A promotional Companion Pass lasts for the dates listed in that offer. It doesn’t automatically run through the following year like the standard pass. You may also have separate deadlines to register, book, complete travel and use the pass.
The two kinds of pass
| Feature | Standard qualification | Limited promotion |
|---|---|---|
| Earn it | 135,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights in one year | Exact actions stated in the offer |
| Validity | Remainder of earned year plus next year | Specific dates; sometimes only a few months |
| Registration | Rapid Rewards membership and eligible activity | Often registration before booking or completing activity |
| Credit-card bonus | Qualifying bonus points can help reach threshold | Some offers award limited pass status directly |
What the August 2026 promotion offered
Southwest announced a promotion on August 3, 2026. You had to register and book an eligible flight by August 6, 2026, then complete qualifying travel by November 18, 2026. The pass covered travel from January 5 through March 3, 2027.
Registration and booking were already closed when we reviewed it on October 3. If you registered in time, use your saved offer terms to finish the travel requirement. If you didn’t, this particular offer is no longer available to you.
Read four different deadlines
- Register: is enrollment required before booking?
- Purchase or spend: when must the eligible transaction happen?
- Complete activity: when must the flight or other qualifying requirement be finished?
- Use the pass: what are the earliest and latest eligible companion travel dates?
Put all four dates in your calendar. An offer with a generous booking window can still have a short companion-travel window.
Would you use it before it expires?
A two-month pass could save you plenty if you already have trips booked during those months. If your travel is spread out, the standard pass may suit you better. Add up the companion fares you’d save, then subtract the cost of earning it.
Don’t book around an expected repeat of last year’s promotion. Southwest and Chase can change the offer, dates or requirements, or choose not to run it again.
What if you later earn the standard pass?
Standard qualification remains a separate threshold. A promotion doesn’t necessarily put 135,000 points in your account, and pass status alone doesn’t prove you earned that many qualifying points.
Review how changes of companion during the promotional period affect your annual change allowance if you later qualify normally. Confirm the final validity dates shown in your account instead of adding two advertised periods together.
Sources for this chapter
Last checked October 4, 2026.
- Southwest: August 2026 promotional Companion Pass announcement
- Southwest: Rapid Rewards program terms
- Southwest: Companion Pass overview and qualifications