Earn a Companion Pass for up to a year by applying for a new Southwest card

For Southwest Airlines loyalists, a cobranded Southwest credit card is a great way to earn points toward travel.

And if you’re a fan of the airline’s coveted Companion Pass, which allows you to bring a designated travel companion on all your Southwest flights, a new offer on one of Southwest’s three personal cards could be perfect for you.

Depending on your bonus preference (Companion Pass or bonus points), these bonuses could be considered the best in offer history. You can use the Companion Pass for both paid and award tickets (though you must pay taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way).

While the personal cards aren’t offering a large number of points right now, they are providing the opportunity to earn a Companion Pass (good through Feb. 28, 2027), which could result in serious savings if you’re frequently flying with a plus-one. (Note you must meet the minimum spending requirement before receiving the Companion Pass — you will not receive it upon card approval.)

Let’s look at the current welcome bonuses on the Southwest Airlines personal and business credit cards.

Comparison of the Southwest card welcome offers

Here’s a look at the Southwest welcome offers at first glance:

*Welcome offer value is based on TPG’s February 2026 valuations.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Southwest personal cards

Whether you fly Southwest just a couple of times each year or it’s your exclusive airline, consider one of the carrier’s cobranded credit cards.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

Best for: Beginners and infrequent travelers

Annual fee: $99

Welcome bonus: Earn a Companion Pass (valid through Feb. 28, 2027) plus 20,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

If you value the Companion Pass highly, this could be considered one of the best offers in the card’s history. It’s worth $260 in points, per TPG’s valuations, but you’ll also want to add the value of a Companion Pass to that calculation.

Earning rates:

• 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year (on the first $5,000 in combined spending) and on Southwest purchases
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• Free first checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions
• Group 5 priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• One promotional 10% flight discount each anniversary year (excludes Basic fares)
• Standard seat selection 48 hours prior to departure (when available)
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• 3,000 bonus points every cardholder anniversary
• 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually

To learn more, read our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card.

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Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

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Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

Best for: Regular Southwest flyers

Annual fee: $149

Welcome bonus: Earn a Companion Pass (valid through Feb. 28, 2027) plus 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

This could be considered the card’s best offer if you value the Companion Pass highly. According to TPG’s valuations, the points are worth $390, but you’ll want to factor in the Companion Pass as well.

Earning rates:

• 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year (on the first $8,000 in combined spending)
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• Free first checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions
• Group 5 priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• One promotional 15% flight discount each anniversary year (excludes Basic fares)
• Preferred seat selection 48 hours prior to departure (when available)
• Unlimited ability to earn 1,500 TQPs for each $5,000 spent annually toward A-List status
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• 6,000 bonus points every cardholder anniversary
• 10,000 points Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually

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Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card review

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Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Best for: Southwest loyalists who can take advantage of day-of-travel perks

Annual fee: $229

Welcome bonus: Earn a Companion Pass (valid through Feb. 28, 2027) plus 40,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

If you’re a fan of the Companion Pass, this could be considered the best offer in the card’s history. The points offered in this bonus are worth $520, according to TPG’s valuations, and you’ll want to include the value of the Companion Pass here as well.

Earning rates:

• 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants, with no annual cap
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• Free first checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions
• Group 5 priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• Preferred seat selection at booking (when available)
• Unlimited ability to earn 2,500 TQPs for each $5,000 spent annually toward A-List status
• Unlimited upgrades to extra-legroom seats within 48 hours of departure at no charge (when available)
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• 7,500-point anniversary bonus
• 10,000 points Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually

To learn more, read our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card.

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Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

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Southwest business cards

If you qualify for a business credit card and fly Southwest frequently, consider one of the carrier’s cobranded business cards.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card

Best for: Business owners who are loyal Southwest flyers

Annual fee: $299

Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

This offer is worth $1,040, based on TPG’s valuations. This is the standard welcome offer we’ve typically seen in the card’s history, so if you can afford to wait, we’d recommend it in order to get a larger stash of points.

Earning rates:

• 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points per dollar spent on commuting and local transit, at gas stations and restaurants (no annual cap) and on hotel stays booked directly
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• Earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status
• Free first checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions
• Group 5 priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• Preferred seat selection at booking (when available)
• Unlimited ability to earn 2,500 TQPs for each $5,000 spent annually
• Unlimited upgrades to an extra-legroom seat 48 hours prior to departure at no charge (when available)
• Up to $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• 9,000 points every cardholder anniversary
• 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually

To learn more, read our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business card.

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Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card

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Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Best for: Business owners who fly Southwest regularly

Annual fee: $149

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

This offer is worth $780, according to TPG’s valuations. This is the standard welcome offer we’ve typically seen in the card’s history.

Earning rates:

• 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year (on the first $8,000 in combined spending)
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• Free first checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions
• Group 5 priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• Preferred seat selection within 48 hours of departure (when available)
• Unlimited ability to earn 2,000 TQPs for each $5,000 spent annually
• 15% flight discount promo code each anniversary year (excluding Basic fares)
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• 6,000 bonus points every cardholder anniversary
• 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually

To learn more, read our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card.

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Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

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Should you apply for a Southwest credit card now?

Southwest has many fans who love the airline’s personality. However, it has undergone waves of change over the past year — most recently launching its new assigned seating model last month after ending free checked bags with every ticket in May 2025.

Credit card holders can check one bag for free (for themselves and up to eight companions on the reservation), saving themselves the added cost of paying $35 per bag each way. Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred and Business Select members receive two free checked bags (A-List members only receive one checked bag; weight and size limits apply).

The number of Southwest Rapid Rewards points required to book a flight is “dynamic,” which means redemption rates could be higher or lower depending on the flight’s demand. Plus, only certain fare types qualify for waived fees. Free same-day standby is also now limited to certain fare types.

You can get excellent value with the Companion Pass offered on Southwest’s cards, and current offers on the personal cards provide the opportunity to earn a Companion Pass for up to a year (valid through Feb. 28, 2027).

Otherwise, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year to earn a Companion Pass. Credit card welcome bonuses and points earned from card spending count toward qualification. The standard Companion Pass (not the one included in the personal cards’ welcome offers right now) is valid for the year it’s earned and the entire next calendar year.

Bottom line

If you’re looking for a new Southwest card, now could be an excellent time to apply. If you frequently travel with a plus-one and value the Companion Pass highly, the current offers on the personal cards are as good as they get.

However, if you frequently fly solo or place more value on Rapid Rewards points, these offers may not be as exciting to you.

But if you plan to take multiple Southwest flights with a partner from now through February 2027, now could be the time to get your application in for a personal cobranded card with the airline.

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Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

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