How much value have you received from the Companion Pass?
#17
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
I'm taking my 11 year old son with me on business trips around the US this summer. For the incremental cost of a few meals (with a lot of food/drink actually provided by various hotel executive lounges), he will be able to see a big chunk of the nation, places where we wouldn't necessarily go for a vacation.
We're excited.
We're excited.
#19
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: California
Programs: Companion Pass
Posts: 12
Here's a summary of the value of the companion pass without ever using anything but credit card signup bonus mileage using "Wanna Get Away" miles from my most recently booked trip. This presumes that one signed up for two of the Southwest Chase Credit Cards (plus or premier) with 50K mileage signup bonuses. I signed up for both on the same day. If you have achieved the pass without the two cards, wow!
MILEAGE FOR SIGNUP - must spend $4K total over 3 months ($2K/card)
50000 Southwest Miles/Points From Chase Plus Card
50000 Southwest Miles/Points from Chase Premier Card
10000 Southwest Miles/Points from spending the req. $2K per card in 3 months
110000 Total Southwest Miles/Points
$0.0167 Approx. Value-Per-Mile/Point (Wanna Get Away Fare)
$1,837.00 Cash Value of Miles/Points
$1,837.00 Cash Value of free Companion flights (FYI can change companion 3x per year)
$3,674.00 Gross Cash Value
MILEAGE FOR SIGNUP - must spend $4K total over 3 months ($2K/card)
50000 Southwest Miles/Points From Chase Plus Card
50000 Southwest Miles/Points from Chase Premier Card
10000 Southwest Miles/Points from spending the req. $2K per card in 3 months
110000 Total Southwest Miles/Points
$0.0167 Approx. Value-Per-Mile/Point (Wanna Get Away Fare)
$1,837.00 Cash Value of Miles/Points
$1,837.00 Cash Value of free Companion flights (FYI can change companion 3x per year)
$3,674.00 Gross Cash Value
Last edited by brifake; May 23, 2016 at 9:46 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: California
Programs: Companion Pass
Posts: 12
Apologies for breaking this up into multiple posts, I'm having formatting problems.
Here is a summary of the fees associated with 2 years of flying at an estimated 9 total round trip tickets for two. It should be noted that only the $99+$69 annual fees are due up front--the security fees are charged on a per trip basis, and the second round of annual fees are not due until year two.
FEES
$69.00 Annual Fee Chase Southwest Plus Card
$99.00 Annual Fee Chase Southwest Premier Card
$168.00 Annual Fee Total (this is the upfront cost)
2 Years Required
$336.00 Annual Fee Total after 2 Years
$11.20 Security Fee per flight (Round Trip - $5.60 each way)
9 Estimated # of Round Trip Flights ($400/flight)
2 No. of People
$201.60 Total in Flight Fees
$537.60 Total Fees after 2 years (Annual Fees + Security Fees for 9 flights)
Here is a summary of the fees associated with 2 years of flying at an estimated 9 total round trip tickets for two. It should be noted that only the $99+$69 annual fees are due up front--the security fees are charged on a per trip basis, and the second round of annual fees are not due until year two.
FEES
$69.00 Annual Fee Chase Southwest Plus Card
$99.00 Annual Fee Chase Southwest Premier Card
$168.00 Annual Fee Total (this is the upfront cost)
2 Years Required
$336.00 Annual Fee Total after 2 Years
$11.20 Security Fee per flight (Round Trip - $5.60 each way)
9 Estimated # of Round Trip Flights ($400/flight)
2 No. of People
$201.60 Total in Flight Fees
$537.60 Total Fees after 2 years (Annual Fees + Security Fees for 9 flights)
Last edited by brifake; May 23, 2016 at 9:37 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: California
Programs: Companion Pass
Posts: 12
Continuing apologies for breaking this up.
Here is the estimated net cash value of the companion pass:
CASH VALUE FROM SIGNUP
$3,674.00 Gross Cash Value from Signup
($537.60) Less Annual Fees and Security Fees
$3,136.40 Net Cash Value from Signup
Here is the estimated net cash value of the companion pass:
CASH VALUE FROM SIGNUP
$3,674.00 Gross Cash Value from Signup
($537.60) Less Annual Fees and Security Fees
$3,136.40 Net Cash Value from Signup
Last edited by brifake; May 23, 2016 at 9:37 am
#22
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: California
Programs: Companion Pass
Posts: 12
Apologies for breaking this post up into multiple posts.
