New Southwest Business Card Application Rules
Southwest Companion Pass season is almost upon us. But is this year's season about to come screeching to a halt for some? An eagle-eyed ToP Facebook group member spotted some concerning new language in a link to a co-branded business card offer. The language is similar to what we've seen on some other Chase business cards: “The offer may not be available to you if you have ever had this card.” Are we about to see new Southwest business card application rules? Let's take a look at these terms—and what they might mean.
What is the Southwest Companion Pass?
The Southwest Companion Pass has long been one of the most generous—and coveted—perks in award travel. You can add a companion to your reservation for free (other than taxes) on unlimited flights for as long as you hold the pass. There are occasionally limited-time promos that allow you to earn a mini version for a shorter period. But if you want the full pass, you must earn 135,000 Rapid Rewards points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in the same calendar year. Once you earn it, it's valid until December 31 of the next year. Earn it in January 2027, and it will be valid until December 31, 2028—nearly two years. While Southwest has recently had a massive culture shift that has diminished its popularity among longtime fans, this perk continues to be valuable. New Southwest business card application rules could derail a path there for some.
What Some New Offer Terms Say
Chase's rules for Southwest credit cards have generally been consistent over the years. The bank will not approve you if you have opened 5 or more personal credit cards (and certain business cards) in the last 24 months. You can't hold more than one Southwest personal card at a time, and you will not qualify for a welcome offer for a Southwest personal card if you've earned a welcome offer from any Southwest personal card within the past 24 months. You can have more than one Southwest business credit card, but you can't open one if you already have that same card. And you will not qualify for a welcome offer for a Southwest business card if you've earned a welcome offer from that particular card within the past 24 months.
Today, one of our Facebook group members flagged some possible new Southwest business card application rules. In the public offers for the business cards, the Offer Details document reads: “The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.”
As of now, the terms on ToP's card links still have the old language. The Offer Details document reads: “This new Cardmember bonus offer is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of this business credit card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of this business credit card who received a new Cardmember bonus for this business credit card within the last 24 months.”
It's important to remember that there's a lot we don't yet know. We don't know when this language was added. We don't know if or how it will be enforced. As with the terms for some other Chase business cards, the key language here is “may not be available to you.” This is not definitive. In practice, application results for cards with this language have been highly YMMV. We don't yet have data points, and once we do, they will likely vary with every case. TL;DR: It's not time to panic. Yet.
Could This Impact Card Strategy Later?
There are several strategies you can use to work toward the Companion Pass. Two of the most obvious options—flying 100 qualifying one-way flights or putting enough spending on a Southwest co-branded personal or business credit card to earn 135,000 Rapid Rewards—can be a slow and expensive crawl. The easiest path is through credit card welcome offers. A carefully timed application in the fall can perfectly position you to reach the required threshold early in the following year. The welcome offer amounts change every year. But you'll often need to meet two sign-up bonuses to surpass the 135,000-point mark. Chase does not allow customers to have more than one Southwest personal card. Opening one business and one personal card is usually the best combination. See our full guide to Companion Pass timing and strategy here.
However, if new Southwest business card application rules do pan out, it won't entirely be a surprise. Chase has been tightening business card approvals for more than a year. Some cardholders are having a difficult time being approved for more than three business cards. If these changes materialize, applying for Southwest business cards may no longer be the best strategy overall anymore. You may not want a Southwest business card to take a spot that could be filled by a transferable currency card like a Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card or Sapphire Reserve For Business℠ card. And there are other valuable co-branded cards you could miss out on, too, like the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card or United℠ Business Card. Each person will have to evaluate their priorities.
New Southwest Business Card Application Rules: ToP Thoughts
Are we about to see new Southwest business card application rules? It's still too early to speculate. For now, the language is not consistent across links. Some offers read that “the new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card,” while others still say that the bonus offer is not available to you if you currently hold that card or have received a welcome offer for that card within the last 24 months. We will have to wait and see how this pans out. In the meantime, don't rethink your Companion Pass strategy—yet. What are your thoughts on this development? Come tell us in the ToP Facebook group.
