Southwest’s New Card Offers Could Help You Earn a Companion Pass Through 2027
Chase’s three Southwest Rapid Rewards personal cards all have new welcome offers of up to 90,000 Rapid Rewards points. But there’s a timing element that matters more than the bonus sizes alone.
Eligible new cardmembers who are approved on or before December 2, 2026, and meet the welcome-bonus spending requirement can have those bonus points count as 2026 Companion Pass qualifying points — even if they meet the spending requirement in early 2027. A Companion Pass earned under the current rules would be valid through December 31, 2027.
That’s important because Southwest won’t allow credit card welcome bonuses to count toward Companion Pass qualification starting next year.
Beyond the bonuses, each card has a different annual fee and set of Southwest benefits.
Here’s how they compare.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
The Plus card is the least expensive of the three personal Southwest cards and currently offers 80,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
This offer ends December 2, 2026.
The card has a $99 annual fee. Benefits include a free first checked bag for the cardmember and up to eight others on the same reservation, complimentary Standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure when available, and boarding no later than Group 5.
It also comes with 3,000 anniversary points, a 10% flight discount promo code each cardmember year (Basic fares excluded), and a 10,000-point Companion Pass qualifying boost each year.
Click “Learn More” above for the current offer, full benefits, and application details.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
The Premier card currently offers 85,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
This offer ends December 2, 2026.
The card has a $149 annual fee. Like Plus, it includes a free first checked bag for the cardmember and up to eight others on the same reservation, plus boarding no later than Group 5. Seat selection steps up to Preferred or Standard seats within 48 hours of departure when available.
It also comes with 6,000 anniversary points, a 15% flight discount promo code each cardmember year (Basic fares excluded), and a 10,000-point Companion Pass qualifying boost each year.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
The Priority card is the top-tier personal Southwest card and currently offers 90,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
This offer ends December 2, 2026.
The card has a $229 annual fee. Cardholders can select Preferred or Standard seats at booking when available, rather than waiting until 48 hours before departure. It also provides complimentary upgrades to Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours of departure when available, for the cardmember and up to eight others on the same reservation.
Other benefits include a free first checked bag for the cardmember and up to eight others on the same reservation, 7,500 anniversary points, a 10,000-point Companion Pass qualifying boost each year, and boarding no later than Group 5.
Click “Learn More” above for the current offer, full benefits, and application details.
These Offers Can Help Toward a Companion Pass
Southwest’s Companion Pass lets a member designate one person to fly with them for only the taxes and fees whenever they fly Southwest, including when the original ticket was booked with points.
Under the current rules, earning a Companion Pass requires 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year (or 100 qualifying flights). Points from Southwest credit card welcome offers count toward that requirement, and each of these cards also provides a 10,000-point Companion Pass qualifying boost each year.
Put differently, an 80,000- to 90,000-point welcome offer takes care of a substantial chunk of the 135,000-point requirement.
But starting January 1, 2027, Companion Pass qualification moves to Tier Qualifying Points and flights, and new cardmember welcome bonuses will no longer count. That makes these limited-time offers a particularly interesting opportunity for anyone working toward a Companion Pass valid through the end of 2027.
Who Is Eligible for the Offers?
The eligibility rules are the same for all three personal Southwest cards, and there’s an important restriction to keep in mind.
According to Chase’s offer terms, you aren’t eligible for any of these cards if you currently hold another Southwest Rapid Rewards personal credit card or received a welcome bonus on any Southwest Rapid Rewards personal card within the past 24 months.
In other words, the restriction applies across all three personal cards, not separately to each product.
The restriction doesn’t apply to Southwest Rapid Rewards business cards or employee cards. So holding a Southwest business card won’t, by itself, prevent you from qualifying for one of these personal-card offers.