Here is the value that can be earned from referrals (i.e. 50K miles signup bonuses for 20 people).
CASH VALUE FROM REFERRAL POINTS
50000 Southwest Miles/Points from 10 referrals - Chase Plus
50000 Southwest Miles/Points from 10 referrals - Chase Premier
100000 Total Soutnwest Miles/Points from 20 referrals
$0.0167 Approx. Value-Per-Mile/Point (Wanna Get Away Fare)
$1,670.00 Cash Value of Miles/Points
$1,670.00 Cash Value of Miles/Points for Companion who flies free
$3,340.00 Gross Cash Value from Referrals
($179.20) Less estimated Security Fees for 2 people/8 Round Trip flights (@$400/flight)
$3,160.80 Net Cash Value from Referrals
Here is the value that can be earned from referrals (i.e. 50K miles signup bonuses for 20 people).
CASH VALUE FROM REFERRAL POINTS
50000 Southwest Miles/Points from 10 referrals - Chase Plus
50000 Southwest Miles/Points from 10 referrals - Chase Premier
100000 Total Soutnwest Miles/Points from 20 referrals
$0.0167 Approx. Value-Per-Mile/Point (Wanna Get Away Fare)
$1,670.00 Cash Value of Miles/Points
$1,670.00 Cash Value of Miles/Points for Companion who flies free
$3,340.00 Gross Cash Value from Referrals
($179.20) Less estimated Security Fees for 2 people/8 Round Trip flights (@$400/flight)
$3,160.80 Net Cash Value from Referrals
#23
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: California
Programs: Companion Pass
Posts: 12
NET CASH VALUE FROM SIGNUP + REFERRALS
$3,136.40 Net Cash Value from Miles/Points
$3,340.00 Net Cash Value from Miles/Points from Referrals
$6,476.40 Net Cash Value from Signup + Referrals
I believe that this is a pretty good approximation of the maximum value of the companion pass using mileage from the Southwest Chase Visa Cards. At around $400 per flight, it should pay for almost 17 round trip tickets. This, in my book, is by far the best value that I have come across in airfare or credit card bonuses. From then on, your flights are basically half price so long as you have a guest, and you can have a total of 7 companions within two years (you appoint your first companion and from then on may change this 3x per year).
$3,136.40 Net Cash Value from Miles/Points
$3,340.00 Net Cash Value from Miles/Points from Referrals
$6,476.40 Net Cash Value from Signup + Referrals
I believe that this is a pretty good approximation of the maximum value of the companion pass using mileage from the Southwest Chase Visa Cards. At around $400 per flight, it should pay for almost 17 round trip tickets. This, in my book, is by far the best value that I have come across in airfare or credit card bonuses. From then on, your flights are basically half price so long as you have a guest, and you can have a total of 7 companions within two years (you appoint your first companion and from then on may change this 3x per year).
#24
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,872
Actually you can have a total of 8. Even though your last companion carries over from the previous year, you're allowed to name a new one beginning on January 1, followed by the usual 3 changes.
#25
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
$50K a year from not later than 2005-2010? That would be hundreds of flights per year.
Even today with higher fares 9K would probably be a couple dozen, unless they were all long hauls.
#26
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 288
Why are you paying 2 years worth of annual fees brifake? You dont need to keep the card to retain the companion pass.
And if you are keeping the two years of fees, you need to add in the miles you get for renewing your card after the first year to your calculation.
And if you are keeping the two years of fees, you need to add in the miles you get for renewing your card after the first year to your calculation.
#27
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: California
Programs: Companion Pass
Posts: 12
I don't want to lose all of my miles by cancelling the card. Might keep the pass, but I'd lose 100K miles. That's a good idea about the 9K new miles from renewing the cards. I'll have to add those into the calculations. Thanks!
#28
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,285
You don't "lose all of [your] miles" when you cancel the card. Every statement you are awarded RR points and they are transferred to Southwest. The only points you lose when cancelling are those you might have earned from purchases in the current billing cycle. I.e., points that haven't been posted to your Southwest RR account yet.
#29
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,195
Hundreds of flights. Someday I will publish more details.... Suffice it to say it would be impossible to redo.
#30
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 23
Be careful if the primary can't fly the CP can't --->higher ticket since re-book later. It just happen to me my wife can't make the trip from SNA to SEA so I can't fly with her as CP so I got the ticket for $185 instead of $115 her ticket