Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card Review: Travel Value with a Modest Fee

If you’re running a business and find yourself flying on Southwest Airlines routinely, the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card could be a good card for you. Its free checked bag benefit and the ability to pick your seat free of charge 48 hours before the flight can be worth the reasonable $149 annual fee. You’ll also get a large sign-up bonus, 6,000 bonus points each year after your Cardmember anniversary, 3X points on Southwest Airlines purchases, and other Southwest benefits like Group 5 boarding.

It may be your best bet between the two Southwest business cards, since it has many of the same benefits as the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Performance Business Credit Card for a lower annual fee.

However, it’s light on perks compared to similar airline cards. For an even lower annual fee and more flexibility, consider the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card. You can use this card to transfer valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to Southwest, among other airline and hotel partners.

Annual fee: $149

Regular purchase APR: 19.99% - 28.49% Variable

Foreign transaction fee: $0

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Rewards: 3X points

• Receive 6,000 anniversary points each year
• Earn 3X points on Southwest Airlines® purchases
• First checked bag free
• 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more

Other benefits:

• First checked bag free for you and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation
• Complimentary Preferred or Standard seat up to 48 hours before departure when available for flights in 2026
• Group 5 boarding for you and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation for flights in 2026
• 6,000 anniversary points each year after your cardmember anniversary
• 2,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent
• 15% flight discount each year on your cardmember anniversary (excludes basic fare)
• 25% back on in-flight purchases

Recommended credit: Excellent

• Large sign-up bonus

  Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. This is a fairly large sign-up bonus for an airline card and can help you get far on Southwest Airlines with an estimated value of $840* when redeemed for flights.

  For example, we found a round-trip Basic fare from New York to Dallas for just 21,000 points — so it’s possible to squeeze in multiple round trips for free with the sign-up bonus**.

  It can also help you earn the Southwest Companion Pass (more on that below).

  *According to LendingTree’s value methodology

  **Dates are subject to change.

• Bonus rewards on a variety of purchases

  The Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card lets cardholders receive 6,000 anniversary points each year. Enjoy benefits including 3X points on Southwest Airlines® purchases, First checked bag free, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more.

  The 3X rate covers Southwest Airlines flights, in-flight purchases, Southwest gift cards, Southwest Vacations® packages and Getaways by Southwest^TM packages. The Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card offers a slightly higher rate on this category, but the rate on other purchases is the same, making the cards almost equal on point earnings.

  Tip: If you want to pay a lower annual fee but enjoy the same earning rate on Southwest purchases, the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card could be a good choice for you. It has no Southwest-specific benefits but more travel partners (including Southwest) and a $95 annual fee.

• Points are valuable and easy to redeem

  Southwest Rapid Rewards points are more valuable than the average rewards point and Southwest makes them simple to redeem. There are no blackout dates, and you can redeem points for most Southwest flights with seats available. You’ll get a reliable value of around 1.4 cent per point for Basic fares. Also, Southwest has a flexible cancellation policy and will fully refund your points if you need to cancel.

  *According to LendingTree’s value methodology

  → Learn more about the Southwest Rapid Rewards Program

• First checked bag free

  You and up to eight additional passengers on your reservation can get your first checked bags free. Each bag costs $35 per trip — so if you take a round trip with just one other person, you’ll have saved $140. That’s nearly enough to cover the annual fee alone. With the card’s other benefits, you can easily recoup the annual fee and then some.

• Southwest perks

  The Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card comes with several airline-specific perks, including:

  • Complimentary standard or Preferred seat up to 48 hours before departure (for flights in 2026)
  • Group 5 boarding for cardmembers and up to eight passengers in the same reservation (for flights in 2026)
  • 15% flight discount each year on your cardmember anniversary (excludes basic fare)
  • 25% back on in-flight purchases

  Perks like Preferred seats and Group 5 boarding usually come with A-List —  the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card lets you enjoy some of those benefits right away.

• Anniversary bonus

  Receive 6,000 bonus points each year after your account anniversary. This bonus — which is worth around $84* by our estimates — can cover over half of your annual fee each year.

  *Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

• Helps earn the Southwest companion pass

  The Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card can help you earn the highly coveted Southwest Companion Pass. This allows a designated person to fly with you at no cost (except taxes and fees) each time you purchase or redeem points for a Southwest flight for the following full calendar year, plus the remainder of the year in which you earned it.

  To qualify for the Companion Pass, you must earn 135,000 points or take 100 one-way flights in a calendar year. All the points that you earn with the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card — including its sign-up bonus — count toward the pass. You can also combine the bonus on this card with the bonus from a personal Southwest card, like the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card, to more easily earn the pass.

• Elite status boost

  The card can help you spend your way to A-list status with Southwest Airlines with unlimited Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs). You’ll earn 2,000 tier-qualifying points for every $5,000 you spend on your card. A-list status gives you:

  • Priority boarding
  • Complimentary preferred or Standard seat at the time of booking when available, plus an Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours of departure when available at no extra charge
  • First checked bag free, second checked bag $35
  • 25% earning bonus
  • Same-day change with no change in base fare, depending on availability
  • Priority and express lanes at Southwest check-in counters and airport security checkpoints
  Tip: Most of the additional perks offered by the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Performance Business Credit Card are covered by A-list status. You can avoid paying the higher annual fee for that card by earning A-list status with your Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card.

