While airlines had a very strong summer, there’s a big question mark regarding what this fall and winter will look like, given that business travel is a long way from making a full recovery. A couple of days ago Southwest Airlines introduced an amazing promotion, which was also offered around the same time last year. This is a reminder of this deal, as you have to book by today to take advantage of it.
In this post:
Southwest Companion Pass promo with two flights
Southwest Airlines is offering a limited time Companion Pass. In order to take advantage of this promotion:
- Register for the promotion and then purchase one roundtrip or two one-way flights by 11:59PM CST on September 8, 2022
- Complete travel by November 17, 2022
- Receive a promotional Companion Pass that’s valid between January 4 and March 4, 2023
There are a few more key terms to be aware of:
- Charter flights, group travel, Southwest Vacations Packages, and Rapid Rewards award tickets, don’t count toward this promotion
- Only new bookings made during the promotion period and after registering qualify; it’s fine if you’re using existing credits with Southwest, but the booking as such needs to be new, so you’d have to cancel and rebook any previously booked travel
- A Rapid Rewards member needs to complete the roundtrip or two one-ways in their own name; in other words, you can’t just book a one-way ticket for you and a companion, and then you get a Companion Pass
- Changes made to itineraries after purchase may eliminate qualification for this promotion; so if you change your ticket later (even if you still travel during the promotion period), don’t expect that you’ll still qualify for the promotion
- The requirement here is either one roundtrip or two one-ways; a one-way with two segments wouldn’t satisfy the requirements, for example
What is Southwest Companion Pass?
For those of you not familiar with Companion Pass, it’s one of the best deals in travel. Those with Companion Pass can have a companion fly with them for just the cost of taxes, regardless of whether paying cash or redeeming points. With this promotional Companion Pass, you can even change your companion three times during the promotional period.
Ordinarily Companion Pass requires 100 flights or 125,000 qualifying points in a year. This is quite the shortcut, as booking two one-ways will allow you to have a companion travel with you in early 2023 for a period of around two months.
Bottom line
Southwest has an incredibly lucrative Companion Pass offer. If you book and complete just two one-way flights (or one roundtrip), you’ll receive Companion Pass for around two months in early 2023, allowing you to take a companion with you.
If you’re planning any travel in the coming weeks and may also be traveling next year, then this promotion is definitely worth considering. From Southwest’s perspective this offer makes a lot of sense — the airline is encouraging people to fly around periods with weak leisure demand, at a time when we’re not sure what exactly future demand will look like.
Do you plan on taking advantage of this Southwest promo?
How soon will you be notified by email if you were awarded the companion pass for January 4 - March 4, 2023. I have been told two different responses. 1) 10 days after completing your qualifying trip and 2) 10 days after the promotion on November 17th. Has anyone received their notification already?
So a word of warning to everyone that participated in this. The companion pass will not be credited to your account until Jan 1-4. So if you, like me, want to book to a popular destination for early January, we are probably screwed. I can book and pay for my ticket now but can't do the companion until Jan1-4. How likely will my exact itinerary be available for the companion. Let's not talk about making...
So a word of warning to everyone that participated in this. The companion pass will not be credited to your account until Jan 1-4. So if you, like me, want to book to a popular destination for early January, we are probably screwed. I can book and pay for my ticket now but can't do the companion until Jan1-4. How likely will my exact itinerary be available for the companion. Let's not talk about making any other reservations like hotels or cars etc. that might need to be changed. And if nothing is available, and the paying ticket cancels, SW has my money until I use my travel credits. Kind of scammy if you ask me.
1.Can i purchase 2 one-way tickets from different origin and destination?
2.If i register mine and my wife registers hers separately, we can use companion pass both for other people, total of 4 next jan-mar?
I searched through several articles and carefully thru the T&C and this came the closest to answering my question (clarified that a 1-way flight for 2 people does NOT qualify), but doesn't fully answer my question:
Does it matter who books and pays for the tickets?
e.g. A family of 4 traveling on a round trip together which qualifies. All 4 register for the promotion before booking. Will all 4 qualify for companion pass even...
