The BEST Companion Pass Strategy using Credit Cards

The BEST Companion Pass Strategy using Credit Cards | Southwest Airlines

Рет қаралды 10,706

Күн бұрын

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most desired benefits in air travel today, and for good reason!
It gives you the opportunity to book or redeem a flight and then add a companion to fly with you, absolutely for free, minus the required September 11th fee, and with just a little planning and strategy using credit card sign-up bonuses, you could get this Companion Pass for up to two whole years!
In this video, I'll walk you through this strategy step-by-step and how to implement it in the best way possible.
The standard requirement to get the pass is to either fly 100 flight segments or get 135,000 tier-qualifying points in a single calendar year. Using credit card sign-up bonuses, typically on two Southwest credit cards, we can meet the tier-qualifying point requirement.
The three questions that are important to ask are: Which two Southwest credit cards should I use? In what sequence should I get these two credit cards? And when should I get these credit cards, both in relation to each other and the BEST time in the year I should think about doing this strategy?
The two credit cards that I would use for this strategy would be the Southwest Performance Business and the Southwest Priority credit card and credit cards, and I would get them in that particular order.
This is because the Chase Southwest Performance Business card usually has a higher minimum spend requirement of $5,000 in 3 months, so it's better to get started on that one only.
One of the most important things to know about the Southwest Companion Pass is that when you qualify for it, it is active for not only the year you get it but also the following year, so if you get it in January, you could get this past for up to two whole years!
So when getting these two credit cards, make sure to time it so that you complete the minimum spend requirements on both cards in January. If the two SUBs do not meet the 135,000 point requirement, remember there are two other ways to get more points: spending on the card, as well as the 10,000-point boost each calendar year.
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:37 Primer - Southwest Companion Pass
03:30 Southwest Premier Biz SUB Example
06:47 Best Southwest Companion Pass Strategy
12:53 Outro
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Note: This description contains affiliate links, meaning that I may earn a commission if you click through these links and successfully apply, sign up, or buy the product or service mentioned.
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor, accountant, or lawyer, and as such, I do not provide financial, tax, or legal advice. This video, and any ideas presented in it, are opinions and are provided for entertainment purposes only. Please do your own research and consult your own financial, tax, or legal professional for specific advice.
#creditcard #southwestairlines #chasebank

Пікірлер: 166

@jpknowledge8852 9 ай бұрын

I don't have a player 2, but if I did, the companion pass would be a must. A 50% discount on flights when flying together seems like a no-brainer to me.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

For sure JP! That CP can get you SO MUCH value, and if you have a lot of travel planned for a 2-year period, this can really save you some serious cash on airfare!

@steve_rogers_usmc1990 9 ай бұрын

Absolutely brilliant! Timing is everything with that companion pass and you laid it out so easy no one should have any problems getting a full 2 years, very nice!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Steve! Yes, timing is everything so as long as you keep those deadlines in mind, that’s Companion Pass can get you so much value for those 2 years! Appreciate it man!

@joshua.butler 9 ай бұрын

Great strategy Stan. I like how you laid out the timeframes in order to squeeze the most value out of these cards. Excellent video!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Josh! Yeah, the timing for the Southwest Companion Pass is critical to getting the maximum value out of this benefit! Appreciate it bro!

@OfficialEricGao 9 ай бұрын

Definitely another great video Stan! Exactly a topic that I was interested in since the companion pass with southwest is an amazing perk. Great video as always!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Eric!! Yeah, this is a classic strategy that can get you tons of value for two years if done right! As long as it's timed correctly, it can get you amazing value, especially when you start traveling often with your P2 😀

@jimmyjames6492 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the detailed Companion Pass Strategy! Thanks for the info + video!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Of course, Jimmy James!

@MyDVCPoints 9 ай бұрын

Absolutely Brilliant! You did a phenomenal job of walking people through this. It’s a barrel of fishhooks. I knocked it out on the one card this year just to try it and I thought one card is easier than two. I’ve got this exact strategy lined up for Jan of 2025 when my current CP expires.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks man, I really appreciate it! Yeah, there's definitely more than one way to do this strategy, and if the one-card version works, it's still a great option! And because you got the Premier card, you have both the Priority and Performance options open for 2025 like you said so you're in a really good spot!!

