the easiest and quickest ways to earn the Southwest Companion Pass is to take advantage of two Southwest credit card offers: one personal and one business. Southwest offers three personal cards and one business credit card.
All three personal cards are currently offering a 40,000-point sign on bonus with a 1,000 minimum spend within 90 days.
Additionally, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier business card has a 60,000-point bonus with a $3,000 minimum spend in 90 days.
Note: Chase will no longer allow you to hold more than one Southwest personal card.
If you apply for 1 personal and 1 business card, you will be able to earn 104,000 points toward the 110,000 points you need to earn the Southwest Companion Pass. The additional 4,000 points come from the 1 point per $1 spent you will accrue by meeting the minimum spends on each card.
Yes that’s me holding my Companion Pass next to the Knight Bus at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando 😉
In addition to qualifying for the Companion Pass, you can use these points AS SOON AS YOU EARN THEM to book free flights! My family of 4 traveled to 6 destinations for less than $100 PER flight (for ALL of us) with about 160,000 points in one year, so these points can take you quite far!
Southwest Credit Card Options
The cards include:
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Premier ($99 annual fee, 6,000 anniversary points)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority ($149 annual fee, 7,500 anniversary points + other perks; read the full review here)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier ($99 annual fee, 6,000 anniversary points)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus ($69 annual fee, 3,000 anniversary points, DOES charge foreign transaction fees when traveling internationally; the others don’t)
Which personal card should you choose? The Premier card is a good middle-of-the-road option that does not have a high annual fee ($99), but still nets you 6,000 anniversary points each year, which DO qualify for the Companion Pass, so they can help you down the road.
If you fly Southwest A LOT, you may want to consider Priority, as it comes with some nice perks like a $75 Southwest credit and four A1-15 boarding upgrades (LOVE THAT!).
If you’re looking to spend the least out of pocket, go with Plus, which only has a $69 annual fee.
The Southwest Companion Pass Step by Step
- Apply for a Southwest personal and business card at least 30 days apart. Chase will not approve you for a second card if you’ve applied for another Chase card within 30 days. You can try applying for both in the SAME DAY (before they realize you have applied for the other card). This works for some people, but not for others. I have never tried it.
- If you are declined for either card, which is VERY common, wait until you get a letter in the mail stating the reason you were declined. If it says too many applications, that is because you applied for two cards within 30 days. Wait until 30 days have passed from your first application and then call the Chase Reconsideration Line.
- Once you get your cards, complete your required minimum spend (here are some ideas) as soon as you can, but as slowly as you need to avoid incurring debt you cannot immediately pay off. After you meet the minimum spend on both, you should have 125,000 points and just like that you are done!
- Points credit to your Rapid Rewards account within 6-8 weeks of completing the minimum spend. This is typically AFTER the card close date in the period in which you completed the minimum spend, but some readers have found recently that it’s happening after the SECOND card close date after you meet the minimum spend.
- While your waiting for your pass, you can go ahead and book any flights you want and then add your Companion once you have your pass. This is no problem UNLESS the flight has sold out. If you have enough points, you can hold a seat for your Companion with points and then cancel it when you get your pass and then add them as your Companion.
Do I Qualify for a Business Card?
You’d be surprised at how many people qualify for a business credit card who don’t think they have a business. Do you have any kind of side income for which you would file a Schedule C on your taxes or receive a 1099? Or is there some side income you can start to earn in order to qualify you for a business card?
This could be any of the below:
- eBay sales
- Amazon sales
- Affiliate income
- Babysitting
- Mowing lawns
- Dog walking or pet sitting
- Uber/Lyft driver
- Consulting
- Freelancing (writing, graphic design, research, etc.)
- Virtual assistant work
- Administrative work
- Catering
- Etsy craft sales
- Selling crafts at a craft show
- Selling produce or homemade goods at a Farmer’s Market
If you do any of the above — or anything like it — or could start doing any of the above, you can apply for a business card. And your business does not even need to be profitable; it just needs to earn some income and have the “intention” to be profitable!
Chase will likely want to see some “official” paperwork that includes your name and the name of your business. Applying for a free Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a great and quick way to accomplish that.
You DO NOT need to be an LLC or incorporated; a sole proprietorship (using just your social security number) works just fine.
Want More Southwest Points?
It’s easy to keep earning Southwest points!
To earn your other Southwest points, choose from some of the following activities.