I searched through several articles and carefully thru the T&C and this came the closest to answering my question (clarified that a 1-way flight for 2 people does NOT qualify), but doesn't fully answer my question:
Does it matter who books and pays for the tickets?
e.g. A family of 4 traveling on a round trip together which qualifies. All 4 register for the promotion before booking. Will all 4 qualify for companion pass even if the flights are booked and paid for all at once by 1 person? Or do the four round-trips need to be booked separately by each person to qualify?
I booked a roundtrip ticket 11/14 - 11/17, will this qualify if I return on 11/17?
When do you receive the companion pass? Will I be able to add someone to a January flight right away or do I have to wait for January 4th to add my companion to my flight?
unfortunately you have to wait till Jan 4
If I have to change my flight time, but it is still within the travel promotional period and was originally booked during the promotional period, will that qualify? The verbiage "changes made to the itinerary after purchase may eliminate qualification for promotion" is a little vague. When "may' it eliminate qualification? Obviously you can't book within the period and then change your flight to a date outside of the period, but a time change or...
If I have to change my flight time, but it is still within the travel promotional period and was originally booked during the promotional period, will that qualify? The verbiage "changes made to the itinerary after purchase may eliminate qualification for promotion" is a little vague. When "may' it eliminate qualification? Obviously you can't book within the period and then change your flight to a date outside of the period, but a time change or even a date change within the period seems like it would be okay. Just want to know how much flexibility I have before booking.
@ Shelby -- If you change your flight after today (September 8), then I wouldn't expect it to qualify toward the promotion anymore, even if you're traveling during the promotion period.
I asked this same question on their twitter and got the following reply, "That’s a great question, Shelby. Once you've registered, as long as the changes to your reservation still contain travel dates between Sep 6 & Nov 17, 2022, the promotion eligibility should still work. See you soon! -Holden". So I think all will be okay! Hopefully it won't be an issue anyways, but you never know.
So if the price drops you can get the lower price as long as you don’t cancel/rebook?
Once you have the companion pass, you can use it with points. To QUALIFY for the companion pass, you can't use points, needs to be a revenue flight.
You must book flights during the promotional period to qualify. If you aren't planning any new flights consider cancelling existing ones and rebooking if they are in the travel period and there isn't much of an increase. Naturally because of the promotion, prices raised, I cancelled/rebooked and got two qualifying flights - $25 more expensive but definitely worth since I plan on booking more expensive tickets in the future.
Your promotional flights (Companion Pass) can...
You must book flights during the promotional period to qualify. If you aren't planning any new flights consider cancelling existing ones and rebooking if they are in the travel period and there isn't much of an increase. Naturally because of the promotion, prices raised, I cancelled/rebooked and got two qualifying flights - $25 more expensive but definitely worth since I plan on booking more expensive tickets in the future.
Your promotional flights (Companion Pass) can be booked before you have companion pass in hand and then you can add your companion afterwards. Any class ticket will be available for the companion as long as there is room.
Travel booked or flown prior to registration for this promotion is not eligible for this Promotional Companion Pass offer.
"consider cancelling existing ones and rebooking"
Reading is fundamental.
When do you receive the companion pass? Will I be able to add someone to a January flight right away or do I have to wait for January 4th to add my companion to my flight?
Does anyone know if you book tickets for two people (both registered) on one purchase does that work, or do they need to be separate purchases made while logged in to the southwest account?
It looks like it should work, since it just says the RR number needs to be entered at purchase.
I just called Southwest with a similar question. I booked two one-way flights for my husband and I. They said that the qualifying flights have to be for the person who registered for the promotion (me) and can't be for myself AND my husband. However, she helped me to cancel one leg of a trip I previously booked, and then she rebooked that same one-way flight for me and she said that would give me...
