# Southwest Companion Pass 2026: 135,000 Points in January for 23 Months Free

Riley Quinn · October 17, 2026

> Earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in January 2026 for a pass valid through December 31, 2027, including the 10,000-point cardholder boost.

This guide explains how to earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in January 2026 for a pass valid through December 31, 2027.

 It covers the 10,000-point cardholder boost, the 125,000-point net target, and the timing rules for welcome-bonus points.

## How the Companion Pass Actually Works

 Southwest's Companion Pass page states the qualification rule directly: a member qualifies by flying 100 qualifying one-way flights or earning 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in a calendar year (southwest.com/rapid-rewards/tiers/companion-pass). The two paths are alternatives, not cumulative requirements, and the points path is the one most relevant to a card-based strategy. The key qualifier is "Companion Pass qualifying points," so not every Rapid Rewards point necessarily counts toward the threshold.

 The benefit period is also stated on that page: you earn the Pass for the following full calendar year plus the remainder of the year in which you earned it. Points that post in January 2026 therefore produce a Pass running through December 31, 2027, while points that post later in 2026 produce a shorter benefit window. That calendar-year boundary is why posting month matters as much as point total.

 On the earning side, Southwest says you earn Companion Pass qualifying points when you use a Rapid Rewards Credit Card, so ordinary card purchases can contribute to the annual total. Any additional card-based bonuses toward the 135,000-point threshold should be confirmed directly in your Rapid Rewards account activity and on Southwest's Companion Pass page rather than assumed, since bonus amounts are not established by the sources used here.

 Because the test is applied by calendar year, track qualifying points by posting date rather than by purchase or flight date alone; a transaction initiated in one month may post in another. Southwest also notes that Companion Pass members can change their designated Companion up to three times each calendar year, which is a separate flexibility rule rather than an earning rule.

 For verification, use Southwest's own Companion Pass page as the source of truth for the 100-flight and 135,000-point thresholds and for the benefit-period language. If a third-party guide states a different number, treat the official page as controlling and check whether the guide is describing a cardholder adjustment, a different program year, or an outdated rule.

![How the Companion Pass Actually Works — Southwest Companion Pass 2026](https://screenshots.mightytravels.com/article-images-ai/southwest-companion-pass-2026-135-000-po-ai-1cb707c1.jpg)

## The Evidence: Sources Converge on 135K

 Three separate sources line up on the same Companion Pass math: 135,000 qualifying points per calendar year, with a 10,000-point annual boost for cardholders that lowers the effective target to 125,000. That agreement is useful because it means the number is not a single site's interpretation of Southwest's terms.

 Points & Miles Teachers, in an Oct. 1 post, states the requirement as 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or 100 one-way flights and notes that cardholders receive a 10,000-point boost each year, so cardholders effectively need 125,000. The post frames the boost as an annual reduction rather than a separate earning path.

 Frequent Miler, in a Sep. 30 post, independently confirms 135,000 Companion Pass-qualifying Rapid Rewards points per calendar year and says the total is reduced for credit card holders through the annual boost. Seeing the same figure from a second source is the main reason to treat 135,000 as the working target.

 Before relying on that shortcut, check the current offer terms and posting timeline rather than assuming a bonus will land in a specific month. If the terms or posting window have changed, the same two-card plan may no longer produce the intended January qualification.

![The Evidence: Sources Converge on 135K — Southwest Companion Pass 2026](https://screenshots.mightytravels.com/article-images-pixabay/southwest-companion-pass-2026-135-000-po-9f2f95a4.jpg)

## Earning Paths Compared: January Wins

 The January sprint favors concentration: the route that posts the most qualifying points in one calendar month wins, because the Pass is earned within a calendar year and the longest validity comes from an early-year qualification.

| Route | What it requires | Timing | Verdict |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Two Rapid Rewards card welcome bonuses plus the 10,000-point cardholder boost | Bonuses posted in January; boost posts annually | One calendar month | Winner for a January sprint |
| 100 one-way qualifying flights | No card; about one flight per week | Nearly two years | No January sprint value |
| Card spend points | Must post as qualifying; verify in account activity | Varies | Use only after verification |

 Flying 100 one-way qualifying flights remains the no-card alternative, but at one flight per week it takes nearly two years and contributes nothing to a January sprint window. It is a fallback, not a sprint strategy, and it cannot be compressed into one month.

 Qualifying points count toward the Pass rather than redemptions, so do not assume every point you earn is qualifying. Check your Rapid Rewards activity to confirm whether points from card spend post as qualifying before you build a plan around them.

 If the bonuses will not post in January, the calendar-year clock makes timing decisive: waiting for the next January sprint is usually better than spreading progress across two years. The two-bonus-plus-boost route wins only when the posting month is January.

