Ali Taheri

Hello Everyone,

Long time reader, first time poster.

After reading for many hours, I have a great grasp of what needs to be done to earn my companion pass. However, my malicious mind would like to explore this possibility. Please chime in and let me know your thoughts and what would happen. I have both the PLUS and PREMIER credit cards from chase. My goal is to get the 100,000 pts from these offers.


I am thinking of using new TESLA model 3 preorders as a way to meet minimum spend requirements. I can preorder 4 Model 3 (fully refundable) for exactly $4000. Assuming the transaction posts a few days before statement, I would theoretically expect the bonus pts to post a few days AFTER statement date. (Please correct me if im wrong)

Now, the plan is to get these refunded to the card sometime later after the points have been posted. I assume Rapid Rewards would take away the 4000 pts from purchase, but what would happen to the 100,000 posted? Would they take that away as well after the 3 month mark comes and goes? Does anyone have experience with Southwest and returns/bonus points? Thanks for your help!

nsx

I expect that Chase would get upset if you maintain what is in effect a negative point balance more than one cycle. You need to respend the money relatively quickly unless you want to risk drawing attention to your scheme. If a human being sees it you could potentially be banned from all Chase cards. The risk ratio looks too high to me.

Note: RR will NOT send the 4K points back to Chase. Chase will NOT pull the 4k or the 100k points back from RR unless and until a human is involved. By the time that happens your card churning career will be over. The persistence of the 2k negative points balances on your card is what would trigger all this.

Trust us. If there's a scam you are not the first one think about it.

SouthFayetteFan

This is a TERRIBLE idea as nsx said.

If you really don't want to spend the $4,000 the traditional way and you want to make this happen fast just find a few bank accounts that allow credit card funding upon opening. Open them...fund them with your Southwest credit card...then payoff the credit card with the bank account.

toomanybooks

I have a friend who recently was banned for life from Chase.

He is not pleased.

Chase and WN are not stupid.

jrjcopp

1 and done?

joshua362

These type of posts just kill me. Handed a huge generous gift then scheming to get the last 3 steps to the goal line. If you can't afford to temporarily time shift $4,000 to prepaid expenses or gift cards at a nominal fee, can you really afford the other aspects of travel that don't involve WN?

pinniped

Wow, great idea. I think you're the first person to ever think of this. It'll catch Chase totally by surprise...

kooke

I almost jumped on SW 50k bonus point deal last fall but someone commented on one of the blogs (MMS, I think) and said that she didn't get the Companion Pass because the credit card bonus points didn't count towards the 100k requirement. Did anyone here get a Companion Pass in the past 6 months using CC signup bonus?

toomanybooks

Believe what you read here, not what blog commenters (or even bloggers) say about Southwest.

kooke

Good to know. I guess I was being overly suspicious. I'm thinking of going for it this fall. Someone pointed out that the best strategy is to apply during fall, with a plan to get the bonus points in your account in Jan. This gives you two years of CP (current year + 1 full year). What's you take on this strategy?

kooke

One of my friends paid his apartment rent using a credit card. There was a "CC surcharge" of $10-15, but he paid some of his rent in advance and easily met the spending limit.

If you own a condo, you can pre-pay you condo fee using a credit card (with the CC surcharge) and meet the spending limit.

Big4Flyer

It works. Just be aware that even after the bonuses post you'll still have to get another 6,000-10,000 points, depending on how many posted before Jan 1. Also, please don't be one of those people who accidentally spends too much before the year end and gets the bonus posted before Jan 1.

toomanybooks

There are literally thousands of posts here on that topic, including many by me. Assuming nothing changes with WN or Chase in the next 6 months, all the answers are there.

kooke

Yup, Definitely something I'll need to plan for.. Thanks.

JohnMI

In my opinion, if it is your first time doing it and/or you haven't already read a TON about it, just go ahead and get them early in the year and earn it for the rest of that year and the next. I've just seen too many newbies get it in the "fall" only to screw up and have the first 50,000 points post BEFORE January 1st.

So, again, unless you really know how to time it, just do it all (including signing up for the cards) starting in January.

- John...