Southwest Airlines is a popular low-cost airline in the United States, known for its friendly service, flexible policies, and lack of change and cancellation fees. The airline also has an extensive domestic route network, serving over 100 destinations across North America.
For frequent Southwest flyers, the airline offers co-branded Rapid Rewards credit cards that provide opportunities to earn points and take advantage of money-saving perks. Southwest currently partners with Chase Bank to issue several personal and business Visa cards.
Overview of Southwest Credit Cards
Southwest and Chase offer five different Rapid Rewards credit cards:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
The personal cards are designed for individual consumers, while the business cards cater to small business owners. Both versions offer similar reward structures and benefits, with the business cards providing some additional perks.
Some key highlights of Southwest Airlines credit cards include:
- Earn between 2-4 Rapid Rewards points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases
- Redeem points for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, merchandise, gift cards, event tickets, and more
- Access to discounted Companion Pass fares when qualifying points are earned
- Annual bonus points and travel credits
- Upgraded boarding and early check-in privileges
- No foreign transaction fees
In the sections below, we’ll explore the features and benefits of each Southwest credit card in more detail.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card has the lowest annual fee among Southwest’s personal cards. With an ongoing annual fee of $69, it can be a good starter card for those new to the Rapid Rewards program.
Earning Potential
Cardholders earn:
- 2x points on Southwest Airlines purchases
- 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases
- 2x points on local transit and commuting expenses, including rideshare services
- 2x points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming purchases
- 1x points per $1 spent on all other purchases
New cardholders can earn 30,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Points are worth around 1.5 cents each when redeemed for flights, giving this welcome bonus a value of approximately $450. As a limited time offer, new cardholders can also earn a companion pass valid through 2/28/2025.
The Companion Pass allows cardholders to designate one person to fly free with them on Southwest flights, excluding taxes and fees. It’s one of the most valuable airline perks available.
Benefits and Perks
Cardholders receive the following benefits:
- 3,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points per cardmember anniversary
- Up to two EarlyBird Check-In services per year
- 25% back on in-flight purchases as a statement credit
- 10,000 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status annually
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions when redeeming points for flights
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement up to $3,000 per passenger
The 3,000 bonus anniversary points help offset the $69 annual fee. EarlyBird Check-In gives cardholders the option to secure an earlier boarding position for an additional $15-25 per flight.
Drawbacks
Aside from the solid earning rates and anniversary perks, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card does not offer many premium benefits. Frequent Southwest flyers might be better off with the Premier or Priority card. The Plus card also charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it’s not the best card to use overseas.
Who Should Get This Card?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is a good option for infrequent Southwest flyers who want to earn points on everyday spending. The low annual fee and anniversary points help offset the cost. It can also make a decent secondary credit card for Southwest loyalists who want to pad their Rapid Rewards account.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
A step up from the Plus card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card offers an elevated rewards rate for spending on Southwest purchases. The $99 annual fee is reasonable for a mid-tier airline card.
Earning Potential
Cardmembers earn points on spending at the following rates:
- 3x points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases
- 2x points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards hotel/car rental partners
- 2x points on local transit and commuting expenses, including rideshare
- 2x points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
- 1x points per $1 on all other purchases
The new cardholder bonus and Companion Pass offer also mirror the Plus card: 30,000 bonus points after $4,000 spent in the first 3 months plus a Companion Pass valid through 2/28/2025.
Benefits & Perks
Cardholders enjoy the following benefits:
- 6,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points per cardmember anniversary
- Up to two EarlyBird Check-In services per year
- 25% back on in-flight purchases as a statement credit
- 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status yearly
- Trip cancellation/delay insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement up to $3,000 per passenger
- Rental car collision damage waiver
- No foreign transaction fees
Compared to the Plus card, the Premier offers a higher anniversary point bonus, more airline status perks, and additional travel protections. Having no foreign transaction fees also makes this a good card option for overseas trips.
Drawbacks
While the Premier card offers nice upgrades over the Plus version, Southwest loyalists who want maximum Rapid Rewards benefits may still find it lacking compared to the premium Priority card detailed next.
Who Should Get This Card?
The Southwest Premier card hits the sweet spot for semi-frequent Southwest travelers who want a solid earning rate on Southwest purchases without a high annual fee. Its reasonable cost and extra travel perks also make it one of the best Southwest cards for families and couples who fly Southwest together.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
As Southwest’s premium Rapid Rewards credit card, the Priority card offers the highest rewards earnings rate along with more airline perks than the lower-tier options. But with a $149 annual fee, it also carries the steepest cost.
Earning Potential
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card has the following earning structure:
- 3x points on Southwest Airlines purchases
- 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel/car rental partners
- 2x points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2x points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
- 1x points per $1 on all other purchases
New cardmembers can earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months. Plus the limited-time Companion Pass offer.
