Chase Southwest Visa 50,000 Point Offers = Companion Pass Quicker Than You Think
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Chase and Southwest frequently change the sign-up bonuses on the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Cards between 25,000 and 50,000 points, but they recently bumped both the personal and business cards Premier offers back up to 50,000 points (marketed as 2 Roundtrip Flights after the required spend) after you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months of opening your account. The annual fee is $99, but you get 6,000 anniversary points every year, which are worth about $100, thus negating the annual fee after the first year. The personal Premier card is a Visa Signature card and there are no foreign transaction fees.
Valuation Southwest Rapid Rewards cannot be transferred to other frequent flyer or hotel programs and the only partner airline you can redeem on is Airtran, which was acquired by Southwest in 2010. Rapid Rewards is a fixed-value frequent flyer program, which means you can use the points to redeem for any flights (you don't have to worry about availability or blackout dates), but based on the type of fare (Wanna Get Away, Anytime, Business Select) your points are worth different amounts. You get the most bang for your point when you redeem for Wanna Get Away fares - the 50,000 point sign-up bonus is worth approximately $900 in Wanna Getaway Fares (I recently redeemed Southwest points and got 1.8 cents per point when redeeming for Wanna Get Away fares).
It's All About The Companion Pass The kicker is that Chase credit card sign-up bonuses count towards Companion Pass Qualification, which you need 110,000 qualifying miles in a calendar year to get the much coveted Companion Pass status. A single 50,000 point credit card sign-up will get you almost halfway there. I've written about the Companion Pass in the past and I truly do think it is one of the most lucrative frequent flyer perks out there, because it allows you to take a companion with you for free (just pay minimal taxes). The fee companion is good whether you pay for a ticket or use points, which is a great benefit because you can rack up over $1,800 in Southwest Wanna Gey Away fares by getting the personal and business versions of this card (read below). Another great aspect is that the pass is good for the year in which you qualify for it and the entire next year. So if you get the pass in March of 2013 it will be good until December of 2014! If you fly Southwest a lot - or even a moderate amount, the Companion Pass can save you thousands of dollars. Double Dipping? Chase generally won't let you get the sign-up bonus for the same exact card twice, but the good thing is that there are a total of four Southwest credit cards: The Premier personal and Premier Business which have $99 annual fees, but 6,000 anniversary points which are worth $100 in Wanna Get Away fares. The Plus Personal and Plus Business cards have $69 annual fees, but only 3,000 anniversary points which are worth $50 in Wanna Get Away fares. You can access the Premier Business and Plus Personal card 50,000 point offers by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page. The Plus Business link can be found here.
I'm personally not a Southwest flyer because they don't fly the non-stop transcontinental and international flights that I need, but I know many people who are and love their simple way of doing business. If you ever need to change a ticket there are no fees- you simply move the value of your ticket towards a new ticket. You get two free checked bags and their elite status gives priority boarding and even free WiFi for top-tier elites.
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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.