• Annual fee

  The Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card comes with a $149 annual fee. While you can earn this back if you fly with Southwest enough and use perks like free checked bags, you can find cards with similar annual fees and more benefits.

  For example, the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold Business American Express Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates & fees). It offers several credits, including a $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 in a year with the card and an up to $150 Delta Stays credit, while the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card does not.

• Modest rewards on non-travel purchases

  The Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card only offers 1 point per $1 spent in other popular business spending categories, such as dining, office supplies and wireless services.

  → Discover more business travel credit cards 

• Limited redemption options

  If you prefer to fly many different airlines, or if you’re seeking to earn rewards for an international trip, this is not the card for you. You’re restricted to redeeming points on Southwest Airlines if you want to get a good return on them. And while Southwest has a great domestic flight network, its international routes are limited with only two airline partners: Icelandair and China Airlines.

  For more flexible options, you’re better off with a general travel card, like the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card, that lets you redeem points for travel on any airline.

• No intro APR

  If you want to finance business and travel expenses and pay them off over time, the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card may not be ideal, since it doesn’t offer a 0% intro APR on purchases.

  If you’re looking for a business card with a long intro APR, the Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card (see rates & fees) is a good choice. You can access a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, then a 17.49% - 25.49% Variable APR.

For a higher annual fee of $299, the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Performance Business Credit Card offers a higher rewards rate on Southwest flights, an anniversary bonus of 9,000 points and a Global Entry/NEXUS/TSA PreCheck® credit. However, it doesn’t have many other exclusive benefits beyond extra tier qualifying points (TQPs) and complimentary seat upgrades.

If those are important perks to you, the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Performance Business Credit Card could be a good fit. If not, you could get just about the same value from the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card for a lower annual fee.

	Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card	Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Annual fee	$149	$299
Rewards rate	3X points Receive 6,000 anniversary points each year. Enjoy benefits including 3X points on Southwest Airlines® purchases, First checked bag free, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more.	1X - 4X points Earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on gas station and restaurant purchases. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Sign-up bonus	60,000 points Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.	80,000 points Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Anniversary points	6,000	9,000
Upgrade to extra legroom seat	N/A	48 hours before departure
Complimentary seat assignment	Up to 48 hours before departure	At booking
Tier qualifying points	2,000 for every $5,000 spent	2,500 for every $5,000 spent
Other benefits	First checked bag free Group 5 boarding 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points every year 25% back on in-flight purchases 15% promo code on your anniversary	First checked bag free Group 5 boarding 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points every year 25% back on in-flight purchases Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or Nexus fee credit

Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business

If you aren’t loyal to Southwest Airlines and want more flexibility on redeeming your miles, you may want to look at the Capital One Spark Miles for Business. You can earn a solid sign-up bonus and a valuable flat rewards rate.

Miles can be redeemed for a variety of travel-related purchases, including flights and hotels. Or you can transfer miles to more than 15 travel partners, including Air France and Emirates Skywards.

While the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card offers a slightly larger sign-up bonus, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business allows you to earn more miles per dollar spent on general purchases. Additionally, because the Capital One Spark Miles for Business comes with an annual fee of $0 intro for first year; $95 after that, you can try out the card.

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Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card vs. Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card is a better choice for travelers who are looking for flexible rewards. Instead of being limited to redeeming points for Southwest flights, you can transfer your points to Chase’s many airline partners, including Southwest, at a higher value.

The Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card also comes with a valuable rewards rate on several types of business purchases. However, it doesn’t offer airline-specific benefits. If you solely fly with Southwest and want perks like the Southwest Companion pass, then the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card could be a better fit.

If you regularly travel for business on Southwest Airlines, the Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card could be a good option. You can earn a generous sign-up bonus and annual bonus — which can help get you that much closer to earning the Southwest Companion Pass.

But if you’d prefer more flexibility in where you can use your travel rewards, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business or Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card might be better cards for you. With both cards, you can transfer rewards to many other airlines for a better value.

We take a comprehensive, data-driven approach to identify the best travel credit cards. We use an objective rating and ranking system that evaluates over 200 credit cards from more than 50 issuers. All recommendations are made by LendingTree’s editorial team, completely independent of affiliate partnerships or compensation. Every card is selected based on its merit and ability to help people achieve their financial goals. We use the following criteria to make our picks:

• Average value over two years (80% of rating): We calculate the value of rewards and perks for the average cardholder using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and an annual spend of $20,000, minus the annual fee. This value includes the card’s sign-up bonus, annual bonus (including free night certificates) and travel perks like lounge access and travel credits. We look at the average rewards earned over two years to balance out a card’s ongoing value with its first-year value.
• Flexibility of rewards (15% of rating): We consider how easy the rewards are to use, looking at factors like expiration dates, minimum thresholds to redeem, blackout dates and the availability of flexible redemption options like travel statement credits and cash back.
• Other features (5% of rating): We also compare a card’s benefits, such as purchase protections, travel protections and elite status benefits against benefits from other cards.