Always a fan of flying, Spencer wanted to find ways to upgrade his travel experience. Over the years, Spencer has been a guest speaker on multiple YouTube shows as well as podcasts on maximizing point...
Edited by: Keri Stooksbury
With years of experience in corporate marketing and as the Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, Keri is now Editor-in-Chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and r...
& Kellie Jez
Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s c...
17 comments
Charles Prahl
April 27, 2019
I have had my Southwest Chase Rapid Rewards card for 6 months. Can I get a Chase Ultimate Rewards card now, or do I need to end my Southwest card first?
Katie Seemann
April 29, 2019
Hi Charles,
As long as you haven’t opened 5 or more credit cards in the previous 24 months, you are able to apply for a Chase Ultimate Rewards earning credit card. You do not need to cancel your Southwest Rapid Rewards card.
Ed
June 22, 2019
Chase ink cards give 80k bonus points that can be transferred to southwest. Do those points count towards points that qualify for companion pass?
Do those ink points qualify for Alaska MVP status?
Jarrod West
June 22, 2019
Hi Ed,
Unfortunately, Chase Ultimate Rewards points transferred to Southwest do not count towards the companion pass, nor do they count towards Alaska MVP status.
pete
August 19, 2019
I just got southwest performance business card in July. I want to get the companion pass, when is the best time to qualify to get the most time? After this august statement, I will have over 100k. Should I slow down and wait until after my December statement closes? or January? I am a little confused because it says calendar year to qualify.
Jarrod West
August 19, 2019
Hi Pete,
You are correct that you have to earn 110k miles in a calendar year to qualify. Since you already have 100k miles that have posted, I would recommend you go ahead and try to earn the final 10k as fast as you can which will earn you the companions pass for the remainder of 2019 and all of 2020. If you wait until January, your qualification resets and all miles earned in 2019 will no longer count towards the companion pass qualification.
Thanks for reading!
Cindy
August 25, 2019
I recently bought southwest miles during a sale and they did not count towards a companion pass 🙁
Randy Swanson
November 17, 2019
I have 85K points, what is the best way to achieve a companion pass for 2020, without using a credit card for points? Thank you
Jarrod West
November 18, 2019
Hi Randy,
There are many great methods outlined in this article to earn Southwest points. Including, but not limited to, the Southwest dining and shopping program, or the southwest car rental and hotel partners.
Claudia
July 30, 2020
I am so angry. I canceled my SW Premier card that I have held for 2 years 9 months in hopes of reopening another SW card for the welcome bonus. The terms say you are eligible after 24 months of receiving the welcome bonus, but when I called Chase, they said it is 24 months from CREDIT ACTIVITY. This is how Citi AA does it, but I thought SW was different. Was the phone rep wrong?
Jarrod West
August 18, 2020
Hi Claudia,
If the terms specifically state that you’re eligible after 24 months of a welcome bonus, and do not mention credit activity, I’d suggest calling back and trying to speak with another representative. Unfortunately, they don’t always give the most accurate information. I hope you’re able to get the bonus!
Paul E Panek
December 26, 2020
If I get a Southwest Rapids Reward card and do a balance transfer of $2000 to the card, does that count the same as spending $2000 in the first 3 months?
Jarrod West
December 28, 2020
Hi Pual,
That would not qualify, it would have to be $2,000 in new purchases.
Can Can
September 13, 2021
I am looking to book a Southwest Hotel in November of this year. I am wondering how long it would take to receive the Bonus Rapid Rewards points that come with the hotel booking? Would it be the standard process of up to 30 days after that credit card statement ends? I’m relying on this hotel stay to get the remainder of the points I need for a 2021 companion pass.
Jarrod West
September 18, 2021
Hi Can,
Yes, the points should be posted to your account up to 30 days after your credit card statement ends.
Criselda Von Wald
April 13, 2022
Earn 7X bonus points on Southwest® purchases + 5X points on other travel, gas stations, and grocery stores is now being offered for April 1, 2022, thru June 31, 2022. My question is, can other travel be a payment made for cruise travel. I have a balance to pay on a cruise, and I wonder if I can get the 5X bonus points for paying it using my Southwest credit card.
Katie Seemann
April 13, 2022
Hi Criselda,
Yes, a cruise should count as “other travel”. If you want to be sure, pay a small amount to confirm that it codes as travel and earns 5x points before paying the full amount.
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