I just called Southwest with a similar question. I booked two one-way flights for my husband and I. They said that the qualifying flights have to be for the person who registered for the promotion (me) and can't be for myself AND my husband. However, she helped me to cancel one leg of a trip I previously booked, and then she rebooked that same one-way flight for me and she said that would give me the two qualifying one way (cash) flights I need to qualify. In your case, if your reservation was roundtrip for yourself and you had your Rapid Rewards number on the reservation, you should be good to go. Of course, if your companion also registers for the promotion, then I think they would also qualify for a free companion pass, but it might be safer to do two separate reservations? I had to wait on hold to ask SW when I called around 11;30 pm.
I have an existing itinerary that satisfies the promotion requirements but was booked before the promotion started. If I cancel and rebook *using travel funds from the cancelled itinerary* would that count? Thanks!
A qualifying one-way flight for this promotion is a one-way revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city, including any intermediate stops and/or connections on Southwest Airlines. A qualifying round trip flight for this promotion is a round trip revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city and back to the originating airport or carrier-recognized co-terminal. Valid on new reservations booked within the Promotion Period...
A qualifying one-way flight for this promotion is a one-way revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city, including any intermediate stops and/or connections on Southwest Airlines. A qualifying round trip flight for this promotion is a round trip revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city and back to the originating airport or carrier-recognized co-terminal. Valid on new reservations booked within the Promotion Period only. Travel booked or flown prior to registration for this promotion is not eligible for this Promotional Companion Pass offer. Companion Pass, charter flights, reward and group travel, and Southwest Vacations® packages do not qualify as one-way or round trip revenue flights for this promotion. Changes made to any itinerary after purchase of a one-way or round trip revenue flight may eliminate qualification for this promotion.
A qualifying one-way flight for this promotion is a one-way revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city, including any intermediate stops and/or connections on Southwest Airlines. A qualifying round trip flight for this promotion is a round trip revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city and back to the originating airport or carrier-recognized co-terminal. Valid on new reservations booked within the Promotion Period...
A qualifying one-way flight for this promotion is a one-way revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city, including any intermediate stops and/or connections on Southwest Airlines. A qualifying round trip flight for this promotion is a round trip revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city and back to the originating airport or carrier-recognized co-terminal. Valid on new reservations booked within the Promotion Period only. Travel booked or flown prior to registration for this promotion is not eligible for this Promotional Companion Pass offer. Companion Pass, charter flights, reward and group travel, and Southwest Vacations® packages do not qualify as one-way or round trip revenue flights for this promotion. Changes made to any itinerary after purchase of a one-way or round trip revenue flight may eliminate qualification for this promotion.
Let's skip the long copy and paste. As long as you are booking with CASH (meaning not points) you are good.
I booked a round trip flight leaving Nov 17 and returning Nov 20. Will this qualify?
@ Steven -- Nope, travel would need to be completed by November 17.
I'm trying to figure out if I can earn more than one companion pass if I book 2 round trips now for flights before the Nov cut- off date if I will earn 2 companion passes.
@ Michele -- Each person can only earn one Companion Pass.
Would I qualify if I book through Chase's (ie call the Chase travel line and have an agent book my flight with UR points)?
Would I qualify if I book my flights through Chase's travel portal?
I know you can use points with a normal companion pass. Can I use my rapid rewards points to book during the January to March with this promo or does it need to be revenue based. It's confusing because of were they placed the comment about not using points.
Once you have the companion pass, you can use it with points. To QUALIFY for the companion pass, you can't use points, needs to be a revenue flight.
I wonder if this would work if I cancel previously booked flights and then rebook them?
@ Robert D -- That should work!
Travel booked or flown prior to registration for this promotion is not eligible for this Promotional Companion Pass offer.
Rapid rewards flights don't count. They lost me when I read that.
Do the 2 one-way flights need to both be the person registered, or does booking 2 one-way flights for 2 separte people count?
@ TJ -- The same person needs to travel for both.
Will this work with the existing booked flights?
@ FlyingWithPoints -- No, the tickets have to be booked during the promotion period.