I missed the SW 60k offer

[Alexle2007]

Can I ask about the Companion Pass: did you get an email that said you now qualify & how long after the points posted did you get the email? My second card closes next week & just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

And yep, I'm waiting for info on Hawaii too. I have never seriously considered going there, but for free......yea, that would make a big difference!

Once you have the 110k points, it should be pretty immediate that you see the Companion under your RR account. You then need to go in an establish who that Companion is. In a few days, you should also receive something in the mail but you don’t need it to set-up the Companion or start adding to flights. I already had a reservation to Cancun and just added DS to it (after some systems issues and time on the phone with the CSR to resolve.)

 

[Alexle2007]

They will begin from the West Coast. Not sure if that includes Washington State and Oregon. I live in Boston and would break up the trip anyway because my husband can't handle more than a 5 hour flight. "Beat of Hawaii" indicates flights will "probably" begin Summer 2018 and may include Las Vegas and Phoenix in addition to San Diego, Los Angeles,San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento, I think.

That makes sense that they would include Phoenix since Hawaiian Airlines has direct flights and it is probably closer to HI than Sacramento.

 

[Alexle2007]

Okay, after a week or two of fretting, our SW RR points finally posted to the SW Plus and Premier cards that I talked DH into opening (I already had them), along with the companion pass! I already booked a Vero Beach trip with the points and companion pass. The CP has an expiration date of December 31, 2019 so it looks like everything worked out according to plan. Thanks to all of the advice on these boards! I am open to suggestions for maximizing the points and CP. I think we are all waiting for SW to announce flights to Hawaii.

Congrats! We’ve been using a lot of our points for international travel to the Caribbean. We’ve done 4 trips to Punta Cana. I was able to get 2 tickets for 25k for Cancun and then added DS as CP. There was an add’l $80 per ticket for the taxes. I like to use the search fare with the calendar so I can see which dates have the lowest rates/points and try to work-around those dates, if I can.

 

[DizMe]

You meant that flights will begin out of California, not that you must live in California, right? We live on the East coast but plan to fly to California before picking up another flight to Hawaii.

Yes, that's right. The email I received from SW said it would start in CA and then expand from there, probably West Coast first.

 

[focusondisney]

I did not get an e-mail. I went into "my account" and my dashboard's pie chart that tracks progress toward a CP showed that I had earned one. Then I had to assign it to someone.

Once you have the 110k points, it should be pretty immediate that you see the Companion under your RR account. You then need to go in an establish who that Companion is. In a few days, you should also receive something in the mail but you don’t need it to set-up the Companion or start adding to flights. I already had a reservation to Cancun and just added DS to it (after some systems issues and time on the phone with the CSR to resolve.)

Thank you both!

 

[liloca]

I just read the whole thread and want to say thank you all for posting this! Although I am late in the game and will not be able to get two full years of the CP I am hoping we will reach our spend by March so not too shabby.
Since my husband has his own business he is the one opening 1 business for 60K points and 1 personal acct for $50K points.

 

[MEM]

Congrats! We’ve been using a lot of our points for international travel to the Caribbean. We’ve done 4 trips to Punta Cana. I was able to get 2 tickets for 25k for Cancun and then added DS as CP. There was an add’l $80 per ticket for the taxes. I like to use the search fare with the calendar so I can see which dates have the lowest rates/points and try to work-around those dates, if I can.

Any recommendation for hotels in Punta Cana? Trying to talk DH into a trip there. He will not travel to Mexico under any circumstances but might consider Aruba in addition to the D.R.

 

[Alexle2007]

Any recommendation for hotels in Punta Cana? Trying to talk DH into a trip there. He will not travel to Mexico under any circumstances but might consider Aruba in addition to the D.R.

We have stayed at the same resort all 4 times- Bahia Principe Esmeralda. I book directly through the Bahia Principe website in order to take advantage of the free transfers. I had friends stay at one of the Iberostar resorts and on the their last trip tried the Esmeralda and they said they preferred the Esmeralda. Aruba is on our list also. I am looking at Cayman and Turks and Caicos also.

