January 2026 Newsletter
Join us for our next Southwest Q&A session!
When: Wed, Jan 28th, 2026
What time? 3:30pm Pacific, 4:30pm Mountain, 5:30pm Central, 6:30pm Eastern!
Join us here, no registration required!
*Note we are moving to Youtube instead of Zoom but you will be able to ask quesitons in the chat! You can pre-send your questions in the Youtube chat 2 days before the stream.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTjfEPBtEUk
Please allow 3 business days for the replay to populate. Instead of emailing it out we will be adding it to the curriculum page at jgoot.com/login
🚀 Southwest News 🚀
Its Officially Southwest SEASON! What does this mean? It is now okay to start applying for new card sign up bonuses if you are on the fast track for a companion pass in 2026! Remember to use our links if you need to! jgoot.com/cards.
(Wait 2 weeks to re-apply if cancelling an old card, and use 30 days between applications if applying for both business and personal cards)
I have my eyes and ears out for changes related to companion pass, nothing new to report! If you are going for companion pass stay the course.
Since it is now Jan 1, you do not have to stress about the timing of opening Southwest card(s) for Companion Pass. You can spend on these cards now if you have been holding off.
Remember the new assigned seating goes into effect Jan 27.
-Steph
💡 Southwest Schedule update💡
- The current schedule is open until Sept 30. On Jan 29th, 2026, the schedule will open for sale through Oct 31st, 2026. (Date is subject to change).
🛍️ Current noteworthy shopping portal finds 🛍️
*As of Jan 1, offers change often
- Earn 7 points per dollar at Kate Spade. (Terms and conditions here)
- Earn 2 points per dollar at CVS (Terms and conditions here).
- Viator is now offering 4 bonus points per dollar! (Terms and conditions here).
How does the shopping portal work? Use Southwest shopping to link to all of your favorite stores and make a purchase! You will then be awarded the bonus points listed on the offer directly into your Southwest account.
*Note you cannot combine shopping portal offers, so do not click on Rakuten or any other portal if your intent is to earn southwest points.
🏨 Southwest Hotel Spotlight 🏨
A 7 night stay at this hotel for Spring Break in Cancun will earn you 39,000 points for ~$444 per night! That is an earn rate of 12.5 points per dollar. Fantastic!
A few notes about hotels:
It is not recommended to bundle hotel and flight with Southwest unless you are getting a much lower price than booking separately. It is much easier to make changes to your flights if they are not bundled.
Southwest uses Booking.com as their booking system, so your hotel will see the booking as a booking.com reservation.
I always confirm my reservation with the hotel to be sure they got it.
Make sure to check your Southwest Account for credit card offers!
Here is how.
1. Visit Southwest.com
2. Log into “My account”
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page! Make sure to register for any offers you like!
Quick check in for each Companion Pass Strategy:
For folks on the FAST TRACK for 2026:
You can begin your 2026 companion pass journey! Apply for the business card to start with. If you already have a business card and need to close it, start that process now and wait at least 2 weeks before applying for a new one. Start spending as soon as you get your card.
For folks using the HYBRID method for 2026:
You can start spending on your new card! If you have not opened a new card yet, you can use our links jgoot.com/cards.
For those following the slow and steady method:
Start planning out how you will earn your 135k points this year. It is good to go into the new year with a plan. Start with any hotels you need to book since these have the highest earn rate.
Do you have hotels you need to book? *points will post after checkout.
Check out some shopping portal deals.
Don’t forget about Southwest dining.
You can find your totals under “My Account” On Southwest.com. It looks like this:
- Stephanie
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