The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus is the company’s most basic and affordable travel credit card. It comes with all the basics that a casual Southwest traveler would want: annual bonus points, EarlyBird Check-Ins, in-flight rebates, and more.
Old Chase Southwest Plus card 85,000-point bonus
The offer was even worth the attention of those who rarely fly on the airline. This is because Southwest points don’t expire. You can open the card, earn the bonus points, and save them for years if you wish. Even if you end up canceling your card, your points will remain in your Southwest account.
You got about 1.4 cents per point when redeeming for Southwest flights, making this 85,000-point bonus worth around $1,190 in airfare. Southwest flies to lots of fun destinations all over North America, including Hawaii, Cuba, Jamaica, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, and more. If your travel goals lie relatively close to home, Southwest points are quite valuable. The offer ended June 27, 2024.
Use this bonus to earn the Southwest Companion Pass
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus’s old bonus made Southwest’s Companion Pass considerably easier to earn. The pass allows you to bring along one friend or family member for the cost of just taxes and fees. You can do it every time you fly Southwest (as long as there’s an empty seat on the plane).
The pass is valid for the calendar year in which you earn it, as well as for the next one. To achieve it you have to earn 135,000 Southwest points in a calendar year. Here’s how the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus made this lofty goal much easier:
- The card comes with a 10,000-point Companion Pass “boost,” reducing the number of points you must earn in a calendar year to 125,000.
- The card’s 85,000-point welcome bonus counts toward your goal.
- You can earn at least 3,000 points for completing minimum spending requirements.
Thus, once you earned the bonus, you should’ve been at most 37,000 points shy of a Companion Pass (10,000-point boost + 85,000-point bonus + at least 3,000 points for completing minimum spending requirements).
You could’ve earned the remaining points by spending on your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus flying on Southwest, or opening a Southwest business credit card and earning its bonus. Note, however, that you can only have one Southwest personal credit card at a time,so you can’t earn the welcome bonus on multiple consumer cards.
Southwest Plus card ongoing benefits
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus comes with decent benefits for the occasional Southwest flier, even with its $69 annual fee. You’ll receive:
- 3,000 points after each cardmember anniversary (worth around $42 in Southwest flights).
- 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year (worth between $15 and $99 each).
- 25% back on in-flight purchases, such as drinks and Wi-Fi.
Of course, you’ll also get the aforementioned 10,000-point Companion Pass boost each year. Be aware that these aren’t redeemable points; the boost simply lowers the points requirement to earn the pass.
TIME Stamp: This old bonus offer was worth nearly $1,200 in travel costs
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus previously increased its welcome bonus by 70%. Offer ended June 27, 2024, you would’ve received 85,000 points after meeting minimum spending requirements, worth nearly $1,200 in Southwest flights. It was a good deal.
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