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I don’t currently get a referral for any of these Southwest Airline credit card deals. I write about them because I’ve got these cards and think it is cool that Emily can fly with me for free for a year just because I opened a credit card or two.
FreeFrequentFlyerMiles posted that the Southwest Airline home page is displaying an ad for the Chase 50,000 point Southwest Airlines Premier credit card.
Southwest Premier on the Southwest website
(Thanks to commenter Nathan for showing me how to make a picture link to another website!)
I had a link to an unpublicized version of the 50,000 offer in the Hot Deals and Airline Credit Cards tab since November, but it is nice to see the offer resurface on the Southwest Airlines home page.
As many readers know, the 50,000 credit card sign-on bonus from the Southwest Airlines credit card is currently counting towards the 110,000 points required for a Southwest Airlines Companion Pass. However, this could change at any time and without prior notice.
If you earn the Companion Pass in 2012, you’ll get to designate a companion who flies free with you up to the end of 2013. That’s close to 2 years of free flying!
I earned the Companion Pass in 2011 and have already have some trips planned. Getting 1 personal and 1 business version of this card will get you most of the way to a Companion Pass and here are 10 different ways you could get the remaining points.
The ability to have a companion fly free with you for close to 2 years is seriously one of the best deals in miles and points land. And Southwest awards are one of the easiest award to book – if there is a flight available, it is yours for miles and points.
There are 2 types of Southwest Rapid Rewards cards, both of which award you the sign-on bonus after the 1st purchase.
1. Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier.
Both the personal and the business versions of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier offer 50,000 bonus points (worth up to $833 in free travel), but they have a $99 fee which is not waived during the 1st year.
However, you get a 6,000 annual point bonus which covers the cost of the $99 fee.
2. Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus.
Just like the Rapid Reward Premier card, you get a 50,000 point sign-up bonus (worth $833 in free travel) with the personal and business Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card.
But the annual fee is $69 which gets you a 3,000 point yearly bonus.
If you plan on keeping the card for more than 1 year, the Rapid Rewards Premier card is the better choice since the $99 fee is worth exactly 6,000 points.
But if you plan on cancelling the card before 1 year, you’re better off with the $69 Rapid Reward Plus card.
Bottom Line: If you fly domestically in the US, the Southwest 50,000 point credit cards are worth a closer look. Even if the 50,000 points doesn’t count toward the Companion Pass, you still get $833 worth of flights on Southwest for just the cost of the annual fee.
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I have earned and redeemed millions of airline miles and hotel points to travel the world for free. Now I'm blogging to help more people do the same! 
Do both versions get you points towards the Companion Pass? Also while waiting for the 110000 to post, can you use some of the points in the meantime? Thank you
@Maury – Both versions count towards the Companion pass. I got the Premier personal card and Plus business card and the sign-up bonus counted towards the companion pass for me. You can use some of the points at any time – you don’t need to have 110K points at one time in your account to get the Companion Pass. You just need to earn 110K points during a calendar year.
Great site. I cannot find where to apply for the Southwest card that gets the companion ticket. I clicked on the link you posted, but didn’t see anything on Southwest about getting the companion ticket. Could you please post the link that gets the companion ticket?
Thanks
Greg
The 50k miles did not count toward my A-List so I assume they did not count toward my companion pass. Would that be a correct assumption?
Hi! I am new to the game and have got so much great info from you! Thanks!I just applied for Citi AA Business card and Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card in Jan. I got the Citi card and the Chase card is being reviewed now. I also have one or two chase cards for 5-7 years. My credit scord according to CreditSesame is 766 now. Do you think I should wait for three months to apply for the southwest business and personal premier cards?
Thanks,
Priscilla
As I remember it, your link to the 50,000 point Southwest Airlines Rapid RewardsPlus Credit Card on your credit cards page was obtained by a google search. What has been your experience with this, and with that of your readers? Are you certain it is still valid?
Some interesting items from the terms and conditions of the offer:
“Companion Pass Qualifying Points are earned from revenue flights, points issued on Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Cards, and points earned from Rapid Rewards Partners. Purchased points and points earned from program enrollment, Tier bonuses, flight bonuses, and Partner bonuses do not count toward Companion Pass status.”
“A Member who is a Customer of Size and earns a Companion Pass can use his/her Companion declaration for an extra seat.”
“Member may change his/her designated Companion and request issuance of a new Companion Pass up to three (3) times within the validity period of the Pass. ” (So it’s o.k. to change girlfriends.)
Interestingly, I see no mention of what type of ticket you must have in order for your companion to fly free. Perhaps if you ticket is an award ticket (using some of your 110,000 points), your companion might also fly free. Any experience with this?
We know you can get both a personal and business card. The question is if the premiere and plus cards are considered separate products? Anyone try to go for all 4?
Does anyone know if SouthWest will be going International such as Dominican Republic after acquiring Air Tran?.
Thanks-
Does Chase ask you to verify anything for the business card?
I jumped in and tried applying for my first business card today for my “upcoming business ventures”. I felt a little nervous about it, and wished I found found your earlier blog post at http://millionmilesecrets.com/2011/06/10/how-to-fill-out-a-business-credit-card-application/ to help guide me through
After applying online, I received a message that they would review my application, which might take 30 days. Is that a typical situation when applying for a Chase business card? Or does it mean they don’t trust me?
@Keith- Usually that means it’s declined. I would call in and reconsider. They asked about my business when I applied and I’m thinking about starting a blog that makes at most $200 a year. They shifted my existing credit to this card and opened it.
Does anyone have confirmation points are still posting to the CPQP? My parents opened one each and they now have 50k each =(, but the points do NOT qualify as CPQP. I just made my first purchase so I’m waiting for my account to close to see what happens.
I see here and on mommypoints ppl have reported it posting, but those cards were opened in Dec. 2011 and closed in Jan 2011 I believe. I think cards opened in 2012 will not count…
@C: Yes, they do still post as CPQP. I applied for the personal card in September and waited to make my first purchase after January 1st. The 50,000 points from that card posted within a day of my statement closing on January 15th. After applying online for the business card, I received notice that the decision was pending. The next day, I called the reconsideration line and was approved. Once I got the business card, I moved my statement date to January 24th and my second 50,000 points posted yesterday. I had transferred 30,000 Marriott points to make up the difference and received my “Congratulations! You’ve just earned Companion Pass status” e-mail today. I’m totally new to this and am amazed at how easy it was to earn CP through 12/31/2013. I appreciate all of the tips!
@Greg – The Southwest card by itself doesn’t get you the Companion Pass. However, the credit card sign up bonus *has currently* been counting towards qualifying for the Companion Pass. I don’t know how much longer this will last, but 2 Southwest cards will get you 100K points towards the 110K points needed to get the Companion pass and I’ve listed 10 other ways previously to get the extra 10K points. So this does take a bit of work, and even then, the rules could change anytime.
@Shane – The sign up bonus didn’t count towards the A list status for me, but it did count towards the Companion Pass status.
@Priscilla - I would wait for a bit before applying for another Chase card. You could call the reconsideration line about your Sapphire Preferred card.
@Gary Steiger – That’s correct – the earlier link was from google, but readers confirmed that it worked. The points from the sign up bonus are not supposed to count towards the Companion Pass, but they do *currently * count.
Not sure how much longer that will last, though. If you have a Companion Pass, you can use both points or cash to book your seat and your Companion will get to travel for free.
@frog – Chase usually gives you the bonus for separate products, but I haven’t read of success with applying for both the Plus & Premier and getting both cards.
@Jason – I don’t know, but I sure hope so!
@Guy – If you call the reconsideration line, they will ask you questions about your business.
@Keith – I agree with C. It means that you may need to call the reconsideration line and answer questions about your business.
@C - Thanks for helping out! I believe that the sign-up bonus is still counting towards the Companion Pass according to MD below and on FlyerTalk.
