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Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

bemused
Explorer C

Help me understand how I'm wrong. Notably, what am I misunderstanding about the policy posted on the page "2021 Rapid Rewards Qualifying Transactions for 2022 Status" ?

 

I'm posting a redacted version of what I sent to Southwest support. When I talked to their Twitter support, it seemed the rep didn't understand my concern, so I'm trying again with them. (Twitter kept trying to tell me why I didn't qualify for 2021 Companion Pass status... which I know I didn't, so that's not a concern.)

 

~~

Hello. My Rapid Rewards number is xxxx

 

I tried bringing up this concern with your Twitter team but I believe there was a misunderstanding about my concern and request, so I'm starting over here. Thank you for giving it a look.

 

1. I recently opened a Chase Southwest credit card, with the intention of earning points and status for year 2022.

 

2. My first deposit of points from the Chase card deposited to Southwest on Dec 29, 2021. These counted for 2021 status, and have not transferred over for 2022 status.

 

3. My understanding from Southwest's rules was that points posted at the end of 2021 would count for 2022 status.

 

4. I had that understanding from this Southwest webpage: https://t.co/twppNZOvpu -- the page is called "2021 Rapid Rewards Qualifying Transactions for 2022 Status" -- on this page it states "Credit card points posted to your Rapid Rewards account in 2021, including bonus points, will count toward qualifying for a 2022 Companion Pass."

 

5. If I had known that points deposited in Dec 2021 would not count for 2022 status, I would have changed my credit card behavior.

 

6. My request is that you please credit my 2022 Companion Pass progress with the points from Dec 2021

 

7. Please understand: I am not concerned about missing a 2021 tier. I am trying to earn for tiers/Companion Pass in 2022.

 

8. Please understand: From the Southwest posted webpage titled "2021 Rapid Rewards Qualifying Transactions for 2022 Status" I had every belief that my Dec 2021 points would count for 2022.

 

9. Thank you for giving this a look. I would really appreciate these credits for my 2022 Companion Pass progress. Thanks again.

 

 

11 REPLIES 11

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

Unfortunately, you're mistaken about how posted points apply to Companion Pass qualification.

 

When you cross the threshold to earn a Companion Pass, it's granted for the balance of that calendar year and for all of the following one. Credit card points earned in 2021 would count towards a CP good for the balance of 2021 and all of 2022. The points you earned that posted in 2021 counted towards qualification in 2021 for a "2022" CP.

 

Southwest's language on the page you reference may seem confusing, but at the bottom of that page there's the note that clarifies that all earning towards qualification must happen in a single calendar year.

 

Only points posted on your billing statements and posted to your Rapid Rewards account during the same calendar year are available for qualification for Companion Pass status.

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

rglover2723
Explorer C

I think this may add some clarification to the original post because I'm facing the same issue.

 

If you registered for the card with the end of year promotion (expiration 12/7/21, 50,000 points for $2000 spent and 50,000 for $12,000 spent), then you were delivered an email welcoming you. A link in that email "view benefits" brought you to their benefits page and the page stated you could start earning points that would contribute to your 2022 CP from December 17th on (I believe it was the 17th but they pulled the page so I can't confirm, I started spending on the 21st).

 

The promotion to "start early" seems like a bait and switch to ensure you received 50K points in 2021 and 50K points in 2022 making it harder to reach CP. Pulling the website page makes it so that we cannot reference their "promotion".

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I took advantage of this promotion so I'll share my positive experience.  Knowing I needed my statement date to be in January so any points from spending I did in December would post in January, I waited until the last minute to apply, I believe it was Dec 6.  It took a day or two for me to get a final decision, but shortly after that I was up and running, spending by linking my new account to my Google Pay account before I had an actual card.  Because I waited until early December to open the account, the first statement date was January 5 and the 50,000 bonus points and points related to spending all posted to my RR account in Jan 2022.  So purchases could have been made "early" and count towards CP earning in 2022, you just had to time it out right or not spend enough to hit the initial 50,000 point threshold until you were in a statement that closed in January.  There's no trickery here, just learn how the process works and utilize it to your advantage.  Now if Southwest would provide the "boost" points I'll really be in good shape.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Every year we see posts from disappointed people whose spend hits in December instead of January. Your Chase account statement date is the most important factor here -- purchases made before the December statement will count in that same calendar year, while those made after the statement closes will post in the following year.

 

 

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

You don’t earn the CP for a specific year, as noted you earn it in one year and then get it for the rest of the year and the next.

 

There are some articles out there about how to earn CP early in a year so you end up having almost two years of it - like you are describing the points have to hit in January with a big bonus to do that.

 

So anyway, the one clarification to the @chgoflyer ’s post above is that you would need to contact Chase more than Southwest, Chase is the entity providing those bonus points from spending. If they move it around then Southwest will follow. Southwest won’t award a companion pass without Chase “paying” for it. 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

chgoflyer
Aviator A

To be clear, I didn't (and do not) advise contacting neither Southwest nor Chase. Unfortunately, once the points have posted to your Chase statement and then transferred to Southwest and posted to your Rapid Rewards account, that posting is final. To my knowledge, there is nothing that can be done to change that.

 

 

 

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@chgoflyer wrote:

To be clear, I didn't (and do not) advise contacting neither Southwest nor Chase. Unfortunately, once the points have posted to your Chase statement and then transferred to Southwest and posted to your Rapid Rewards account, that posting is final. To my knowledge, there is nothing that can be done to change that.

 


Not the right wording on my part, and I also think it's a done deal and following the terms as stated. But Southwest has very little do do with it, if the OP is determined to call someone, then call Chase. 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

grounded22
Explorer C

IMG_7063.PNG

Same issue here.  I took this screenshot on Dec 20, 2021.  I had 56,540 points post on 12/06/2021 so I don't understand how those points don't go towards a 2022 Companion Pass.  

Re: Expected Dec 2021 points to count for 2022 Companion Pass

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@grounded22 Had you earned the required number of CP qualifying points between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2021 you would have earned CP for the remainder of 2021 and all of 2022.  It's called the 2022 companion pass because that is the full year you earn.  Points earned today are working towards the 2023 companion pass.  The count of points resets on Jan 1 so points you earned in Dec 2021 no longer count towards CP qualifying.

 

--TheMiddleSeat