Southwest is offering another limited-time Companion Pass promotion in June 2025. If it sounds familiar, it’s because Southwest ran similar BOGO flight deals in late 2024 and early 2025. These promos are timed for slower travel seasons – for example, they target fall travel between Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
At TheMilesAcademy, we break down how the June 24–27, 2025 promotion works and how you can score a free companion ticket.
How the Southwest Companion Pass Works
Southwest’s Companion Pass is basically a buy-one-get-one-free perk. When you buy a paid Southwest ticket, your designated companion flies with you for $0 (you just pay taxes and fees). In simple terms, it’s a 2-for-1 deal on flights – you pay for one seat and get a second seat for about $6 in taxes.
The Companion Pass from this June 2025 promo will be valid for travel Sept 8–Nov 15, 2025, so you can bring a friend on any Southwest flight during that period for only the extra taxes.
How to Earn the Companion Pass
To earn this promotional pass, you must register and book flights during the promo window. Here are the steps:
- Register: Sign up on Southwest’s promotion page (you’ll need your Rapid Rewards number).
- Book flights: Purchase one round-trip or two one-way Southwest tickets between June 24 and June 27, 2025. Flights booked outside these dates won’t count.
- Choose the right fare: Book a fare class higher than Basic. You need at least a Wanna Get Away+ (or Anytime/Business Select) ticket – the lowest “Basic” fare is not eligible.
- Travel by Aug 31: Fly on those bookings by August 31, 2025.
- Get your pass: After you complete the travel, Southwest will issue a Companion Pass valid Sept 8–Nov 15, 2025. Once it’s in your account, any paid Southwest ticket you buy in that period lets you add your companion for just the tax.
The booking and travel rules are strict:
You must register before booking, and only flights booked during June 24–27 for travel by Aug 31 count. The same traveler must fly all segments – no swapping names – and you must enter your Rapid Rewards account number when booking to track credit.
Payment method doesn’t matter: cash tickets, award bookings, and even Cash+Points purchases all qualify. In fact, Cash+Points tickets still earn full Rapid Rewards and tier points on the cash portion.
Booking Rules & Restrictions
Be aware of these key restrictions:
- Flight eligibility: Only paid Southwest flights (round-trip or one-way) count towards the promo. Group bookings, charter flights and Southwest Vacations packages are not eligible.
- Exclusions: The free companion ticket you earn cannot itself count as a qualifying flight. Likewise, any flights booked with a previous Companion Pass won’t count.
- Basic fares excluded: The cheapest “Basic” fare (the former Wanna Get Away tier) does not qualify. Pay a little more for a Wanna Get Away+ or higher fare to meet the requirement.
- Booking window: Only new reservations made between June 24–27, 2025 count. Flights must be for travel no later than August 31, 2025.
- One traveler: All segments must be flown by the same person (the Companion Pass is tied to one account). You can change your flights during the promo period, but only if the new dates still fall by Aug 31. (Changes after June 27 could void your qualification.)
- Cash + Points & Points: Redeemed points or mixed bookings are fine – they earn full credit. Any form of payment qualifies, and points redemptions with cash all count.
Key Dates
- Promo sign-up & booking: June 24, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. CT through June 27, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
- Travel period for booking: Flights must depart by August 31, 2025.
- Companion Pass travel: Free companion travel is valid from Sept 8 through Nov 15, 2025.
Don’t miss the June 27 booking deadline – if you wait too long, you’ll miss this deal.
Is This Deal Worth It?
Frequent traveler sites note that Southwest runs these promotions about 2–3 times per year. It’s a smart strategy to boost bookings during off-peak times. If you have any fall travel coming up (or are willing to book a cheap summer flight just to earn it), the Companion Pass is a great bonus.
TheMilesAcademy suggests registering if you plan to fly Southwest this summer – even if you’re not 100% sure you’ll use the pass, it’s free to register and can’t hurt.
Top Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards
If you’re not already a Rapid Rewards member or want to earn more points towards your flights, consider one of Southwest’s co-branded credit cards. Here are some current offers (details subject to change):
Chase’s Southwest personal cards each have a 50,000-point signup bonus after $1,000 spend. For example, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier personal card currently offers 50K points for $1K spend, as do the Plus and Priority cards. The Southwest business cards offer even bigger bonuses: the Premier Business card has 60K points after $3K spend, and the Performance Business card offers 80K points after $5K spend.
Each card also comes with anniversary bonus points and other perks (see table below).
| Card | Welcome Bonus | Annual Fee | Key Perks | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus | 50,000 points after $1K spend | $69 | 3,000 bonus points on anniversary; 2× points on Southwest purchases | Apply Now |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier | 50,000 points after $1K spend | $99 | 6,000 bonus points on anniversary; unlimited 1,500 Tier-Qual points per $5K spend | Apply Now |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority | 50,000 points after $1K spend | $149 | 7,500 bonus points on anniversary; 4 upgraded boardings/year; $75 annual travel credit | Apply Now |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business | 60,000 points after $3K spend | $99 | 6,000 bonus points on anniversary; $500 fee credit for point transfers | Apply Now |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business | 80,000 points after $5K spend | $199 | 9,000 bonus points on anniversary; 4 upgraded boardings/year; up to $120 Global Entry/TSA credit | Apply Now |
Each of these cards earns Rapid Rewards points (which count toward the standard Companion Pass qualification as well) and carries useful anniversary bonuses and travel perks. Always check the latest offers and terms before applying.
Overall, Southwest’s June 2025 Companion Pass promo is a solid deal for fall travel. At TheMilesAcademy, we recommend booking quickly if it fits your plans – this promotion is designed to fill seats in shoulder-season, so take advantage while it’s available. Just remember the key dates (register and book by June 27) and fare rules (no Basic fares) to ensure you earn your two-for-one free companion travel this fall.
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