@MD – Thanks for sharing your experience – it is very helpful to others reading. Welcome and glad you were able to get the Companion Pass so easily.
Also, just to clarify.. I applied for the business card on January 18th. So, it definitely is still counting dor cards opened in 2012. Good luck!!!
Is it possible for my wife to apply for one Premier card, then myself apply for another Premier card and then use the same SW RR Account # so that the 100k miles post to the same account? I already have 3 Chase cards and I’m worried about them approving me for two more cards (Personal and Business)
@Ken - I don’t recommend that because I’ve read instances of accounts being closed for that. why not have her apply for both the personal and business card?
I too had a similar question…Does anyone know or have first hand experience that you can have the Premier Card… and then apply for the PLUS card and still get a 50,000 bonus for the plus card?
thanks
Shane
@Daraius – She only has a Chase Freedom card, so she’d probably be better off than myself getting two new Chase cards.
Would you think me getting a personal + Business card would be an easy sell with Chase since I already have 3 cards with them?
@The other Shane – I don’t know, but would *love* to find out.
@Ken – I really can’t answer that because there are lots of other factors at play. It depends how recently you opened the other cards.
The Sapphire Preferred was in October, and the two Freedom cards were 3-4 years ago.
What would you answer to “Yes, I have NOT been denied credit by Chase within the last 6 months.” if I have been denied…during the last offer… for having too many Chase cards. =)
One more thing… You said “You just need to earn 110K points during a calendar year.” So if I earned a 50K bonus last year and 50K bonus right now…. all 100K won’t count towards the Companion Pass?
Gordon: If you were declined, say so. Don’t lie.
Last year was a different calendar year (Jan-Dec) so any miles earned last calendar year does not apply to the points earned this calendar year.
@Ken – It may be possible, but you’d have to call the reconsideration line!
@Gordon – If you were denied, but managed to get approved after reconsideration, I’d say “No” otherwise “Yes.” Don’t lie in the application! You have to earn the 110K points in 1 calendar year, so the 50K from last year wouldn’t count.
@Ken – Thanks for helping out. Good luck with your applications.
If I just was approved for the Southwest Premier on January 3, 2012, under the 25,000 bonus mile offer, do you think if I wrote in that they’d honor the 50,000 offer? What email address/mailing address should I send it to, wand what should I say?
Thanks!
I applied but it says it will take 1o business days to final decision.
Does anyone know any number I can call to speed up the process?
Can you obtain both the American Express business and personal Delta Gold card similar to Southwest Chase? Thanks
@Ryan – You should be able to get the 50K offer matched to you. Just send Chase a secure message and a link to the 50K offer and they should match you the points.
@David – You’ll find a list of resources and the reconsideration number here.
@Greg – I have got both the SPG personal and business card, so I suspect you could get both the personal and business Delta card as well.
Thank you Daraius.
I called per your suggestion and got approved immediately.
I have two more questions.
Can my wife apply same card but specify my rapid rewards number?
Or if it not, can she transfer miles to my rapid rewards?
Also does travel companion mean just one time travel or this is can be as many as long it is within two years?
Thank you very much.
What a great website!
@David – I wouldn’t recommend putting a different Rapid Rewards number in your application. She can’t transfer the miles to you, but she can but tickets for anyone. Your companion can travel with you anytime you travel on Southwest (either a paid ticket or an award ticket). You can change your companion up to 3 times.
Good morning everyone. I really want to apply for the Southwest Premier/Plus personal and business cards to start. One problem, I don’t have a business checking account. Do I need one? That may be a dumb question but I own it today : ) Should I apply for the personal or wait to open a business checking and then apply for both? I’m nervous about the 2 browser trick but I’m ready and excited.
How many days we should wait before we apply for business card? Like for citi aa card you mentioned 65 days.
I called the reconsideration line yesterday, and got approved — thanks for all your help and information on this incredibly useful site! When I called the reconsideration line, at first she mentioned that I had recently applied for the personal card and that might have caused a problem with approval, but then after talking for a little while, it went pretty smoothly and she approved it. (Note, I don’t have a business checking account either.)
For reference, I applied for the Chase Premier Personal (50k) back in November, but didn’t use it until January. I then applied for the Chase Premier Business (50k) last week. I’m new to this whole scene, but I just find it amazing that I could so easily collect 100+k miles, and soon-to-be Companion Pass status for nearly two full years!
@ Tiffany – You may not need a business checking account to get a business credit card, but it could help. The 2 browser trick doesn’t work for Chase. You will be denied your second card, but may need to call the reconsideration line to get approved.
@Naresh – It depends. Your 2nd application with Chase on the same day will almost certainly be denied, but you could call the reconsideration line and explain why you want the card. If you haven’t applied for many cards with Chase recently, you may be able to get both approved.
@Keith – Thanks for sharing your success! This is pretty amazing (but addictive)!
I’ve been hearing several reports on SlickDeals of people applying for two Chase personal cards in the same day or within a few days of each other. They get approved for the first card and call in for the second card which is also approved. Maybe Chase is relaxing their previously very restrictive approval policy.
I got approved for the Plus card last November, thinking I wouldn’t want to keep the card more than a year. Now I’ve changed my mind, and I’d like to upgrade to the Premier card so that at least the annual bonus is worth the annual fee paid. Does anyone have experience with asking Chase to do something like that? Would they just charge me the $30 difference in annual fee, or would I have to close the Plus/open the Premier and pay the whole $99?
Well I got a pending screen or wait 10 days screen. I guess that can’t be good. If I applied yesterday, can I call the reconsideration line today or tomorrow? Should I try another Chase card today or wait? Thanks for your help.
I applied for personal card last week and got approved.
Say if I applied business card in March, and then buy the Marriott points, does my travel companion valid only until end of 2012?
Or it get extended until 2013?
@Ken - I’ve been hearing that from readers too, but I’m not sure if that is only for folks new to Chase or if it is a general relaxation. I’ll try for 2 cards in my upcoming app-o-rama and see!
@Mantini – I know that if you convert a card from 1 version to another, you usually don’t get the sign up bonus again. But you *may* get the sign up bonus again if you cancel the 1st card and reapply for the 2nd card. I have personal experience with getting Chase bonuses for the same airline, but different card types, but I don’t have personal experience with the Rapid Rewards Plus and Premier. Please keep us posted on what you do – would love to know if you manage to get the bonus again!
@Tiffany - I usually call the reconsideration line in a 2 to 3 days if I don’t get approved immediately. You may want to see if you get approved for this card before applying for another Chase card. Your 2nd application will also get denied online, but if you’re a new Chase customer with good credit, you may be able to get approved. Good luck!
@David - If the points from the business card still count towards the companion pass, and you qualify for the companion pass in 2012, your companion will be able to fly free with you on Southwest up to the end of 2013.
Hi again and thanks so much for your replies. They called ME for the approval of the sw premier. The next day (Friday) I applied for the sw business plus and now the 10 day pending screen again. Can you call the reconsideration lines on the weekend or should I just wait until Monday? I also read you can ask them to rush the card to you. Is that true? One last question–since I have applied for two within a day or two of each other is that one credit pull? I would love to try that browser trick thing with another bank maybe citi, but I don’t want to press my luck. But then again maybe I should since its all within 30 days??? All help is greatly appreciated.
@Tiffany - Congrats! I believe the business reconsideration line may be closed over the weekend, but you could try. You can ask them to overnight the card to you, but there may be a fee. Business and personal credit cards are almost always separate credit pulls since they are by different divisions within the bank.
I have surpassed the 110,000 point level. How long and how did Southwest notify you that you had achieved obtaining the Companion Pass? Thanks for your help.
@Rick – Congrats! I got an email in a few days, and could designate my companion online almost immediately. I got the actual companion pass card in the mail a few days later. You can log into your account and see if the 110K points have translated into a companion pass.
