Why Southwest’s Limited-Time Companion Pass Is the Best Welcome Offer Right Now

Updated: March 1, 2026, 4:00pm CST

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Table of Contents

Limited-Time Southwest Welcome Offers With Companion Pass
Why This Companion Pass Welcome Offer Is So Powerful
Why the Math Is So Good With the Southwest Plus Card
Final Thoughts

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Southwest’s Companion Pass is easily one of the most coveted air travel perks. It allows the holder to fly with a designated person on paid or award tickets for just $5.60 in taxes on domestic trips.

The Companion Pass is essentially a Buy One Get One flight deal, which can save you tons of money over the course of a year. Usually, it takes a concerted effort to earn a Companion Pass, but for a limited time, all 3 of Southwest’s personal co-branded cards have welcome bonus offers that include a Companion Pass for about a year.

Southwest isn’t necessarily my airline of choice, and I don’t have much need for a Companion Pass myself as I primarily fly solo. But when I took a closer look at these cards, I realized they may be the best welcome bonus available right now.

In fact, I gave my parents a call just the other day to persuade them to apply for one of these cards to take advantage of the welcome bonus offer — here’s why.

Limited-Time Southwest Welcome Offers With Companion Pass

There are limited-time welcome offers that include a Companion Pass on all Southwest’s personal credit cards — here’s a quick look at each of them:

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card: Earn a Companion Pass valid until February 28, 2027, plus 20,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months.
Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card: Earn a Companion Pass valid until February 28, 2027, plus 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months.
Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Priority Credit Card: Earn a Companion Pass valid until February 28, 2027, plus 40,000 points after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months.

These welcome offers are only available through March 10, 2026.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card

U.P. Rating

This card makes it easy to earn unlimited points and qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card

This card makes it easy to earn unlimited points and qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.

Welcome OfferEarn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 20,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Companion Pass + 20k points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$2,015

Annual Fee

$99

APR

19.24% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you spend a lot of time in the air, it’s important to get a great deal on your plane tickets.

Southwest Airlines can help you get those deals.

One way to save is by using the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card. This card helps you earn points for all your spending, and earning more reward points is always a good thing for a busy traveler!

Pros & Cons

Pros

2x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
2x points per $1 on the first $5,000 in combined spend at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year
3,000 anniversary points each year on your card renewal

Cons

$99 annual fee
Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 20,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
3,000 anniversary points each year.
Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines^® purchases
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost.
Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
No foreign transaction fees.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card

U.P. Rating

Earn Southwest points on every purchase, plus anniversary points, Tier Qualifying Points, and points toward the Companion Pass!

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card

Earn Southwest points on every purchase, plus anniversary points, Tier Qualifying Points, and points toward the Companion Pass!

Welcome OfferEarn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Companion Pass + 30,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $390

Annual Fee

$149

APR

19.24% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

Another week, another flight. Flying weekly can get tiring, but you know that every flight gets you closer to taking some great vacations with your significant other or your favorite travel buddy.

To save money on the flights, you like to use Southwest Airlines.

So why not get the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card to help you earn extra Rapid Rewards points?

Pros & Cons

Pros

3x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
2x points on the first $8,000 in combined spend at grocery stores and restaurants each anniversary year
First checked bag free for the cardholder and up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation

Cons

$149 annual fee
Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
6,000 anniversary points each year.
Earn 3 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines^® purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards.
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
First checked bag free for Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation.
Select a Standard or Preferred seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
Cardmembers and up to 8 passengers in the same reservation will board with Group 5 giving them earlier access to overhead bins.
No foreign transaction fees.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Priority Credit Card

U.P. Rating

This card focuses on the Southwest traveler with anniversary points, preferred boarding and seat selection, and money back on inflight purchases.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Priority Credit Card

This card focuses on the Southwest traveler with anniversary points, preferred boarding and seat selection, and money back on inflight purchases.

Welcome OfferEarn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 40,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Companion Pass + 40k points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$2,275

Annual Fee

$229

APR

19.24% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Southwest Priority card is the most premium personal Southwest card offering from Chase. It offers multiple bonus categories to help you earn more Southwest Rapid Rewards points and is loaded with valuable benefits for Southwest flyers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

4x points on Southwest Airlines eligible purchases
2x points at gas stations and restaurants
1x points on all other purchases

Cons

$229 annual fee
Does not earn transferable points

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 40,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
7,500 anniversary points each year.
Earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines^® purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards.
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants
First checked bag free for Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation.
Select a Preferred seat at booking, at no additional charge, when available.
Cardmembers and up to 8 passengers in the same reservation will board with Group 5 giving them earlier access to overhead bins.
No foreign transaction fees.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

While it’s certainly nice to be able to earn a solid sum of bonus points, the real star of this show is the ability to earn a Companion Pass, valid through the end of February 2027, after meeting the minimum spending requirements.

Usually, it requires flying 100 qualifying one-way flights or earning 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year to qualify for the Companion Pass. But that requires time, effort, and presumably a decent chunk of change. On the other hand, the ability to earn a coveted Companion Pass with as little as $3,000 in minimum spending makes it very quick to earn.

