How did you use your SW companion pass? Did it worth it?
Jun 11, 2018, 6:00 pm
#17
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
Way over 5/24, so earned on spend. Having the pass pays for itself, but just barely. My spouse isn’t as enthusiastic about travel as I am 
I’m figuring the direct cost for the pass as my cost (or opportunity cost) to manufacture the spend, less the Southwest points earned.
I’m figuring the direct cost for the pass as my cost (or opportunity cost) to manufacture the spend, less the Southwest points earned.
Jun 11, 2018, 7:44 pm
#18
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: 11,073
We will be at 16 "free" flights by the end of this month, so pretty good for us this year. Family stuff has caused many extra trips.
Some of those flights were under $100. Some were closer to $250. So, dollar value is all over the place.
Some of those flights were under $100. Some were closer to $250. So, dollar value is all over the place.
Jun 11, 2018, 10:25 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
There is no way I would spend $110k to earn a pass as I could prob get 130k chase points with similar spend on my JPM card. That translates into a TATL or TPAC biz class ticket worth $3k-10k depending on how you value it.
So far in 5 months my CP has saved $300+ with another $560 reserved thru Sept. These are flights we would take anyway but shifting biz from UA (where I get more perks) to WN so it’s a win for WN too esp when family of 4 flies.
As I qualified on January it is really a 2-yr pass. if I get $1k value per year I would be very happy. Would certainly fly WN more but we still fly United where it makes more sense (eg SFO-SJD RT for < WN fare plus free F upgrades for 4). Would prob give up F if WN fares were more competitive for my flights.
So far in 5 months my CP has saved $300+ with another $560 reserved thru Sept. These are flights we would take anyway but shifting biz from UA (where I get more perks) to WN so it’s a win for WN too esp when family of 4 flies.
As I qualified on January it is really a 2-yr pass. if I get $1k value per year I would be very happy. Would certainly fly WN more but we still fly United where it makes more sense (eg SFO-SJD RT for < WN fare plus free F upgrades for 4). Would prob give up F if WN fares were more competitive for my flights.
Jun 12, 2018, 9:46 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA Gold; WN A-List Pref., CP; Marriott Plat.
Posts: 341
So, my figures are not exact, but over the the last 9 years I have probably used our companion pass on about 400 flights or so. Using an average ticket price of $150.00, cost savings with companion pass is roughly $60,000 over that period of time. (I also currently have just under $5k worth of flights reserved for the rest of the year on CP flights).
In my opinion, the companion pass is the best deal in domestic US (and now Caribbean travel) if you are a DINK who likes to disappear on weekends as much as possible.
Of course, if you have a family and can only travel for leisure a few times a year, you would likely find a better value in other travel currencies (SPG, Amex or UR).
In my opinion, the companion pass is the best deal in domestic US (and now Caribbean travel) if you are a DINK who likes to disappear on weekends as much as possible.
Of course, if you have a family and can only travel for leisure a few times a year, you would likely find a better value in other travel currencies (SPG, Amex or UR).
Jun 12, 2018, 10:35 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PIT, BWI, or IPT
Programs: Dividend Miles, WorldPerks
Posts: 1,302
I will be leaving DINK'hood any day now and just earned my first CP last week. We focused on DL for mistake airfares, VDB vouchers, and points for the past 8 years and have traveled all around the world in first class for free. (Where WN does not go)
Now with a kid on the way, we do not imagine we will be going, for example, to the Philippines or Turkey on the weekend anyone. The CP will still keep us and the little one mobile domestically.
Now with a kid on the way, we do not imagine we will be going, for example, to the Philippines or Turkey on the weekend anyone. The CP will still keep us and the little one mobile domestically.
Jun 12, 2018, 11:25 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,192
And you can spend as little as $55k to get it (unlikely, of course).
Jun 16, 2018, 5:32 am
#23
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Clearwater, FL
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat.
