I got bit for my upcoming companion pass. My loss may be of use to others in future years, though.

Got 2 cards just before promotion ended & both had MSR confirmed by SM to be in late Jan 2018. I planned to do $1600-1700 on each before last close date in 2017 & then go over $2K a few days into next billing cycle. Everything was going well until just after Nov close date I see one card got the 60Kmi bonus credited. What!!?? Well, back in Oct I had a prepayed hotel reservation that was $500+. Due to fires out west, hotel wasn't going to be very desirable, so the hotel let me cancel and credited the $ back to my card - RIGHT AFTER THE OCT CLOSING DATE. The refund came in the next billing cycle, so I could see that I wasn't anywhere near my 2017 goal of $1600-1700. Well, Chase credited me the $500+ anyway. I SM'd them several times explaining that the $ had been refunded & shouldn't be credited towards the MSR, but they kept replying, we've given you the credit and you're welcome. By then, all I could do was push my 2nd card over the $2K MSR before the Dec close date so both bonuses would hit in 2017.

So, I only get 1 year vs 2 on the companion pass, and if I hadn't noticed before my upcoming Dec close date on the 2nd card, I would have had one bonus in 2017 & 2nd in 2018 & lost the companion pass (unless I clould luck out & get a 3rd card, but I wansn't feeling lucky). But, this means next year, or whenever the offer comes around again, you can all get close to your MSR quickly for no money by buying a bunch of stuff just before your billing close date & returning it a few days after the closing date. You'll put out the money one billing period & get it back the next & still get credit toward the MSR.

Oh, well, live & learn. Good thing my wife can apply at the end of next year since it'll be 2+ years since her last bonus on her chase cards (that we'll close now)