Why This Companion Pass Welcome Offer Is So Powerful

While I was visiting my family over the holidays, we compared our travel schedules for 2026. I remember commenting on how busy my parents would be this year, thanks to them now being semi-retired. Plus, we have numerous family weddings to attend throughout the year, happening from coast to coast.

As soon as I learned of these limited-time welcome offers, I immediately thought of my parents. As their self-appointed travel advisor, I explained that the Southwest Companion Pass — even if it’s only valid through the end of February 2027 — is the perfect travel tool for them, since they travel together almost exclusively.

Riviera Maya Mexico — Having a Companion Pass makes getting to places like Riviera Maya, Mexico, much more affordable. Image Credit: Nick Ellis

And while their home base of Grand Rapids, Michigan (GRR) doesn’t have the most robust slate of nonstop Southwest flights, most itineraries involve a quick connection at Chicago-Midway (MDW), which is a sub-60-minute flight from Grand Rapids. The airport is known for having high fares, too, which makes the case for the Companion Pass even stronger for them.

Let’s take a look at some of the upcoming trips they have planned and how much they could save with the Companion Pass.

Savings With Southwest Companion Pass

First, they’ve planned a Spring Break long-weekend getaway to South Florida in mid-March. That’s a popular time to visit the region, so tickets are pricey at $666 each.

Southwest GRR-FLL — Image Credit: Southwest Airlines

But, with a Companion Pass, the total cost for 2 passengers becomes $672 for 2 people, after you factor in the $5.60 in taxes and fees for the Companion ticket. This results in a price of $336 per ticket and savings of roughly $660 (the cost of a second ticket without the Companion Pass, minus roughly $6 in taxes and fees).

Next, we have a family wedding back in South Florida in May. I’ll be flying from Chicago (ORD), my brother from Charlotte (CLT), and my parents will be flying together once again. Back to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) they go, with tickets costing a little more than they did for the March getaway at $681 round-trip.

Southwest GRR FLL May — Image Credit: Southwest Airlines

For this May trip, my parents will save about $675 after the $6 in taxes and fees is deducted from the Companion ticket. Plus, the effective cost for 2 people to fly to this wedding in the Miami area becomes about $344 round-trip.

The next month, we have another family wedding, this time in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. Predictably, flights aren’t cheap for the wedding weekend, at $798 round-trip.

Southwest GRR SBA — Image Credit: Southwest Airlines

In this instance, they’ll save a whopping $792 on these flights, and the effective round-trip cost per ticket drops to $402.

After a brief respite from travel in July, my parents will head to the Washington, D.C., area in early August to visit my dad’s elderly aunt with all of his siblings and their spouses. For the weekend they need to travel, tickets cost $511 round-trip.

Southwest GRR DCA — Image Credit: Southwest Airlines

For this quick weekend trip, they’ll save $505 on airfare, and the cost of each ticket drops to about $256 round-trip.

Finally, my mom has a milestone birthday this year, and we’ve been talking about taking a fun trip somewhere warm and relaxing to celebrate. I suggested Riviera Maya for its beautiful beaches, great food, and numerous points hotels in the area.

We haven’t confirmed these plans yet, but if we did, flights to Cancun (CUN) cost about $903 round-trip.

Southwest GRR CUN — Image Credit: Southwest Airlines

For this trip, my parents could save $897, and the cost of each ticket would drop to about $455 round-trip. In total, they’ll save a whopping $3,529 on air travel within a year thanks to this single welcome offer.

Why the Math Is So Good With the Southwest Plus Card

I recommended that my parents open the Southwest Plus card, which is the entry-level card in the lineup. This year is particularly busy for them, and they don’t typically fly Southwest that often, so it allows a minimal investment in the airline with an enormous return.

Southwest Rapid Reward Plus Credit Card — Entry-level card into Southwest Rapid Rewards. Image Credit: Katie Seemann

First, the card’s annual fee is modest at $99. And, with this limited-time welcome offer, the minimum spend requirement is $3,000 in the first 3 months. I told my parents to simply shift their everyday spending to the Southwest Plus card until they hit roughly $3,000 (and track their progress in the Chase mobile app).

Also, the Southwest Plus card offers a decent slate of perks with the airline, especially for those who aren’t concerned with earning elite status. These include a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 8 others traveling on the same reservation, standard seat selection within 48 hours before departure (when available), and more benefits.

Hot Tip:

Learn more about the Southwest Rapid Rewards program and how to earn a ton of Rapid Rewards points in our full guides.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to cold, hard cash, I don’t think anything on the market beats earning a Companion Pass for a relatively modest initial investment. After learning about these welcome bonus offers on Southwest’s credit cards, I immediately thought of my parents. They have a uniquely busy year of travel ahead, and since they always travel as a pair, they’re perfect candidates for the Companion Pass.

Upon paying the annual fee and meeting the minimum spending requirements, which they achieved by placing purchases they’d make anyway on their new Southwest Plus card, they’re on track to save well over $3,400 on airfare alone this year — and likely more as 2026 goes on and last-minute travel pops up. As the unofficial official travel advisor to my parents, I’d consider that a big win!