Southwest Airlines Launches Limited-Time Companion Pass Offer

[jclarkson]

Today, Southwest Airlines launches a special promotional Companion Pass^® offer for Rapid Rewards^® Members ready to take flight with a family member, friend, or loved one. Qualifying Customers can designate their Companion and travel with their Companion Pass, valid for unlimited usage from January 8 through March 8, 2024.¹

To qualify, Rapid Rewards Members must:

1. Register for the promotion and purchase a Southwest^® revenue flight (one round trip or two one-ways), starting today through August 30, 2023;
2. Travel by September 30, 2023; and
3. Designate a Companion to fly for free (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) with them from January 8 through March 8, 2024.

The Companion Pass allows Rapid Rewards Members to designate one person to fly with them, free of airline charges (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) every time the Customer purchases or redeems points for a flight.

As one of the most coveted airline perks in the industry, the Companion Pass rewards Customers for being part of our award-winning Rapid Rewards loyalty program. We want our Customers to feel appreciated for flying with Southwest, and what better way to do that than to offer the opportunity to travel and share experiences with a Companion.”

Visit Southwest.com for the full list of terms and conditions.¹

Join Rapid Rewards

The Southwest Rapid Rewards program is designed around a simple concept—make earning reward flights faster and easier. With Rapid Rewards, every seat is a reward seat, there are no blackout dates, and points don't expire. Customers can create an account to become a Rapid Rewards Member at Southwest.com.

RAPID REWARDS PROMO TERMS & CONDITIONS

¹ Register for this promotion, then book one round trip or two one-way qualifying Southwest flights between 8:00 a.m. CDT on August 28, 2023, and 11:59 p.m. CDT on August 30, 2023 (the “Booking Period”) for travel from August 28, 2023, through September 30, 2023, (the "Promotion Period"), and fly during the Promotion Period to earn a promotional Companion Pass valid for use between January 8, 2024, and March 8, 2024. To register for this promotion, you will need to provide your Southwest Rapid Rewards account number at the time of registration. If you do not have a Rapid Rewards account number, you may register for an account by going online to Southwest.com/rapidrewards to become a Member. Rapid Rewards accounts are free.  Member must register for this promotion, then book a qualifying Southwest flight during the Booking Period, and then fly during the Promotion Period. Registration must be completed prior to booking and commencement of travel. Valid on new qualifying revenue flights booked during the Booking Period and flown within the Promotion Period. Qualifying revenue flights include flights paid entirely with dollars, Southwest LUV Vouchers®, gift cards, or travel funds, and with no portion of the purchase price paid for with Rapid Rewards points. Member's qualifying flight must be booked through Southwest Airlines during the Booking Period for travel that must be completed during the Promotion Period. Member's Rapid Rewards account number must be entered at the time of booking Member's qualifying flight to earn a promotional Companion Pass valid for use between January 8, 2024, and March 8, 2024. 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 flown by the same Member. 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 flown by the same Member. Valid on new reservations booked during the Booking Period. 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. The promotional Companion Pass is valid from January 8, 2024, to March 8, 2024, and allows you to designate one person to fly with you free of airline charges (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) on flights purchased by you between January 8, 2024, and March 8, 2024, booked through Southwest, and flown between January 8, 2024, and March 8, 2024. From January 8 through March 8, 2024, Members can book their flights using Rapid Rewards points. No Rapid Rewards points or tier or Companion Pass qualifying points will be awarded for flights taken by the Companion when flying on a promotional Companion Pass or Companion Pass reservation. You may change your designated Companion up to three times while you have promotional Companion Pass. If you earn Companion Pass in 2024 by earning 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or flying 100 qualifying flights, any changes to your designated Companion during the time you have a promotional Companion Pass will reduce the number of changes you can make to your designated Companion in the 2024 calendar year. For example, if you earn a promotional Companion Pass through this promotion, change your designated Companion twice during the validity period for promotional Companion Pass, and later in 2024 earn Companion Pass, you would only be able to change your designated Companion one more time in 2024. Companion Pass is non-transferable. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms. Southwest reserves the right to amend, suspend, or change the Rapid Rewards program and/or Rapid Rewards program rules at any time without notice. Rapid Rewards Members do not acquire property rights in accrued points. The number of points needed for a particular Southwest flight is set by Southwest and will vary depending on destination, time, day of travel, demand, fare type, point redemption rate, and other factors, and is subject to change at any time until the booking is confirmed. 2023 Southwest Airlines Co.  

[jngreenlee]

Just wanted to get a tiny clarification. If I already have a Companion Pass, this is not "in addition to" that, is that correct? This is just another way to qualify?

[daverossel]

This is great and something no other airline offers! I’ve never had a companion pass but I have to say it fascinates me.

[jbsa9577]

When it says “ Changes made to any itinerary after purchase of a one-way or round trip revenue flight may eliminate qualification for this promotion.” does that mean rebooking or also include same day standby, or same day flight change? 

[jd39fly]

I have the same question is @jbsa9577 . I registered and booked before August 30, 2023 but had to change the date for a medical reason but will still fly within the required fly by time (September 30th). Will I still qualify?

[jmontes70]

I registered for this promotion when it was available, booked a round-trip for travel before 8/30, and traveled by 9/30, but never got confirmation like the registration page said I would. I looked at my trip history but the itinerary doesn't show up. Who do I reach out to for investigation? I have a 1/28 trip scheduled and would like the companion fare for my wife.

[robyns1970]

@jmontes70 

let me know how this works out for you. I registered for this promotion took my flight and now Southwest is claiming I didn’t register for the promotion and won’t honor the companion pass.

there is no confirmation sent when you register for this promotion so I have no way to prove that I registered. Interested in seeing if anyone else is running into this issue. 

took a flght specifically to use this promotion. 

