Southwest Companion Move, How To Earn It and Use It

The Southwest Companion Move is among the most coveted elite journey advantages. It has been round for a very long time now, and surprisingly, it nonetheless delivers the identical nice worth as at all times. 

This move permits one other passenger to fly with you at no cost as many occasions as you need. They solely have to pay taxes for his or her fare. Historically, the move is legitimate for the remainder of the yr it’s earned, plus the whole following yr. That’s why it’s finest to earn it early within the yr, and probably begin engaged on incomes it even earlier.

Necessities to earn this move have elevated a bit over time, however due to Southwest Fast Rewards bank cards you’ll be able to nonetheless earn it with out even flying. So how does the Southwest Companion Move work? How will you earn it with bank card? How will you maximize its worth? Let’s leap into the small print and see if getting the Southwest Companion Move is sensible for you.

What’s the Southwest Companion Move?

The Companion Move stands out as a coveted function throughout the Southwest Fast Rewards program, providing important financial savings. This perk lets you choose a journey companion to accompany you on any Southwest flight at no cost, whereas solely paying any taxes and charges. These usually price as little as $5.60 one-way for a home flight.

You should use your move no matter whether or not you’re paying on your ticket with money or factors. It really works for home flights in addition to Southwest’s worldwide locations. There isn’t any restrict to what number of occasions you utilize it when you’re eligible.

The Southwest Companion Move is legitimate for the remainder of the yr it’s earned, plus the entire following yr.

You may also change your designated companion as much as 3 times per calendar yr. That implies that you shouldn’t have to deliver the identical individual alongside every time you utilize it.

The are two main guidelines to bear in mind when utilizing your move. First there should be at the very least one seat obtainable on the market in any fare class on a flight for which you’ve bought your personal ticket. And in addition, your companion can not fly with out you.

Southwest Companion Move Necessities

To earn the Southwest Companion Move, you will need to fulfill one of many following necessities:

1. Full 100 qualifying one-way flights inside a calendar yr, or
2. Accumulate 135,000 Fast Rewards factors inside a calendar yr. Qualifying factors embody these earned via income flights booked with Southwest, factors acquired from Southwest bank card utilization, and base factors obtained from Fast Rewards companions.

Assembly both of those standards grants you the Companion Move for the rest of the qualifying yr and the following calendar yr. For example, for those who earn the Companion Move on the time of writing in January 2024, it is going to be legitimate till the till December 31, 2025.

Greatest Solution to Earn the Southwest Companion Move

Until you’re flying Southwest fairly often, one of the best ways to earn the Southwest Companion Move is by accumulating the 135,000 Fast Rewards factors inside a calendar yr.

That requirement may appear intimidating at first, however bank cards will help. They often include good welcome bonuses, you earn Fast Rewards for on a regular basis purchases, and since 2023, you get an computerized 10,000-point increase every year just by having a cobranded Southwest card. All these factors depend towards the Companion Move necessities.

Getting certainly one of these playing cards will get you properly in your strategy to incomes the Companion Move. You may also apply for a small enterprise and private Southwest bank card to make it even simpler. Clearly it’s finest to use when there’s an elevated welcome provide, and it’s good to control your Chase 5/24 standing to be eligible for these welcome bonuses.

Southwest Credit score Playing cards

Southwest Airways has three client bank cards which usually have welcome bonuses various between 50,000 and 75,000 Fast Rewards factors. All three playing cards often have the identical bonus, however they’ve totally different advantages and annual charges. Listed here are the three playing cards:

Southwest additionally provides two small enterprise bank cards with welcome provides often various between 60,000 and 80,000 factors:

You possibly can earn one of many client bank card bonuses for those who don’t have one of many three playing cards, and when you have not earned a bonus via these playing cards throughout the final 24 months. So you’ll be able to’t apply for 2 private bank cards. Nevertheless, that rule doesn’t apply to cardmembers of the Southwest Fast Rewards Enterprise Card and Worker Credit score Card merchandise. So it’s doable to use and earn the welcome bonus for a small enterprise card and a client bank card.

Extra Methods to Earn Fast Rewards

Whereas bank card welcome bonuses get you a considerable amount of factors without delay, there are different methods to get you over the end traces for those who nonetheless want extra Fast Rewards.

You possibly can store on-line via Southwest’s Fast Rewards Buying mall and earn further factors on your purchases. There are tons of standard retailers listed on that purchasing portal, so it’s undoubtedly value trying out. In addition they provide frequent bonuses.

Flying Southwest and paying with a Southwest card will earn you 2 factors per $1 spent. So a $200 flight will get you 200 factors for instance. You may also be a part of Fast Rewards Eating and earn extra qualifying factors when eating at taking part eating places and pay together with your enrolled card.

Issues like level transfers, or shopping for Fast Rewards is not going to depend for the Companion Move.

Greatest Time to Earn the Southwest Companion Move

As talked about above, the Companion Move is legitimate for the rest of the yr through which you earned it, plus the next full calendar yr. So it is sensible to earn it as early as doable in a calendar yr, so you’ll be able to get pleasure from it for nearly two full years.

However timing is the whole lot. As soon as these 135,000 Fast Rewards hit your account inside a yr, the clock begins. 

So let’s say that you simply wish to earn the move for 2024 and 2025 via bank card bonuses. You then need your welcome bonus factors to hit your account in January of 2024. To do this, you will want to satisfy the minimal spend requirement after your December assertion shut date. That means, the welcome bonus will submit in your January assertion shut date.

Factors are credited in your the bank card assertion deadline, which is totally different out of your fee due date. This date is listed in your bank card assertion, however for those who haven’t acquired your card but,  you’ll be able to name or message Chase to ask when the deadline is. It’s additionally value noting you can request to vary your deadline if you wish to time issues higher.

Simply needless to say you usually have three months to met the minimal spend requirement, from the date of approval. That doesn’t change once you change your deadline.