@CreditOneSux 9 ай бұрын

Your videos are always go very in depth Stan! Your strategies are always Top Tier! 👏

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks man! Yeah, I think these strategies are definitely worth going into, especially the Southwest one because timing is so important! 👍

@tee6343 3 ай бұрын

Great video, thank you!

@TheCreditFrog 3 ай бұрын

You’re welcome!

@andrewjames2721 9 ай бұрын

Flawless explanation. Thank you

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Of course, Andrew 👍👍💯

@harrisonsexcelacademy9501 9 ай бұрын

Very thorough, I appreciate it

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

You're welcome!

@jamesbaker1270 Ай бұрын

🔥strategy. I’ll come back and execute this in December

@TheCreditFrog Ай бұрын

Awesome! I may do the same this year!!

@seebible 8 ай бұрын

Great video brother!

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

Thanks! Appreciate it!

@user-wh1ti5cl2c 9 ай бұрын

Wow that is some great southwest knowledge. Thank you for the video. If this strategy can still be used by the end of twenty twenty four, then I'll give it a shot

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Of course, Dave! This strategy has stood the test of time so far so hopefully by next year, you'll be able to give it a go!

@Erodpacheco 9 ай бұрын

Great video Stan , this would be a great video for those that travel a lot with their significant other. (Not my case yet , but thats the goal)😂.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Emmanuel! Yeah, if you have a lot of travel coming up with a P2, you can plan this strategy out at the right time of the year and have a lot of free flights for the next several years! Hopefully, you'll be able to get there soon!

@MattWelterOfficial 9 ай бұрын

Southwest Companion Pass is definitely one of the best airline-specific benefits out there! Sounds like one of the Southwest BIZ Cards are going to be essential to this setup, and definitely helps if you are someone concerned about your 5/24 status! The $75 Credit & 7.5K points on the Personal Southwest Card is definitely a strong argument for that side though. Great breakdown as always Stan!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Matt! Yeah, at least one Southwest Business card has to be used, but there's definitely that outlet if you want to avoid adding to Chase 5/24. I'm a personal believer in the Southwest Priority card for this strategy, but that Southwest Premier card could be a good option too for the right person!

@tequilalover 4 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog hey what are your thoughts on the new rewards they have right now? So what happens if I apply for the current SW Chase personal card offer and get the companion pass until Feb 2025 and apply for a business card next year and with that sign up bonus and points from my personal card this year, aka combined bonus from two credit cards, do you think I'll be still eligible for companion pass next year even if I get the promotion this year??

@TheCreditFrog 4 ай бұрын

@@tequilalover You won't be able to combine points earned from this year with points you earned next year for Companion pass. If you got the current SW personal card offer, you could potentially try to get the business card this year too and try to to make it to 125,000 points to qualify for the CP for the remainder of 2025. But by doing so, you're losing out on a lot of months. I think it's better to forego this welcome offer and try to do the strategy in this video at the end of this year to get CP for 2025 and 2026.

@tequilalover 4 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog I appreciate the quick response man! So open business card by last quarter and personal card by last month and meet the requirements by Jan 2025 basically right

@TheCreditFrog 4 ай бұрын

@tequilalover That’s right!

@DJOctober 9 ай бұрын

I love your strategy videos so much! I wish I would have known about the 5/24 rule before I was above it, and being in pop-up jail pretty much has me stuck between both banks without much choice but to garden. Luckily, my Chase banker is a friend of mine that I use to work at another bank with some time back, so he’s always looking out for higher branch offers for me and has told me he can always call recon from the branch if denied for 5/24 - no guarantee of course. Unless a crazy CSP offer comes out that I wanna try and go for, I’ll probably just chill on applying for anything until mid early or mid 2024. Hopefully I’m out of pop up jail and can get that Business Platinum card! Sorry for the long winded comment. Love your content! - Ivan

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Ivan! Yeah, the Chase 5/24 rule really puts a damper on a lot of applications, and when you're in Amex pop-up jail as well, it's like a double whammy! I think it's good that you're gardening to let your new applications cool off, but yeah, it's nice to be under 5/24 so when a good Chase card or new SUB offer comes around that's worth applying for, you'll be good to go! The good thing about gardening is that now you'll have time to hopefully get out of pop-up jail as well! Always appreciate your thoughtful comments and support bro!!

