I missed the SW 60k offer

[DizMe]

Woohoo!!! Got confirmation yesterday that DH's points and CP all went through as planned. It was a beautiful thing to see that "Companion Pass until Dec 31, 2019" message

 

[Wish Upon A Starbucks]

Woohoo!!! Got confirmation yesterday that DH's points and CP all went through as planned. It was a beautiful thing to see that "Companion Pass until Dec 31, 2019" message

Woohoo! Both mine and my DH came through this week too. Many, many thanks to everyone on this thread. I would never have known to do this without this thread. I will think of all of you who answered my questions each time I fly for free over the next two years!!!

 

[1st*toright]

Congrats! We got our CP earlier in the month (was checking obsessively online!) We just got a fancy (and useless) card in the mail too )

 

[Alexle2007]

Just used my RR and CP to book a surprise trip to Universal for DS’s birthday in March. Love that I can do that without hesitating and worrying about the cost

 

[DrFacilier]

Got the Plus and Premier cards a few weeks ago and have almost met the $4000 threshold to get the 50,000 bonus points each. Unfortunately we won't be able to use the CP for our trip in August unless we cut it really close but we are going to book a flight for our family of 4 on the points for a free trip in just a few weeks when our points post! This is our first venture in SW rewards and I couldn't be more excited!

 

[1st*toright]

Got the Plus and Premier cards a few weeks ago and have almost met the $4000 threshold to get the 50,000 bonus points each. Unfortunately we won't be able to use the CP for our trip in August unless we cut it really close but we are going to book a flight for our family of 4 on the points for a free trip in just a few weeks when our points post! This is our first venture in SW rewards and I couldn't be more excited!

So, if you book using the points and subsequently get the companion pass (say, in July), you can cancel one of the tickets purchased with points and re-book it as a companion ticket. The points will go back into your account. As long as there are still seats available on the flight, you should be able to do this switch. I had booked tickets (with cash) months ago, then got the CP. I was able to call and get them to refund one of my tickets (or at least, put the money into a "travel bank" that can be reused by the traveler whose ticket was cancelled (only that particular traveler)) and rebook it using the CP. I paid for early bird check in originally, and I had to pay for it again, because that couldn't be transferred over, but for $30, I was able to recoup what I had previously paid. Fortunately, I have another trip coming up where I could use up most of the travel bank funds (they expire 1 year from the original booking). My understanding is that all of this is even easier if you originally purchase on points.

I called SW to do all of this - they were super helpful and patient over the phone as we did all this changing around.

 

[DrFacilier]

So, if you book using the points and subsequently get the companion pass (say, in July), you can cancel one of the tickets purchased with points and re-book it as a companion ticket. The points will go back into your account. As long as there are still seats available on the flight, you should be able to do this switch. I had booked tickets (with cash) months ago, then got the CP. I was able to call and get them to refund one of my tickets (or at least, put the money into a "travel bank" that can be reused by the traveler whose ticket was cancelled (only that particular traveler)) and rebook it using the CP. I paid for early bird check in originally, and I had to pay for it again, because that couldn't be transferred over, but for $30, I was able to recoup what I had previously paid. Fortunately, I have another trip coming up where I could use up most of the travel bank funds (they expire 1 year from the original booking). My understanding is that all of this is even easier if you originally purchase on points.

I called SW to do all of this - they were super helpful and patient over the phone as we did all this changing around.

Wow. That's great to know. I had no idea. Thanks so much!!!

 

[clutter]

Does anyone know if you can get the bonus miles if you've been referred by someone? I want to refer someone to get the extra miles, but only if she can get the 50,000 miles out there.

Thanks!

 

[Alexle2007]

Does anyone know if you can get the bonus miles if you've been referred by someone? I want to refer someone to get the extra miles, but only if she can get the 50,000 miles out there.

Thanks!

I just pulled up my referral links for the Plus and the Premier and they were both for 50k. So you should be fine referring her.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I just received my Southwest RR credit card....thanks everyone! But I'm having trouble finding if I need to spend $2,000 or $3,000 in the first 3 months.

 

[DrFacilier]

I just received my Southwest RR credit card....thanks everyone! But I'm having trouble finding if I need to spend $2,000 or $3,000 in the first 3 months.

The plus and premier personal cards are $2000 within the first 3 mos business is $3000.

 

[phewms]

Is the deal with the cards and Companion Pass over?

 

[DrFacilier]

Is the deal with the cards and Companion Pass over?

Just checked the SW Chase website. Looks like it is still active for now. Each card gets 50,000 and the Business gets 60,000 bonus points. It isn't the 60,000 (for personal cards) deal that was available a little while ago though so you have to spend $6,000 more ($10,000 total) to get the CP.

 

[phewms]

Just checked the SW Chase website. Looks like it is still active for now. Each card gets 50,000 and the Business gets 60,000 bonus points. It isn't the 60,000 (for personal cards) deal that was available a little while ago though so you have to spend $6,000 more ($10,000 total) to get the CP.

Thank you. How long is the companion pass good for?

 

[DrFacilier]

Thank you. How long is the companion pass good for?

It is good from when you receive it until the end of 2019. You get the rest of the current calendar year plus the following year.

 

[nkereina]

Can someone walk me through how one becomes eligible for the companion pass by taking advantage of these points bonuses? Or if there is a post that outlines this, please direct me. I'm anxious to jump in and short on time to research!

I understand the 60K points offer is no longer available, and that you have to reach 110K points to earn a CP - how long do you have to reach 110K points in? And how does one take advantage of a 50K points bonus if they are not opening a business card? Do they open a plus AND premier card - can you do that at the same time?

