Earn 60,000 Bonus Points With These Limited-Time Southwest Card Bonuses

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

For a limited time, Southwest and Chase are offering an increased sign-up bonus on two of the airline's co-branded credit cards. If you sign up for either the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, you'll earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months.

This limited-time sign-up bonus doesn't have a set end date, but it's better to act sooner rather than later, before the bonus drops to its normal level. Previously, both cards offered a sign-up bonus of 40,000 points, so this elevated bonus is a pretty great deal if you've been eyeing the card. Based on TPG's most recent valuations, the 60,000 points you'll get with each of the cards are worth $900.

With the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, you'll earn 2x points on Southwest purchases and 1x points on all other purchases. In addition, you'll get 6,000 bonus points after your cardmember anniversary. There are no foreign transaction fees on the card, and the Rapid Rewards points you earn will never expire as long as your account is open. The card comes with a $99 annual fee.

The other card with this increased offer, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, will allow you to earn 2x points on Southwest purchases and 1x points on everything else. You'll get 3,000 bonus points after your cardmember anniversary, and your points will never expire as long as your account is open. Keep in mind you will be charged foreign transaction fees with this card (3%). The card comes with a $69 annual fee.

Both of these cards could offer tremendous value, especially when used for working toward the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, one of the most valued frequent flyer perks in the industry. With the pass, a friend or family member can travel with you for almost free on any paid or award ticket (you'll just need to pay the taxes and fees). You need to earn 110,000 Southwest points for the pass, which is valid for up to almost two years.

Generally speaking, you can open one personal and one business card every 90 days. (Keep in mind, however, these Southwest cards fall under Chase's 5/24 rule.) If you sign up for one of these personal card offers with an increased 60,000-point sign-up bonus, you'll fall 50,000 points short of Companion Pass qualification. You could also then consider signing up for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, which comes with a 60,000-point sign-up bonus after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. After you've met both sign-up bonus spend requirements, you'll have reached the 110,000 benchmark and earned the Companion Pass.

Ultimately, this is a pretty great offer to jump on if you've been eyeing the card for a while and haven't yet pulled the trigger. The 60,000 points you'll earn as part of this limited-time offer will put you well on your way to earning the extremely valuable Companion Pass. And even if the Companion Pass isn't on your radar, the increased bonus could be used toward some valuable Southwest award redemptions.