Southwest Credit Cards of April 2021: What To Know
Southwest Credit Cards of April 2021: What To Know
There are five different Southwest credit cards currently available to new cardholders. But, don't fret: We analyzed them so you don’t have to. Here are the best Southwest credit cards for each situation.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.
Southwest is a favorite airline of many travelers thanks to its flyer-friendly policies. Thankfully, it’s easy to accumulate Southwest Rapid Rewards points for reward flights. There are three personal Southwest credit cards and two business Southwest credit cards.
Plus, travelers can opt to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio. That means there are plenty of credit cards that can earn Southwest points, either directly or indirectly. We surveyed the current credit cards from Southwest airlines, looking at the value of their rewards and other benefits to identify the best Southwest credit card for each situation.
Best Southwest credit cards 2021
Recommended cards | Best for | Credit needed | Annual fee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card | Frequent Southwest flyers | Excellent | $149 | Apply Now
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 | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card | Low annual fee | Excellent/Good | $69 | Apply Now
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 | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Mid-range card | Excellent | $99 | Apply Now
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| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card | Business | Excellent | $199 | ||
 | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card | Low-annual-fee business card | Excellent | $99 | Apply Now
|
 | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | General travel card | Excellent | $95 | Apply Now
|
| Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card | $0 annual fee | Excellent/Good | $0 | Read Review |
Recommended cards | |
|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card | Apply Now
|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card | Apply Now
|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Apply Now
|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card | Apply Now
|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card | Apply Now
|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Apply Now
|
| Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card | Read Review |
Best for frequent Southwest flyers
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
- On Chase's Secure Website
$149
15.99% - 22.99% Variable
Excellent
- Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 3X points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services, for the first year.
- 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary each year.
- $75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
- 20% back on in-flight drinks and WiFi.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 3X points on dining purchases for the first year.
Our thoughts
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is our favorite card for frequent Southwest flyers. The card offers a suite of perks that can more than justify the card’s $149 annual fee. Cardholders get a 7,500-point bonus each cardholder anniversary, a $75 Southwest annual travel credit and four upgraded boardings. That adds up to more than $300 in perks each year.
Rewards
Cardholders earn Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partner purchases. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Anniversary bonus
One of the most valuable perks of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is an annual 7,500-point anniversary bonus. Southwest points have an average redemption value of around 1.5 cents each, so that means this anniversary bonus alone provides $112.50 in value. That offsets more than 75% of the card’s $149 annual fee.
Benefits
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is packed with more than enough Southwest perks to offset the $149 annual fee. Here are some of the highlights:
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year: Southwest charges passengers between $30 and $50 to upgrade your boarding position to A1-A15. As a Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Cardholder, you’ll be reimbursed for up to four of these fees each card anniversary year.
- Earn points toward the Southwest Companion Pass: To qualify for the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, you'll need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or accumulate 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. The sign-up bonus will help you earn this benefit faster, so you can fly one designated companion with you for just the cost of taxes and fees.
- $75 Southwest annual travel credit: Use your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card to make Southwest purchases (excluding Upgraded Boardings and in-flight purchases) and receive up to $75 in statement credits each anniversary year. The credit does cover Southwest airfare, which means you can use it to make up for $75 of the card's annual fee each year as long as you purchase a flight on Southwest. In fact, if you add in the value of the card's 7,500 anniversary bonus, you could more than offset the annual fee with this credit.
- 20% back on in-flight drinks and Wi-Fi: Charge drink and in-flight Wi-Fi purchases to your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and get 20% back as a statement credit.
- Earn tier qualifying points toward A-List status: Earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) toward A-List elite status for every $10,000 spent on purchases that you charge to your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. You could earn up to a maximum of 15,000 TQP each year.
- $0 foreign transaction fees: Whether you fly Southwest overseas or another airline, you won’t have to worry about paying a fee to use your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card outside the United States.
Best for low annual fee
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
- On Chase's Secure Website
$69
15.99% - 22.99% Variable
Excellent/Good
- Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 3X points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services, for the first year.
- 3,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary each year.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- All points earned count towards Companion Pass.
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- Your points never expire, a benefit of the Rapid Rewards® program.
Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 3X points on dining purchases for the first year.
Our thoughts
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card offers the lowest annual fee of Southwest’s three personal credit cards. Understandably, that means the perks of the card are less than what you’d find on the other Southwest cards. Still, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card does offer a solid earning rate and an anniversary points bonus that helps offset the card’s $69 annual fee.
