There's a lot of news today from Southwest Airlines, including new elite status tiers and qualification requirements, a first look at its forthcoming Icon Lounges, faster ways to earn Tier Qualifying Points toward elite status and more.
But there's one change that really jumped out at me: The way you qualify for a Southwest Companion Pass is changing in 2027, and some points travelers aren't going to like it.
For years, the Southwest Companion Pass has allowed a designated companion to fly with the passholder for just the cost of taxes and fees. It's a valuable and much-loved perk that many travelers chase year after year.
But beginning in 2027, the Companion Pass will become a benefit of Southwest's newly announced top-tier Platinum status, meaning travelers will need to qualify using Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or qualifying flights.
And that comes with a pretty big catch for those who have relied on credit card welcome bonuses to earn the Companion Pass.
Credit card welcome bonus points will no longer count for the Companion Pass
Previously, the Companion Pass was earned with Companion Pass qualifying points, which weren't quite the same as the TQPs used to earn elite status.
Most notably, this meant that welcome bonus points earned from signing up for Southwest credit cards counted toward earning the Companion Pass, even though the bonus points didn't count as TQPs toward elite status.
This was a really big deal.
Welcome bonuses on Southwest credit cards can sometimes get you 80,000 Rapid Rewards points (or even more) once you meet the spending requirements. That has gone a long way toward reaching the 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points currently needed to earn a Companion Pass.
But that strategy is going away starting next year.
Southwest's website now states (bolding mine):
"Starting January 1, 2027, certain activities that helped you qualify for a Companion Pass by earning Companion Pass qualifying points do not earn Tier Qualifying Points. Therefore, these activities, while still earning Rapid Rewards points, will not assist you in earning Companion Pass benefits. These include new Cardmember welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, and bonus points from spend (e.g., 2x on gas), as well as partner spend (e.g., hotel, car)."
In other words, those big credit card welcome bonuses that have helped so many travelers unlock the Companion Pass will no longer get you any closer to earning it beginning in 2027. Travelers who earn a Companion Pass under the existing rules in 2026 will still enjoy its benefits through the end of 2027.
New ways to earn Southwest Companion Pass benefits in 2027
Beginning in 2027, to receive unlimited Companion Pass trips, you'll need to earn 140,000 TQPs or complete 100 qualifying one-way flights to reach Southwest's new Platinum status.
There is some good news here, however.
Southwest will provide a 10,000-TQP boost once you reach 130,000 earned TQPs in 2027, pushing you to the 140,000 TQPs needed to unlock Platinum status and its Companion Pass benefit for the remainder of 2027 and all of 2028.
Southwest is also introducing a new Milestone Reward that provides three Companion Pass trips once you earn 95,000 TQPs or complete 75 qualifying one-way flights.
And there's another potentially helpful change for those who can put significant spending on Southwest credit cards.
Beginning in 2027, all Southwest credit cards will earn 1 TQP per dollar spent, making it easier to earn elite status — and ultimately Companion Pass benefits — through credit card spending on any of the Southwest credit cards.
Of course, that's quite different from earning tens of thousands of qualifying points all at once from a welcome bonus.
Bottom line
There's certainly some good news coming out of Southwest Airlines today, but it isn't all good news — especially for travelers who have relied on credit card welcome bonuses to earn the Companion Pass.
For years, strategically timing Southwest credit card applications and welcome bonuses has been one of the most popular ways to unlock this valuable perk without spending a fortune on flights.
And while Southwest is introducing some new ways to earn companion benefits, including a three-trip Milestone Reward and more TQPs from credit card spending, those changes won't necessarily make up for losing one of the easiest shortcuts to one of the most valuable perks in the world of points and miles.
Related reading: Southwest overhauls Rapid Rewards with new elite tiers, credit card changes and companion passes
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.