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!

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!

Awesome! I may do the same this year!!

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!

​@@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??

@@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.

@@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

@tequilalover That’s right!

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!!

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

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

Ugh! Prices are always going up!

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 😀

Of course, Jimmy James!

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 👍!

@@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.

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

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

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

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!

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!

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

Hope you enjoy your new companion pass!

It depends on how many times you think you'll use Companion Pass. The more you fly with a companion, the more valuable it gets from a pure cash back standpoint. If you're looking to use 120k UR points in a specific way, that will help you make that decision as well, knowing that you already have 120k UR points incoming!

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.

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

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

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!

​@@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!

@@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 👍

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

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!

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!

You're welcome!

Of course, Andrew 👍👍💯

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.

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

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

You’re welcome!

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!

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!

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!

@@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!

Thanks! Appreciate it!

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!

Yup! Could work out as well!

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.

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.

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!!

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!

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!

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

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!

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

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!

Yup! Only $5.60 for your companion!

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

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!

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!

All you need is a good credit score and a dream

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.

Thanks for your help!

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.

@@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.

@@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

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!

@@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.

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

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!

@@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?

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

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.

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

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!

Stan, I have a question. My husband's southwest personal card 2 yrs.is in Nov.2022. We planned to get the SW performance mid ortober.Can he still apply for Southwest personal and get the bonus point or what can you suggest?

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)!

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

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

@@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?

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

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.

Almost first CJ! 🥉

👌👊

Connor, congrats you are FIRST!! 🏆

@@TheCreditFrogmy trophy…

@@ItsMeCJ My condolences King. 👑

@@NymphNode7 😢

So close Ahmad!! But not today 🥈

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!

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

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!

You’re welcome!

Thank you Sledge 🫡!