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An airline credit card may not be at the top of your list right now, since the pandemic has altered many of our travel plans. You may not need Southwest Rapid Rewards points to book an award flight in the short term, but if Southwest is your airline of choice, this limited-time offer could help you travel on points in the future.

The airline's three co-branded personal credit cards are offering a sign-up bonus of 40,000 points. If you apply for one of these cards and earn the full bonus, you'll be almost halfway toward qualifying for the Companion Pass — which now requires earning 125,000 points in a calendar year. The Companion Pass allows you to bring along a friend at no additional cost besides taxes and fees.

Southwest points never expire, and Southwest is extending the Companion Pass for those whose pass is set to expire on December 31, 2020. So even if the coronavirus has led you to cancel all travel, your rewards and benefits should still be in tact when you're ready to use them.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Sign-up offer details

You can 40,000 Rapid Rewards points with the airline's three personal credit cards:

With all three cards, you'll earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 in the first three months. The standard offer for these cards is 40,000 points.

Don't forget about Chase's 5/24 rule

If you're interested in any of Southwest's three personal credit cards, keep in mind that the card issuer, Chase, has something called the 5/24 rule, which can restrict your ability to open these cards. If you've opened five or more cards across all banks in the last 24 months, Chase won't approve you for most of its cards. So it could be worth prioritizing your applications for these cards over those from other banks.