- Rapid Rewards Shopping
- Sign up for Blue Apron – 700 (check out my hack to get these points FREE)
- Economist subscription – 550 points
- Wall Street Journal subscription – 700 points
- Barron’s subscription – 700 points
- Vinesse Wines – 1,400 points
- Order magazines at DiscountMags.com (starting at the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal) and earn 20 points per $1
- Shopping at your favorite stores like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Lowe’s, Kohl’s, Home Depot, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Dick’s Sporting Goods and more and earn up to 5 points per dollar!
- Additional spending on your new Southwest credit cards – Earn 1 point per dollar and pay anything and everything you can with them, so long as you pay them off within 30 days, so you don’t incur high interest. By using your card for expenses, you’ll also more quickly meet the minimum spend and thus collect your bonus points (complete all expenditures for your minimum spend a day or two before the credit card monthly closing date to get your bonus points quickly). Consider the below expenses:
- Utilities
- Rent and car payment by using Plastiq (this is an affiliate link for which I earned a reduced fee if you use the service after clicking through; note: you can no longer pay mortgages via Plastiq with a Visa card)
- Textbook fees
- College tuition
- Sports fees
- Medical or dental bills
- Groceries and gas
- Dining
- Homeowner’s Association dues
- Book a hotel through SouthwestHotels.com and earn up to 10,000 points per night (Note: points do not credit your account until the stay is completed). This option helped us quickly earn the last points we needed for our 2017 and 2018 Companion Passes. Here’s how I earned the 2017 pass.
- Rent a car through Southwest.com and earn up to 2,400 points
- Refer a friend to the Chase Southwest credit cards and earn up to 10,000 points per referral up to a max 50,000 points across all cards. Check to see if you are eligible at Chase.com/ReferaFriend
- Paying your electric bill in certain states (up to 27,000 points)
- Sign up for Chase Sapphire Preferred, my FAVORITE travel credit card (read my full review of this card) and earn an additional 60,000+ points that transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio to Southwest! These points DO NOT qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.
What questions do you have?
Thanks again for starting your credit card applications at the TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS link in the main menu above or the links included in this post.
Read More:
- Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About the Southwest Companion Pass
- Double-Dipping With Rapid Rewards Points
- How to Use the Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping Portal
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Sharon says
Hi Lyn,
I recently received the SW Plus card, thanks to your encouragement to dip my toe into the points game! I met the minimum spend within a month, statement dropped and I’ve already received my 40,000 points! Sweet!
How long should I wait before applying for the SW business card? I want to ultimately receive the companion pass. I love all of your daily advice blog entries.
Thanks!
Lyn Mettler says
Thanks so much Sharon and thanks for the question! I recommend waiting 30 days between applications. As long as you have hit 30 days you should be fine. If they decline you for some reason, don’t worry. You can just call the reconsideration line and it almost always works out! Let me know if you are successful!
Becca says
Good advice…but what do you say to the reconsideration line tho??
Lyn Mettler says
Hi Becca-
Good question :). Here is a post that tells you exactly what to expect and what to say: https://www.gototravelgal.com/chase-reconsideration-line/ Hope that helps! If you have any questions after reading it, let me know. Thanks!
Sharon says
Can I book a ticket for another person using my Rapid Rewards points?
Lyn Mettler says
Yes, absolutely! I always book all of my family’s tickets with points from my account. 🙂 Then, you can check everyone in under the same confirmation # except the “Companion” who you add with your Companion Pass. They will have a different confirmation #.
Sharon says
Hi Lyn,
The Points Guy just posted links to all 3 SW cards indicating that all 3 are offering the 60,000 sign-up bonus. Can you confirm the accuracy of their post?
Thanks!
Lyn Mettler says
It does look like there may be a “hidden” targeted offer. These links are giving me 60,000 (though in the past when you’d click to apply it would say offer no longer available; it is not doing that right now). You can try:
https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/southwest/60kPremier?CELL=6PMC
https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/southwest/60kPlus?CELL=6PMC
Erin says
Do points earned from the Southwest Hotels link
(up to 10,000 points per night)count toward the companion pass?? I have researched everywhere and am still unclear on this. Love your site! Thanks for everything!
Lyn Mettler says
Yes, they do! Just look for anything that says “bonus” points. If it says “bonus” it DOES not count toward the Companion Pass. Thanks Erin!
