Southwest Rapid Rewards - Can companion join at connection city?

Scenario: I am flying from SAT, connecting in HOU (where companion is), continuing on to our final destination TPA. Southwest will allow me to book companion from HOU-TPA, or SAT-HOU-TPA, which leads me to believe that Southwest doesn't have a problem with this, but I do not want any surprizes. Does anyone have experience doing this?

The companion pass rules seem to give me conflicting information...

"The Companion Pass is valid for free travel only when the Companion is accompanied on his/her flight(s) by the Rapid Rewards Member. Southwest Airlines' Contract of Carriage rules apply. The Member and the Companion will be responsible for any passenger facility charges, federal excise tax payments, or other taxes or user fees which may be assessed by law on the free travel. "

"Reservations are required for Companion Pass travel. When a reservation is made, the Member must choose the Rapid Rewards Companion Pass booking option on southwest.com, or notify the Reservations Sales Agent that a Rapid Rewards Companion Pass will be used."

"The Member and the Companion must check in together and present the Companion Pass card at the Southwest Airlines' Ticket Counter, Skycap podium, or Departure Gate in order for the Companion to travel. The Member and his/her Companion must travel on the same flight(s). Valid photo identification for both Member and Companion is required. The Member and his/her Companion must board in their assigned group(s). For A-List Members who are also Companion Pass Holders, reserved boarding privileges will not be provided for the Member’s designated Companion unless he/she is also an A-List Member. "

You are traveling with your companion for your companions complete flight. If your companion joins you in HOU, or boards with you in SAT, it is irrelevant.

You are traveling with your companion for your companions complete flight. If your companion joins you in HOU, or boards with you in SAT, it is irrelevant.

So I take it you have done this?

So I take it you have done this?

I have. I went SJC-ONT-LAS...she joined me at ONT. ^

I have. I went SJC-ONT-LAS...she joined me at ONT. ^

Did she tell the Ops Agent that you were already on board?

Did she tell the Ops Agent that you were already on board?

As far as I know, she boarded normally without having to say anything.

Well, I wanted to report back how it worked - It is allowed by Southwest, but their computers flag the companion reservation and muck things up a bit. When I tried to check Companion in at T-24, the system gave me an error. I called to try to rectify the situation, and it took over half an hour to get things sorted out, including the cancellation and rebooking of the Companion several times. I would suggest anyone wanting to do what I describe above to check in the night before, and to work out issues before you are at the airport. The helpful telephone agent told me it was a good thing that I called the night before, because we might have missed our flight if we had waited until getting to the airport.

Thank you for sharing your experience!