The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is our top pick — it offers a generous anniversary bonus, annual Companion pass and annual travel statement credit.
Southwest Airlines is one of the most prolific airlines when it comes to credit cards, with three personal and two business Southwest credit cards. And while there are some overlapping benefits, each Southwest card comes with its own set of perks.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.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 cardmember anniversary, a $75 Southwest annual travel credit and four upgraded boardings.
First year value: $1,152*
Second year value: $452
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card offers the lowest annual fee of Southwest’s three personal credit cards. Understandably, that means there are fewer perks on this card than 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.
First year value: $969*
Second year value: $269
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.If the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card’s annual fee is too high and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card’s perks too limited, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card may be just right. Cardholders get a 6,000-point bonus each cardmember anniversary — plus, spending on the card helps boost you toward A-List elite status.
First year value: $927*
Second year value: $311
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.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.
First year value: $1,817*
Second year value: $263
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.If you can’t justify the $199 annual fee of the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, the the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card may be a better fit. It does have a lower earning rate and lacks some airline perks like in-flight Wi-Fi credits. However, it still offers decent point earnings, including 3X points on Southwest purchases and 6,000 points each year on your card anniversary.
First year value: $1,882*
Second year value: $286
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great option if you’re looking for a general travel credit card that can be used on both Southwest and other travel purchases. This card has extremely flexible points that are worth 25% more when redeemed through the Chase Travel portal. You’ll also get travel benefits like a yearly hotel credit, travel insurance and purchase protections.
First year value: $2,032*
Second year value: $832
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a hefty annual fee — but it also packs a ton of useful luxury perks, like a $300 annual travel credit and Priority Pass lounge access. In addition, the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel benefits are some of the best available from a credit card.
First year value: $2,346*
Second year value: $1,146
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a great option for small business owners that frequently fly Southwest. Cardholders can receive travel and purchase protections, while earning rewards on common business purchases. Earning and redeeming flexible Ultimate Rewards points can help you offset the card’s $95 annual fee.
First-year value: $2,793*
Second-year value: $393
Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Annual Fee | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | |
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
on Chase's secure site |
Best Southwest credit card overall
|
$149 | Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | Receive 7,500 anniversary points, 4 upgraded boardings per year when available, and a $75 Southwest® travel credit each year. Enjoy benefits including 3X points on Southwest purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more. |
on Chase's secure site |
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
on Chase's secure site |
Low annual fee
|
$69 | Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | Receive 3,000 anniversary points each year. Enjoy benefits including 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, 2 Early Bird Check-In® each year, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more. |
on Chase's secure site |
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card*
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
Mid-range annual fee
|
$99 | Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | Receive 6,000 anniversary points each year. Enjoy benefits including 3X points on Southwest® purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more. |
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
on Chase's secure site |
Business
|
$199 | Earn up to 120,000 points. Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening and an additional 40,000 points when you spend $15,000 in 9 months. | Earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. |
on Chase's secure site |
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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
on Chase's secure site |
Business with low annual fee
|
$99 | Earn up to 120,000 points. Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening and an additional 60,000 points when you spend $15,000 in 9 months. | Earn 3 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. |
on Chase's secure site |
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
on Chase's secure site |
General travel
|
$95 | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
on Chase's secure site |
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Chase Sapphire Reserve®
on Chase's secure site |
Best luxury travel credit card for Southwest
|
$550 | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. |
on Chase's secure site |
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Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
on Chase's secure site |
Best business travel credit card for Southwest
|
$95 | Earn 120,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases-with no limit to the amount you can earn. |
on Chase's secure site |
The Southwest Rapid Rewards program is different from some other domestic airline frequent flier programs, since the cost of a given ticket in Rapid Rewards points is directly tied to its cash cost. As the cost of a cash ticket goes up, the number of Rapid Rewards points you’ll need to book that ticket also goes up, and vice versa.
While this can provide a floor to the value of a Rapid Rewards point, it also means that it’s hard to get an outsized value. In most cases, you’ll be able to redeem your Southwest Rapid Rewards points for between 1.3 and 1.7 cents per point.
Southwest Rapid Rewards points are worth around $0.014 per point when redeemed for Southwest reward flights.
The Southwest points value will vary due to taxes and fees — still, as stated above, most flight redemptions provide between $0.013 and $0.017 per point in value.
