Warning: Bonus Point Crack Down for Southwest Credit Card Offers


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Last week I posted on a potential way of getting the Southwest Airlines Companion pass by signing up for both the personal and business credit card. I figured I would try it out for myself and applied for both Chase Southwest credit cards – 1 business and 1 personal. I got approved right away for the 1st application submitted (the personal card) and then a pending notification for my 2nd application (the business card). Today, I received that dreadful notice in that mail that my application was denied.

I went ahead and called the reconsideration line. They told me that they would be happy to re-submit my application, but to note that I would not receive any bonus points since I already was approved for the personal card. I explained that these are two different card types, but there really was nothing the customer service agent could/would do. I do have a request in for a manager to call me within the next 48 business hours, so hopefully that will help! The agent informed me that one can only get the bonus once every 6 months regardless of the card type. The good news is that it seems as though the application was never even submitted thus a credit check never being pulled – they knew the bonus points would not apply so denied all applicants with two applications submitted (as least that is what I was told).

While I am pretty bummed about this, I am already thinking of Plan B if this does not work out. Always have to have a Plan B, right?! If ultimately I cannot get both bonuses, I will still keep my personal card and get the 50K bonus points at the beginning of 2012. Aside from the companion pass benefit, $833 of free travel minus a $69 annual fee is still a decent offer for domestic travel. After 6 months from the application of my personal card, I will then go ahead and apply for the credit card. Of course there is no way of knowing what the card offer will be at that time. Either way I will still be losing out on 6 months of using the companion pass.

Anyone have any success stories with getting the points for both credit card offers?!

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carwag25
carwag25
12 years ago

I applied back in August for both the biz and personal. The personal was approved, but I had to call the recon line for the biz. I had heard that Chase automatically rejects the second app anytime two applications are submitted.
Anyways, I made the initial purchases and got the bonuses for both cards. My cards were the Premier cards, but I believe the current offer is the Plus cards.. not sure if that makes a difference?

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  carwag25

@carwag – about how many days/weeks/months apart between the two applications?

mommypoints
mommypoints
12 years ago

Oh boo!! Chase seems to have “rules” that seem to apply in some situations and not others. I hope you are able to get this worked out!

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  mommypoints

@mommy points – seems like it might be just for those that applied on the same day. Might test it out with another business application next week while the 50k promo is still available. Let’s hope! I do love my companion pass!!

carwag25
carwag25
12 years ago

I applied on the same day for both. Granted, I only had one other Chase card at the time of the two applications.

carwag25
carwag25
12 years ago

While I did apply on the same day, I did not call until the next day for the biz app reconsideration, so they could see both apps at that point. Wonder if they changed the rules between the Premier and Plus cards? Or the rep just didn’t know what he/she was talking about.

Ryan
Ryan
12 years ago

I applied for both cards on the same day and got denied for both. Called the reconsideration line and still got denied for the personal card, but was transferred to the business card and got approved. Called back a week later and was able to convince them to give me the personal card. I have not activated the personal card yet, but already activated and been charged the annual fee for the business. The plan is not to charge on either card until Jan…so, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Nathan
Nathan
12 years ago

I too applied for both cards and just received the letter today to call the reconsideration line for both. I did and was approved. Also told they did not do a credit check so that was nice. I did not however inquire about the bonus as I am not planning to activate the cards until 2012 in hopes of my first companion pass and will ask then. Worst case I have to wait 6 months to activate. Would love to hear any suggestions one has to making sure that I get both bonuses.

Larry
12 years ago

I am concerned that the 50,000 bonus points will not apply for the companion pass or even ALIST or ALIST Preferred status. Here’s why: These are not “preferred qualifying miles.” While Southwest’s website states that miles earned from credit cards can be used towards status/companion pass, while not eloquently stated on Southwest’s part, they are referring to preferred qualifying miles earned based on spend (1,500 miles per $10,000) and at year’s end (6,000 for renewal). Just my own surmising, but one should do some heavy research if their sole purpose in getting this card is to get the companion pass.