@RandomPSclips5 9 ай бұрын

Hey man. Your content is awesome as always. But I just wanted to add that - For the luxury Marriott strategy, if you would downgrade the Brilliant to Bevy & reapply for a new brilliant, you would end up with 5 night instead of 4. (Brilliant, bevy, business, boundless & ritz Carlton)

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Hey Alli! I appreciate that man! Yes, you could potentially have 5 FNAs with those cards, but the Bevy unfortunately does not get you an automatic FNA. You'd have to spend $15k on the card to get that FNA.

@RandomPSclips5 9 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog sorry. I meant to downgrade into the amex Marriott bonvoy (not bevy)

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

@@RandomPSclips5 Ah I see, yes that would be a nice way to get an additional 35k FNA!

@danielturner8798 9 ай бұрын

Got the CP earlier this year with a business and a personal card (tried for beginning of the year, but problems with business card approval). Already used it and the 135K+ points to book four round trips adding up to over $5K in value.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

That’s amazing value Daniel! Yeah, the big thing is to just know you’ll have a lot of travel coming up for the upcoming year, and if you can maximize that, you can get some insane value, which sounds like you’re doing very well!! That is awesome!! Well worth the upfront AFs on both of those cards! Well done 👍!

@danielturner8798 9 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog - Roundtrips from DCA to San Juan, San Jose (over Thanksgiving), Greenville, and Fort Lauderdale (President’s Day). Used up the points and now tapping SW gift cards from Costco for BWI to Bellingham over Christmas. Next booking will be Jamaica for spring break. My P2 and I will take turns holding the cards and earning the CP every two years.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

@@danielturner8798 Wow solid bro! That P2 CP swap back and forth is next level!

@Yifty08 9 ай бұрын

There are some strategies to get the points to post in next year. Mainly change your statement closing date to the 1st, and freeze credit report -> apply -> call recon in 30 days. Chase also unoffically gives you 115 days to meet MSR.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

That's great! Yeah, there are definitely different strategies to stretch out when you get the SUB to post. What you describe is definitely more of an advanced strategy with lots of little nuances to it, but if timed correctly, that strategy could work as well!

@edward4160 9 ай бұрын

Can you explain the freeze and recon? Why is there a need to freeze?

@tarrius1210 9 ай бұрын

Chase, Chase, and more Chase cards. No matter what, when the dust settles I'll always choose chase before any other card issuer.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Nice Tarrius! Yes, Chase has a great portfolio of credit cards so it's a great one to choose as your top issuer!

@edrasmata 9 ай бұрын

Great video Stan! My biggest regret is not getting the Priority card earlier this year when I was under 5/24 🤦🏽‍♂️ my wife & I have been doing a lot of travel & the Companion Pass would’ve been so helpful for us. I might just go for the 2 business cards soon. I have a quick question though Stan, would it be possible to get the Companion Pass if my Wife got the Priority card & I get one of the Business cards & we combine the points? Thanks for the great information Stan! Much love bro & great video as always man! 🙌🏻

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Edras! Yeah, that sounds like a plan, but if you're over 5/24, I would caution about getting those business cards since as you know, Chase business cards are also subject to the 5/24 rule, although there have been a few exceptions. In terms of splitting the SUBs over two people, while it's possible to transfer points between two different Rapid Rewards accounts, unfortunately, this will not count towards the point requirement for the Companion Pass so this wouldn't work. The best bet is the get 2 cards on one account to meet the requirement, or if there's a limited time SUB, use that one if that SUB is high enough as well! Hope that helps!

@karinguyen9605 8 ай бұрын

Amazing breakdown of the process! If I need to book flights now for next summer, should I book fully refundable flights to hold space? Then when I get the CP in 2024, I’ll need to rebook?

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

Thank you Kari! I think that sounds like a good plan, but I would book when there's a sale, if possible, just to minimize your out-of-pocket expense. When you get the Companion Pass and assign a companion, you can add that companion to all of your existing flights so you only need to book a flight for the primary traveler if you plan on getting the CP in 2024!

@TheBulbaStore 7 ай бұрын

Just applied for the business card while watching and I got approved. However I got the "our decision will be mailed to you" for the premier so basically denied. Could you go into depth on how to do it with two business cards if you said it was an option, unless I misunderstood. Is each business card able to get reward bonus even on same business? I see its 60,000 points for $3000 on the other business card so would I be able to sign up for both and then get bonuses from both at the same time counting towards the pass. If it helps I have two LLCS so idk if I can do it on one or if I should have them on two separate businesses. Thanks!

