The 85k limited-time offer has expired. New Southwest cardholders can now earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Read more about the latest credit card offers.

Frequent Southwest Airlines flyers can now rake in even more points with the airline’s co-branded Chase credit cards.

New cardholders can earn 85,000 points as part of the welcome bonus for each of the following three cards: Southwest Rapid Rewards? Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards? Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards? Priority Credit Card. While those points can be used to book travel with the airline, they could also offer you a shortcut to earning the airline's enviable Companion Pass.

Here’s more about this offer from Chase, and how to decide if a Southwest Airlines travel credit card is right for you.

Limited time: Earn a 85,000-point welcome bonus

All three of Southwest's consumer credit cards are offering an elevated welcome bonus: New cardholders can earn 85,000 bonus points after spending at least $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.

That sizeable award is worth up to three round-trips in the continental U.S., according to the airline. However, these points can also be extremely valuable in another way: You could get more than half the points required for the airline's Companion Pass with this welcome offer alone.

There are two ways to earn a Companion Pass:

• Fly 100 eligible one-way flights; or

• Earn 135,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year

The points you earn on your Southwest credit card count towards the Companion Pass, meaning that after earning this limited-time welcome bonus, you'll only need an additional 50,000 points to qualify. But this offer ends on June 26, 2024, so act quickly if you want to take advantage of this opportunity.

What is the Southwest Companion Pass?

Southwest's Companion Pass is one of the airline’s most premium perks. Each time you fly, the pass allows you to bring one designated person with you. Your companion doesn’t have to pay any airfare charges, only taxes and fees.

Once you earn the Companion Pass, you’ll keep it for the rest of the year in which you earn it, plus the full next calendar year. It can be used an unlimited number of times in that period, as long as there are seats available on your desired flights.

How to choose a Southwest Airlines credit card

These are all the details you need to know about the different Southwest credit cards available now. While these cards offer very similar ongoing rewards rates, the added benefits you’ll get — especially when flying Southwest — cover a broader range. Each card below is eligible for the new welcome offer.

Southwest Rapid Rewards? Plus Credit Card

Annual fee: $69

Welcome offer: Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within three months

Rewards:

• 2x points on Southwest purchases

• 2x points on local transit and commuting

• 2x points on internet, cable, and phone services

• 2x points on select streaming

• 2x points on partner Rapid Rewards hotels and car rentals

• 1x points on everything else

Benefits:

• 3,000 points each year on your account anniversary

• 2 annual Early Bird check-ins

• 25% back on in-flight purchases

• Annual Companion Pass boost: 10,000 qualifying points each year

Southwest Rapid Rewards? Premier Credit Card

Annual fee: $99

Welcome offer: Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within three months

Rewards:

• 3x points on Southwest purchases

• 2x points on local transit and commuting

• 2x points on internet, cable, and phone services

• 2x points on select streaming

• 2x points on partner Rapid Rewards hotels and car rentals

• 1x points on everything else

Benefits:

• 6,000 points each year on your account anniversary

• 2 annual Early Bird check-ins

• Earn 1,500 tier-qualifying points for A-list status with Southwest for every $10,000 spent on your card (no limit to the amount of TQPs you can earn)

• 25% back on in-flight purchases

• Annual Companion Pass boost: 10,000 qualifying points each year

Southwest Rapid Rewards? Priority Credit Card

Annual fee: $149

Welcome offer: Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within three months

Rewards:

• 3x points on Southwest purchases

• 2x points on local transit and commuting

• 2x points on internet, cable, and phone services

• 2x points on select streaming

• 2x points on partner Rapid Rewards hotels and car rentals

• 1x points on everything else

Benefits:

• 7,500 points each year on your account anniversary

• $75 annual travel credit for Southwest Airlines purchases

• 4 Upgraded Boardings: Each account year, get reimbursed when you purchase up to 4 Upgraded Boardings to positions A1-A15

• Earn 1,500 tier-qualifying points for A-list status with Southwest for every $10,000 spent on your card (no limit to the amount of TQPs you can earn)

• 25% back on in-flight purchases

• Annual Companion Pass boost: 10,000 qualifying points each year

Should you get a Southwest card for this offer?

Just like any co-branded airline travel credit card, you should only get a Southwest card if you prefer flying Southwest Airlines and you travel often enough to make the benefits and rewards worth the annual fee cost.

Luckily, these cards come with great added benefits for Southwest flyers, which make it easy to earn back the cost. Between bonus points each anniversary year, early check-in privileges, in-flight discounts, you’ll get more value from your card the more you fly Southwest.

If your ultimate goal is to earn and maintain Companion Pass benefits, a Southwest credit card in your wallet will definitely be an advantage. Not only do you earn qualifying points on every purchase you make with your card, but you’ll also get an annual bonus. The 10,000 bonus qualifying points effectively brings down the required Companion Pass qualifying points to 125,000 instead of 135,000.

However, while a limited offer with a lot of potential value is enticing, you should only apply for a new credit card when it makes sense for you. If you already have credit card debt to pay off or you prefer earning travel rewards under another program, this may not be for you. You’ll also need to meet the spending required to earn the offer — $3,000 within the first three months. Make sure that’s within your budget before you apply; otherwise, the interest charges you could take on from carrying that balance will add up quickly.

Chase and Southwest are only offering this elevated bonus through June 26, 2024. So if you're sure you want a shortcut to the Companion Pass through a new card welcome offer, consider applying sooner rather than later.

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