Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Complete Guide

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards is a loyalty program that shares some characteristics common of airline frequent flyer programs (like priority check-in and boarding for elite members) and additional key features (like the ability to bring a companion for free after earning enough points in a calendar year and the fact that points that never expire). This guide is designed to include everything you need to know about the Southwest Rapid Rewards program.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Overview

Southwest Rapid Rewards shares traits that are common to most airline rewards programs:

• Earn points from paid flights (based on the cost of the fare)
• Use points to book free flight awards
• The cost, in points, for free flights depends upon the cash price of the flight. Starting 5/28/25, the number of points required for an award flight will vary with demand.
• Those who spend a lot on paid flights earn elite status.
• There are two elite status levels: A-list and A-list Preferred. The higher your status, the more perks you get.
• Branded credit cards can be used to earn points and to help earn elite status.

Rapid Rewards also has a few traits that are unique:

• If you earn 135,000 Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year, you earn a Companion Pass. The Companion Pass allows a companion to fly with you for free (paying only the taxes) every time you fly whether the primary passholder’s ticket was purchased with money or points. See more detail in our Southwest Companion Pass Complete Guide.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards points never expire
• Award flights are highly flexible and can be cancelled or changed with no fee up until 10 minutes prior to departure
• Tickets can now be booked with a combination of cash & points, though this yields poor value per point

New changes coming on May 28, 2025

Beginning on May 28, 2025, Southwest has announced several major changes:

• Most passengers will no longer receive free checked bags
• A “basic” fare will be introduced (likely replacing the “Wanna Get Away” fare type)
• Flight credits from flights booked and cancelled from 5/28/25 onward will expire after 12 months for most fares or 6 months for Basic fares
• Award pricing will become more dynamic, with redemptions expected to require more points when demand is high and potentially fewer points when demand is low

More detail on many of these changes can be found below.

How To Earn Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

Members can earn points through paid flight activity, credit card spend and bonuses, and many types of partner activity (including the shopping portal, car rentals with partners, flower delivery, and more). Southwest Rapid Rewards points do not expire, which means there is low risk in collecting points.

On paid flights, members earn points based on fare type and price:

• Wanna Get Away Fares: Earn 2x points per $1 of base fare
• Wanna Get Away Plus Fares: Earn 6x points per $1 of base fare
• Anytime Fares: Earn 10x points per $1 of base fare
• Business Select fares: Earn 14x points per $1 of base fare

Elite members earn bonuses (A-list gets 25% bonus points, A-list Preferred gets 100% bonus).

Partner activity that can increase your points balance includes:

• Credit card spend
• Credit card bonuses (including new cardmember welcome bonuses and any short-term spending bonuses)
• Hotel partners
• Rental Car partners
• Rapid Rewards dining
• 1-800 Flowers (1,000 miles per order of $29.99 or more with promo code R22)

Do Southwest Rapid Rewards points expire?

Southwest Rapid Rewards points never expire, so there is no activity necessary to keep them alive. Note that if you close your account, you will forfeit any points in the account at time of closure.

How much are Southwest Rapid Rewards points worth?

Our Reasonable Redemption Value for Southwest Rapid Rewards points is 1.4c each. The actual value of points varies based on the price of the flight and route. In short, points are tend be worth slightly more towards cheaper fares and certain international routes where taxes make up a more significant portion of the cost. Starting on or after 5/28/25, Southwest will begin adjusting the value of points based on demand for individual flight:

“We are changing our redemption rates factoring in how much demand exists for a flight. For example, flights with lower demand will have a lower redemption rate, and flights with peak demand may have a higher redemption rate, and some flights will have the same or similar redemption rates as they do today.”

This likely means that, in some cases, points will be worth less or more than 1.4 cents each, depending on how much demand there is for that specific flight.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards award flights

All seats available for sale on a Southwest Airlines flight can be booked with points as an award ticket. The number of points required for a flight depends on the cash price of the fare and points can be used regardless of fare type (“Wanna Get Away”, “Wanna Get Away Plus,” “Anytime”, and “Business Select” fares are all available using points).

