Chase is offering a 30% bonus when you transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards through June 5, 2026. Every 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points becomes 1,300 Southwest points instead of the standard 1,000. That is the elevated 1:1.3 ratio, and it applies to all transfers during the promotional window.
Southwest transfer bonuses are uncommon. Most Chase transfer partners see bonuses in the 20-25% range when they appear at all, and Southwest rarely gets any bonus offers. A 30% bonus to Southwest is the largest seen in years. If you fly Southwest and have been sitting on Chase points without a clear plan, this window is worth taking seriously.
What the Bonus Means in Numbers
At the standard 1:1 ratio, 10,000 Chase points become 10,000 Southwest points. During this promotion, the math changes:
| Chase UR points transferred | Standard (1:1) | With 30% bonus (1:1.3) |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 points | 10,000 SW points | 13,000 SW points |
| 25,000 points | 25,000 SW points | 32,500 SW points |
| 50,000 points | 50,000 SW points | 65,000 SW points |
| 100,000 points | 100,000 SW points | 130,000 SW points |
The minimum transfer amount is 1,000 points, and transfers process instantly once confirmed. There is no way to reverse a transfer after it posts, so confirm your plans before initiating.
Which Chase Cards Can Transfer to Southwest
You need a premium Chase card in your account to access transfer partners. Eligible cards include:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95 annual fee): earns 3x on dining, groceries, and streaming; 2x on travel
- Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795 annual fee): earns 3x on dining and travel, 10x on Chase Travel portal bookings
Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited holders earn Ultimate Rewards points but cannot transfer to Southwest directly. To access the bonus, pool Freedom points into a Sapphire account within the same household, then initiate the transfer from the Sapphire account.
What Southwest Points Are Worth
Southwest uses a revenue-based, dynamic pricing model. Every award ticket is priced proportionally to the cash fare, and that price fluctuates with demand. A $150 ticket might cost 9,000 to 12,500 points depending on route and booking timing; a $300 ticket might cost 17,500 to 25,000 points. The practical value per point lands between 1.2 and 1.7 cents in most real-world redemptions, with higher value typically available when booking 30 or more days out on less-congested routes.
At the midpoint: 65,000 Southwest points (what you receive by transferring 50,000 Chase points at the 1.3x rate) covers flights worth roughly $845 to $1,100 in cash depending on how you redeem them. The exact figure depends entirely on the routes and dates you choose.
One important note: Southwest Rapid Rewards points transferred from Chase do not count toward the Southwest Companion Pass qualifying threshold. The Companion Pass requires 135,000 qualifying points earned from flights, Southwest credit card spending, and certain Southwest partner transactions. External transfer points are explicitly excluded. Keep that in mind if Companion Pass progress is part of your planning.
Who Should Transfer During This Bonus
Good candidates:
- You have Southwest flights in mind and award space is available for your preferred dates
- You fly Southwest regularly and want to top off your Rapid Rewards balance ahead of planned trips
- You are holding Chase points with no near-term redemption plan in a higher-value program, and Southwest serves the routes you will actually use
Who should wait or look elsewhere:
- If your Chase points are earmarked for World of Hyatt, United MileagePlus, or Flying Blue, those programs often yield higher cents-per-point value on the right redemptions. A 30% Southwest bonus does not automatically outperform 3 to 5 cents per point at a top Hyatt property.
- If you do not fly Southwest regularly, Rapid Rewards points are limited. Southwest serves primarily domestic U.S. routes and a handful of Caribbean and Latin American destinations, and points cannot be transferred to other airlines or hotel programs.
- If you need the flexibility of keeping points liquid in Chase Ultimate Rewards, transfers are one-way and cannot be reversed.
Other Active Chase Transfer Bonuses
Southwest’s 30% bonus is the larger of two active Chase transfer promotions right now:
| Transfer partner | Bonus | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | 30% | June 5, 2026 |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 20% | May 27, 2026 |
Southwest’s bonus is 50% larger and runs 10 days longer. But program fit matters more than bonus percentage. Flying Blue gives access to Air France, KLM, and partner airline redemptions including transatlantic routes at competitive award rates. See the full breakdown: Chase to Flying Blue 20% Transfer Bonus Through May 27, 2026.
How to Transfer
- Log into your Chase account and navigate to Ultimate Rewards
- Select “Transfer to travel partners”
- Choose Southwest Rapid Rewards from the partner list
- Enter the number of points you want to transfer (minimum: 1,000)
- Confirm the transfer: points typically appear in your Rapid Rewards account within minutes
Before transferring, verify that Southwest award space is available for the specific flights you want. Southwest award availability can be checked at Southwest.com without logging in. Do not transfer points without a confirmed redemption target. Transfers cannot be reversed, and plans change.
Bottom Line
A 30% bonus to Southwest is the most generous UR-to-Southwest transfer rate in years. If you have specific domestic flights in mind or want to bulk up a Rapid Rewards balance before summer travel, the math works in your favor: 50,000 Chase points becomes 65,000 Southwest points, covering hundreds of dollars in domestic airfare. The transfer bonus does not count toward Companion Pass qualification, and Southwest’s dynamic award pricing means value varies by route. If you fly Southwest, act before June 5. If you do not, your Chase points are likely more valuable in programs like Hyatt, United, or Flying Blue.
FAQ
Q: Which Chase cards can transfer to Southwest?
A: Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve can transfer directly to Southwest Rapid Rewards. Chase Ink Business Preferred is also eligible. Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited holders need to pool their points into a Sapphire account before transferring.
Q: Do Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers count toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass?
A: No. Points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Southwest Rapid Rewards do not count as Companion Pass qualifying points. The 135,000-point qualifying threshold requires points from Southwest flights, Southwest credit card spending, and eligible Southwest partner transactions only.
Q: How long do Southwest transfers from Chase take to post?
A: Transfers are typically instant. Points appear in your Rapid Rewards account within minutes of confirming the transfer.
Q: Can I reverse a Chase to Southwest transfer?
A: No. Transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Southwest are final and cannot be reversed. Confirm award availability for your intended flights before initiating any transfer.
Q: Is there a minimum transfer amount?
A: Yes, 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points per transfer. At the 1.3x bonus rate, 1,000 UR points becomes 1,300 Southwest points.