Many are wondering whether they should apply now for one of the Southwest credit cards since starting in 2027 the signup bonus points won’t count towards earning the Companion Pass benefit.
Signup Now?
Southwest clarifies in their FAQ that if you get a new Southwest card by December 2, 2026 the points earned from the signup bonus will count toward Companion Pass qualification, even if earned in 2027.
Important note: FM has clarified that the Southwest points earned in 2027 will essentially be treated like they were earned in 2026. And so you will not earn a Companion Pass for 2027 and 2028; you’ll just earn a Companion Pass for the remainder of 2027.
Current Signup Bonus
Currently, here are the signup bonus options on Southwest cards:
- Elevated 80,000 points signup bonus on the Chase Southwest business card.
- The personal Plus card bonus is 50,000 points after spending $1,000 within 3 months. $99 annual fee.
- The personal Premier card bonus is 55,000 after spending $1,500 within 3 months. $149 annual fee.
- The personal Priority card bonus is 55,000 after spending $1,500 within 3 months. $229 annual fee.
If you can get approved for a personal card and a business card, that would basically get you the 135,000 points needed for Companion Pass. Just remember Chase cards aren’t easy for churners to get approved for.
Our Verdict
Since the card will only result in around one year of Companion Pass, this makes it much less interesting to sign up for the cards now, especially given that the bonuses aren’t at historic highs.
Still, some people might want to take the easy win and get the card now to lock in an easy Companion Pass for the rest of 2026 and for 2027.
