How flying to Orlando earlier than lunch saves me $600 in 2026

Once I advised my companion that I’d be waking up at 4:30 a.m. to fly from Florida’s Palm Seaside Worldwide Airport (PBI) to Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO) at 6:40 a.m. and again in someday, he requested the identical query others — apart from my co-workers — had: “However, why?”

In layman’s phrases, Southwest Airways was providing a limited-time promotional Companion Move. The coveted Companion Move is basically a buy-one-get-one-free airfare deal that permits you to add a chosen extra particular person to your flight reservation for simply the price of the taxes and costs (beginning at $5.60) on any Southwest flight.

So, with only a backpack and an extra-large espresso in hand, I started my round-trip flight journey from one Florida metropolis to a different, touchdown again house simply earlier than lunchtime to earn this move.

This is how I did it and why this one move will save me lots of of {dollars} in airfare in 2026.

Associated: The best way to rapidly earn the Southwest Companion Move

Southwest supplied a limited-time two-month Companion Move

Sometimes, to earn the Companion Move, a Southwest Speedy Rewards member must earn 135,000 qualifying factors or fly 100 one-way segments in a calendar yr. Then, you will have the profitable move for the rest calendar yr and the next calendar yr. For instance, when you earned it in August 2025, your move could be good by Dec. 31, 2026.

That stated, Southwest typically provides a promotional Companion Move after finishing set necessities. In contrast to the standard Companion Move, these promotional passes are solely legitimate for a restricted time.

In August, Southwest marketed a two-month Companion Move after registering, buying (by 11:59 p.m. CDT on Aug. 28) and finishing a round-trip flight or two one-way flights by Nov. 15. Those that met the necessities would obtain a Companion Move good from Jan. 6 to March 6, 2026.

As somebody who’s planning to ebook a protracted weekend ski journey and a Caribbean getaway throughout these winter months, I used to be very a lot keen on incomes this Companion Move.

Nonetheless, I needed to crunch some numbers and ensure the price of the round-trip flight could be value it, as Fundamental fares weren’t eligible for this deal. Subsequently, I must purchase a Selection fare, which is a step above Southwest’s Fundamental fares and prices extra money.

Associated: Southwest card welcome bonuses: Final likelihood to earn 100,000 factors

I earned the Southwest Companion Move earlier than lunch

As a Florida resident, I knew that my house airport, PBI, operates day by day Southwest flights to and from MCO. Plus, for the reason that airports are solely about 170 miles from each other, I knew it could be a very quick flight.

First, I needed to test if the flight instances lined as much as meet my private wants. As a mother, I wanted to be house in time to choose my son up from day care (my companion may do the drop off). Fortunately, they did.

Southwest operates day by day routes between the 2 airports, so I discovered a 6:40 a.m. flight leaving from PBI and touchdown in MCO at roughly 7:40 a.m., then the return departing MCO at 10:50 a.m. and arriving again in PBI at 11:50 a.m.

Utilizing Southwest’s calendar search device, I booked a flight for a random Wednesday in September, which was the most cost effective possibility (on the time), costing $249.35. Plus, as a Speedy Rewards member, I might earn 1,254 factors on this round-trip flight.

So, after paying $8 to park and utilizing about $10 value of gasoline to drive to and from the airport, this promotional Companion Move value me about $267 to earn — and I used to be again in my house workplace earlier than 1 p.m.

How I plan to make use of my limited-time promotional Southwest Companion Move

Word that costs had been correct on the time of writing.

As I discussed, I plan to ebook a ski-centric journey to a resort in Colorado this winter. Although PBI is my house airport, I additionally fly out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Worldwide Airport (FLL) and MCO if the fares are cheaper and/or the routes are direct. Proper now, there’s a round-trip flight from FLL to Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN) for $442.96 in January.

With this move, I can ebook my flight and my companion’s flight for a further $59.37. Calculating what I paid to earn the Companion Move plus the taxes and costs I might pay for this flight, I am going to save about $116.

• Monetary breakdown: $442.96 (complete value of my companion’s flight) – $59.37 (what I’ve to pay for the taxes and costs of the flight) – $267 (out-of-pocket value of incomes the Companion Move) = $116.59 (complete financial savings on this itinerary)

And that is not the one journey I wish to take with my two-month Companion Move.

I’m additionally planning a visit to Cancun, Mexico, in February for my companion’s birthday. For February journey dates, flights are upward of $667.03 per particular person. With the Companion Move, we might pay a complete of $862.06 for 2 round-trip flights, or simply $431.03 per particular person.

Since the price of incomes the Companion Move was already factored into the earlier journey’s breakdown, here’s what I might save by reserving this second journey:

• Monetary breakdown: $1,334.06 (complete for 2 round-trip flights to CUN) – $667.03 (value of 1 round-trip flight) – $195.03 (taxes and costs for one round-trip flight to CUN = $472 (complete financial savings on this itinerary).

Subsequently, with two journeys in thoughts, I can doubtlessly save about $588 with my Companion Move.

Associated: Why now’s the most effective time to use for Southwest Airways bank cards

Issues to bear in mind

Although registration for this limited-time Companion Move is not accessible for Speedy Rewards members, Southwest provides an analogous deal a number of instances a yr. Subsequently, when the airline program launches one other promotion, listed below are some extra issues to bear in mind:

Crunch the numbers: Incomes a promotional Southwest Companion Move is nice, however provided that you are planning to make use of it. You probably have no upcoming journeys in thoughts or do not plan to ebook a flight inside the timeframe allotted by the promotional Companion Move, it does not make sense to take a position the money and time to fly to earn such a BOGO deal.

Learn the phrases earlier than reserving: If Southwest provides one other promotional move, ensure you learn the phrases and circumstances earlier than reserving your flight. For instance, Fundamental fares didn’t rely towards this deal.

Ebook award flights: You probably have a stash of Southwest Speedy Rewards factors or Chase Final Rewards factors, which switch to the airline at a 1:1 charge, it can save you much more in your out-of-pocket bills by redeeming factors to your flight. Since award flights are eligible so as to add your designated companion, you may primarily pay simply the taxes and costs when you ebook two one-way flights.

General, the early wakeup time was value it to earn the limited-time Southwest Companion Move, which is able to assist me get monetary savings on future journeys.