A nice feature of the Southwest Rapid Rewards program is the flexibility of award tickets: awards can be cancelled up 10 minutes before the flight is scheduled to depart for no fee. Points are immediately re-deposited into your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. Flights can alternatively be changed just as easily, sometimes without even paying a fare difference. If changing to a cheaper fare, you can actually get points back. If the fare has dropped on a flight you already booked, you can even “change” to the same flight and receive a refund of the difference in points.

Southwest Airlines Elite status Overview

Southwest offers two levels of elite status: A-list and A-list Preferred. Companion Pass is arguably a third level of elite status, though it comes with no elite benefits other than the companion ticket so we’ll cover that separately in this guide. Requirements for A-list and A-list Preferred status are straightforward and benefits are similar.

A-list

Requirements: 20 one-way qualifying flights or 35,000 tier-qualifying points

Benefits:

• Priority boarding (the system automatically assigns a position 36 hours before your flight (same as Early Bird check-in).
• 25% bonus points earned on paid fares (17.5x Business Select, 12.5x Anytime, 7.5x Wanna Get Away Plus, 2.5x Wanna Get Away)
• Free same-day standby (note that this does not extend to any companions on the same reservation)
• Free same-day change
• Priority check-in and security (where available)
• Beginning 5/28/25: 1 free checked bag for member + up to 8 companions traveling on the same reservation

A-list Preferred

Requirements: 40 one-way qualifying flights or 70,000 tier-qualifying points

Benefits:

• Priority boarding (the system automatically assigns a position 36 hours before your flight (same as Early Bird check-in). A-list Preferred receives priority over A-list but both are behind Business Select passengers.
• 100% bonus points on paid fares (28x Business Select, 20x Anytime, 12x Wanna Get Away Plus, 4x Wanna Get Away)
• Free same-day standby (note that this does not extend to any companions on the same reservation)
• Free same-day change
• Priority check-in and security (where available)
• Free in-flight Wi-Fi
• Two free premium drinks per flight on flights of 250 miles or longer
• Starting 5/28/25: 2 free checked bags for member + up to 8 companions traveling on the same reservation

Shortcuts to Southwest Rapid Rewards elite status

Rapid Rewards Premier, Premier Business, Priority, or Performance Business cardmembers earn 1,500 tier points for every $5,000 in purchases on a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card. Those who spend their way toward a Companion Pass will find themselves racking up tier points.

Southwest checked baggage benefits

Flights booked on or after 5/28/25 will no longer include two free checked bags for all passengers.

For flights booked on or after May 28, 2025, the new checked baggage policy for Southwest will be:

• Two free checked bags
  • A-List Preferred Members
  • Business Select fares
• One free checked bag
  • A-List Members
  • “Other select customers” (no indication yet as to who’ll be selected)
  • Southwest credit cardholders
• Zero free checked bags
  • Everyone else

Note that free checked baggage benefits will apply to up to 8 passengers traveling on the same reservation.

Note also that if a Companion Pass holder qualifies for a free checked bag(s), the benefit will ultimately extend to their companion. The companion will initially need to pay for their checked bag(s), but they will be refunded to the original form of payment after travel is complete.

Southwest Flight Credits

If you book a Southwest revenue fare (i.e. if you pay “cash”) and you later cancel your flight, you can get a Southwest Flight Credit. Flight credits credited on or before 5/27/25 never expire.

However, flights booked or changed/cancelled on or after 5/28/25 will be subject to the new policy whereby new flight credits will expire after 12 months (or after 6 months for Basic fares).

