Southwest Credit Card Offer

[Whimsy]

I get offers all the time from SW for a credit card. Seems I can get a credit equal to $800 in air fare after using the card for the first time and also a yearly fee. Anyone taken out the card, got the credits, paid the yearly fee and then canceled? Any penalties for that I am not seeing? Good deal or not?

[FlyerTalker]

Churning credit cards is one way to get miles/credits from your trips. A couple of caveats:

 

1) You can usually only get the bonus once per card, so be sure you get a good sized one. No sense signing up for 10k miles when there are 50k offers out there. Or getting a small bonus now when a bigger one may open up later.

 

2) Be sure that the bonus you receive will get you the awards you want (or the chunk you need). Do a cost/benefit to see if the "free award" is good value for your miles. Also, your WN credits won't get you an overseas trip.

 

3) Note that there will be an effect on your credit score/rating. Depending on what you have, it may be a minimal blip or a significant shift. YMMV.

[6rugrats]

3) Note that there will be an effect on your credit score/rating. Depending on what you have, it may be a minimal blip or a significant shift. YMMV.

 

Yes, when you cancel a card, your credit score usually takes a negative hit.

[gepaza]

Whimsy, I would re-check that value! I would be greatly surprised if they are giving $800 in value for you to sign up. You may be correct, but check before you sign up on that basis. It may be 800 points, which, at the SW conversion rate of 60 points=$1.00, would be only $13.67 in actual value.

 

And, there is probably a $59 annual charge for the card!

 

I have a SW card and use it for everything we buy (and pay it off each month), so we build up a lot of points. I would have to charge $48.000 to get $800 in airline credit.

 

Just make sure you are signing up to what you think you are.

[Gloria Mundi]

We also churn credit cards, athough we've been pretty steady with Hilton Amex and Marriott Visa. Last year we got 2 AA-branded credit cards, a Visa and an Amex, and got 75K miles on each after spending $1,500 in 4 months. As others have noted, the hit to your credit can vary. I'm now in the process of a mortgage refi and they solemnly reported that my 801 credit score would have been higher except that I had too much new credit!

 

In addition to verifying that the bonus gets you something worthwhile and that this is a good deal compared to past offers, look at the interest rate if you carry a balance. In general, credit cards carrying rewards have higher interest rates. DH and I pay off in full every month so we don't look too hard at that.

[monicajay]

Got the Southwest card in March using an offer like this. $59.00 fee and yes they deposited enough points for us to use to go to Florida. Haven't actually booked tickets yet. Plan to do this on July 26th when next bunch of dates goes into system.

 

Yes, offer seems too good to be true. :D I'll believe it for real when I actually get tickets.

 

Plan to cancel card only after we have tickets. Not worried about credit rating hit. My husband thinks it is a game to take advantage of all the best offers on cards and cancel after. So far, score remains good.

[Whimsy]

Thanks for all the imput.

 

Our credit scores are very good so I think we could take a hit with no problems should we need to borrow in the future. Right now we don't need any big ticket items so we should be fine.

 

The offer is for 50,000 points after the first use. If we transfer a balance we would get another 15,000 points. I don't have any balances to transfer so that would not help us at all.

 

I'm still on the fence though. I haven't sent it in, just wondering if it's more hassle than it's worth.

[rootbear]

I got the same offer but with the new fares I couldn't even do a last minute trip from the east coast to the west coast with $800 for one person. It would have to be at least $1000 for me to be interested.

[monicajay]

Thanks for all the imput.

 

 

 

I'm still on the fence though. I haven't sent it in, just wondering if it's more hassle than it's worth.

 

 

So for $59.00 (annual fee) you can get two free tickets to Florida (or elsewhere) ...... after flying you can cancel card. Seems like a really good deal to me and most definitely worth the hassle.

[Gloria Mundi]

Yes, offer seems too good to be true. :D I'll believe it for real when I actually get tickets.

 

A friend did the same thing with an Alaska airlines card. She got the card and the points, then made her free trip to Alaska. She's got family there so is planning to keep the card when the annual fee kicks in.

 

I think Southwest is pretty decent about redeeming points for free flights. One caveat I'd give people looking at similar offers from the major airlines is to assume that you'll need the "rule-buster" level of points (generally double the amount for capacity-controlled awards) to get what you want. If you get lucky, well, then you can go again or take a friend.

[Megan07]

I thought the fee went up to $99 per year.

[cherylandtk]

Fee depends on which offer you receive and your credit standing.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We always do it

[vacation fool]

Thanks for all the imput.

 

Our credit scores are very good so I think we could take a hit with no problems should we need to borrow in the future. Right now we don't need any big ticket items so we should be fine.

 

The offer is for 50,000 points after the first use. If we transfer a balance we would get another 15,000 points. I don't have any balances to transfer so that would not help us at all.

 

I'm still on the fence though. I haven't sent it in, just wondering if it's more hassle than it's worth.

