Southwest Rapid Rewards - Can husband and wife both get Chase CC?

Hi all,

New here, so sorry if this has been addressed previously. I was just approved for the Chase SW CC today under the 50K bonus points promotion. I'm curious if anyone knows the best way for married couples to take advantage of this offer - should I add my wife as a joint cardholder or get her a separate card?

It seems to me that she could apply for a separate card to get an additional 50K bonus miles and allow her flight points to actually amount to something someday. If I turn my card into a joint account, I don't know if it will make sense for all of our CC spending points and these bonus miles to be on my account and then if she adds a couple thousand in her account through paid flights each year (say 2K-6K annually) they'll be sitting there for several years before they amount to anything.

On the flip side, I don't know if the program rules will allow us to do this and more importantly, how will this affect our credit score? We never carry a balance, we pay everything off each month. Is it easy enough for me to buy both of our tickets if my account is the only one that accumulates much?

Thanks for the help, pretty hard to find out this kind of stuff online. What's the standard practice for all you married couples out there?

I assume you can---wife and I both have a Delta/AE CC. One in her name and one in my name. We use both cards when flying. I thought it was advantageous to each have a card just for the reasons you stated.

What's the standard practice for all you married couples out there?

Get a separate card if you want the extra bonus points. Then you can get an extra card for each account if you want, so you can steer your spending to one RR account or the other.

If you are a gambler, you could wait until late in 2012 to apply, hoping that the 50k offer remains in place. Delay the first use of the card until January 1, then your 50k will count toward a Companion Pass that will be good until December 2014.

Get a separate card if you want the extra bonus points. Then you can get an extra card for each account if you want, so you can steer your spending to one RR account or the other.

If you are a gambler, you could wait until late in 2012 to apply, hoping that the 50k offer remains in place. Delay the first use of the card until January 1, then your 50k will count toward a Companion Pass that will be good until December 2014.

Yep. Romena, it's also worth noting - just in case - that you can't combine/transfer RR points from/between two different RR accounts.

Yep. Romena, it's also worth noting - just in case - that you can't combine/transfer RR points from/between two different RR accounts.

Great to know, thanks for the help. I would assume I can still book two tickets out of the points from one account, right?

Great to know, thanks for the help. I would assume I can still book two tickets out of the points from one account, right?

Yes, for whomever you want.

If you are a gambler, you could wait until late in 2012 to apply, hoping that the 50k offer remains in place.

Be aware that the banner ad on the home page recently said something like "Final Days!"

Delay the first use of the card until January 1, then your 50k will count toward a Companion Pass that will be good until December 2014.

Applying for the cards today and delaying first use until after the December 2012 statement cutoff should work just as well, while avoiding the risk of the offer closing.

Be aware that the banner ad on the home page recently said something like "Final Days!"

Thanks for the head's up, now the banner says, "Ends Today". Decisions, decisions.

Applying for the cards today and delaying first use until after the December 2012 statement cutoff should work just as well, while avoiding the risk of the offer closing.

Good idea. Ask when activating the card if there is any deadline on when the first purchase occurs. Ideally you can do that via secure message on the bank's website so you will have a written record that they told you you could get the bonus in January. In case someone disables the bonus-granting software prematurely.

One bit of strategy that might be of interest:

Assuming husband/wife will be one anothers' Companions, it may make sense for them to get the 50K bonus 2 years apart.

For example:

Husband gets WN Visa CC in January 2012. Transfers some Choice/Wyndham/Diners/etc. points, spends/flies a lot quickly, whatever. Soon has the CP, good through Dec. 2013.

In Jan 2014, wife does the same thing.

Now they have CP until end of 2015.

Multiple bonuses to both spouses in the same CP period end up partly "wasted." Of course, there may not be any big sign-on bonuses available in 2 years, but an almost-two-year CP is so valuable (worth thousands of dollars in our case), my wife and I are doing this.

Thought I'd update you all, I convinced my wife last night to take the plunge and get a separate card on the last night of the promotion. It was pretty hard to pass up $1600+ of free flights! The current promo on southwest.com is back to one free flight as of this morning. Thanks for all your help and advice!

Thought I'd update you all, I convinced my wife last night to take the plunge and get a separate card on the last night of the promotion. It was pretty hard to pass up $1600+ of free flights!

It's a gateway drug. Enjoy!