Rewards
Cardholders Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partner purchases. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card also offers 1 point per dollar on the first $10,000 in balance transfers in the first 90 days from your account opening date.
Anniversary bonus
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card rewards cardholders with a 3,000-point bonus each cardholder anniversary. Valuing Southwest points at 1.5 cents each, that’s a benefit worth $45 each year— that offsets around two-thirds of the card’s $69 annual fee.
Benefits
As the Southwest credit card with the lowest annual fee, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card doesn’t offer any Southwest perks besides earning points on purchases and the card’s anniversary bonus. However, as stated above, the card provides travel protections through Visa, including:
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Charge the cost of a rental car to your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card to be covered against theft or collision. Note that this coverage is secondary to your personal insurance when renting within the U.S. (primary outside the U.S.).
- Roadside dispatch: Whether you're on your way to the airport on taking a road trip, you can get emergency roadside assistance through your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card.
- Lost luggage reimbursement: If your checked bag is lost or damaged by an airline or other common carrier, you’ll be reimbursed up to $3,000 per passenger for you and your immediate family members.
- Baggage delay insurance: Get up to $100 per day in reimbursements each day for up to three days if your bag is delayed for more than six hours by an airline or other common carrier.
- Earn points toward the Southwest Companion Pass: To qualify for the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, you'll need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or accumulate 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. The sign-up bonus will help you earn this benefit faster, so you can fly one designated companion with you for just the cost of taxes and fees.
Best mid-range card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- On Chase's Secure Website
$99
15.99% - 22.99% Variable
Excellent
- Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 3X points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services, for the first year.
- 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary each year.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- All points earned count towards Companion Pass®.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- Your points never expire, a benefit of the Rapid Rewards® program.
Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 3X points on dining purchases for the first year.
Our thoughts
If the annual fee on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is too pricey and the perks on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card too limited, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card may be your Goldilocks card. Cardholders get a 6,000-point bonus each cardholder anniversary and $0 foreign transaction fees. Plus, spending on the card will help boost you toward A-List elite status.
Rewards
Like the other two personal Southwest credit cards, cardholders earn Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partner purchases. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
As with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, you’ll be rewarded with bonus points for transferring a balance shortly after opening your card. Get 1 point per dollar on the first $15,000 in balance transfers in the first 90 days from the opening date of your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card.
Anniversary bonus
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card cardholders earn a 6,000-point bonus each cardholder anniversary. This 6,000-point anniversary bonus is worth $90, per our 1.5 cent valuation. As long as you utilize these Rapid Rewards points, you’ll almost completely offset the card’s $99 annual fee.
Benefits
In addition to all of the travel protection benefits available on all Southwest cards, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Cardholders get the following perks:
- Earn tier qualifying points toward A-List status: Cardholders will earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) toward A-List elite status for each $10,000 in purchases that you charge to your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card. Earn a maximum of 15,000 TQP after spending $100,000 in a year.
- $0 foreign transaction fees: Avoid the 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars foreign transaction fee that’s charged on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card by getting the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card instead.
- Earn points toward the Southwest Companion Pass: To qualify for the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, you'll need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or accumulate 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. The sign-up bonus will help you earn this benefit faster, so you can fly one designated companion with you for just the cost of taxes and fees.
Best business credit card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Our thoughts
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is easily our favorite Southwest card for small businesses. It charges a hefty $199 annual fee, but the perks are incredible. Cardholders get a 9,000-point anniversary bonus, a reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees, four upgraded boardings each year and up to 365 in-flight Wi-Fi credits.
Rewards
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card stands out by offering the best earning rates of any Southwest credit card. Cardholders earn 3 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. 2 points per $1 spent on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable, and phone services. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
The 3X earning rate on Southwest purchases is the highest of any of the top cards for Southwest flyers. Plus, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is the only Southwest credit card that offers a bonus category outside of Southwest purchases — all other Southwest cards earn only 2X points on Southwest purchases.
Anniversary bonus
As with the other Southwest credit cards, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers an anniversary bonus. Cardholders receive a 9,000-point bonus each cardholder anniversary. At the average redemption rate of 1.5 cents per point, this anniversary bonus alone is worth $135. By utilizing these points, the effective annual fee drops to just $64 — that’s incredibly reasonable considering all of the other benefits this card offers.
Benefits
In addition to the valuable anniversary bonus and strong earning rates, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers plenty of other valuable benefits:
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year: While Southwest travelers pay between $30 and 50 to upgrade their boarding position to A1-A15, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Cardholders are reimbursed for up to four of these upgraded boarding fees each card anniversary year.