Thanks for the help!

 

[bashuck]

Can someone walk me through how one becomes eligible for the companion pass by taking advantage of these points bonuses? Or if there is a post that outlines this, please direct me. I'm anxious to jump in and short on time to research!

I understand the 60K points offer is no longer available, and that you have to reach 110K points to earn a CP - how long do you have to reach 110K points in? And how does one take advantage of a 50K points bonus if they are not opening a business card? Do they open a plus AND premier card - can you do that at the same time?

Thanks for the help!

You don't have to get the business card, but some combination of 2 Southwest Cards (getting a Sapphire card that while you can use the points for flying SW do not count towards the CP). Or you'd have to spend 60k on purchases if just getting one card. Otherwise you get up to an entire year to get to the 110k, it just just the sooner in the year you get it the better as the pass is good for the rest of the year you qualify and the following year. Getting it in Feb/March is much better than November as you have it for that much longer.

 

[DrFacilier]

Can someone walk me through how one becomes eligible for the companion pass by taking advantage of these points bonuses? Or if there is a post that outlines this, please direct me. I'm anxious to jump in and short on time to research!

I understand the 60K points offer is no longer available, and that you have to reach 110K points to earn a CP - how long do you have to reach 110K points in? And how does one take advantage of a 50K points bonus if they are not opening a business card? Do they open a plus AND premier card - can you do that at the same time?

Thanks for the help!

Yes. You apply for the plus and then the premier immediately after (or the other way around). These links explain it pretty well:

https://wallethacks.com/how-to-earn-a-southwest-companion-pass-without-spending-110000

Or

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/earn-southwest-companion-pass-new-year/

 

[Alexle2007]

Can someone walk me through how one becomes eligible for the companion pass by taking advantage of these points bonuses? Or if there is a post that outlines this, please direct me. I'm anxious to jump in and short on time to research!

I understand the 60K points offer is no longer available, and that you have to reach 110K points to earn a CP - how long do you have to reach 110K points in? And how does one take advantage of a 50K points bonus if they are not opening a business card? Do they open a plus AND premier card - can you do that at the same time?

Thanks for the help!

The easiest way to obtain CP via the CC sign-up bonuses. The personal CCs are offering 50k and the business is 60k.

I personally would go the business and one personal route so you get CP easier.
You will need to be 0/30 (no credit card apps in the last 30 days) and under 5/24 (less than 5 new Personal CCs (not just Chase) in the last 2 years).

You would first apply for the business card and wait for it to be approved before applying for the personal card. Most people get the 30 day message, you can call recon to try to push it through but the general advice is to wait it out since most are typically approved. Just keep calling the status line for an update. The 7-10 day message is typically a sign it was not approved. You can wait for the letter to see why or call recon.

Now that you have your business card, you apply for a personal card (you new Biz card will not count towards 5/24). Hope for instant approval, if not I would call recon at this point to try and push it through. It might be as simple as moving credit around.

Now you have both cards, you quickly meet spend so you can have CP for as long as possible through 12/31/19. If you are waiting until later in the year for 19/20, the advice is slightly different since the 110k points need to be in the same calendar year. 1/1 they start clean.

 

[nkereina]

Yes. You apply for the plus and then the premier immediately after (or the other way around). These links explain it pretty well:

https://wallethacks.com/how-to-earn-a-southwest-companion-pass-without-spending-110000

Or

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/earn-southwest-companion-pass-new-year/

Thanks all for the information! So helpful! In one of the above links, the blogger says they've had a CP for the last 3 years. How does one retain the CP beyond the initial timeframe that it's granted from the sign up bonuses? Do you need to earn 110K rapid rewards points each calendar year to keep it? That sounds like either a lot of spending on the SW cards or a lot of SW flights in a year.

The easiest way to obtain CP via the CC sign-up bonuses. The personal CCs are offering 50k and the business is 60k.

I personally would go the business and one personal route so you get CP easier.
You will need to be 0/30 (no credit card apps in the last 30 days) and under 5/24 (less than 5 new Personal CCs (not just Chase) in the last 2 years).

You would first apply for the business card and wait for it to be approved before applying for the personal card. Most people get the 30 day message, you can call recon to try to push it through but the general advice is to wait it out since most are typically approved. Just keep calling the status line for an update. The 7-10 day message is typically a sign it was not approved. You can wait for the letter to see why or call recon.

Now that you have your business card, you apply for a personal card (you new Biz card will not count towards 5/24). Hope for instant approval, if not I would call recon at this point to try and push it through. It might be as simple as moving credit around.

Now you have both cards, you quickly meet spend so you can have CP for as long as possible through 12/31/19. If you are waiting until later in the year for 19/20, the advice is slightly different since the 110k points need to be in the same calendar year. 1/1 they start clean.

Thanks for this explanation. What criteria is required to get a business card? I don't have a business of my own, or a need for a business card frankly. I did read in one of the above links that one can apply for an EIN without a legitimate business but it seems sketchy.

On a related note, this may be a dumb question but I need to clarify - once one has the SW card, are the points that accumulate on it just standard Rapid Rewards points that would show up on my RR account? For instance, if I earn 50K points from the sign up bonus, can I redeem those points to use towards a flight like I would "normal" RR points earned from purchasing flights? Or is it a lesser calculation that's used for the CC points?

Last question for now! Are any points earned for a balance transfer? I did read that the 50K bonus can't be obtained through a balance transfer and it has to be new spend, but if I did a balance transfer, would I earn points from that?

Thanks again!