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Southwest Airlines’ New Companion Pass Will Let Your Guest Fly for Free

News Airports + Flying
by Eben Diskin Sep 22, 2020

Air travel has declined due to COVID-19, but Southwest Airlines is giving people an enticing incentive to take to the skies again: its Companion Pass.

The pass isn’t a new concept. Historically, the Companion Pass allowed frequent travelers to choose a companion to accompany them for free on any Southwest flight for the following full calendar year, plus the remainder of the year in which they earned it. It was obtained by flying on 100 Southwest flights or earning 125,000 points in a calendar year. Now, Southwest is making the Companion Pass much more accessible as part of its “Wanna Get Away” campaign for fall and winter travel.

This week, Southwest announced that travelers can be eligible for the Companion Pass after booking just one flight. To qualify, you just have to purchase a flight (one-way or round-trip) between September 22 and 24, 2020, and travel before November 15, 2020.

Once you’ve fulfilled these requirements, a friend can fly with you for just the cost of taxes and fees between January 6 and February 28, 2021.

Charter flights, group travel, and Southwest Vacation packages don’t qualify for the promotion, so keep that mind before booking. You must also be a Rapid Rewards member — a program that allows for increased flexibility when traveling with Southwest. Rapid Rewards members qualify for unlimited reward seats, no blackout dates, and points that don’t expire.

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