The number of Rapid Rewards points required for a flight varies depending on the base fare of the flight and the type of fare, though it’ll typically hover around 83 points per dollar of base fare.
Example: Let’s take a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Las Vegas (LAS) on Sept. 19, 2024 that costs $124.98. After subtracting $31.60 in taxes and fees, the base fare is $93.38.
To book this flight and pay with points, you’ll need to pay 7,751 Rapid Rewards points (83 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 $119.38 of out-of-pocket cost — that’s a value of 1.54 cents per point for this redemption. The differing amount of taxes and fees on different Southwest flights means that the exact cents per point value of a Rapid Rewards flights can vary, although the average redemption value is 1.4 cents per point.
To calculate the value of your Rapid Rewards points, use this simple equation:
Point value for fare = Cash price (minus taxes and fees) / Number of points needed for fare
One of the best perks of flying Southwest is the Southwest Companion Pass. This benefit allows you to designate a travel companion who can fly with you for free (paying only taxes and fees) on any Southwest flight. In 2024, you can earn the Companion Pass by flying 100 one-way qualifying flights or earning 135,000 qualifying points. Once you earn the Companion Pass, you’ll have it for the rest of that calendar year and the entire calendar year after that.
The points you earn from the Southwest credit cards (including the sign-up bonus) count as qualifying points for the Companion Pass. As such, signing up for a Southwest credit card can get you a good way toward the points you’ll need to earn the Southwest Companion Pass. Certain Southwest cards also give an annual Companion Pass points boost, making it easier to earn the Companion Pass.
One of the best reasons to sign up for a personal or business Southwest credit card is the large sign-up bonuses they frequently offer. However, it’s important to note that the bonuses on these cards frequently fluctuate. As such, since you generally can’t earn the bonus on a card more often than once every 24 months, you’ll want to monitor and time your application for when the bonuses are elevated.
What is Chase 5/24?
The 5/24 rule is an unwritten rule from Chase that says that if you have applied for five or more credit cards (from any issuer) in the past 24 months, you’re unlikely to be approved for a Chase credit card. So if you’re looking to apply for a Southwest credit card, you’ll want to pay attention to how many credit cards you’ve opened recently.
While Southwest credit cards often offer perks and benefits specific to Southwest airlines, general travel credit cards may be the best option for many travelers. As you can see from the comparison below, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card benefits and rewards might be a better choice for some travelers.
Feature | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
---|---|---|
Earning rate | Receive 6,000 anniversary points each year. Enjoy benefits including 3X points on Southwest® purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more. | Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Annual bonus | 6,000 | 10% of total purchases made the year before |
Points earned on $2,000 Southwest flights | 6,000 | 4,000 |
Points earned on $2,000 dining | 2,000 | 6,000 |
Points earned on $14,000 other purchases | 14,000 | 14,000 |
Total points earned | 28,000 | 24,000 |
Redemption options | Southwest airfare | Chase Travel portal for 25% more value, cash back for 1 cent per point, transfer to 14 travel partners (including Southwest) |
Annual fee | $99 | $95 |
Value of year one rewards & perks | $927 | $2,032 |
Value of year two rewards & perks | $311 | $832 |
Other benefits | Foreign transaction fee: $0, Auto rental collision damage waiver (secondary), lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, two EarlyBird Check-Ins® per year | $50 annual hotel credit, foreign transaction fee: $0, Auto rental collision damage waiver (primary), trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement |
If you’re looking to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points, you might be wondering which Southwest credit card you should choose. Since the sign-up bonuses on the three consumer cards are the same, picking the best consumer card mainly comes down to point earnings and a few key benefits. In many cases, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers the best value.
As you can see from the chart below, the increased annual benefits will offset the higher annual fee. However, depending on how much you value the EarlyBird Check-Ins, upgraded boarding and Southwest points, you may find that a different Southwest card is right for you. For example, if you prefer a card with a lower annual fee, the Southwest Plus card could be the right option.
Benefits and fees | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card |
---|---|---|---|
Benefits |
|
|
|
Value of benefits | $72 | $114 | $300 |
Annual fee | $69 | $99 | $149 |
Value minus annual fee | $3 | $15 | $151 |
One of the things you’ll want to look at is which airline card perks, including the annual bonus, you’re likely to use. If you assign a dollar amount to each benefit, you can easily compare the total value of the benefits you’ll receive against the annual fee. The chart above shows one sample benefit valuation, which you can adjust based on your own preferences. In our sample valuation, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card came out as the best consumer card option when comparing the perks to each card’s annual fee.