[jmontes70]

@robyns1970 

I called customer service and they confirmed my enrollment in the promotion, so you may want to try again. The rep told me that the companion button will not appear on any reservations until after January 8.

[andik]

@robyns1970 

Have you received any response since?

I am getting the same feedback; I called to confirm registration and they did - spoke to two agents when I booked my qualifying flight. Now they are saying I have not registered and thus don't qualify. Very frustrating as I am scheduled for fly in 8 days, and would never have flown on the qualifying flight in the first place.

[Arianarandome]

@robyns1970

@andik 

I’m having the same exact issue, how did this end up working for you? We clicked the register button on our app which opened up a page on a different browser and would show up blank a couple times. It finally took us to a sign in page, which we did. We then proceeded to book flights on our app and followed everything to the letter of the rules. We’re told we didn’t “register”. To add, we’ve done this promotion before and ALSO had issues last year when we didn’t get an email or anything on our account and had to go back & forth with customer service before getting it. Our friends were having issues with booking with the companion & kept getting error. It just sounds like just another day for Southwest and their continued fiasco with technology and customer service. I am going to file a complaint with the Department of Transportation if anyone else is interested. They have a lot of snags to smooth out and it is coming at the expense of taking advantage of customers. 

---

@jclarkson wrote:

Today, Southwest Airlines launches a special promotional Companion Pass^® offer for Rapid Rewards^® Members ready to take flight with a family member, friend, or loved one. Qualifying Customers can designate their Companion and travel with their Companion Pass, valid for unlimited usage from January 8 through March 8, 2024.¹

To qualify, Rapid Rewards Members must:

1. Register for the promotion and purchase a Southwest^® revenue flight (one round trip or two one-ways), starting today through August 30, 2023;
2. Travel by September 30, 2023; and
3. Designate a Companion to fly for free (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) with them from January 8 through March 8, 2024.

The Companion Pass allows Rapid Rewards Members to designate one person to fly with them, free of airline charges (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) every time the Customer purchases or redeems points for a flight.

As one of the most coveted airline perks in the industry, the Companion Pass rewards Customers for being part of our award-winning Rapid Rewards loyalty program. We want our Customers to feel appreciated for flying with Southwest, and what better way to do that than to offer the opportunity to travel and share experiences with a Companion.”

Visit Southwest.com for the full list of terms and conditions.¹

Join Rapid Rewards

The Southwest Rapid Rewards program is designed around a simple concept—make earning reward flights faster and easier. With Rapid Rewards, every seat is a reward seat, there are no blackout dates, and points don't expire. Customers can create an account to become a Rapid Rewards Member at Southwest.com.

RAPID REWARDS PROMO TERMS & CONDITIONS

¹ Register for this promotion, then book one round trip or two one-way qualifying Southwest flights between 8:00 a.m. CDT on August 28, 2023, and 11:59 p.m. CDT on August 30, 2023 (the “Booking Period”) for travel from August 28, 2023, through September 30, 2023, (the "Promotion Period"), and fly during the Promotion Period to earn a promotional Companion Pass valid for use between January 8, 2024, and March 8, 2024. To register for this promotion, you will need to provide your Southwest Rapid Rewards account number at the time of registration. If you do not have a Rapid Rewards account number, you may register for an account by going online to Southwest.com/rapidrewards to become a Member. Rapid Rewards accounts are free.  Member must register for this promotion, then book a qualifying Southwest flight during the Booking Period, and then fly during the Promotion Period. Registration must be completed prior to booking and commencement of travel. Valid on new qualifying revenue flights booked during the Booking Period and flown within the Promotion Period. Qualifying revenue flights include flights paid entirely with dollars, Southwest LUV Vouchers®, gift cards, or travel funds, and with no portion of the purchase price paid for with Rapid Rewards points. Member's qualifying flight must be booked through Southwest Airlines during the Booking Period for travel that must be completed during the Promotion Period. Member's Rapid Rewards account number must be entered at the time of booking Member's qualifying flight to earn a promotional Companion Pass valid for use between January 8, 2024, and March 8, 2024. 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 flown by the same Member. 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 flown by the same Member. Valid on new reservations booked during the Booking Period. 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. The promotional Companion Pass is valid from January 8, 2024, to March 8, 2024, and allows you to designate one person to fly with you free of airline charges (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) on flights purchased by you between January 8, 2024, and March 8, 2024, booked through Southwest, and flown between January 8, 2024, and March 8, 2024. From January 8 through March 8, 2024, Members can book their flights using Rapid Rewards points. No Rapid Rewards points or tier or Companion Pass qualifying points will be awarded for flights taken by the Companion when flying on a promotional Companion Pass or Companion Pass reservation. You may change your designated Companion up to three times while you have promotional Companion Pass. If you earn Companion Pass in 2024 by earning 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or flying 100 qualifying flights, any changes to your designated Companion during the time you have a promotional Companion Pass will reduce the number of changes you can make to your designated Companion in the 2024 calendar year. For example, if you earn a promotional Companion Pass through this promotion, change your designated Companion twice during the validity period for promotional Companion Pass, and later in 2024 earn Companion Pass, you would only be able to change your designated Companion one more time in 2024. Companion Pass is non-transferable. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms. Southwest reserves the right to amend, suspend, or change the Rapid Rewards program and/or Rapid Rewards program rules at any time without notice. Rapid Rewards Members do not acquire property rights in accrued points. The number of points needed for a particular Southwest flight is set by Southwest and will vary depending on destination, time, day of travel, demand, fare type, point redemption rate, and other factors, and is subject to change at any time until the booking is confirmed. 2023 Southwest Airlines Co.