Get Two Years of Southwest Companion Pass with Business Card Bonus

Get Two Years of Southwest Companion Pass with Business Card Bonus

Chase and Southwest Airlines launched this week a new bonus for their co-branded business credit cards. You can earn 120,000 Rapid Rewards points when you spend $15,000. That bonus is available on the Southwest Premier Business and Southwest Performance Business cards.

Once you are done with the spending required for the bonus, you will have a minimum of 135,000 Rapid Rewards points. That’s more than enough to earn the coveted Southwest Companion Pass. You need to earn 135,000 points in a calendar year for the Companion pass, but you get a 10,000-point boost each year simply by having a cobranded Southwest card. 

But when it comes to the Companion Pass it is all about timing. The pass is valid for the year you earn it, plus all of the following year. So how can you time it right to bets serve your travel plans? Let’s see your options.

Signup Bonus Details

First take a look at the bonus details on each card, which vary a bit.

• Southwest Premier Business Card:

  • Earn up to 120,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points:
    • Earn 60,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points after $3,000 spend in 3 months
    • Plus 60,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points after $15,000 spend in 9 months
  • Annual Fee: $99
  • Offer ends 9/16/2024.

• Southwest Performance Business Card:

  • Earn up to 120,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points:
    • Earn 80,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points after $5,000 spend in 3 months
    • Plus 40,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points after 15,000 spend in 9 months
  • Annual Fee: $199
  • Offer ends 9/16/2024.

When Do You Need the Companion Pass?

The first thing you need to figure out is when you need the Southwest Companion Pass. That depends when you you are doing more travel.

You have the option of earning it now and use it in 2024 and through the end of 2025. The issue with that is that you are getting the Companion Pass for less than a year and a half.

The other option is to earn it as early as possible in 2025. That way you can enjoy it for almost two years. That’s most of 2025 and all of 2026.

Southwest Companion Pass for 2024-2025

If you are planning to earn it right away, then the process is quite straightforward. 

1. Apply for one of the Southwest business cards right away
2. Complete $15,000 in spending as quickly as possible
3. That earns you 135,000 points and the Companion Pass

That is a lot of spend, so make sure it is completed before the December statement closes. That way both bonus tiers will post in 2024, and the pass will be valid for the rest of 2024 and all of 2025.

Southwest Companion Pass for 2025-2026

This is the best option for those looking to use the Companion Pass for as long as possible, almost two years. And this option requires good timing when it comes to applying for the card and completing the spend.

The key is to have the first bonus tier post in January, and then complete the second part of the bonus as quickly as possible after that.

Here you have to ways to go about earning almost two years of Southwest Companion Pass with this Business Card bonus.

Option 1: Apply in Mid-September

1. Apply on the last day (Sept 16), or in the last few days. Let’s say you apply on Sept 15, 2024.
2. Complete the first spending tier ($3K or $5K depending on the card) after your December statement closes, but still within the first 90 days as it’s required to earn the bonus. Let’s say your statement close date is on December 3, 2024. So you should complete the spending between December 4 and December 14.
   • Tip: You can change the statement closing date to the 1st of the month, or maybe a few days later.
3. The first part of the bonus will post on your January statement.
4. Complete the second spending tier as quickly as possible in January

Option 2: Apply in September and Recon

1. Apply in September with credit bureaus frozen 
2. Call recon in October after unfreezing (within 30 days of application)
3. Get approved in October
4. Complete the first spending tier in early January, within 3 months of approval.

Important Tips

• It’s best to set your closing date on the 2nd or 3rd of the months. If it’s on January 1, then points might post a day earlier since it’s a holiday.
• Set your due day to late in the month (27th for example) and the statement close date will be 5-6 days later.
• You can only change your due date once every 180 days.
• Chase (unofficially) gives you 115 days to complete spending requirement, even though it states 3 months in terms. This is a risky bet though, so just try to complete send within 3 months.