@TheCreditFrog 7 ай бұрын

Hey, don't sweat it just yet! I would call the Chase reconsideration line to check the status of your application. Even if they say the decision will be mailed to you, sometimes all they need is information about your business if this is your first card, or you can also see if there is something else they need to turn that denial into an approval! You're able to apply for both business cards under 1 LLC no problem. Splitting them up isn't really going to make it any better or worse. Just ensure that you're under Chase 5/24 to maximize your chances of approval. Remember, that means that you must have 4 or less personal cards that are opened in the last 24 months.

@TheCreditFrog 7 ай бұрын

Also, unrelated, but love the channel and the channel name!

@TheBulbaStore 7 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog ah gotcha okay Ill give that a shot youve been a great help. And thank you!

@Mattlikestotravel 9 ай бұрын

Great video!! I have one question. If I make my minimum spend in December but my statement doesn’t close until after the first of the year it would count for the following year correct?

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Matt! Ok, so here's the important thing. The MSR is not tied to your Chase statement so you have to remember not to mee the MSR until after Jan 1st. This is independent of when your statement ends. So if your MSR is $5,000, only spend $4,500 before Dec 31st, for example, and then knock out the final $500 in Jan 1st, and you'll be good to go!! Edit: I'm not entirely sure if the SUB posts when you hit the MSR exactly or when your statement posts. I personally would wait to do the charges after Jan 1st just to be safe.

@kaina732 8 ай бұрын

Do I get the 10k boost on Jan 1 if I start a business card in November or Deccember or do I need to wait until the following year?

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

You’ll still get that 10k boost if you have card in Nov or Dec for the next year!

@kaina732 8 ай бұрын

I am going back and forth on the approach I should take for the CP Strategy. I'm at 4/24. Would it be best to do one business card (Performance) and one personal card (Priority)? The next play for me is to get either the CSP or CIP to be able to move my UR points to Southwest Rapid Rewards (depending on what I select as the 2nd SW RR card).

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

I think if you’re 4/24, you have to go Performance first. Then you’ll have a slot for the Priority!

@rayramirez304 5 ай бұрын

I received my companion pass buy purchasing rapid reward points at a 45% discount available till 2/23/2024

@TheCreditFrog 5 ай бұрын

Hope you enjoy your new companion pass!

@shakes_burgers_mortgages 8 ай бұрын

So many questions!! I am brand new to the game. Do I use my Business EIN number to apply for the card or does it need to be my personal social, so the points can be linked? Next question, I have several EIN numbers does the chase 1-30 rule apply for every business I own or does each EIN number get 1 card per 30 days?

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

Welcome! Always great to see someone entering the game! You can use either your SSN or EIN for business cards. For Chase cards you can combine accounts together if they're created separately and the points can pool. If you have several EINs, the Chase 1/30 rule applies, but the benefit is that each EIN counts as its own entity so it's possible to get multiple SUBs on the same business card, but my understanding is that the 1/30 rule is per individual.

@peperodriguez4368 8 ай бұрын

i have a quick question, i might have to call chase or southwest for this. i signed up for the priority last year would it be possible to sign up for the premier next year, and cancel my priority and get the premier welcome bonus points?

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

Hi Pepe. So remember you can only have 1 personal Southwest card at a time. What I would do is figure out when you last got the SW Priority SUB and then count 24 months (2 years) after that. You would then have to cancel the SW Priority card before reapplying for the Premier card. Alternatively, you could just reapply for the Priority card, depending on which SUB you wanted to get. The main thing is to make sure you have at least 24 months between Southwest personal card applications to make sure you qualify for the sign-up bonus!

@kevinManhattan 9 ай бұрын

Stan, Ive been really enjoying your videos. This strategy, I already knew. Exactly as you described. What I didn't know is that I get a 10K boost on Jan 1st. That makes so much easier! Always learn something new! Thanks!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Hey, appreciate it, Kevin! Good to know that the strategy is correct and that others are already using it! Yeah, the 10k Boost was updated at the beginning of this year, when they also increased the requirement from 125k to 135k points. Fortunately, with credit cards, the requirement ends up being exactly the same with that boost!! It certainly does make things easier, especially with the SUBs just barely meeting the minimum requirement!

