Editor's note: This post has been updated with additional information. It was originally published on Feb. 27, 2024.
09.02.2024 - 10:31 / afar.com
AFAR partners with CreditCards.com and may receive a commission from card issuers. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Compensation may impact how an offer is presented. Our coverage is independent and objective, and has not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are entirely those of the AFAR editorial team.
The Southwest Companion Pass gets a lot of attention—and for good reason. It is essentially a voucher good for unlimited two-for-one travel on both paid and award tickets on Southwest Airlines.
From February 6 to March 11, 2024, three of Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards credit cards—Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card—have introductory offers in which you’ll score a coveted Companion Pass (valid until February 28, 2025, and excludes taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way). You’ll also earn 30,000 Rapid Rewards points, after spending $4,000 in the first three months. That’s a huge payoff for simply signing up for and using a credit card.
Here’s why you should consider a Southwest credit card and be on your way to flying with a plus-one for (nearly) free for almost an entire year.
All three Southwest personal cards—Plus, Premier, and Priority—have the same limited-time welcome offer until March 11, 2024: Earn a Companion Pass valid through February 28, 2025, plus 30,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. The differences among the cards are in the annual fee and package of benefits.
With the lowest annual fee, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card still packs in the points.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card is a higher-end version with a higher annual fee and better benefits.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is the most premium personal credit card Southwest offers, with some additional benefits to match.
As of February 2024, Southwest Airlines reaches an impressive 121 airports, boasting a truly robust route network of flights both within the United States (including Hawai‘i) and to nearby international destinations, among them Mexico, Aruba, Belize, and Costa Rica.
The chance to earn a coveted Companion Pass as part of a credit card sign-up should not be taken lightly. Once you reach your spending threshold, you’ll essentially get a BOGO on every Southwest flight taken until February 28, 2025. If you plan on traveling over the next year, whether domestically or internationally, even just a few times, having a Companion Pass in your back pocket could amount to tremendous savings.
Then, the opportunity to also rake in 30,000 points,
Editor's note: This post has been updated with additional information. It was originally published on Feb. 27, 2024.
Checking a bag when flying with several U.S. airlines is, once again, getting more expensive. It’s been about five years since the major full-service U.S. carriers collectively raised checked bag fees to $30 and $40 for the first and second checked bags, respectively. Now, some airlines are back at it, making it costlier for passengers to access the plane’s cargo hold.
United Airlines just became the latest carrier to increase checked baggage fees this year, implementing the change over the weekend.
Airfares have gotten more expensive in recent years. Yet, more Americans are traveling than ever before, with over 54 million traveling abroad in 2022, per the International Trade Administration.
AFAR partners with CreditCards.com and may receive a commission from card issuers. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Compensation may impact how an offer is presented. Our coverage is independent and objective, and has not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are entirely those of the AFAR editorial team.
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