More details on Southwest Rapid Rewards cards
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card is the lowest-fee Southwest card, making it perfect for the individual who prefers this airline but doesn’t fly enough to maximize the benefits of a higher-tier option. However, this one charges a foreign transaction fee.
Earning rewards: Earn 2x points on Southwest purchases, Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases, local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming and 1x points on all other purchases.
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Other perks: 3,000 anniversary bonus points each year, 2 Early Bird check-ins each year, 10,000-point boost each year in Companion Pass qualifying points, 25% in-flight discount, and various travel protections.
▶︎ Read more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus review
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is the best option for Southwest loyalists, with an annual travel credit, a chance to earn tier-qualifying points, and more.
Earning rewards: Earn 3x points on Southwest purchases, 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental purchases, 2x points on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), 2x points on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming, and 1x points on other purchases.
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Other perks: $75 annual Southwest travel credit, no foreign transaction fees, 7,500 anniversary bonus points each year, 25% in-flight discount, 10,000 points toward Companion pass each year, 4 upgraded boardings per year, and various travel protections.
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is full of benefits for the Southwest-loyal business traveler. It has the highest annual fee of any of the cards on this list but also has the most valuable perks.
Earning rewards: Earn 4x points for every dollar you spend with Southwest. Earn 3x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental purchases, 2x points on transit, rideshare expenses, internet, cable and phone services, and search engine and social media advertising purchases. Earn 1x points on other purchases.
Welcome bonus: 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.
Other perks: 9,000 point anniversary bonus, 4 upgraded boardings each year (when available), up to $100 credit for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or Nexus application fee, 10,000 point boost each year in Companion Pass qualifying points, 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $10,000 spent in purchases annually, up to 365 credits per year ($8 per credit) for in-flight Wifi service on Southwest, up to $500 a year statement credit toward transfer fees.
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card has fewer benefits than the Performance Business Card, but its annual fee is also significantly more manageable if you don’t fly a ton.
Earning rewards: Earn 3x points on Southwest purchases and 2x points on hotels and car rentals booked through the Rapid Rewards program and qualifying transit expenses. Earn 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Welcome bonus: 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.
Other perks: 6,000 anniversary points per year, two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, $500 in fee credits to help cover point transfers and a 25% inflight purchase discount. Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent.
Southwest credit card benefits
Anniversary points
Anniversary points are awarded each calendar year. You don’t have to do anything to qualify for these points other than keep your account open and in good standing. The points are added to your rewards balance sometime after your cardmember anniversary, which is the date you opened your account.
Annual travel credit
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card comes with a $75 annual travel credit. You can use the credit to cover travel costs with Southwest.
Earn points towards A-list status
Both business credit cards and the Premier and Priority personal credit cards help you earn points toward an A-list status with Southwest. A-list status lets you access benefits such as priority boarding.
The cards that offer this benefit provide 1,500 tier-qualifying bonus points after you spend $10,000 each year.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit
The Performance business credit card includes a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee. The other cards on this list don’t currently advertise this benefit.
Upgrade boarding positions
The Performance Business credit card and the Priority personal credit card include a perk that lets you upgrade boardings four times each year for free. Note that you can only do this when the option to upgrade is available, so it isn’t a perk that works for every flight.
EarlyBird Check-In credits
The cards on this list that don’t offer upgraded boarding perks offer EarlyBird Check-In credits. It’s a value of $15 to $25 per flight and helps ensure you’re one of the first to board the plane.
25% discount on in-flight drinks and Wi-Fi
The personal Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards and the Premier Business card offer a 25% discount on in-flight purchases, including drinks and Wi-Fi. You get this discount in the form of 25% back on your statement.
Path to Companion Pass
Companion Pass is a Southwest perk that lets qualifying individuals choose a companion to fly with them at no additional airfare — but you do have to pay taxes and fees on the companion flight. To access this perk, you need 135,000 points earned in the year or 100 qualifying one-way flights.
The cards on this list offer 10,000 boost points toward the 135,000 points you need before Companion Pass is enabled.
