Lazy Points of the Week
Story (and sign-up bonus) of the week: Southwest Companion Pass
Southwest is out with their big credit card promotion: if you sign up for one of their credit cards between now and March 31st, you will earn 30k bonus points and a companion pass that is good through February 2026 (after spending $4,000 in the first three months). Those 30k points are worth about $450 towards travel on Southwest, while the ability to bring a companion with you for just the cost of taxes and fees could be worth thousands if you travel often on Southwest with a travel partner. You generally have to have the same traveling companion, but it’s complicated; TPG has a guide for you.
I don’t fly Southwest, so this offer doesn’t appeal to me, but for the right person it could be extremely valuable. And these SWA cards are solid, with respectable earning rates and protections, as well as benefits on Southwest like seating benefits (although these are likely to change when SWA moves to reserved seating). The top-tier, $149-fee Priority card comes with a $75 travel credit and 7,500 anniversary points, worth ~$110, meaning Chase and Southwest will essentially pay you to hold if you pay for at least one Southwest flight in cash each year.
If that’s not enough for you, you could also leverage the companion pass into status with other airlines! Vietnam Airlines is offering a status match that includes LotusMiles Platinum and SkyTeam Elite Plus status to Southwest Companion Pass members. As Daily Drop explains, you could then get benefits like free baggage and lounge access on SkyTeam airlines like Delta (albeit with a $299 fee to match to top-tier status).
Other card and points news
Get your AirTags now! We love our AirTags for keeping track of our luggage while we travel. If you haven’t got them yet, now is a good time, as they are currently selling for just $69.99 on Amazon (affiliate link).
JetBlue offering flights from 700 points. JetBlue is now offering redemptions on its basic economy tickets. That means short-hop, basic economy flights can be had for as little as 700 points. This can be a pretty solid deal if you have spare TrueBlue change, or want to transfer a handful from Chase or Citi (or Amex, although the transfer rate is less favorable).
Earn Delta MQDs on hotels and car rentals. Earning basic Delta status is fairly achievable if you have one of Delta’s premium credit cards. One of the reasons why is the availability of promotions offering status-qualifying MQDs for stays and car rentals booked through Delta’s Expedia-powered portal. That offer is back again—you can earn 1 MQD for each base dollar on bookings made now through the end of March for travel through the end of April. If you have travel plans coming up, now’s a good time to redirect some of that towards Delta if you want to qualify for Delta status (you’ll also earn. MQDs one your card spending if you have a premium Delta card).
Lazy tip of the week
With so much personal data floating around out there, identity theft is always a concern. An easy way to protect yourself is with a credit freeze. It only takes a few minutes and prevents anyone from taking out credit in your name.