Just got instant approval for Chase SW RR plus Business card. Planning on applying for personal card to get companion pass. How long do you recommend waiting between applications. Only other chase cc is UR Sapphire in myself and wifes names.
Just got my companion pass. Yesterday I had 110k points post to my Rapid Rewards account (50k from personal card, 50k from business card, and 10k in spend). So I called yesterday to try and activate it – the agent tried repeatedly but ended up telling me to call another number during business hours the next day (the number if anyone needs it (214) 932-0333). The agent this morning said, “Dang! You earned that fast.”
The Companion Pass was active as soon as I got off the phone. I was able to immediately add my wife to an existing reservation for $5 in fees.
I had to write to thank you because I never would have gotten both cards if I hadn’t read your advice about calling the reconsideration line. To get the personal card approved I had to endure some stern questioning. But thanks to you I knew all the right answers. Free flights for my wife for 23 months – brilliant!
Thats good to know AJ! How many inquiries did you have recently and what other Chase cards do you have? Also do you have a legit business? I am hoping my wife can get an instant approval as well! Thanks!
Troy, Only one recent inquiry Jan 1, by wife for individual Sapphire.. My last pull was Sept for 2 Citi cards. Im a legit professional with no self business history or accounts. Excellent credit history though. Still not sure how long to wait to apply for personal card. Then will attempt UR transfer to Hyatt.
@AJ - You can do 1 personal and 1 business application on the same day or even close to each other, but you will have to call the reconsideration line to get approved.
@BFrankley - You certainly earned that fast – congrats! Thanks for sharing your success!
Any word on anyone recently getting companion pass… Based on terms they don’t allos sign up bonus for pass. Did this change recently as I want to apply for personal and two biz cards to get 150k.
points earned from Rapid Rewards Partners. Purchased points and points earned from program enrollment, Tier bonuses, flight bonuses, and Partner bonuses do not count toward Companion Pass status.
@Victor – The terms say that the credit card bonus shouldn’t count towards the Companion Pass, but it does up to now (see the comments and others’ experience).
“Member may change his/her designated Companion and request issuance of a new Companion Pass up to three (3) times within the validity period of the Pass. ”
I just attained CP and is valid through 12/31/13. (Thanks for your help BTW)
A Southwest phone rep. told me I could change the designated companion three times per YEAR. I don’t know if he misspoke or not. This information is critical with decisions I make with its use.
What does anyone know about >3 changes in practice? Thanks.
@Guest - Congrats on your Companion Pass. I believe the terms are that you can change it only 3 times during the period in which it is valid. Not per year.
Thanks for your reply.
I’m curious if someone has any anecdotal evidence of changing more than 3 times on a CP (esp. since we’ll have this for 22+ months). I’ll be switching back and forth between family and friends as my companion.
I am curious how long after making a charge on the card did points show up in account? Did sw immediately give the companion pass once points were in account or did you wait for the postcard to be sent. As I do not have any points yet with sw I am wondering is there a way to tell on their site if points are being qualified as points toward the cp rather than just reward points?
I just got cards and charging now so wondering how the process works… Thanks for any info
I have recently started reading your blog, maybe a week perhaps. I never realized how much you could save using these ideas. But I have a question that MAYBE you can answer. I applied for a Southwest personal in November and got the 50,000 point bonus. Can I apply for the business card and still get the bonus, or am I out of luck? I get most everything that is discussed and have read a LOT of blogs and posts lately but this one question is not really clear to me and your blog and readers seem friendly enough to help. Thanks
James
James: Since the business card is not the same card type as the personal card, you should get the points for the new business card. Just remember that if your RR points posted in 2011 they won’t count toward your companion pass for 2012 with this new business card.
@John – I got an email a few days after the points hit my account and I could designate my companion online. Once your statement closes, you should be able to log into your account and see if the points counted towards the Companion Pass.
@James Anderson – Thanks for reading! Folks have been able to get the bonus on both the personal and business card. But if your applications were close together, you may be denied online, but would have to call the reconsideration line to get approved. However, as Ken points out, the sign up bonus from your November application will not count towards the companion pass in 2012.
@Ken – Thanks for helping out!
Hi there. Well I got a denial for the business card. Something reappeared on my Experian report. Its like 10 years old and has not been there in some time. I will work on getting that resolved. The rep would not move some of the personal credit line over. So I cried. But then I stopped crying as I will not be deterred. I am woman hear me roar! And I’m cheap and since I have been reading your blog and other people’s experiences its making me that more determined. So I will ask–is there any point in calling the recon line again or is there another way around this maybe with another bank card I could try for and transfer points? I thought it was weird I got the first card and not this one. I would think its from the same credit report. Any suggestions would help greatly and would be appreciated.
Well I applied and I got the Wait 10 days notice “Decision Pending” How long should I wait before calling the reconsider line? I have EXCELLENT credit with only a couple cards from CapitalOne from YEARS ago and actually do have a small “Voice Studio” where I do lessons but only make around $2,000 a year doing it. I was going to use this one for that until later on when/ if I find a better option. Thanks guys for your help
@Tiffany - Sorry to hear about that. It doesn’t hurt to call the reconsideration line a few times and explaining what happened – especially since you got the 1st card.
@James Anderson – I usually wait a day and then call the reconsideration line.
In effort to reach companion pass obtained both business and personal SW cards which should yield 100K towards CP. Chase ultimate rewards transfer to Hyatt was instantaneous for 10K. Hyatt to Southwest was done on friday 2/9 and posted to SW on 2/14 showing on line that it counted towards CP but not A list.. Very quick as was informed could take 2-4 weeks. Spoke to Chase and moved closing date up. Hopefully wont take too long to post on Southwest once statement closes. Other sites report semi monthly review. Does this mean sign on bonus only posts 2 x month? Hoping to obtain CP tic for late March. Thanks
Transfer ultimate rewards to Hyatt means sapphire ultimate rewards or freedom. I have 40k in freedom rewards. Does anybody know how can I transfer it to southwest directly/ indirectly with hoops?
@Guest – The sign on bonus will post a few days after the statement in which you’ve earned the bonus closes.
@Naresh – You can’t transfer Freedom points directly to airline or hotel partners, but you can transfer the Freedom points to other accounts with Ultimate Rewards points (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Ink Bold) and then transfer to Hyatt.
I had a Chase Southwest card that I canceled 2 years ago. In the fine print, it says you cannot get the bonus twice. Has anyone tried to reapply after they closed a previous Chase Southwest Visa card? If so, what was the result? I hate to spend $99 to chance it.
@Ryan – Chase usually lets you get the sign up bonus for different types of cards. So if your previous card wasn’t a Plus or Premier card, you may be able to get the bonus again. Folks who got the previous Chase card with $500 in gift cards were able to get the 50K points. But don’t apply for it if you’d rather not chance it.
I am curious, last feb I got the two free flights with the chase southwest visa. I did not recieve pointsm just flight credits. The card was then converted to the premier I think. I cancelled a couple months back. I am thinking of applying for the business version to get the the 50K points. Due to me not actually recieving points for the personal card just flights, is it worth a app to try to get 100k points. The companion pass seems like a good idea just not sure there is a way for me. Any thoughts??
@Jesse - You can get the bonus for the business version even if you got the sign-up bonus for the personal version. If you want to apply for another personal card, I’d suggest the Plus card and would be curious to know if you do get the sign-up bonus. Good luck!
Thanks. Since I applied and received the chase Marriott a couple weeks back, Should I wait 90 days to apply for the chase business? Then another 90 for the Plus card?
Actually it was a plus card account that I had. So I have never had a premier account.
@Jesse – It really depends on your profile and history with Chase. You could get 1 business and 1 personal at the same time, but it would likely involve calling in to get approved. If you never had the Premier, you could try applying for it and seeing if you get approved.
