Companion Pass Question

[Evanthorpe]

(Posting this with a new thread title)

So, I plan on signing up for a new Southwest card soon (it’s been several years since I’ve earned a reward), and I’m wondering about how the required spending amount timeframe works. 

We have a couple big purchases to make in November of this year that I’d like to use to put toward the $3,000 required spending amount to earn the point bonus. Does that cross years? Meaning, if I spend $2000 in November, then $1000 in January (so within a three-month period), will the points I earned count in 2022 or 2023? More important will the Companion Pass that I’m shootings for technically start in 2022/2023? Or 2023/2024? That’s really what I’m wondering about. Does the Companion Pass/points bonus “activate” when I finish the 3-month spending? Or when I sign up for the card itself?

[TheMiddleSeat]

Points from spending post a few days after the close date of the statement on which the charges appear.  Example, purchase Aug 20, statement date closes Sept 2, points post around Sept 4.

Points from a sign up bonus post after the statement closing date of the statement in which you exceed the minimum requirement.

If you make purchases in November the points will post sometime in 2022 and then your progress towards CP resets Jan 1 and those points don't do you any good unless you can complete the entire requirement for the sign up bonus before your first statement closes.  In other words, points posted in 2022 do not count after Jan 1.

Unless you are totally desperate to get CP now you would be better off starting this process after the first week of December and having your first statement points and sign up bonus points post in January or the next month or two so you get almost 2 years of CP.  Earning it now gets it until Dec 31, 2023, earning it in January gets it until Dec 31, 2024.

--TheMiddleSeat

[DancingDavidE]

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@Evanthorpe wrote:

(Posting this with a new thread title)

So, I plan on signing up for a new Southwest card soon (it’s been several years since I’ve earned a reward), and I’m wondering about how the required spending amount timeframe works. 

We have a couple big purchases to make in November of this year that I’d like to use to put toward the $3,000 required spending amount to earn the point bonus. Does that cross years? Meaning, if I spend $2000 in November, then $1000 in January (so within a three-month period), will the points I earned count in 2022 or 2023? More important will the Companion Pass that I’m shootings for technically start in 2022/2023? Or 2023/2024? That’s really what I’m wondering about. Does the Companion Pass/points bonus “activate” when I finish the 3-month spending? Or when I sign up for the card itself?

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I would watch out that if your November purchases trigger the $3k threshold you’ll end up earning the bonus too soon if your plan is for CP 2023/2024. 

if your plan is to earn it in 2022 for 2023 then spend $3k in November. 

We don’t believe it waits for three months, if you make it in two months you get the bonus sooner.

[dfwskier]

To answer your specific question --  

CP qualification is based on points credited t you in one calendar year. Points earned in 2 calendar years are not combined.