- In-flight Wi-Fi credits: Charge Southwest in-flight Wi-Fi purchases to your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card and get a statement credit reimbursing the charge, up to 365 credits per year. That’s $2,920 in credits each year.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: Use your card to pay the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and receive a statement credit to reimburse the fee, once every four years.
- $0 foreign transaction fees: Whether you’re traveling abroad or making a business purchase from overseas, you won’t have to worry about paying foreign transaction fees.
- No fees for employee credit cards: Issue your trusted employees their own credit card at no additional cost. Plus, you can even set individual spending limits to make sure they don’t go on a spending spree.
Best low annual fee business credit card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
- On Chase's Secure Website
$99
15.99% - 22.99% Variable
Excellent
- Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Earn points on employee spending.
- Employee cards at no additional cost.
- No blackout dates when you redeem points, no seat restrictions, bags fly free®, and no change fees.
- No foreign transaction fees
Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Our thoughts
If you can’t justify the $199 annual fee of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, perhaps the $99 annual fee on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card may be a better fit for your small business.
Rewards
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Cardholders earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® Hotel and Car Rental Partner purchases. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
These earning rates match the earning rates on all three personal Southwest cards, but it falls short of the earning rates on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card.
Cardholders can also earn 1 point per dollar on the first $15,000 in balance transfers in the first 90 days from the opening of a Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card.
Anniversary bonus
Like the personal Premier Card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card rewards cardholders with a 6,000-point bonus each cardholder anniversary. At a value of 1.5 cents per point, that’s like getting $90 back in value each cardholder anniversary — that almost completely offsets the card’s $99 annual fee.
Benefits
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card doesn’t offer the suite of benefits that the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers — still, the good news is that it doesn’t charge foreign transaction or employee card fees:
- $0 foreign transaction fees: Use your card for purchases in foreign countries without having to pay a foreign transaction fee.
- No fees for employee credit cards: Add your employees as authorized users without paying an additional annual fee.
Best general travel card for Southwest
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- On Chase's Secure Website
$95
15.99% - 22.99% Variable
Excellent
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
- Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself BackSM, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn a $50 statement credit towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
Our thoughts
If you’re looking to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points, you aren’t limited to just Southwest co-branded credit cards. That’s because Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to Southwest Rapid Rewards at a 1:1 transfer ratio. And our favorite Ultimate Rewards-earning credit card happens to be one of our favorite all-around travel cards: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
This card offers a solid points earning rate and excellent travel and purchase protections. If plans change, you have the option of redeeming Ultimate Rewards points for plenty of options besides Southwest points.
Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Cardholders earn Ultimate Rewards points 2X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases worldwide.
This earning rate matches the 2X earning rate on most Southwest cards for Southwest purchase. However, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card bonus category goes well beyond Southwest purchases to include all travel purchases, as well as dining. That means the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a much better option for earning points from purchases than most Southwest co-branded cards.
Chase is also currently offering Chase Sapphire Preferred® Cardholders a temporary bonus category where they can earn a total of 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through March 31, 2022.
Benefits
In addition to solid point-earning rates, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also shines when it comes to the card’s benefits. Here are some of its highlights:
- Transfer points 1:1 to 14 airline and hotel partners: Southwest loyalists can stick to just transferring Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest. However, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Cardholders have the opportunity to transfer points to 13 other airline and hotel partners.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Similar to what’s found on Southwest credit cards, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Cardholders get theft and collision protection on car rentals just by charging the rental to their card. However, unlike the Southwest cards, this coverage is primary — even within the U.S.
- Trip Delay Reimbursement: If you get stuck overnight or more than 12 hours because of a flight cancellation, you and your family will get reimbursed up to $500 per ticket for meals, lodging and other expenses incurred during the delay.
- Complimentary DashPass from DoorDash: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Cardholders get a complimentary DashPass membership for at least 12 months when activated by Dec. 31, 2021.
- Up to $60 toward Peloton membership fees: Charge a Peloton membership to your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to get up to $60 in statement credits now through Dec. 31, 2021.
Best no-annual-fee credit card for Southwest
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card
Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value
Our thoughts
Spoiler alert: The Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card doesn’t earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points. However, Southwest doesn’t offer any no annual fee cards, so we needed to be creative in finding the best card for those that are adamant about avoiding annual credit card fees.
The Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card is an excellent $0-annual-fee card with extensive bonus categories, None foreign currency conversion fees and an introductory APR of 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and 0% intro APR for 12 months on qualifying balance transfers (14.49%-24.99% (Variable) APR thereafter).
Rewards
The Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card lets you Earn 3X points on eating out, ordering in and popular streaming services, 3X points on gas stations, rideshares and transit, and 3X points on travel including flights, hotels, homestays and car rentals. Earn 1X points on other purchases.
Keep in mind that these "points" aren’t Southwest Rapid Rewards points. Instead, these points have a cash redemption value of 1 cent each, when you redeem them for any type of purchase on your card (including Southwest flights). So, you’re effectively earning 3% cashback on bonus category purchases. That’s not a bad return, especially for a no-annual-fee card.
How to choose the right Southwest credit card
That’s a lot to take in. So, let’s compare some of the key benefits of these cards to help you choose which Southwest credit card is right for you.
Southwest Companion Pass
All Southwest co-branded credit cards earn Companion Pass-eligible points, which includes both points earned through purchases and those earned through a credit card sign-up bonus. This makes Southwest credit cards an indispensable way to help you earn one of the most valuable perks in travel.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Rapid Rewards points, but these transferred points do not qualify as Companion Pass-eligible points. You’ll want to opt to earn points on a Southwest credit card instead of a Chase Sapphire card if earning Companion Pass points is your goal.
Anniversary bonus
All Southwest co-branded credit cards offer an anniversary bonus benefit. In each case, this anniversary bonus can offset a substantial amount of the card’s annual fee.
Both the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card offer a 6,000-point bonus each cardholder anniversary. With Southwest points valued at around 1.5 cents per point, that’s a perk worth $90 each year — that offsets almost all of the $99 annual fee on these cards.
The three other Southwest cards also offer anniversary bonuses that offset a substantial portion of the card’s annual fee:
Card | Anniversary bonus | Estimated value | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card | 3,000 points | $45 | $69 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | 6,000 points | $90 | $99 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card | 7,500 points | $112.50 | $149 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card | 6,000 points | $90 | $99 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card | 9,000 points | $135 | $199 |
A-list status
A-List is Southwest’s elite status program. If you fly Southwest enough to potentially earn A-List status, you should consider getting a Southwest credit card to help you toward qualifying.
The two levels of A-List status are:
- A-List: 25 one-way flights or 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQP)
- A-List Preferred: 50 one-way flights or 70,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQP)
Four Southwest credit cards offer cardholders a way to earn Tier Qualifying Points through spending. Cardholders earn 1,500 TQP for every $10,000 in purchases made on the following cards:
- 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
This earning method is capped at $100,000 in annual purchases. You can earn a total of 15,000 TQP through credit card spending — but that doesn’t even get you halfway to A-List status. So, you should only consider this way of earning Tier Qualifying Points if you plan to earn plenty of TQP through flying Southwest.
Upgraded boardings
Forgot to check-in for your Southwest flight 24 hours before departure? If you don’t want to get stuck with a B or C boarding position, you can pay to be one of the first passengers to board. Southwest charges $30, $40 or $50 per flight for Upgraded Boarding, depending on the itinerary.
If this is a fee that you’d consider paying, there are two Southwest credit cards that you’ll want to consider. Both the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card reimburse up to four Upgraded Boarding purchases each anniversary year. That’s up to $200 in savings from just this one card benefit.
Travel insurance
All of Southwest credit cards offer solid travel protections through Visa. These include:
-
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
- Personal cards: Secondary in the U.S., primary in international destinations
- Business cards: Primary for business-related purposes
- Roadside dispatch
- Lost luggage replacement
- Baggage delay insurance
- Travel accident insurance
However, you’ll find even better travel protections on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. In addition to these benefits, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card provides Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance and Trip Delay Reimbursement, not to mention a primary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
No foreign transaction fees
If you’re making purchases overseas, foreign transaction fees can really add to the total cost of your trip. Thankfully, there are plenty of cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees, including almost all of the Southwest co-branded credit cards.
Only the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card charges a 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars foreign transaction fee, so you’ll want to avoid this option if you plan to use your Southwest points-earning card for overseas purchases.
Other card benefits
If you frequently purchase Wi-Fi on Southwest flights, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is the clear winner. The card offers up to 365 $8 statement credits each year to reimburse Southwest in-flight Wi-Fi purchases.
Dozens of cards reimburse Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees. However, the only Southwest-focused card that offers this benefit is the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card. Cardholders will be reimbursed up to $100 every four years when charging a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee to the card.
