Southwest Airways lately introduced it would finish its bags-fly-free coverage, ditch its Wanna Get Away fare and make a number of different customer-unfriendly adjustments. However, at the least to this point, one of the advantageous choices within the journey trade — the Southwest Companion Go — stays intact.
This helpful profit permits you to carry a companion alongside free of charge (excluding relevant taxes and charges) on limitless Southwest Airways flights till the cross expires. For frequent Southwest flyers, this profit alone can simply quantity to 1000’s of {dollars} saved yearly. So, this is what it’s best to learn about incomes and utilizing the Southwest Companion Go.
The way to earn the Southwest Companion Go
To earn a Southwest Companion Go legitimate via the top of the subsequent calendar 12 months, you could accrue 135,000 qualifying factors or full 100 qualifying flights inside a calendar 12 months.
You may earn qualifying factors via varied means, together with flying with Southwest and interesting with its companions. The latter consists of making purchases through the Fast Rewards buying portal, finishing resort stays and automobile leases with companions, and utilizing a Southwest bank card for purchases.
Cobranded Southwest bank cards are sometimes the only strategy to earn the Companion Go since you may earn qualifying factors on purchases, and the welcome bonus factors are qualifying. Moreover, vacationers with a cobranded Southwest bank card get 10,000 qualifying factors every calendar 12 months, successfully lowering the Companion Go requirement to 125,000 qualifying factors yearly.
Talking of welcome bonuses on Southwest bank cards, this is a take a look at among the present affords:
- Southwest Fast Rewards® Plus Credit score Card: Earn a Companion Go via Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening (this supply ends March 31).
- Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card: Earn a Companion Go via Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening (this supply ends March 31).
- Southwest® Fast Rewards® Premier Enterprise Credit score Card: Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Southwest® Fast Rewards® Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card: Earn 80,000 factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
The 2 client Southwest playing cards supply a Companion Go legitimate via Feb. 28, 2026, as a part of their welcome supply. Nonetheless, the bonus factors from every supply may enable you to earn a Companion Go legitimate via the top of 2026.
Lastly, it is also price noting that Southwest sometimes affords promotions for limited-time Companion Passes. For instance, for a short while in February, Southwest let vacationers earn a two-month Companion Go for later this 12 months after only one spherical journey or two one-way flights.
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The way to use the Southwest Companion Go
As soon as you have earned a Companion Go, Southwest makes it extremely simple to make use of.
Arrange your Companion Go
After you earn the Companion Go, Southwest will ship you a congratulatory e mail inside a number of days. Log in to your Southwest Fast Rewards account to trace your progress towards incomes the Companion Go.
Upon receiving the e-mail, click on the hyperlink to arrange your preliminary companion alternative. The method is fast, however you may want to supply details about your companion, together with their authorized identify (matching their ID) and start date.
If you wish to preserve the identical companion at some stage in your Companion Go, you may solely have to set it up as soon as. Nonetheless, keep in mind you’ll be able to change your companion as much as 3 times every calendar 12 months.
Associated: 2 for 1: How airline companion tickets can prevent critical cash in your subsequent journey
Guide your flight
Earlier than utilizing your Companion Go, you could guide your individual Southwest flight. And if you happen to’re touring with somebody who is not your designated companion, guide their flight, too. For instance, suppose you’re a household of 4 with one grownup holding the Companion Go and the opposite grownup being the companion. In that case, it’s best to initially guide tickets for the Companion Go holder and the 2 youngsters.
You may pay on your flights with money or redeem Southwest factors when utilizing a Companion Go. Nonetheless, if you buy the tickets with money, keep in mind to incorporate every traveler’s Fast Rewards quantity when reserving to allow them to earn Southwest factors on their flights.
Associated: Southwest A-Listing standing: What it’s and how you can earn it
Add your companion to your reservation
After you have booked your flight, you’ll be able to add your companion to your reservation. Doing so instantly after reserving your flight is the easiest way to make sure you add your companion earlier than the flight sells out.
Nonetheless, you’ll be able to’t change a flight with a companion connected. And you’ll typically save critical factors or money by sometimes checking whether or not you’ll be able to rebook at a decrease fee. As such, TPG lead author Katie Genter suggests establishing a Y9 alert in ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s guardian firm, Pink Ventures) so you may get an e mail when solely 9 seats stay in your flight. Then, as soon as your flight is lower than two weeks out — the purpose at which Southwest flights normally grow to be costlier — or if you get the Y9 alert e mail, add your companion.
So as to add your companion to a flight, log in to your Southwest account and discover the flight in your upcoming journeys. If you have not added your companion but, it’s best to see an “Add companion” button for the flight.
Click on the button and double-check the prefilled info. Proceed via the method till you attain the purpose the place you may have to pay the taxes and charges on your companion’s flight. Pay the taxes and charges, and your companion shall be confirmed on the flight. Your companion will get a special affirmation quantity than you, although.
Associated: ‘The Day Southwest Died’: Reactions pour in concerning the service’s huge adjustments
Backside line
The Companion Go would possibly present vital worth if you happen to ceaselessly fly Southwest with a favourite companion. Likewise, if you happen to would fly Southwest ceaselessly with one other traveler if you happen to may achieve this for about half the price, the Companion Go is price contemplating.
Southwest bank cards can put incomes the Companion Go inside attain even if you happen to do not meet the usual necessities via flights. Better of all, the Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card and Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card have welcome affords via March 31 for a Companion Go legitimate via Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.