Best Strategy for Southwest Companion Pass?

[warehouse]

Hello,

I've been waiting all year to cash in on the Southwest Companion Pass deal for 2016 and 2017. Now that we are in November I want to apply for both the Premier and Plus cards to get my 50,000 points each to book in January or February. The issue is that the Plus is not currently being offered at 50k points (best I can find is 40k). Should I apply for the Premier now just to get that ball rolling and then move on the Plus when that bonus pops up? I have good credit, low debt and currently have 4 credit cards that have been open long term.

Advice on best strategy?  I had about $3,500 this year in sales on eBay but don't think that will qualify me for a Premier Business card.

[Mother Fussbudget]

You'll probably qualify for the Premier business card.  I have even less in sales on eBay and Amazon, and I got the Chase ink+ business card with no problem.  Why not try for the Premier now, and if the Plus pops up, go for it.  If it doesn't become available, you could always go for the 40K card.  There's a Southwest promotion via their web portal where you can earn up to 5,500 pts by shopping ($1,500 total purchases) from 11/11-to-11/26 - details here. 

Happy Traveling!

[warehouse]

Thanks for the reply! I think if I got that bonus for shopping in November they would likely post prior to January? Maybe I can try to apply for the business card first and see what happens, assuming I'd certainly be approved for the personal. Can it hurt my chances for the personal, Plus or Premier, if I apply and get declined for the business card?

[okobrien]

Go for the premier and the premier business but wait till early December.  I was able to get the business with about the same income that you listed.

[warehouse]

Go for the premier and the premier business but wait till early December.  I was able to get the business with about the same income that you listed.

Should I try the Business first? Why wait until early December? The offer I got for 50k points through premier says it expires on November 28th so I'd want to apply for it before that.

[bacchi]

Can it hurt my chances for the personal, Plus or Premier, if I apply and get declined for the business card?

No, unless they do a pull on your report. Does your business have a TIN?


Eta: It's not a tragedy if you only get the pass for 22-23 months, is it?

[warehouse]

Can it hurt my chances for the personal, Plus or Premier, if I apply and get declined for the business card?

No, unless they do a pull on your report. Does your business have a TIN?


Eta: It's not a tragedy if you only get the pass for 22-23 months, is it?

I do not have a TIN, honestly I don't really consider it a business and this is the first year I've had this type of sales on eBay.

Would not be a tragedy at all, just want to make sure I time it right so I don't mess up getting it at all! :)

[Jellyfish]

I got my SW Premier and SW Plus in early October. As long as I don't spend the $2000 to achieve the bonus until after my billing cycle ends in early Dec, but do hit the $2000 in Dec before my 90 day window closes, my 100,000 RR points should hit in January.  If you time it carefully there should be no reason not to apply for and get the cards now.

When I applied, the SW Plus 50K offer was not publicly available. I got a referral link through a thread in the Flyertalk forum. Looks like some are still available:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-airlines-rapid-rewards/1612424-rr-visa-referral-offers-requests-105.html

I had to create a login, and send a PM to someone who had posted they had a referral. They got a 5K RR bonus, and I got the offer.  Worked great.

[warehouse]

I got my SW Premier and SW Plus in early October. As long as I don't spend the $2000 to achieve the bonus until after my billing cycle ends in early Dec, but do hit the $2000 in Dec before my 90 day window closes, my 100,000 RR points should hit in January.  If you time it carefully there should be no reason not to apply for and get the cards now.

When I applied, the SW Plus 50K offer was not publicly available. I got a referral link through a thread in the Flyertalk forum. Looks like some are still available:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-airlines-rapid-rewards/1612424-rr-visa-referral-offers-requests-105.html

I had to create a login, and send a PM to someone who had posted they had a referral. They got a 5K RR bonus, and I got the offer.  Worked great.

Thank you Jellyfish! I signed up and posted a request for a Plus referral link and got a response in about a minute! So excited :)

[okobrien]

I think Jellyfish is right.  You can get the cards now just don't spend much till December.  That would suck if you got a bonus before the new year. Sorry about the confusion. 
I don't know if it matters which you get first. When I got them I applied for both on the same day.
For a business like yours just list the business name as your name.  You are a sole proprietor in this case.

[warehouse]

The referral I got for the Plus is over the phone, do you think I should do that one first and then the Premier since I apply for that one over the web? I can't possibly see why they would not approve me for both as I have no current credit through Chase.

Am I asking too many questions? Haha, I'm sure it's not really this complicated. This is just the first time I've tried to get CC rewards before, and the companion pass is a big one :)

[Jellyfish]

I would do the Plus over the phone, and then do the Premier online.  Though not sure it really matters if you don't have a lot of current Chase cards. Just for the data point, I did it in that order...got approved for the Plus and then applied for the Premier online, but had to call the recon line for the Premier...but I already have a Chase United card too and I just had to reduce the credit limit on one card and then was approved for the Premier.

[warehouse]

I just called and got approved for the Plus. Going to wait 24 hours and do the Premier online tomorrow. My credit limit is $28,000... on a credit card! That's crazy. I'm assuming I'll get declined on the Premier and have to call in to have that credit limit shifted across both cards.

[warehouse]

Just got approved for the Premier, woo!! Extended another insane $19,000 in credit limit... crazy! People don't really put that kind of money on credit cards.. do they?

All set to get companion pass!!