How to Earn the Southwest Companion Pass in 2026 With One Credit Card
Flights are a large expense when it comes to family travel, and that is why the Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best ways for families to save money while flying. Whether you fly on points or pay cash for your flight, this pass is considered one of the best travel rewards for families.
There is currently an elevated card offer that is going to make this pass easier to earn than ever! For a limited time, you can earn the Southwest Companion pass for up to two years through this one-card offer for the Southwest Business Performance card. That means you would be earning the Southwest Companion pass for 2026 and all of 2027, giving you lots of opportunities to maximize your pass.
If you decide to grab this card offer, I would be so grateful if you used my link. By using my link, you are supporting Travel Momma Co at no cost to you. This allows us to keep putting out free travel information for you to save more money on your family travels. Thank you so much for your support in using my links!
What is the Southwest Companion Pass
What is the Southwest Companion Pass, and why is it considered one of the best travel rewards for families? When you hold this pass, it allows you to book a free flight for one person every time you book a ticket. The flight cost is covered, and you just pay the taxes and fees for the ticket. If both parents hold the companion pass, then each of you gets to bring a person to fly with you for free. Imagine having this ability for up to 2 years?
Doesn’t have to be the same person the whole time, either. You can switch your companion to anyone up to 3 times a year. Even if you decide to go couples only or do a girls’ trip, you can simply switch your companion in your account.
In order to earn this pass, you need to earn 135,000 Rapid Reward points, and then you are awarded this pass. It does not cost anything once you reach 135,000 Rapid Reward points. Or you fly 100 one-way flights, but let’s be real, that would take forever!
Why this Offer is HUGE
The Southwest Performance Business credit card is going to earn you 120,000 points just as the welcome bonus! This is HUGE!! A normal bonus on this card is around 80,000 points, so this is a high elevation. Earning that Southwest Companion pass for 2026 has never been easier, given this card offer.
With the normal card offers, you can still earn the Southwest Companion pass for 2026-2027, but it does take opening more cards and being more strategic with the timeline. I do have a free guide that walks you through the traditional method of the Southwest Companion pass. This current card offer makes it so much easier for you to earn that pass because you only need one card to make it happen.
What if I don’t have my own business
If you think you don’t qualify for a business credit card, think again. All you did was a side hustle that brings in income! A side hustle could be anything, like dog walking, mowing lawns, selling on eBay or Facebook, photography, tutoring, babysitting, etc. You can apply for a business credit card with your Social Security number instead of having a business EIN number. If you need help filling out the application, grab my freebie that walks you through step by step. When I applied for my first credit card with my side hustle of reselling all my baby gear and kids’ clothes, it felt so weird, so I get it. But you got this! It never hurts to try to apply and see if you qualify!
How to Earn the Southwest Companion Pass 2026-2027 with One card
Follow this timeline to help you earn that Southwest Companion pass in 2026 and fly with those BOGO flights all the way through 2027.
The key to remember is that all 135,000 rapid reward points have to be earned in ONE calendar year. Any spending you do on the credit card in 2025 will still earn you points in your account, but won’t count towards the companion pass because it resets Jan 1st. So, how do we earn 135,000 points in early Jan/Feb 2026 to earn that pass as early as possible?
Step-by-Step Timeline:
- Apply for the Southwest Performance Business Credit card (don’t forget to come back and grab my link) at the earliest mid-October. This card has a 3-month spending window, and we need the end date to be in 2026 so that we hit the bonus in 2026.
- Tip: After you apply for the Southwest Business credit card, put it in your free Travel Freely app. Add the card to your profile and put in the date you got approved for the card. This app will remind you when your spending deadline is. Your 3 months start from the day you get approved.
- This card has a $10,000 spend in 3 months, so start considering what expenses you can put on this card. Remember to always pay in full and think about everyday expenses like utilities, groceries, gas, and Christmas gifts since you will have this card over the holidays.
- Don’t hit the full $10,000 spend in 2025. This will activate the bonus too early, so monitor your spending in your bank app.
- I would recommend spending $5,000 before December and finishing off the last $5,000 because you will need to spend at least $5,000 in 2026 to get to the full 135,000 points.
- January 1st, 2026- Finish spending on your credit card before the 3-month deadline. Once you hit the $10 spend in the 3-month window, 120,000 points will be pending in your account.
- I know what you’re thinking: how do I get the extra 15,000 points?
- January 1st, all cardholders earn 10,000 qualifying points. These points will count towards your companion pass earning, but are not points you get to book flights with. It will show up in your Southwest account after January 1st.
