Having 2 Southwest Credit cards

[Tink3815]

My husband and I have each had our own Southwest credit cards for years. How easy is it to get another card and keep open our first one? We have a large purchase coming up and would like to get some bonus points.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I don't know if you can get the same card again but the website Doctor of Credit lists all the credit card and banking bonuses available. Even if you can't get another SW card, you could get a Chase Sapphire Preferred card then transfer the Ultimate Reward points to your SW RR account. They transfer at a 1:1 ratio so you don't lose any points due to the transfer. I was a die-hard lover of my SW card and swore I'd never drop it but while in a Chase branch (signing up for a $300 bonus for a checking account) we were both offered the CSP card with a 50,000 point bonus. I told the banker I'd do it only for the bonus but I was certain it could never replace my SW card.

Well, that's when I quickly learned that I was almost never earning double points through purchases on the SW card, whereas the CSP card earns double points for all travel and dining purchases. This is for everything from ordering a pizza to paying for airport parking. We got the 2 CSP cards in 2016 right before we put a small addition on our home and knew we'd easily make the spending requirement. We still have both of those cards! I keep the 2nd one as a spare and to put larger, occasional expenses such as car/homeowners insurance, travel, etc. If I try to use only 1 account, it makes our everyday purchases balance appear huge and I start getting panicky. For me, it's better to keep 2 accounts going, so I can keep track better. I can easily transfer UR points from one account to the other.

 

[WVMomof3]

My husband and I have each had our own Southwest credit cards for years. How easy is it to get another card and keep open our first one? We have a large purchase coming up and would like to get some bonus points.

It is easy to get a new one but you would have to close the current one. You can get a new bonus after 24 months of your last bonus but SW started the one personal card at a time rule a year or 2 ago. I agree with above that the CSP might be a good choice for you. Right now they have an all time high offer of 100,000 points for $4000 spend. The SW cards are at 65,000 points for a $2000 spend. You could transfer all the points to SW if you wanted or several other travel partners such as Hyatt. Or for a limited time you can cash out points at 1.25 for certain categories. The best way to get the most points is to open new cards so there really is no need to keep a SW card more than 2 years.

 

[_19disnA]

Most credit card companies are wise to those trying to 'game' the bonus point system. I doubt any of them will let you continue to open multiple new accounts just to collect whatever bonus is being offered if you already have an account or there are time limits on when you are considered a 'new' customer. You can probably look on their website for whatever exclusions they have.

 

[scottmel]

If you sell on ebay you are a business Get the business card...

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Most credit card companies are wise to those trying to 'game' the bonus point system. I doubt any of them will let you continue to open multiple new accounts just to collect whatever bonus is being offered if you already have an account or there are time limits on when you are considered a 'new' customer. You can probably look on their website for whatever exclusions they have.

Ok, so you follow the rules that they set. That isn't difficult if you keep notes on what you open and when. Sure, you can't open a new card every year but every few years works too. I used to be more into churning bank account bonuses and up until covid hit, we made an extra $5000 per year in bonuses. That was in 2017 and 2018. My mom died in 2019 and I stopped for a while and then covid hit.
Sure, you have to declare that as income to the IRS but we all know if our employers offered another $5k, we wouldn't turn it down due to tax implications.
I also helped my young adult sons to do this and they paid thousands off student loans and a car loan. It's not fraud; we use our real SSNs and names.

 

[Erica Ladd]

If I already have a chase freedom can I open a chase sapphire preferred? The freedom I think is a joint account with DH (or maybe one of us is an authorized user)

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

If I already have a chase freedom can I open a chase sapphire preferred? The freedom I think is a joint account with DH (or maybe one of us is an authorized user)

Yes. I have the CSP and they keep telling me I am pre approved for the freedom card with a $200 cash back bonus. It's been a while since I churned cc offers but it used to be that Chase has a 5/24 rule that means if you've opened 5 cards in the last 24 months, they would not approve another card. At first that 5 was only for Chase cards. The last I heard, any card you open counts toward the 5. Doctor of Credit website tracks all the stipulations and offers. I'm not affiliated with them in any way; they just have helped me benefit and guided me in how to do all of this. Each offer has a step by step list of what to do. It's pretty simple but the key is keeping good records. (You would then know that it was or wasn't a joint acct, kwim?)
I have gotten lazy and honestly, I find it convenient that I have memorized my regular/everyday expenses cc, and I know if I get a new card, it might not be so easy to remember. lol. I am also spending more time with my grieving father and making him a photo slide show of his whole life for his upcoming 80th birthday. I'm not going to start a bonus offer unless I can definitely finish it. That is just my life at the moment.

I would not get joint accounts. You both can sign up. Sometimes you can get additional bonus points by adding an authorized user so I'd wait a bit and look for that.

 

[Erica Ladd]

Thank you yes it’s silly that I can’t remember if it’s a joint account or an authorized user it’s been so long!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Thank you yes it’s silly that I can’t remember if it’s a joint account or an authorized user it’s been so long!

I didn’t mean that comment as a poke at you, just using that as an example of the importance of keeping thorough, detailed notes if one will be churning. After a while, it all becomes a blur and it’s impossible to remember such minutiae.

 

[Brob2132]

They do have multiple SW card options. You can get the different tiers (obviously different fees, etc.)