 

My parents and I each got the same offer but our annual fee is $69. I have been on the fence for a while too thinking there must be a drawback or why would they do this? Also, on my offer it says that the points can be used to "purchase flights from over 50 global carriers to over 800 international destinations from mexico to europe". However, i looked at the website from top to bottom and do not see where they do any international destinations other than to Mexico using Volaris and cannot find any info on their global carriers. So now this had me skeptical about the whole offer. Does anyone have any info about this? Thanks:)

[6rugrats]

My parents and I each got the same offer but our annual fee is $69. I have been on the fence for a while too thinking there must be a drawback or why would they do this? Also, on my offer it says that the points can be used to "purchase flights from over 50 global carriers to over 800 international destinations from mexico to europe". However, i looked at the website from top to bottom and do not see where they do any international destinations other than to Mexico using Volaris and cannot find any info on their global carriers. So now this had me skeptical about the whole offer. Does anyone have any info about this? Thanks:)

Why do they do this? Because they make money, that's why.

 

Southwest has one of the worst webpages I've seen for an airline, and the information about this offer tells you absolutely nothing. It took a while, but here's what you are looking for:

https://www.southwest.com/rapidrewards/redeem-more-rewards

I couldn't get any further then this, because I don't have a Southwest credit card. You may have to call them for specific details. It's a Chase issued card, so I'm guessing it's like any other airline card; you earn so many points/miles per dollar spent, and you can then transfer them where you want to use them.

[vacation fool]

Why do they do this? Because they make money, that's why.

 

Southwest has one of the worst webpages I've seen for an airline, and the information about this offer tells you absolutely nothing. It took a while, but here's what you are looking for:

https://www.southwest.com/rapidrewards/redeem-more-rewards

 

6rugrats-thank so much for your effort. Unfortunately

when i clicked on the above link it said "oops, your session has expired" so i could not see what you saw. But what you said makes sense, that i could transfer the points to another airline where i have a ff acct. I will attempt to call the tele # on the credit card application to see what answers i get :rolleyes: Ok, i went back again and i got it!!!! :)

[monicajay]

Booked my two outbound tickets for March 3rd today, now I have to wait till September 5th to book the return. Still seems like a really good deal for $59

 

Can't imagine why someone would say it isn't worth the hassle.

[vacation fool]

Booked my two outbound tickets for March 3rd today, now I have to wait till September 5th to book the return. Still seems like a really good deal for $59

 

Can't imagine why someone would say it isn't worth the hassle.

 

Good to hear from someone who has been successful in using the free tickets, thanks for posting. Actually my husband and I each got a separate offer so we can get 4 free flights if we pay $69 each. Can anyone see why we could not do this?

[6rugrats]

Good to hear from someone who has been successful in using the free tickets, thanks for posting. Actually my husband and I each got a separate offer so we can get 4 free flights if we pay $69 each. Can anyone see why we could not do this?

 

1. Because if you look around, you can get what I would consider a better credit card deal, one that will give you enough miles for a ticket to Europe, which is more valuable then a US coast to coast ticket, IMO.

 

2. Because if you cancel credit cards, your credit score will take a hit.

 

3. Because some people have no control, and immediately charge up to the limit on their cards and then can't pay it

 

If the card gets you what you want, and you are aware of any possible downsides, it's o.k.

[vacation fool]

1. Because if you look around, you can get what I would consider a better credit card deal, one that will give you enough miles for a ticket to Europe, which is more valuable then a US coast to coast ticket, IMO.

 

If the card gets you what you want, and you are aware of any possible downsides, it's o.k.

Now we're talking. What credit card would get me a ticket to europe??? Haven't gotten one of those offers yet. Wish i would. ;)

[FlyerTalker]

Now we're talking. What credit card would get me a ticket to europe??? Haven't gotten one of those offers yet. Wish i would. ;)

Rather than waiting for one to come to your mailbox (which, unless you have gilt-edged credit is unlikely -- you'll get the more plebian offers), do a little research. There are plenty of blogs/forums tracking mile deals.

 

I'll give you a hint...Starwood has an offer out there that gets you almost enough for a European flight without a first year fee, but with a minimum spend requirement. The rest is up to you.

[vacation fool]

Rather than waiting for one to come to your mailbox (which, unless you have gilt-edged credit is unlikely -- you'll get the more plebian offers), do a little research. There are plenty of blogs/forums tracking mile deals.

 

I'll give you a hint...Starwood has an offer out there that gets you almost enough for a European flight without a first year fee, but with a minimum spend requirement. The rest is up to you.

 

Thanks. I have been doing some digging this am on some forums. I see the Starwood one, trying to figure out how it gives almost enuf miles for a ticket to europe though. Even with the 4,500 dollar purchase in the first 3 months of opening the card is nets you a total of 60,000 miles. Unless you mean a one way ticket? This one allows you to transfer miles to other ff programs which i do not think the Southwest one does.

[6rugrats]

Even with the 4,500 dollar purchase in the first 3 months of opening the card is nets you a total of 60,000 miles. Unless you mean a one way ticket? This one allows you to transfer miles to other ff programs which i do not think the Southwest one does.

You can get a RT economy ticket to Europe for 60,000 miles on many carriers without much trouble.

[vacation fool]

You can get a RT economy ticket to Europe for 60,000 miles on many carriers without much trouble.

Are you kidding? I did not know that.:rolleyes: I thought it was 60,000 one way. Do you know if American and Delta are in that category? Many thanks. :)

[FlyerTalker]

Delta award charts can be found HERE (for US49 origin).

 

BTW....it took all of three clicks from the main DL page. I'll let you research the AA awards.