Southwest Companion Pass Overview

The key details of the Southwest Companion Pass are:

• A member who earns 135,000 Rapid Rewards points in a single calendar year earns a Companion Pass, enabling the pass holder to bring a companion for free (the companion just pays the taxes)
• The companion can be changed up to 3 times per calendar year
• As long as a seat is available for sale on the flight, a Companion Pass holder can add their companion. The same fare type does not need to be available.
• If the Companion Pass holder has a free checked baggage benefit, that benefit will ultimately extend to their companion. The companion will initially need to pay for their checked bag(s), but they will be refunded to the original form of payment after travel is complete.

The Southwest Airlines Companion Pass can be an extremely valuable tool given that it enables the primary passholder to bring a free companion an unlimited number of times whether the passholder’s flight was purchased with money or points (the primary passholder’s ticket can even be purchased with points from someone else’s account and they can still add the companion for free). It’s worth noting that the companion can be added at any time up until 10 minutes before departure as long as there are seats available for sale and regardless of the fare type originally purchased. In other words, if the primary pass holder buys a Wanna Get Away fare, their companion can still be added even if only Business Select fares remain for sale.

The 135,000 points required for a Companion Pass can be earned from paid flights, credit card spend, credit card welcome bonuses, or many types of partner activity including shopping portal purchases and rental cars.

Shortcuts to a Southwest Companion Pass

The Companion Pass has a multitude of shortcuts.

The most popular shortcut is via new credit card bonuses since even the new cardholder bonus counts toward the 135K points that must be earned in a calendar year to get the Companion Pass. Southwest cardholders automatically get 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year (note that these are not redeemable points, this effectively just means that cardholders only need to earn 125,000 points to earn a Companion Pass).

For instance, if a member were to open a Southwest consumer credit card and a Southwest business credit card and they each featured an offer like 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in 3 months, opening both cards and meeting the associated spending requirements in the same calendar year would yield 126K total points. Together with the 10K Companion Pass Qualifying points automatically credited to cardholders, such an individual would have 136K Companion Pass Qualifying points – enough for a Companion Pass.

However, there are also many other ways to earn Companion Pass qualifying points. In practice, we have found that the following things do count:

• Paid flight activity
• Points earned from credit card spend, including the new cardholder bonus
• Points earned from the Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping portal (however, seasonal bonuses from the portal do not count)
• Most (but not all) points earned from partners

Keep in mind that you do not need to earn all of the points from a single source — mix and match points from each of these shortcuts as you please.

Which points qualify toward the Southwest Companion Pass?

Credit card welcome offers

Chase frequently offers valuable welcome offers for new cardholders of Southwest cards after meeting introductory spending requirements. There are several versions of the Southwest credit cards. In terms of consumer/personal credit cards, there are three: the Premier, Plus, and Priority cards.  On the business side, there is the Premier Business and the Performance Business. Welcome offers on these cards increase and decrease throughout the year, but it is often possible to earn enough points for a companion pass, or very close to it, by opening two credit cards and meeting the minimum spending requirements. Here is the current offer information on each of the Southwest credit cards:

Card Offer
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card ⓘ $841 1st Yr Value Estimate 80K points ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 80K points after $5K spend within first 3 months your account is open$199 Annual Fee This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card ⓘ $707 1st Yr Value Estimate 30K points + Companion Pass ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 30K points + Companion Pass valid through 2/28/26 after $4K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 3/31/2025)$69 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: 65K points after $1K spend in the first 3 months After clicking through, be sure to manually select the exact Southwest card in which you are interested. This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card ⓘ $693 1st Yr Value Estimate 60K points ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 60K points after $3K spend within first 3 months your account is open$99 Annual Fee This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card ⓘ $677 1st Yr Value Estimate Limited Time Offer - 30K points + Companion Pass Non-AffiliateThis is NOT an affiliate offer. We always present the best offer even when it means less revenue for Frequent Miler 30K points + Companion Pass valid through 2/28/26 after $4K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 3/31/2025)$99 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: 50K points after $1K spend in the first 3 months This card is known to be subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card ⓘ $627 1st Yr Value Estimate Limited Time Offer - 30K points + Companion Pass ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 30K points + Companion Pass valid through 2/28/26 after $4K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 3/31/2025)$149 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: 50K points after $1K spend in the first 3 months This card is known to be subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply

It is important to note that Chase added new rules on the Southwest credit cards in recent years. Each of the Southwest credit cards now carries 24-month language. In a nutshell:

• You are ineligible for the welcome bonus on a Southwest personal credit card if you currently have any Southwest Rapid Rewards personal credit card or have earned a new cardmember bonus on any Southwest personal credit card in the past 24 months
• You are ineligible for the welcome bonus on a Southwest business credit card if you currently have that specific Southwest Rapid Rewards business credit card or have earned a new cardmember bonus on that specific Southwest business credit card in the past 24 months. This is a key distinction: the verbiage on the application page does not preclude you from earning the welcome bonus on a second business credit card, it just needs to be the other product.

In short, the easiest path to earn the Companion Pass via credit card welcome offers requires opening at least one business card.

Ideally, you would time the applications and spend so that the points would be earned as early in a calendar year as possible. That way, you’ll have the Companion Pass for nearly two years.

Southwest Rapid Rewards points post to your Southwest Airlines account upon statement close. Timing out purchases in order to earn points from welcome offers at the appropriate time is fairly easy to do. For example, if you would like to earn the welcome bonus on a card in January, be sure to wait to meet the minimum spending requirements until after your December statement closes (since purchase activity after your December statement has closed should post to your Southwest account upon the close of your January statement). The safest bet is of course to wait until January to meet the minimum spending requirement to avoid the risk of points posting early.

If you open more than one Southwest credit card in close proximity to each other for the purposes of earning the Companion Pass, be sure to time the spend so that you earn both bonuses in the same calendar year. If you choose to pursue such a strategy late in the year with the goal of earning welcome bonuses in January, be careful not to meet the spending threshold early. A member who earns 63,000 points in December and another 63,000 points in January will not have a companion pass since the points were not earned in the same calendar year.

Unfortunately, Chase does apply its 5/24 rule to these cards.  That means that you most likely won’t get approved if you’ve opened 5 or more cards (with any bank) in the past 24 months.

Credit card spend

If you’re a big spender, then another way to get the Companion Pass is to simply charge $125,000 worth of expenses on a Southwest credit card (or cards) during a single calendar year.

Since the cards only award 1 point per dollar on most spend, this wouldn’t be the fastest way to earn the Companion Pass, nor the cheapest in terms of opportunity cost. However, if you know you’ll use the Companion Pass a ton, it might be worth it to you.

1-800-Flowers

1-800-Flowers lets you earn 1,000 Companion Pass qualifying Southwest points per order with promo code RR22. To qualify, orders must be $29.99 or more and only one promo code can be used per order. The terms of this deal have been updated to indicate that you can only receive these points a maximum of 12 times per year (i.e. max of 12,000 points).

Online Shopping

If you do a lot of online shopping, you can earn points that qualify for the Companion Pass by shopping through the Southwest Rapid Rewards shopping portal. The portal offers different point bonuses for different stores. It’s often possible to earn 5 or more points per dollar for shopping at popular merchants.  Note that points from seasonal portal bonuses (such as “Spend $300, get 500 bonus points”) do not count towards the Companion Pass.

Hotel partners

Southwest Airlines has several hotel partners (as seen on this page). Some hotel partners only allow for points transfer, but others allow you to earn Southwest points for your stays. These points are Companion Pass-qualifying.

For example, Southwest has a partnership with MGM Rewards whereby you can earn 600 Rapid Rewards points per stay at most of the MGM hotels in Las Vegas. As shown above, these points count towards the Companion Pass.

Book hotels through Rocketmiles

Rocketmiles is a hotel booking site that rewards you with airline miles in lieu of earning hotel points, elite credit, etc.  You choose the type of miles you want to earn and then the search results show the price of the hotel per night and the number of miles you can earn.  If you pick Southwest Rapid Rewards, then it’s possible to earn Companion Pass qualifying points for your stay.