Great site, and I HUGELY appreciate all the help and information on here. You’ve all been very informative on this deal.
So I just applied for (and was approved) the Southwest Plus Personal Card. I am now planning on applying for the Southwest Premier Business Card. It appears that between the Premier and the Plus business cards, the Premier is asking for a TIN (Tax ID number), and does NOT have the box to check for sole proprietorship. I am applying for a business card as a sole proprietorship of small business. Did I mess up here, and should I have applied for the Plus Business and Premier Personal?
At this point, I am simply attempting to maximize the likelihood of being approved for the second Chase card in order to get the 50K x 2, and the companion pass later. If I apply for the Premier Personal after being approved for the Plus Personal, is that considered by Chase as “the same product”? What is my best move from here on?
Thanks in advance for your help!
@Sean – Most of the thanks goes to readers for sharing their experiences!
The Premier lets you enter a TIN (which is your SSN as a sole proprietor), but the “Legal Entity” box has a choice for “Sole Proprietor” I’ve read of folks getting approved for 1 personal and 1 business card, and it may be easier to convince Chase why you need 1 personal & 1 business card as opposed to 2 personal cards. You may get denied for the business card app, but would have to call in the reconsideration department to get approved.
@Daraius,
Thanks for the help! I was approved immediately for the Southwest Plus Personal Card. However, when I applied for the the Southwest Premier Business Card, the application was processed, and I was given the “wait 10 Day for our decision” message upon clicking submit. I currently have no Chase credit cards (nor have I ever had any), but I do maintain a checking, banking, and debit card with Chase. My current credit score is considered in the top “excellent” range by my credit site.
I’m guessing I should wait the 2-3 days, and then call the reconsideration line regarding the Premier Business Card?
@Sean – You can call them sooner, since Chase usually declines a 2nd application within 30 days.
Can you use the Companion pass for your family member when you are not flying(for example, you book 2 tickets for your brother and his wife(you are not flying with them), one ticket use the reward miles, can you get the second ticket for free(companion pass, not companion you but companion your brother)? Thanks.
Jack it is a companion pass. The primary has to fly on a paid tix to get the free pass. You can read about it on southwests website for details.
Has anyone applied and received points for both the personal cards to date?
Also any recommendations for getting the extra 10k needed for the cp? I have starwood, hilton, Amex, delta, united, Marriott, American. Any of these transfer into sw? I think I saw something about Hyatt but only 1800 pts there.
Thanks
@Jack - You have to fly with your Companion to get the free ticket.
@Victor – Thanks for helping out. Here’s an earlier post on how to get the extra 10K needed.
I applied for the Southwest Premier card last week when the deal was 50,000 points. I received a notice in the mail yesterday that I was declined due to recent multiple credit inquiries, but I immediately called and cleared it up (it was because I recently obtained two vehicle loans). So they changed it and said I was approved and I should receive my packet within 7-10 business days.
It now appears that the Southwest deal has been reduced to 25,000 points. I better still receive the 50,000 point credit based on when I originally applied, right? I could see them saying I was officially approved this week under the 25,000 point deal. Of course, I will call and dispute it, but just curious if anyone else experienced this situation and what happened? Thanks!
Brian: your offer is based on when you applied for the card, not whenever they get around to approving you.
Hi! I am hoping someone can help me with this. I applied for the card, approved on 2/9. First spending on 2/20. First statement date on 2/23. But the bonus miles did not show up on the first statement. Called Chase and they said it can take up 4-6 weeks. From what I read, everyone got their bonus miles on the first statement. My question is, could it be that my first statement closing date is too close to my first spending date or the first statement closed in less than 30 days fromm the approval date so the bonus miles didn’t get credited in time? Input from anyone with similar experience is greatly appreciated. Now I am worried that the bonus didn’t even register when I applied. Thanks in advance for all your help!
@Brian – Ken’s right. You get the offer for which you applied for. The links on the blog (Hot Deals tab) still links to the 50,000 point offer.
@Ken – Thanks for helping out!
@lisa – Did the spending post on your statement? If so, you should have got the points in your account. You may want to check to see that the Rapid Rewards number on your card matches your Rapid Rewards number (sometimes Chase issues you a new Rapid Rewards number). If not, you’ll likely get the points in your next statement.
oh no! I just checked southwest site, and now it is only a 25,000 offer…. does anyone know any way I can still get the 50,000?
Yes, I got the points for my spending. They showed up in my statement and in my southwest account. The bonus points did not show up in statement or southwest account. That seems a bit odd. Hope it’s because of timing. If not, will have to dispute with southwest now since they have lowered their sign up bonus. Thanks so much for your advice.
@michelle – The links in the “Hot Deals” and “Airline Credit Card” tab will always show you the highest offer (which in this case is 50K points).
@Lisa – I’d wait until you’re next statement, and you’d have to dispute with Chase, not Southwest, because Chase awards the miles.
Yes, I meant dispute with Chase. Love your website. Thanks so much!
I may have a misstep. I am approved for three Chase Reward cards and added my spouse to the account. Will Chase count this against her if she applies for the personal and business cards?
@Tony, I think you should be fine if you just added her as an authorized user. If it is somehow set up a joint account then your spouse may not be eligible but if you applied and just entered your info you should be fine for her to apply and ge the bonus as well.
@lisa – You’re welcome!
@Tony – She should be able to get the card when she applies for it.
@Troy – She would be eligible even if she was set up as a joint holder!
Just want to say THANK YOU. Activated companion pass 48 hours after Chase closing date. Free flights till end of 2013. Your the Best. Heard rumors SW may begin flights to Hawaii? That would be sweet.
@AJB – Thanks for posting your success! I’ve been hearing rumors of SW flights to Hawaii for a while, but that would be a great use of the Companion Pass. Perhaps they will start service before December 2013.
@ajb. Did you called southwest to get cp or you got it in48 hr?
My stmt also got closed yesterday with 110k+ points? Should I call or I should get email/mail with cp?
Naresh
Watched it post on SW 1 day after Chase statements. Second day received email to activate which I did on line. Congrads
@Naresh – It usually takes a few days to appear on your account.
@AJB – Thanks for helping out.
Just wanted to say thanks on the advice! I called the reconsideration line this evening, and we were approved for a second chase card within about 2 weeks. We used most of your hints for getting approved for a business card, as well as your reconsideration tips. Looking forward to seeing the 100,000 miles post in the account. Hopefully we can get the 10K in spending done soon and take advantage of the companion pass as well.
Thanks to all on the site for your experience and advice!
@Sean – You’re welcome and thanks for sharing! You don’t have to spend $10K to get the extra 10K points.
Just thought I should share with you as this is the place I first saw the offer. Firs thanks for the site…. I applied and with a call to the recon line was approved for the biz, prem, and plus card. Charged 5$ each and moved up the closing date on all three. the 150k has hit my account. I am at the 100% to the CP staus. So you do not need to charge or transfer points to get the status. This should still work for others to get the addl card even if they only get the 25k offer at this point. Did not want to have to lose 30k Marriott points to get the deal, but it I would have… Thanks again.
Victor: You got the bonus for the personal Plus as well as the personal Premium card? Both in your name?
yes. 150K in my account & CP
Congratulations! You can choose a companion to fly free all year.
Victor: That’s great! Thanks for the confirmation.
@Victor – Very interesting and thanks for sharing! And enjoy the free flying.
Looks like the Premier offers are no longer available
@Brandon Smith – Thanks for letting me know. I couldn’t find an updated 50,000 point offer for the Premier card, but the personal and business Plus versions are still working.
Should I preemptively ask chase to decrease credit card limit to apply for more chase cards?
I have chase freedom 4000, united mp 5500, sw personal 9000, sw biz 5000. Is there a minimum amount before a signature cards is downgraded to regular visa?
My freedom card is a few years old while united, sw personal and biz are all within past threes points. What’s ideal for churning?
