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Using Companion Pass on already booked flights

ftballkru
Explorer C

My wife and I booked Wanna Get Away fares to Puerto Rico last December for travel this July. I just earned the Companion pass (I didn’t plan on getting it until the 75k bonus came out). Is there any tips on using the CP for her this summer and using up the travel funds? The only thing I can think of is canceling her ticket for Puerto Rico and then designating her my companion. Then, booking another trip in the fall with her using travel funds and me designating someone else as a companion. Thanks!

6 REPLIES 6

Re: Using Companion Pass on already booked flights

bec102896
Aviator A
Solution

So there are a few ways you can handle this

 

The first option would be to cancel her ticket and you can use the travel funds to pay for the government fee ($5.60 per one way domestic flight) this option is good if you plan to take a bunch of trips on the companion pass. **Keep in mind the travel fund will expire 1 year from the date the trip was originally booked booked so if you won’t use the companion pass much before that fund expires it might be best to do one of the other options below. 

 

the 2nd option would be to cancel her ticket and she can use the funds if she were to travel alone somewhere (girls trip or something else) before the travel fund expires. 

 

3rd option would be to leave her ticket booked and just start using the companion pass on her after that trip. The reason I say this is because you can only change a companion 3 times per year so if you name her for this trip then name another person just for 1 trip and change it back to your wife that will count as 2 of your 3 changes if that makes sense. 

 

-Blake

Re: Using Companion Pass on already booked flights

ftballkru
Explorer C

Thanks! And correct me if I’m wrong but it’s 3 changes per year correct? So I could make her my companion for the first trip, change to someone else for another trip this year (a friend to go somewhere with us) then back to my wife before December 31st so that my wife will be my first companion in 2021. 

Re: Using Companion Pass on already booked flights

SWDigits
Aviator A

@ftballkru wrote:

Thanks! And correct me if I’m wrong but it’s 3 changes per year correct? So I could make her my companion for the first trip, change to someone else for another trip this year (a friend to go somewhere with us) then back to my wife before December 31st so that my wife will be my first companion in 2021. 


You're correct.  It's easy to change your companion, it's a pretty quick call to Southwest and they make the change.  Just make sure you've completed any of your travel with your current companion before you make the switch!


Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: Using Companion Pass on already booked flights

lpierro
Explorer C

Blake,

I will be qualifying for the companion pass in a few weeks.  Can I book my flight for a summer trip now, then after I qualify, use the companion pass to add my companion to that flight?  Or does the flight need to be purchased after I have qualified? Thank you for this clarification.

Re: Using Companion Pass on already booked flights

05bardic
Explorer B
Solution

@lpierro wrote:

Blake,

I will be qualifying for the companion pass in a few weeks.  Can I book my flight for a summer trip now, then after I qualify, use the companion pass to add my companion to that flight?  Or does the flight need to be purchased after I have qualified? Thank you for this clarification.


YES! You can book your flight now, and whenever you get the CP you can add your companion. We just did this, booked 4 flights last month and then added companion when we got the CP in March.  After you have the CP, under your Upcoming Trips you'll see a link to "Add Companion" next to each flight. 

Re: Using Companion Pass on already booked flights

bec102896
Aviator A

@lpierro wrote:

Blake,

I will be qualifying for the companion pass in a few weeks.  Can I book my flight for a summer trip now, then after I qualify, use the companion pass to add my companion to that flight?  Or does the flight need to be purchased after I have qualified? Thank you for this clarification.


YES! I actually recommend booking and if the price goes down you can get a credit then once you have the CP you can add it 

 

one other suggestion if you have points you can book your companion on points just to hold the seat until you can add your companion in case that flight were to be sold out you don’t want to end up with that problem so this just helps avoid it if you have points available