Points Panda has partnered with a variety of financial companies including CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. Points Panda and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. For more information please read our full Advertiser Disclosure.
There are 5 Southwest Rapid Rewards Cards, including 3 personal credit cards and 2 business credit cards. If you love to fly around the country and want to get a Southwest Credit Card, then you must know which Southwest Rapid Rewards Card is right for you. With Southwest Credit Cards, you will get many benefits, such as the Southwest Companion Pass, one of the best rewards in travel credit cards, and others like elite status, an anniversary bonus, Rapid Rewards Points on every dollar spent, etc.
But it may be confusing whether to choose an entry-level card like Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card or a high-end Southwest card like Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card; all 5 cards come with different rewards and benefits, and their annual fee ranges from $69 to $199.
The best card for you depends on factors like how often you fly with Southwest, your spending habits, and what rewards and benefits you value most. For example, some cards might offer higher sign-up bonuses, while others provide fewer rewards with fewer annual fees or additional perks like anniversary bonus points, travel credits, and upgraded boarding.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Cards
As I have mentioned above, there are 5 Southwest Cards. We will discuss and compare all the pros and cons of the cards so you can know which card is right for you.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus: Entry-Level Card
With the lowest annual fee of $69 among all the
Southwest Cards, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus
Credit Card is the entry-level card, best for beginners
who want to try out Southwest Credit Card.
Highlights
- Earn 50,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 3,000 points every year on your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 2X points for every $1 spent on Southwest purchases.
- Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, internet, cable, and phone services: select streaming.
- Earn 2 points for each dollar spent on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
- Earn 1X points on all other Purchases.
- 3% foreign transaction fee.
- You will also get 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
If you’re not too concerned about elite status or priority benefits and want an entry-level card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a great option. The real highlight is the opportunity to work towards the coveted Companion Pass, allowing you to bring someone along on your flights for just taxes and fees. Plus, there’s a handy anniversary bonus of 3,000 points to help you get closer to that goal.
You’ll also enjoy two Early Bird check-ins annually, 25% back on in-flight purchases, and a welcome offer that can bring you even closer to earning the Companion Pass and Elite Status. Keep in mind that there is a 3% foreign transaction fee, which not makes it suitable for use outside.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Mid-tier Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit
The card comes with a solid annual bonus and
6,000 points anniversary bonus, which can
cover the card’s annual fee of $99. This is a
mid-tier card upgrade to the Southwest Plus Card.
Highlights
- Earn 50,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 6,000 points every year on your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 3X points for every $1 spent on Southwest purchases.
- Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, internet, cable, and phone services: select streaming.
- Earn 1X points on all other Purchases.
- No foreign transaction fee.
- You will also get 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- Member FDIC
On average, Southwest points are worth around 1.5 cents per point. So, the 6,000-anniversary bonus will be equal to $90, which almost alone covers the annual fee. Southwest Premier Card comes with a solid welcome bonus and great rewards rate towards Southwest purchases, which will help you achieve elite status and a companion pass.
Other benefits include 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year, which are worth around $15-$25 each, 25% back on in-flight purchases, purchase protection, luggage protection, etc. So, if you are a frequent flyer and want solid rewards and benefits, this card is a great option.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Top-tier Card
If you are a Southwest loyalist and want to
upgrade your travel with things like elite
status and companion pass, Southwest’s
top-tier Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
Credit Card is a great option for you. Southwest
Premier and Priority Card have the same welcome
bonus, but Southwest Priority Card has more benefits.
Highlights
- Earn 50,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of card membership
- Earn points toward a Southwest Companion Pass
- A 3-2-1 rewards structure on travel and everyday-spend categories
- Reach elite status in no time with a status boost
- Get a 7,500-point anniversary bonus, $75 travel credit, and 4 upgraded bookings per year
- The card comes with basic travel protection and insurance
Added benefits of Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card are a $75 travel credit, a higher anniversary bonus, and 4 upgraded bookings per year; you can earn points Southwest rapid rewards shopping. If you redeem all the benefits, the $149 annual fee is totally worth it. So, if you are a Southwest loyalist, this is one of the best options for you.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Entry-level Business Card
If you are looking for a Southwest Business Credit
Card and don want to spend much on the annual
fees, then Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier
Business Credit Card is a great option for you. It
comes with an annual fee of $99 and many perks
that can easily cover your annual fee.
Highlights
- Earn up to 120,000 bonus points – 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, earn an additional 60,000 points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 9 months.
- 6,000 points every year on your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 3X points for every $1 spent on Southwest Airlines purchases.
- Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- Earn 1X points on all other Purchases.
- No foreign transaction fee.