Unfortunately, Rocketmiles promotional bonuses are not Companion Pass qualifying points. In the above example, it shows the number “5,000” crossed out and replaced with “8,000 Rapid Rewards Points”. In this case, you would probably earn 5,000 Companion Pass qualifying points — the other 3,000 bonus are most likely a bonus. Also keep in mind that you will not earn hotel points or elite credit for bookings made through RocketMiles. If you have elite status with the hotel chain, it will probably not be recognized, so you will not receive benefits of your status like free breakfast.

Rental Cars

Southwest Airlines partners with a number of rental car companies to offer points for renting through Southwest (see the current list here). Always be sure to compare the cost using any associated rate codes. Base points earned from car rentals do count toward the Southwest Companion Pass, but be aware that additional bonuses beyond base points may not.

Referring friends

Chase sometimes offers bonuses for referring friends to apply for a card you have. You can check to see if you have any referral offers by entering your last name, billing zip code, and the last four digits of your Southwest card here. Typically, you can earn 20,000 Rapid Rewards points per referral up to a maximum of 100,000 points per year. What’s more, your Southwest credit card referral link can now be used to refer someone to any Southwest credit card. In other words, if you have the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier credit card, you could refer someone to the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Performance Business credit card or vice versa. This opens up more possibilities in terms of earning referral points.

It is furthermore noteworthy that referrals collected late in the year can be an interesting way to earn toward the pass. We discovered that referrals earned after your December statement closes but before December 31st will count toward the current year’s Chase referral cap, but will not post to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account until your next statement cuts (in January). One could therefore essentially double up on Companion Pass-eligible points by doing the following:

• Make sure your Southwest credit card statement cut date is set for early in December. As an example, let’s say your December statement posts on December 10th
• Refer 5 friends between December 11th-December 31st (100,000 point cap for this calendar year)
• Refer 2 more friends between January 1-January 9th (40,000 points earned in new calendar year that count toward the new year’s 100K cap)
• When your statement cuts again on January 10th, your Southwest account would theoretically be credited with 140,000 referral points from a single credit card (100K “earned” the previous calendar year from Chase’s perspective and 40K “earned” from the current calendar year, but all posted to your Southwest account in the same calendar year, yielding a Companion Pass)

Again, the trick here is to make sure not to refer people to apply until after your December statement cut date. For more information on this method, see: An unexpected path to the Companion Pass.

What doesn’t count towards a Companion Pass

The most notable sources of non-qualifying points include: transfers from hotel partners and those transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards. These points will NOT count towards earning a Southwest Companion Pass.

Southwest states that:

Purchased points, transferred points transferred between members, points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, and e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions and Diners Club, points earned from program enrollment, tier bonus points, flight bonus points, and partner bonus points (with the exception of the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase) do not qualify as Companion Pass Qualifying Points.

It is also important to note that bonus points at many partners do not count. Base points earned from partners do count in many instances — such as the 1,000 points with the 1800Flowers coupon code above, base RocketMiles points, etc. However, an extra added bonus may not count. You can easily go to your Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards account and click “Recent Activity”, then filter by “Companion Pass qualifying points” to verify which transactions count toward your current total.

Sharing points with others

You can transfer points to another member, but Southwest charges a fee to do so. Instead, you can simply use your points to book a flight for someone else whether or not you will travel with them. Note that if you use your points to book a flight for someone who has a Companion Pass, he or she can still add their companion for free. There is little reason to consider paying for a transfer.

Southwest “More Rewards”: International flights, experiences, and more

Southwest credit card holders have access to additional redemption opportunities via “More Rewards”. These opportunities generally yield less value per point than redeeming for Southwest flights, but it opens the possibility to use points for international flights (including in premium cabins), experiences, gift cards and more. Card holders can click through the link on this page and log in to view options.

