Southwest Visa 50,000 offer - worth it? Use points for family airfare?

[JenB1104]

So, if I get the rapid rewards visa with the 50,000 points offer is it worth it to pay the 99.00 annual fee? Can I cancel after 1 year if I don't continue flying enough to make it worth it? Can I use the points to pay for my airfare and daughter's or only mine? I usually avoid at all costs credit cards with annual fees.

 

[chivi50]

So, if I get the rapid rewards visa with the 50,000 points offer is it worth it to pay the 99.00 annual fee? Can I cancel after 1 year if I don't continue flying enough to make it worth it? Can I use the points to pay for my airfare and daughter's or only mine? I usually avoid at all costs credit cards with annual fees.

We got the card last year and used the miles to purchase 4 rt tickets to Florida for a DCL cruise for our family. No issues. We made the mistake of using it as a credit card in the beginning so we have a balance. However, I'm now using it on all purchases but paying off the exact amount I charged each week. I'm averaging 3-5k miles per month, however it takes time to track your purchases and pay it off to avoid interest.

 

[jimandami]

For us, it has definitely been worth it. Last year, I applied for the signature Visa and the business Visa, both at 50,000 bonus points. This gave me the companion pass for last year and this year. Recently, I applied for the standard card, with the 50,000 point offer. Once I get 14,000 more points, I will have a companion pass for next year also. We use the card for pretty much all purchases and pay off the balance every month. We also take advantage of e-rewards and the shopping portal on the SW site, making it easy to get more points. Since last year, we have flown 5 of us to Orlando RT, 3 of us to DC RT, 2 of us to Orlando RT, 4 of us to Ft. Lauderdale RT, and one person to Chicago RT. I still have well over 100,000 points. As far as the $99 fee, you do receive 6,000 points on your anniversary so it's pretty much a wash.

 

[kathy884]

Southwest is the biggest carrier in our area and this card even with the 99 annual fee and no freebies was a much better deal for me than my no fee any airline point credit card that I was currently using. With the freebies I earn and the charging we do, crunching the numbers I was coming out about $300 ahead a year. The extra 50,000 was simply the motivator for me to sign up. Also the card with the higher fee the $99 has no foreign transactions fees -- If you do any foreign travel those 3% fees can really add up, so you want a card that doesn't have those fees. This one fits the bill./ I've seen it listed in some of the best credit card reward cards list too, so some experts came up with the same conclusion I did -- it's a pretty decent card.

We always pay off card every month and only charge things for things that are already budgeted, just use them for charging convenience.

And for me -- freebie air is just such a fun award.

 

[canyoncam]

Another thing is you can get the card and the bonus points then cancel. After 24 months you are eligible to receive the bonus points again if you sign up again. I also check every day when I have a flight booked with points and if it goes down in points change flights with no fee saving the points. I have not paid for a Southwest flight in three years!!!

 

[bjscheel]

I love it. First DH and I each got a 50,000 card. We closed his because I wanted to concentrate on having all the points in one account. We flew our family of 4 to California on points the first year. It was awesome booking with points- that first trip I switched things all around after the initial booking and it was so easy with points going in/out of the account. When fares go down or you make changes, points go back into the account and no credits/deadlines to worry about.

We had some points left over and DH charges a lot for his business so we flew on points again to Florida in 2014. Beginning of 2015 I signed up for another 50,000 card in my name and we flew to Utah earlier this month. I still have 76000 points to fly on next year. We earn 2000-4000 a month on the cards and 600-1200 a month on e-Rewards. I figure if I don't get any more bonuses, we'll still be able to fly every other year based on cc usage and the surveys.

So we are pretty committed to this card and have so far gotten 12 round trip tickets for just the cost of our annual fees, but I say it's still worth it to get once, use the points and close it if you don't think you'll earn fast enough for the future.

 

[hsmamato2]

Yes it is worth $99...just do the math- how much does ONE airline ticket cost on average? ok, well 50k points on Southwest will take you a lot of places for that $99....and if you use it as a credit card (pay it off each month) to get more points then you have lots of options for that $99.... as another pp mentioned the companion pass(incredible) plus on the SWA site there are multiple options for redemption ,like hotels, theme park tickets,etc etc if you don't want to fly somewhere.

 

[sydneysmom]

we love this card. Initially we got it and cancelled our Disney Visa, and we were not going to keep it, but so far we have gotten 6 round trip tickets from it. I shop through Rapid Rewards Shopping, which adds to your Southwest Points and I also do surveys through E-Rewards and cash that in for SW points. The points add up QUICK. I digress though...... as for the card, we don't run a balance. We pay it off each month and for us, it's been awesome. I use it for utilities, food shopping, entertainment, everything. Then I keep an envelope marked CHASE. (we do the Dave Ramsey system so we've got all our stuff in envelopes) Every time we put something on Chase, the case from that envelope goes into the Chase envelope. (movies, dining, food shopping, DirecTv, etc) So you wind up building points on stuff you have to pay every month anyway.