Would love to be wrong here since these 50,000 will qualify the wife for ALIST preferred! Anyone have a different opinion?

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  Larry

@Larry – Reports have shown (granted reports so take with a grain of salt) that the 50,000 points do count towards companion pass status. However, the 50,000 points will not/should not could towards ALIST preferred.

Larry
12 years ago

– will/should not? Hopefully you mean will. 🙂 So you are saying wait to activate the card until the first of the year? No chance of getting companion this year.

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  Larry

@Larry – Will not/should not, sorry! If you are not going to get the companion pass this year, hold off till Jan 1st to activate and make your first purchase.

J
J
12 years ago

Just a counterpoint to those thinking the problem is just applying on the same day: I got the personal card about a month ago and recently applied for the biz and was told the exact same thing by recon: would be happy to process the app but will receive no bonus points. Incidentally, there was no inquiry as the app was never processed. (For the record: high ficos, real biz w/long history, long + positive history with Chase, incl biz).

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  J

@J – Thanks for letting me know. Seems like there is no set method here.

Daniel
Daniel
12 years ago

The points for sure count. Log on to your rapid rewards account and filter points by companion pass qualifying points. I will post shortly if my business card points post to my account. Didn’t apply same day.

toomanybooks
toomanybooks
12 years ago

50k bonus for the CC has been counting toward CP. Many people have confirmed on Flyertalk and Milepoint.

Obviously Southwest could change the terms at any time.

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  toomanybooks

@toomanybooks – The question is whether or not people have been able to get approved for BOTH personal and business credit card and get the bonus points for both.

InACents
12 years ago

My wife and I both applied for the Continental personal and business lines within the past couple of weeks and were approved. So I hope this is not true (i.e. only one bonus regardless of card type).

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  InACents

@InACents – Seems like this has only been an issue for the Southwest Airlines credit card. If you have already been approved for both you should be okay (I have not personally applied for both the Continental personal and business card so cannot guarantee from personal experience). I do have both the AA business and personal card and there was no issue.

KM
KM
12 years ago

Do you know when the 50K bonus offer expires? I want the points to count toward CP next year, so I was planning on applying in 2012 for the personal card (and potentially business card too). Should I apply now for one or both, and then just wait to make a charge on it in Jan?

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  KM

@KM – Online it says November 28th, but customer service says November 30th – so I am not sure which one to believe! Currently not everyone is getting approved for personal and business. You can always apply for the cards and not activate and make a purchase until Jan 2012, and then they will count for 2012.

daniel
daniel
12 years ago

– I applied for and was approved for both the personal and business cards (on different days) and this week received my 2nd 50,000 point bonus into my account without an issue.

FYI, I received the card on the 17th, called chase and moved my statement date to the 23rd and received my points 2 days after my (new) statement date. So you can get the points quickly if needed regardless of what Chase tells you.

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  daniel

@Daniel – Thanks for the info!

Rick
Rick
12 years ago

I applied Nov. 17 for the personal card and received it yesterday. I applied for the business card Nov. 20 and decision is pending. I am shooting for the Companion Pass. Question-others here have commented to wait to activate and make first charge until 1/1/2012 to have possibility of pass being valid until end of 2013. BUT if you need 110,000 points does it matter if you activate and charge on one card (for 50k points) when you won’t have attained the 110,000 points needed for the pass (if it happens with 2 50k bonuses and additional spend to reach 110k points)? Wouldn’t I be eligible when the 110,000 points are reached in 2012? Thanks!

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  Rick

@Rick – The points earned towards the companion pass end at the calendar year. So if you earn 50,000 in 2011 they will expire and you will need to start all over. In theory you can probably activate now and start spending as your statement will probably not close until January 1st anyways, but 1/1/2012 is the safe date.

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