It is only a guarantee that if there is enough open space, you will be able to fly. And, this excellent benefit is amazingly easy to redeem again and. Jan 19, 2020 one of the best deals in all of travel is the southwest companion pass. For online bookings, simple click on companion pass will be used. The companion pass alone has saved us 50% per flight weve taken on southwest, even without taking into consideration the use of points. The southwest companion pass is simply the best deal in travel, lieberman says, noting the pass is good from the time you earn it until the end of the following year. When i found out that we were only 27,000 points away from getting southwests companion pass with the deadline being only 72 hours away, i immediately knew we were on a mission. Woman kicked off of flight in miami from jamaica rants in a video against american airlines. Why travel alone when you can tag along with your loved one or best friend. Heres how the system currently works, as explained to me in october. Jun 19, 2017 how to get a free passenger on southwest flights with the companion pass. In the following guide, well delve into the details of the southwest companion pass and shortcuts to earning it. As long as theres a seat for sale on the flight, you can book your companion with you for the price of free.
You need to earn 110,000 companion pass qualifying points within 1 calendar year january 1 to december 31st. Jun 16, 2010 southwest s buddy passes come in two colors, as you mention green and purple. The ultimate guide to the southwest airlines companion pass. How to use the southwest companion pass one mile at a time. The companion pass is basically a buy one get one free deal but even better because your companion can fly free with you even if you use points to book your ticket. But flying for free, and flying nonrevenue or with a buddy pass are different things. Almost every employee who works for an airline gets several buddy passes each year, its one of the perks of working for an airline click here for 5 tips on using buddy passes. If you get it january 1st 2020, youll have companion pass until december 31st, 2021. Your companion fare code can be applied to a new reservation made at for alaska airlines flights only. Southwest companion pass travel has no blackout dates or seat restrictions. Both the member and the companion must be booked on the same flights and dates. You must pay for your flight with cash or points before you book your companions pass.
Check in and print your boarding pass 1 to 24 hours prior to your scheduled departure. Can my southwest companion travel for free if i book my ticket using points. So if book a flight on southwest that is operated by airtran than the. Have you ever considered using a buddy pass buddy pass travel is a perk that airline employees can share with those they choose. As companion pass holder, you can book your flight to your desired destination using cash or points. The ultimate guide to the southwest airlines companion pass 2020. Read on to get all of the details from a veteran buddy pass user. I am his biological daughter and have flown on his buddy pass a few times since his retirement but this was several years ago. If your travel buddy has a companion pass, you can deposit your points into their account, and they can book a flight for themselves, and a. You must book your flight prior to booking your designated companions flight. When you fly on a buddy pass, you are at the bottom of the priority list. Jul 22, 20 even if you are lucky enough to have a friendfamily member who works for the airline and can give you a buddy pass, flying on a buddy pass is not the greatest you are basically flying as a standby passenger.
The buddy pass has 5 pieces of paper stapled together, 4 as tickets and 1 as a receipt. The employee or employees family members must be accompanying the companion buddy traveller. Hello sorry if i missed this somewhere, but i fortunately qualified for companion status thank you sw. She was using her cousins employee guest travel pass while wearing torn jeans that did not meet the dress code and were deemed inappropriate. I just got two southwest buddy passes from a friend and was wondering if anybody has some experience with using these and how it went. How to get a free passenger on southwest flights with the companion pass. Your companion cant fly without you they must be booked on the same. When you do, you get the southwest companion pass for the rest of the year in which you earned it plus the following year. Upon receipt, you are now ready to book your next flight, with your buddy.
The purple pass is a standby pass, meaning that you get a set on the plane if and only if it becomes available. Simple steps on how you will no longer travel alone, get a. Lesserknown southwest booking trick million mile secrets. Buddy passes are nonrevenue, standby tickets provided as a benefit to all airline employees. The southwest companion pass often abbreviated as cp or swcp is a perk offered by southwest airlines that allows you to bring a companion on any southwest flight you fly for just the taxes and fees.