International flights can only be booked on routes that are not served by Southwest and it is possibly that some carriers may not be available. However, based on sample searches, it appears that flights can be booked at a value of approximately 1c per point. Flights do not need to be to/from the United States (for example, a flight from Germany to Spain or Hong Kong to Bangkok can be booked via the air portal.

You can also use points to pay for car rentals, experiences, vacation packages, and even travel insurance, though values tend to be quite poor.

Southwest Credit Cards

Chase issues quite a few Southwest Airlines consumer and business credit cards. Current offer information for these cards can be found below:

Card Offer
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card ⓘ $841 1st Yr Value Estimate 80K points ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 80K points after $5K spend within first 3 months your account is open$199 Annual Fee This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card ⓘ $707 1st Yr Value Estimate 30K points + Companion Pass ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 30K points + Companion Pass valid through 2/28/26 after $4K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 3/31/2025)$69 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: 65K points after $1K spend in the first 3 months After clicking through, be sure to manually select the exact Southwest card in which you are interested. This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card ⓘ $693 1st Yr Value Estimate 60K points ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 60K points after $3K spend within first 3 months your account is open$99 Annual Fee This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card ⓘ $677 1st Yr Value Estimate Limited Time Offer - 30K points + Companion Pass Non-AffiliateThis is NOT an affiliate offer. We always present the best offer even when it means less revenue for Frequent Miler 30K points + Companion Pass valid through 2/28/26 after $4K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 3/31/2025)$99 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: 50K points after $1K spend in the first 3 months This card is known to be subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card ⓘ $627 1st Yr Value Estimate Limited Time Offer - 30K points + Companion Pass ⓘAffiliateThis is an affiliate offer. Frequent Miler may earn a commission if you are approved for this offer 30K points + Companion Pass valid through 2/28/26 after $4K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 3/31/2025)$149 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: 50K points after $1K spend in the first 3 months This card is known to be subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Learn more or apply

It is important to note that Chase added new rules on the Southwest credit cards in recent years. Each of the Southwest credit cards now carries 24-month language. In a nutshell

• You are ineligible for the welcome bonus on a Southwest personal credit card if you currently have any Southwest Rapid Rewards personal credit card or have earned a new cardmember bonus on any Southwest personal credit card in the past 24 months
• You are ineligible for the welcome bonus on a Southwest business credit card if you currently have that specific Southwest Rapid Rewards business credit card or have earned a new cardmember bonus on that specific Southwest business credit card in the past 24 months. This is a key distinction: the verbiage on the application page does not preclude you from earning the welcome bonus on a second business credit card, it just needs to be the other product.

Those looking to earn a Companion Pass via credit card welcome offers will need to open at least one business card.

Southwest check in process and assigned seating

The Southwest boarding process is expected to change significantly in 2026. While Southwest historically has not assigned seats and instead assigns boarding positions based on a number of factors, most notably when a customer checks in, they are expected to begin selling seating assignments in the second half of 2025 for travel beginning in 2026. It is expected that some tickets may come bundled with seat assignment, Basic tickets likely will not include seat assignment, and there will likely be seating benefits for elite members and/or credit card holders, but details have not yet been announced. We expect seating benefits to extend to other passengers on the same reservation.

Until Southwest begins selling seating assignments, you’ll need to check in as early as possible if you want a favorable boarding position. Online check in begins 24 hours prior to departure, but Southwest also offers Early Bird Check In.

Early Bird Check-In

Note that Early Bird Check-in will likely end in 2026 as Southwest is expected to begin selling seat assignments in the second half of 2025 for travel beginning in 2026. Until assigned seating begins, Early Bird Check-in may be your best bet for securing a good boarding position / seat.

For a fee that starts at $15, Southwest will automatically check you in beginning 36 hours before your flight — 12 hours before general check in opens. They will prompt you to add Early Bird Check-in on the booking confirmation page:

Alternatively, you can always add it later on by clicking on a reservation in your account and then clicking the button to add early bird check-in.

