Southwest just made its best perk a lot harder to earn. Starting January 1, 2027, credit card welcome bonuses will no longer count toward the Companion Pass. If you’ve been on the fence, the next few weeks are your last window to use the credit card shortcut.
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Why the Companion Pass Is Worth Chasing
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- Unlimited companion flights while the pass is valid
- Change your companion up to three times per calendar year
I just put this to work. My husband flew across the country as my companion. When I got home, I switched my companion to a friend and added her to my upcoming flights to New Orleans. 🎉The past 10 years, I've used the pass to take family members on college trips, family events and just plain fun vacations to places like Cuba.
What’s Changing in 2027
Here’s what the new rules look like:
- Welcome bonuses won’t count. Credit card sign-up bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, and bonus-category points will no longer count toward the pass.
- What still counts: flights and everyday spending on Southwest credit cards, which will earn 1 Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) per dollar.
- The full pass will require Platinum status: 100 qualifying flights or 140,000 TQPs. That’s roughly $140,000 in credit card spending. Yikes. 😬
- A smaller option: 75 flights or 95,000 TQPs gets you three Companion Pass trips, not unlimited. That’s still a big ask for most families.
Bottom line: if you want the Companion Pass, now is the time.
My Game Plan for Earning It Now
1. Apply for the Southwest Premier Business Credit Card FIRST,
- Bonus: 80,000 points after $3,000 in spending within 3 months
- Annual fee: $149
- Offer ends November 2. Don’t wait until the last day. Chase is known for pulling offers early.
- Your business income: side income like freelance work, consulting, or a small online shop can qualify you for a business card. You can include your salary too.
2. Then, before December 2, apply for a personal Southwest credit card.
- Any personal Southwest card works, so the $99 Plus card is an easy pick
- Minimum spend: $1,000
Hit the December 2 deadline. You must be approved on or before December 2, 2026 for the welcome bonuses to count. The good news is that they still count if you finish the minimum spend in early 2027.
Let’s Do the Math 🧮
- Bonuses: 80,000 + 50,000 = 130,000 points
- Minimum spend: about 4,000 points
- Total: about 134,000 points
You need 135,000 qualifying points to earn the pass. That means you’ll need to charge roughly another $1,000 to either card to get over the line.
Once you earn it, your Companion Pass is valid through December 31, 2027. That’s a full year of BOGO flights.
Talk to Me Before You Apply
Please reach out before you hit “apply.” We need to confirm two things:
- You qualify under Chase’s 5/24 rule and the 3/24 rule
- Your timing works, because the deadlines here are tight and there’s no do-over
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