Today Only: You Can Easily Earn a Southwest Companion Pass With This Promo

Ashlyn Brooks

April 5, 2023 at 11:21 AM·4 min read

Southwest Airlines has launched a new promotion that will earn you the coveted Companion Pass for a month and a half.

If you’re a registered Rapid Rewards member, completing two one-way flights or one round-trip flight will get you a Companion Pass that’s valid from August 15 until September 30 of 2023. The only catch is you’ll need to book the flights by April 5 to qualify for this promotion. So, grab a friend and start planning your next getaway.

What is Companion Pass?

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Companion Pass is a fantastic perk offered by Southwest Airlines that lets you bring a friend with you for “free” when you travel. All you need to pay is the taxes and fees on your friend’s ticket.

Earning Southwest’s Companion Pass typically requires 100 one-way flights on Southwest or 135,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points in a year. While this promotion is considerably easier to fulfill by comparison, it’s also worth noting that if you earn a Companion Pass the normal way you get to keep it for the remainder of the calendar year, plus the next year as well.

If you’re unsure about how much value you’ll get from holding a Companion Pass, this promotion is a great opportunity to take the program for a test drive later this year. If it seems like something you’ll use a lot, plan to sign up for a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card next January. These cards will help you quickly earn the full Companion Pass, and you’ll get to keep the normal Companion Pass for almost two years if you earn it in early 2024.

A Slickdeals Money How to Guide

A Complete Guide to the Southwest Companion Pass

Many airlines offer companion passes, but none are as popular (or valuable to the average consumer) as the Southwest Companion Pass. Often dubbed “the best deal in travel,” the Southwest Companion Pass lets you to book two-for…

Read the guide

How this Companion Pass Promotion Works

Here’s everything you’ll need to do to qualify for this promotion:

Purchase a paid round-trip flight or two one-way flights by April 5, 2023.
Complete your travel by May 24, 2023.
Once you fulfill the above requirements, your Companion Pass will be eligible from August 15 through September 30, 2023.

Note: The flights you book must be paid tickets to qualify. Rapid Rewards points are not eligible. However, flights booked on unused LUV vouchers, travel funds or gift cards do count.

Things to Keep in Mind

Before you get too excited and start planning your next trip, here are some things to keep in mind:

This promotion has a limited window (on both ends), so plan your travel accordingly.
Previously booked flights do not count towards this promotion, so make sure to book new flights.
If you cancel your ticket, you can use the travel funds from the original itinerary to rebook your travel at current prices.

Testimonials

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This promotion has the Slickdeals community absolutely buzzing—the related forum post received over a quarter million views since it was posted on April 3.

Slickdeals users PaxtonRd is incredibly excited about the potential value of this deal, saying, “Grandma and Grandpa can travel basically for 1/2 off and visit all the grandchildren who live across the country. If the flight is delayed or canceled they are in no rush to get there. Great deal!”

User jetblac also hailed the benefits of holding a Companion Pass: “I had a companion pass for 2019 and 2020. 2019 was awesome. I saw 30 states that year.”

If you already have a trip planned for this time period, Slickdeals user ChapaZn10 confirmed that you can cancel it, receive a refund in issued travel funds, then immediately rebook to qualify for the promotion.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a frequent flyer or planning to take a trip, this promotion is worth considering. While you do need to fall within the dates Southwest details, if you have some flexibility this could be lucky break for your travel budget.

With the Companion Pass, you and your friend can travel together without breaking the bank. So, book your flights before April 5, 2023, and take advantage of this fantastic promotion.

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