Southwest is letting a friend fly free, but you better hurry

(NEXSTAR) – Don’t want to fly alone? No problem. You can bring a friend – for free.

Southwest Airlines is again offering its popular Companion Pass, letting Rapid Rewards members choose one person to fly with them free of charge.

“Now more than ever, Customers are looking to get the most loyalty value from their purchases,” Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President Marketing at Southwest Airlines, said in a statement. “We’re continuously looking for opportunities to appreciate our Rapid Rewards Members, especially with this unique way to earn the coveted Companion Pass.”

To qualify, Southwest’s frequent flyer program members must first register for the promotion, then buy a ticket for a flight scheduled before May 24.

There’s one catch: Travelers have to book their flights by Wednesday night.

Once purchased, the buddy pass will be added to the member’s account.

The free ticket does not include taxes and fees of $5.60 each way for most domestic flights, and the promotion cannot be applied to flights booked before the member’s registration.

However, the companion pass works for an unlimited number of flights between Aug. 15 and Sept. 30, and you can change your designated flying buddy up to three times during the promotional pass period.

Better yet, there are no blackout dates or capacity restrictions. Rewards members can also earn a Companion Pass a different way – as long as they have racked up 135,000 points. Southwest raised that total from 125,000 points in January. You can also earn a pass by flying 100 qualifying Southwest flights within a calendar year.

“The Southwest Rapid Rewards™ program is designed around a simple concept—make earning reward flights faster and easier,” Southwest said in a statement. “With Rapid Rewards, every seat is a reward seat, there are no blackout dates, and points don’t expire.”