 

[misssue23]

They do have multiple SW card options. You can get the different tiers (obviously different fees, etc.)

You can only have 1 personal and 1 business.

 

[Brob2132]

You can only have 1 personal and 1 business.

They send me requests all the time despite having a joint card with my wife. And a co worker opened two southwest cards and got companion pass for the year (this was technically pre-pandemic so I guess it could have changed).

 

[Brob2132]

They send me requests all the time despite having a joint card with my wife. And a co worker opened two southwest cards and got companion pass for the year (this was technically pre-pandemic so I guess it could have changed).

Looks like it has changed. Points Guy has a good article on best way to do companion pass through the card.

 

[Tink3815]

I don't know if you can get the same card again but the website Doctor of Credit lists all the credit card and banking bonuses available. Even if you can't get another SW card, you could get a Chase Sapphire Preferred card then transfer the Ultimate Reward points to your SW RR account. They transfer at a 1:1 ratio so you don't lose any points due to the transfer. I was a die-hard lover of my SW card and swore I'd never drop it but while in a Chase branch (signing up for a $300 bonus for a checking account) we were both offered the CSP card with a 50,000 point bonus. I told the banker I'd do it only for the bonus but I was certain it could never replace my SW card.

Well, that's when I quickly learned that I was almost never earning double points through purchases on the SW card, whereas the CSP card earns double points for all travel and dining purchases. This is for everything from ordering a pizza to paying for airport parking. We got the 2 CSP cards in 2016 right before we put a small addition on our home and knew we'd easily make the spending requirement. We still have both of those cards! I keep the 2nd one as a spare and to put larger, occasional expenses such as car/homeowners insurance, travel, etc. If I try to use only 1 account, it makes our everyday purchases balance appear huge and I start getting panicky. For me, it's better to keep 2 accounts going, so I can keep track better. I can easily transfer UR points from one account to the other.

Thank you for the information. I want to make sure I understand this correctly. I can open the CSP card, do the 4000.00 spend in 3 months and earn 100,000 points on this card. I can then transfer these points to my Southwest Rapid Reward account and I would have the 100.000 points now as Southwest Rapid Reward points to redeem on flights through the Southwest Website. How soon do they post the points after you reach your 4000.00 spend on the CSP card.

 

[platamama]

Thank you for the information. I want to make sure I understand this correctly. I can open the CSP card, do the 4000.00 spend in 3 months and earn 100,000 points on this card. I can then transfer these points to my Southwest Rapid Reward account and I would have the 100.000 points now as Southwest Rapid Reward points to redeem on flights through the Southwest Website. How soon do they post the points after you reach your 4000.00 spend on the CSP card.

The points will post on the closing statement date of the cycle that you reach the $4000 spend. BTW, if you're interested in a more thorough discussion about this, the I Love Credit Cards thread is well versed in all things Southwest, you could hop over there for more discussion. I've had a Southwest Companion Pass since 2014, all from signing up for credit cards (different strategies over the years). There are things about Chase as an issuing bank that are handy to know, such as the matter that they won't approve you for a card if you have opened any cards, not just from Chase but from any bank, in excess of 4 in the past 24 months. And they don't like it if you try to open a card with them any more frequently than every 3 months.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Thank you for the information. I want to make sure I understand this correctly. I can open the CSP card, do the 4000.00 spend in 3 months and earn 100,000 points on this card. I can then transfer these points to my Southwest Rapid Reward account and I would have the 100.000 points now as Southwest Rapid Reward points to redeem on flights through the Southwest Website. How soon do they post the points after you reach your 4000.00 spend on the CSP card.

[Live] Chase Sapphire Preferred 100,000 Points Bonus Available Online - Doctor Of Credit

Honestly we use our UR points for hotel stays and never had to transfer to our SW card so I would call and confirm if you're planning to do this. Maybe I'll do a mock transfer and see if it lets me. I have never tried to transfer points.

Our bonus posted shortly after the statement posted for the billing cycle that achieves the minimum spend. More recently, dh got a SW bonus in Jan or Feb where you get 1 year of companion pass plus 30k RR points. He had huge truck repair bill so we reached all of the minimum spend in one month. Within a week of the statement closing, we had the bonus points and CP. I was impressed how quickly it all happened.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Ok, here are the travel partners that I am offer to transfer to. All are at a 1:1 ratio. I've never transferred so I can't speak for how long it takes for UR points to become available to any of these programs.

Airlines
Aer Lingus AerClub
British Airways Executive Club
Emirates Skywards
Iberia Plus
JetBlue TrueBlue
Singapore KrisFlyer
Southwest Rapid Rewards
United MileagePlus
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotels
IHG Rewards Club
Marriott Bonvoy
World of Hyatt

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

That 100,000 points offer makes me want to cancel one of our cards and reapply. I wonder if they allow that. Probably not.

 

[WVMomof3]

That 100,000 points offer makes me want to cancel one of our cards and reapply. I wonder if they allow that. Probably not.

come join us on the credit card thread if you have questions. You can apply for the CSP as long as it has been 48 months since your last sapphire (CSR or CSP) bonus. And you cannot currently hold either of them.

I have personally transferred to Hyatt, United and SW and they are all pretty instantaneous.