Southwest Companion Pass: card welcome bonuses stop counting from 1 January 2027
Southwest announced on 15 October 2026 that, from 2027, credit card welcome bonuses, bonus-category points, anniversary points, referrals and partner earning no longer count toward the Companion Pass. Card spend still earns 1 TQP per dollar. Cards approved by 2 December 2026 keep a path for their welcome bonus.
In this article
For years the cheapest route to a Southwest Companion Pass was a Rapid Rewards credit card: one big welcome bonus plus some spend, and you could fly a companion free for close to two years. Southwest has closed that route. It announced on 15 October 2026 that card bonuses stop counting toward the pass from 1 January 2027. The Points Guy and Doctor of Credit both reported it the same day, linking Southwest's own Companion Pass changes page.
What stops counting in 2027
From 2027 the Companion Pass is tied to Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs). Per Southwest's own changes page, these activities still earn ordinary Rapid Rewards points you can redeem, but no longer earn TQPs:
- New cardmember welcome bonuses
- Bonus points from card spend categories (on a 2x category, only the base 1x counts)
- Card anniversary points
- Referral bonuses
- Partner earning, such as hotels and car rentals
What still counts: Southwest says Rapid Rewards credit cards earn 1 TQP for each $1 spent on purchases from 1 January 2027 (cash advances and fees excluded).
The new thresholds for 2027
The 2027 requirements, from Southwest's page (unlimited trips) and The Points Guy (milestone and boost):
| Benefit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Unlimited Companion Pass trips (via the new Platinum tier) | 140,000 TQPs or 100 qualifying one-way flights |
| Milestone reward: three Companion Pass trips | 95,000 TQPs or 75 qualifying one-way flights |
| One-time boost | 10,000 TQPs once you reach 130,000 TQPs in 2027 |
Passes earned under the 2026 rules keep their benefits through the end of 2027.
The 2 December 2026 window
The Points Guy and Doctor of Credit both quote Southwest guidance (not on the main changes page) saying cardmembers approved for a Rapid Rewards credit card on or before 2 December 2026 who meet the welcome bonus requirements can have those points count as Companion Pass qualifying points, even if the spend is completed in early 2027. Doctor of Credit's reading is that a pass earned this way covers the rest of 2027 rather than running into 2028, because the points are treated as if earned in 2026. Read Southwest's own FAQ before you apply on that basis.
What to do
- Want the pass through a card bonus? You have until 2 December 2026 to be approved. After that, a welcome bonus is just points.
- Already chasing the pass in 2026? Finish under the current rules; that pass runs through 2027.
- Hold a Southwest card mainly for the pass? From 2027 your spend earns 1 TQP per dollar, so 140,000 TQPs from spend alone is out of reach for most people. Weigh whether the card's fee still earns its place.
If the Companion Pass was the reason you held a Southwest card, Polo Match can show which card earns more on your spend now, and the transfer partners map shows which flexible points still reach the airlines you fly.
Sources
Every claim on this page is backed by a primary or reputable source.
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