*months
@Webazoid – Looks like you are being approved for cards with low limits, which could be an issue for future applications. But I’d rather call the reconsideration line and offer to cancel a card to get approved for another card instead of reducing the credit lines now. Unfortunately, you can’t churn Chase cards i.e. get the sign-on bonus for the same type of card again. But you could apply for a new Chase card, for example the Chase Sapphire Preferred etc. But since you’ve got 3 Chase cards within the last 3 months, I’d suggest waiting for some time before applying for another card.
so with chase, can i currently have
50k from personal plus–already credited
50k (i hope) from premier business–i just made my first charge yesterday
would the cards below count for the same type of card? or can I get 100k more miles down the road?
50k business plus
50k personal premier?
@Webazoid – A reader commented that he was able to receive the bonus for both the Plus and Premier cards, but I don’t have any personal experience. But do let us know if you decide to apply!
If you’re looking for more Southwest points you can transfer the 50K sign up bonus from the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Ink bold to Southwest, but they don’t count towards the Companion Pass.
Can you direct me to link where I can still get the 50K miles with south west? you said the personal and business plus are still working.
Also does anyone know if there are any hings to watch out for hidden catches with the saphire perfered card? Supper high interest rates or fees that are linked to all your chase cards?
@Cynthie – Thanks for letting me know. The 50K Southwest offers are linked in the “Hot Deals” tab. The SW Premier no longer offers a 50K sign on bonus, but the SW Plus card still has the 50K offer. I wouldn’t recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you plan on carrying a balance, because there are likely cards with a much lower interest rate. But the Sapphire Preferred is a great travel card otherwise and has a good 50K sign-up bonus.
I have a Chase SW Visa card that is 5 yrs old. I have 20,000 points on it currently just because I use it as my main purchase card. Could I still apply for the Plus or Business card to get an extra 50,000 points?
And what about the Sapphire Preferred? Could I apply for that too and just transfer the miles to SW since that is who I fly with most?
Thanks!
which card do you recommend most
Does anyone know if the bonus pts still count for companion pass?
How much will applying for 2 cards affectmy credit potentionally. I may need to apply for school loans (probably subsidized loans) with my son will that affect our interest rates?
@Jay – You can certainly transfer the 50,000 points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Ink Bold to Southwest. However, the points wouldn’t count towards the Companion Pass, but you can use them towards redeeming flights. Usually, you can get the bonus once per card type from Chase, so you may be able to get the sign-on bonus again from Chase for the Southwest card (as long as your previous cards were not Plus or Premier).
@Cynthie – I believe the bonus points from the Southwest card are currently counting towards the Companion Pass, but that could change anytime. Creditboards.com may be a better place to ask questions on the student loans and applying for a credit card.
Applied for the Southwest Premier Personal card in February. Approved instantly. Got it a week later and have been using it ever since. After reading Victor’s…urr…victory response above, I applied for the Plus Personal card. Got the “Further Review” screen. I’m going to wait 2 weeks and call the reconsideration line. I’ll make sure to post my findings.
After reading several more posts about how Chase and their reconsideration line operate, I might try calling tomorrow to see if I can get approved. Whenever I call, I’ll post an update.
Just to clarify. I applied for the Plus card in December got the 50000 points bonus in January. Then applied for the Premier card in February and got the other 50000 points a week ago. So yes, Plus and Premier can be done!
@Philip – I usually wait a day and then call the Chase reconsideration line. Please let us know what you find!
@Joshua – Congrats and thanks for sharing!
I applied for my wife and myself for the business plus version. Had to call the reconsideration line to get approved. Is 90 days a good amount of time to wait for the personal premier southwest card. I have a plus card that I canceled in Feb. and a Marriott approved in march. My other chase cards are older then two years. I do not want to have to call the reconsideration line. It was a headache.
@Jesse - I suspect that if you apply in 90 days you most likely will have to call the reconsideration line. But its not so bad – especially when you get the bonus points.
Just to update…I got a Plus personal card with 50,000 miles two months ago and got the premier business last month that just posted 50,000 miles for total of 100,000 miles in two months. Pretty good deal. Looks like they’re not having the premier card promotion anymore. Very good deal. I guess I still have the Plus business card 50,000 miles bonus to apply for but will target the Chase sapphire next. That leaves me with United MP from 3 months ago, Chase freedom from a few years ago, and 2 Chase southwest cards.
@Webazoid - The links to the 50K Premier offer are no longer working, but the 50K plus offer is still working. Sounds like you only need another 10K points to get the Companion pass!
Just an update a couple friends did the same thing with all three cards and one has the companion pass and the other is waiting for the points to post.
I called the day after the apps as I did all three the same day. Funny thing is there was only one inquiry on credit report. One was instant approved but other two reviewed. With a call and moving lines around they approved all three. I think the policy is if they let you get the addl card you get the points. The two personal Marriott cards I was told you could not get both cards only one per and one biz.
One comment to all on sw. Since there is no change fee keep on eye on point drops if you book a flight. I just saved 11k for the three of us, including one companion, on our first flight .
@Victor – Thanks for sharing. So were you not able to get 2 personal Marriott cards? I love not having to pay change fees on Southwest for rebooking a flight!
So, I already have the Premier card from the promotion last fall. But could I still apply for the personal and business cards offered via Plus — and if so, should I spread those out or do them on the same day, do you think?
Dang, I wish I had found this post a couple months ago, as it sounds like I would be in companion pass heaven already. Do you see any way possible that someone could sign up for the cards now and still get the 100K points, or is it too late? I know on the SW site, all 4 of the cards are just listed for 25K points, but is the Plus personal and business still valid for the 50K with the link to the application you provided on this site? Has anyone applied recently to confirm? If so, could you sign up for the Plus personal and business to get the 100K points. I already have 10K in my rapid rewards account, so I’m really kicking myself that I didn’t get on this offer sooner!
Just got off the phone with the reconsideration line. I went from a “your application has been denied” to “you’ll receive your card in the next 2 weeks”!!! The tipping point was when I mentioned that I’d be willing to shift around credit limits from my previous Chase card (Southwest Personal Premier). Unless there is a surprise and I somehow don’t get any points for the Plus card, I’m set for the companion pass as I’ve already flown twice for work and gained 11,000 miles!
Thanks for the help. I just got approved for the personal card (after calling the reconsideration line). Should I apply for the business card now or should I wait two or three months? I also applied and was approved for the Sapphire preferred in January.
Just to let you know the Premier card is no longer being offered with teh 50,000 miles. From what I understand to gain the C. Pass, it must be a Premier card and not a plus card. Any other suggestions on how to earn another 50,000 miles? I do have the personal premier card and earned the 50,000 miles.
I understand the Plus Chase Southwest card promotional 50,000 points are not applied to the Companion Pass, it has to be a Premier card. Please clarify for me if I am wrong. Thank you
@SL – I’ve read that you may be able to get the bonus again on the business and personal Plus cards. But I don’t have any personal experience.
@TR – I believe folks are still getting the 50K sign up bonus on the Plus cards. And you can get the bonus on both the business and personal cards, but you may need to call the reconsideration line to get approved for them.
@Philip – Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
@Greg – Your call on when to apply.
@Amanda – The points on any credit card are not supposed to count towards the Companion Pass. But they currently do! Though this could change any time.
Anyone have recent personal experiene with earning a CPass with just the plus card from Chase?
Can you apply for a Southwest card and put the card in one person’s name and use a rapid reward number from the spouse for the promotional points to go to?
Instant approval for the Plus Personal card, and Further action required on the Plus Business card. I will check out the blog post for the resolution center and call in a couple days.
If you cancel you Southwest business card after they have applied the southwest points to my account, can they take the points away from you?
If you cancel your SW card after your points have posted, can they take your points away?
@Amanda – I earned it with both the Plus and Premier – 1 business and 1 personal.
