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Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

Bookish
Explorer C

This is our first year with a SW card and we may have missed the boat on the companion pass due to a very busy year (we did not focus on acumulation points until late in the year). Our closing date was the 8th of month and, if I understand correctly, all our points would need to have posted by December 8.  I called in an attempt to salvage our points for this year and our closing date is now the 28th. 

 

I believe this means our next bill wouldn't be due until January 25. Our last travel date is 12/30. We'd planned to put some year end contribtions and holiday expenses on the card prior to the end of the year. Is there any way to salvage the situation? Thanks for any advice!

9 REPLIES 9

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

The points have to post by December 31st, from whichever sources inlcuding flights, credit card, etc. 

 

Credit card points will be earned with the billing period, not the payment date so that should be fine.

 

We on the community board don't know how much of a gap you had to close in this last month though, but good luck!

 

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

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

Bookish
Explorer C

Thank you for your reply. We just did the math. With our current RR point balance, Chase account balance, planned end of the year spending and trip returning on 12/30, we'll be at 110,465--not much margin for error. Any ideas are much appreciated. Thanks again.

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

libbyrp
Explorer C

I am 2438 points short today (12/28) for a companion pass for 2018.  I currently have the pass and have two flights: tomorrow, 12/29 and 12/30.  As the flights are currently fared, I will need 731 points to qualify for 2018.  I also turn in a rental car tomorrow (600 points) and 258 shopping points that have not yet posted. Here is my dilemna: I travel with my companion (grandson) on January 2 on a business select ticket but cannot add my companion.  SW suggested I use miles for his ticket but I would like to have him travel as a companion and re-deposit the miles.  I do not know if my recent car and shopping points will timely post to achieve this.  Thoughts?

 

 

 

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

A few suggestions for you @libbyrp:

 

  1. Pay the extra to upgrade one or both of your flights 12/29 or 12/30 to business select, earning 12x points instead of 6x if these are WGA fares currently. Assuming half and half at 854 points each, upgrading one flight gets you an additional 800+ points, and voila.
    1. For a couple of hundred bucks incremental cost, probably worth it, especially since you are flying anyway. Hopefully I didn't misread the situation and this is an option.
    2. The gate upgrade to A1-15 if offered doesn't count for points, just position, so you have to actually change your current ticket.
  2. Make a separate additional flight worth that many points...tough to fit that in, but you could fly another leg on 12/31 for the additional points. I'd do it in the morning just in case Smiley Very Happy
  3. It's possible the rental car and shopping will post in time - I haven't been tracking that closely to know if rental car turnaround has been that fast (I think the terms are much longer than a few days). Someone else will have wo weigh in about shopping. It sounds like if shopping hit and rental car didn't that wouldn't be enough anyway.
    1. If you want to take an aggressive approach, book a refundable fare for 12/31 that would cover the balance and wait and see if you get the other points before flight time...Risky if you live in the northeast though, storms are projected and the whole network could be shut down that night - safest bet is option 1, get it done with a few days to spare.

I agree with Southwest - add your grandson now on points as a safety net, and then refund the points ticket if/when you get the companion renewed and add him as companion. You'll get all the points back, and can re-use the $5.60 as a credit for the companion booking.

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

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

chgoflyer
Aviator A

A closing date of the 28th is cutting it very close. For the points to count, they must post to your Rapid Rewards account prior to Jan. 1. Usually, my points generally post a couple of days after my closing date, but at times they have taken longer -- as much as a week. I'd recommend changing your closing date to a week or so earlier. That will shorten the time you have in which to earn the points using your credit card, but will help ensure those points actually post and therefore count in 2017.

 

Be aware that in the past, at the end of the year / beginning of the new one, Southwest's Rapid Rewards points counters go offline while they complete account maintenance, meaning that you won't be able to see in your account exactly where you landed until sometime approximately a week into January.

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

Bookish
Explorer C

Thanks, chgoflyer. That's what I was worrying about. The closing date was changed by an agent earlier today--the 28th was his choice, not mine. I've already called back and inquired as to moving it closer to the 20th because I cannot do so from my Chase dashboard. The CSR was very nice, but said 2 days was enough... I think she is unable to change it again. Thanks so much for the info on the year-end closing. I , of course, would really like an earlier date. 

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Go back to a couple of your prior statements and your Rapid Rewards activity and you will be able to see how long it took on prior cycles as an indicator. Nothing is guarnateed of course and check for business days vs weekends/holidays, but might be okay even with the later end date.

 

If your 12/30 flight is Wanna Get Away and you aren't comfortable with your margin of safety, you might consider changing it to a BS flight for 12x points instead of the WGA flight at 6x.

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

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

Bookish
Explorer C

Thanks for this suggestion. I did book my daughter's spring break flights with the card last night rather than paying with points and may do another flight as well. 

 

I will likely follow up with Chase customer service again tonight.

 

Thank you all for your advice and suggestions,

Bookish

 

 

 

Re: Help with CP points-Chase Closing date now 12/28

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Good luck @Bookish, I hope you made it!

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