Fly for FREE with Southwest

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Southwest Airlines is by far my favorite airline to fly for a variety of reasons (scroll towards the end to see why), and I want to help you fly for FREE (except taxes), as well as get a (free) companion pass for 2 YEARS!

How to fly for FREE with Southwest Airlines

How to fly for free with Southwest Airlines

I got my first Southwest personal card last summer, and after a few months meeting my minimum spend ($1k in 3 months), earned 50k (now 75,000k) points. Because I have a small business, then got the Southwest business card (80,000k points), and that’s how I earned 130,000 (*see “things to note” below) to total points to qualify for the companion pass. If you make any income whether its Babysitting, an etsy shop, or selling items on Facebook Marketplace, you qualify as a small business.

If you DON’T have any type of business (big or small) to justify a business card, it’s harder to meet the minimum spend. The best and quickest way to get the companion pass with with a personal and business card. (Just one person, not you with one card and your spouses name under another card, it has to be both in one name).

When you earn those points in early 2023, then you can not only fly for free with those 135k points, but select a designated companion to fly for FREE with you for TWO YEARS!

What exactly is the Southwest companion pass?

I’m glad you asked! I just learned myself and I’m so excited to talk about how cool it is!  You select a traveling companion (spouse, friend, child) and whenever you book a flight on Southwest, you just add them right after and they fly for FREE! I selected my daughter Alyssa first, because I know we’ll have a few smaller trips in the spring, then a family trip, then taking her to college next year. You can change your companion THREE times, so I’ll likely switch to my husband next fall for he and I to take a trip together.

I wondered if this companion was treated any “less than” you know, waiting to make sure the flight isn’t full or whatever, but NOPE, it’s just as if they are a paid passenger.

Also, I earned my companion pass in September 2022 and already had a flight booked to Austin with my girls (to see Harry Styles in concert!) and my friend told me I can retroactively change Alyssa’s flight from paid to companion, so I called Southwest, and they did the ole switch-a-roo for me and gave me $$$ back for her flight. So if you already have Southwest flights booked in 2023 (or plan to book soon) once you earn your companion pass, you can get that $$$ back for your companion!

So what are you waiting for??? You ready to start earning points and get that Southwest companion pass?

Grab this card: family personal spending

Once you meet the minimum spend of $1000 in 3 months (groceries, gas, food, Amazon)

Then grab your secondary business card: Southwest business card

(Also needing to spend $5000 from the time you get it in 3 months) Not everyone uses this card just for business expenses, fyi.

*Things to note:

-You need 135,000 points to earn the companion pass, and you’ll have 130,000 right away with the bonus, and you’ll get that additional 5,000 points by spending $5,000 with the business card, so it all adds up.

-The business card does have a $200 annual fee, which feels pricey, but you get 4 Free “A list” boarding passes AND TSA pre check credit with it. You’ll get an email after you’ve earned all those points to apply for the companion pass.

Email me or message on IG with any questions!

Why I love flying Southwest above all others:

  • Two checked bags with every flight
  • You can cancel a flight without any penalties
  • Your flight vouchers NEVER expire
  • Movies with your own device
  • They are FUN!

Free checked bags

I don’t know about you, but I’m old enough to remember the days when every airline allowed at least 1 checked bag. It’s ridiculous being charged for that now, and I love that we got TWO with Southwest.

Need to cancel a flight?

No penalties to cancel. If you reserve a flight with points, you get all the points back. If you reserve with cash, you get the credit (which doesn’t expire) so it’s win/win!

Vouchers never expire

If you get a LUV voucher credit, it never expires, which is HUGE! No other airlines do that, and I’ve missed some credits I’ve had on other airlines because they expire after a year. So lame.

Movies: In Flight entertainment

Many airlines these days have tv’s on the back of each chair, and I’ve seen many not working or with glitches. On Southwest, you bring your own device and connect yourself and BOOM, movies for days.

Southwest employee’s are fun!

They really do make it fun, and I love that that is the precedent they’ve set.

The only downfall of Southwest in my eyes: The seating arrangement

It’s a pro and a con, how Southwest does seating. I like that I don’t have to pay extra, and when I set an alarm and check in 24 hours in advance, I’ve never had a problem sitting with my traveling companions. I have, however, forgotten a few times, and still been luckily ok. I felt bad for the last people on the plane from our long 5 hour flight from Hawaii to California over the summer who didn’t get to sit with their peeps.

How I’ve used my points

I had 135k Southwest points to play with, and I’ve booked trips to Florida, California, and Arizona for my family. Points stretch a bit further than the dollar, but it’s always changing. I think I used about 15,000 points for round trip from Denver to Phoenix per person, roughly worth $200.

Again, Email me or message on IG with any questions!

Personal card: family personal spending

Southwest business card

I’d love to know if you end up grabbing the card, and hear what you plan to do with your travels!

(I do earn miles if you choose to get the card through my link, so thank you in advance!)

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