Companion Pass Name Change
Mar 28, 2014, 12:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Carlsbad,CA USA
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Titanuim/Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 1,534
Companion Pass Name Change
I was wondering how long it takes for a change of Companion to take affect. Can I call to change the companion and at the same time book a companion ticket for my new companion.
I have a flight booked with my existing companion and I may want to fly with a different companion 1 or 2 days later.
I have a flight booked with my existing companion and I may want to fly with a different companion 1 or 2 days later.
Mar 28, 2014, 10:23 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MCI
Programs: CBP Global Entry, WN A-List Preferred, WN Companion Pass
Posts: 2,007
I was wondering how long it takes for a change of Companion to take affect. Can I call to change the companion and at the same time book a companion ticket for my new companion.
I have a flight booked with my existing companion and I may want to fly with a different companion 1 or 2 days later.
I have a flight booked with my existing companion and I may want to fly with a different companion 1 or 2 days later.
Changing a Companion name will immediately cancel any and all future existing reservations for the "old" Companion.
If you have an existing CP reservation pending, do *NOT* make any changes to your Companion (i.e., trade the old one for a new one) until the last leg of that pending reservation has been completed.
Mar 28, 2014, 1:35 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MCI
Programs: CBP Global Entry, WN A-List Preferred, WN Companion Pass
Posts: 2,007
Mar 28, 2014, 2:03 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I understand this is the rule.
I have a question for a renewing companion pass.
Suppose I earn a Companion Pass in June. That pass will be good for about 18 months until December of the next year.
Now suppose in June of the next year I again earn a Companion pass making it good until December of the following year.
When does the new pass start, June or December? If have remaining name changes from the original pass do I lose them?
The Companion Pass is not transferrable. However, the Member may change his/her designated Companion and request issuance of a new Companion Pass up to three (3) times within the validity period of the Companion Pass program
Suppose I earn a Companion Pass in June. That pass will be good for about 18 months until December of the next year.
Now suppose in June of the next year I again earn a Companion pass making it good until December of the following year.
When does the new pass start, June or December? If have remaining name changes from the original pass do I lose them?
Apr 4, 2014, 8:35 am
#7
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,872
Apr 11, 2014, 7:51 pm
#8
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Apr 11, 2014, 8:14 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Suppose I earn a Companion Pass in June. That pass will be good for about 18 months until December of the next year.
Now suppose in June of the next year I again earn a Companion pass making it good until December of the following year.
When does the new pass start, June or December? If have remaining name changes from the original pass do I lose them?
Now suppose in June of the next year I again earn a Companion pass making it good until December of the following year.
When does the new pass start, June or December? If have remaining name changes from the original pass do I lose them?
Apr 11, 2014, 8:23 pm
#10
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Apr 11, 2014, 8:57 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Let us assume I qualified for a CP in 6/13 and that CP was good untill 1/15. I think that is the policy.
Let us further assume I only changed my CP once beteeen 6/13 and 5/14 leaving me 2 future chages.
Let us further assume that in 6/14 I requalified for a CP, extending my eligibility to 1/16.
Do I still have the 2 CP changes under my initial qualification before 1/15 or am I limited to the 3 chnages I acquired on 6/14?
Last edited by rsteinmetz70112; Apr 11, 2014 at 10:29 pm
Apr 11, 2014, 10:29 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
OK by Jaunary First of which Year?
Let us assume I qualified for a CP in 6/13 and that CP was good untill 1/15. I think that is the policy.
Let us further assume I only changed my CP once beteeen 6/13 and 5/14 leavinge me 2 future chages.
Let us further assume that in 6/14 I requalified for a CP, extending my eligibility to 1/16.
Do I still have the 2 CP changes under my initial qualification before 1/15 or a I limited to the 3 qualifiactions I acquired on 6/14?
Let us assume I qualified for a CP in 6/13 and that CP was good untill 1/15. I think that is the policy.
Let us further assume I only changed my CP once beteeen 6/13 and 5/14 leavinge me 2 future chages.
Let us further assume that in 6/14 I requalified for a CP, extending my eligibility to 1/16.
Do I still have the 2 CP changes under my initial qualification before 1/15 or a I limited to the 3 qualifiactions I acquired on 6/14?
However, the Member may change his/her designated Companion and request issuance of a new Companion Pass up to three (3) times within the validity period of the Companion Pass program
Oh, I forgot. No one has yet to definitively determine the meaning of the mysterious phrase "validity period," or VP. There are four possibilities. The first is easy.
- It begins the day you first earn the CP and ends December 31 of the following year, that is if you do not qualify for CP again within the period that it is active. This is the obvious VP and is (almost) unquestionable.
