Why try for the companion pass now?
If you have been following this site at all, you would get the impression that the best time to get the companion pass is at the beginning of a calendar year. In my opinion this is in fact the best time to embark on your journey towards the companion pass. However, right now isn’t a bad time to start working towards your companion pass either (as of writing this). Right now it is mid may, and with the right strategy, the pass could be obtained just in time for summer travel!
Summer being right around the corner in itself is a fantastic reason to get the companion pass, but what makes right now even more appealing is that the current Southwest Plus credit card offer. Chase is currently offering a 50k bonus miles sign up offer. The reason why this is very attractive is that 50k is a huge chunk of miles that will help you get your pass, the Plus card normally does not offer 50k for signing up, and the fee for the Plus card is lower than their other cards. By signing up for the personal plus card your annual fee will be $69 opposed to the premier card with an annual fee of $99. Money saved, woo!
By signing up for the personal plus card with an annual fee of $69 opposed to the premier card with an annual fee of $99, you will save a few bucks!
How to earn the companion pass fast
At this point in the year, you will just want to earn the pass as fast as possible. To do this, you need 110k miles. This sounds like a lot, but with two southwest credit cards, one personal and one business, its a breeze. Both the cards need to offer a 50k signup bonus. Again, this is why it is a perfect time to get your companion pass because the Plus card does not normally offer this bonus. Once you receive the two cards, you need to spend $2,000 on each card to receive the bonus miles. You have 3 months to do this, but remember, if you want to use your companion pass for summer, time is of the essence. Once you hit your spending minimum, your miles will post 3 or 4 days after your credit card statement closes. If you just hit the spending minimum, you will be at only 104k miles. So the easiest way to get to 110k miles is to make sure you spend $10,000 between the two card in the first month. That sounds like a lot, and I agree it is a lot to spend, but if you have a big purchase you have been putting off, this could be the perfect time to do it! You could also book your flights on southwest with your Southwest credit card and earn 2x miles per dollar spent. If the flight is booked far enough in the future to when you think you will have the companion pass, you can retroactively add your companion for free! If you are pumped and ready to embark on the Southwest Companion pass, start by getting the Plus card through the below referral link!
A more in depth look
Did that last paragraph scare you off? Yeah, I know, spending $10,000 in a month is ridiculous. That is just the fastest way to earn the pass. If your looking for a cheaper (basically free), more strategic way to earn the pass, check out our How to Earn it page!