Probably the most in style Southwest Airways particular provides is again for a restricted time! You’ll be able to earn ‘purchase one, get one unfastened’ flights by the use of the Southwest Better half Cross for a restricted time after reserving a unmarried around time out flight. This publish covers main points of this particular be offering, key dates, execs & cons, choices, and the way you’ll be able to maximize the promotional SWA Better half Cross with journeys to Walt Disney Global and Disneyland right through an environment friendly and very good (in many ways) time of yr.
With the Southwest Better half Cross, you designate a traveler who will you employ it to accompany you on flights, after which any fare you purchase or ebook with miles on Southwest Airways (SWA) comes with a unfastened fare at the similar flight for that accomplice. There are nonetheless a small quantity of taxes and charges they’ll need to pay, however that most effective quantities to ~$6 on maximum airfare.
Generally, you’ll be able to download the Southwest Better half Cross by means of flying 100 one-way qualifying flights or incomes 135,000 qualifying issues in a calendar yr. The entire, non-promotional model of the SWA Better half Cross is then legitimate throughout the finish of the next calendar yr. You’ll be able to learn our complete Information to Southwest Better half Cross for 2026 & 2027 for all the nuts and bolts.
Suffice to mention, we’re giant enthusiasts of the Southwest Better half Cross and feature effectively scored it a number of instances. It used to be a part of a not-so-dangerous combo (Better half Cross + APs + DVC) that were given us visiting Walt Disney Global so continuously within the first position! We extremely suggest it to any person at the fence.
Anyway, right here’s the SWA promotion that ends lately and considerably lowers the barrier to access on obtaining the Southwest Better half Cross…
Southwest Airways is providing Fast Rewards Individuals (unfastened to enroll in) the danger to get a promotional Better half Cross free of charge after buying a around time out or 2 one-way flights and touring by means of March 31, 2026, whilst you sign up for the promotion (see the directions beneath).
Deal Directions:
- Login and sign up for the promotion (you will have to come with your Fast Rewards quantity right through reserving)
- Acquire a qualifying round-trip or two qualifying one-way flights for go back and forth by means of March 31, 2026, to earn the promotional Better half Cross
- E-book flights by means of February 5, 2026
- Better half flies unfastened with you between August 10, 2026 and October 7, 2026!
The most obvious caveats listed here are that you want to ebook airfare TODAY (until this finally ends up being prolonged), fly by means of March thirty first, and then you definitely get a limited-time Better half Cross for most effective ~2 months versus a complete year-plus.
Upside could be very low barrier to access (a unmarried RT flight) as opposed to leaping thru hoops for the entire Better half Cross. Drawback is the slim parameters make this tougher until you might have an upcoming time out (Mid-Wintry weather Destroy? Spring Destroy?) after which wish to go back and forth within the fall.
Right here’s the hyperlink to sign up: https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/companion-pass-promotion
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Q: What’s Southwest promotional Better half Cross?
A: A promotional Better half Cross earned thru this be offering means that you can designate one individual to fly with, freed from airline fees (does now not come with taxes and charges from $5.60 one-way), on qualifying flights flown between August 10, 2026 and October 7, 2026.
Q: Does a flight I booked previous to registration depend towards qualification for the Better half Cross promotion?
A: No. Qualifying flights will have to be booked after you sign up, between February 2 and February 5, 2026.
Q: What’s going to occur when I meet the necessities to earn promotional Better half Cross thru this be offering?
A: When you qualify for promotional Better half Cross (which means you registered, booked, and traveled on a qualifying around time out or two one-way flight(s) right through the acceptable dates specified within the promotional phrases and prerequisites,) we’ll ship an e-mail inside 10 days. This e-mail allows you to know you certified and contains knowledge on subsequent steps and find out how to designate and make the most of the promotional Better half Cross.
Q: When can I designate my Better half after incomes promotional Better half Cross thru this be offering?
A: You’ll be capable of designate a Better half after the promotional Better half Cross is awarded in your account (August 10, 2026).