However, there is one notable problem with early bird check in: If you cancel your reservation, you will lose the money you paid for early bird check in. Normally, if you cancel a paid reservation with Southwest, you receive a flight credit. If you booked your ticket on points, you can choose to have the taxes refunded to your original payment method. However, if you paid for early bird check in and you cancel your ticket, you get neither a refund nor a credit for the Early Bird Check-in fee. If you simply change your flight, you keep Early Bird Check-in.

The utility of early bird check in can depend on your origination point (and note that Early Bird Check In will likely be eliminated when Southwest begins selling assigned seating).

Early Bird Check-in might not be worth it

The usefulness of Early Bird Check-in will likely depend on two main factors: whether or not you have a seat preference and your point of origin.

Southwest only flies the Boeing 737, though they fly several different variants of that plane. The smallest version they fly has 23 rows. Assuming that aisle seats and window seats are equally desirable, that means that there are about 92 “preferred” seats on even the smallest planes (23 aisle seats and 23 window seats on each side of the aisle). Each Boarding group has 60 people. Therefore, everyone in Boarding Group A will get a preferred seat if they want it. Since at least some of the people in Groups A and B will be traveling together (and therefore someone in the party will take a middle seat next to their companion), I think it’s generally true that nearly everyone in Group B will have access to a preferred seat as well.  By the time Group C gets on board, it is much more likely that only middle seats are left. In my experience, checking in exactly 24 hours before the flight often (though not always) produces a Group B boarding pass.

However, that may vary a bit depending on the second factor: your point of origin. Southwest normally allows you to check in 24 hours before your scheduled departure. When you check in for your first segment, you are automatically checked in for all of your segments that day. This results in an advantage for those passengers who are not based in Southwest hubs.

Let’s consider that you are based somewhere in the Northeast — like Albany, NY. Southwest only flies a couple of direct routes out of Albany. Most itineraries from Albany connect in Baltimore, Chicago, or Orlando. So let’s take this Albany, NY to Los Angeles, CA itinerary as an example:

The initial flight (Southwest Flight #6542) leaves Albany at 5:40am on Friday morning. There is a connection in Baltimore to Southwest Flight #1951 — that flight leaves Baltimore at 8:05am.  Since passengers can check in 24 hours before their initial flight, a passenger starting in Albany can check in for both flights together at 5:40am on Thursday. This means the Albany passenger will be checked in for that second flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles 2 hours and 20 minutes before someone originating in Baltimore is able to check in online. Of course, it’s not only passengers from Albany that have an advantage. Passengers originating in Boston get a 10-mintue head start on Albany — their first flight is at 5:30am. Those folks starting in Manchester, NH are going to beat Boston and Albany with their 5:15am departure:

The point here is that if you live in Manchester, NH, you probably don’t need Early Bird Check-in. If you can check in right at 5:15am 24 hours in advance, you only have to contend with folks originating in Manchester on your first flight and you will be among the first checking in on the Baltimore segment. You have a nice head start on the people who live in Baltimore.

Of course, on the flip side, this means that people who live in Baltimore may need to pay for Early Bird Check-in to have any chance at a decent boarding position. The people in Manchester, Boston, and Albany who also paid for Early Bird Check-in will continue to have a head start. However, those originating in Baltimore can put themselves ahead of the 24-hour check ins from Albany, Boston, Manchester, etc by paying for Early Bird Check-in. Therefore, if you live in a Southwest hub city, you may want to consider paying the premium.

Southwest Business Select Overview

Southwest sells Business Select fares that include priority security and A1-A15 boarding (note that when Southwest begins selling assigned seating, it is expected that Business Select passengers will likely receive free seat assignments). While these tickets are generally much more expensive than Wanna Get Away fares, they are sometimes not much more than “Anytime” fares – so if you’re booking close to departure, Business Select can be a better value in terms of securing a good boarding position and priority security in some airports. These fares also include a free premium drink and earn more miles per dollar. They are refundable as well.

