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Yesterday, bonus offers on the three personal Southwest Airlines credit cards increased to 100k. This is the perfect timing to earn the Southwest Companion Pass for 2022/2023! The cards are:
Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus ($69 annual fee)
Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier ($99 annual fee)
Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Priority ($149 annual fee)
Note: These are my affiliate links
I love Southwest Airlines because you can use points to book any flight without worrying about blackout dates. If you need to cancel, Southwest refunds your points immediately without penalties. My family of five has flown on Southwest Airlines many, many times for our vacation adventures.
Details of the 100k Bonus and Earning the Companion Pass
The bonus is a tiered bonus. Spend $2000 within the first three months to earn the first 50k points. Spend a total of $12k in the first year to earn the second 50k points for a total of 100k points. Offers end on 12/7/21.
If you earn 125,000 points in one calendar year, you earn a companion pass. So with this offer, you just need to earn 13k additional points from flying Southwest or through additional earning on the credit card. If you own a small business, you can also apply for the business version of the card to earn points.
The companion pass allows you to add a free travel companion to any flight you booked, whether you used cash or points to book your own flight. Your designated companion only has to pay taxes (usually $5.60 each way). This is a HUGE benefit for families.
Your companion pass is valid for the rest of the year in which you earn it plus the entire next year. So if you earn the pass in early 2022, you can use it through 2023!
A few years ago, both my husband and I had a Southwest Companion Pass. We each designated a kid as our companion, so we only had to buy flights for three people instead of five. My family used the heck out of those passes! We went to New York City, Colorado, Florida and more.
This offer is especially valuable to folks who live near a Southwest hub. Here in Dallas, Southwest has many direct flights to cities all around the country. With connections in Houston, I can fly on Southwest to Mexico and the Caribbean.
This deal is also great for anyone looking to fly to Hawaii. Southwest flies to Hawaii from the West Coast. Aloha!
Important Things to Know
Before you jump on this offer, be sure you understand the restrictions and rules. You can only have one Southwest personal card at a time. You won’t get the bonus if you’ve received a Southwest bonus within the past 24 months. Chase’s 5/24 rule applies, so you won’t be approved if you’ve opened 5 or more new credit cards from anywhere in the past 24 months.
In addition, the timing of your spending is crucial. While you can be approved for this card through 12/7/21, you must complete your first tier spending within the first three months while ensuring your final spend is in early 2022. See these tips from Travel Freely for more details.
What Would I Do?
If my family was planning multiple trips in the next two years where Southwest flies, I would totally jump on this offer. Southwest really is my first choice for domestic travel on points.
But, my family is planning trips to Europe in 2022 and 2023. With that in mind, I’m chasing a different path.
Are you going to go for this sweet deal on Southwest?
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VARIOUS CREDIT CARDS AND AVAILABLE SIGN-UP BONUSES
Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Did you mean “make sure you are not OVER the 5/24 rule?”
Yes, make sure you haven’t been approved for more than 4 new credit cards over the past 24 months. 🙂
Getting ready to pull the trigger on applying for the Business SWA card. When does the clock start ticking for the 3 months? When I apply? When they approve? Or when I receive it? Assuming it’s when it’s approved, I do I find that out?
Thanks
@Patrick the clock starts ticking on the day you are approved. Good luck!
And a related question… How long should I wait until I apply for the personal card?
Thanks!
Since one is a business and one is a personal card, you should be able to apply for the personal card the next day. But if you want to be really safe, wait 30 days to apply for the personal card. The Southwest offer is good until 12/7, so you have enough time to wait. Always apply for the business card first and make sure you’re not under the 5/24 rule.