@Jan – Once the points are in your account they won’t take them away. But why cancel the card immediately? I prefer waiting 8 or 9 months and then cancelling it.
@TR – Good luck. Be prepared to give them information on your business when you call in.
Called the consideration line and was approved in about 5 minutes after answering a few simple questions. Probably would not have got that done without all the help. It was especially nice to have the direct number instead of wading through all the customer service levels. Only thing I am worried about now is if I’m actually going to get the 50K points for each card after making qualifying purchases. I took a screen shot with the 50K point offer on my application. Any other suggestions for evidence of the active 50K offer since this appears to be one of the only links that still is offering 50K points (everywhere else it has gone back down to 25K)? Thanks again!
@Daraius, was hoping to get your advice on this one. – So last month I was approved for both the Southwest Plus Personal Card & the Southwest Premier Business Card. I had to call the reconsideration line for the business card. I received the 50,000 on the personal card in mid March, which has already posted to the account. HOWEVER, I made a quick $2 purchase on the business card before the statement closing date, which posted on the first statement. But I only received 2 points in my SW RR account, not 50,002! Is there a chance that they’ve not qualified me for the 50,000 point bonus – and should I call Chase or Southwest on this matter?
@ Sean
Since it was so close to the closing date the bonus points probably just didn’t post to that statement. If it’s anything like my Chase United Mileage Plus cc then you will see the bonus within a statement or two. I made my purchase right before the first statement closing date, didn’t see my 50,000 bonus miles, called the CSR and they said it could take 6-8 weeks for the sign-up bonus to post to my ff account. It took 2 statements before Chase deposited the miles into my account.
@Corinne,
Thanks for the information – always nice to get confirmation from a fellow user. I’ll keep my eyes open for the 50K in the next 6-8 weeks. I guess I was expecting the same deposit to be made for both cards in a similar time frame. Thanks again for the response!
Hey Big D, I’m about to use your links to get the SW personal and business card. I want to get it at the same time because I’d like to maximize the length of the companion pass BUT I read that you said you get denials if you have more than 6 credit inquiries from an agency in 6 months. I’ve had 5 in the 4 months. Should I just apply for one instead of both? It might be YMMV but just wondering what you think. Thanks man
@TR – Congrats! Almost everyone who applied for the 50K offer using the link has got the 50K bonus even though the official offer is for only 25K points.
@Sean – What Corinne said – It should be in the next statement.
@Ryan from MA – It really depends on which agency Chase uses and your profile (income, credit score etc.). It is always YMMV, but also depends on your profile.
Thanks Daraius, Chase also confirmed through email today that the 50K is in process, but will be 6-8 weeks. So for anyone else in a similar situation, despite having to call the reconsideration line right around the time the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier 50K offer was pulled, it appears they are still honoring the 50K as long as you applied prior to removal of the offer.
Thanks!
FYI…I received the personal plus card today, and when I called in to activate it, the customer service person confirmed that I would receive 50K points after making my first purchase! I’m sure the business plus card will be here tomorrow and will be the same!
I experienced a similar situation when I received my business card, that the 50k bonus didn’t show up until the following statement. Really though, it was my own fault, because I was overly aggressive in moving my statement closing date ahead, and cut it too close
For my specific example, I had a charge on Feb 6, and my closing date was Feb 11, but that wasn’t enough time. When I called the support line, they confirmed that I would be receiving the 50k bonus, but it wouldn’t show up until the next statement, which is exactly what happened.
This whole process of getting personal and business cards worked so well for me, I’m now working the same deal for my wife
Thanks Daraius for all the great info on this site!
For those looking to apply to a personal and business card for 100,000 miles, it can be done. See here: https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FTiSxSeXuWE/T3P34Ruf15I/AAAAAAAAADQ/3Wt8p04W3jY/s980/swa%2520points.
@Sean @TR – Thanks for sharing!
@Keith – 5 days seems like it should be more than enough time to post, but congrats on getting the 100K points!
@webazoid – I’ve personally done that too!
I got instant approval on the SW Plus personal card, but I got the “your application needs further review” decision on the SW Plus business card. How long should I wait before calling in to the reconsideration line?
@SL – I’d call them sooner rather than later and be prepared to answer their questions about your business. I’ve noticed that they like seeing businesses with long histories even if they aren’t very profitable.
The Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards PREMIER card – both business and personal – are available with a 50k bonus on first spend – thru chase’s website. This includes the 6000 point bonus each year (which equates to $100 in wanna get away fares, which covers the money you spend on the $99 annual fee)
Personal – http://bit.ly/Hi9YzH
Business – http://bit.ly/HG4rGo
-Jake
CORRECTION – the pages are still up but they link to expired offers. Damn!
@Jake – Thanks for sharing. I’m curious – where did you find the links in the bit.ly format?
I shortened the links myself so they wouldn’t clutter the page.
@Jake – I see. I was curious because I’m never seen bit.ly links in the comments before, but thanks for shortening them!
@Jake – You got my hopes up that the Premier card was back!
Hi,
Regards to Southwest mileage booking, are they flexible in modification, such as cancel or changeing to antoher date by paying the differences in points. Do they charge additional fee for changing? I called them up and they said they are very flexible but not sure if I can trust that rep. They said that if I cancel the booking, the points will just go back to my account, is that true? Please advise.
@Tiffany – If you make a booking using points, you can cancel it at any time and the points go back to your account without a fee for changing or cancelling. So it doesn’t hurt to make a booking using points, since you can always cancel or change it later.
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Just applied for the SW Plus card and got the “Decision Pending” screen. I’ll call in a few days if it doesn’t pop up in my Chase account. I suspect it’s because I entered Self-Employed into the occupation box.
@Ken – Good luck!
Thanks D! Applied and approved for Barclay US Airways 40k bonus.
I’m trying to get the 2 * 50,000 points for both personal cards (Plus and Premier) as well. I got the Premier a few months ago and just got approved for the Plus (after calling the reconsideration line). I will let you know if the additional 50,000 points post to my account.
Update from comment on 3/15: CP posted this weekend! I got 100,000 points from the Chase Southwest Premier and Plus cards (both personal) and flew twice for work to get the other points.
@Philip – Congratulations! I feel more optimistic that I didn’t open an additional credit card in vain after closing my Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Enjoy your companion pass!
Thanks again, Daraius, for the links!
@Philip- Congrats and thanks for sharing!
@CCC – Good luck!
Tell me if I’m crazy, but I think I’m seeing the PREMIER card offer exactly like we want, on Southwest.com itself. Here are the direct links, and yes, they click through to the credit card offer page!
PERSONAL – http://bit.ly/IHLjaH
BUSINESS – http://bit.ly/JhspHx
50,000 bonus points after your first purchase2 – that’s over $800 in Wanna Get Away?® Fares that can be redeemed for 2 FREE ROUNDTRIP FLIGHTS!
You’ll also receive 6,000 bonus points every year on your Cardmember Anniversary, which can be redeemed for a $100 Wanna Get Away?® Fare – covering your $99 annual fee.† Start planning your trip to one of the 70+ destinations Southwest Airlines serves.
i have the southwest personal card, can i get the $99 business card again for the 50k point? if yes, my plan is to cancel the personal $69 card which i applied last year and re-apply after a few months to get 100k points for the Company pass. does it work? tia
Thanks MillionMilesSecrets.com!! I used your strategies to get the SouthWest companion pass. I had a SW card that earned me 2 free flights a few years ago (when it was 32 credits for 2 flights), but I was still able to get 1 business and 1 personal card that each earned me 50k points for a total of 100k. I also had 30k spare points, so I converted those to 10k SW points for the 110k total. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for all the posts. I have applied for a Southwest airline credit card a while ago and I have read that you can apply for both the Premier and Plus PERSONAL and still get the points for both. My question is how do I check to see if the one I applied was Premier or Plus? I went into my account and it only said Southwest Reward points. Thanks ahead for the replies.
