nuclearnova

Hi, I'm new to the forum and was hoping someone could help me figure out if its possible to still get the companion pass before the new year. I just noticed I was at 91/110k points there, 19k seems obtainable. My statement is december 2nd, which should drop the required points to around 15k.

I applied for the business card (already have the personal) a few days ago, they said they will notify me by mail in two weeks. Would it be possible (if approved) to get this card, quickly spend the required 2 grand, change my billing date to say the 20th, then get the bonus 50k? My personal card was acquired in february and I got my 50k points right at the beginning of march. I have pretty good credit, I think in the top 75 percentile, how hard are these business cards to get?

Unfortunately I just spent my ultimate rewards points so I can't do the hyatt transfer, unless anyone has had luck canceling a ultimate reward statement credit order from a few weeks ago.

Signed up for marriot account online the other day but I can't find the link to transfer RR points, someone had one posted I can't remember where but when I clicked it their site said I needed elite status or something. How long does this process take start to finish?

Anyone try calling SW and begging once they got close??

Hopefully someone can give me an idea. If I don't get it this year there is a chance I could get it next year with 50k bonus business points, but still getting ~15k points this month seams more realistic than getting 60k next year.

Thanks in advance, I'm glad I found this forum so much good info!

EDIT : No points in any other account that I could transfer, I'm new to these things and just have my RR and empty UR account

nsx

You could buy $7.5k of Southwest gift cards or refundable Southwest tickets, (which also can be used for later travel without any expiration problems) with the credit card if you do it today.

nuclearnova

That is an amazing idea! Can someone please confirm that this idea is safe before I accidently blow $8000 -

1. Buy 7 round trip tickets from Cleveland to San Diego in January, business class, today at $1128 = $7896
2. Double points would be 15792, putting me over my goal. This should post by my statement on the 2nd right?
3. Get my companion pass after my statement and the points post on the 3rd
4. Cancel the flights January 1st, not having to pay the credit card or any interest on it
5. Obviously I'll have those points negated on my next statement, but will this kill the companion pass earned in 2012?

Thanks!

Looks like gift cards are non-refundinable - http://www.southwest.com/html/air/pr...onditions.html

nuclearnova

Uh oh my last post isn't showing up, maybe it needs approved (or was it deleted?)? I can't edit it anyway, but I wanted to add that my last ticket I bought on october 9th posted two days later on the 11th, since today is the 30th and two days later is the 2nd (my statement end date) and I going to be alright or do I need to move my statement ahead forward?

(Copied from a text document I wrote the post on in case it got lost!)


That is an amazing idea! Can someone please confirm that this idea is safe before I accidently blow $8000 -

1. Buy 7 round trip tickets from Cleveland to San Diego in January, business class, today at $1128 = $7896
2. Double points would be 15792, putting me over my goal. This should post by my statement on the 2nd right?
3. Get my companion pass after my statement and the points post on the 3rd
4. Cancel the flights January 1st, not having to pay the credit card or any interest on it
5. Obviously I'll have those points negated on my next statement, but will this kill the companion pass earned in 2012?

Thanks!

Looks like gift cards are non-refundinable - http://www.southwest.com/html/air/pr...onditions.html

nsx

Although this would probably work, I recommend that you pay the credit card bill, cancel the reservations, and hold onto the refundable ticketless funds. Use them for your 2013 ticket purchases. That's the non-abusive way to do it.

Or you could refund the tickets one by one as your other usage of the card occurs, so that you never run a negative points balance. A large negative points balance will at a minimum draw Chase's attention.

P.S. The spam filter flagged your earlier post for moderator approval, which is a manual process. Sometimes it takes us more than a day to notice it because the flag is inconspicuously displayed.

nuclearnova

I could potentially do that, but it would take a LONG time for me to use that much credit. I already have slightly over $1000 in points on my account and with a companion pass even if I flew every other month with my girlfriend it would take me 3-5 years to get through! Still could be worth it though if it gets us 4-8 free tickets next year!

I run a message board for my business so I know about the spam, I had to set it up to auto-email me for approvals because I kept missing them manually!

nsx

To work it down to zero you have to spend $7.5k on Southwest or $15k on other purchases, or any mix of the two. Refund $1k of tickets after every $2k of other purchases.

nuclearnova

I see what you're saying, and I see your edit about refunding them one by one. I use this card often and usually have a 1.5-2.5k bill at the end of the month, so it won't be too hard to refund one a month and stay positive.

nuclearnova

Good news that may be helpful - I was on the phone moving my monthly account date forward one week, and for the hell of it I asked to talk to someone from ultimate rewards. They were able to refund my 28000 points I used earlier this month on a statement credit, so now I should be able to go UR -> Hyatt -> Southwest for the majority of those points I need!

k12k30

I am short of 6,500 rapid reward points to achieve companion pass. What is my best option?

If you have a RR credit card whose statement closes later this month, see the 15k points discussion above. Otherwise buy some BS fares and fly them this month.

toomanybooks

Welcome to Flyertalk, k12k30!

If you have a WN credit card, best would be piling on the purchases before the December statement drops.

Teleflora has a year-end deal starting today for 1250 WN points for an order of $30 plus delivery. For Mother's Day, at least, those were Companion-Pass qualifying. And people get flowers. From my 2012 CPQP page:

05/16/2012 Retail Teleflora 05/12/2012 +1,500

Or try to look for multiple cheap car rentals over the next 4 weeks. You'll get 600 per. Do it soon, though, in case there are snags.

shawntobi

I've been using the Teleflora route for the last few thousand that I needed. As stated, buy the 30 flowers 15 dollar delivery.... you get 1,250 points for that $45 in spend. It is diminishing returns from what I calculate above that, so repeat the lower spend as necessary.

Both have posted within 48 hours of flower delivery, can’t ask for faster than that!

dotsofunn

I just realized today that I have 62,000 rr points and need the 48,000 more to get the companion pass. I have the chase sw rr plus visa. I just applied for the SW RR premier visa and was accepted...so i need to spend $2,000 in order to get the 50,000 pts by the end of ????? when??? If I do it by the end of December will this work for me? Please help me understand this.

Thank in advance for any help you can give me.
Jan

toomanybooks

Welcome to Flyertalk, dotsofunn!

It is going to be close and is likely too late. Call Chase and ask on what date exactly your first statement is going to drop. Within a couple days after that you will get your points.

If it is going to be after Jan. 1, ask them if they can move the date to about 12/26/12 or before. Then prepay the due amount at a Chase bank branch ASAP.

If it is going to be after Jan. 1, you are out of luck. You have to get all 110K in one calendar year. But you'd have a good start on next year.

dotsofunn

Thanks so much for your help!! I am really excited to find flyertalk!