Erin says
So for instance, I booked a stay (haven’t stayed yet) and it said I would earn 29,000 points for staying at that particular hotel. it doesn’t say “Bonus points” but that’s obviously more that 1 point per $ paid to stay. Do those 29,000 count towards the CP? I’m sorry to drag it out I just want to make sure I’m doing everything I can correctly to earn that pass! Ha!
Lyn Mettler says
HI Erin, sorry I missed responding to this one, but YES those will count toward the Companion Pass! That’s awesome!
Jim says
Can I exchange chase ultimate rewards points to achieve 110,000
Lyn Mettler says
Hi Jim, no you can no longer transfer points from any program to Southwest and have those points count toward the Companion Pass. But you can use Ultimate Rewards to book free flights :).
Thanks!
Lyn
Sally says
We signed up for Reliant Energy recently using the Southwest partner offer. We were hoping that the 15,000 point sign up bonus counted toward the Companion Pass, but it did not. Only the 500 base points earned each month count towards the Pass.
Lyn Mettler says
You do have the read the fine print carefully. If ever they mention a “bonus” point, aside from the credit card bonuses, that means those points won’t qualify for the Companion Pass unfortunately.
Claudia says
Hi Lyn, I just got my companion pass for this year. If I sign up for a business card now and wait until the end of the year (November) to accumulate all my points to make the 110,000. Do I get a companion pass that ends on 2020 or 2021? I want to use my points from personal card and business card together.
Thanks in advance!
Lyn Mettler says
Hi Claudia,
So if you get 110,000 qualifying points in by Dec. 31, your pass will be good through all of next year (through the end of 2020). Otherwise, you can wait and apply for the business card until the end of the year, complete your min spend within the 3 months in early 2020 and have your bonus points count toward next year. If you earn all 110,000 points NEXT year (2020) your pass will be good through the end of 2021. It’s always good from the time you earn it until the end of the FOLLOWING year.
I understand that you want to pair it with the bonus points you already have from your personal card, which makes total sense. So I’d vote get the business card this year (I’d go ahead and get it early in the year — I’ll explain why in a minute) and finish up your 110,000 this year.
Why get the biz card early? You’ll be eligible to close and re-open these cards and get their bonuses AGAIN 24 months from when you last earned the bonus. That would set you up to potentially get the pass again in early 2021 by re-opening both personal and business cards. Plus, if you get your bonus points NOW, you can go ahead and use them to book free flights this year.
Thanks for using my affiliate link for your card apps if you do decide to apply! (TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS links in the main menu above). Let me know if you have more questions!
Claudia says
Thanks Lyn! I am so glad I found your blog!! 🙂
Jeanne says
I have seen some say, you don’t have to have a business to get a business credit card. I looked through the documentation and it says, all charges must be for the business and not for personal use. How is getting a business card when you don’t have a business not Fraud? I’m interested in your thoughts on this matter.
Lyn Mettler says
Of course you do have to have a business to get a business card, but the idea is that if you don’t currently have one, could you start one? Could sell somethings on Facebook Marketplace? Babysit? Walk dogs? Consult with a friend? Any sort of “side hustle” works. And it can be done under your Social Security Number as a sole proprieter (which means they don’t need to be expenses that are paid out of a separate business account). The idea is not to lie and say you have a business if you don’t, but to actually start a small side hustle to enable you to get the card. Hope that helps!
Scarlet says
Wow. This is so awesome. I never thought I could earn a Southwest companion pass much less in two just two steps!
Kahuna says
Hi Lyn, just found your website and loving all the content you share. Had a question about getting the bonus pts for SWCP. If I get the personal card now and get the business card end of year; but then wait to expense and get the qualifying Business card bonus pts in January/Feb 2020, I would then get SWCP for 2020 and 2021 correct?
I know I should apply for the personal card before June 10th but thinking that since you recommend 30 days before applying for second card, it seems best to wait and just qualify for 2 full years instead of just 16 months or so? Does my logic sound right or missing something? Thanks again!
Lyn Mettler says
Hi Kahuna,
So glad you found Go to Travel Gal! So I think what you’re missing is that all 110,000 points have to be earned in 1 calendar year (Jan. 1-Dec. 31) so the points you earn on the personal card this year would not count with the points you earn next year with the business card. You’d start over at 0 qualifying points on Jan. 1 2020. Does that make sense?
Lyn
Kahuna says
Ah I see.. thanks for clarifying! I guess I better get a move on 🙂