Q: How can I designate my preliminary Better half and make adjustments to my Better half?
A: After the promotional Better half Cross is awarded in your account (August 10, 2026), you’ll be able to designate your preliminary Better half inside My Account on Southwest.com or by means of calling Southwest at 1-800-435-9792. To modify your Better half, it’s simple—and you’ll be able to do it your self at Southwest.com or within the app by the use of the Fast Rewards tab in My Account. Simply click on Exchange Better half and apply the directions.
Q: How again and again can I modify my designated Better half?
A: Chances are you’ll trade your designated Better half as much as 3 (3) instances right through the promotional Better half Cross duration. Should you reach Better half Cross in 2026 by means of incomes 135,000 Better half Cross qualifying issues or flying 100 qualifying flights, any adjustments to the designated Better half right through the time you might have a promotional Better half Cross will cut back the choice of adjustments you’ll be able to make in your designated Better half within the 2026 calendar yr.
As an example, if you happen to earned a promotional Better half Cross thru this promotion, modified your designated Better half two times right through the validity duration for promotional Better half Cross, after which later in 2026 earned a Better half Cross, you possibly can most effective be capable of trade your designated Better half yet another time in 2026.
Q: If I ebook a reservation previous to August 10, 2026 for go back and forth between August 10-October 7, 2026, when can I ebook my Better half’s reservation?
A: After the promotional Better half Cross has been awarded in your account (August 10, 2026) and also you’ve designated your Better half, you’ll be able to ebook your Better half’s reservation (matter to flight capability and availability on the time of reserving the promotional Better half Cross).
Q: What adjustments to a reservation would disqualify a flight from qualifying for promotional Better half Cross thru this be offering?
A: Any trade to a reservation that falls out of doors of the promotional necessities (enrollment date, reserving date, go back and forth date, and so on.) will disqualify the flight from this promotion. In different phrases, flights will have to be bought, and/or modified right through the promotional duration February 2- February 5, 2026 and the brand new flight(s) will have to be flown between February 2-March 31, 2026 to fulfill the phrases and prerequisites of this promotion.
Complete Southwest Better half Cross
As a reminder, the non-promotional Southwest Better half Cross is excellent for the entire calendar yr after the yr you earn it. Which means that a Better half Cross earned in February 2026 expires on December 31, 2027 since you earned it this yr. One earned in December 2026 would additionally nonetheless expire on December 31, 2027.
That’s nearly a complete yr of additional use just by timing the spending necessities “as it should be.” You need to earn it as with regards to the beginning of the calendar yr as conceivable. We’ve had the entire Southwest Better half Cross a number of instances, and with savvy spending, hit our objective in January and saved it till December 31 of the next yr.
Clearly, it’s not conceivable to earn the Southwest Better half Cross within the first week of January at this level, until you intention for subsequent yr or time go back and forth. However the level stands, and incomes a complete Better half Cross in March 2026 (extra sensible for our functions) continues to be beautiful excellent. That’s nonetheless 22 months!
To earn the Better half Cross, the ‘hack’ that we’ve all the time used is opening two Southwest Chase bank cards, one non-public card and one industry card (any person can observe for a industry card).
Chase Financial institution provides the Southwest Efficiency Trade bank card with a sign-up bonus of 80,000 issues after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. (You’ll be able to earn those bonuses by the use of our referral hyperlink–simply toggle over to the black industry playing cards on the most sensible.)
At the side of that, get any of the 3 non-public SWA bank cards. We propose the ground tier, because it has the bottom annual charge and this card is redundant to the Southwest Efficiency Trade card from a advantages point of view. With any of the ones, you earn 50,000 issues after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
In tandem, you’ll earn over 135,000 Fast Rewards issues when you meet the minimal spend. (Bonus issues of 130,000 plus spending of a minimum of $6,000.) It must be beautiful simple to hit that $6k spending requirement…simply take a time out to Walt Disney Global!
