Southwest rewards juggling question

[kiramay]

My husband got his SW card first (late ‘16/early ‘17) and collected 50k reward miles. We used almost all of them for our October 2017 flights. Then I signed up under him, got my 50k miles, and have used about a third.

Our next trips are March and December 2019.

Can he transfer his last 5k points to me, and then cancel? And after canceling, when would he be eligible to reapply under a new 40-60k promotion?

Thanks!

 

[Alexle2007]

My husband got his SW card first (late ‘16/early ‘17) and collected 50k reward miles. We used almost all of them for our October 2017 flights. Then I signed up under him, got my 50k miles, and have used about a third.

Our next trips are March and December 2019.

Can he transfer his last 5k points to me, and then cancel? And after canceling, when would he be eligible to reapply under a new 40-60k promotion?

Thanks!

SW charges a fee to transfer points to someone else so that is probably not a very good option for those points. He can cancel the credit card since that has no bearing on the RR points once the points are posted. SW allows you re-earn the bonus every 24 months from when the last bonus is received. Your best bet would be to try for a companion pass. You need 110k RR points in a calendar and then you can have a guest fly free with you. So instead of needing to purchase 2 flights, you purchase one ticket (either OOP or with RR points) and then your companion only pays the taxes for the flight. So instead of say spending 10k points for 2 tickets, you only need to spend 5k and you maximize the use of those points. The easiest way to do this at the moment is by the same person applying for the SW Biz for 60k points and then applying for the SW personal for 50k after meeting the minimum spends. It sounds like your husband is out of the picture for this since it would probably be you that would need to apply. Once you receive the CP is good for the year it is earned plus one year. So if you earn it this year, it will be good until 12/31/19. I just received my CP on 1/17/19 so I have almost 2 years to make use of it.

 

[Judique]

My husband got his SW card first (late ‘16/early ‘17) and collected 50k reward miles. We used almost all of them for our October 2017 flights. Then I signed up under him, got my 50k miles, and have used about a third.

Our next trips are March and December 2019.

Can he transfer his last 5k points to me, and then cancel? And after canceling, when would he be eligible to reapply under a new 40-60k promotion?

Thanks!

If he got his card in late 16 early 2017, he would not be eligible for another bonus until late 2018/early 2019, as there has to be 2 years/or 24 months between applications. You would be later since you signed up under him.

He has a rapid rewards account so does not need to do anything with the points since the credit card can be canceled without affecting the points. He won't lose the points so long as he keeps some activity going on the account, buy something yearly through the portal, for instance.

There is a huge thread called 'I love credit cards so much' with some very nice experts on it. They would probably suggest that if you need more flight credit, sign up for a card that earns rewards that can be transferred to your airline of choice - perhaps a Chase ultimate rewards card - there are several.

Another option is that there is more than one type of Southwest card offered by Chase. There is the regular card with the $69 fee and the Premier with the $99 fee, plus the business card. You may be able to sign up for the two you don't have and get a companion pass, and then take advantage of some other cards offered to increase your perks. Head over to the credit card thread and do some reading and ask for advice there.

 

[supersnoop]

Can he transfer his last 5k points to me, and then cancel?

You can cancel at any time. Once the points are in your southwest account, they’re yours. You don’t have to keep the card open.

 

[hsmamato2]

You can cancel at any time. Once the points are in your southwest account, they’re yours. You don’t have to keep the card open.

this. Many people confuse this, when you earned the points using the credit card, they were sent to your Rapid rewards acct,and they're RR points. you can use them without having a credit card, they're separate.

 

[JessicaW1234]

We are experiencing this now. DH canceled card & there are remaining points in his account. You have 24 months from earning them to use them or lose them, unless you have a qualifying activity. Because you no longer have his card, can't make purchase with card, but there is a Southwest RR portal that you can make a purchase using his account as a "qualifying activity" that extends the life of those points.
Then it is just a matter of using those points - I am going to try to buy one way ticket out of DH's account and use mine for the other tickets.

 

[supersnoop]

We are experiencing this now. DH canceled card & there are remaining points in his account. You have 24 months from earning them to use them or lose them, unless you have a qualifying activity. Because you no longer have his card, can't make purchase with card, but there is a Southwest RR portal that you can make a purchase using his account as a "qualifying activity" that extends the life of those points.
Then it is just a matter of using those points - I am going to try to buy one way ticket out of DH's account and use mine for the other tickets.

Doesn’t using the points qualify as activity?

 

[JessicaW1234]

Doesn’t using the points qualify as activity?

Yes, but not to purchase a flight (which I just found out!) I thought all these times I bought tix stopped the clock, but apparently using points to buy flights does not

 

[Bbbethei]

Couldn't you use the Rapid Rewards shopping portal to make an online purchase? I'm pretty sure I've earned points shopping at places like The Gap and even Target.

 

[JessicaW1234]

Couldn't you use the Rapid Rewards shopping portal to make an online purchase? I'm pretty sure I've earned points shopping at places like The Gap and even Target.

Yes, that's what I had suggested OP do.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Doesn’t using the points qualify as activity?

You need to have some kind of point earning activity to extend the expiration date. As other said, it's pretty easy with the shopping portal. Buy a pack of socks at Kohls.

 

[CouponGirl]

this. Many people confuse this, when you earned the points using the credit card, they were sent to your Rapid rewards acct,and they're RR points. you can use them without having a credit card, they're separate.

That's great to know...they make it sound like you lose them if you close the card.

 

[trenty]

You need to have some kind of point earning activity to extend the expiration date. As other said, it's pretty easy with the shopping portal. Buy a pack of socks at Kohls.

I keep my points "active" by completing erewards surveys. Points go into my RR account every month from this...and it is essentially free points with very little effort -20 minutes or less per day on the days I have time to do the erewards surveys.

 

[supersnoop]

That's great to know...they make it sound like you lose them if you close the card.

You lose any points that haven’t posted yet. That’s what the fine print says.