 

[vanjust14]

Any recommendation for hotels in Punta Cana? Trying to talk DH into a trip there. He will not travel to Mexico under any circumstances but might consider Aruba in addition to the D.R.

I’ve been to DR twice and stayed at Iberostar Grand Bavaro and Secrets Cap Cana. Both had nice beaches but I preferred Iberostar for the service and the resort itself. A lot of people got sick at Secrets when we went (including my husband!)

 

[MEM]

We have stayed at the same resort all 4 times- Bahia Principe Esmeralda. I book directly through the Bahia Principe website in order to take advantage of the free transfers. I had friends stay at one of the Iberostar resorts and on the their last trip tried the Esmeralda and they said they preferred the Esmeralda. Aruba is on our list also. I am looking at Cayman and Turks and Caicos also.

It looks lovely but starting at $172 per person per night - and I have a family of four adults - its not in the budget even with free SW airfare. I don't know why I thought it would be a less expensive vacation. I've been spoiled by DVC!

 

[MEM]

Can I ask about the Companion Pass: did you get an email that said you now qualify & how long after the points posted did you get the email? My second card closes next week & just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

And yep, I'm waiting for info on Hawaii too. I have never seriously considered going there, but for free......yea, that would make a big difference!

I just received the e-mail today (Saturday) congratulating DH on earning a Companion Pass. I had already found that out the day before by checking the dashboard on his RR account. And already booked a trip to Orlando using the CP!

 

[erin1715]

Well one of my accounts closed and the statement is showing the 60K bonus - woohoo! I expect the other statement to close in a few days. Now if SW will just announce Hawaii flights I'll be golden!

 

[erin1715]

Also, I'm thinking of strategy to using the bonus points versus the CP. My thinking is that it's best to use the CP as much as possible before using the points, right? Because the points never expire and the CP is only good for two years.

 

[Friendlyadvice2]

Also, I'm thinking of strategy to using the bonus points versus the CP. My thinking is that it's best to use the CP as much as possible before using the points, right? Because the points never expire and the CP is only good for two years.

There really isn't a strategy; you would just simply book one flight with points and add the companion to that flight. So you're basically getting two flights for the price of one.

 

[erin1715]

There really isn't a strategy; you would just simply book one flight with points and add the companion to that flight. So you're basically getting two flights for the price of one.

Yeah, I guess I'm overthinking this lol

 

[Wish Upon A Starbucks]

The only strategy I’ve used is if I have limited points and planned multiple flights, I use the points for flights that I might want to adjust times/days and use dollars for any flights I know are more set in stone. You have more flexibility using points so I like to save my points for those situations. Also as others mentioned I always book each flight separately (two one ways rather than one round trip).

 

[Alexle2007]

Also, I'm thinking of strategy to using the bonus points versus the CP. My thinking is that it's best to use the CP as much as possible before using the points, right? Because the points never expire and the CP is only good for two years.

I am not sure I am following your questions. The points are only needed for the person/people who need to purchase airfare. Once you purchase a flight with points, you just add your selected companion to that flight because the CP is free besides taxes.

 

[supersnoop]

Also, I'm thinking of strategy to using the bonus points versus the CP. My thinking is that it's best to use the CP as much as possible before using the points, right? Because the points never expire and the CP is only good for two years.

I am not sure I am following your questions. The points are only needed for the person/people who need to purchase airfare. Once you purchase a flight with points, you just add your selected companion to that flight because the CP is free besides taxes.

I’m guessing the question was posed because Erin didn’t realize that you can use points and the companion pass at the same time.

 

[Alexle2007]

I’m guessing the question was posed because Erin didn’t realize that you can use points and the companion pass at the same time.

Gotcha. Since that is all I have ever done, I would have never got that. I can't remember the last time I paid OOP for a flight with SW.

 

[erin1715]

Yeah this is the first time I've ever gotten the companion pass, but I am versed in using SW points for flights, as we've done that for years.