One benefit that’s standard on most airline credit cards is free checked bags. However, that’s not necessary on Southwest cards, as all Southwest passengers can check up to two standard-sized and standard-weight bags for free.
How to compare credit cards for Southwest
Two great credit cards that earn Southwest points (either directly or indirectly) charge an annual fee of under $100 per year. Let’s pit the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card against the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to see which comes out ahead after one year with the card.
In this example, we assume $2,000 of Southwest flight purchases, $2,000 spent on dining and $14,000 other purchases. We’ll also apply the same 1.5-cent valuation to earnings on both cards.
Thanks to its exceptionally large sign-up bonus, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card comes out head for the moment in our example (though you'll need to spend a steep $10,000 to earn the full bonus). However for long-term earnings, point flexibility and card benefits, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the winner.
First-year value comparison
| Earning rate | Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partner purchases. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. | 2X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases worldwide |
| Points/miles earned ($2,000 Southwest flights, $2,000 dining, $14,000 other purchases) | 20,000 | 22,000 |
| Sign-up bonus | Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn 3X points on dining purchases for the first year.
6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. | Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn a $50 statement credit towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening. |
| Total points earned in first year | 100,000 | 102,000 |
| Redemption options | Southwest airfare | Chase Ultimate Rewards travel for 25% more value, cash back for 1 cent per point, transfer to 13 travel partners, including Southwest |
| Target redemption option | Southwest airfare (worth 1.5 cents/point) | Southwest airfare (worth 1.5 cents/point) |
| Value of rewards | $1,500 | $1,632 |
| Annual fee | $99 | $95 |
| First year value | $1,401 | $1,537 |
| Other benefits |
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How much are Southwest points worth?
Southwest Rapid Rewards points are worth around 1.5 cents per point when redeemed for Southwest reward flights. However, the redemption rate varies due to taxes and fees. Most flight redemptions provide between 1.4 and 1.6 cents per point in value. In ValuePenguin testing, we found that the average Southwest redemption was 1.5 cents.
The number of Rapid Rewards points required for a flight varies depending on the base fare of the flight and the type of fare, but it typically hovers around 78 points per dollar of base fare.
For example, let’s take a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Las Vegas (LAS) on May 26, 2021 that costs $38.99 After subtracting $16.12 in taxes and fees, the base fare is $22.87:
To book this flight with points, you’ll need to pay 1,784 Rapid Rewards points (78 points per $1 of base fare) plus $5.60 of taxes/fees.
After factoring in the taxes/fees on the reward flight, booking a reward flight saves you $39.38 of out-of-pocket cost. That’s a savings of 1.48 cents per point.
How many Southwest points for a flight?
The number of Southwest Rapid Rewards required for a reward flight varies greatly and is a factor of the base fare of that flight. However, to give you an idea of how many Rapid Rewards points you may need for a flight, here are some example award prices (flights are booked for May 26, 2021, like the example above):
Destination | Business Select | Anytime | Wanna Get Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (LAX) to Las Vegas (LAS) | 21,051 points | 19,647 points | 2,652 points |
| Chicago (MDW) to New York LaGuardia (LGA) | 40,161 points | 38,289 points | 5,304 points |
| Atlanta (ATL) to Orlando (MCO) | 24,795 points | 23,391 points | 3,744 points |
| Washington, D.C. (IAD) to San Francisco (SFO) | 45,101 points | 42,489 points | 9,708 points |
| Boston (BOS) to Miami (MIA) | 42,344 points | 39,805 points | 2,524 points |
| Phoenix (PHX) to Seattle (SEA) | 38,933 points | 36,540 points | 2,510 points |
| St. Louis (STL) to San Diego (SAN) | 41,328 points | 39,006 points | 9,330 points |
| Minneapolis (MSP) to Dallas (DAL) | 42,417 points | 40,530 points | 6,935 points |
How to use your Southwest credit card
Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your Southwest credit cards:
- Save your Southwest credit card to your Southwest account: Southwest lets flyers save credit card information in their Rapid Rewards account for ease in purchasing flights.
- Add your Southwest credit card to a mobile wallet: Chase credit cards can be added to mobile wallets such as Google Pay, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay. This is a great way to still use your Southwest credit card even if you happen to forget your purse or wallet.
- Utilize your credit card benefits: This may seem obvious, but it’s important to keep in mind that credit card perks are only valuable when used. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card may offer up to $2,920 in reimbursements for in-flight Wi-Fi purchases, but if you rarely use this perk, it’s not worth much to you.