- The last 5,000 points will be earned from spending or booking flights to earn points. This is why I suggest that you spend the last $5k on your card right after January 1st, so you don’t have to do extra spending.
Here is the point breakdown:
January 2026- card bonus deadline
* 120,000 welcome bonus
* 10,000 SW companion point boost
* 5,000 points from regular spending on the card
* This gives you 135,000 Rapid Reward points, and you will then earn the companion pass once the points hit your account.
BIGGEST THING TO REMEMBER IS TIMING MATTERS!
Card Benefits for the Southwest Business Performance Credit Card
Now you have this card, and it does come with an annual fee, but between earning the companion pass and the other Southwest Business Performance card perks, I think you cancel out the annual fee to make it worth it. Let’s get as many savings as possible from this card to help you save!
Free bag
One of the great Southwest business performance card benefits is going to be the free bag for you and up to 8 people on your reservation. This is going to save you money so that you don’t have to pay bag fees. When it comes to family travel, sometimes you need to check a larger bag because kids need more stuff. You may also prefer to have less to carry through the airport and do a light carry-on. Totally fine because your bags are covered.
Complimentary Preferred Seat at booking
Now with paid seats at Southwest, this option is going to save you money by getting you a better seat at the time of booking, and also not having to pay extra for it.
Upgrade to an Extra Legroom seat
With the Southwest Performance Business credit card, you will have the opportunity for a possible free upgrade to an extra-legroom seat. 48 hours prior to your flight, you can check and see if there is any extra room availability. If there is, you can book that seat upgrade at no extra cost!
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or Nexus credit
Want to skip the lines and make going through security even easier? This credit is going to help you a ton! Simply use this card when you apply for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or Nexus credit. You get a credit of up to $120 every four years. Making travel for families that much easier because you don’t have to take off shoes and all the things.
Anniversary Card Bonus
Every card anniversary, you will be awarded 9,000 Rapid Reward points. Those points will go straight to your account so you can use them for flights.
Points Earned on Spending
* 4x on Southwest Airlines Purchases
* 2x on Gas Stations and Restaurants
* 2x on local transit and commuting
* 2x on Hotel Accommodations that are booked directly with the hotel
* 1x on everything else
Who Should Get this Card?
Now, this Southwest Performance Business Credit Card isn’t for everyone, and I totally get that. Let’s look at who this deal is targeted at and who can get the most out of it.
- You fly Southwest Airlines frequently
- If your home airport has a lot of Southwest flights, this card and offer are going to save you on the cost of flights, baggage, and seats.
- Earning the Southwest Companion Pass for 2026-2027 is a goal for you
- Maybe you have heard of this pass and want to find a way to earn it to save money for your future travels. Now is the time!
- Small Business Owners, side hustle with income
- This is a business credit card, so you need to have some way of proving side income that you are making. It doesn’t have to be a ton of money. Don’t forget my free resource that walks you through the application process.
- This is a business credit card, so you need to have some way of proving side income that you are making. It doesn’t have to be a ton of money. Don’t forget my free resource that walks you through the application process.
Fly More and Pay Less
With the Southwest Companion pass, you are able to stretch those miles even farther because you can fly two people while only using points or cash for one person. The Southwest Performance Business credit card, if used correctly, can help you achieve that goal and set you up for future travels.
FAQs
Can I get a business credit card if I have a personal card?
Yes, you can! You can earn the welcome bonus and hold one personal card and still qualify for the business credit card. You can actually apply for both business credit cards and earn welcome bonuses from them. You can only hold one personal SW card at a time.
Can my spouse and I both earn the companion pass?
Yes, if you think you can hit the spending threshold to complete both welcome bonuses. After using my link to grab your first Southwest credit card, refer your spouse using your card link. This will earn you a referral bonus and also get you another welcome offer. I don’t advise putting your spouse as an authorized user on your credit cards when you can both apply and double your welcome offers.
Remember, we always pay off the card in full every month. Please don’t carry balances on your credit cards. The goal here is to earn travel rewards with normal spending, not overspend on things we can’t afford and pay for.
What if I hit the $10k spending in 2025?
This is very unfortunate! If you hit 135,000 points in 2025, then you will still earn the pass for the rest of 2025 and then all of 2026. Timing is really crucial when it comes to maximizing your pass and benefits. The companion pass is for the year you earn it and the following year.
Can I earn the Southwest Companion pass again?
Yes, you can! When your pass expires, you can earn it again. Join the Travel Momma Newsletter so you can stay up to date on the best offers, and when that time comes, we can see what the best current offers are to get you that pass again. My family is on our second round of the companion pass!