The Southwest Airlines credit card keeps on going back and forth between 25,000 points and 50,000 points after meeting the minimum spend requirements. As of right now, the card is currently offering 50,000 points after meeting the minimum spend requirement within the first three months (for all three cards). Typically we see this “enhanced offer” about 3-4 times a year.
If you’ve been following this blog you know that I am a huge fan of Southwest! One of the main reasons is due to the Companion Pass where a companion can fly with you for free (plus the minimal taxes per segment). This is not a one time companion pass, but gives unlimited usage! It lasts for remainder of the year you earn the pass plus the entire following year. You can read more about getting the Southwest Companion pass by applying for these credit cards here. Keep in mind though, if you are already a card holder, Chase will only allow you to have two Southwest co-branded credit cards open at a given time. Additionally, in the terms they state that you are only eligible for the new bonus two years after closing your card. But your experience might be better!
What are Southwest points worth?
For those who are new to Southwest, if you are applying during a 50,000 points offer, it is worth a cut and dry $714.29 towards a future “Wanna Getaway” fare. With the 50,000 point offer, it is worth about $714 towards that same fare. As mentioned above, there are three versions of the card and you are able to apply for more then one card offer. The best thing about this offer is that the points earned count towards reaching companion pass status – this includes the sign up offer points as well as the points earned from meeting the minimum spend requirement.
How to get the Southwest Companion Pass
You need a total of 110,000 Qualifying points and then the companion pass is yours. As mentioned, you get either 25,000 or 50,000 points per credit card offer after meeting the minimum spend requirements (depending on what the offer is when you apply) – these points DO COUNT towards the companion pass. Then the points earned by meeting the minimum spend requirement counts towards the required points as well. You can earn the remaining Qualifying Points with credit card spend, Rapid Reward partners (i.e, Marriott, Avis, Hyatt), and flying Southwest. You cannot combine points between two accounts to count for the companion pass (for example, a husband and wife account cannot be combined!). As a reminder, transferring Chase Ultimate Reward points to Southwest DO NOT count towards the companion pass, but transferring hotel points DO count. Once you accrue the necessary 110,000 points to earn companion pass status, the pass will be available for you for the entire year it was earned PLUS the entire following calendar year. So if you earn the pass now, your pass will be active for the rest of the year and all of 2016.
Credit card to help earn the companion pass: As mentioned previously, there are three different Southwest cards – ALL of them have the same bonus offer after meeting the minimum spend requirements, but different annual fees and annual bonuses. You can view all three cards and the differences in this prior blog post. You can learn more about all Airline credit card offers here.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As always I’ll list the best offer available as my goal is for you to travel on a deal! This is also one of my personal favorite card offers!
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Where in the terms does it say the “two years closed” thing? I just see it says previous rrm are not eligible.
@david – that is typical with most chase cards.
I have already had one personal SW and one business. It has not been even one year since I cancelled. My understanding is that I could get the others variety of the personal and business that I have not had yet.
Can someone confirm if it is possible to get all four (2 at a time) and get 200,000 points in less than 2 years.
Is the plus and the premier counted as two different cards each able two earn 50000K?
Thanks
I have an old Chase Southwest card that I got back in 2007, and received 16 credits for a free ticket (back when Southwest had the “credit” points). Do you know if having one of those really old cards also makes me ineligible for one of these newer ones?
please fix link Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Card: coming up as a link to Premier card. Thanks!
Apply for the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Card, and we’ll get you started with 25,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months of opening your account. I think you are styating 50,000 for this card
if you’ve gotten the bonus with the premier cards before, can you go back and get the bonus with the plus cards?
@Jer – do you just have one Southwest card? From my understanding you can only get the bonus with two Chase Southwest cards. However, I have never personally tried. If you currently have the premier personal card, I’d recommend getting the business card to ensure you get the points/approved.
Same question as Jer???
Anyone done it within a year?
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[…] Southwest Credit Card 50,000 Point Offer […]
[…] Premier Card here. There are a total of four different Southwest credit cards – you can read more about the offer and the differences of the four different cards in this prior blog post. Remember ALL offers have the same 50,000 point offer with the $2,000 spend within 3 […]
I’ve got SW 104k points and my wife has 52k SW points. Can she transfer 6000 of her points to me to put me over the 110k for a companion pass or do I actually have to earn them myself? I also have other points and could do the roundabout transfer through the hotel route, but that seems like a lot of extra work
@Cliff – Unfortunately you cannot transfer points between Southwest accounts.
[…] Southwest Credit Card 50,000 Point Offer […]
could you lay out the best way to transfer hotel points to SW Rapid Rewards. I have no hotel points, but have lots of AMEX points and Chase Sapphire points that I could transfer to the best hotel plan to then transfer back to SW so I can get the companion pass. thanks in advance 😉