Have questions about Southwest Airlines’ credit cards? We've got answers. Here are answers to some commonly-asked questions.
Which Southwest credit card is best?
The best Southwest credit card is going to depend on your situation. However, for most consumers looking to add a co-branded Southwest card to their wallet, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card will likely provide the best perks for the annual fee paid. If you’re looking for the best Southwest-earning credit card with the lowest annual fee, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is the right fit for you. For the lowest costing card after factoring in the anniversary bonus, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is going to be the best option.
Can you have two Southwest credit cards?
You can only have one personal Southwest card at once. Chase won’t approve you for a new personal Southwest credit card if you are a current cardholder of a personal Southwest card, or a previous cardholder who’s received a new bonus in the last 24 months.
Can you have two Southwest business credit cards?
Southwest business cards have different policies. Although you may not be eligible to get a sign-up bonus, Chase won’t restrict you from getting a Southwest business card if you’re a current Southwest business cardholder. So, it’s possible to have multiple Southwest business cards plus up to one personal Southwest card.
Can you use a Southwest credit card anywhere?
Southwest business cards have different policies. Although you may not be eligible to get a sign-up bonus, Chase won’t restrict you from getting a Southwest business card if you’re a current Southwest business cardholder. So, it’s possible to have multiple Southwest business cards plus up to one personal Southwest card.
Can you use a Southwest credit card anywhere?
You can use your Southwest credit card anywhere Visa is accepted. However, note that the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card charges foreign transaction fees — so while you could use the Plus Card when traveling internationally, you’ll incur foreign transaction fees when doing so.
Does my Southwest credit card have car rental insurance?
All Southwest credit cards that are currently available to new cardholders offer car rental insurance in the form of an auto rental collision damage waiver benefit. To use this benefit, decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire car rental to your card.
How long does it take to be approved for a Southwest credit card?
As with other Chase credit cards, you could potentially be approved for a Southwest credit card as quickly as within a minute of submitting your application. However, in some cases, Chase may need more time to evaluate and approve your application. You could also be required to provide additional information to get approved.
When is the best time to apply for a Southwest credit card?
The best time to apply for a Southwest credit card is when Chase and Southwest are offering an elevated sign-up bonus. These limited-time offers may pop up any time of the year. Another great time to consider applying is in the last three months of the year, as earning the sign-up bonus on a Southwest credit card (or two) can give you a huge boost toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass.
When is the best time to earn the Southwest Companion Pass
If you’re hoping to use this method to shortcut your way to earning a Southwest Companion Pass, you’ll want to apply for one or more Southwest cards in October, November or December. Then, wait until after your December statement closes to reach the minimum spending requirements for the bonus. That way, the bonus points will post to your Rapid Rewards account in January of the next calendar year, which will give you a boost toward earning the Companion Pass in that year. For more about this strategy, see our post on Southwest Companion Pass tricks.
How many points do you earn on a Southwest credit card?
Most Southwest credit cards earn 2 points per dollar on purchases from Southwest and Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar. The exception to this is the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, which earns 3 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. 2 points per $1 spent on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable, and phone services. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Is a Southwest credit card worth it?
A Southwest credit card may be worth it if any of the following statements are true: You want to earn Southwest points when using your card. You want to earn Tier Qualifying Points towards A-List status through credit card spending (this is available on all Southwest cards except the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card). You can get value from the card’s perks — such as Upgraded Boardings, annual travel credits or reimbursed Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees. You want to earn points that qualify toward the Southwest Companion pass.
The information related to Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
JT is a freelance writer who has written about credit cards and points & miles since 2015. He published over 2,000 articles on The Points Guy and can now be found writing for ValuePenguin, NerdWallet, Forbes Advisor, and AwardWallet. Since June 2017, JT and his wife have traveled full-time as digital nomads - using points, miles, and credit card benefits to drastically reduce the cost of living on the road.
These 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.
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How We Calculate Rewards: ValuePenguin calculates the value of rewards by estimating the dollar value of any points, miles or bonuses earned using the card less any associated annual fees. These estimates here are ValuePenguin's alone, not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.
Example of how we calculate the rewards rates: When redeemed for travel through Ultimate Rewards, Chase Sapphire Preferred points are worth $0.0125 each. The card awards 2 points on travel and dining and 1 point on everything else. Therefore, we say the card has a 2.5% rewards rate on dining and travel (2 x $0.0125) and a 1.25% rewards rate on everything else (1 x $0.0125).