Check the Companion Pass tracker in your Southwest account. Your regular points balance can include points that don’t count toward the pass, including purchased points and transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards. Eligible Southwest card bonuses, purchase rewards, paid-flight points and partner base points can count.
Which points count?
| Source | Counts? | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest credit-card purchase points | Yes | Net eligible purchases; use the year rewards post to Rapid Rewards. |
| Eligible Southwest credit-card welcome, anniversary and referral bonuses | Yes | Meet the specific terms; eligibility and timing matter. |
| Annual 10,000-point credit-card boost | Yes | One eligible boost per member, not per card; not spendable points. |
| Southwest debit-card rewards and eligible annual 7,500-point CP bonus | Yes | Account terms and posting requirements apply. |
| Base points from qualifying paid Southwest flights | Yes | Travel must be completed; status or flight bonus points are a different category. |
| Cash + Points flight | Partly | Points accrue on the eligible base fare paid in dollars. |
| Rapid Rewards partner base points | Generally | Confirm the specific hotel, car, shopping or dining offer. |
| Purchased or gifted points | No | A larger redeemable balance doesn’t close a qualification gap. |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers | No | Useful for redemptions, not qualification. |
| Hotel-program transfers or member-to-member transfers | No | Different from earning eligible base points directly from a partner. |
| Reward flights and companion travel | No | You may use the pass with an award reservation, but that doesn’t make it an earning flight. |
| Ordinary tier, flight and partner promotional bonuses | Usually no | Only count an exception if the applicable terms specifically qualify it. |
| Getaways by Southwest vacation-booking points | No | Card-purchase rewards are a separate earning event from package travel. |
Why your account shows different point totals
Your redeemable points are the ones you can spend on flights. The Companion Pass tracker counts eligible points you’ve earned this calendar year. Tier qualifying points go toward A-List status.
Say you transfer 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest. You can spend them, but your Companion Pass tracker won’t move. The annual 10,000-point cardholder boost works the other way: it moves the tracker, but gives you no extra points to spend.
Before you book a hotel for the points
Find the part of the offer that says which points qualify for Companion Pass. A large “bonus points” headline doesn’t answer that question. Also check how long the points take to post, especially if you’re counting on them in December.
Save the offer and booking confirmation with your Rapid Rewards number attached. If the points don’t arrive within the stated time, you’ll have those details ready when you contact the partner.
You can spend points while you’re earning the pass
You don’t have to keep 135,000 points sitting in your account. Earn 70,000 qualifying points, use some for a flight, and earn another 65,000 in the same year: you can still reach 135,000.
Refunds are different. Returning a purchase can take away the points you earned on it. Leave a little room above the target if any purchases might be returned.
Can buying points finish the pass?
No. Buying 5,000 points when you’re 5,000 qualifying points short won’t solve that problem. Purchased points may help fund a redemption, but they’re explicitly excluded from Companion Pass qualification.
Referral disclosure: our Southwest points-purchase link may compensate this site. Use it only if you’ve decided buying points makes sense for your flight. Purchased points don’t qualify you for Companion Pass.