Do You Earn Points Toward the Companion Pass Using the Southwest Shopping Portal?

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Million Mile Secrets reader, Randy, commented:

Does earning points through the Southwest shopping portal count toward the Companion Pass?

Excellent question!

Emily and I think the Southwest Companion Pass is the best deal in travel!  So I understand why Randy wants to know which points count toward earning this amazing travel perk.

All of the points you earn from shopping through the Southwest portal can be used to book award flights on the airline.  But not all points count toward the 110,000-point requirement to earn the Companion Pass.

I’ll let you know when online shopping portal purchases earn you eligible Companion Pass points.  And explain how to track your progress toward earning the Companion Pass!

Only Standard Points Count Toward Earning the Companion Pass

Link:   4 Tips to Make Sure You Get Your Southwest Shopping Portal Points

Lyn from Go To Travel Gal shared a guide to using the Southwest shopping portal to earn eligible Companion Pass points.

As a general rule, any points noted as “bonus” points WILL NOT count toward the Companion Pass.  But all other points WILL qualify for the Companion Pass.

For example, there was a recent back-to-school promotion where folks could earn bonus points for shopping through the Southwest portal.  The terms & conditions of the deal said:

…earn a one-time bonus of up to 2,000 bonus points on qualifying purchases, in addition to the standard points earned from shopping online through Rapid Rewards Shopping.

In this case, the one-time bonus points would NOT count toward earning the Companion Pass.  But the standard points would.

Quickly Track Your Progress Toward the Companion Pass

It’s easy to see how many points you are away from earning the Companion Pass.

Log-in to your Southwest account.  Then, click “My Account” on the top right.  You’ll see a dashboard with your points balance and Companion Pass tracker.

So if you do any online shopping through the Southwest portal, you can visit this page to see the eligible Companion Pass points you earned.

Keep in mind, it can take 6 to 8 weeks for Southwest to post the points you earn from the shopping portal to your account.  But they’ll typically arrive much sooner.

Quickly Earn Eligible Companion Pass Points With the Southwest Credit Cards

Link:   Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

Link:   Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

Link:   Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

All 3 Chase Southwest cards currently have an increased 60,000 point sign-up bonus after meeting minimum spending requirements.  But the higher personal card offers end on October 4, 2017.

Right now, if you apply for 1 Southwest personal card and 1 Southwest business card, you’ll earn 124,000 Southwest points (including points from minimum spending).  That’s more than enough to qualify for the Companion Pass!  Here’s more about timing your spending on these cards to earn the Companion Pass in 2017 or 2018.

Keep in mind, these cards are impacted by Chase’s stricter approval rules.  And remember to avoid these 3 common mistakes when you’re working towards the Companion Pass.

Bottom Line

When you make online purchases through the Southwest shopping portal, you can earn standard AND bonus Southwest points.  You can use both types of points to book Southwest award flights.  But only standard points count toward earning the Companion Pass!

Remember, you must earn 110,000 qualifying Southwest points in a calendar year to earn the Companion Pass.  Emily and I think this amazing perk is the best deal in travel!

Track your progress toward the Companion Pass by signing-in to your Southwest account.  And if you’re looking for an easy way to earn eligible Companion Pass points, consider these cards:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Thanks for the question, Randy!