Aiming for the Companion Pass - Don't want to mess up!
 

Hello everyone, great site you have here. Completely new to the points thing so I learned a lot recently.

I have signed up for the Southwest Premier Card(Business and Personal)
I have to spend $2k on each card in 3 months for the 100k in points.

So with that 100k and then 4k for spending I'll be at 104k

I need to quickly get the next 6k points and am looking for ideas.

Ideally maybe not a new card? Possibly Marriott Card and then transfer points into Rapid Reward Points?

Also, lets say it takes me 3 months to spend the $4k. Would I run into an issue of having spent points and them not being accredited before the end of 2015?


A play by play on the most efficient route would be best as I'm still a bit lost.


Thank you all so much for any input.

Welcome to Flyertalk, RVA110!

I would just try to get the spending done rather than transfer in Marriott points. The conversion rate is not that great. Make sure you don't wait too long for the spend and miss the bonus. As long as you get all spending in a few days before your December statement drops, you are fine. Don't cut it close.

If you dont normally spend all that much monthly, just put everything on the card for now. Phone, cable, internet, insurance, gasoline, gas/electric, health club, car repairs, groceries. At the last moment, you can prepay a couple months' utilities. If short, pay for stuff for family and get reimbursed.

In my view you should have waited until about November to get the cards and then in january you could have the CP for 2 years. Whoever told you about the CP did not mention that, right?

Thanks for a good reply,

I did consider the benefits of starting in November and squeezing each month out as possible. However, with how my year typically goes I was willing to start now and just have next year and the end of this year. Yes, it leaves a gap in 2017 (especially if I want till November to "re-up" after 24 months and get 2018/2019 for the next CP).

I do buy a lot because my business resells items we buy.

If I knock out my spending in 2 months (So by Septembers? Statement) and reach the 110k) Which that CP start during September?

CP essentially starts as soon as the 110000th qualifying point hits your account (you do then have to register your Companion) and it runs through 12/31 of the following calendar year. Does not give Jan/Feb/Mar of the next following year, the way most hotel programs do.

Be award that there are 3 kinds of Southwest points, and it can get confusing. Not all are CP-qualifying. For example, bonuses on car rentals above 600 are not. Just be careful. Every year people cut things too close and lose out.

Right, and I've looked at other resources to see whats what when it comes to points.

I really don't see myself missing it. I just wanted to learn a couple ins and outs before the cards arrive so I don't take any steps backwards.

I definitely wold have waited 4-5 months to get the cards and thus have CP through 12/31/2017.

You are making a very big assumption that CP as we know it today ( easily attainable via credit card signups ) is going to be available again in 24 months.

For the amount of trips I take and everything I could very well use points earned during 2016 to fly 2 people during 2017 for a handful of trips. However, I get a few months this year instead of waiting (for anniversary/christmas etc) was worth it for me.

And yes I am assuming CP will maintain itself as we know it, hasn't everyone?

Seriously?

Absolutely not.

Well then all the better to get it right away then :)

I have 2014/2015 CP ..........my wife will get 2015 and 2016 soon to bridge one year as she is completing the spend on the 2nd card which will put her over 110K CPQP for the year.

I am already planning ( no more Chase Apps) my 2017 and 2018 CP.

I hope it's available in late November 2016 when I apply for the Business card then come January 2017 I will get the personal.

With all the changes I put the odds at 50/50 ( at best) that CP via CC's is available in 18 months.

You get a couple months of CP this year vs 12 months in 2017..........

To earn points via trips involves paying cash for the flights, I'm guessing you must fly a lot to use over 110K South West points in ~ 14 months combined with CP

If CP still kicking around I'll start the same thing but with my girlfriend in a year. This way she gets the CP and covers us for 2017 then I can self correct on my cards at the end of 2017 for 18/19.

Now, do I fly a lot? Hell no. I don't fly at all. I do however work from home and run my business out of my house. So to knock out 4-6 nice flights and explore the US next year is worth getting this now.

Logically, you are all correct, yes I should have waited and be the most efficient. I chose not to because of the above.

I was a little confusing saying "For the amount of trips..." I do know I don't get points by using points to fly. I do however swipe about 25-30k a year if not more on a single card. Thats where points will accumalate during 2016 for the gap in 2017 if there is one.

Good plan

By your wording "let's say it takes me 3 months to spend $4k" it didn't sound like you spent that much on Cards a year.

Since you won't get 110K QPQP in 2016 you are better off getting a Chase INK as many spending categories earn 5x points and transfer to SW at 1:1.......they are not CPQP but that won't matter for you in 2016. There is also a nice signup bonus, mine was 70K......not sure what the current deal is.

I get about 25K SW points per year by simply paying my combined ~ $400 monthly cable and cell phone bill via INK

That Chase Ink for Business would be 50k points, but basically double that for CP.

That's not bad at all and would certainly be spent during 2017. I'll have to consider it in a few months after I'm done topping off the CP.

A bit of a confusing reply. The INK earns 3X and 5X points in some spots wheras your SW card earns 1 point everywhere.

Maybe you understood what I said but I figured I would make it clear that the INK is a better card for non CPQP than the SW cards are, beyond just the SU bonus

If you have a high credit limit on your current chase cards you probably want to lower then to about $5k each when you activate them...........it should make getting instant approval on the INK in 2016 much easier.

No I understood. Thanks for al lthe replies too.

I'll be using the SW cards until I finish the 110k points for CP.
So in a few months for next year I'll aim for the INK card for the non CPQP during 2016.