Southwest Airlines brings back popular pass for free flying

Once reserved exclusively for flight attendants and other air crew, the idea of choosing a "designated traveler" who can travel with you for free is increasingly being explored by airlines as a way to bring in customers (and get them to spend more.)

In February 2024, Southwest Airlines  (LUV)  announced that those who sign up for Chase Bank  (JPM) 's Southwest Rapid Rewards Consumer Credit Card and spend $4,000 in the first three months would be able to get the "Companion Pass" that it formerly reserved to those who took 100 flights a year or amassed 135,000 miles with the airline.

Related: An airline just launched a new way to fly a friend for free

The promotion, which lets the pass holder pick a friend to accompany them on any flight they take while paying only airport taxes that usually amount to about $10-$20, was available until March 11. It proved popular enough that, two weeks after the last day to sign up passed, Southwest brought back the offer.

Southwest Airlines: 'This popular benefit is so meaningful'

This time, the promotion takes even less to get but needs to be jumped on fast. Members of Southwest's Rapid Rewards loyalty program need to buy a qualifying flight (either one round trip or two one-way fares) by the end of March 27, 2024. After completing the flight by May 22, the customer can then pick a designated companion who can join them on any new flight they book between August 5 and October 2.

More Travel:

• A new travel term is taking over the internet (and reaching airlines and hotels)
• The 10 best airline stocks to buy now
• Airlines see a new kind of traveler at the front of the plane

"We know the Companion Pass is a favorite perk of our Rapid Rewards program, and we're thrilled to bring back this promotion for a limited time so that Customers can experience why this popular benefit is so meaningful," Southwest VP of Marketing Jonathan Clarkson said in a statement. "We invite our Customers to take advantage of this offer because traveling with your favorite Companion supports sharing of adventures and creating memories that can last a lifetime."

There are certain conditions, including paying for the flights with cash instead of miles and picking from flights within a designated period. Those who want a Companion Pass valid for an entire year can still do this by taking over 100 flights or spending the qualifying amount with Southwest.

This other airline offers a pass for family members

While few airlines offer a similar type of buddy pass to customers, Frontier Airlines  (FRON)  has experimented with expanding its all-you-can-fly GoWild! Pass for children. It also allows frequent flyers who pay for its Discount Den membership to bring a child younger than 14 for free on certain flights they take.

The two-for-one promotion is more common for kids more so than adults — at the end of 2023, South African Airways also held a sale in which parents could bring kids aged two to 11 for free on certain flights.

"Since launching the GoWild! Pass earlier this month, we’ve received countless requests to include children in the program," Frontier Vice President of Marketing Tyri Squyres said in March 2022. "We've been hard at work building the program infrastructure to make that happen and are now thrilled to expand the program to include children, who can now enjoy the unlimited flight benefits GoWild! offers, along with their parents."