Sally French

So sometimes we'll see taxes and fees upwards of $100, which doesn't really make this out this companion pass as good of a deal.

Now is a great time to strategize how you might earn these passes so they will be valid for the longest amount of time. So let's just dive into, first, how you earn these companion passes. To qualify for a traditional companion pass, you need to do one of two things.

Now is a great time to strategize how you might earn these passes so they will be valid for the longest amount of time. So let's just dive into, first, how you earn these companion passes. To qualify for a traditional companion pass, you need to do one of two things.

Now is a great time to strategize how you might earn these passes so they will be valid for the longest amount of time. So let's just dive into, first, how you earn these companion passes. To qualify for a traditional companion pass, you need to do one of two things.

You need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year, which if anyone is listening and has done that, I would love to talk to you. That's basically a flight every third day. Very few people are earning at that route. Most people earn at the route where you earn 135,000 rapid rewards points in a calendar year.

You need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year, which if anyone is listening and has done that, I would love to talk to you. That's basically a flight every third day. Very few people are earning at that route. Most people earn at the route where you earn 135,000 rapid rewards points in a calendar year.

You need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year, which if anyone is listening and has done that, I would love to talk to you. That's basically a flight every third day. Very few people are earning at that route. Most people earn at the route where you earn 135,000 rapid rewards points in a calendar year.

Of course, you can earn these qualifying points through revenue flights booked via Southwest. So you book a flight, you get points for it. You can also earn points on Southwest credit cards, as well as base points you earn from Rapid Rewards partners. The Southwest credit cards one is a huge way to earn a bunch of points in one go. And that's because of intro offers on these credit cards.

Of course, you can earn these qualifying points through revenue flights booked via Southwest. So you book a flight, you get points for it. You can also earn points on Southwest credit cards, as well as base points you earn from Rapid Rewards partners. The Southwest credit cards one is a huge way to earn a bunch of points in one go. And that's because of intro offers on these credit cards.

Of course, you can earn these qualifying points through revenue flights booked via Southwest. So you book a flight, you get points for it. You can also earn points on Southwest credit cards, as well as base points you earn from Rapid Rewards partners. The Southwest credit cards one is a huge way to earn a bunch of points in one go. And that's because of intro offers on these credit cards.

You can't always time your spending exactly right. It's difficult to hit it exactly, but you want to get those 135,000 points as close to the beginning of January 2025 as possible without actually occurring in 2024. Once you have that companion pass, you have it for the following calendar year and then the next calendar year after that.

You can't always time your spending exactly right. It's difficult to hit it exactly, but you want to get those 135,000 points as close to the beginning of January 2025 as possible without actually occurring in 2024. Once you have that companion pass, you have it for the following calendar year and then the next calendar year after that.

You can't always time your spending exactly right. It's difficult to hit it exactly, but you want to get those 135,000 points as close to the beginning of January 2025 as possible without actually occurring in 2024. Once you have that companion pass, you have it for the following calendar year and then the next calendar year after that.

You think about it, if you earn this companion pass in January 2025, you'll have it for the duration of 2025 and into 2026. If you get too excited and you somehow earn all those points by December 2024, then it's actually kind of a bummer because you'll only have it for the rest of 2024 and then 2025 as a whole. but you wouldn't have it for 2026.

You think about it, if you earn this companion pass in January 2025, you'll have it for the duration of 2025 and into 2026. If you get too excited and you somehow earn all those points by December 2024, then it's actually kind of a bummer because you'll only have it for the rest of 2024 and then 2025 as a whole. but you wouldn't have it for 2026.

You think about it, if you earn this companion pass in January 2025, you'll have it for the duration of 2025 and into 2026. If you get too excited and you somehow earn all those points by December 2024, then it's actually kind of a bummer because you'll only have it for the rest of 2024 and then 2025 as a whole. but you wouldn't have it for 2026.

So it is really important that you are targeted about when you actually earn this pass.

So it is really important that you are targeted about when you actually earn this pass.

So it is really important that you are targeted about when you actually earn this pass.

And then I also do want to mention just on that topic of qualifying flights, what does and doesn't count. There's another thing that is kind of a common misconception is a lot of people think they can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest and have that count towards their companion pass.