Earn the Companion Pass before it's gone.
Starting January 1, 2027, credit card welcome bonuses stop counting toward the Southwest Companion Pass. Earn it by December 31, 2026, and you fly a companion for just taxes and fees through the end of 2027.
Southwest Companion Pass masterclass video
The masterclass is free. If it helps you, the best thank-you is applying through my links below.
The shortcut closes December 31
- Card welcome bonuses count
- Referral bonuses count
- Everyday card spending counts
- Card welcome bonuses don't count
- Referral bonuses don't count
- Everyday card spending counts ($1 = 1 point)
Without bonuses, reaching 140,000 on spending alone means putting $140,000 on a Southwest card. That's why now is the moment.
Two cards get you to 135,000
The easiest combo is one business card plus one personal card. Together the bonuses get you to 135,000 points, and your everyday spending adds the rest.
On your phone, my link opens on the personal cards. Tap the three lines in the top right corner to find the business cards. Offers change often, so confirm the current bonus on Chase's page before you apply.
Other Southwest cards
- Rapid Rewards Plus: 50,000 points after $1,000 in 3 months · $99
- Rapid Rewards Priority: 60,000 points after $2,000 in 3 months · $229
- Performance Business: 80,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months · $299
Will you make it by December 31?
Answer a few questions and see exactly where you'll land, which cards close the gap, and whether your timing works.
Estimates only. Assumes at least 1 point per $1 on new Southwest cards, and that bonuses post when your statement closes. Confirm current offers on Chase's page before you apply.
All the ways to reach 135,000
Through December 31, all of these count toward the pass. Add them up and you may need less than you think.
What doesn't count: points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards or other programs, purchased or gifted points, and A-List bonus points.
Your points have to post by December 31
Points count on the day they post, not the day you earn them. Bonuses post when your statement closes, so your statement closing date is the date that matters.
- 1Check your tracker todayIn the Southwest app, tap your profile icon. The Companion Pass tracker is not your points balance. Whatever you've earned this year already counts.
- 2Apply now, not in DecemberNew cards take about a week to arrive. You need time to meet the spending and have a statement close before December 31.
- 3Find your statement closing datesLook in the Chase app for each new card. If a statement closes in January, that bonus won't count. Aim to finish your spending at least a week before a December closing date.
- 4Move your closing date if you need toCall Chase and ask to change your payment due date. Your closing date moves with it, so a date later in December gives you more time.
- 5Refer earlyReferral points can take up to six weeks to post. Get your spouse's or friends' applications in by mid-November.
- 6Watch your tracker cross 135,000Once it does, your pass is good for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027. Add your companion in the Southwest app and start booking.
Before you apply
- You can't get a personal Southwest bonus if you have any personal Southwest card now, or earned one in the last 24 months. Business cards have their own clock.
- Applying as a sole proprietor? Chase reps are citing a new 3/24 limit. Here's how to count your cards.
- Questions about your situation? DM me on Instagram. I'm happy to help you make a plan.
The card links on this page are my personal referral links. If you're approved through one, I earn referral points at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting free education!