Pointers for Maximizing the Promotional Southwest Better half Cross
After all, there are a number of explanation why the promotional Southwest Better half Cross could be the extra horny be offering.
Most likely you’re skeptical of the adjustments Southwest Airways has made within the final yr (aren’t all of us?) and are undecided that you need to decide to flying them for the following 22 months. In truth, I’ve now not flown with Southwest since they switched to assigned seating and boarding by means of workforce, and am a bit of apprehensive to take action.
I’ve noticed a large number of studies of people that didn’t pay additional for seats being separated, caught in center seat purgatory, and so on. As anyone who’s vehemently towards pay-to-play seating, this generally is a dealbreaker for me on solo journeys. (Confidently, it’s immaterial for the three folks on circle of relatives flights.)
Possibly you’re undecided whether or not the Better half Cross is a great are compatible for you within the first position, and simply wish to dip your ft in the ones waters with a few months of get right of entry to versus just about 2 years.
It’s conceivable, like such a lot of, you’ll be able to’t get sufficient for Florida climate right through the overdue summer season and hurricane season when looks like temperatures are mechanically within the triple digits!
Joking apart, that window for the promotional Better half Cross from August thru October 2026 is a jam-packed one, that comes with the next:
- D23 Expo in Anaheim, California
- Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Birthday celebration at Magic Kingdom
- Halloween at Disneyland
- Oogie Boogie Bash at DCA
- EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition
- Park anniversaries
- Nice reductions most likely at WDW (and perhaps DLR, however the ones may well be focused)
- Lowest crowds at WDW, DLR, and Epic Universe
- Fall colours at more than a few U.S. Nationwide Parks
A few of the ones bullet issues overlap, clearly. Seek advice from our Easiest & Worst Weeks to Discuss with Disneyland in 2026 & 2027 and Easiest & Worst Weeks to Discuss with Disney Global in 2026 & 2027 for the optimum time to take a unmarried time out to every coast. You might want to then take more than one reasonably priced journeys to U.S. Nationwide Parks right through shoulder season, which is a beautiful time to talk over with with decrease crowds, higher climate and herbal attractiveness.
That’s what I’d do, if I have been you. However I’m me, so I can be heading to Walt Disney Global more than one instances right through that window. The purpose is this promo provides numerous attainable, restricted because it could be. The decrease barrier to access surely makes it horny if the bank card attitude is a troublesome promote.
In the end, this Southwest Better half Cross promo gained’t be for everybody. Our point of view is that going giant at the fully-fledged Better half Cross for 20+ months is easy methods to pass, however we’ve heard from many readers with an aversion to opening a unmarried bank card, let by myself 2 of them, so this items a far more uncomplicated choice with a super-low barrier to access.
We’ll finish by means of underscoring what an environment friendly time of yr August thru October will also be to go back and forth. Even with out digging into my archives, I do know that the primary time we had a Better half Cross, we used it disproportionately right through that time frame. Between fall colours season on the U.S. Nationwide Parks and reductions plus low crowds at Walt Disney Global, it’s an excellent window. And we’re completely anticipating extra price tag and lodge offers right through August and September, together with some stellar last-minute financial savings. Simply beware the elements!
Making plans a Walt Disney Global time out? Find out about resorts on our Walt Disney Global Motels Evaluations web page. For the place to devour, learn our Walt Disney Global Eating place Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or resolve which kind to shop for, learn our Pointers for Saving Cash on Walt Disney Global Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular have a look at artful pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney Global Trip Guides will lend a hand. For complete recommendation, the most efficient position to begin is our Walt Disney Global Shuttle Making plans Information for the entirety you want to understand!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas in this promotional, limited-time Southwest Better half Cross vs. the year-plus common model? Have you ever ever had the Southwest Better half Cross? Did you earn it the ‘fair’ method or benefit from bank card hacking to procure it? Do you settle or disagree with our recommendation? Any questions we will can help you solution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas beneath within the feedback!