Never mind. I figured it out:) My other question is that after calling in the reconsideration line about my Southwest business card, they asked me lots of questions about my business. I told them that I have an online business such as Amazon and Ebay. They then asked me to send in the proof so I sent it to them. I’m just wondering what I should do at this point. Should I wait for them to mail a decision or should I call in again? And what should I tell them? I really want to get approved. Thanks.
Can someone else thats a different name than me for example my daughter travel along with her friend using the companion ticket? Or the person has to be traveling with me?
@Eric – As I understand it, you must designate a companion, and you can change this a few timers per year. But, they MUST fly as your companion with you on the same flight. You must be on the flight and also take your designated companion for this to work. Both the companion and the person who earned the companion status is non transferable. That’s a little confusing, does it make sense to you?
Thanks Ken. Also my first name is different than my official passport name.Does it matter since I can anyways enter it when booking or it has to be changed?
@Eric – Did you change your first name after you received your passport? I’m fairly certain that everything has to match. I’ve even heard problems with people booking a ticket with “Mike” and having “Michael” on their passport. It would probably be a good idea to clear the name difference up with your passport so everything matches. When I got married my wife had to go through hoops and take off work to change everything around. It was a real pain.
Thanks to you and your awesome info!!!
*Question…..how much or often do I need to actually USE the new card I just got approved for? Will there be repercussions if I use it sparingly,and use my other SWA card for the most part? Do I get into ‘trouble’ for not using the new one much?
*Anyway I just called the reconsideration line, DH and I had the SWA premier cards and got the 50k each – then I read about the companion pass….so I applied for the SWA plus card w/50k bonus- was given the ‘maybe’ screen…..today I called,and was approved with a small credit switchover from my other card… I think I’m good to go for the pass soon,right?
Hi everyone, thanks for the SUPER useful information.
I already have a SW rewards card; however, I have used up all my original rewards that I got a few years ago when I first opened the card. I want to apply for the biz and personal ones that have been mentioned on this post. What is the best way to do it? Should I cancel my current card and then apply for these? I think I have a Plus card now- is it ok to still keep that and apply for a premier one?
Thanks for your help!
@Jake – That’s great and thanks for sharing! I had a link to the personal Premier, but nice to know that the Business Premier is also available!
@Ben - You can get the 50K sign up bonus on the business card without having to cancel your personal card. However, you need 110K points for the Companion Pass not 100K, but it is fairly easy to get the extra 10K points.
@Ryan - Thanks for sharing and congrats!
@Amy – You can look at the physical card and it should mention if it is a Plus or Premier version. I’d call the reconsideration line again and speak to a different rep. Hopefully, they haven’t made a not on your account that you’ll be sending in information.
@Eric – Ken is correct. You have to be traveling with your companion. However, you can choose only a limited amount of Companions so choose the person most likely to fly with you. Southwest doesn’t fly internationally, so your name on your driver’s license should be fine.
@Ken – Thanks for helping out!
@J Murphy – Sounds like you were approved and based on comments should get the points on the new card. I try to have a small recurring purchase on each card to help show activity on the card.
@Bhumi – You can keep your plus card and apply for the new ones or cancel it – whichever you prefer. If your earlier card offered you $500 in credits, you can apply for the current versions and get points.
Million Mile Secrets. Actually I don’t think it says on the physical card, or if I was blind when searching for either the word Premier or Plus at that time:). I figured out by finding the annual fee which I paid 69. So I figured it was the Plus.
I sent in the info after the rep told me to. I should of done what you have suggested but it’s too late now. I have read your posts about Sole Proprietor and I would fit in the category of selling merchandise online. However, I did not pay tax for what I was selling so I don’t know if that would consider a business. I guess I didn’t have much luck as many readers here:(
Thanks Darius! I’ve also read on your site that you have to wait 65 days to apply for the business card (the post I read had to do with the Citi AA card), does that apply for Southwest too? I applied for the personal one yesterday, is it ok to apply for the business one right away or do I have to wait?
BTW, I love your site- it’s so useful!
Why is it that when you follow the link to the business card it does not ask for an Employer Identification Number? The Ink Bold does as do all of the AMEX business cards (I am aware that for a lot of small businesses the owners social is used instead of the EIN). The Southwest Business Card is also not listed under “business credit cards” on the Chase web-site. Just curious as to why this is unlike so many other cards.
@Amy – You’re right that it doesn’t mention it on the card. But the Plus card is blue and the Premier is black, but I wasn’t clear earlier!
@Bhumi – With Chase, you should be able to get 1 personal and 1 business card around the same time. But you will have to call the reconsideration line to get approved.
@Brian – I looked at the application form and I see a field for Tax ID number!
I see on the side bar for the SW Premier Offer, that you can get up to an additional 15,000 points for a balance transfer. Do you know how this works, and how you find out how many points your would get? Thank you!
You are right, on the Premier it does but on the Business Plus it does not. Weird.
I applied and received a Southwest Plus personal card in November of 2011. I have been using it very consistently since then. I am just now finding out about this little trick, and would love to use it and achieve companion pass status for my wife and I until the end of 2013. I understand all the posts about the reconsideration line and such. I just want to make sure I take the best route with which cards I apply for and under who’s name since I already have the Plus card.
Should I cancel my current card and apply for a Premier personal and Premier business card? Should I have my wife apply for both cards? Any help is appreciated.
I’m thinking it may be better for my wife to apply for the cards. Did I read somewhere that someone was able to do this by applying for 2 different personal cards, a premier and a plus? I may have my wife just do that. She already has 10,000 points towards “A List” anyways, where I do not.
@Julie, I did a $15000 balance transfer on my SWA Premier card back in January, and it gave me 15,000 points for it. Interestingly, although the literature says a 3% transaction fee (which would be a pricey $450), my fee was actually capped at only $99, which is quite a good deal for 15,000 points. I tried searching tonight for some other reference to confirm the balance transaction fee is always capped at $99, but the best I could do was a mention on http://www.personalfinanceanalyst.com/southwest-credit-card-a-visa-with-rapid-rewards. Basically, I’m not sure if this was a limited time offer, or if it was specific to the Premier card, or if it’s always Chase’s policy to cap the fee at $99.
@Jeremy, I personally found it pretty easy to apply for the SWA business card for my upcoming business of selling items on eBay (used my SSN, had no previous business income, and no huge expectations for upcoming income)
I had to call the reconsideration line of course, but overall that whole process went pretty smoothly. Victor had luck above applying to two personal cards, but that seems risker IMO than applying for a personal and a business card.
@Keith, Does it matter I already have a Personal Plus card that I applied for and started using in 2011? Can I just do a Premier Personal and Plus Business card now and cancel my previous Personal Plus card?
@Jeremy, any miles you accumulated in 2011 won’t apply to your current attempt at getting Companion Pass status, if that is what you were asking. (But it all depends on when your miles post: For example, I actually applied for the SWA Personal card in Nov 2011, but didn’t use it for the first time until Jan 2012, so that the 50k bonus miles would go towards CP status in 2012.)
I don’t have personal experience for whether the Personal Plus card is considered different enough from the Personal Premier. However, after skimming the long comments above, I counted at least four people that had success getting the bonus miles for both Personal Plus and Personal Premier. I still think it seems “riskier” than going for the Personal and Business cards, but it does seem like people are having success with getting both Personal Plus and Personal Premier instead.
@Keith, I always wondered how balance transfer works. Since you have done $15k transfer (a massive amount imo!) can I ask where did you transfer the credit from? I ask this question because, I pay ALL my credit cards on time. I can never think of balance transfer. What are tips! I sure would love to gather 15k points. Except for my mortgage loan, I don’t have any type of balance to transfer. how do i create a balance!;) thanks for your help.