This year we're using our points for Cape Cod to see my family. We paid $33 total for 3 tix. (tax, 9-11 fee) The tickets were going to be $1350. So I would say the $ 99 annual fee more than pays it's way. We have almost 55,000 points still (from the card, surveys and rapid rewards shopping).....we're saving the points for 2017 for Universal and possible another Cape Cod trip. All in all, it's TOTALLY worth it, at least for us.

 

[tink9702]

does anyone know how soon you can fly after getting the card? We aren't traveling until September 2016 but I don't want to wait too late to get the credit card and not have the 50,000 bonus going on. thoughts on when to apply? We also don't travel by plane yearly. Course then again maybe I would if it just cost me $99 plus about $40 in tax. ha ha

 

[robinb]

I am planning to spend my 50K points right now. I'm going to get 3 RT tickets out of them for $99. Darn right it's worth it!

 

[hollypoast]

Another, YES. We did this the year before last using the method described here-- http://millionmilesecrets.com/2012/11/14/southwest-companion-pass-2/ We ended up with 110,000 points and a companion pass for 21 months. Its a little bit of work (i had to put an excel spreadsheet together to keep track of spending to ensure we reached the minimum) but it was so worth it. Since then we have cancelled one of the cards since we obviously do not need two. Good luck! I hope it works out for you.

 

[JenB1104]

Another, YES. We did this the year before last using the method described here-- http://millionmilesecrets.com/2012/11/14/southwest-companion-pass-2/ We ended up with 110,000 points and a companion pass for 21 months. Its a little bit of work (i had to put an excel spreadsheet together to keep track of spending to ensure we reached the minimum) but it was so worth it. Since then we have cancelled one of the cards since we obviously do not need two. Good luck! I hope it works out for you.

That is exactly what I am doing! I just got approval on the second personal card so we can get the 100,000 points plus and the companion pass. Thanks!

 

[hollypoast]

That is exactly what I am doing! I just got approval on the second personal card so we can get the 100,000 points plus and the companion pass. Thanks!

Cool It's a lot of work but so worth it! Our family of five used the points & companion pass for a trip to Arizona, my hubby and I went to Seattle Washington, my daughter and I on a girls trip to Disney and six of us are going to Disney in October. We have only had to pay for 2 one way tickets for this last trip. Wish I could afford to go more but still feel very fortunate to have gotten so much travel out of these points and the companion pass. (26 one-way flights total!!!) Our companion pass expires in December.

Enjoy!

 

[a742246]

I agree with everyone else. Also with SW RR points you have added benefits such as canceling your flights penalty free!

 

[hsmamato2]

To a pp- if you are considering getting this card,and know your general trip dates go ahead and do it, IMHO it can take a bit to get the points,depending on you. First you apply for the card- then wait for it to arrive- then you have reach minimum spend,then the statement has to close after that, then you see the points-anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months-since it has to be done within 3 months.but you get the points after you do all that.

 

[robinb]

We got the card and spent $3K on it right away. The points were in my Southwest account before we received our first bill.

 

[bcbmommy]

If we're signing my husband up for a business and premier visa, can we put my RR number on them, or does it need to be his?

 

[hollypoast]

If we're signing my husband up for a business and premier visa, can we put my RR number on them, or does it need to be his?

Seems to me that when we did this it had to be his account. (couldn't link it to mine) Hopefully someone else can pipe in and confirm. Otherwise, read through the process on millionmilesecrets.com. They probably answers this question.

 

[bcbmommy]

Seems to me that when we did this it had to be his account. (couldn't link it to mine) Hopefully someone else can pipe in and confirm. Otherwise, read through the process on millionmilesecrets.com. They probably answers this question.

Thank you!!

 

[psimon]

We got the card last year and used the miles to purchase 4 rt tickets to Florida for a DCL cruise for our family. No issues. We made the mistake of using it as a credit card in the beginning so we have a balance. However, I'm now using it on all purchases but paying off the exact amount I charged each week. I'm averaging 3-5k miles per month, however it takes time to track your purchases and pay it off to avoid interest.

Not sure I understand the statement "it takes time to track purchases..."

You get a bill, you pay it in full. It's all printed on the bill when it comes. Why do you need to track anything?

---Paul in Southern NJ