Is Chase Adding a Once-Per-Lifetime Rule to Southwest Business Credit Cards?

Updated: September 28, 2026, 11:52am CDT

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What We Know About Chase’s Southwest Business Card Bonus Language
Final Thoughts

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If you’ve earned the bonus from a welcome offer on a Southwest business card before, you may want to read the fine print before applying again.

New wording on some — but not all — Chase application pages raises questions about whether you could qualify for another bonus.

Here’s what we know so far.

What We Know About Chase’s Southwest Business Card Bonus Language

Some Chase application pages for Southwest business credit cards have new wording that could make it harder for former cardholders to earn another welcome offer, as first reported by Doctor of Credit. The terms now say:

“The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.”

Previously, the terms stated that the bonus was unavailable to current cardholders or former cardholders who had received a bonus on that same business card within the past 24 months. That wording still appears on at least one page of the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card application, so the terms aren’t consistent across links.

Southwest Premier Business Wallet Upgraded Points LLC — Some application pages for the Southwest Premier Business card now have new welcome offer language. Image Credit: Andrey Popov via Adobe Stock modified by Upgraded Points LLC

The phrase to consider is “may not.” Chase is leaving itself room to decide whether someone who’s had the card before can earn the welcome offer again. This is part of an expanding trend for card issuers to update application rules in ways that are vague for applicants but give the issuer room to deny bonuses on various factors.

That doesn’t mean everyone who’s had the card before is out of luck. Chase could still determine they’re eligible for the welcome offer, but the new wording suggests it may look beyond the old 24-month window. It’s also unclear whether Chase plans to add this language to every application page.

Hot Tip:

Before applying for a Southwest business card, click Offer Details on the application page and read the welcome offer eligibility terms. Check whether your offer mentions a bonus received in the past 24 months or says the bonus “may not be available” if you’ve ever had that card. The wording currently varies by application link.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve had a Southwest business card before and were thinking about applying again, I’d take a closer look at the offer terms before submitting an application. The new wording is a little concerning, but we don’t yet know whether Chase will actually deny bonuses to everyone who’s previously had the card.

We’ve reached out to Chase for clarification and will update this story when we hear back.