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Companion pass

kejensen
Explorer C

I have a bank of RR points that I want to use towards a companion pass near the end of the year. I am curious if I use some of my RR points now to book a ticket on Southwest (lets say 4,000), would I loose those points in the process of obtaining the companion pass (those 4,000 points)? 

9 REPLIES 9

Re: Companion pass

bec102896
Aviator A

To earn a companion pass you must earn 110,000 rapid rewards points or fly 100 one way flights. It's important to note when you fly on points tickets those don't count towards the 100 one way flights.

 

If you use points on a ticket that won't take away from the points tracker on earning the companion pass but it won't count towards the flights either. So for example if you end up at 109,000 points you would need to earn 1000 more points before the end of the year or if you have 99 flights and book a points ticket you would still need 1 paid flight before the end of the year if that makes sense. 

Also you can't use your points to buy a companion pass. 

 

Hope this helps

Blake 

Re: Companion pass

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Just to clarify a little bit, the points you earn must be Companion Pass qualifying points, this typically excludes bonus points earned from A-List bonuses or bonuses earned through partners such as rental cars and shopping.  Also, points or flights must be earned within the calendar year, January 1 through December 31.  All progress towards Companion Pass starts over as of January 1.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

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Re: Companion pass

bec102896
Aviator A

@TheMiddleSeat

Thanks for clarifying the bit I forgot 

Re: Companion pass

christyb27
Explorer C

I am working towards the companion pass as well, and we have gotten bonus points for booking car rentals, hotel stays, etc in the last few months and they have all counted towards our companion pass points!

Re: Companion pass

SteveS
Explorer C

So starting Jan. 1, I get reset to 0 flights and 0 points toward companion qualifing? Nothing gets carried over from the previous year?

 

Thanks, SS

Re: Companion pass

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@SteveS

On January 1, Companion Pass qualifying points and flights do reset to zero. Any RR points you have previously earned are yours to keep and use towards free flights as long as you keep your RR account active, but the counts towards Companion Pass start over. Same is true for A-List status. You can see your ongoing progress towards A-List and Companion Pass in the My Account section of southwest.com.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Companion pass

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@SteveS wrote:

So starting Jan. 1, I get reset to 0 flights and 0 points toward companion qualifing? Nothing gets carried over from the previous year?

 

Thanks, SS


Correct, the period to qualify for all of these is based on calendar year.

 

During the current year if you earn CP, A-list, etc. you get it for the remainder of that year, plus the next calendar year. So the earned status can carry forward to the next full year, but the points earning total is reset.

 

Your earned points stay in your account indenfinitely as long as you have earning activity. 

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

Re: Companion pass

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@kejensen wrote:

I have a bank of RR points that I want to use towards a companion pass near the end of the year. I am curious if I use some of my RR points now to book a ticket on Southwest (lets say 4,000), would I loose those points in the process of obtaining the companion pass (those 4,000 points)? 


The process of earning the points is completely separate from redeeming the points. 

 

CP is based on the earning totals mentioned by the other posters in a calendar year. These apply regardless if you immediately redeem the points or not. (Although in redeeming the points, you won't be adding any new earning activity.)

 

If you think that you may earn companion pass later this year, and use it alot, I'd stockpile the points now and not redeem them after earning CP as the value of the points suddenly doubles for flights that you use CP. I guess the same is true for cash, the "value" is doubled...but you would hate to get to the end of the year and be a few points short, having redeemed points for a few flights instead of paying cash and earning instead.

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

Re: Companion pass

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

Unfortunately, you can't use points to "buy" CP.  Earned points - from many different sources - count toward CP qualification.  

 

More about CP:

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/earn-southwest-companion-pass-new-year/

https://www.southwest.com/rapidrewards/tiers-more-companion-pass

-A List, Companion Pass holder