Disclosure: I do not receive a commission for these cards.
Credit card bonuses come and go. Some of them go faster than others while others tend to linger around for quite awhile (the Barclay Arrival card is still listed as a Limited-time Offer even though it has been around for a year!).
There are some cards that you jump on when the bonus is good because it is doubtful as to when it will ever hit that point again – or ever. See Citi Executive AAdvantage card. Then there are other cards that hit the high bonus mark almost on a dependable basis of every few months.
Southwest Airlines Credit Card Family
And that category of cards are the ones that I am referring to. The Southwest Airline cards from Chase hit the high point of 50,000 Rapid Reward points every few months and they seem to stick around at that level for at least a month. To be honest, it is never really a good idea to apply for one of those cards when it is at the regular bonus – 25,000 points – because you know it will rise to the high bonus again soon. When it does, it is always a good time to analyze what your travel goals are and to see if one or two of those cards (like a personal and business card) will fit in your wallet/travel strategy.
Companion Pass
If you do apply for one of them, it makes a lot of sense to apply for another one of the four cards within the same calendar year that you received the bonus from the first card. That is because it will put you just a few thousand points away from receiving what is one of the best perks in the airline industry – the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass. This allows you to designate a person to be your companion on all paid or award trips on Southwest for the current year and the following year – for free (well, there is the $2.50 segment fee!). You can even add them to your trip at the last minute – as long as there is a seat available, it is available for your companion! We received the companion pass last year, but unfortunately will not really have a chance to take full advantage of it.
Best Cards For Domestic Travel
I have highlighted these cards in the past, calling them the best cards for domestic award travel (providing you are near an airport served by them). There are so many great things about the program – the free bags, the refund policy, the point redeposit, the fare sales, the companion pass. It just makes sense to add these cards to your collection.
But, Don’t Worry!
However, if you are still not sure as to whether you want to apply for them at this time – don’t worry! Most assuredly, these bonuses will be back up to the high level sometime in the next several months. As it was, the current bonus was to have ended today, but there has been word that it was extended. The Points Guy said it was extended to Sunday, March 9th while View From The Wing says he is hearing it was extended to sometime in October (which would be fabulous!) So, at the very least these bonuses should still be around through March 9th. If you do not apply before then, don’t worry – it will be back! Just wait until you know you can get the most value from the card and the perks like the companion pass.
However, should you desire to sign-up for one of these cards now, here are the links and details. Disclosure: I do not receive a commission from these links.
Southwest Airline Credit Cards
Southwest Airlines Personal Premier Card – 50,000 Points after $2,000 Spend in 3 months –application link
- 50,000 points after spending $2,000 in 3 months
- $99 Annual Fee (not waived)
- 6,000 point annual bonus
- Can be used for travel or gift cards (50,000 points equal $500 in gift cards to a variety of merchants, including Amazon)
- No foreign transaction fees
Southwest Airlines Business Premier Card – 50,000 Points after $2,000 Spend in 3 months –application link
- 50,000 points after spending $2,000 in 3 months
- $99 Annua Fee (not waived)
- 6,000 point annual bonus
- Can be used for travel or gift cards (50,000 points equal $500 in gift cards to a variety of merchants, including Amazon)
- No foreign transaction fees
Southwest Airlines Personal Plus Card – 50,000 Points after $2,000 Spend in 3 months – application link
- 50,000 points after spending $2,000 in 3 months
- $69 Annua Fee (not waived)
- 3,000 point annual bonus
- Can be used for travel or gift cards (50,000 points equal $500 in gift cards to a variety of merchants, including Amazon)
Southwest Airlines Business Plus Card – 50,000 Points after $2,000 Spend in 3 months – application link
- 50,000 points after spending $2,000 in 3 months
- $69 Annual Fee (not waived)
- 3,000 point annual bonus
- Can be used for travel or gift cards (50,000 points equal $500 in gift cards to a variety of merchants, including Amazon)