@kevinManhattan 9 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog Oh btw, one question. What do you suggest if I already have a Southwest personal credit card? I am under 4/24, and since you can't have 2 personal SW cards, I might need to close it?? I've had this card for 3 years so I already met the "have received welcome offer past 24 months" rule. I suspect the reason why I am in Amex pop-up jail now is because i closed one of their card after 1 year. So now I am scared to close any cards even though it's with Chase. Help!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

@@kevinManhattan Sure! So, yeah, if you've had this card for 3 years, and you want to do the Companion Pass strategy again, I would close the card first. You can then repeat the same strategy, and you should be good! I'm not sure if closing a Chase credit card would affect Amex pop-up jail. Also, depending on your total CL with Chase, you can either just close the card outright or consider transferring some CL to another card before you close it to retain the CL, but if you think you're close to Chase's CL max, then probably better to let the card and it's total credit limit go when you cancel 👍

@shellyglazer1906 7 ай бұрын

STAN, CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO ON SHOULD YOU HAVE BOTH AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM AND MARRIOTT BLACK WITH BOTH ARE 695 A YEAR FEE. IM CONFUSED. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE????

@TheCreditFrog 7 ай бұрын

Hi Shelly! It's not confusing! The Amex Platinum has a $695 annual fee but has a lot of benefits that come with the card. It earns MR points which can be used in a vareity of ways. The Marriott Black card (Bonvoy Brilliant) is another luxury card, but has a $650 annual fee, and is best used by those who stay at Marriotts because it earns Bonvoy points. Make sure to check the official Amex website to learn more about these cards, and I think it will start to make more sense!

@aj07257 9 ай бұрын

I am confused about the part about points having to be earned in the same year...so if i get the biz card in mid october 2023 and start earning points in 2023, is that going to get in the way of bonus earned after meeting the SUB in Jan 2024? Do both SUBs have to post in early Jan 2024 for this to work. Thanks

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Yeah, so when you spend on the card, you earn RR points at the end of your billing statement cycle. So all spend put on that business card would not count towards the companion pass for 2024. But when you look at the SUB offer on the biz card, this is not relevant because if you time the SUB of the Business and the Priority to both hit in January 2024, you won't need to worry about the spend on Business card because you'll have enough points to meet the Companion Pass threshold regardless. So yes, both SUBs must post in January for this to work!

@sakislayer 8 ай бұрын

If I already have a Southwest personal card and want to get the companion pass..... Should I cancel and re-apply? If so -- how long do I wait?

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

You'd have to wait until 24 months after you received the sign-up bonus on that Southwest personal card - then you should be in the clear!

@jackmleonard 7 ай бұрын

Do you think today (Dec. 9)is too late to do this knowing the offer ends Dec. 11? I applied for a business card today and wonder if applying for the personal card so soon after would cause a red flag for approval.

@TheCreditFrog 7 ай бұрын

I don't think it's too late, but it's definitely going to be a risk applying for another credit card so soon (assuming the last card was with Chase Bank). It's risking a hard pull, so you have to weigh that risk, but other than that, I don't think there's too much downside if you really want to go for the Companion Pass!

@tomle2600 17 күн бұрын

What's the strategy in year 3? Cycle into the remaining SW credit cards?

@TheCreditFrog 17 күн бұрын

It won’t work since there’s a 24 month cooldown if you got a CP in Jan (should be active for almost 2 years). Best way to stay active the whole time is to have P2 do this strategy and alternate every 2 years

@jacquelinedy8899 17 күн бұрын

Hi Stan, Can you apply for two southwest businesscard in the same year? What I mean is that if I apply for Southwest business performance mid October or mid November and I apply the other businesscard from southwest , would they consider it?Definitely I will not be able to get the sign up bonus on their personal card if I got it Dec.2022, right?

@TheCreditFrog 17 күн бұрын

Hi Jacqueline. So you certainly can apply for two SW business cards in the same year. That should be no problem. However, I'm unsure if the points earned from both welcome offers will count for the purposes of the Companion Pass. I've heard that they can, but I can't confirm. As for the welcome offers, SW business cards are independent of SW personal cards so you wouldn't be able to get a SW personal card welcome offer, but you could for the business cards. Hope that helps!

@jacquelinedy8899 17 күн бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog So, I guess I have to wait to apply next year so that I can complete the companion pass. Thank you!