![Earning Paths Compared: January Wins — Southwest Companion Pass 2026](https://screenshots.mightytravels.com/article-images-pixabay/southwest-companion-pass-2026-135-000-po-cae5a2be.jpg)

## Costs and Numbers That Matter

 The Companion Pass is not literally zero-cost for the second traveler. Southwest's Companion Pass page says the companion flies free of airline charges, but the booking still carries government taxes and fees that start at $5.60 one-way (southwest.com). That published floor is the only companion-side charge Southwest puts on the page, so it is the number to use when estimating a trip's incremental cost.

 Your own seat is not discounted by the Pass. You pay for it either with cash or with Rapid Rewards points, and the companion's free-of-airline-charges benefit applies on both paid and award bookings. In practice, the Pass removes the airline fare for the companion while your fare, your taxes, and any optional add-ons remain your responsibility.

 The other cost to price in is the card itself. Rapid Rewards card annual fees apply and vary by card tier, and no fixed dollar amount is fixed in the available grounding. Before applying, check the current fee on Southwest's card page, because fees change and a fee that looks small can erase the value of a short trip if you do not use the Pass enough.

 A useful way to test a planned itinerary is to separate three buckets: your fare (cash or points), the companion's taxes and fees (at least the published $5.60 one-way floor, with the actual amount shown at booking), and the card's annual fee spread across the trips you expect to take. If the first two buckets are low and the third is spread across many flights, the Pass's value is mostly intact; if you expect only one or two trips, the fee may dominate.

| Cost bucket | What Southwest publishes or requires | How to verify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Companion ticket | Government taxes and fees starting at $5.60 one-way; no airline charges | Southwest Companion Pass page and booking screen |
| Your ticket | Paid in cash or Rapid Rewards points | Fare or award price at booking |
| Card annual fee | Varies by card tier; no fixed amount in this grounding | Southwest's current card page before applying |

![Costs and Numbers That Matter — Southwest Companion Pass 2026](https://screenshots.mightytravels.com/article-images-pixabay/southwest-companion-pass-2026-135-000-po-18cf3611.jpg)

## What the Evidence Does Not Establish

 The evidence supports a January 2026 earn under the current Rapid Rewards rules, but it does not establish the full 2027 earning structure. Southwest has announced a new Rapid Rewards program beginning January 1, 2027, and says Companion Pass qualifying points will be retired after December 31, 2026; the replacement earning rates and welcome-bonus treatment are not fully published in the sources used here. That boundary matters because a strategy that depends on 2027 rules is not yet verifiable. Treat any 2027 plan as unconfirmed until Southwest publishes it.

| Verified for the 2026 plan | Not yet established for a 2027 earn |
| --- | --- |
| Southwest's Companion Pass page sets the 2026 qualification rule and cardholder boost; Companion Pass qualifying points are retired after December 31, 2026 (Southwest). | Full 2027 Rapid Rewards earning rates, including how welcome bonuses are treated, are not fully published; Southwest says a new Rapid Rewards program starts January 1, 2027. |
| A Companion Pass earned in 2026 under current rules runs through December 31, 2027 (Southwest). | Whether points from Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners post, and on what schedule, is not established by the sources used here. |

 Partner earnings are another gap. Whether points from Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners post, and on what schedule, is not established by the sources used here; check the partner terms and posting timelines before counting those points toward a calendar-year total. If a partner posts late or under a different category, the January timing assumption can fail even when the underlying activity occurred in January.

 Bottom line: build the 2026 plan around Southwest's published 2026 rules and the card terms you see at application, and confirm any 2027 earn at southwest.com/rapid-rewards/2027 before you apply or spend. The safe inference from the evidence is narrower than the headline strategy: the 2026 path is documented, while the 2027 path is not.

![What the Evidence Does Not Establish — Southwest Companion Pass 2026](https://screenshots.mightytravels.com/article-images-pixabay/southwest-companion-pass-2026-135-000-po-7784412b.jpg)

## Your January 2026 Sprint

 Checkpoint 2 comes after the 10,000-point cardholder annual boost posts for the calendar year. Per pointsandmilesteachers.com, cardholders get that free 10,000-point boost each year. Add it to the first bonus, add any flight or card-spend points already earned, and compare the running total with 135,000. If the first card leaves a gap, treat the second card's bonus as the closer, and make sure it posts before December 31, 2026—Southwest says Companion Pass qualifying points are retired after that date.

 If the first bonus misses January, the same spend still counts toward the same annual target, but the Pass starts later; the practical rule is to wait for the next January rather than accept a shorter window. The worked timeline is December 2025 application and spend, January 2026 Checkpoint 1, the annual boost and Checkpoint 2, a second bonus if needed by December 31, 2026, and then Pass use through December 31, 2027. That is the concrete 23-month window: the balance of 2026 after qualification plus all of 2027.

| When | Checkpoint | Verify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mid-Dec 2025 | Application | Card approved; minimum-spend plan set |
| Jan 2026 | Checkpoint 1 | Welcome bonus posts as Companion Pass qualifying points |
| After annual boost posts | Checkpoint 2 | First bonus + 10,000 boost + flight/spend points vs. 135,000 |
| By Dec 31, 2026 | Second bonus, if needed | Posts before qualifying points are retired |
| Through Dec 31, 2027 | Pass life | Remainder of 2026 plus all of 2027 |

 Keep the arithmetic visible: write down the first bonus, the 10,000 boost, and any flight or spend points, then subtract that sum from 135,000. The remainder is the exact gap the second bonus must close, and the December 31, 2026 posting deadline is the hard stop.

