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Can You Use 100,000 Points From the Southwest Cards for Travel If You Earn the Companion Pass?

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    Million Mile Secrets reader Ria comments:

    So to understand this better, I can apply for a Southwest Premier and a Southwest Plus, spend $4,000 total on both cards, then get back 100,000 points.  Then I can combine the cards, and add points from my current Southwest Rapid Rewards account.  And I’ll still get to use my 100,000 points for travel?

    Ria is referring to using the sign-up bonus on the Chase Southwest cards to help earn the 110,000 points needed for the Southwest Companion Pass.

    Can You Use the Chase Southwest Bonus Points for Travel If You Get the Companion Pass?

    Those Points Are Yours for Travel!

    Link:   Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

    Link:   Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

    Link:   Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

    Link:   Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Business Credit Card

    Chase just re-introduced the Southwest 50,000 point sign-up offers.  So if you get 2 cards, you’ll earn 100,000 Southwest points.  Ria should be sure to enter the SAME Southwest frequent flyer number on both card applications, so the bonus points go to the same account.

    This saves her the hassle of having to combine separate Southwest accounts.

    These deals come and go every few months.  But when you count the bonus from 2 cards and the minimum spending requirements, you’ll have 104,000 points towards the Southwest Companion Pass!

    You need 110,000 points total for the Companion Pass.  But there are lots of easy ways to earn the extra points!

    What Happens When You Earn Enough Points for the Companion Pass?

    After completing the minimum spending on 2 Southwest cards, Ria will have at least 104,000 Southwest points.  So you’ll need another 6,000 points to earn enough for the Companion Pass (but there are many ways to do that!).

    Once you earn 110,000 Southwest points, you’ll get the Companion Pass, which lets you fly a companion for free on paid and award tickets.

    But those points are STILL in your account and you can use them any time, for award flights anywhere Southwest flies.

    Companion Passes Earned in 2014 Are Good Until the End of 2015!

    The points you earn towards the Companion Pass don’t disappear.  They’ll be in your account to use for award flights.  And you do NOT need to wait until you get the Companion Pass to use the points!

    Southwest calculates points towards the Companion Pass based on a calendar year.  So as long as you earn 110,000 points within a calendar year, you’ll get the pass.

    But you can use the Southwest points as you earn them (and before crossing the 110,000 points needed for a Companion Pass).

    You Can Use the Credit Card Sign-Up Points for Award Tickets, Even Before You Earn the Companion Pass

    So Ria shouldn’t worry.  The points earned from the Southwest card sign-up bonuses can be used before qualifying for the Companion Pass.  That’s a lot of Big Travel with Small Money!

    And remember, you don’t have to combine the points manually if you enter the same Southwest frequent flyer number into the card application form.

    Bottom Line

    You can use 100,000 Southwest points from 2 credit cards towards the Companion Pass.

    But that doesn’t mean you lose the points.  You can still use them for travel on Southwest, even before you earn the Companion Pass!

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)