This past November, I posted on my strategy to get the Southwest Airlines companion pass for 2012 and 2013. Essentially, this involved applying for two Southwest Rapid Reward credit cards – 1 personal and 1 business. Both cards came with a 50,000 point sign on bonus and speculation assumed that they would count towards the number of points needed to earn the companion pass. You need 110,000 points to earn a companion pass, so the 50k from each card gets you pretty close!
Luckily, my speculation was correct, and over the past few weeks, the 50,000 bonus points for signing up posted to my account and counted towards my companion pass status. Additionally, I was able to spend over $10k on these two credit cards over the past 6 weeks (along with the help of my Dad – thanks Dad!) which also posted to my account. 110,000k points posted – Southwest companion pass here I come!!
So with these two credit cards, I earned 100k points. This equals $1,666 towards towards free travel when redeeming on a “Wanna Getaway” fare. Additionally, even on a free flight, I can have a companion fly with my FOR FREE until December 31, 2013! And in case you are not aware, the companion pass is good for an unlimited amount of flying!
More to come tomorrow on how you can currently obtain your companion pass!
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I see way to many vacations in your future. (wait, what am I saying, you can never have too many vacations!) đŸ˜‰ – RenĂ©
@DGF – I absolutely agree!
I should have my second 50k bonus in the next couple days. Problem is, I’m about 80 points short and didn’t realize it! Otherwise I would have put spend onto the card. I don’t want to wait another month!! Any ideas for how I can easily shuffle some points around through hotels that have low transfer minimums? I don’t care if I get dinged on the ratio but I just want to get the points in for my 110k.
In the last hour, the bonus posted. And I am 72 points short! NOOOO I don’t want to wait until March!
BTW great post. This is one of the best benefits from CC signups.
@Matt MSP – look out for tomorrows post on how to earn those extra points. The companion pass is BY FAR the best benefit of the cc signup!
Does anyone know …. can I book a flight for another individual using my points and still add on the companion? OR must I fly (the owner of the companion pass).
@CodeAdam10 – You absolutely can book a flight for someone else using your points, BUT you cannot add on the companion. You (the owner of the companion pass) must be the one flying.
Once you hit the 110k does it take a couple days to process? I just hit the 110k today and it says companion status achieved, but it’s not active yet.
@C – You will receive an email in about 2-4 days asking you to designate your companion.
Congrats! So glad to hear that everything went though!
@mommypoints – Thanks!
@dealswelike – Thank you so much for the clarification!!
My SW biz card arrived today. Time to get the spend going to get that companion pass!
@Michael W – Enjoy!
[…] I posted about my success in getting the Southwest Airlines companion pass. For those of you who are not aware of this companion pass – it is one of the best perks in […]
Cool, I did the same strategy yesterday. UR > Hyatt, now waiting on the Hyatt transfer to show up at Southwest. Sure I lost half the point value (about 2000 UR points) but who cares when I’m getting a CP!
@Matt MSP – 2,000 UR points is nothing when you are getting the CP. Enjoy!!!!
So I’ve looked all over the web and came back to your post here and have two questions:
1) Is the 50k SWA Biz card still available?
2) If so, is it possible to sign up for both the SWA Personal and Biz cards at the same time. As in does Chase allow you to sign up for two cards like this at the same time?
@Hans –
1) You can get the business credit card here: http://www.mychasecreditcards.com/T600-009/default.aspx?LP=6000227&CELL=6LVN&vanity=southwest/2ffhero
2) Yes, you are able to sign up for both, but be prepared to be declined for your 2nd application and have to call the reconsideration line. Most likely you will need to shift some credit around.
Hi, Looks like the business card is no longer available? In the link on post #18, if you click “Apply Now” it says “Offer Unavailable”.
Is this the personal one? http://www.mychasecreditcards.com/T600-004/default.aspx?LP=6000212&AFFID=lw9MynSeamY-aAOeeOamE6soW5.k8l3I1w&CELL=6H8X&pvid=u1011881t0f0fp0dd0c128590s&vanity=southwest/octaffiliate
Thanks!
@John – The link to the business card is: http://www.mychasecreditcards.com/T600-004/default.aspx?LP=6000213&AFFID=lw9MynSeamY-aAOeeOamE6soW5.k8l3I1w&CELL=6H8X&pvid=u1011881t0f0fp0dd0c128590s&vanity=southwest/octaffiliate
[…] I currently have a Southwest Airlines companion pass and LOVE it. It has allowed my husband, sister, and mom to all fly with me for FREE! I am so sad that my companion pass will expire at the end of the calendar year, but will most likely earn it next year (especially with the help of applying for the personal and business Southwest credit card – more details below)! UPDATE: I have re-qualified for a companion pass through December 2014 due to getting both Southwest credit cards. […]
I wanted to confirm the bonus is still posting as CP Qualifying points! I got the Companion pass with the Business and Basic card!!!! The points posted for each card the day after the statement closed. The companion pass went active the same day which the points from my second card posted (already had 11,000 points from flights I have flown). Yippee! already added my husband to 3 RT flights and 2 one-way flights (saving over 1000 on his flights)!
@Tracy – Thanks so much for sharing. Thats great!