Two calendar years means if you if you hit 125,000 rapid rewards in october of 2019. How to lose airline pass benefits in 30 minutes or less. Aug 24, 2012 the southwest airlines companion pass allows you to choose a travel buddy to fly free with you wherever you go. Using the southwest airlines companion pass on southwest. I already knew 2020 was going to be a crazy year, but i had no idea just how crazily it would begin. I have a friend of the family who works for ua, and my mom came out recently using a buddy pass. This should be easy enough to handle go into my travel and click on add a companion. Reservations are required for all companion pass travel. How to quickly earn the southwest companion pass the points guy. One of the best deals in all of travel is the southwest companion pass. Another benefit of being an employee of delta is that you get a certain number of buddy passes each year that you can issue to friends and family.
Jan 01, 2020 the threshold for earning the companion pass is steep amounting to thousands of dollars per month in airfare or multiple flights per week. Even if you are lucky enough to have a friendfamily member who works for the airline and can give you a buddy pass, flying on a buddy pass is not the greatest you are basically flying as a standby passenger. For companion fares issued on or after october 1, 2019, both the primary fare and the companion fare must be purchased using your alaska airlines credit card. And we are talking about flying to any domestic destination for your pal all free of charge. Your favorite lounges whether your goal is to relax, grab some drinks, be productive, or just get away from it all, airport lounges can provide you with complete peace of mind on your journey. If you switch companions, they send you a new card. Southwests buddy passes come in two colors, as you mention green and purple. A buddy pass does not guarantee that you will get on the flight. Buddy pass holders can turn up to the airport and take any empty seat on their desired flight. Due to the southwest airlines and airtran airways merger, the southwest airlines companion pass can be used on any flight that you can book through southwest either online or the phone regardless of which airline it is operated by.
Dec 26, 2017 buddy passes are used by several airlines as a benefit to employees. This handy article is all about the southwest companion pass. Book flight remember, to requalify for your companion pass youll need to fly 100 qualifying oneway flights or earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. Then, youll have well over a years worth of free companion flights. Over the years restrictions have varied like on international travel employee had to accompany the buddy while not so on domestic flights.
Book your flight through your airline contact who provided the buddy pass, or call the reservation system and book your flight. To earn a southwest companion pass, you need to earn 110,000 rapid reward points in a single calendar year. A buddy pass lets you fly for free on that airline. Southwest airlines rapid rewards southwest buddy passes hey. Buddy passes are used by several airlines as a benefit to employees. Ive qualified for the companion pass and am close to qualifying for alist, as well. Unsuccessful, he had no other choice but to leave the airport and return home. My brother works at southwest and has obtained many passes for me and my family to use. Buddy passes are standby tickets given at a discounted prices. Making the southwest companion pass work for two cards. Airline buddy passes the dis disney discussion forums.
Really lucky because im in a long distance relationship and my girlfriend lives in ny, while im in vegas. We outline what the companion pass actually is, then we delve into how it works, how to earn it and most importantly five great ways to redeem your pass for its maximum value. A friend of mine attempted to use a buddy pass to travel to new york on one particular day to have lunch with friends. At the time of booking, youll be notified of any taxes and fees, which you must pay to book your flight. Bennetts behavior puts buddy pass privileges at all airlines in jeopardy since management refers to instances such as these as a reason to drastically alter policy. Even though they may not be responsible for covering the airfare that you would normally pay to fly, they are responsible for paying the taxes and fees on their tickets. Oct 31, 2018 a buddy pass lets you fly for free on that airline. The employee or employees family members must be accompanying the companionbuddy traveller. A delta buddy pass can only be used for personal leisure travel, and if a flight is delayed or cancelled, the pass holder is not entitled to any amenities or compensation that the airline may. Companion pass is the benefit that allows you to choose one person to fly with you. How to get a southwest airlines companion pass ever in.
Companion pass qualifying points are earned from revenue flights booked through southwest, points earned on southwest rapid rewards credit cards, and base points. When you earn your southwest companion pass, they actually mail you a physical pass, which is the size of a credit card and easily fits in your wallet. The ultimate guide to the southwest companion pass. Southwest companion pass allows a companion to fly with you for free on unlimited southwest flights. Using the southwest airlines companion pass on southwest and. Today, were going to cover all things southwest companion pass. For employees that are not married, southwest allows them to designate one person per year as their companion which allows them to book nonrev flights for free on southwest. Heres how to get a southwest companion pass readers digest. However, you dont need to be a rabid southwest flyer to earn the pass. Really lucky because im in a long distance relationship and my girlfriend lives in ny, while im in.
