Personal Finance News
Southwest Announces Latest Companion Pass Flash Promotion
For a limited time, Southwest fliers can score a promotional Companion Pass, good for use later this year.
About the offer:
Southwest Airlines is bringing back its popular Companion Pass flash offer. First, customers can register for this promotion and must book a flight (one round-trip or two one-way) on the airline between now and February 20th, 2025. Then, they must travel by March 31st in order to claim a limited-time Companion Pass. This pass will be valid for flights between August 7th and October 8th, 2025.
With the limited-time Southwest Companion Pass, flyers can book fare-free tickets for a designated traveler (when they also book for themselves). Although Companion Pass tickets do still need to pay taxes and fees, this means that travel companions can fly for as little as $5.60 per way. Also, Companion Pass bookings are valid whether the primary flyer is paying with cash or redeeming Rapid Reward points.
Companion Pass has long been one of Southwest’s most popular features. In order to unlock the pass, customers would normally need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 qualifying points. However, once flyers qualify for a regular Companion Pass, they can use the perk for the remainder of the current calendar along with the entirety of the following year.
In context:
This year and next are set to be interesting for Southwest as the company looks to overhaul some major parts of its identity — including replacing its open boarding process with a more standard reserved seating system. Similarly, the airline’s planes will be retrofitted to accommodate extra legroom and preferred seating upgrade options. Meanwhile, it looks as though other well-known SWA features, including free checked bags and Companion Pass, will be continued for now.
My thoughts:
While this Companion Pass offer is a great deal (and one my mother-in-law actually took advantage of last time it came around), I should note that this latest promotion comes as Southwest has unfortunately revealed plans for mass layoffs. Specifically, the company says it intends to reduce its workforce by approximately 1,750 people. This isn’t to suggest that the two are related, but it is a sad reality nonetheless.
As for the offer itself, if you have a trip planned and could book this week to claim this deal, I do think it could be worth it. If you miss it, though, keep your eyes open this fall as Southwest has been known to run this promotion in the late summer/fall as well.
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