Southwest credit card rewards
Southwest welcome offer
The personal Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards on this list have the same welcome offer— 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
That offer changes somewhat frequently but is almost always the same on all personal cards.
▶︎ See our picks: Best credit card sign-up bonuses
Earning points
The best way to earn points with any card on this list is to use it to make purchases with Southwest.
Depending on which card you hold, you’ll earn 2 to 4 points per dollar on those purchases. Every card also provides other ways to earn 2 to 3 points per dollar, and for any purchases that don’t fall into a specific earnings category, you earn 1 point per dollar.
Redeem Rapid Rewards points
You can redeem Rapid Rewards points in a variety of ways. You’ll get the most value from points when you use them to book flights with Southwest Airlines.
You can also use points to:
- Book hotel stays
- Book car rentals
- Access curated events
- Get gift cards or merchandise
- Book flights with other carriers
Who should get a Southwest credit card?
Only consider getting a Southwest-branded credit card if you’re a loyal flyer of Southwest Airlines. These cards can easily help enhance your experience and let you rack up a significant amount of rewards when booking flights.
However, since Southwest already has certain perks like free bags available to everyone, these cards don’t have (or even need to have) that perk. Southwest also doesn’t have any airport lounges, so none of these cards come with lounge access. Overall, these aren’t as perk-heavy as many airline cards, so think about whether it’s worth it to add one to your lineup.
How to choose the best Southwest Airlines credit card
Consider your budget, rewards preferences, credit score and other factors when selecting the right Southwest Airlines card for you.
Some factors to consider include:
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Annual fee. All cards in the Southwest suite charge an annual fee, but if you want to minimize your cost, the Plus card may be the best choice. However, always look at the value of the benefits you can definitely use with each card to see if they outweigh the annual fee.
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Travel needs. Individuals who travel frequently and can maximize rewards value may want to opt for the Priority card.
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Foreign transaction fee. If you like to travel overseas, it’s important to note that the Plus card has a foreign transaction fee, so it wouldn’t be the best card for international travel.
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Spending habits. Look for a card that aligns rewards with your spending habits. For instance, a business that spends a lot on digital marketing might consider the Performance Business card, as it lets you earn 2x points on search engine and social media marketing expenses.
Apply for a Southwest Airlines credit card
You can apply for any of these airline credit cards online.
You’ll need:
- Your full name
- Your Social Security or Tax ID number
- A physical address
- Some information about your personal or business finances
The cards on this list require at least good credit. Most applicants will know if they’re approved within minutes, but some applicants may go through a longer verification process that can take a few days or weeks.
You can learn more about each of the Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards through the links below and choose to apply if you think one would be a good fit.
Alternatives to Southwest credit cards
If you’re not a frequent flyer or Southwest loyalist — or it doesn’t make sense to fly Southwest given your business or home location — the Rapid Rewards credit cards aren’t a great choice for you. If it makes more sense for you to fly with Delta or United, check out our reviews of Delta Air Lines credit cards and United Airlines credit cards.
As an alternative, you could consider these other rewards credit cards:
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Earn 5x points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 1 to 3 points per dollar spent on various other expenses. This card also comes with a welcome offer and $200 in partner benefits each calendar year. Learn more with our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.
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Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Earn 1 to 10x points with this card, and enjoy $1,200 in value from partners. You’ll also get a $300 annual travel credit and numerous other perks. The annual fee is $550, so this card is best for those who can maximize points and perks. Learn more with our Chase Sapphire Reserve review.
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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Earn 2 to 10 points per dollar spent with this card and enjoy benefits such as up to a $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles. This card’s annual fee is $395. Learn more about with our Venture X review.
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The Platinum Card® from American Express. Earn 1 to 5x points with this card, which comes with a bevy of benefits, including a $155 Walmart+ credit, up to $200 hotel credit (credits are given as statement credits; 2 night minimum stay required), up to $240 digital entertainment credit (given as statement credits) and up to $300 Equinox credit (given as statement credits). The annual fee is $695 (see rates and fees), but you can easily earn it back with credits and points value. Learn more about this card with our Amex Platinum review.
Note: The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by LA Times Compare. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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