## Decision Rules for Your 2026 Plan

 Anchor your 2026 plan to the December 31, 2026 retirement of Companion Pass qualifying points: Southwest states that Companion Pass qualifying points will be retired after December 31, 2026, so every qualifying point must post within one calendar year under the current rules. (Source: southwest.com Companion Pass page.)

 If you can meet minimum spend by January, apply in December 2025 so welcome-bonus points post in January 2026; that timing maximizes the Pass to the full 23 months. If you already hold a Southwest card, time any second-card application and heavy spend for early 2026 so all qualifying points land in one calendar year. If you cannot start before March 2026, do not simply assume a January 2027 start works: Southwest says a new Rapid Rewards program begins January 1, 2027, and US News reports that starting in 2027 welcome bonuses will no longer count toward the Pass, so check the published 2027 rules before delaying.

| Condition | Action |
| --- | --- |
| Can meet minimum spend by January | Apply in December 2025; aim for January posting |
| Already hold a Southwest card | Time second-card application and heavy spend for early 2026 |
| Cannot start before March 2026 | Delay to January 2027 under the new rules |

 Check posting dates rather than application dates: bonuses and spend must land in the same calendar year to count together. Southwest's Companion Pass page says you earn the Pass for the following full calendar year plus the remainder of the year in which you earned it, which is why January posting stretches the value. (Source: southwest.com Companion Pass page.)

 Track progress by posting month, not by application month. If a bonus or large purchase risks landing in the wrong calendar year, pause that spend until you can confirm where it will post; splitting points across years can waste the annual target. Southwest's page frames qualification by calendar year, so the posting date controls the result.

 Before acting, verify current card terms, bonus posting timelines, and how the January 1, 2027 program change affects your route; Southwest says a more rewarding journey starts January 1, 2027. If a mid-year start would split points across years or miss the retirement date, waiting is the safer rule.

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## What to do next

| Step | Action | Why it matters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Set your 2026 qualification tracker to 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points, or 100 one-way flights. | That is the annual threshold for the highest-level Rapid Rewards award. |
| 2 | If you hold a Southwest card, confirm the 10,000-point boost before calculating the remaining 125,000-point net target. | It reduces the points you must earn yourself. |
| 3 | Apply for Southwest card(s) in December 2025 or January 2026 so welcome-bonus points post in January 2026. | That timing maximizes the Pass lifespan through December 31, 2027. |
| 4 | If the January window is missed, wait until the following January instead of starting mid-year. | It avoids a shorter validity period and points retired after December 31, 2026. |
| 5 | Plan companion travel only within the Pass validity window ending December 31, 2027. | The Pass provides unlimited buy-one-get-one-free tickets only through that date. |
| 6 | Reset your qualification plan after December 31, 2026 because Companion Pass qualifying points are retired. | Leftover qualifying points do not carry into the next cycle. |

## Frequently Asked Questions

 **Are the 100-flight and points requirements cumulative?**

 The two paths are alternatives, not cumulative requirements.

 **Do all Rapid Rewards points count toward the Companion Pass threshold?**

 The key qualifier is "Companion Pass qualifying points," so not every Rapid Rewards point necessarily counts toward the threshold.

 **Which qualification path is most relevant to a card-based strategy?**

 The points path is the one most relevant to a card-based strategy.

 **Can ordinary purchases on a Rapid Rewards Credit Card help earn the Pass?**

 Southwest says you earn Companion Pass qualifying points when you use a Rapid Rewards Credit Card, so ordinary card purchases can contribute to the annual total.

 **Why does the month in which points post matter?**

 That calendar-year boundary is why posting month matters as much as point total.

 **What happens if points post later in 2026 instead of January?**

 Points that post later in 2026 produce a shorter benefit window.

## Quick answers

| What does the guide cover in addition to the 135,000-point target? | It covers the 10,000-point cardholder boost, the 125,000-point net target, and the timing rules for welcome-bonus points. |
| --- | --- |
| What are the two alternative ways to qualify for the Companion Pass? | A member qualifies by flying 100 qualifying one-way flights or earning 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in a calendar year. |
| Does every Rapid Rewards point count toward the Companion Pass threshold? | No, the key qualifier is "Companion Pass qualifying points," so not every Rapid Rewards point necessarily counts toward the threshold. |
| How does the benefit period work after qualification? | You earn the Pass for the following full calendar year plus the remainder of the year in which you earned it. |
| Why does the posting month matter for the benefit window? | Points that post in January of the stated year produce a Pass running through the stated end date, while points that post later in that year produce a shorter benefit window. |

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