- You will also get 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
You can earn a solid welcome bonus, and it offers some nice benefits, especially the annual anniversary points and companion pass you can earn. However, you can opt for a high-end Southwest Business Card if you prefer more flexibility with your points or want a broader range of perks.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Luxury Southwest Business Card
With the highest annual fee of $199, Southwest
Performance Business Credit Card is a top-tier
business card offered by Southwest. It comes with
an anniversary bonus of 9,000 Southwest points
which is equivalent to $135 with a redemption rate
of 1.5 cents per point.
Highlights
- Earn 80,000 points after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months of card membership
- Earn 4x points on Southwest purchases, 3x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, 2x points on local transit and commuting, 2x points on social media, search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services, and then 1x points on all other purchases
- 9,000 bonus points for every card membership anniversary
- Bonus qualifying points to earn a Southwest Companion Pass faster
- Comes with a status boost to fast-track your way to A-list status
- Southwest Airlines travel perks like upgraded boarding and in-flight Wi-Fi credits
- Application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (every four years)
- Travel protection benefits such as car rental insurance, roadside assistance, and more
- No foreign transaction fees
With a higher rewards rate with Southwest purchases, a solid welcome bonus, and other benefits like Wi-fi credit and TSA PreCheck, this card is a beast compared to other Southwest Cards. If you are a business owner and a Southwest loyalist, this card is a must for you.
Earn Elite Status With Southwest Credit Card
If you fly frequently with any airline, you may know the importance of elite status. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card offers a pathway to attain elite status within Southwest Airlines, entailing numerous advantages such as priority check-in, the flexibility of free same-day standby for earlier flights on your scheduled travel day, a generous 25% points bonus when acquiring eligible Southwest flights, and various other perks. For those who achieve A-List Preferred status, all these benefits are included, plus an impressive 100% points bonus on eligible Southwest flight purchases, a substantial upgrade from the standard 25% bonus.
A-List status – with Southwest Airlines, your goal is to accumulate 35,000 “tier-qualifying points” during a single calendar year. Traditionally, these points could only be earned by flying on Southwest flights. However, with these cards, you have an exciting opportunity to earn 1,500 tier-qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend.
A-List Preferred – In order to attain A-List Preferred status with Southwest Airlines, you have to accumulate 70,000 tier-qualifying points within a single calendar year. You also have the option to count tier-qualifying points (TQP) earned through the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card towards achieving this prestigious status.
Southwest Companion Pass
The Southwest companion pass is considered the best benefit in the travel industry. With the Southwest Companion Pass, you get the ability to bring along a companion on any Southwest flight, as long as there’s an available seat. You only have to cover the taxes and fees.
To earn a companion pass, you have to either take 100 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year or earn 135,000 qualifying points (TQPs) within a calendar year, and when you have a Southwest Credit Card, you’ll earn 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $10,000 you spend. Southwest Credit Cards can help you achieve these points quickly.
If you are able to time it right, you can enjoy the companion pass for a longer time, any credit card bonus points you earn starting from January 1, 2022, will count towards earning and maintaining the Companion Pass for the rest of 2022 and the entire year 2023. Click here for more details on the companion pass
Chase Application Restriction Rules
Before you apply for a Southwest Credit Card, it’s important to know Chase’s restrictions regarding sign-up bonuses for Personal Southwest credit cards:
The product is not available to either
(i) Current Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card, or
(ii) Former Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card holders who obtained a new Cardmember bonus within the past 24 months are not eligible for this offer. However, this restriction does not apply to individuals with a Southwest Business Card or Employee Credit Card.
For Business Cards:
This new Cardmember bonus offer is not available to either
(i) Current Cardmembers of this business credit card or
(ii) Former Cardmembers of this business credit card who received a new Cardmember bonus for this business credit card within the last 24 months.
Bottom Line
If you’re a frequent Southwest Airlines flyer and you desire special status and benefits, their credit cards could be a great option for you. Regardless of which card you ultimately decide on, you’re likely to enjoy fantastic rewards, especially if you plan your usage wisely and earn a Companion Pass. The best travel credit card for you will depend on your primary spending categories, how comfortable you are with paying annual fees, and any extra card perks you’d like to make the most of.
Keep track of your spending categories and select a credit card that rewards you for your most frequent purchases. Sign up for our travel concierge service, and we will help you uncover the finest credit cards of 2023, as well as incredible travel deals and how to leverage your points for maximum value.
Advertiser Disclosure
PointsPanda Deal of the Week!
Looking for the best flight deals? Each week we'll send you updates with the best deals on flights and hotels both using points and cash.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.