Another factor to consider is how many Rapid Rewards points you’ll earn from your everyday spending. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card have the highest earning rates on Southwest purchases, which make them a better choice for buying flights. You should also keep in mind that the two Southwest business cards have additional bonus categories. Look at the earning categories on the different cards and compare that to your own spending patterns to see which card will earn you the most points.
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: 20 one-way flights or 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQP)
A-List Preferred: 40 one-way flights or 70,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQP)
Four of the available Southwest credit cards offer cardholders a way to earn Tier Qualifying Points through spending. Cardholders earn 1,500 TQP for every $5,000 in purchases made on the following cards, with no cap on the amount of TQPs earned:
You’ll earn TQPs when flying based on the number of regular points you earn while flying. You can also earn 1,500 TQPs for every $5,000 spent on eligible purchases on eligible co-branded Chase Southwest credit cards.
If you’re making purchases overseas, foreign transaction fees can really add to the total cost of your trip. Thankfully, there are plenty of credit cards with no foreign transaction fees, including almost all of the Southwest co-branded credit cards.
Only the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card charges a foreign transaction fee, so you’ll want to avoid this option if you plan to use your Southwest points-earning card for overseas purchases.
You’ll want to consider what travel insurance benefits you may need. All Southwest credit cards offer solid travel protections through Visa. These include:
You’ll find even better travel protections on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®. In addition to these benefits, these two cards provide Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance and Trip Delay Reimbursement, not to mention a primary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
There are a number of different ways you can use your Southwest credit card:
We recommend you have at least a good credit score before applying for a Southwest credit card, which means a credit score of at least 660 before applying for a card.
You can only have one personal Southwest card at once. Chase won’t approve you for a new personal Southwest credit card if you’re a current cardholder of a personal Southwest card, or a previous cardholder who’s received a new bonus in the last 24 months. However, Chase will generally allow you to have both a Southwest business and personal card.
The easiest way to cancel a Southwest credit card is by calling the customer service number on the back of your credit card. The good news is that you won’t lose any points that have been transferred to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account if you cancel your Southwest credit card. Those points will still be in your Southwest account, even if your Southwest credit card is canceled. However, you should transfer points to your Rapid Rewards account before closing the card.
It can be very difficult for Southwest credit card holders to use their card before it arrives. Chase does have a program called Spend Instantly, where you can add a Chase credit card to a digital payment network (like Apple Pay or Google Pay). You can set that up in the Chase mobile app— just keep in mind that some customers have reported issues using the Spend Instantly feature.
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offer four Upgraded Boardings per year, allowing you to get the best A1-A15 boarding position available. Several of the other Southwest credit cards offer a few Early Bird Check-Ins per year, allowing you access to earlier boarding than you might otherwise receive.
You have a few different options when you’re trying to apply for a credit card. One option is to apply for a card using the links on this page. You can also apply directly on Chase’s website. No matter how you apply, make sure that you’re getting the best offer currently available before you apply.
You can use your Southwest credit card anywhere Visa is accepted. However, note that the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card charges 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars foreign transaction fees. So while you could use the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card when traveling internationally, you’ll incur foreign transaction fees when doing so. The other Southwest cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees.
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is the only Southwest credit card that pays for Global Entry. If you have the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, you’ll get a statement credit of up to $100 every four years as a reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS. This reimbursement isn’t offered on the other Southwest credit cards.
To make choosing the right card easier, we’ve looked at credit cards reviewed on LendingTree as well as cards on major issuer sites to compile a list of the best rewards credit cards available right now. Our recommendations are based on the additional value you can earn with the cards — including the rewards value, cost of ownership and value of benefits such as travel and purchase protections, lounge membership and airline companion passes. Our choices are not influenced by our advertisers. Learn more about how we calculate rewards.
Dan Miller is a freelance writer and has been covering credit cards, student loans and all things personal finance since 2014. His home base is in Cincinnati, but he tries to travel the world as much as possible with his wife and 6 kids.
Read MoreThe above offers and/or promotions may have since changed, expired, or is no longer available. Check the Issuers’ website for more details.