Update 6/21/24 – We’ve received word that these increased offers on the Southwest personal cards will be and at 7am Eastern on 6/27/24. If you’re pursuing a Companion Pass (or if you just use Southwest a lot) and are considering jumping on one of these, now’s the time.
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All three of the consumer Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards credit cards are now offering increased welcome offers of 85,000 Rapid Rewards points after making $3K in purchases within the first 3 months. These offers are the best, in terms of total points, that we’ve seen in at least several years. If you’re looking for a card and/or trying to earn a companion pass, these are certainly worth considering.
Referral links are showing these increased offers, so folks that can manage a household referral will get even more bang for the buck.
The Offers & Key Card Details
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
85K points ⓘ Affiliate 85K points after $3K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 6/26/2024)$69 Annual Fee After clicking through, be sure to manually select the exact Southwest card in which you are interested. This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). FM Mini Review: This card can be great for its new cardmember bonus, but its ongoing perks are worth the annual fee only if fully used each year. Earning rate: 2X local transit and commuting, including rideshare ✦ 2X internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming ✦ 2X Southwest Card Info: Visa Signature or Platinum issued by Chase. This card imposes foreign transaction fees. Big spend bonus: If you earn 135,000 points in one calendar year, you'll get a companion pass good for the rest of that calendar year and all of the next year. Noteworthy perks: 3000 bonus points each year upon card renewal. 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year. 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year |
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
85K points ⓘ Non-Affiliate 85K points after $3K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 6/26/2024)$99 Annual Fee This card is known to be subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: The combination of 6,000 points plus 2 EarlyBird Checkins each year make this card a keeper for those who fly Southwest often. Earning rate: 3X Southwest ✦ 2X Rapid Rewards(R) hotel and car partners ✦ 2X local transit and rideshare ✦ 2X internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming ✦ 1X on all other purchases. Card Info: Visa Signature or Platinum issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: If you earn 135,000 points in one calendar year, you'll get a companion pass good for the rest of that calendar year and all of the next year ✦ Earn 1,500 TQPs for each $5K in purchases Noteworthy perks: 6000 bonus points each year upon card renewal. 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year. 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year ✦ 25% back on in-flight drinks, Wi-Fi, messaging, and movies. |
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
85K points ⓘ Affiliate 85K points after $3K spend in the first 3 months. (Offer Expires 6/26/2024)$149 Annual Fee This card is known to be subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. FM Mini Review: Great for frequent Southwest flyers - this card could easily be a long-term keeper. Earning rate: 3X Southwest ✦ 2X Rapid Rewards(R) hotel and car partners ✦ 2X local transit and rideshare ✦ 2X internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming ✦ 1X on all other purchases. Card Info: Visa Signature or Platinum issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: If you earn 135,000 points in one calendar year, you'll get a companion pass good for the rest of that calendar year and all of the next year ✦ Earn 1,500 TQPs for each $5K in purchases Noteworthy perks: ✦ 7,500 anniversary points each year ✦ $75 Southwest annual travel credit ✦ Four A1-15 boardings every year ✦ 25% back on in-flight drinks, Wi-Fi, messaging, and movies. ✦ 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year |
Quick Thoughts
Although these offers are historically noteworthy simply from a points perspective, they are also very helpful for those shooting for a 2025 companion pass. In order to get one (as a SW cardholder), you need to earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year…this includes credit card welcome bonuses and points earned from card spending, getting you over 2/3 of the way there.
Southwest Rapid Rewards points are worth 1.4 cents each according to our most recent Reasonable Redemption Values. That means that each of these bonuses should easily be worth more than $1100 worth of flights, regardless of which card you choose. That’s a good return on only $3,000 spend. Southwest points are nice to have as well, both for the flexibility of award bookings and because it continues to be a useful airline to trigger those pesky Amex incidental fee credits.
A couple of things to keep in mind:
- This card is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. If you have opened 5 or more new consumer card accounts in the past 24 months, you most likely not be eligible.
- You are not eligible for a new Southwest consumer card bonus if you currently have a Southwest consumer card or have earned a new welcome bonus on one in the past 24 months. You still can get 1 Southwest consumer bonus and 1 Southwest business card bonus, combining points from both towards a Southwest Companion Pass.
Which card is best?
We generally like the Priority card the best, especially for a frequent Southwest flyer. Cardholders receive 7,500 points on each anniversary (easily worth $100) and a $75 Southwest Airlines credit, effectively offsetting annual fee. It also offers reimbursement for four A1-A15 boarding positions each year and 25% off inflight drinks and wifi.
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