Southwest Cards Now Offer Up to 90K Points & One Last Shot at a Companion Pass

The Southwest Companion Pass has long been celebrated by travel enthusiasts as an exceptional value proposition. Once earned, the pass allows a designated companion to fly alongside the primary ticket holder for the cost of only government-imposed taxes and fees, which typically amount to just $5.60 each way on domestic itineraries. This benefit applies universally whether a flight is purchased using cash or redeemed through Rapid Rewards points, with no blackout dates or capacity controls to restrict booking flexibility.

However, a major structural overhaul is looming on the horizon. Beginning January 1, 2027, Southwest Airlines is completely transforming the methodology required to earn the Companion Pass, shifting the qualification metric away from accumulated points and tying it directly to elite status. Under the forthcoming framework, travelers will need to amass 140,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) to secure the unlimited version of the pass. Furthermore, credit card sign-up bonuses will no longer contribute to this total. Co-branded credit card spending will accrue at a rate of just one TQP per dollar spent, meaning cardholders would need to channel $140,000 in spending through plastic alone to reach the threshold.

Amid these upcoming changes, Chase and Southwest have established a crucial transitional exception for prospective applicants. Individuals who are approved for a new Southwest credit card on or before December 2, 2026, will have their sign-up bonus points count toward the Companion Pass under the legacy rules. This provision applies even if the cardholder completes the required minimum spending threshold in early 2027. Travelers who successfully navigate this window can secure buy-one-get-one-style flights through December 31, 2027.

Beyond the Companion Pass, holding a co-branded Southwest credit card is becoming increasingly vital for frequent flyers navigating recent structural adjustments made by the carrier. Following a series of significant policy shifts by Southwest, maintaining an active card remains the most straightforward method for securing a free checked bag on every flight. Cardholders also receive annual point bonuses, Group 5 boarding privileges, and various seating selection advantages, making the plastic an essential tool for regular passengers.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

The entry-level option in the airline’s personal credit card lineup continues to attract consumers looking for straightforward point-earning capabilities coupled with essential travel perks. While offering a lower annual fee compared to its sibling cards, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card participates fully in the current promotional push, allowing eligible applicants to capitalize on the elevated point structures currently being deployed by Chase and Southwest.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

Occupying the middle tier of the personal card portfolio, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card bridges the gap between everyday affordability and enhanced ongoing benefits. The card features a higher annual point bonus upon account anniversary compared to the Plus version, alongside the standard inclusion of free checked bags and upgraded earning rates on eligible Southwest purchases, all while maintaining eligibility for the transitional Companion Pass promotion.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

Representing the most premium tier among personal offerings, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card commands a higher annual fee that is routinely offset by annual travel credits, increased anniversary point distributions, and upgraded boarding positions. For travelers aiming for the highest available sign-up bonus tiers in the current promotion, the Priority card delivers maximum point potential alongside comprehensive travel protections and perks.

One Last Kick at the Companion Pass Can

For years, the formula for achieving the Southwest Companion Pass was straightforward: open one or two eligible credit cards, let the welcome bonuses drive the point totals upward, and enjoy nearly two years of companion travel privileges. That traditional pathway is scheduled to expire at the conclusion of the current system.

Under current rules, travelers must accumulate 135,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points or complete 100 qualifying one-way flights within a single calendar year, with sign-up bonuses from co-branded cards contributing directly to that sum. Once the new system takes effect in 2027, qualifying points will be replaced entirely by elite status requirements, putting the unlimited pass out of reach for casual flyers.

The December 2, 2026 approval deadline provides a final bridge for new cardholders. Because the qualifying criterion relies on the approval date rather than the completion of minimum spending requirements, applicants have a more flexible timeline to finish their spending without artificial compression. However, a single personal card bonus falls short of the 135,000-point mark required under current rules.

Because Chase restricts individuals to holding only one Southwest personal credit card at a time, stacking two personal card bonuses is not permitted. To bridge the gap, many travelers turn to small business offerings like the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, which features its own substantial sign-up bonus. Because business card bonuses also qualify under the transitional rules, applicants can combine a personal and business card bonus to secure the pass without waiting for external points to post before the calendar year closes.

Securing a single personal card requires careful timing, particularly given the operational realities of bank underwriting. Approval timelines for Chase credit cards can stretch for days or weeks if an application enters a pending status or triggers a call to the reconsideration department. Consequently, industry analysts recommend submitting applications well in advance of any internal deadlines to account for potential administrative delays.

Eligibility restrictions remain firmly in place for these promotional offers. Chase continues to enforce its well-known 24-month rule, which disqualifies applicants who have earned a welcome bonus on any of the three Southwest personal credit cards within the preceding two years. Furthermore, applications remain subject to Chase’s broader 5/24 rule, meaning individuals who have opened five or more credit cards across any issuing bank within the past 24 months will not be approved, regardless of their credit score or banking history with Chase.

What Can You Do With the Points?

The deployment of elevated welcome bonuses up to 90,000 points represents a peak offering that typically surfaces only a few times per year. Once these points are deposited into a Rapid Rewards account, cardholders benefit from a straightforward redemption ecosystem that avoids the award seat scarcity and complex blackout charts common among legacy domestic carriers. Southwest operates on a dynamic pricing model where the number of points required for a flight is directly tied to the cash price of the ticket, ensuring that if a seat is available for cash, it can be booked using points.

For instance, short-haul domestic routes, such as a nonstop flight from Phoenix to Denver, frequently display cash fares of around $90 or promotional equivalent rates that can alternatively be secured for modest point totals alongside standard government taxes and fees. This pricing structure often yields favorable redemption values per point, making even short itineraries efficient uses of accumulated balances.

For travelers seeking more aspirational getaways, routes to destinations like Hawaii offer substantial savings. Roundtrip flights from West Coast gateways such as Oakland to Maui often command cash prices exceeding $500 for basic economy fares, yet they can frequently be booked using Rapid Rewards points alongside minimal taxes and fees. A single 90,000-point bonus from a card like the Southwest Priority version provides enough currency to cover multiple such trips, translating into significant financial savings for households that travel regularly.

What to Know Before You Apply

Prospective applicants must navigate several structural guidelines before submitting an application. Beyond the aforementioned 24-month bonus restriction and the strict 5/24 rule enforced by Chase, the one-personal-card policy ensures that households looking to maximize rewards often need to coordinate applications between partners. If one member of a household already holds an active Southwest personal credit card, they cannot open a second personal card to capture another bonus, though a travel companion or spouse may be eligible to apply independently if they meet the criteria.

Pair with a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve

All three Southwest personal credit cards integrate effectively with premium ecosystem products such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. This compatibility stems from the structure of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred instantly and at a 1:1 ratio into a linked Southwest Rapid Rewards account. This transferability allows travelers to supplement their airline balances rapidly when booking award travel or bridging minor gaps in account totals.

Chase and Southwest have introduced a notable window of opportunity through their latest suite of elevated welcome bonuses on personal credit cards. By combining up to 90,000 bonus points with the transitional grandfathering rules for the Companion Pass ahead of the 2027 program overhaul, travelers have a final opportunity to secure significant travel value and companion privileges before the rules undergo a permanent transformation.