- You earn CP and it ends December 31 of the following year. During this VP, CP is again earned in the second year (known above as the following year). As one is already in a VP, the new VP does not begin until January 1 of said "following year." The VP ends on December 31 of the same year, unless it is earned once again, creating yet another calendar year VP.
- You earn CP and it ends December 31 of the following year. During this VP, CP is again earned in the second year (known above as the following year). As the CP is defined from the point of earning until December 31 of the following year, a new VP begins upon earning of the new CP and ends December 31 of the following year, and the previous VP ends. If CP is again earned during this VP, the new VP begins immediately and the old VP once again ends.
- You earn CP and it ends December 31 of the following year. During this VP, CP is again earned in the second year (known above as the following year). As the CP is defined from the point of earning until December 31 of the following year, you have overlapping VP's that begin when the following CP is earned and ends on December 31 of the earlier CP.
As I said, #1 is easy and without controversy. The difficulty is the consecutive earning of CP. Some will say it is #2, but there is evidence that this guideline is not strictly followed. On the other hand, some will say it is #3, but this too has evidence of not being followed strictly. I suspect it is #4 in which the CS agent that is on the line has ultimate and absolute discretion as to whether #2 or #3 will be followed.
Why do I think this? I think the phrase "validity period" has as much rigidity and definitive meaning as the phrase "any available seat."
Aisle? Window? Front? Back? At Southwest, we let you sit where you like. We don’t assign seats on our flights, so feel free to sit in any available seat once you board the plane.
Apr 11, 2014, 10:39 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
You get three changes in the validity period. How much more simple could it be?
Oh, I forgot. No one has yet to definitively determine the meaning of the mysterious phrase "validity period," or VP. There are four possibilities. The first is easy.
As I said, #1 is easy and without controversy. The difficulty is the consecutive earning of CP. Some will say it is #2, but there is evidence that this guideline is not strictly followed. On the other hand, some will say it is #3, but this too has evidence of not being followed strictly. I suspect it is #4 in which the CS agent that is on the line has ultimate and absolute discretion as to whether #2 or #3 will be followed.
Why do I think this? I think the phrase "validity period" has as much rigidity and definitive meaning as the phrase "any available seat."
What we do know is that there are 3 changes per VP and that each new CP earning gets a new designation plus the 3 changes. The problem is determining the beginning and end of the VP's. I still take #4, the discretion of the CS agent at the exact moment the question is asked.
Oh, I forgot. No one has yet to definitively determine the meaning of the mysterious phrase "validity period," or VP. There are four possibilities. The first is easy.
- It begins the day you first earn the CP and ends December 31 of the following year, that is if you do not qualify for CP again within the period that it is active. This is the obvious VP and is (almost) unquestionable.
- You earn CP and it ends December 31 of the following year. During this VP, CP is again earned in the second year (known above as the following year). As one is already in a VP, the new VP does not begin until January 1 of said "following year." The VP ends on December 31 of the same year, unless it is earned once again, creating yet another calendar year VP.
- You earn CP and it ends December 31 of the following year. During this VP, CP is again earned in the second year (known above as the following year). As the CP is defined from the point of earning until December 31 of the following year, a new VP begins upon earning of the new CP and ends December 31 of the following year, and the previous VP ends. If CP is again earned during this VP, the new VP begins immediately and the old VP once again ends.
- You earn CP and it ends December 31 of the following year. During this VP, CP is again earned in the second year (known above as the following year). As the CP is defined from the point of earning until December 31 of the following year, you have overlapping VP's that begin when the following CP is earned and ends on December 31 of the earlier CP.
As I said, #1 is easy and without controversy. The difficulty is the consecutive earning of CP. Some will say it is #2, but there is evidence that this guideline is not strictly followed. On the other hand, some will say it is #3, but this too has evidence of not being followed strictly. I suspect it is #4 in which the CS agent that is on the line has ultimate and absolute discretion as to whether #2 or #3 will be followed.
Why do I think this? I think the phrase "validity period" has as much rigidity and definitive meaning as the phrase "any available seat."
What we do know is that there are 3 changes per VP and that each new CP earning gets a new designation plus the 3 changes. The problem is determining the beginning and end of the VP's. I still take #4, the discretion of the CS agent at the exact moment the question is asked.
I thank you and my hat's off to you .
Apr 14, 2014, 8:28 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: SWA A-List Preferred & CP, Delta Diamond, HH Diamond Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 553
I know *aherm* someone who made 4 changes in one year.
Calling CS and talking nicely and saying "oops" seemed to work in this one instance.
But the general rule of thumb is 3 changes per "program period" as described in previous posts.
Calling CS and talking nicely and saying "oops" seemed to work in this one instance.
But the general rule of thumb is 3 changes per "program period" as described in previous posts.