Note that beginning on 5/28/25, Business Select passengers will receive two free checked bags.

However, note that if you book business select and you are a Companion Pass holder, your companion will not share your favorable boarding position. He or she will still need to check in as usual (or purchase Early Bird Boarding or an upgraded boarding position at the gate).

FAQ

Here are a few other common questions that people ask about the Southwest Companion Pass:

Q: Can I change my flight on a companion booking?

A: Yes. You will first need to cancel the companion’s reservation. You can then change the primary traveler’s flight.

Q: How soon are my points refunded for a canceled booking?

A: Immediately. Points go directly back into your account and do not expire.

Q: Can a companion pass holder cancel the companion’s reservation if he/she cannot travel with me?

A: Yes. You can cancel their reservation and either receive a refund of the taxes or keep them as a credit to use on a future flight. Note that you need to choose the option to refund to your credit card rather than as travel funds if that is what you prefer.

Q: Can a Companion Pass holder’s companion travel without the primary passholder?

A: NO! The terms of the program explicitly forbid the companion from flying without the primary traveler and Southwest will likely revoke your companion pass if you do this. It is theoretically possible to do — both travelers check in and only the companion shows up — but will almost certainly get you in trouble with Southwest. Furthermore, if the itinerary is round trip, the companion might have his/her return flight cancelled. Don’t do this.

Q: Does my companion earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points?

A: No, they do not. The primary traveler does earn points on a paid reservation (not a reservation made on points).

Q: What happens to my companion’s reservations if I change my companion?

A: You must first cancel your companion’s reservations before changing companions.

Q: Can I book a round trip flight that begins before my Companion Pass expires on December 31st, but returns after the pass has expired?

A: This isn’t possible. Southwest won’t let you add a companion to a reservation that extends beyond the pass validity period. You would have to book a one-way in December (you could add your companion to this reservation) and then a one-way returning in the new year where you pay for both seats.

Q: Is there an advantage to booking one-way flights or round trip flights with the Southwest Companion Pass?

A: It makes more sense to book one-way flights with Southwest in general. In the vast majority of cases, the round trip price (at least on domestic flights within the US) is simply the cumulative total of the two one-way flights. You will enjoy greater flexibility in making changes to one segment or the other if you book one-way flights.

Q: What are some of the best uses of the Southwest Companion Pass?

A: This is obviously completely subjective. You can enjoy trips around the US, but keep in mind that Southwest also flies to numerous international destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.

Additionally, you can use Southwest to position for an award flight or cheap flight deal out of a different city. This can be a great option when saver-level awards on American/United/Delta are not available from your city.

Q: What happens if I book a flight by 5/27/25, but cancel after 5/28/25. Will the flight credit be subject to expiration?

Any changes or cancellations made from 5/28/25 onward will be subject to the new policies. Flight credits created on or before 5/27/25 never expire, but flight credits created from 5/28/25 onward will expire after 12 months (6 months for basic economy).

Q: Will my checked baggage benefits extend to companions?

Yes. If someone on the reservation qualifies for free checked bags (such as through elite status or by virtue of being a Southwest credit card holder), up to 8 companions on the same reservation will have the same checked baggage benefit.

Q: When will Southwest begin selling assigned seating?

Southwest will begin selling seating assignments in the second half of 2025 for travel beginning in 2026. They have not yet announced specific dates.

Q: Does Southwest have an extra seat policy for customers of size?

A: Yes. Southwest allows customers that need more than one seats worth of space to purchase two and then apply for a refund for the second seat: “Customers who encroach upon any part of the neighboring seat(s) may proactively purchase the needed number of seats prior to travel to ensure the additional seat(s) is available…You may contact us for a refund of the cost of additional seating after travel. If you prefer not to purchase an additional seat in advance, you have the option of purchasing just one seat and then discussing your seating needs with the Customer Service Agent at the departure gate. If it’s determined that a second (or third) seat is needed, you’ll be accommodated with a complimentary additional seat.”

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