Don’t call it a “devaluation.” Chase has been implementing tighter rules on their credit cards for years. Between the “one bonus two years after cancellation” rule, to the infamous 5/24 policy, using credit cards to earn large amounts of points is difficult – but not impossible.
A precise example came this month when Chase announced changes to one of their airline miles credit cards, the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Cards. Starting on April 4, 2018, the bank added the following clause to their bonus offer terms and conditions:
The product is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapids Rewards® Credit Card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months.
Instead of limiting the bonus to just those who held or cancelled the card in the past 24 months, the new change means cardholders can’t open multiple consumer credit cards to stack bonuses. You can only hold the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus Card or the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Card – but not both.
This subtle change can make it even harder to earn arguably the best benefit among American carriers: the Southwest Companion Pass. If you are only able to open one card for the bonus, which one do you open? More importantly, how do you earn the 110,000 miles in one calendar year?
Although this is a new obstacle, it isn’t the end of the line for Southwest flyers. Here are some ways you can still get yourself closer to bringing a friend on your travels for little more than a song.
Open a Southwest Airlines business credit card instead
Although the restriction is targeted towards the two consumer versions of the Southwest Airlines credit card, the same restriction isn’t in place for the business credit card. Therefore, it is possible to get the Southwest Airlines personal and business credit cards and earn bonuses from those cards instead.
As we have discussed in the past, getting a business card can be relatively easy: consider something you can do to earn money in your spare time, make sure your credit is good and become a sole proprietor overnight. However, getting a business card isn’t for everyone. Make sure you can meet the spending requirements on both cards and have a plan to pay them off before you submit the application.
Take advantage of all points-earning opportunities
While credit cards can be a good way to earn Rapid Rewards, they aren’t the only method. According to the Southwest terms and conditions: “points earned on Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards and base points earned from Rapid Rewards Partners” count towards earning the Companion Pass.
Rapid Rewards partners includes the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal, the Rapid Rewards Dining program, along with many others that help you earn points while on the ground. By using these tools along with your Southwest Airlines credit card for everyday shopping, it’s possible to get over the 110,000-point goal.
It’s important to note that only the base points you would earn from every partner offer counts towards the Companion Pass. Bonus points gained from status or other sources may not count towards the program.
Focus only on qualifying earning opportunities
Finally, not every action you take to earn points qualifies for the Companion Pass. Once again quoting the Southwest Rapid Rewards Terms and Conditions: “Purchased points, transferred points transferred between members, points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, and e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions and Diners Club…” all do not count towards the Companion Pass.
Although it’s not as simple as transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards points for status, some of these programs still have limited uses. For example: while e-Rewards can’t be used to get towards the Companion Pass, they can be used to keep dormant accounts alive as a “qualifying action.”
How do you plan to earn the Companion Pass now that Chase is cracking down on how many cards you can have? Let me know your ideas in the comments below!
Written by Frugal Travel Guy @ https://www.frugaltravelguy.com
Written by Frugal Travel Guy @ https://www.frugaltravelguy.com