When is the deadline to register and book a flight for this Southwest Companion Pass promo?

You must register and book your qualifying roundtrip flight by 11:59 p.m. CST on Thursday, Aug. 6. Your travel itself must be completed by Nov. 18.

When can I use the Companion Pass earned through this promotion?

The Companion Pass is valid from Jan. 5 through March 3, 2027, giving you roughly two months of buy-one-get-one travel on Southwest flights.

Do Basic fares and points bookings count toward this Southwest promo?

Yes, for the first time since Southwest introduced Basic fares, they are explicitly included as eligible for this promotion. Rapid Rewards redemption reservations and Cash plus Points bookings also qualify.

Do I need a Southwest credit card to participate in this Companion Pass promotion?

No credit card sign-up is required. The promo is open to any Southwest customer, though existing Southwest Rapid Rewards cardholders can stack their card benefits on top of the offer.

How much does a companion have to pay to fly under this Companion Pass?

Your companion flies free, but is responsible for taxes and fees, which start at $5.60 each way on domestic Southwest flights.

Southwest Companion Pass Promo: 2 Months Free for 1 Flight

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you apply for a credit card through our links, we may receive a commission from the issuer at no additional cost to you. We maintain editorial integrity; all opinions expressed are our own and are not provided or influenced by the card issuers. For more information, please see our Financial & Affiliate Disclaimer.

Southwest’s annual winter companion pass promo is back. Take one roundtrip flight and get a companion pass for two months.

But you must book it by tomorrow.

Southwest airlines flights are already easy to find on Google Flights, so shopping the qualifying trip takes minutes. Register and book by tonight, and you’ll unlock free companion travel this winter.

Two Southwest Airlines Boeing 737s with bold blue, red, and yellow livery parked at gate D6 under a colorful sunset sky.

This version finally drops the annoying fine print. No card sign-up, no basic fare exclusion, no points penalty. That alone makes it worth a second look, even for casual flyers.

Requirement	Deadline
Register and book qualifying flight	11:59 p.m. CST, Thursday, Aug. 6
Complete qualifying travel	By Nov. 18
Use your Companion Pass	Jan. 5 through March 3, 2027

Here’s how it works:

Register for this promotion and purchase a roundtrip flight (or two one-way trips) with Southwest by Thursday, Aug. 6, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
Make sure you book flights that depart and land by Nov. 18.
After you do, you’ll earn a Companion Pass and bring a friend for free (plus taxes and fees) with you on any and all Southwest flights you take from Jan. 5 to March 3, 2027.

After you complete the qualifying flight, you’ll earn a Companion Pass and bring a friend for free, plus taxes and fees starting at just $5.60 for a one-way domestic flight, on any Southwest flights you take from Jan. 5 to March 3, 2027. That’s a full two months of buy-one-get-one travel.

Who Qualifies

This year, all Southwest flights qualify for the promotion, including flights booked with Southwest Rapid Rewards and the cheapest Basic fares. For the first time since Southwest launched Basic fares, they were included in the terms and conditions as eligible for this promo as well.

The terms and conditions confirm that redemption reservations and Cash plus Points bookings qualify for the promotional offer. That means your points balance still counts. Better yet, with this promotion, you don’t have to sign up for any cards at all.

If you already carry a Southwest Rapid Rewards card, you can stack its perks on top of the promo. But nothing here requires opening one.

Our Take

If you have any trip planned, this makes perfect sense. The $11.20 cash cost, paired with a points redemption, makes free to try. Act tonight if you’re on the fence, because the window closes at 11:59 p.m. CST. Skip it only if Southwest has no place in your Jan. 5 to March 3 plans.