duhitselaine

Hello,

I have always been interested in the SW Companion pass. This year, I am finally able to and determined to earn my companion pass for 2016 and 2017. I have research a ton and read many different articles about how to ensure I timed it correctly to earn the bonus points.

Here is my strategy thus far:

• 11/11 - applied for SW plus and premier card, both 50k bonus after $2000 within first 3 month
• 11/18 - received both cc, activated it. Premier card statement closes on 23rd of the month, bill due on the 20th. Plus card statement closes on the 8th with a bill due date of 5th.
• Today, 11/19 - I called SW to change the premier card statement due date to be the same as Plus card. Both cards will close on the 8th with bill due date of the 5th.

Am I correct to assume that any "changes" posted from now to 12/8 is considered my December statement? I don't plan to use my cards this month.

My strategy moving forward is to wait until December statement closes on 12/8 (bill due on 1/5/16) and start spending toward $2k+ ($4k total) on 12/10 and forward, perfect for the holidays! With the assumption that I will spend $2k within January statement (12/9/15-1/8/16), I will have hit the 2k by statement close date, 1/8. Thereafter, my regular points and my bonus points (50k) will post to my RR account. Hypothetically, with two cards, I would have 104k as early as 1/12/16 (estimated?).

Thereafter, I plan to spend $6k as soon as possible to earn the Companion Pass. Victory! I hope..

I really want to get a second opinion and welcome other suggestions if I am understanding the terms incorrectly. As other folks have been successful in earning the companion pass, I too hope I will be able to earn it soon.

Thanks!
Elaine

toomanybooks

If you read other threads dating back several years, you will find many people who have done this. Several have mistakenly spent too early and got the points in December instead of January.

It happens every year. Whether through miscalculation, error, forgetfulness, cutting things too close, misunderstanding the dates, payments going through on a different date than expected, mistaken double charges by a vendor, Chase dropping an extra statement on you, or whatever.

I would spend $4k on Jan 1 in your shoes, but try now to change billing date to about Jan 8.

Bill due date is meaningless.

Rmhill

How did you apply for both personal cards? I have an invitation referral for the premier but I could only find the plus bonus through a referral which requires me to call them. So I'm curious as to how I should apply for these to help ensure I receive both.. Plus (phone) then premier (link) or both at the same time while husband is on the phone with the plus? Also the invitation to the premier expires 11/28 and the plus referral expires end of February.

flyer4512

I did the same basic thing as you in November 2013 to get 2014/15 CP and plan on doing the same thing for 2017/18. My wife got CP for us for 2016.

I would have left the closing dates as late in the month, I picked December 23. The reason was if they close the next statement early you are screwed and chances are they are not going to close a statement within 8 days.

I used Wyndham points to get 4800 CPQP in 2014 but for 2016 I plan on using 20K Marriott to get 5K CPQP to top off the 110K. I believe the Marriott card is offering 70K right now and you could grab it and start that spend now.

CP is good for nearly 2 years, no sense rushing it and it gets messed up ( do you even have a CP flight planned For January 2016 ) to get CP in January as opposed to February. GL

duhitselaine

There was an active link for the premier so I did this online first. I got a referral for the plus and called in on the same day. Both approved immediately.

duhitselaine

I don't have any flights planned until March that I like to use the CP for. I'm not too concerned of when I qualify for the CP at this moment but want to ensure I get the most points (104K) post after January. However, can you clarify on why you chose a later date? By next statement, do you mean my first statement? Base on what the phone rep told me was that my statement closes on the 8th, which I understand will be on 12/8 so this would be my first statement and my December statement, right? Any charges post from December 9th and forward will be on the next statement close day of 1/8, which points will also post then, right? I don't plan to incur any large charges until I confirm that my first statement indeed closes on 12/8 and 8th of the month.

Also, I don't want to take any chances but would like to understand what I am missing. Can you clarify what you mean when you say "if they close the next statement early you are screwed and chances are they are not going to close a statement within 8 days."

Thanks!

flyer4512

It means exactly what it says, toomanybooks also said it, sometimes we have heard of statements closing early, if you start you spend 12/9 and complete it say 12/24 and your statement closes on 12/29 you might miss CP

Since you don't have any flights until March I would make the spend on the Premier card after it closes on 12/23 and make the entire spend on the Plus card after it closes on January 8. Assuming you get the other 6K CPQP by 2/8 you'll have CP from early Feb 2016 to 12/31/2017.

toomanybooks

NEVER rely on what a Chase or WN rep tells you when it comes to some critical topic like this. Never.

Listen to us.

duhitselaine

Are you saying, even though the rep has changed the statement dates (moved to statement close date of 8th), it may still close at the original close date of 23rd?

Also, I just checked both accounts online and the bill due date is still 1/5/16 and 12/20/15, not sure if this help in any way.

flyer4512

I seem to be confusing you, to make it easier to understand just don't a make a dime of either spend in 2015.

The bill due dates mean nothing.

HansGruber

Why even risk losing an entire year of companion pass or even worse. Getting 104,000 pts in this year and not getting companion pass at all? If you'd like to use it for holiday spending, just make sure you spend below the thresh hold to get the bonus points.

toomanybooks

Are you aware that charges sometimes go through twice by mistake? And that this, even if reversed immediately, can trigger the bonus? And that the CP is thereby issued prematurely, or not at all if 110k is not achieved?

Spend on Jan 1.

departingBOS

Can you apply for the Personal Premier and Business card on the same day, or should you wait a week between applications. Going after that Companion Pass for '16 and '17!

rwt534

You can apply for both the same day. That is what i did, got approved for the businesss card after calling in and then got auto approved for the premier like 40 mins later.

departingBOS

Did you apply for both of these cards online? How long after you applied did you call chase about the business card? What questions did they ask you?