TIME SENSITIVE: Earning a companion pass

[jeantags]

Hi, 

I received a promo from Southwest to apply for the rewards card to earn a companion pass after spending $4K in the first 3 months. We have travel coming up in May.  Does anyone know if the pass is earned after you spend $4K OR after 3 months? I understand it can take up to 8 weeks for the pass to be activated but, if I spend $4K after getting the card, does the activation process begin then or 3 months after the account opening?

This is critical to my decision because if it's 3 months, I won't be able to use it for my May trip, but if it's after I spend $4K, I will.

The credit card promo ends next week so any assistance you can provide would be very helpful.

[bballflyer · Accepted solution]

Typically you earn it after the close of the statement that you reached the 4K on.  So if your statement closes on 2/29 and you had 4K of qualified purchases that month, then typically you would get companion pass a few days after your statement has closed.  You can book your May flight and once earned add a companion later.

[DancingDavidE]

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@bballflyer wrote:

Typically you earn it after the close of the statement that you reached the 4K on.  So if your statement closes on 2/29 and you had 4K of qualified purchases that month, then typically you would get companion pass a few days after your statement has closed.  You can book your May flight and once earned add a companion later.

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The 8-week thing for the promotion is the only wild card, so work it backwards. Agreed that the "regular" Companion Pass earns right away but with the promotion it may be reviewed separately.

In the meantime @jeantags book a placeholder flight so that you have something booked using points - that way if the CP does come through you can cancel the points flight and get a refund. If CP doesn't come through, you aren't stuck buying a last minute ticket.

Are you only using the CP on one flight @jeantags ?

[ZevSupport]

It usually doesn't take the 3 months and as mentioned, would be following the statement you hit $4000. 

Good luck!

[parpitt1]

Since this runs through Chase as a partnership. You are completely at the mercy of Chase. I would not base my travel decision making on having the CP in hand until I actually had the CP in hand.

Good luck 

[Roscoe]

I signed up yesterday. Was thinking I would get some type of email confirmation but I didn't.  When applying it indicated I was approved and the card would arrive in 7 days or so. Was hoping to use it right away on some high ticket items to get the minimum $4K, so wondering if there is a way to get the card info immediately? Thanks in advance. Find it strange not to get any correspondence at all.

[DancingDavidE]

People have said before that you can call Chase to get the info. 

The advertising in particular is "get this card and use it on the flight you are buying right now" but then of course you don't get the number shown to you automatically to do that, but people said they were able to get it.

[05bardic]

I opened the account last month. When enrolling, it asked for my Rapid Rewards # in one of the application fields. Immediately after approval, the card was automatically linked to my Southwest.com account to be used as a payment method so I was able to use it to book a flight the same day. As far as the other purchases I was hoping to make prior to the physical card arriving in the mail, I was able to add the card to Apple Pay via the Chase app, so I was only able to use it at places that accept Apple Pay. 

[voodoo]

Thanks for your reply. Qualified, checked with Chase who confirmed the information was passed to SouthWest. The points showed up a few days back in my SouthWest account but no Companion pass yet... Southwest states 8-12 weeks, not ideal 😞

[bpacker]

So if my payment date is May 1, what if I pay my entire balance (over $4,000) tomorrow? Will that speed up the awarding of companion pass and 30,000 rapid rewards points? Or do I still have to wait for May 1?