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Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

pnp
Explorer C

Apologies: My message was sent to the wrong board. I would delete it, but thought perhaps someone might have the answer anyway, lol

 

Hello friends! Smiley Very Happy
I'm hoping the moderator will reply to this asap, as she seems to be immensely helpful to others and will actually respond to and fix problems the community have!

1. If I apply for and receive a Southwest travel credit card, when does the "year to accrue 110K miles" begin and end? 


2. Does the year begin on the date that my application is

accepted or when I receive the card? 

 

3. When does the year end? 

 

4. Example: If I apply now, in October 2017, does my year end on December 31, 2017, or does it end 12 months later?

 

If it ends in December 2017, then there is no incentive to

apply for the card now, with only two months left in this year. 

Also, is it possible, at all, to actually accrue the 110K miles within one year, for an average person who flies 1-3 times per year, maximum?

I know I will not spend $110,000, on the credit card... so how is it possible to actually attain this benefit, to earn the

companion pass?

All suggestions, experience and thoughts are greatly appreciated!

 

Thank you friends...Smiley Happy

9 REPLIES 9

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Earning A-List status or a Companion Pass is based on points earned January 1 through December 31.

 

For some people, now is the time they choose to apply for a Southwest credit card as they will complete their spend requirement in January, earning the bonus points at the beginning of the year. 

 

My personal take on your situation is if you are only flying 1-3 times a year there's not much incentive to earn companion pass at all unless you have specific plans that include some of Southwest's more expensive flights ($400+ each way). And no, flying 1-3 times a year will not earn a significant number of points.

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Earning the bonus will be a big chunk of it - so although you may not plan on renewing the CP in future years, the hurdle in 2018 may be smaller.

 

At 3 RT flights in a year and an average price $300 per trip that's $900 spent on flights, at WGA fare 6x points you get 5,400 points.

 

If all of these will be business select then the points will start to add up at 12x point value for fares that are 2-4x higher.

 

You can pick up some TQP from some of the cards but not all...but in a nustshell as they say at Southwest, you'd need the balance of points to come from spending which could be quite a bit depending on your flight habits.

 

"Easy" if you own your own business or maybe if you travel a lot...?

 

Once you have it I'm sure you'll try to fly a little more, and after you reach the hurdle you can start using some of those bonus points to fly more, with a companion.

 

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

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

pnp
Explorer C

Hi,

Ok, that makes sense... In reality, my flights cost more like $500-$800 each, at Wanna Get Away or the budget prices. But that still doesn't add up to the 110K over the course of a year, or even two years.

 

What is TQP?

 

Thank you for the insight. I thought this might be an unattainable goal for me, but it couldn't hurt to see if I was missing something. 

 

 

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Tier qualifying points, which should be for A-list or A-list preferred status.

 

I did mix that up, for companion pass you count the more general base points from all earning sources, here are a few other ways to get additional points:

 

https://www.southwest.com/rapidrewards/how-to-earn

 

60,000 from your bonus, 3 flights x $600 x 6 pts/$@WGA = 10,800 points...you'll be looking for the remaining 40,000 poins from spending on the credit card and other Rapid Rewards incentives.

 

If companion pass was a priority, you could upgrade some of your flights to Business Select and earn 12x points instead of 6x, and the cost is obviously higher...you can see that this would yield you 20,000 to 30,000 points towards CP or more, so maybe it would be doable then without spending $3,000 per month on the credit card.

 

There is also a 1x bonus for buying flights on the credit card, so that's an extra 1,800 points.

 

But overall if the plan relies on buying Business Select when you otherwise wouldn't do that, you'll need to figure out if spending some extra money will be balanced out by how often you'll have a companion with you vs buying tickets for the companion like usual.

 

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

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

pnp
Explorer C
Yes, I would intend to keep the card, likely for several years. No need to attain it, then cancel, for me. But even at the WGA fares 6X points, i'd only earn around 10,000-15,000 additional points per year.

Thank you for your insight and assistance!

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

pnp
Explorer C

Hi,

People COMPLETE their spend requirement in January??? 

If the year ends in December, wouldn't that be the ending date for spending requirements?

Then, their bonus points would be given to them in January, perhaps. 

 

1-4 times a year, at $500-$800 per round trip ticket is my history, but even that doesn't create enough spending. 

 

Do the flights miles count as more than ONE point for each dollar or each mile flown? 

I might add an additional 10,000 - $15,000 per year in purchases on a card, but that's it. 

 

So, it seems that the 110K is unattainable for me... too bad.
Perhaps Southwest will create a similar program for a less frequent flyer, with one or two companion passes per year, perhaps. That would be a good incentive!

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

There used to be one specific way to earn the companion pass in January by applying late in the prior calendar year so that the bonus point spending limit completed in January, and combine that with a Marriott hotel + flight package that would result in nearly all the needed points at the beginning of a calendar year time period.

 

That Marriott program is no longer eligible for companion pass points, but the idea is to earn the credit card bonus early in a year and then complete the remainder of the points as soon as possible in the same year so that you get CP for thet remainder of the first year, and all of the next.

 

Without that Marriott program there won't be many people doing that in January any longer, but if someone flys every week and throws in a Business Select fare every once in a while, and reimburses business expenses to their rapid rewards credit card, i can see it being earned in February or March with the bonus points, or by June or July for a road warrior reimbursing a lot from their credit card even without the bonus.

 

I'm sure many people are renewing theirs in September, October, November, and some nervous people in December.

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

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

jcrump68
Explorer C

Hi  if I have qualified for 2017 for the 2018 year now but want to continue spending in the month of December will that spending carry over to 2018 calendar year for me to qualify for the next year 2019?  I have a lot of spending to do and points to earn but if will not apply until charges after january 1 then will use another card.  

 

This also goes for travel since I will be flying as well.

 

Thanks,

Jeff

 

Re: Year BEGIN and END for Southwest Travel Credit Card

DancingDavidE
Aviator A
Solution

If you are referring to the Chase Rapid Rewards Visa @jcrump68, it depends when the statement closing is as opposed to when the purchase is made. If the next statement closing will be in January, then the CP points will count towards next year's qualification (qualifying in 2018 for 2019).

 

Points for flights (6x on WGA and 12x on BS) count when the flight is taken, so flights in December count towards the current qualification period.

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