If Using Southwest Companion Pass, When Can I Book My Ticket?

Reader James emailed me with this question regarding the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass:

“Thanks for all your great info on the companion pass, which (like many of your readers, I’d wager) I’m hopefully getting in late January.  The question I have for you is this.  I obviously don’t have the pass now.  But if I see a flight at a price I like for, say, next March, could I buy the ticket now and then add my companion on later when I get the pass?  Or do I have to tell WN when I buy my ticket that I’m adding a companion, and thus I shouldn’t buy the ticket?”

That’s a great question and probably one that many others are wondering the answer to. Luckily, Southwest makes booking tickets with the Companion Pass super easy and definitely in the consumers favor. You can purchase your ticket now and make a reservation for your companion at a later date – even if you do not have the companion pass at the time of booking!

The only caveat is if the flight is sold out when you earn your companion pass you won’t be able to add a companion. To add a companion to your ticket there must be at least one seat available for sale.

To learn more about the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass:

1. What is a Southwest Airlines Companion Pass?
2. How to Earn a Southwest Airlines Companion Pass
3. Getting Two Southwest Credit Cards to Count Towards the Companion Pass
4. Earning Partner Points to Count Towards the Companion Pass
5. Transferring Chase Ultimate Reward Points to Southwest for Companion Pass Status
6. Getting the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass for 2014 and 2015 Calendar Year
7. Using the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass on Southwest and AirTran flights
8. Changing your Companion with the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass
9. Top 20 Questions for the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass

Also, rumor has it that the 50,000 point offer after meeting the minimum spend requirements is ending November 18, 2013.