Benefits and Perks
You’ll enjoy these cardholder perks:
- 7,500 bonus Rapid Rewards points per cardmember anniversary
- $75 Southwest travel credit per cardmember year
- Four upgraded boardings per year (when available)
- 25% back on in-flight drinks and WiFi purchases
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit
- Car rental collision damage waiver
- Cell phone protection
With travel perks like a $75 airline credit, four upgraded boardings a year, and free TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, the Priority card goes above and beyond the standard airline card.
Drawbacks
The Priority card’s biggest downside is its $149 annual fee – the most expensive of the personal Southwest cards. The premium perks help offset the higher cost, but you need to travel frequently to maximize value. Infrequent Southwest flyers can likely skip this card.
Who Should Get This Card?
With lucrative travel perks and credits, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card best suits Southwest devotees who fly the airline routinely. As long as you travel enough to take advantage of the key benefits, the higher annual fee should pay for itself.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Designed for small business owners, Southwest’s Premier Business credit card mimics the personal Premier card in terms of rewards, earnings, anniversary points, and many other benefits. But it also throws in some business-friendly features.
Earning Potential
You’ll earn Southwest points in the following categories:
- 3x points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines purchases
- 2x points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards hotel/car rental partners
- 2x points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 1x points per $1 spent on all other purchases
New cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months.
Benefits and Perks
Business owners receive these cardholder perks:
- 6,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points each cardmember anniversary
- Up to two EarlyBird Check-In services per year
- 25% back on in-flight drinks and WiFi purchases
- Cell phone protection
- $500 credit each year to cover points transfers
- Rental car collision damage waiver
- Employee cards at no extra cost
- Accounting software integrations
With extras like cell phone protection, employee card perks, accounting software integration and points transfer fee credit, this card goes beyond the typical airline business card.
Drawbacks
Compared to the premium Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card covered next, the Premier Business version offers solid but not outstanding rewards earnings and benefits. Businesses that spend a lot with Southwest may prefer the Performance card.
Who Should Get This Card?
This Southwest business credit card makes sense for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs who fly Southwest occasionally for work trips but don’t necessarily need premium travel perks. The reasonable $99 annual fee is easy to justify.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
The top-shelf business card option from Southwest and Chase, the Performance Business card, dials up both the rewards potential and money-saving travel benefits for frequent flyers. But its $199 annual fee is steep.
Earning Potential
You can rack up Southwest points quickly by spending in these categories:
- 4x points on Southwest Airlines purchases
- 3x points on Rapid Rewards hotel/car rental partners
- 2x points on social media and search engine advertising
- 2x points on internet, cable, and phone services
- 2x points on local commuting and transit, including rideshare
- 1x points per $1 on all other purchases
New Performance Business cardholders can earn 80,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points by spending $5,000 within the first 3 months of opening an account.
Benefits and Perks
Some of the key business cardholder perks include:
- 9,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points per cardmember anniversary
- Four upgraded boardings a year (when available)
- In-flight WiFi credits
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit
- Cell phone protection – up to $600 per claim
- No foreign transaction fees
From upgraded boarding privileges to WiFi credits to cell phone protection, the Southwest Performance Business card focuses on rewarding frequent business travelers.
Drawbacks
The big trade-off for all the premium travel perks is the high $199 annual fee – the most expensive of any Southwest credit card. Unless you fly Southwest routinely for work, it may be hard to justify.
Who Should Get This Card?
With its generous travel benefits and Southwest earning potential, small business owners who take frequent work trips on Southwest will get the most bang out of the Performance Business credit card. As long as your business spends enough with Southwest Airlines to offset the high annual fee, it can be well worth having.
How to Choose the Best Southwest Credit Card
Picking the right Southwest Airlines credit card involves matching one of the options above to your personal or business travel habits and budget. Frequent Southwest flyers stand to benefit the most from these co-branded cards and their money-saving perks.
As a quick reminder, here’s a high-level comparison of the five Southwest credit card offerings:
When choosing a card, think about these key factors:
- Your expected yearly spending on Southwest flights
- How often will you fly Southwest this year?
- Which reward categories align with your spending habits?
- Your need for Southwest travel perks like upgraded boardings
- Whether you want business-specific features
- Your budget – can you afford a premium card’s annual fee?
Answering these questions will steer you towards the best Southwest Airlines credit card, given your situation. Be sure to also check your credit score before applying to improve your approval chances.