@Jillybug2000 8 ай бұрын

I'm curious of what I should do in my situation? My wife qualified for the companion pass in early 2022 by doing this (personal and biz CC sign ups) so we've enjoyed almost 2 years of the CP. We're now in a situation where she only needs 28,000 more points before 12/31/2023 to qualify again for 2024. What method would you recommend to complete this? A few months back, we paid off and canceled the SW business CC that we had gotten, but we still have the personal. Is it possible for her to sign up for another business CC that would give her at least 28K points before the end of '23? Also, we have a SW flight coming up in a couple of weeks. I had heard they offer some bonus points if you sign up actually during the flight. Any ideas are much apprecaited! Thanks & GREAT video btw...very clear explanation!

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much! So to your question, I think you have to weigh your current options with your future plans. The first thing to do is to clearly remember when you last qualified for the SUB on the card you're going to be applying for, and then confirm it's been over 24 months since that time. While you could use another SUB to complete that last 28k points this year, you lose out on the (at least) 10-month opportunity cost that you forfeit for not getting the CP earlier in the year, for example, in Jan or Feb. So getting the 2023 CP will only get you the pass until the end of 2024, whereas if you wait it out and get the CP in Jan/Feb 2024 with the 2 SUB method, you could have it all the way until Dec 2025. Since you have a P2, you can play hopscotch with the both of you, each getting a CP every 2 years by applying for these 2 cards every 24 months - if you time it right! Hope that made sense. I've also heard you may get bonus points if you sign up during the flight, but I wouldn't really count them all that much unless you need that extra push to get the CP for this year!

@user-ze9jq7le5u 8 ай бұрын

Looks like the minimum spend requirements for the personal cards is 3k now. Certainly complicates things.

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

Ugh! Prices are always going up!

@wmmarquez 7 ай бұрын

So are you saying to spend upto $4000 upto December 31, 2023 and $1000 as early as possible in 2024 to hit the SUB on the business card?

@TheCreditFrog 7 ай бұрын

Yes, as long as you don't meet the minimum spend requirement before Dec 31, 2023, you'll get the bonus points for 2024, which can count towards the Companion Pass!

@TravelWith_Z 7 ай бұрын

I got the SW business performance in October, and I’m pacing myself to hit the 5k minimum spend on Jan 1, so I’ll have my 80k points then. Originally was planning to get the SW priority card in December, spending the 1k on Jan 1 with rent and getting the additional 50k points. I see now all personal cards SUB changed to 75k points when you spend 3k… this offer ends 12/11. Do you think it will go back to the original SUB after 12/11? Not sure if I should just open it on 12/11 to be safe (and get extra points) or wait until after 12/11 and see what the SUB is then. What do you think?

@TheCreditFrog 7 ай бұрын

Hi Zoe! I think that decision is going to depend on how easy it will be to hit the extra $2k minimum spend on the SW Priority card. If you think that the 75k bonus will be better and you can meet that extra MSR with no issue, then I say go for it! Just remember to hit the bonus after Jan 1st, just like your SW Performance card. It's likely that after 12/11, the card will go back to the original SUB. It could also go to an even better SUB. It's hard to tell sometimes! But the current bonus for 75k points for $3,000 in spend is more valuable than the original bonus so I would try to get that one if you can.

@TravelWith_Z 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for your help!

@sonnychan123 9 ай бұрын

What’s the strategy now that SW SUB changed to 9/4? For reference I did get the card on 9/4 approved 9/8.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Are you referring to the SW Business Premier 120k SUB?

@wagnerwong9966 2 ай бұрын

I never thought about 2 business cards 🤔

@TheCreditFrog 2 ай бұрын

Yup! Could work out as well!

@broforce2669 8 ай бұрын

Do I have to have a business to get the business card?

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

All you need is a good credit score and a dream

@Airport_Dad 9 ай бұрын

What about those of us that got the 120k Premier offer on September 4th? Moving our statement closing date to the 1st of the month means as long as we complete our spending between Dec 1-4, we’ll get the points in our account after Jan 1st, right?

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Hi Stephen, I think that it's a crapshoot. I'm not entirely sure if the MSR is counted immediately or when your statement posts. I think it's counted as soon as you hit the threshold level, but I can't remember. If it's tied to your statement close date, then there's a chance it could post in January 2024, but if not, then it would only count for 2023. I think your strategy of moving the statement date could potentially get you the Companion Pass for 2024-2025. The MSR will definitely be met in 2023, but if it takes until the statement close date to post in your Rapid Rewards account, then you'll be good if you do that spending in Dec 1-4 with your statement closing date on the 1st!

