Chase Southwest Visa Annual Fee Questions

[sookie]

Hi,
I signed up for the Southwest Visa during the current promotion for 50,000 points.
However, I thought that the annual fee was waived for the first year, and then at the end of the first year I would be charged the annual fee (but in exchange for that, some points would be added onto the account). I got the card and on my online account I'm already being charged the annual fee - and have no points at all on my account!
Is this the way the account usually works? I just got off the phone with a rep who said that this was the way it usually does work (charged the fee when the account was opened), but I thought for sure that the link I went through said that the fee was waived for the first year. I know many cards do charge their fee upfront, but many don't (several of mine did not). I thought that this card was pretty specific in that it didn't do this, especially since you have to spend the 2k on the card listed in the promo before you could access the 50,000 points in place. I'm googling to try to the promo now, but I was just curious what other disboarders had experienced. The rep said he had been there at Chase for 5 years and had never seen the fee waived as part of a promotion for the first year in any of the offers or promos for Southwest. I asked to have it waived and of course, he refused, saying it was part of the Southwest contract. If I contact them again I would want to make sure I am not in the wrong because of my memory. Thanks!

 

[ellone]

I have never seen the annual fee waived on the 50K promotion with Southwest. I'm looking at the signup page right now and it states right near the top that the annual fee applies.

 

[sookie]

I have never seen the annual fee waived on the 50K promotion with Southwest. I'm looking at the signup page right now and it states right near the top that the annual fee applies.

Cool. Then it is my confusion. That makes me feel better. It is just that my other cards usually waive for the first year then apply after. When I went to my online accounts and saw initial charges already I was like "wah"? In the end, the discounted tickets will be worth it.

 

[dminnie]

Yes, they do charge it the first year (many other cards waive it but not this one). We charged everything our first billing month (car repair, Dr. bills, etc.) and got the 50,000 points just a couple of days after we paid the bill. A few days after that we booked our flights. We got 3 roundtrip/non-stop flights out of it! I figured that even with the $99 fee, we saved about $850 on our flights!

At renewal, they will give you 6000 points, which is said to be worth about $100. If you plan to keep the card, the fee would be a wash each year.

 

[ibob52]

SWA 50,000 points equal $840.00 ... which is a fair promo incentive.

While new customers would like a free year ... $840.00 is adequate

and that is what Chase is offering ... Positively: no first year fee - waved.

I do understand your thought process though ... if you missed this fact

and were convinced otherwise (in error).