How much value have you received from the Companion Pass?
Feb 23, 2018, 5:26 pm
#47
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: Southwest A-list & Companion Pass, Enterprise, Hilton, Wyndham, etc
Posts: 225
This is my eighth year of CP. I fly about 30 segments a year almost all with my wife. So the fares I didn't pay have to add up to $4,000+. $30,000+ over the last nearly eight years. Of course, without the CP we'd do less traveling, or only one of us would travel. We see it as a very great value.
Also, some other airline might be cheaper, but being able to change, which we do very frequently, is a great benefit. That, free luggage, and the CP - if WN goes there, we go on WN.
Also, some other airline might be cheaper, but being able to change, which we do very frequently, is a great benefit. That, free luggage, and the CP - if WN goes there, we go on WN.
Feb 25, 2018, 5:01 pm
#48
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
Getting frequent use out of the CP with a job and equally busy companion/family is difficult. I'm now in my 5th year of having a CP (not all consecutive) and I've never truly maximized its value the way I've hoped to. I looked at it as a way to make frequent short trips, like three-day weekends once a month, cost effective. In a two career family that seemed like the way to play it. But enough things happen that we travel only about half as often as we'd like.
Feb 26, 2018, 6:31 am
#49
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Getting frequent use out of the CP with a job and equally busy companion/family is difficult. I'm now in my 5th year of having a CP (not all consecutive) and I've never truly maximized its value the way I've hoped to. I looked at it as a way to make frequent short trips, like three-day weekends once a month, cost effective. In a two career family that seemed like the way to play it. But enough things happen that we travel only about half as often as we'd like.
Last edited by joshua362; Feb 26, 2018 at 1:02 pm Reason: bad grammar
Feb 26, 2018, 12:55 pm
#50
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: BWI
Programs: Marriott LTT, WN A, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
Getting frequent use out of the CP with a job and equally busy companion/family is difficult. I'm now in my 5th year of having a CP (not all consecutive) and I've never truly maximized its value the way I've hoped to. I looked at it as a way to make frequent short trips, like three-day weekends once a month, cost effective. In a two career family that seemed like the way to play it. But enough things happen that we travel only about half as often as we'd like.
Jul 17, 2023, 4:56 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,720
Reviving an old thread.
After ramping up my WN travel this summer my CP value = $600+ YTD by Labor Day. I could do a lot better but we don't fly WN to Mexico, Hawaii or transcon. And we tend to buy cheap WGA fares...
After ramping up my WN travel this summer my CP value = $600+ YTD by Labor Day. I could do a lot better but we don't fly WN to Mexico, Hawaii or transcon. And we tend to buy cheap WGA fares...
Jul 17, 2023, 5:53 pm
#52
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 583
Can I add an entry for worst CP value achieved?
Entered into a new relationship with someone Jan 2022. Named said person as my companion pass that same month.
Relationship ended before the first trip booked with CP.
I still had a great year traveling - scored 10+ good WGA redemptions. Long weekend trips booked in advance and re-fared when there were fare sales.
But yeah, said pass will likely expire in EOY 2023 for me with zero use.
Entered into a new relationship with someone Jan 2022. Named said person as my companion pass that same month.
Relationship ended before the first trip booked with CP.
I still had a great year traveling - scored 10+ good WGA redemptions. Long weekend trips booked in advance and re-fared when there were fare sales.
But yeah, said pass will likely expire in EOY 2023 for me with zero use.
Last edited by Ragnarok; Jul 18, 2023 at 7:40 am
Jul 18, 2023, 5:38 am
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
Can I add an entry for worse CP value achieved?
Entered into a new relationship with someone Jan 2022. Named said person as my companion pass that same month.
Relationship ended before the first trip booked with CP.
I still had a great year traveling - scored 10+ good WGA redemptions. Long weekend trips booked in advance and re-fared when there were fare sales.
But yeah, said pass will likely expire in EOY 2023 for me with zero use.
Entered into a new relationship with someone Jan 2022. Named said person as my companion pass that same month.
Relationship ended before the first trip booked with CP.
I still had a great year traveling - scored 10+ good WGA redemptions. Long weekend trips booked in advance and re-fared when there were fare sales.
But yeah, said pass will likely expire in EOY 2023 for me with zero use.
Jul 18, 2023, 8:09 am
#54
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: 21,620
Zero for me in 2023. Too many schedule demands and conflicts. Vacations tend to be outside California or at Ventana Big Sur (driving, not flying).
Jul 18, 2023, 1:06 pm
#55
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,703
Can I add an entry for worst CP value achieved?
Entered into a new relationship with someone Jan 2022. Named said person as my companion pass that same month.
Relationship ended before the first trip booked with CP.
I still had a great year traveling - scored 10+ good WGA redemptions. Long weekend trips booked in advance and re-fared when there were fare sales.
But yeah, said pass will likely expire in EOY 2023 for me with zero use.
Entered into a new relationship with someone Jan 2022. Named said person as my companion pass that same month.
Relationship ended before the first trip booked with CP.
I still had a great year traveling - scored 10+ good WGA redemptions. Long weekend trips booked in advance and re-fared when there were fare sales.
But yeah, said pass will likely expire in EOY 2023 for me with zero use.
Jul 18, 2023, 1:08 pm
#56
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: 21,620
Jul 18, 2023, 1:34 pm
#57
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Don't feel bad or ashamed, I earned one every year, all the hard way, with BIS, 2002 - 2016. Only used it once or twice a year max, some years zero. Hard to climb on another plane with that much business travel, maybe to Disney once a year for the little ones, the annual vacation was a drive away in the mountains. My banner year was 4 different companions when I went on a concert and dating tear 10+ years ago. Gone are the days...
Its a nice shiny brass ring to aim for but you have to have the right life circumstances to make the most of it. Retirement earned with credit card bonuses. But it will never happen for me...
Its a nice shiny brass ring to aim for but you have to have the right life circumstances to make the most of it. Retirement earned with credit card bonuses. But it will never happen for me...
Jul 19, 2023, 7:41 am
#58
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
So far ~$1200 spent on flights this year, all with companion, another two trips on the books for ~$500. Only a real savings of about $1000 total, but even with Southwest struggling, they're better than Frontier and Spirit - we usually get a Luv seat, can get easy price matches if the price drops, and can even cancel easily if our plans change.
I'm not totally sure we'll keep it now that I can't top off with hotel stays, I will dearly miss it if we decide to finally give it up.
Edit: y'all know that the 'first comes love' rhyme isn't a mandatory set of instructions, right? The only baby carriage I've bought was for someone else's baby shower.
I'm not totally sure we'll keep it now that I can't top off with hotel stays, I will dearly miss it if we decide to finally give it up.
Edit: y'all know that the 'first comes love' rhyme isn't a mandatory set of instructions, right? The only baby carriage I've bought was for someone else's baby shower.
Last edited by synergistic; Jul 19, 2023 at 10:00 am
Jul 19, 2023, 9:02 am
#59
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: BWI
Programs: Marriott LTT, WN A, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
For the Mrs. and I we are usually coming from different places before and/or going to different places after our long weekends so we usually just end up using RR points instead. Once in a while we'll be able to use CP but not as often as I thought I would. It's still nice to have though for the 1-2 transcons or int'l trips we do a year though.
Last edited by Marko123; Jul 19, 2023 at 9:14 am
Jul 19, 2023, 10:45 am
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
We get 5-6 trips a year I guess. Will be working on 4th CP later this fall.