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Offers for the Southwest
Southwest is offering travelers a fast-track to earn the coveted Southwest Companion Pass. Rapid Rewards credit cardholders can earn double Companion Pass-qualifying points on rotating categories each quarter. And this quarter is no exception.
During Q3 2026, Southwest cardholders can earn 2X points on hotels and lodging — a timely offer if you have late summer or fall trips to plan. Here are the details of how this promotion works.
Earn 2X Companion Pass-Qualifying Points on Select Purchases This Quarter
Right now, Southwest is offering quarterly bonus categories for Rapid Rewards cardholders to earn double Companion Pass-qualifying points. If you have a Rapid Rewards credit card, check your email or Southwest account to see if you’ve been targeted for this offer.
Q3 2026 category: Hotels and lodging
The quarterly card spending category for Q3 is hotels and lodging. Between July 1 and September 30, 2026, all eligible purchases using a registered Rapid Rewards card will earn double Companion Pass-qualifying points.
Southwest has a list of terms and conditions for what types of purchases are eligible in this category:
Merchants in this category include hotels and motels, and many smaller establishments like bed & breakfasts, and inns. Hotel accommodations not booked directly with the hotel will not qualify; for example, hotel accommodations purchased through travel agencies, discount travel sites, vacation clubs, tour operators, or as part of a package offered by merchants such as cruise lines and railways.
will not be earned until charges are posted to your account. Purchases other than your room bill on the hotel premises will not be included in the category unless they classify as a hotel merchant, for example, restaurant or entertainment purchases. In addition, the purchasing of hotel points will not qualify in this category. Rewards
Most notable is that booking must be made directly with a hotel and not through a third party. You must register for this promotion using your email or via this promotion landing page. Once registered, you'll earn 2X Companion Pass-qualifying points per dollar on eligible purchases. Cardholders can earn up to 10,000 bonus points per quarter. That would require $10,000 of spending in the eligible category, resulting in 20,000 total qualifying points.
The bonus points you earn through this offer just count for the Companion Pass. They will not double as redeemable Rapid Rewards points. However, what you earn from spending on the card will count as both redeemable points and toward the Companion Pass — just like your normal purchases do.
Eligible Southwest cards
The following cards are eligible for this promotion:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
Key terms
- Rapid Rewards cardholders must register for this promotion from their email or this promotion landing page by September 30, 2026.
- Earn double Companion Pass-qualifying points on hotel and lodging purchases with a Rapid Rewards credit card between July 1 and September 30, 2026.
- Balance transfers, cash advances, traveler's checks, foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, and racetrack wagers purchased through these merchants are also excluded.
- This promotion is capped at 10,000 bonus qualifying points per quarter.
- Bonus points are in addition to base points, so $10,000 in spending would net 20,000 qualifying points in one quarter.
- Receive the bonus points within 6-8 weeks after the quarter ends.
- Southwest Companion Pass-qualifying points do not count as Rapid Rewards points.
Not a Southwest Cardholder Yet?
If you've got eyes on earning the Companion Pass and plan to make significant purchases in eligible categories, now might be an excellent time to get a Southwest credit card. Not only will you earn double Companion Pass qualifying points on eligible purchases, but those purchases can help you earn the welcome bonus on the card!
Here are the current Southwest card bonuses on offer:
$99Rates & Fees
- 2X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
$229Rates & Fees
- 4X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
$299Rates & Fees
- 4X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 2X points per $1 on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel
- 2X points per $1 spent on rideshare
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Our Take
Earning a Southwest Companion Pass with flight activity alone can be out of reach for many travelers. 135,000 qualifying points or 100 flights is a tall task for most travelers. That’s why these quarterly bonus categories are such a welcome addition, especially if your spending aligns with the selected category.
If you’ve got a Rapid Rewards credit card and plan to spend on hotel purchases this summer, make sure to register by September 30 to lock in those bonus qualifying points and get one step closer to flying for nearly free with a companion.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
