I apologize I'm just getting to this now but I felt this post warranted an update since the dates, offers, etc. were all outdated and I want to add up to date content in the new "Advanced Strategies" thread when I do a refresh. Also, with just 5 weeks left on the elevated offers, this might be of importance as some people consider their next card.
An UPDATED Fireside Chat with SouthFayetteFan on the Southwest Companion Pass
If you've been in this game for even a short time, you've probably heard by now that one of the best benefits in all of churning is the Southwest "SW" Companion Pass "CP" (for those who looking to travel domestically or other nearby destinations that live near an airport serviced by Southwest). I plan to share some comments here on the "DOs and DON'Ts of the CP.
BEFORE I START – A QUICK DISCLAIMER: If you have questions about the SW CP – please share them either here or on DISchurners. Don’t call Chase, Don’t call Southwest, Don’t ask on random blogs. There is a lot of bad advice and misunderstanding that goes around with this one so come to the EXPERTS for help!
What is it the Southwest Companion Pass and how do I earn it? Let’s start with a simple explanation on how this all works…
Paraphrased from the
Southwest Website:
- CP allows you to choose one person to fly with you, free of charge (except for the $5.60 fee) every time you purchase or redeem points for a flight.
- You qualify by either (a) fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or (b) earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year
- Once you qualify for the CP, you will have it for the remainder of that calendar year and ALL of the following calendar year.
- Keep in mind that the value of the CP is both nothing and infinite… “Huh??” … What I mean is that if you never use it, it will be worth nothing to you. And if you used it every day it would have an insane value. It’s hard to put a number on it, but if you aren’t planning to fly Southwest multiple times while holding your CP, it’s possible that it’s not even a good strategy for you. It only saves you money (or points) if you use it!
For purposes of this write-up we will solely be focusing on the 125,000 points option. If you’re flying 100 one-way flights a year already then you don’t need my help here, haha!
- Not ALL points earned will qualify. Of note, transfers from Ultimate rewards DO NOT qualify. Also, transfers from hotel programs such as Marriott or Choice DO NOT qualify. You cannot earn a CP from transferring points so don’t try it. If you see an article that recommends this it’s either OLD or you should never trust that source again! For more details on what does or does not qualify see this page on the Southwest website.
- Points that do qualify include points from flying, SW shopping portal, certain partners like rental cars, and of course the CHASE CREDIT CARDS!
- So the easy answer to qualifying for the CP is to earn 125k SW points from their Chase credit card lineup.
When is the best time to earn the CP? What can go wrong???
This is always a big focus in the fall and winter because of what was said before:
Once you qualify for the CP, you will have it for the remainder of that calendar year and ALL of the following calendar year. Because of this, people attempt to earn the CP as early in the year as possible. You can have your CP for as little as 13 months and as much as 23 months. Of course 23 is > 13 so most people want that.
- It’s important to note that your CP is only good if you plan to use it. If you DO NOT have any flights planned until April of the next year, earning it in January or February isn’t necessary. It’s crazy but every year I encounter people trying to earn the CP as quick as possible who don’t even have a flight to use it until June (so don't stress out too much!).
- It is VERY difficult to earn the CP to cover a flight in January. You can try for this but it might be stressful and/or not work out so don’t set yourself up for disappointment.
- So if you’re trying to earn the CP early in the year you’ll end up applying for cards late in the prior year or early in January. It is perfectly ok to apply prior to the end of the year, BUT you must understand all the potential pitfalls.
- There are some good (but old) writeups on r/churning that address these potential pitfalls here and here. Some of the info in there isn’t 100% accurate but the examples of what can go wrong are spot on. I’d focus on those! Things can and will go wrong if you don't understand how this works...and we CANNOT help you fix it if your points post at the wrong time!!
- Most notably in that write-up it cites that you have 115 days to meet the MSR. That might be outdated info now and it seems Chase only gives 3 months from approval now. Do not mess up your CP strategy by counting on 115 days!!