Book flights on southwest and earn points based on the cost of your ticket. My father is remarried now but i was wondering if i am still eligible to fly on his buddy pass and if so what do i need to do in order to book a flight. How to get a southwest companion pass without spending. Book that flight via southwest airline and get your best buddy an companion pass. Jan 28, 2020 the companion pass is basically a buy one get one free deal but even better because your companion can fly free with you even if you use points to book your ticket.
The employee may have been fired over the incident. How to get a southwest airlines companion pass ever in transit. Feb, 2020 im talking about the southwest companion pass. Oct 09, 2018 the southwest companion pass allows a companion to fly with you for free on unlimited southwest flights for the rest of the year plus the entire next year. How to quickly earn the southwest companion pass the. The most important point to clear up is that airline employees do pay for their travel unless they are commuting for work. This is because new employees were selling the passes. The companion pass with southwest lets you bring a buddy with you. When you earn your companion pass is critical, and theres definitely a right and a wrong way of doing it. You have to earn the bonus points in the same year to earn the southwest buddy pass. Mar 31, 2020 a few tips you should know about the southwest companion pass you should carry it with you. How to add your southwest airlines companion to an existing.
Employees have access to free standby status on delta flights both domestically and internationally. If i qualify for both and use the companion pass to book a flight, will my companion be alist as well. I have a question regarding the buddy pass for southwest. Oct 24, 2012 as long as theres a seat for sale on the flight, you can book your companion with you for the price of free. If you do not like the uncertainty associated with using a buddy pass, then do not consider using one. Many frequent fliers praise the southwest companion pass as being the best domestic travel deal. How to get a free passenger on southwest flights with the. The great thing about the southwest companion pass is that you dont have to use a special portal or voucher code. I am wondering if american has a similar program and if so, would anybody be interested in a companionbuddy pass swap. How to earn the southwest companion pass 202010xtravel. The companion pass allows its holder to book an additional ticket their companion for every flight that they book with southwest through the.
It allows you to take along a companion for free plus applicable taxes and fees on unlimited southwest flights for up to two years, depending on when you earn it. The threshold for earning the companion pass is steep amounting to thousands of dollars per month in airfare or multiple flights per week. This is because new employees were selling the passes, and then the buyers were. You can book with whichever credit card you have on hand. The southwest airlines companion pass allows you to choose a travel buddy to fly free with you wherever you go.
Passes and you have to book your flight before booking your companions. While booking on the phone, just tell the representative that you are to use the pass you have earned. If you would like to book through a customer representative, call 18002484377 and notify himher that a companion pass will be used. Normally, to get this award through flying alone, youd need to fly one roundtrip just about every single week of the year. The southwest airlines companion pass can be one of the best deals in travel if you know how to earn it and the best ways to use it. To requalify for a companion pass, youll need to fly 100 qualifying oneway flights or earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. And you only get on the flight if there is a seat available for you once all the paying passengers have boarded. How to use the southwest companion pass the points guy. Southwest airlines buddy pass question air travel forum. While it has been true for years that you can earn the pass much faster thanks to the southwest credit card welcome bonus offers, right now one offer is so high that you can earn the pass with just one credit card. Can someone tell me how a buddy pass works for united. Many travelers think airline employees get to fly for free. Buddy tickets are included on some passes for those who purchased their pass in the spring.
If you are traveling with the employee who gave you the pass, then you get to fly with their priority. Ideally, youd want to wait until december to apply for the cards of your choice. Southwest companion pass booking million mile secrets. I have a buddy pass for south west airlines and i want to use it tomorrow.
A few tips you should know about the southwest companion pass you should carry it with you. How to get southwest companion pass quickly for 2020. The next step in using your companion pass is to book flight reservations as you. How to get the southwest airlines companion pass dani. The southwest companion pass is a pass that allows a companion to fly for free with you on southwest flights for up to two calendar years its generally considered one of the most valuable travel perks available. Book flights for everyone other than your companion. Yesterday, my girlfriend received a letter from southwest airlines with her new companion pass card. Our guide to traveling successfully with a buddy pass.