I just got a letter from Chase asking me to call them to verify that I was the person who applied for the Chase Southwest Business card. That’s weird. I’ve never had this happen before when applying for Chase credit cards.
Just curious. What kind of questions do they ask when called back so I can prepare?
Thanks for the help.
Just had the 50,000 points from the Southwest Plus personal card post in addition to the 50,000 that I got from the Premier personal card. To obtain the companion pass, I will need a few thousand more points, which I plan to obtain by placing my regular spending on my Chase Southwest cards.
Thanks, Daraius (and fellow posters)!
Daraius,
Just wanted to make you aware that ALL FOUR LINKS ARE STILL WORKING! The link for the Premier that is above the pictures DOES NOT work but that link for the Premier under the heading “1. Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier” DOES work.
Hey Daraius,
I applied for the freedom card in july and the southwest plus at the beginning of april and 2x thank you premier cards, which were denied at first b/c Experian was delayed over a month in posting balances so Citi said I have “No revolving accounts with a balance” but I just got the visa approved and yet to receive it and the MC is still being evaluated(not to mention 2-citi AA cards for my dad and ink bold for my brother, thanks a lot for this new addiction by the way!
Anyway, the wording on the Southwest landing page of “FINAL DAYS” has me worried i’ll miss out but it’s too soon to apply I’m worried , for the business card. Or would you say I’ve got nothing to lose since the companion pass is the whole goal anyway. Do you have any information as to the expiration or perhaps recommend I go for the personal premier? Its my understanding Chase uses experian as well so now I’m flustered as to what to do. Anyway, your eyes must be tired. Thank you again and I’m glad I could contribute a little something to you and Emily.
@Julie - I wouldn’t recommend the balance transfer because you would pay 3% or $300 for a $10,000 transfer. However, you’d get 10K Southwest points which are worth only 10,000 X 1.67 or $167. And the interest rates on mile earning cards aren’t the best.
@Brian - Very strange.
@Jeremy – If your wife has income and can apply for credit cards, she could apply for the personal and business version. Otherwise, you could apply for the Premier version (since you already have the plus version). I’ve read that some have manged to get both personal versions, but as always, your experience could be different. I’d also check to see if the points from your earlier application posted in 2011 or 2012. If they posted in 2012, it may be easier for you to get another card to get the Companion Pass. Good luck!
@Keith - Very interesting. Thanks for sharing and for helping out! I didn’t know that the balance transfer fee was capped.
@vrtravellers - You don’t need to have a balance to request a balance transfer. You could have them transfer it via a check to you, or to another credit card and then request a check payment for the credit balance. But be careful!
@Amy – Sounds like they want to verify your identity, so I’d expect the usual questions – SSN, address etc.
@CCC - Thanks so much for sharing!
@Extra Pack of Peanuts – Thanks for confirming that the links work!
@Michael- Ha! It is addictive. I don’t have any information on the expiration, but sometimes the links still work after the offer has expired. However, it couldn’t hurt to apply if your last application was in July and April and you want to try for the Companion Pass. But I’d expect to have to call in to the reconsideration line to get approved.
So let me summarize, as it now stands regarding SWA’s (WN is their airline code) Companion Pass:
1. Spend $9,167 in WN fares in a calender year gets the points, “naturally”.
2. Spend $5,000 in WN fares in a calendar year, but also get one of their credit cards.
3. Spend $833 in WN fares in a calendar year, but get two of their credit cards.
4. Spend less than the above if you have Marriot or other points to transfer.
2 and 3 are limited because they are one shot deals? or can they be repeated in any way?
I was feeling nervous about calling the Chase reconsideration line for the first time for trying to get my SW business card approved. It seems I blew it right off, because the first question she asked me was my business name and pin number? I wasn’t sure what to say. I was planning to talk about selling stuff on ebay for my business, blah, blah, blah, but the respresentative said they need to verify that I have an actual business and I need to fill out a form to get my business established or something of that sort. Anyone else have a similar experience? Can I call back in a day or two and try again? I would love any advice. I just got the SW personal card last week, I applied for both the personal and business card at the same time.
@Sheryl, I assume by “pin” they were probably asking for your Tax ID (which can be the same as your SSN), and your business name can be the same as your name. Read over the information at http://millionmilesecrets.com/2011/06/10/how-to-fill-out-a-business-credit-card-application/, I think that will provide the answers that you need. I also was nervous when I first called the SWA business reconsideration line, but it sounds like my call went a lot smoother… I also rambled on about eBay sales, but they didn’t fight me about it
Thanks Keith! I really appreciate the advice. Do you think I should wait a few days to call back, or call back right away?
giving my past call center experience, I’d like to shed some light why you shouldn’t feel nervous to call them.
1. Cheer them up, say something positive, weather, city, you name it. you will feel it’s a snap to get you approved when you started to make friend with the person over the phone
2. each agent works as a shift, basically 8 hours, they might feel boring on the phone, if you motivated their interesting on anything, you are ahead already
3. each agent has their own flex and authorization limit to approve you or decline you. so, treat them well.
Just as an update, it looks like the links in the “Update” box no longer work. The only one that seems to go to an application currently for a personal card is the one in the “1. Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier” section.
Just FYI.
– John…
@Kevin - I don’t understand the calculations. You need 110K points for the Companion Pass, so I don’t see how #1 & #2 gets you the Companion Pass?
@Sheryl – Sorry to hear about that! I’d call back (sooner rather than later) after reading Keith’s suggestions below.
@Keith – Thanks for helping out!
@Ben - Great experience and thanks for sharing!
@John… – Thanks for letting me know. I’ updated the links to redirect to the Airline Credit Card tab which lists the current offers.
Companion Pass Earned! I received notification yesterday. Can’t wait to plan our first free trip! I did want to share the fine print I noticed when I pulled up the companion pass page:
…
2 Tier qualifying points are earned from revenue flights during the qualifying year or through select Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase and are exclusive of bonuses or promotions. Revenue flights flown in 2011 before March 1st earned Rapid Rewards credits along with Tier Qualifying Points
…
I’m assuming here that “Tier Qualifying Points” are the 110,000 SW points to get the companion pass. Maybe its been said before (I have not seen it, however), but this was the first time I actually saw anything in black and white, from Southwest, indicating that the Chase SW points were to count towards qualification.
@sean – Tier Qualifying Points and Companion Pass qualifying points are two different things. One is for an elite status and the other is for free travel for your companion.
Sean: That’s actually a little odd. First, TIER qualifying points refers to A-List status — not the Companion Pass. Tier Status is completely unrelated to CP. Second, RR Credit Card purchases actually do NOT qualify towards Tier status — so it is odd that they state that Tier qualifying points ARE earned through “select RR Credit Cards”. Third, that actually is supposed to be just a FOOTNOTE at the bottom of the CP page — it is the same FOOTNOTE that appears on the A-List Tier Status page. What is funny is that, on the CP page, nothing even references that footnote! An actual reference of Footnote #2 ONLY appears on the A-List Tier Status page. It looks like the web designers just copy and pasted it over to the CP page even though it doesn’t apply.
But, in any case, still very odd — since, again, points earned from purchases on the RR Credit Card do NOT actually count towards the Tier Status at all. Only towards CP — which Southwest doesn’t normally call “Tier Status” at all — they only use that to reference the A-List Status normally.
– John…
FYI, the Premier version of the Chase SWA actually do have some Tier status implications. Per http://www.southwest.com/html/rapidrewards/partners/credit-cards/southwest-airlines-rapid-rewards-cards/index.html:
“Earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List and A-List Preferred Status for every $10,000 you spend on the card (maximum of 15,000 Tier Qualifying Points annually).”
John/Ken – Very Interesting. The confusion for me arose in the fact that that footnote wording appeared on a page related only to the companion pass. Obviously a mistake of some sort. Just glad the Chase activity counts towards companion pass status where it counts, in the accumulation of points!