Tips for Earning and Redeeming Southwest Points
Whichever Southwest card you choose, you’ll want to use it strategically to maximize point earnings. Here are some tips:
Put everyday spending on your Southwest card: Try to put as much of your daily spending on your Southwest Airlines credit card as possible across the bonus categories like Southwest, transit and streaming services. Even non-bonus category purchases will net you points to redeem for flights and more.
Book Southwest flights with the points + cash option: If you don’t have enough Southwest points for a full flight redemption, take advantage of Southwest’s unique option to pay for part of the fare with points and part with cash. Simply choose the dollars + points option when booking on Southwest.com.
Redeem points for Amazon gift cards at a strong value: While getting the most value by redeeming Rapid Rewards points for Southwest flights is ideal, you can also get solid value from other redemptions. Amazon gift cards give you around 1.2 cents per point.
Transfer hotel and car rental points to Southwest: Many hotel loyalty programs and car rental companies partner with Southwest Airlines, allowing you to transfer points to Rapid Rewards. For example, you can transfer World of Hyatt points to Southwest at a ratio of 1:1. This allows you to pad your Southwest balance.
Refer friends to apply for Southwest cards: Earn additional Rapid Rewards points by referring friends and family to apply for a Southwest Airlines credit card using your unique referral link. You can typically earn between 5,000 – 30,000 bonus points per approved referral.
Shop Southwest card welcome offers: To earn a major windfall of Southwest points quickly, keep an eye out for limited time welcome bonuses on Southwest cards, which sometimes reach upwards of 100,000 points. Just be sure to meet the minimum spending requirements within the promotional period.
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Maximizing the Southwest Companion Pass
One of the most lucrative benefits offered by Southwest Airlines is the Companion Pass. This lets cardholders designate one person to fly free with them on Southwest, covering only taxes and fees. It’s valid on both paid and award flights.
Normally, companion passes are hard to earn, requiring 100 qualifying one-way Southwest flights or 125,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year. But Southwest frequently runs promotions, allowing new cardholders to snag Companion Passes more easily by earning sign-up bonuses and meeting minimum spend requirements.
If you get approved for a Companion Pass through a Southwest card, here are some tips to maximize its value during the validity period:
- Book weekend getaways and visits to see family/friends
- Take cheaper domestic vacations you can pay for with points
- Visit new cities you’ve been wanting to explore for the cost of taxes/fees
- Fly together for important events like weddings and graduations
Since every Southwest flight allows a free companion with the pass, it lets cardholders double the value of their Rapid Rewards redemptions during the validity window.
Just be sure to mark your calendar when the companion pass expires so you can use it before time runs out. And if you earn a pass through a Southwest card, try to time applications so you get 24 months of use between passes.
To Recap
Frequent Southwest Airlines travelers can benefit greatly from carrying a co-branded Rapid Rewards credit card matched to their habits and budget, whether flying for personal trips or business. Perks like free Companion Pass fares, anniversary points, upgraded boardings, and statement credits for Southwest purchases can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings each year.
Be sure to consider your expected yearly Southwest expenses, need for premium benefits, and business needs before applying. But when used strategically, Rapid Rewards cards help loyal Southwest flyers access an elevated travel experience and maximize the value of Southwest points through preferred redemption rates and exclusive offers. Just remember to pay your bill on time and in full each month.
Overall, Southwest Airlines credit cards reward brand devotees with money-saving opportunities that infrequent customers can’t access. So Southwest enthusiasts should consider which version best suits their situation for smoother, more enjoyable journeys in the skies ahead.
FAQs about Southwest Credit Cards
What credit score do you need for a Southwest credit card?
You’ll typically need good to excellent credit – generally considered scores above 670 – for the best approval odds on a Southwest Airlines credit card. Business card applications may require an even higher score.
Which is better: business or personal Southwest card?
Southwest business credit cards earn points similarly to the personal cards but offer some additional small business perks. Either type can make sense, depending on your needs and qualifications. Personal cards are easier to get approved for in most cases.
Can you hold multiple Southwest credit cards?
It is possible to hold more than one Southwest Airlines consumer credit card and earn welcome bonuses on each. However, Chase may deny you if you’ve opened more than five total new credit cards across all banks over the past 24 months due to their 5/24 rule.
How do Southwest points work?
With Rapid Rewards, travelers earn points through Southwest Airlines credit card spending, flights booked, and partners. Points can then be redeemed for flights with no blackout dates, hotels, car rentals, merchandise, gift cards, event tickets, and more. Points don’t expire as long as you have account activity every 24 months.
Should I transfer hotel/car rental points to Southwest Rapid Rewards?
Transferring points from a hotel or car rental loyalty program into Southwest Rapid Rewards can provide good redemption value in many cases. Just check the latest transfer ratios. Hyatt points, for example, transfer 1:1 to Southwest, so it’s an easy option for padding your Rapid Rewards balance.
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