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Southwest Airlines has surely been shaking things up this year, and they’re not stopping yet! 🛑 Southwest has rolled out huge changes recently like taking away their legendary free checked bags, assigned seats are coming soon (January 27th, 2026), and now they’re revamping their credit cards….some good…some not so good.

But let’s jump into the good news first! Then we will break down these card changes and talk about which one might be right for you. 👇🏼

🔥Elevated offers

Southwest just released elevated offers on all 3 of their personal credit cards! From now until September 17th, you can earn 100,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 5 months of card opening.

That 5 month timing is crucial for your Companion Pass strategy.

So what exactly is the Companion Pass?

This awesome perk lets you bring a companion along for free on all your Southwest flights. You’ll just pay the taxes, which is usually just $5.60 (talk about a steal! 🤯). It’s like doubling the value of your points and making your travel dreams way more affordable!

To snag the pass you’ll need to rack up 135,000* qualifying Rapid Rewards points in a single calendar year. Once you do, you’ll be flying high with the pass for the rest of that year and the entire next year too.

And guess what? You still keep all those hard-earned points to use for your own flights!

*Southwest gives each cardholder 10,000 qualifying miles each calendar year, so you only need to earn 125,000 miles. Even better!

How to earn the Companion Pass with this offer

IMPORTANT NOTES:

👉🏻It is important to remember that when working toward the Compaion Pass, welcome offers or referral points MUST all post in the same calendar year!

👉🏻Card offers change frequently, so make sure to do the math to ensure the cards you are opening will add up to the required 125,000 points (135,000 with the 10,000 point cardholder boost).

Strategy 1: 1 personal card + 1 referral bonus OR regular spending

Personal card: any of the 3 personal credit cards

Apply: You will want to wait to apply until closer to the end of this offer; late August or early September. If you apply the first week of September, for instance, you would have until early February to meet the spending requirement.

Spending: Begin working on your minimum spend requirement but DO NOT meet the spending requirement until January 1st or later.

Points: 100,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 5 months. A total of at least 104,000 points after meeting minimum spend.

*At this point you will have 114,000 points toward the Companion Pass when you add in your 10,000 qualifying points boost you earn as a cardholder. You could either earn the remaining 21,000 points through regular spending, or you could refer a friend to earn 20,000 referral points and only need to spend an additional $1,000 on the card!

Strategy 2: 1 personal card + 1 business card

Personal card: any of the 3 personal credit cards

Apply: You will want to wait to apply until closer to the end of this offer; late August or early September. If you apply the first week of September, for instance, you would have until early February to meet the spending requirement.

Spending: Begin working on your minimum spend requirement but DO NOT meet the spending requirement until January 1st or later.

Points: 100,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 5 months. A total of at least 104,000 points after meeting minimum spend.

AND 👇🏼

Business card: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (I would choose this card for the lower annual fee)

Apply: You could apply for this card as early as November.

Spending: Begin working on minimum spend right away but do not meet the spending requirement on this card until January or later.

Points: 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months

*At this point you will have at least 167,000 points after two welcome offers and meeting minimum spend! More than enough for that Companion Pass! 🎉

Card Changes: a quick recap of the good and the bad

💰First things first: they’re raising annual fees on these cards. All three cards will now have a higher annual fee, ranging from $99-$229.

🧳 Southwest is also advertising that these cards have a new benefit of a first checked bag for free, and while this is technically new, it’s a bit of a sting since we’re all still recovering from the loss of free checked bags for everyone.

✈️ These cards also now give you Group 5 boarding.

💳 And finally, their two lower tiered cards have a new annual flight discount coupon.

Which card is right for you?

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Still has the lowest annual fee: $99 (up from $69)
3,000 anniversary points each year
10,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points toward the Companion Pass
10% off flight promo code each year
Standard seat selection within 48 hours of travel

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

$149 annual fee (up from $99)
6,000 anniversary points each year
10,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points toward the Companion Pass
15% off flight promo code each year
Standard or Preferred seat selection within 48 hours of travel

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

$229 annual fee (up from $149)
7,500 anniversary points each year
10,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points toward the Companion Pass
Standard or Preferred seat selection at booking when available
Upgrade to extra legroom seat at 48 hours prior to travel when available

*All information about Chase Southwest credit cards has been collected independently by Packed with Points. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

So should you apply?

That depends on your goal!

Are you hoping to earn the Companion Pass for 2026-2027?

Then I would say YES with one big caveat: wait to apply for this elevated offer until late August or early September! This will time the minimum spend just right so that you can earn all those points in January of 2026. Which is 🔑 for the Companion Pass strategy.

Are you looking to rack up more airline miles?

Then I would say MAYBE with a few thoughts: this is a huge chunk of points but not necessarily the best airline card offer if you don’t fly Southwest regularly. But if you’re a Southwest fan already, this is a great way to stash up miles for your next nearly free flight. 👏🏻

Are you brand new to points and miles?

Then I would say MAYBE for a couple reasons: I always recommend flexible points when you’re just starting out so that you have more options for how to use those points. Also, the Companion Pass strategy can be tricky so it might not be the best way to jump into points and miles. So if you’re new to all of this, check out my BEST OFFERS page with the best flexible point cards!

Side note: I cannot say thank you enough for using my links to apply! I earn a commission for those applications at no cost to you, and it helps keep all the free resources and support coming! 🩷

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Southwest Card Changes and a New Companion Pass Strategy