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Companion Pass

kkempster
Explorer C

I have earned a companion pass for several.  I greatly appreciate Southwest Airline extending my companion pass for 2020 to include all of 2021 because of Covid.  My question is what happens to the companion pass I earned for 2021?  Is it just null and void because the 2020 companion pass has been extended through 2021?

15 REPLIES 15

Re: Companion Pass

soxfan82
Adventurer C

I think you're asking the same general question that I was mentioning on another thread a little while ago. Basically if you already earned CP in 2020, and therefore already had earned a CP thru the end of 2021, this extension means nothing for you.

 

For whatever reason, SWA is only giving extensions to people who earned CP in 2019 and had it thru the end of 2020. First they were extended thru June 2021. Now December. Even though those people had most of 2019 and early 2020 to actually use their pass.

 

But people who earned their pass in 2020 and then couldn't really use it at all? No extension for them. The extension simply ends on 12/31/2021 like your pass already would have.

 

Seems fair, right? *sigh*

Re: Companion Pass

dfwskier
Aviator A

You do realize you earned a 2021 companion pass last year?

 

Anything you got in 2020 was simply a bonus - regardless of whether you earned CP on 2/1/20 or 12/1/20.

Re: Companion Pass

soxfan82
Adventurer C

Re: DFWSkier

 

I posted this scenario in another thread, but it's worth mentioning as a rebuttal to what you're saying:

 

Let's assume (for sake of argument) the world makes a big turnaround and COVID goes away in June and we can all easily fly again.

 

Here's a comparison:

 

Scenario A (Me): Earned CP in March 2020 just before COVID - couldn't really use it until June 1, 2021 - pass expires December 31, 2021.  = Total of 7 months of realistic use, life of the pass.

 

Scenario B: (Someone who earned CP in March 2019): Used the pass no problem thru March 2020 before COVID got big, pass was supposed to expire 12/31/2020 but got extended to 12/31/2021. No travel March 2020 thru June 1, 2021, then used it again.  Total = 20 months of realistic use, life of the pass.


So yeah, I earned a 2021 companion pass in 2020. Which I can use for a grand total of 7 months.
Someone who earned a 2020 pass in 2019 is still using that same pass today thanks to the extensions, and has used it for 3 times longer.

Do you see my point now?

 

 

Re: Companion Pass

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@soxfan82 wrote:

Re: DFWSkier

 

I posted this scenario in another thread, but it's worth mentioning as a rebuttal to what you're saying:

 

Let's assume (for sake of argument) the world makes a big turnaround and COVID goes away in June and we can all easily fly again.

 

Here's a comparison:

 

...

 

Scenario B: (Someone who earned CP in March 2019😞 Used the pass no problem thru March 2020 before COVID got big, pass was supposed to expire 12/31/2020 but got extended to 12/31/2021. No travel March 2020 thru June 1, 2021, then used it again.  Total = 20 months of realistic use, life of the pass.


...
Someone who earned a 2020 pass in 2019 is still using that same pass today thanks to the extensions, and has used it for 3 times longer.

Do you see my point now?

 

 


I don't have all the stats but there are a lot of people earning CP at the end of the year, not in March. Anyone that earned it in March 2019 - good for you, lucky that you'll get some extra use out of your CP. Some (possibly most) people are earning late in 2019 and would have only had a few months to use their pass before things headed south.

 

Southwest is trying to make it up to people who didn't get to use it - if you did get to use it then great, even better?

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Companion Pass

Jsmjeff
Adventurer C

I have to disagree that it is a bonus.  Southwest rules govern that. It gives more insentives to fly more and spend more on your southwest cards quicker in the year. So i am sure Southwest makes out well.  I used the credit card alot during the early months  of 2020 and earned the companion pass ad covid hit.  So I and all the others who earned the companion pass in early 2020 for 2021 should have been given some relieve. Oh by the way the way the 25000 bonus points were not needed. I think I may start using other credit cards with cash back.

Re: Companion Pass

dfwskier
Aviator A

@Jsmjeff wrote:

I have to disagree that it is a bonus.  Southwest rules govern that. It gives more insentives to fly more and spend more on your southwest cards quicker in the year. So i am sure Southwest makes out well. 


Southwest doesn't "make out well" when Chase customers use their cards early.

 

Chase buys RR points from Southwest, and then tells Southwest when to hand them out.

 

It makes no difference to Southwest if one earns 125,000 points in February or December.

Re: Companion Pass

Jsmjeff
Adventurer C

Thanks for the info. Was not aware of that.  Is there info somewhere that backs your information up.

Thank you.

Re: Companion Pass

raddecal
Explorer C

Exactly! If we earned Companion Pass in 2019, we had an extension through 6/30/2021, which has now been extended another 6 months, which is great, EXCEPT - if we earned Companion Pass again in 2020, it was basically for nothing!!! We would have gotten the exact same timeframe by this extension. I am a super loyal Southwest customer, and I hate to complain about anything, but this seems unfair. 

Re: Companion Pass

Cybore
Explorer C

The new announced extension is generous and reasonable for those who earned their pass in 2019 but what about those who earned it in 2020? Maybe they'll do it down the line, but I don't see why they couldn't have just extended the ones expiring in Dec '21 to like June '22. 2019 cp users already got a potential full year of use out of the pass if earned early 19 while those with 2020 passes have had to risk traveling with a pandemic.