Need a Southwest card/points primer

[phorsenuf]

That link does go to a 50K premier for 50K link

BUT the currrent online premier/plus/business offer is 25K

"I already have a premier card but would like to get another for the 50,000 points which will qualify me for the companion pass (though I wish I could wait until January so I could get 2 years out of it!)
I know you can apply for a plus card, or a premier card in a business name."

"If you get a referral from a current cardholder, you can currently get the 50,000"

My online research only shows 2500 per referral.

You cannot wait until January--you must earn the 100K within one calender year. If you have earned 50K + 2K this year, you need to earn 58K more before the end of this year...and then the companion pass is good through the end of next year.

I know I need to do it prior to January, I was just wishing I could wait.
I already have enough points in my account that if I add the 50,000 + 2,000 it would put me over the 110K mark.

 

[KKB]

I know I need to do it prior to January, I was just wishing I could wait.
I already have enough points in my account that if I add the 50,000 + 2,000 it would put me over the 110K mark.

They do this promo several times a year; I'd check every week & see if it pops up again!!

 

[ceecee]

I have the $69 annual fee (plus card?) I am thinking of getting the $99 (premier)but it says you only get the bonus points if you haven't gotten them for 24 months. I just got my 50,000 in May of this year so would I still get them for this month? Are they considered two separate cards? AND one more question would the companion fares be good for the next yr 2015 as well as the rest of this year?

 

[Gillyrose779]

I have the $69 annual fee (plus card?) I am thinking of getting the $99 (premier)but it says you only get the bonus points if you haven't gotten them for 24 months. I just got my 50,000 in May of this year so would I still get them for this month? Are they considered two separate cards? AND one more question would the companion fares be good for the next yr 2015 as well as the rest of this year?

I'm not sure is you can go from plus to premier and get the points but you should be able to by getting a business card. You don't even need to have a business to qualify.

If you get the 110,000 by the end of 2014 the companion pass is good until end of 2015.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I have the $69 annual fee (plus card?) I am thinking of getting the $99 (premier)but it says you only get the bonus points if you haven't gotten them for 24 months. I just got my 50,000 in May of this year so would I still get them for this month? Are they considered two separate cards? AND one more question would the companion fares be good for the next yr 2015 as well as the rest of this year?

Chase recently changed their terms for the bonus saying you're eligible for one first time personal and one first time business.

However, all 4 cards used to be considered separate cards and people have reported getting the bonus on both personal cards after the terms change. YMMV

 

[Gillyrose779]

I said this on another thread I think. While I was on a sw flight I saw is you go to southwest.com/inflight and sign up for the premier card you can get 50,000 points right now--/ or you can call 866.836.7323

 

[mum of two pirates]

So I haven't read anything about the pas, what can you tell me about it? I also didn't get a referral link for the bonus points, I got a bunch of post cards like things with numbers on them to give to people so they could get the 50,000 bonus.

 

[jimandami]

You qualify for a companion pass if you earn at least 110,000 SW points in a calendar year. If you qualify, the pass is good for the remainder of that year and the entire next year. With the pass, your designated companion can fly free with you anytime you fly, whether it is booked on points or with cash. You can change your companion up to 3 times during the time you have the pass. HTH.

 

[mum of two pirates]

If I would have known that I would have used it all year instead of my disney card. Darn it I would have been there already and I would have been pushing my referrals out the door with every person that came in it. Oh well maybe nex t time round. Thanks anyway. I think that's awsome you get to use free flights all year. Thanks for the info. So my referrals are only good tell the end of the month can I get more that will be good to give out untill the end of the year and if my dh were to get one would it count if I Transfure his points into my account?

 

[davedmaine]

Points do not expire as long as you have some sort of activity on your account every 24 months, which is pretty easy to do. As far as getting two cards and the companion pass, it is also pretty easy to do. However, if possible, I would wait until January (I'm not sure when are travelling) because then you could get the companion pass for almost the 2 full years. If you get one this late in the year, it will only be good for 15-16 months.

Not sure where you're getting your info, but it's not that easy to earn the Companion Pass. You have to have 110,000 points which basically means you've charged over $100,000 on the card. It can be done (I have one), but I don't know how anyone could possibly earn Companion Pass status the first month of the year.

 

[peel]

Not sure where you're getting your info, but it's not that easy to earn the Companion Pass. You have to have 110,000 points which basically means you've charged over $100,000 on the card. It can be done (I have one), but I don't know how anyone could possibly earn Companion Pass status the first month of the year.

But by signing up for both cards when they have their 50K Point promotion and spending (and hopefully paying off) $2K on each in the first few months, you've already got 100K points. It's really in the first 2 years of having the cards that it's easy to get a companion pass.

