1
Check whether you qualify
The offer shown in my video says you cannot currently have a Southwest personal card or have received a new-cardmember bonus on one in the past 24 months. Read the current application terms before applying.
Southwest card guide
The Southwest card that pays you $500 to sign up
I saved more than $5,000 with Southwest this year. This card is the easiest place to start: a welcome offer worth roughly $500 toward flights, useful travel benefits, and a head start toward Companion Pass.
Watch the short
The offer in 60 seconds
The headline is 50,000 points after $1,000 in purchases within three months. The bigger story is how the bags, anniversary points, everyday earning, and Companion Pass boost can offset the annual fee.
50,000 points$1,000 in 3 monthsAbout $500 in flights
The simple math
Why the first year can work
What you put in
$99
The annual fee shown in the video. You also need $1,000 of planned purchases in three months—not $1,000 of extra spending.
What you can get
≈ $500
The rough flight value of 50,000 points, before counting checked-bag savings, 3,000 anniversary points, or points earned on purchases.
The easiest path
Turn normal spending into the bonus
Do not manufacture spending or carry a balance for points. The interest can erase the value fast.
2
Open the current offer
Use the referral link below to see the live offer. The video showed 50,000 points after $1,000 in purchases during the first three months, but card offers can change.
3
Plan the minimum spend
$1,000 over three months works out to about $333 a month. Put normal purchases such as groceries and gas on the card, then pay the statement balance in full.
4
Use the points for flights
At roughly one cent per point, 50,000 points can represent about $500 toward Southwest flights. Actual redemption value varies by flight and date.
Check the current Southwest card offer
This is my Chase referral link. If you apply and are approved, I may receive referral points. Your offer and approval are determined by Chase.
View the current card offer
The benefits I notice
The bonus is only the beginning
- First checked bag free. The benefit shown covers you and up to eight additional people on the same reservation. For a family of four, that can save more than $100 on one round trip.
- 3,000 anniversary points. They return every cardmember anniversary under the offer described in the video.
- More points as you spend. The card earns points on every eligible purchase, with 2× points on gas and grocery purchases under the offer shown.
- A Companion Pass head start. The card benefit described adds 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year.
Before you apply
The one catch
According to the offer shown in the video, you are not eligible if you currently have a Southwest personal card or received a new-cardmember bonus on one in the last 24 months. Chase’s current application terms are the final word.
A good fit means all three are true:
- You qualify under the current offer terms.
- You can reach the minimum spend with purchases you already planned.
- You can pay the statement balance in full each month.
Questions
Southwest card FAQ
Make the points count
Pair the card with a Companion Pass plan.
That is how one welcome bonus can become the start of years of two-for-one flights—not just one discounted trip.
More from Chad
Keep exploring
- Visit page
Southwest Companion Pass
How I earned two years of two-for-one flights with one sign-on bonus.
- Visit page
Earn 135,000 Southwest Points
The fastest realistic path to Companion Pass qualification in a year.
- Visit page
Book a Flight With the Companion Pass
Step-by-step: add your companion and what you still pay in taxes.