@Airport_Dad 9 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog okay sounds like my reasoning checks out. Worst case scenario, i have to get a second card to finish it off. Minimum spend shouldn’t be an issue with end of year property taxes coming up.

@pandaman149 6 ай бұрын

Hello Stan, I was unaware that the Southwest points were supposed to be within a calendar year and so I applied for the Southwest plus card on December 15. I already hit my SUB on December 19th, however the Rapid Rewards points have still not yet been applied into my account (it is now January 4th). Do you think I still have a chance to get the companion pass for the rest of 2024 and 2025 after I apply for and reach the SUB of the business Southwest card? Or did I mess up the timing and ruin my chances of getting the Companion pass by hitting the SUB in december of 2023?

@TheCreditFrog 6 ай бұрын

Hi there. I would wait to see if your sign up bonus points populate into your RR account (and more importantly your Companion Pass counter). If it does, then you should be good to go for 2024/2025! If not, well, then you’re not.

@pandaman149 6 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog Thanks for clarifying! I'll definitely keep an eye on my Companion Pass counter, as of now it still isn't showing up in my RR account either. Once they do apply, will the Companion pass cost 135,000 points? Or do you get the Companion pass AND get to use the 135,000 points to book for myself + 1 with the points? Thanks a lot for the answers.

@TheCreditFrog 6 ай бұрын

@@pandaman149 Nope, you should be able to have the points as well! Also, with a SW credit card, the threshold is 125,000 points since you had the card in the new year so I think you should qualify for the 10k Companion point boost

@WD2oh5 4 ай бұрын

Is the 5.60 the only fee they pay? The terms make it sound like ALL t &F?

@TheCreditFrog 4 ай бұрын

Yup! Only $5.60 for your companion!

@WD2oh5 4 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog awesome my wife and I just got approved for the priority for the companion pass deal! Can’t wait!

@faithsteele4006 21 күн бұрын

Is there a best strategy to keep/renew the pass after the first time you get it?

@TheCreditFrog 21 күн бұрын

If you have a Player 2, they could do this strategy as well. Otherwise, you'll have to wait 24 months from the time you got the welcome offer to do this again. There are also complimentary short-term CP opportunities that come up throughout the year!

@faithsteele4006 21 күн бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog thanks, no player 2 right now, but heard ppl say they've had it continuously. Not sure it's worth the spend over other options, will have to see!

@MoisesOlmos 7 ай бұрын

Hello What if you already have the business card. Is there a strategy to still get a companion pass?

@TheCreditFrog 7 ай бұрын

If you've had the Southwest business credit card, and got the SUB more than 24 months ago, you can close the business card and reapply to get the SUB so it can count towards the Companion Pass. Otherwise you'll have to use the SUB on a personal card and meet the CP threshold by either spending on the card or flying Southwest segments to get qualifying miles.

@MoisesOlmos 7 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog amazing didn't know I could close the card and not be penalized when reapplying.

@TheCreditFrog 7 ай бұрын

Yes! Things to look out for other than credit score is your Chase 5/24 status and if you got your last SUB on the card more than 24 months ago. If you’re 4/24 or below and it’s been 24 months since the last SUB, you should be good to go!

@hoodiemelo2742 9 ай бұрын

I really enjoyed your 4 free Marriott nights per year video. You have a very unique perspective and talk about some great cards I don’t otherwise see. Keep up the great work!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Hoodie Melo! I'm glad you enjoyed that video, and it's always fun to look into these classic credit card strategies and to see how to best optimize them!

@itsjiraheta 5 ай бұрын

I came short 10K miles on my wife card ( I got my companion pass on mine). We wanted to get the 2 since we have 2 kids. New year, start from scratch so the bonus went to waste on her card *cries*. What to do now? I can close my CC and wait 24 months to re-apply on mine and my wife? What are the options?

@TheCreditFrog 5 ай бұрын

Aww man!! I'm so sorry to hear that. Yeah, the timing on getting CP is critical with the new year. You'll have to wait at least 1 year to close both cards, and of course, 24 months after you got the welcome offers, you can try again!

@itsjiraheta 5 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrogwell, I open the cards in Dec 2022 and started hamering at them all this past year. I got CP on my card on Nov last year. I hammering at the on my wife but was missing 10k and forgot about the year reset. SInce I open the cards 10/22 do I have to wait a year to close them?

@TheCreditFrog 5 ай бұрын

@@itsjiraheta Yes, that would be advisable, If not, Chase may not be happy with you.

