
The Chase Sapphire Southwest credit card is a fantastic option for travelers, especially those who frequently fly with Southwest Airlines. This card offers a 60,000-point bonus after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months.
One of the standout benefits of this card is its generous rewards structure, earning 2X points on Southwest flights and 1X point on all other purchases. You can redeem your points for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and more through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
With the Chase Sapphire Southwest card, you'll also enjoy a $75 Southwest travel credit each year, which can be used towards flights, hotels, or other travel-related expenses. This credit is a great way to offset the cost of your travel plans.
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Transferring Points
Transferring points to Southwest is a breeze with Chase. You'll need to set up a Southwest Rapid Rewards account before you can transfer your Chase points to Southwest.
To create a Southwest account, head to Southwest's site and sign up for free. This will be your loyalty account number, which you'll need to complete the transfer.
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You can transfer Chase points to Southwest through the Chase portal. Click "Travel" on the top toolbar, and choose "Transfer points to partners." From there, select Southwest and follow the prompts.
You'll need to enter your Southwest Rapid Rewards account number and confirm the transfer details. Make sure to double-check the spelling of your name, your Rapid Rewards number, and how many points you're transferring.
Chase points transfer to Southwest at a ratio of 1:1. However, you may be able to get an even better ratio if you can take advantage of a transfer bonus.
Here are the steps to transfer points through Chase:
1. Click the Travel menu on the top of the page and select Transfer Points to Partners.
2. Choose Southwest Airlines from the available partners and click Transfer Points.
3. Provide your Southwest Rapid Rewards account number and click Next.
4. Input the number of points in increments of 1,000 that you wish to transfer and click Next.
5. After confirming your points transfer details, click Submit.
After submitting your transfer request, it could take up to 72 hours for the points to appear in your Southwest Rapid Rewards account.
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Earning Points
Earning points with Chase Sapphire and Southwest is a breeze. You can earn Ultimate Rewards points through welcome bonuses and everyday spending with cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.
These cards are just the tip of the iceberg, though - you can also earn points with the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards, which can be transferred into Ultimate Rewards points if you hold one of the above cards.
To get started, consider which cards will help you earn the most points. Here are some popular options:
Earning Points
To earn Chase points, you'll want to start with a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card are all great options for earning these points through welcome bonuses and everyday spending.
You can also consider the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards, which don't earn Ultimate Rewards points on their own, but can be paired with one of the above cards to transfer cash-back points into full-fledged Ultimate Rewards points.
To get started, look for a card with a generous welcome bonus, and make sure to use it for your daily purchases. This will help you rack up points quickly.
Paying Yourself Back
Paying Yourself Back is a feature offered by Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards that allows you to use your earned points to cover eligible transactions made with your card.
To get started, log into your Chase account and browse to a specific page, where you can scroll down to see if you have any eligible transactions.
You can then check the box next to the transactions you'd like to redeem points to cover, and click Continue to proceed.
On the next page, you'll have the opportunity to enter how many points you'd like to redeem to offset the purchase, selecting any value between $0.01 and the maximum amount of the purchase.
As long as you have enough Southwest Rapid Rewards points in your account, you can redeem them to cover the transaction.
However, covering these transactions might not be the best use of your Rapid Rewards points.
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Rapid Rewards Plus
The Rapid Rewards Plus card is a solid option for Southwest Airlines fans, but it's essential to understand its earning potential. The card earns 2,344 points on in-store grocery purchases, 2,344 points on online grocery purchases, and 2,375 points on dining.
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You can also earn points on other everyday purchases like gas (1,313 points) and apparel (1,434 points). However, the earning potential varies across different categories.
Here's a breakdown of the earning potential for the Rapid Rewards Plus card:
- In-store groceries: 2,344 points
- Online groceries: 2,344 points
- Dining: 2,375 points
- Gas: 1,313 points
- Apparel: 1,434 points
The Rapid Rewards Plus card also comes with a 3,000-point annual account anniversary bonus. This is a nice perk, but it's essential to consider how it stacks up against other cards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Booking and Redemption
To book award travel with Southwest, simply log in to your Rapid Rewards account and enter information about the flight you're interested in. You can also choose to have the flights display how many points they require instead of how much they cost in dollars.
The Low Fare Calendar is a handy tool to find the best deal when you're flexible with your travel dates. This calendar shows you the lowest fare for each day of the month.
If you want to use your points and cash, you can select your flight in dollars and then choose the Cash + Points option at checkout.
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Booking Award Travel
Booking award travel with Southwest is a straightforward process that can be done through their website and mobile app. You can also call their customer service department at 1-800-435-9792 to book travel.
To get started, log in to your Rapid Rewards account and enter information about the flight you're interested in. You can choose to have the flights display how many points they require instead of how much they cost in dollars.
Use Southwest's Low Fare Calendar to find the best deal if you want to use the fewest points possible and are flexible with your travel days. This can help you save points and get the most value out of your award travel.
Southwest also lets you book flights using a combination of your Rapid Rewards points and cash. Simply select your flight in dollars and choose the Cash + Points option at checkout.
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Main Details
Let's dive into the main details of these credit cards.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
If you're looking for a more substantial bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Here's a comparison of the two cards' annual fees:
The annual fees are a significant consideration when choosing between these two cards.
Key Information
Southwest Airlines is a partner with Chase's Travel loyalty program, allowing for seamless transfers of points between the two.
You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points in increments of 1,000 to Southwest's Rapid Rewards program, giving you flexibility and control over your points.
Chase Ultimate Rewards and Southwest Rapid Rewards points never expire, so you can enjoy your rewards without worrying about a time limit.
Here are the key details to keep in mind when transferring points:
- Transfer increment: 1,000 points
- Transfer ratio: 1:1
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you earn 80,000 points on Southwest?
To earn 80,000 points on the Southwest Performance Business card, you must spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Meeting this spending requirement unlocks the points reward.
Is it worth transferring points from Chase to Southwest?
Transferring points from Chase to Southwest can be a valuable option, with potential redemptions worth up to 2.6 cents per point
Sources
- https://thepointsguy.com/loyalty-programs/transfer-chase-ultimate-rewards-southwest/
- https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/reviews/southwest-rapid-rewards-plus-vs-chase-sapphire-preferred/
- https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/southwest-credit-cards-bonus-offer
- https://awardwallet.com/blog/chase-pay-yourself-back-southwest-rapid-rewards-cards/
- https://financebuzz.com/transfer-chase-points-to-southwest-airlines
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