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Author: Matthew
November 6, 2024
One of the exception to not getting an airline credit card early on is due to the lucrative Southwest Companion Pass that you can get for almost two whole years. This pass allows you to fly a companion for free on all your Southwest flights - whether booked by points or by cash. Follow the rules below to see the how most points enthusiasts get this pass quickly and with minimal spend.
TL;DR
TL;DR
At the high level, you're going to apply for a Southwest business credit card and a Southwest personal card - then meet the minimum spend requirements in January to get enough points to qualify for the companion pass.
However, I encourage you to read all the steps below to avoid common mistakes that beginners make. Otherwise you might only get the pass for a year, or potentially not at all.
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1
Get the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card
Get the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card
You need to get a total of 135,000 Southwest tier qualifying points in a calendar year to get Companion Pass for the remainder of the year and the full following year. Doing this normally from southwest flights can take a long time, even if you fly every day. However, by getting the Performance Business credit card and its associated sign-up bonus, you can reach the threshold a lot faster.
There are two business credit card options, the Performance and the Premier. Be sure to get the Performance Business even though it is $100 more expensive because you get 80,000 points for signing up, rather than 60,000. With the personal cards at 50,000 points for sign-up the Premier's 60,000 points won't push you above the 135,000 required threshold. Also getting 20,000 more points you can use on Southwest flights helps. If you do the math, 20,000 points is around $280 in Southwest flight, and you double that with the Companion Pass - so the extra annual fee is recouped well over. If you do go witht he Premier, you'll have to make the points deficit in otherwise, such as flying Southwest or using the card more.
IMPORTANT
While you can get the business card as early as mid-October, it's imperative you DO NOT complete your minimum spend ($3k or $5k) until AFTER January 1. If you complete the bonus beforehand, those points will qualify for Companion Pass in the same year. Do not even come close to reaching the bonus because Chase/Southwest has been known to credit people the bonus when they are a few hundred dollars away from meeting the minimum spend. I would be $1,000 way just to be safe.
2
Wait 30 days
Wait 30 days
Chase typically won't approve you for another card within 30 days of getting a card. This is why it's recommended to get the business card in mid-October so then you can apply for the next card mid-November and be ready to meet both cards' minimum spends in January.
3
Get another Southwest Credit Card (Business or Personal)
Get another Southwest Credit Card (Business or Personal)
Any of the other Southwest credit cards will work, it just depends on your preference of the annual fee and benefits. All the personal ones right now provide a sign-up bonus of 50,000 points. With the 80,000 sign up bonus + 5,000 points to meet the minimum spend of the Performance Business card, and then the 50,000 bonus points from a personal card, you easily reach the 135,000 point threshold. As a reminder, the bonuses should be completed in ~Janurary/February to get the Companion Pass for essentially 2 years.
4
Designate your Companion and book some flights
Designate your Companion and book some flights
Congrats, you have your Companion Pass for almost 2 years and are ready to fly BOGO. Just remember a couple of these rules.
You can only change your designated Companion up to 3 times each calendar year, so make sure you know your trips and who you'll be going with
You still have to pay taxes and fees for the Companion, but that is usually $5.60 per one-way
You can retroactively add the Companion to future flights you have already booked before you got the pass
Other Things to Note
Other Things to Note
Do I have to get a business card?
Do I have to get a business card?
Yes, you cannot hold multiple personal credit cards. What qualifies as a business to Chase is pretty lax. Whether you make some money under the table from selling things on Facebook or babysitting to even planning for a business - you'll qualify for a business credit card. If you want support or have questions on the actual application, feel free to reach out to us at matthew@wuhoogroup.com
Couples vs. Families
Couples vs. Families
If you're a couple, the recommended strategy is for one-person to do it first, then 2 years later the other person can do the same thing. Chase doesn't allow you to receive the Southwest card bonuses within 2 years, so that lines up well. If you're a family, it may be more worth it for both parents to get the pass and designated two children as the companion.
Timing
Timing
It's imperative again that you apply for the cards at the end of the year, but get the sign-up bonuses in the new year. Southwest runs promotions throughout the year for shorter Companion Passes. These are usually not worth it - but they test people's patience each year. It's likely best to wait to do this strategy so you can the full pass for two years.
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