Can your companion pass board with you Southwest?

Yes! According to Southwest's rules and regulations, this does apply to a Companion, who is flying with you on your Southwest Companion Pass, except if the Companion Pass holder: Purchased a Business Select® fare. Purchased Upgraded Boarding.



On Southwest Airlines in 2026, your designated companion does not automatically receive the same boarding position as the primary traveler, even though they are flying on your Companion Pass. Boarding positions are assigned individually based on when each person checks in. If the primary traveler has "A-List" status or purchased "EarlyBird Check-In," they might get an "A" group position, while the companion—if checked in manually 24 hours prior—might end up in the "B" or "C" group. However, there is a practical workaround: once the primary traveler boards and finds a seat, they can attempt to save the seat next to them for the companion. While Southwest doesn't have an official policy against seat-saving, it is generally tolerated if done politely. To ensure you board together, many travelers choose to purchase "Upgraded Boarding" at the gate for the companion or pay for EarlyBird Check-In for both travelers. In 2026, with Southwest's unique open-seating model still in place, the only way to "technically" board at the exact same moment is if both parties have sequential boarding numbers.

People Also Ask

Yes, designated Companions under the age of 18 can accompany Companion Pass holders on international flights. I would like to use Rapid Rewards points to purchase international travel. Will the same redemption rules apply as those that apply to booking domestic U.S. flights using points?

MORE DETAILS

Earn towards Companion Pass ® ASAP between 9/1 – 11/30/2023. Earn 2X on flights. Earn double Companion Pass qualifying points on all qualifying flights 1 when you register, book, and fly, so you can earn on the double.

MORE DETAILS

Employees have free unlimited travel privileges for themselves and eligible dependents on Southwest Airlines. Eligible dependents include Spouse or Committed/Registered Partner, eligible Dependent Children under 19 years old (or up to 24 if a full-time student), and parents.

MORE DETAILS

There's no limit to the number of flights you can book with a Companion Pass and you can change companions up to three times per calendar year. The great thing about the Southwest Companion Pass is how attainable it is. The spending and welcome bonus on the Southwest cards counts towards the 135,000-point requirement.

MORE DETAILS

The Companion Pass is valid for travel only when the Companion is accompanied on his/her flight(s) by the Rapid Rewards Member. When you add a companion to a Southwest reservation, your itineraries will be linked.

MORE DETAILS

Southwest Family Boarding: How to sit together The best way to ensure you sit together and where you want, is to buy a Business Select fare, upgrade your boarding pass or have the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card or the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card.

MORE DETAILS

Sharing your boarding pass details could have consequences beyond travel-related theft and scams, too. You're tipping off scammers that you're about to be on vacation, meaning you might be less diligent in checking your bank accounts for any unusual activity, says Roundy.

MORE DETAILS

You'll maintain your Companion Pass for the remainder of the calendar year in which you qualified and the entire calendar year immediately following the year you qualified. To continue receiving Companion Pass privileges, you must re-qualify each calendar year.

MORE DETAILS

You must book your flight prior to booking your designated Companion's flight. After booking your flight, visit the My Trips section of your account. Find your flight in the Upcoming section and click on Add Companion link.

MORE DETAILS

As such, we do not publish flight loads. If for any reason you're uncomfortable traveling in the current environment and would like to discuss the flight load of your upcoming flight, we strongly encourage you to reach out to our Customer Service Department via any of the options below. Email here.

MORE DETAILS

Travel Companions Can Now Board With Southwest A-List and A-List Preferred Members. Anyone on the SAME RESERVATION (that means you'll have the same confirmation number) on Southwest Airlines as someone who holds elite status with Southwest (called A-List or A-List Preferred) can now board with the elite status member.

MORE DETAILS

Does Southwest EarlyBird Check-in guarantee you Zone A boarding? Those assigned Zone A (listed on your boarding pass) are the first group of passengers to board the plane, but EarlyBird DOES NOT guarantee you Zone A boarding.

MORE DETAILS

One major reason consumers love this pass is because you can use it an unlimited number of times during the year you earn it, plus the entire following year. With that in mind, Southwest Companion Pass rules don't set any limits on how much value you can get in return.

MORE DETAILS

Once you earn it and pick your Companion, you can begin enjoying the benefits immediately after designating a Companion. You'll maintain your Companion Pass for the remainder of the calendar year in which you qualified and the entire calendar year immediately following the year you qualified.

MORE DETAILS