Big Southwest Companion Pass news (it’s not good)

I'm not going to sugarcoat this one. Southwest just announced it's changing how you earn the Companion Pass, and for most people, it won't be attainable anymore 😭

Starting January 1, 2027, unless you can spend over $100,000 on a Southwest credit card or take 100 Southwest flights in one year, you won't be able to earn the Companion Pass. Credit card welcome bonuses won't count toward it anymore.

For years, the Companion Pass has been one of the easiest big wins in points and miles for families. You could open two Southwest credit cards, earn the welcome bonuses to earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points, and fly a companion with you for close to two years for just taxes and fees. That's the method I've taught here for a long time, and it's going away.

Here's what we know so far:

What's changing: To earn the Companion Pass, you'll need Platinum status: 140,000 TQPs or 100 qualifying flights in a calendar year. Every Southwest card will earn 1 TQP per dollar spent, but welcome bonuses won't count.
When: January 1, 2027
Who's affected: If you already earned the Companion Pass, you’ll keep it through it’s current end date.

I'll update this post with more details for for now, there's a window right now that you need to know about. 👇

The silver lining: you can still earn it the old way in 2026

The current rules stay in place through December 31, 2026. That means if you earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in 2026, you can still earn the pass the way we always have. The Companion Pass is good for the rest of the year you earn it plus the entire next year. So if you earn it before the end of 2026, you'd have it for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027.

That's a full year of bringing a companion along on every Southwest flight you take, for just taxes and fees (generally $5.60 each way on domestic flights). For a family, that can add up fast.

This is the last chance to use this method to earn the companion pass and the timing is VERY TIGHT. Once 2026 ends, this method of earning it is gone 😭

How the Companion Pass works right now (until December 31 2026)

To earn the Companion Pass, you need 135,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points in one calendar year (January 1 to December 31).

The easiest way most families do it is by opening two Southwest credit cards and earning both welcome bonuses in the same calendar year. Those two bonuses, plus the points from your spending to earn them, can get you most or all of the way to 135,000 qualifying points.

What counts toward the 135,000:

Southwest credit card welcome bonuses
Points from spending on your Southwest cards
Points from Southwest flights
Points from credit card referral bonuses

What doesn't count:

Points you transfer in from Chase Ultimate Rewards

Once you hit 135,000, the pass is good for the rest of that year plus the entire next calendar year. You pick a companion, and they fly with you for just taxes and fees.

Why you need to start NOW ⏰

All 135,000 qualifying points have to post to your Rapid Rewards account by December 31, 2026 if you want to earn the companion pass for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027. Not "earned," not "pending." Posted.

If a welcome bonus lands on January 2, it won't count toward a 2026 pass, and in 2027 the this method to earn the companion pass won't exist anymore.

Here's why that makes the window so tight:

Your welcome bonus doesn't post the day you hit the minimum spend. It posts after the statement closes on the month you hit it.
A new card's first statement usually closes about a month after you open it.
I recommend waiting at least 30 days between your two applications
Chase says to allow up to 8 weeks after you meet the minimum spend for bonus points to post to your Rapid Rewards account. Most people see them within about a week of the statement closing, but there’s no guarantee. If yours takes longer, it could miss the December 31 cutoff, which is why starting early matters so much.

Put those together, and you bascially want to start NOW if you want the companion pass for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027.

Step 1: Check your eligibility first

Before you apply for anything, answer these three questions. They decide which path below fits you.

1. Are you under 5/24? Chase generally won't approve you for a new card if you've opened 5 or more personal credit cards (from any bank) in the past 24 months. If you're at 5/24, the Southwest cards likely aren't an option for you right now.

2. Do you already have a personal Southwest credit card? You can only hold one personal Southwest card at a time. Chase also generally won’t give you the welcome bonus on a Southwest card if you’ve earned a Southwest card bonus in the past 24 months. If you already have a Southwest personal card, skip to Path B (two business cards).

3. Are you under 3/24? This one is new. Recent data points suggest Chase is denying business card applications from sole proprietors who've opened 3 or more personal cards in the past 24 months. Chase hasn't confirmed this, and we're watching it closely. So far, the data points involve sole proprietors, not people applying through an LLC.

4. Would you apply as a sole proprietor or through an existing LLC? Many people qualify for a business card as a sole proprietor, using their own name and SSN for things like reselling, freelancing, or a side hustle. If you already have an LLC for a real business, you'd apply under that business. Here’s how to apply as a sole proprietor.

Why this matters: if you're at 2/24 and open a personal Southwest card first, you'd move to 3/24. Based on these data points, that could put the business card out of reach. That's why the order of your applications matters so much this year. Start with the business card!

Step 2: Pick your path

Path A: This is the path I'd recommend for most people who are under 3/24.

