Last chance: Earn a Companion Pass plus 30,000 points with a Southwest card

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. 

For Southwest loyalists, a cobranded Southwest credit card is a great way to earn points toward travel. If you’re looking to earn a solid stash of Rapid Rewards points, now is a great time to add a personal card to your wallet.

Until March 31, all three personal Southwest cards are offering a welcome bonus that includes a Companion Pass. New applicants can earn 30,000 bonus points and Southwest’s Companion Pass after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.

These offers end on March 31, so now is the time to decide if applying for a personal Southwest card is right for you.

With Southwest’s Companion Pass, cardholders can take a designated guest with them on as many flights as they like for just the cost of taxes and fees (starting at $5.60 one-way). The Companion Pass is valid until Feb. 28, 2026. It’s important to note the cardholder must be flying to bring along a companion, and the designated companion can be changed up to three times per year.

However, with Southwest’s sweeping strategy changes — many to take effect from May 28 (Memorial Day) — you may want to factor in what the airline will look like later in 2025 and beyond. Southwest is:

• Ending its ‘bags fly free’ policy — unless you have a Southwest card or elite status or are traveling on a business fare
• Reducing points-earning on its most popular fares
• Ditching its open-seating model
• Introducing basic economy
• Shifting to dynamic pricing

If you’re familiar with Southwest as it has been, you should learn about its upcoming changes before you make a decision.

Let’s look at the current welcome bonuses on the Southwest Airlines personal and business credit cards.

Southwest credit cards welcome offer history

The 30,000 bonus points in this welcome offer are worth up to $405, according to TPG’s March 2025 valuations, but you could receive immensely more value depending on how you use the Companion Pass.

The regular offer on these cards is worth around $700 based on our valuations, and the highest offers we tend to see are worth just over $1,100.

If you’re interested, this is a good time to apply, as we recommend applying any time there is a Companion Pass or more than 75,000 bonus points offered. Plus, this offer is ending March 31, so the time to make your decision is now.

If you’re a small-business owner, you can earn up to 80,000 bonus points with the current welcome offers on Southwest’s two business cards after meeting the minimum requirements. Right now, we recommend waiting for a higher offer before applying for either of the business cards.

If you decide to go with a business card, the points you earn can still help you snag a Companion Pass. In fact, if you can earn enough qualifying points in the first half of 2025, you’ll enjoy a Companion Pass for the remainder of 2025 as well as 2026.

Southwest personal cards

Whether you fly Southwest just a couple of times each year or it’s your exclusive airline, consider one of their cobranded credit cards.

 Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

• Best for: Beginners and infrequent travelers
• Annual fee: $69
• Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus points and Southwest’s Companion Pass through Feb. 28th, 2026 after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. Offer ends March 31.
• Earning rates: 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft; 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases; 2 points per dollar on Southwest purchases; 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else
• Primary perks: Two EarlyBird check-ins annually and 3,000 points every cardmember anniversary

To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

• Best for: Regular Southwest flyers
• Annual fee: $99
• Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus points and Southwest’s Companion Pass through Feb. 28th, 2026 after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. Offer ends March 31.
• Earning rates: 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases (including ride-hailing services), 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases, 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else
• Primary perks: Two EarlyBird check-ins annually, a 6,000-point anniversary bonus, unlimited Tier Qualifying Points earning of 1,500 for each $5,000 spent annually and no foreign transaction fees

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card review

 Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

• Best for: Southwest loyalists who can take advantage of day-of-travel perks
• Annual fee: $149
• Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus points and Southwest’s Companion Pass through Feb. 28th, 2026 after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. Offer ends March 31.
• Earning rates: 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-hailing services, 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases, 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else
• Primary perks: Unlimited TQP earning of 1,500 for each $5,000 spent annually, a $75 annual Southwest credit, four upgraded boardings, a 7,500-point anniversary bonus and no foreign transaction fees

TPG named this card the Best Airline Cobranded Credit Card for the second year in a row at the 2024 TPG Awards.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Southwest business cards

If you qualify for a business credit card and fly Southwest frequently, consider one of their cobranded business cards.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

• Best for: Business owners who fly Southwest regularly
• Annual fee: $99
• Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening.
• Earning rates: 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases (including ride-hailing services), 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else
• Primary perks: Two EarlyBird check-ins every card anniversary, earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status, $500 fee credit for Rapid Rewards points transfers to another Rapid Rewards member, a 6,000-point anniversary bonus and no foreign transaction fees.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business card.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card

• Best for: Business owners who are loyal Southwest flyers
• Annual fee: $199
• Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening.
• Earning rate: 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases (including ride-hailing services), 3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, 2 points per dollar on social media and paid search advertising, internet, cable and phone services and 1 point per dollar on everything else
• Primary perks: Four upgraded boardings per year, earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status, $500 fee credit for Rapid Rewards points transfers to another Rapid Rewards member, a 9,000-point anniversary bonus, up-to-$120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi credits per year and no foreign transaction fees.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business card.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card

Should you apply for a Southwest credit card now?

Southwest has many fans who love the airline’s personality. However, many of its most prominent and popular benefits, such as free checked bags with every ticket, are set to end on May 28 — which makes things different.

It’s important to note that credit card holders will be able to check one bag for free (one less than the previous policy), and Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred and Business Select members will receive two free checked bags. A-list members will only receive one checked bag after the changes take effect. Weight and size limits apply.

The carrier’s Rapid Rewards program is changing. The number of Southwest Rapid Rewards points required to book a flight will become “dynamic,” which means redemption rates could be higher or lower depending on the flight’s demand.

Furthermore, Southwest is adjusting its policy toward cancellation or change fees, as these will only be waived on certain fare types from May 28. Free same-day standby will also be limited to certain fare types from this date.

You can get excellent value with the Companion Pass offered on Southwest’s personal cards. This perk allows you to bring along a designated travel companion on all of your Southwest flights— both paid and award tickets (but you must pay taxes and fees).

Normally, to get a Companion Pass, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying, one-way flights in a calendar year. Additionally, credit card welcome bonuses and points earned from card spending count toward qualification.

You can receive nearly two years of buy-one-get-one flights by opening a personal and business Southwest credit card and timing your spending to earn the bonuses near the beginning of any given year. That’s because the standard Companion Pass is valid for the year it’s earned and the entire following year.

Southwest cardholders get a 10,000 TQP-point boost at the beginning of the year (for existing cardholders) or within 30 days of opening an account (for new members).

To maximize your time with the Companion Pass, you may want to time your credit card application so that your welcome bonus will post after the start of the new year if you can.

Related: 15 lessons from 15 years of having the Southwest Companion Pass

Bottom line

If you’re looking for a new Southwest card, you can choose from some of the great current welcome offers to earn a solid amount of bonus points plus the valuable Companion Pass if you choose one of the personal cards.

Just know that these offers end March 31, so if you want to snag this deal, time is running out.

However, if you don’t fly frequently with a companion, you may be better suited to wait until the personal Southwest cards have a higher points bonus.

It’s also worth considering your feelings about holding a Southwest credit card, given the carrier’s wide range of upcoming changes in 2025.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card