<p>Southwest is once again offering their 50k points when you sign up for a Southwest Visa through Chase and spend $2k within 3 months (hint - you can charge tuition with no surcharge). There is a $69 annual fee. </p>
<p>Link for bonus points when you join Rapid Rewards (if not already member) - their frequent flyer program. If you join RR, it’s possible I may get bonus points if you enter 128863702 in the promotion code box (but not sure, and not here trolling for points).</p>
<p>We signed up for this offer when our S chose UA fall of high school senior year. Between the 50k bonus, our daily purchases and our UA housing payments, we’ve been able to book him his flights using just points for his first two years at UA. It’s a great deal. The 50k promo comes and goes (it’s usually 25k max). No idea when it will go away again.</p>
<p>Since Southwest has a no cancellation fee policy, book each leg as a one-way. As long as you don’t mind holding up some points, you can book more than one flight option during a sale and then cancel the one not needed once you find out your student’s schedule. The points just go back to your account so nothing lost.</p>
<p>Also, if the prices go down, you can rebook and get a credit back in points.</p>
<p>ldinct, we have typically been using between approx. 6500 to 8500 points for each leg (from Chicago to Birmingham). You can go on Southwest’s web site and see the flight prices in points - just change the method of payment from dollars to points.</p>
<p>MikeW, neither of my sons have applied for this, so I’m no help.</p>
<p>I’ve never had much luck with SW promo’s. It seems to always end up being a bit of bait and switch. BTW I like the airline (as much as anyone can like a discount airline) its the promos that I have had problems with, including miles, free trips, and drink coupons.</p>
<p>I submitted an app for my S, haven’t heard back yet. I called to ask what sources of income would be considered, and they said that if he is a student they will consider an “allowance”. So he just got a big raise in his allowance. It probably still won’t be enough but we’ll see.</p>
<p>I was just talking about this with my sister, remembering how when we went to college, credit card companies all had tables in the student center at orientation, and were dying to issue us credit cards. Times sure have changed. It’s probably a good thing, on balance, since my sister (and I’m sure tons of other college students) managed to rack up pretty significant credit card debt in college.</p>
<p>Tons of cc offers have been coming to D since she turned 18. I get the mail and throw them away. Trying to teach her to be resourceful first then we will look into the right cc for her to get. We only have 2 personal cards and both have very low life time apr’s and good rewards. Hope the kid can learn from us. May get her something in another year or two. </p>
<p>Southwest never has good fares from Dallas Thanks to AA and ruining it here for all of us. We really like SW and use them often as getting in/out of Love Field is so much easier than DFW. BTW, the new Birmingham airport is very nice!</p>
<p>It’s difficult to get a rewards credit card unless one is 21+ with a job or has a cosigner. </p>
<p>I highly suggest having your student build up a good credit score, which can also be done through cosigned credit cards and adding them as an authorized user on your credit cards. It is actually possible to have a credit history older than oneself this way and adding your children as an authorized user on your AMEX gives them your original membership date for every AMEX card they ever open. There are 21 year olds with their own AMEX cards that read “Member Since 1976.”</p>
<p>Southwest is a very popular airline among UA students due to it having free checked bags and no change fees. However, word on the street is that Southwest will begin charging for checked bags and change fees once it updates its computer systems.</p>
<p>Going back to credit cards, the longstanding suggestion for young people is to apply for store credit cards and for their local credit union’s card first. This is getting more difficult since many store cards are now issued my large banks, but stores like Nordstrom which self-issue their credit cards have historically encouraged this practice.</p>
<p>FYI, a nice savings is getting a Target RedCard debit card. While it is not a credit card it is a nice savings. Simply take a check or deposit slip to Target and have it connected to your checking account. They will then send you the RedCard Debit Card. Every time you use it you get 5% off your purchase. I think you can also enroll in the program online. </p>
<p>One reason I don’t like store cards is they typically have the highest interest rates. Tread carefully in that direction. Like using them as a user on mom/dads card. Might add D to my AMEX at some point just to help her build credit. We had already talked about that.</p>
<p>Last fall while at Bama Bound I set up a “student” account at the Tuscaloosa Regions bank for my son…with it he has an account he can access at any Regioins ATM across campus, there is a branch on campus that he can walk into if need be and he got a “student” Visa credit card…I am an authorized user/co-signor with him but the card is in his name…low credit limit (so not too much exposure) but a way for him to establish credit…Oh and the card has the Crimson Tide logo on it :)</p>
<p>We added our S to our AMEX account, and that seems to be a good “in” for him. He has his own Discover Card with a low limit to build his own history as well. A small consumer loan from your local bank is also a good way to build also. Just takes time, small steps, and responsibility at every turn (as it should).</p>
<p>Alabama Credit Union might still do the interest-free bike loan to help students build their credit. The $500 loan was a great way to build credit.</p>
<p>ldinct, the main “evidence” for Southwest planning to start charging change and checked baggage fees is that Air Tran still charges them even after being bought by Southwest, Herb no longer being in charge, and the fact that the three most profitable airlines in the US are Allegiant, Spirit, and Alaska, all of which charge those fees.</p>
<p>Some airlines have credit cards which provide a free checked bag and priority boarding, both of which help make travel more enjoyable.</p>
It probably still won’t be enough but we’ll see.</p>
Thanks to AA and ruining it here for all of us. We really like SW and use them often as getting in/out of Love Field is so much easier than DFW. BTW, the new Birmingham airport is very nice!</p>