- Remember, you CANNOT have your bonus post in 20220 and have it count towards a 2021 CP – do not mess this up. For most people it’s easiest to just wait and meet the MSR on Jan 1 to avoid any stress around this issue. (This comment may not be applicable based on when you're reading this, but leaving it here for future reference).
Specifically how should I go about earning my CP???
There’s basically 3 strategies here which may or may not get you all 125k points - So make sure you do your math based on the current offers available:
- TWO Southwest Business Cards
- TWO Southwest Personal Cards which must be done via a MDD
- ONE Southwest Business Card and ONE Southwest Personal Card
I note that 2 personals must be done via MDD. That’s because Chase added a “One Southwest Personal Card Rule” in April of 2018 which states: This product is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapids Rewards® Credit Card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.
Here are my two top strategies for pursuing the CP in 2021.
- 2 Business Cards. The reason for this is because there currently is NOT a “One Southwest Business Card Rule” BUT they could add that at any time. And if you get both business cards now, it would leave both SW personal cards (via a MDD) as a future strategy for a CP down the line. We don’t know what the future holds but 24+ months is a long time and a lot can change. For those that like the CP, you know that it’s best to try to earn it every 2 years. Doing 2 business cards now will likely leave you with the most flexibility in the future. It's also worth noting that some people struggle to get biz cards, so there is some risk here.
If you are doing the 2 biz cards path, your problem is that they will need to be spread out. We typically advise spacing out biz apps by 3 months but in this instance 2 is probably fine if your pacing has been good up to this point. Feel free to ask any questions about the exact card timing and plan here or on the DIS.
- 2 Chase Personal Cards via a MDD. When the Chase personal cards are showing elevated offers this can be a great path to the SW CP as well. Remember, this must be done via a MDD due to the aforementioned "One Southwest Personal Card Rule". If you are unsure of how to do a MDD consult DISchurners OR ask for help! This is a more attractive option than one biz and one personal because it ALSO leaves you with more flexibility down the line.
What credit card offers are out there???
Currently there are a ton of great offers out there on the Chase Southwest credit card lineup with a stated "apply by 2/8/2021" showing on the
support links.
Here is a quick recap:
1) Chase Southwest Personal Cards; 3 options - Plus, Premier, Priority: Offer details =
Earn up to 80,000 SW RR points. Earn 50,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
PLUS, earn an additional 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 total in the first 9 months.
This is an ALL-TIME HIGH offer on these cards.
2) Chase Southwest PERFORMANCE Business Card -
Earn up to 100,000 SW RR points. Earn 70,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
PLUS, earn an additional 30,000 points after you spend $25,000 total in the first 6 months.
3) Chase Southwest PREMIER Business Card -
Earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
IF using a support link, make sure to hit APPLY on the correct card.
Also worth noting, each of these offers shows an additional kicker:
PLUS earn 5 points per $1 spent on up to $2,000 per month in Southwest purchases between in Jan/Feb/Mar.
Am I eligible for the sign-up bonus???
Do not lose track of the eligibility requirements on all of the SW cards! If you earned a bonus on a SW card in the past 24 months then you are not eligible for certain cards. I always base the 24 months on the DATE that the points POSTED into your SW RR account - that is the date that matters, not when you applied, and not when you met your MSR! Here are some more specific restrictions:
- IF you earned a signup bonus on ANY SW PERSONAL CARD in the past 24 months then you ARE NOT eligible for a bonus on ANY SW Personal Card (not just the card you signed up for, but ALL SW personal cards).
- IF you earned a signup bonus on A SW PREMIER BIZ CARD in the past 24 months then you ARE NOT eligible for a bonus on the SW Premier Biz Card (but you could get a SW Performance Biz).
- IF you earned a signup bonus on A SW PERFORMANCE BIZ CARD in the past 24 months then you ARE NOT eligible for a bonus on the SW Performance Biz Card (but you could get a SW Premier Biz).
In all of these scenarios, once the 24 months have passed since you earned your bonus, then you are eligible again for the cards under that scenario.