Posts: 299
I don't calculate my CP value in dollars. Instead I do it by "personal subjective value". Last year my wife joined me on more than 20 trips. If I didn't have the CP, she would have joined me on maybe 5. So I can't say that I saved the cost of 15 trips because she never would have taken them if they weren't free. My personal value of having her along with me was very high, far higher (to me) than a business class ticket would be. My favorite benefit to the CP is that I don't have to decide every trip whether it's worth investing points or dollars for my wife to come along. Not having to make that decision is worth a lot to me, and it's hard to put a dollar value on that.
Jun 16, 2018, 11:48 pm
#24
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: 11,073
Actually, our spend was more like $5,000? to get the bonus on two cards. And it was spend we would have done anyways.
Jun 17, 2018, 2:29 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,285
BTW, my companion and I are DINKs. What the -NK part gives us in ability to travel frequently for leisure the DI- part takes away!
Jun 18, 2018, 10:20 am
#26
formerly jackvogt
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta SkyMiles,
Posts: 822
We had the opportunity to obtain the CP this past year and we determined that even with the essentially BOGO flights, we would spend more to only fly Southwest than if we considered American, Delta and United. Southwest is rarely the cheapest or most convenient option out of Atlanta (they really screwed over the FL loyalists). That being said it is a very unique product and its cool that people have gotten good use out of it and to be honest I envy them. Question: is there anybody in Atlanta who has the CP and gets a good value out of it?
Jun 18, 2018, 11:40 am
#27
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: ATL
Posts: 1,924
In ATL and wife flies free with me 20+ times a year. I travel for work frequently, she can work from a hotel room, I pack a full mobile office for her in a checked hardside suitcase for free (19" monitor, full keyboard, etc). When I book thru Concur Southwest is usually the cheapest option.
Jun 19, 2018, 6:23 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 55
We got our CP for $168 ( annual fees) and used it for 6 CP flights per year, not sure on the price in $$ but our average flight is 20K points. Since we received 120K points for signing up we received 18 free flights over 2 years for the price of CP.
We started getting CP in 2014 and have yet to pay a a Wn flight in $$
We started getting CP in 2014 and have yet to pay a a Wn flight in $$
Jun 19, 2018, 7:14 pm
#29
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,607
Paid for 9 flights ( CP adds the other 9) so a total of 18 R/T tickets = about 180K WN points
My $$ numbers were off a bit as I forgot to include the AF on the other cards we got to earn WN points
I used to get all 3 WN cards, plus INK and CSP. That was about 250K WN points every 2 years. Now I can only get one WN personal but there is a new INK card.
I get the same cards for my wife ( we switch on and off to get CP and other Chase cards............one goes card free for ~ 2 years) and I also get cards for my dad who does not travel but I use his points
As of now we have 3 R/T's booked ( 6 R/T flights using CP ) on WN and about 500K WN points in the bank...............plus millions more miles spread across AA, UA, AS, DL
Last edited by flyer4512; Jun 19, 2018 at 9:53 pm
Jun 25, 2018, 11:45 am
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
Each year I have CP, I end up using it for about 8-10 total R/T's. So maybe $3k per year I have it. I usually change companions a couple times per year, typically start/end most years with my wife as my companion.
But my route was a Marriott Travel Package, approximately once every two years. As of 12/31/18, I'm out of CP. Our 2019 travels are almost all international, so I might jump back into some Chase signup bonuses in January 2020. Seems like a long way off so who really knows...
My regular WN paid travel is at the low-end of basic A-list. I'd need a credit card to get back to CP for sure.
I will be highly interested to see if Southwest leaves the rules exactly as they are today for the use of CP to Hawaii.
But my route was a Marriott Travel Package, approximately once every two years. As of 12/31/18, I'm out of CP. Our 2019 travels are almost all international, so I might jump back into some Chase signup bonuses in January 2020. Seems like a long way off so who really knows...
My regular WN paid travel is at the low-end of basic A-list. I'd need a credit card to get back to CP for sure.
I will be highly interested to see if Southwest leaves the rules exactly as they are today for the use of CP to Hawaii.