Southwest Airlines 50,000 Points Sign-Up Bonus Is Back
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here –Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Chase is once again offering an increased sign-up bonus of 50,000 points for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card after you spend $2,000 in the first three months. The standard offer for this card is 40,000 miles after spending $1,000.
Here are the full details:
- 50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening your account.
- 6,000 points after your Cardmember Anniversary.
- 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases made directly with the airline and on Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental Partner purchases.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
In addition, you can earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $10,000 you spend on the card, up to 15,000 points annually. Finally, you'll receive 6,000 Rapid Rewards points each year on your account anniversary, which mostly offsets the $99 annual fee.
Southwest made some changes to the Rapid Rewards program earlier this year by introducing dynamic award pricing. However, the changes weren't drastic, and haven't largely affected the overall value. I list Rapid Rewards points at 1.3 cents apiece in my most recent valuations, so 50,000 points is worth at least $650. Southwest has been expanding its list of international destinations, so these points are increasingly useful even aside from domestic travel.
You can double the value of your Rapid Rewards points if you have the prized Southwest Companion Pass, which allows your companion to fly with you (almost) for free, even on award flights. To get the Companion Pass, you'll need to earn 110,000 points in a calendar year, and sign-up bonuses from co-branded credit cards count toward that mark. That means earning the bonus from the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card puts you almost half way toward Companion Pass status.
You can often find a similar offer for other co-branded Southwest cards, like the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card. Two of these bonuses in combination (plus points earned from a few flights or extra spending) offers a great shortcut to the Companion Pass. You can maximize the pass by earning it toward the beginning of the calendar year, but even if you earned it now, you'd have Companion Pass status through the end of 2016. Note that if you want to enjoy the pass through 2017, you'll need to wait a bit to sign up.
Chase offers these 50,000-point sign-up bonuses periodically, but they're unpredictable and usually only last for a few weeks. If the timing isn't right for you now, my guess is that you'll see them again, but possibly not until the end of 2015 or early 2016.
Check out these posts for more information on maximizing this offer and the Companion Pass:
- Southwest Companion Pass: 16 Things Every Flyer Should Know
- Benefits of Personal vs. Business Cards
- Using Marriott Flight + Hotel Awards for the Southwest Companion Pass
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.