@kaina732 9 ай бұрын

What about the two business card approach? Will Chase approve two applications a month apart?

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

The two business card approach should work. It should be no issue if you apply for them two months apart, but of course, everyone is different and your mileage may vary (YMMV)!

@kaina732 9 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog So ideally apply for one in Nov 2023 and the second in January 2024?

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

That could work as long as you make sure to complete the SUB on the first card in Jan 2024!

@kaina732 9 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrog That is assuming I get approved for the second business card in Jan 2024. Which card would you apply for first in Nov 2023?

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

@@kaina732 I personally would apply for the Performance Business card first because that minimum spend is higher!

@djcrissz18 9 ай бұрын

😊 🤝

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

👌👊

@ItsMeCJ 9 ай бұрын

First first…

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Almost first CJ! 🥉

@HC-nq9uc 8 ай бұрын

Thank you!!

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

You’re welcome!

@todd7148 9 ай бұрын

Sorry buddy but this video is all wrong with the business card. First the promotion was until 9/4 not 8/28. I got the card on the 4th. That makes it possible for all the points to post on 2024 if timed correctly. I admit thats threading a needle and only should be done by advanced users but possible. Next even with your strategy to complete the spend for part 2 you say you must complete the spend by December 31st. No you would have to complete that spend by the last statement before November 30th because points post after the following statement close date. If that statement closed on December 4th lets say and spend between the 4th and 31st will post the following year. Any points in December could possibly post in January to the account. You also say spend in December would not count toward the following year for the personal or business. You must not have any of these cards because thats not how any of this works. You seem like you have good intentions but you really need to research how all this works before you put this type of information out to people and have them all jacked up.

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

First of all, thanks Todd for your detailed comment and concerns about this particular video. I'll first start by saying that yes, you're right that the Southwest Premier card promotion stuck around longer than advertised, which was something I wasn't aware of, making it possible to get the Companion Pass for 2 years as well. The issue with this, which you pointed out, is that while this is possible, this is definitely not straightforward. there are so many variables, including the statement closing date, when you complete the MSR, when you have to spend to complete the MSR, and timing everything just right so everything goes exactly the way you want it. Additionally, the MSR using this strategy is $15,000, while the Priority/Performance combo would only be a $6,000 MSR, which is much more manageable. I think your concern about the statement closing dates for that limited-time SW Premier SUB is valid, and yes, I think I should have been more clear about the RR points posting at the time of the statement close date as opposed to the time that the purchase was made, but the good thing about the strategy that I laid out and recommended (which was not the SW Premier limited SUB) is that none of that matters. It is much more foolproof and easy to follow, and in my opinion, the best strategy to follow instead of trying to figure out statement close dates, deal with large spending requirements, and chance that the points mispost at the incorrect time and thus leading you losing out on a year's worth of Companion Pass. You clearly know the ins and outs of the SW RR program so thanks for all of that clarification, and again, you can certainly get the Companion Pass for 2 years in your specific situation with how you described it. I hope that others who are also in your situation follow what you recommended so that they too can get the Companion Pass for 2 years using that limited-time SW Premier SUB. But for the rest of us, I still maintain that doing the SW Priority/Performance or SW Premier/Performance in the sequence that I recommended is still the best way to get the Companion Pass for 2 years in an easy-to-follow method since timing, as you're well aware, is crucial.

@NymphNode7 9 ай бұрын

First!

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

Connor, congrats you are FIRST!! 🏆

@ItsMeCJ 9 ай бұрын

@@TheCreditFrogmy trophy…

@NymphNode7 9 ай бұрын

@@ItsMeCJ My condolences King. 👑

@ItsMeCJ 9 ай бұрын

@@NymphNode7 😢

@AhmadKhwajazada 9 ай бұрын

First

@TheCreditFrog 9 ай бұрын

So close Ahmad!! But not today 🥈

@gabrielesparza8363 8 ай бұрын

Does anyone know if I only have the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card will I get the 10k companion points boost at the beginning of 2024? I know if had one of the personal cards i would but i'm not seeing the business cards advertising the 10k boost and i have read conflicting data points when searching online

@gabrielesparza8363 8 ай бұрын

Nvm, just saw kaina732's comment and response. Apparently you get the 10k bonus with just having biz card

@TheCreditFrog 8 ай бұрын

I think it’s only a benefit on the personal cards because it’s not directly advertised on the business card page, but I could be wrong!