 

[Gillyrose779]

There are sssoooo many other ways to get sw rewards other than just using the card. Too many to put here so just google it. There are a lot if great articles out there.

 

[davedmaine]

But by signing up for both cards when they have their 50K Point promotion and spending (and hopefully paying off) $2K on each in the first few months, you've already got 100K points. It's really in the first 2 years of having the cards that it's easy to get a companion pass.

I thought SW put an end to that?
Also, folks should keep in mind that they're hurting their credit scores by applying for the additional card; so to save a couple hundred on a flight, you might be spending a few extra thousand on the next big purchase..

 

[jimandami]

Not sure where you're getting your info, but it's not that easy to earn the Companion Pass. You have to have 110,000 points which basically means you've charged over $100,000 on the card. It can be done (I have one), but I don't know how anyone could possibly earn Companion Pass status the first month of the year.

Yes, as the others said, it is quite easy to earn those points without charging $100,000. I also have one and earned it in about 8-10 weeks with the premier card with 50,000 bonus and the business card with 50,000 bonus. It would have been faster but I waited a bit to get the business card. You could easily do it in a month. If you have no other credit cards open, it doesn't hurt your score much to open 2.

 

[KKB]

I thought SW put an end to that?
Also, folks should keep in mind that they're hurting their credit scores by applying for the additional card; so to save a couple hundred on a flight, you might be spending a few extra thousand on the next big purchase..

Just did it in August.

We just used the cards for EVERYTHING instead of debit--kept track so we knew & paid it off every month.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I thought SW put an end to that? Also, folks should keep in mind that they're hurting their credit scores by applying for the additional card; so to save a couple hundred on a flight, you might be spending a few extra thousand on the next big purchase..

This isn't necessarily true. Yes the hard hit makes your credit dip by a few points for awhile but if you're responsible your score usually goes higher due to having a lower debt to credit ratio and percentage of credit used.

Lots of people who play the miles and points game on cards have had the scores go up. It's something to think about if in the next year or so you're applying for a big loan.

 

[hsmamato2]

The swa cc are great..great deal,great services. The companion pass is awesome. Let's do an example....
Let's say its Jan. 15,2014. I apply for swa basic card,with a 69.00 annual fee,and a 50k bonus - I reach my min. Spend,pay it off in full in Feb. 2014, when statement closes. 8 get 50k points in my rapid rewards acct. March 2014, I apply for and get the swa card with the 99.00 fee....and 50k bonus offer. Reach min. Spend,and pay in full in April of 2014, as in previous month.
BOTH of these cards are mine,in my name,same rr. Acct. I now have 104,000 points in my swa rapid rewards acct. I use one of those cards for everything, and spend another 6k by August 2014- statement closes,and I now have 110,000 points in my rr acct. I automatically get the companion pass,which is valid until the end of the NEXT calendar year. (dec. 2015) yes,the NEXT. Calendar year end. I name my DH as my companion....then I use my rr points to book my flights,and my dh's flights I book using that companion pass,till Dec. 2015.
All this spending MUST occur within ONE calendar year.(Jan-Dec)
So total out of pocket is 168.00..... Plus using the cc's for ALL regular spending anyway. If I plan well that is 1000's of dollars saved in free travel.
This is an EXAMPLE....what you could do,if your circumstances/ credit/payscheck works with this, (never ever carry a balance,which diminishes the returns)
Even just ONE swa cc is valuable. 50k points takes a family of 4 to Orlando at least once r/t, minimum.

 

[ceecee]

I got mine in April and already used most of the 50,000 points in July for a flight. I am thinking of getting the SW business and get a companion pass but in 2015 we will probably only fly two times so I'm debating if it's worth it. DH doesn't have one in his name yet, so may be better to wait til January and see if they have an offer then.

 

[nickle831]

I said this on another thread I think. While I was on a sw flight I saw is you go to southwest.com/inflight and sign up for the premier card you can get 50,000 points right now--/ or you can call 866.836.7323

When I go to this link it takes me to the page that says 50,000 points, but when I click on the apply now button it doesn't show the. Number of points you will earn on the application page. Has anyone that has used this link confirm you earn the 50,000 points? Thanks

 

[jessiesgurl]

When I go to this link it takes me to the page that says 50,000 points, but when I click on the apply now button it doesn't show the. Number of points you will earn on the application page. Has anyone that has used this link confirm you earn the 50,000 points? Thanks

Yes, I used the same link & I got the points. FYI, the T&C for the points doesn't show up in the chase section for your CC, you will need to call SW if you need additional confirmation of the points/spend requirement (or are just paranoid like I am )