Want to learn how to fly free for two years? Follow the steps outlined in this post and you can enjoy free travel.
If you’re like me and love to travel, that’s probably why you’re reading this post. Flying can be expensive. The cost of flights is one reason why so many people can’t live out their vacation dreams.
You can say goodbye to expensive airfare with this simple travel hack and learn how to travel for free. Here’s how to fly free for two years.
The Secret to Two Years of Free Flights
You get two years of free flights to places like Hawaii!
You can get two years of free flights with the Southwest Companion Pass. The Southwest Companion Pass lets someone fly with you for free for up to two years. The companion ticket is free, but, there are airport taxes and fees of about $10.
When you earn the Southwest Companion Pass it’s good for the year you earn it and until the end of the following year. So if you time it right, you can get two years of free flying for your companion. A companion can be anyone: your spouse, child, friend, or family member.
The Southwest Companion Pass is great for families. If you’re a family of four, each parent can get a Companion Pass and choose a child as their companion. That way the entire family travels for free.
Southwest flies to over 103 cities in the US, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America such as Hawaii, Cancun, and Belize. So there are many places you can visit using your Southwest Companion Pass. And all those cheap airfare deals to Europe? Use your Companion Pass to get to one of those gateway cities.
How to Earn the Southwest Companion Pass
You earn a Southwest Companion Pass after getting 135,000 Southwest points in a calendar year.
I know what you’re thinking, “How am I going to earn 135,000 Southwest points in a year?” I have three words for you: credit card points. All your credit card points count towards earning the Southwest Companion Pass.
Southwest offers three credit cards with a signup bonus of 50,000 Southwest points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards(R) Priority Credit Card
You can earn 80,000 points from the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of opening your account.
Or up to 120,000 points from the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening and another $15,000 in the first 9 months.
You can earn 136,000 Southwest points by applying for two Southwest credit cards: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card.
Because one card is a personal card and the other is a business card, you can apply for both on the same day.
Pro-tip: If you have the Southwest Plus card, you can apply for the Southwest Premier card because it’s a different card. Search for the latest credit card offers.
Earn a Southwest Companion Pass and 148,000 Southwest Points in 1 Week
4 Steps to Earn a Southwest Companion Pass and 139,000 Southwest Points Fast
1. Apply for the Southwest Premier Card
The Southwest Premier Credit Card is a great card for international travel because it doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
The annual fee is $99. But each year you get a bonus of 6,000 Southwest points when you renew the card. So you can look at the annual fee as buying 6,000 points each year.
You can earn 50,000 Southwest points after spending $1,000 in purchases within 3 months of opening your account on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card.
Pro-tip: Be sure to add your Southwest Rapid Rewards frequent flyer number on your application. Otherwise, they will issue you a new number.
After you’ve been approved, ask Chase to expedite sending the card to you. So that you can get the card in a few days.
Time to Complete: 5 to 15 minutes to apply
Pro-tip: You can also earn a 50,000 point bonus on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card when you make $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of opening your account.
2. Apply for the Southwest Performance Business Card
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is a great card if you frequently fly Southwest for business. Because you earn more points and get more perks like 4 upgraded boarding passes for guaranteed A1 to A15 boarding.
You also get a daily $8 inflight Wi-Fi credit and a $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck credit. This means you can breeze through TSA faster.
After spending $5,000 in purchases within 3 months after opening your account you can get 80,000 Southwest points from the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card.
Pro-tip: The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card offers the same benefits as the personal Southwest Premier card. The only difference between the two cards is that one is designed for businesses while the other is for personal use.
But you get a higher signup bonus on the Southwest Performance Business card and can earn your Companion Pass faster.
You do not have to be incorporated to get a business card. You can get a business card as a sole proprietor if you’re self-employed or have a small business. Some examples of small businesses include selling on Etsy, eBay, selling Shakeology, etc.
Pro-tip: Remember to add the same Southwest number to your application that you used for the Southwest Premier personal card and ask Chase to expedite the card to you.
Time to Complete: 5 to 15 minutes to apply
3. Complete Minimum Spending
Complete minimum spending when you buy gift cards
You can earn 50,000 points on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card after spending $1,000 in purchases on the personal card within 3 months.
With the Southwest Performance Business card, the minimum spending is $5,000 within 3 months to get the 80,000 points.
Typically I apply for new cards when I have upcoming large expenses. But there are lots of ways to meet minimum spending. Here are 7 unusual ways to complete the minimum spending on a new credit card.
Pro-tip: This is my favorite way quick and easy way to earn unlimited miles and points.
Don’t get confused by your credit card statement. The annual fee does NOT count towards your minimum spending.
Time to Complete: 5 to 60 minutes (varies on how you complete your spending)
Total: Southwest Companion Pass and 136,000 points (50,000 points + 80,000 points + 1,000 points + 5,000 points)
Conclusion
One of the easiest travel hacks to travel for free is the Southwest Companion Pass.
The Southwest Companion Pass lets your companion fly for free for up to two years when they travel with you. The only cost is airport taxes and fees of about $10.
Because Southwest flies to over 103 cities in the US (including Hawaii), Mexico, and the Caribbean including Cancun and Belize, you can use your Southwest Companion Pass for free travel.
If you earn your Companion Pass in January you’ll get two years of free travel. That’s because the Southwest Companion Pass is good for the entire year it’s earned AND through the end of the following year.
You get a Southwest Companion Pass when you earn 135,000 Southwest points in a calendar year. But you can earn 136,000 points in less than a week by applying for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, or Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card and completing the minimum spending.
That’s because the sign-up bonus and all purchases made with the Southwest credit cards count towards earning the Southwest Companion Pass.
Pro-tip: Search for the latest credit card offers.
Use Reward Points to Travel
- Review: Lufthansa 747-8 First Class Los Angeles to Frankfurt for $40
- Our First Class Hawaiian Airlines Honolulu to Sydney Flight for $63
- The How to Luxury Guide to Sydney on $85 a Day
- Two Weeks in Hong Kong & Australia on $93 a Day
How to Travel for Free
Read these blog posts on how to travel for free.
- How to Travel for Free
- Get a Free Hotel When You Buy a Ticket on These Airlines
- How to Fly Free for Two Years
- 7 Easy Ways to Earn Frequent Flyer Miles Without Flying
- How to Get Free Breakfast at Hotels
- Eat for Free at Disney World
- How to Get Free Internet at Hotels
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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
Learn more about the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card and how to apply
Capital One Venture X Business
Learn more about the Capital One Venture X Business and how to apply
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Karla
Friday 8th of September 2017
WOw that companion pass is really a great idea. THat is something that could be useful from here too.
Trisha Velarmino
Thursday 7th of September 2017
This is an amazing travel hack, really! This is perfect for a couple who always travel in a year! You're so clever!!!
Lauren
Tuesday 5th of September 2017
This sounds amazing - I really wish that I could use it in Canada! Maybe someday right? I'll keep dreaming :)
Jennifer Melroy
Tuesday 5th of September 2017
This is a great idea. If only Southwest went more places I needed it to. I fly about once or twice a year on Southwest and the rest is on American.
Anna @ shenANNAgans
Monday 4th of September 2017
This is INSANE... And totally one of the best travel hacks Ive ever heard. In recent years I have been using points earned for cheaper flights and shopping and adventures, but honestly nothing as fantastic as this.