Apply for a Southwest business card first.
Wait at least 30 days.
Apply for a Southwest personal card.
Meet the minimum spends on both cards before your statements close in December.

Opening the business card first means a new personal card isn't added to your 5/24 or 3/24 count before Chase reviews your business application.

Path B: Two business cards

This path can work if you already have a personal Southwest card, or if you aren't eligible for a personal Southwest card bonus right now.

Apply for one Southwest business card.
Wait at least 30 days.
Apply for the other Southwest business card.
Meet the minimum spend on both before your statements close in December.

Keep in mind that business cards usually have higher minimum spend requirements, so make sure the spend fits your normal budget.

Path C: You’re a sole proprietor at 3/24 of more

I want to be honest with you here. For most of you, I recommend sitting this one out. If the reports about Chase are accurate, a business card application could be denied, and you can only hold one personal Southwest card at a time, which makes it impossible to earn 135,000 qualifying points unless you have a TON of spend or can refer a few people to the card!

A few options to consider:

If you already have an LLC for an actual business, apply through your LLC instead.
Check if your partner can go for it. The Companion Pass belongs to whoever earns it. If your spouse or partner is under 3/24, they could earn the pass and name you as their companion.
Look at the gap. If you've already earned some qualifying points this year, the math might still work with one personal card. Log in to your Rapid Rewards account and check your Companion Pass progress before you decide.

If none of these fit, I would pass on this. Applying for cards you're likely to be denied for won't get you closer, and it can make future approvals harder.

Dates to remember:

These are estimated target dates. Your second card timing is the tightest step!

When: As soon as possible (by about October 24th at the lastest):

Apply for your first card (business card for Path A)

When: Right after approval:

Find you statement closing date in your Chase account and start your minimum spend.

When: About 30 days later, by about November 20 at the latest:

Apply for your second card, a personal card or another business card

When: Early to mid-December:

Finish the minimum spend on both cards before each statement closes

When: Mid to late December:

Check your Rapid Rewards account for both bonuses and your Companion Pass progress

When: December 31st

Last day for qualifying points to post for 2026

A few tips to stay on track:

Know your statement closing dates. Your minimum spend has to be done before the statement closes, not just before the payment is due.
Finish your spend at least a week before your statement closes. If you hit it right at the closing date, the bonus can slip to the next month's statement, and this year that could mean missing the deadline.
Need more time to spend? Move your statement closing date later in the month. You can change your payment due date with Chase, and your closing date moves with it. Just make sure your December statement still closes before December 31.
Add your Rapid Rewards number to your application and make sure it matches the account you log in to. If it's missing or wrong, your bonus could land in a different account and not count toward your pass.
Chase says to allow up to 8 weeks for bonus points to post. Most people see them within a few days of the statement closing, but that's why we're aiming for your first bonus by mid-December and leaving time to call Chase if your second one is late.
Only put normal, budgeted spending on the cards and pay them off in full each month. Carrying a balance wipes out the value of the pass.

Already partway there? Plus a few FAQs 🤔

I already earned one Southwest bonus this year. Can I still earn it? Possibly! Log in to your Rapid Rewards account and check your Companion Pass progress. If you already have points posted for 2026, you may only need one more card to get to 135,000.

I already have the Companion Pass through 2027. Does this affect me? No, you'll keep your Companion Pass through the end of 2027.

Do Chase Ultimate Rewards points transferred to Southwest count? No. Points you transfer in from Chase Ultimate Rewards don't count toward the Companion Pass, even under the current rules.

What if my bonus posts in January? Unfortunately, it won't count toward a 2026 pass. You'd still keep the Rapid Rewards points to use on flights, but you'd miss the pass.

How will the new 2027 rules work? Starting in 2027, the Companion Pass comes with Platinum status, which takes 140,000 TQPs or 100 qualifying flights in a calendar year. In 2027 only, anyone who reaches 130,000 TQPs gets a one-time 10,000 TQP boost. There's also a new milestone at 95,000 TQPs or 75 flights that unlocks three one-time Companion Pass trips. For most families, earning the pass will take a lot more spending or flying than opening two cards did.The bottom line

This change stings, and I know a lot of you had the Companion Pass on your 2027 list. But if it fits your family's budget and travel plans, you still have one last chance to earn it the way we always have, and keep it through the end of 2027.

Just remember: timing is everything this year and we are earning to get the pass for 2026 and all of 2027. (NOT 2027 and 2028.) Check your eligibility, pick your path, and get your first application in soon if you want to go for this last chance companion pass!

The bottom line

This change stings, and I know a lot of you had the Companion Pass on your 2027 list. But if it fits your family's budget and travel plans, you still have one last chance to earn it the way we always have, and keep it through the end of 2027.