Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Review
Is the Southwest Priority card worth it?
If you’re already locked in with Southwest and fly frequently, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card can definitely be worth it. However, if you currently fly with other airlines regularly, you’ll need to become a Southwest convert to make this card worth it.
Ultimately, whether this airline credit card is a good choice comes down to how often you fly with Southwest, how frequently you travel and if you can utilize the benefits. The Rapid Rewards Priority card also has an annual fee of $149. That means you’ll need to earn more than $150 in points to actually see the value.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Highlights
Here’s a rundown of Rapid Rewards Priority’s key points:
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Annual fee: $149 per year.
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Reward rate: 3X per dollar spent on Southwest purchases, 2X per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases, 2X per dollar on transit and commuting (includes ride-share), 2X per dollar on tech (internet, phone, cable and select streaming services) and 1X back on all other purchases.
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Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months.
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Key perks: Other perks include $75 annual Southwest credit, 25% back on in-flight Southwest purchases, the ability to earn a free Companion Pass, a 7,500-point anniversary bonus and availability-based credit for up to four upgraded boardings per year.
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Drawbacks: The annual fee of $149 and perks that only matter if you fly with Southwest frequently.
Who is the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card best for?
The Southwest Priority card is for Southwest loyalists with frequent-to-heavy travel habits, as they can benefit the most from the 3X points on Southwest purchases, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and generous cash back on in-flight purchases.
Frequent spenders can also get on the fast track to A-List status in the Rapid Rewards loyalty program by earning 1,500 tier-qualifying points (TQPs) for every $5,000 spent per year.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Rewards
Earning rewards
Earning rewards with this Chase credit card is pretty straightforward:
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3X points on Southwest purchases: Get 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, including flights, inflight purchases, gift cards and vacation packages.
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2X points on Rapid Reward hotel and car rentals: Perfect for trips away, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals.
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2X points on local transit and commuting: This includes rideshare, trains, buses, taxis, tolls and parking - ideal for local commuters.
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2X points on internet, cable and phone services: You’ll get double points on your digital services and select streaming services.
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1X points on all other purchases: You’ll earn points at a 1:1 ratio for everything else not listed above.
Redeeming rewards
With this rewards credit card, there are several ways to redeem your points:
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Southwest flights: Use your points to redeem Southwest flights at a typical value of 1.3 cents per point. There are also no blackout dates, which means you can use your points whenever you want.
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Non-Southwest international flights: Although you can redeem your points with non-Southwest flights, the value of points drops significantly compared to redeeming for Southwest flights.
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Statement credits: Points can turn into statement credits by selecting qualifying transactions posted to your account within the last 90 days.
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Hotel stays and car rentals: Use your Rapid Rewards points and the Southwest travel portal to book your hotels and car rentals.
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Other purchases: You can also redeem your points for gift cards, merchandise and Rapid Rewards Access Events. However, the value of your points using these redemption options isn’t worth the most here.
Welcome offer
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card sign-on bonus offers 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months.
Among welcome offers, this is a very “doable” one. While not a jaw-dropping bonus amount, you’ll probably find the relief of not having to stretch spending to meet a goal satisfying.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Benefits
Travel benefits
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Annual travel credit: Get a $75 annual Southwest travel credit to be applied however you like (excludes boarding upgrades and in-flight purchases).
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Discount on in-flight purchases: Cardholders get 25% off drinks, food, internet and other in-flight purchases on Southwest flights.
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Upgraded boarding passes: Cardholders get annual credits for up to four upgraded boardings.
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Travel accident insurance: Depending on if you’re approved for the Visa Signature or Visa Platinum, you could receive accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $500,000.
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Lost luggage reimbursement: Have peace of mind if your luggage or the luggage of an immediate family member is damaged or lost by the carrier, as you’re covered up to $3,000.
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Baggage delay insurance: If your baggage is delayed by over six hours, you’ll be reimbursed for any essential purchases made up to $100 a day for three days.
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Travel and emergency assistance: A benefit only included if you’re approved for the Visa Signature - if you have an issue away from home, you can call the Benefit Administrator for legal and medical assistance. You will need to pay the cost of any goods or services obtained, however.
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Auto rental collision damage waiver: Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the cost to your card to be covered.
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Roadside dispatch: 24/7 roadside assistance to help with anything from flat tyres to vehicle lockouts. You will have to pay a fee for this service.
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Extended warranty protection: Get an extra year of warranty on eligible warranties of three years or less.
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Purchase protection: Use your card to buy an eligible item and get coverage for 120 days against damage or theft of the item up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
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Anniversary bonus: Cardholders get 7,500 points every account anniversary.
Other perks
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Southwest A-List status 2X faster: Earn 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent in purchases each year with no annual limits.
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Companion status boost: Get 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points every year that can be applied toward free travel for a guest.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: The fine print
Fees
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Annual fee: $149 per year
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Foreign transaction fee: None
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Late payment fee: Up to $40
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Cash advance fee: $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
Interest rates
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Regular APR: 21.49% - 28.49% variable APR
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Cash advance APR: 29.99% variable APR
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Intro APR offer: None
Credit limit
The Rapid Rewards Priority card has a starting credit limit of $2,000. However, that can increase based on a cardholder’s creditworthiness. Having a lower ceiling on this card can make it difficult to accrue the points necessary for the big selling point, which is Companion Pass eligibility. You’ll need 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year to qualify for the Companion Pass.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Drawbacks
Higher annual fee
The Rapid Rewards Priority card has a higher annual fee than peers offering similar points. While $149 doesn’t put this card in the same space as premium credit cards with $300+ annual fees, you must earn $149 in perks before this card becomes worthwhile.
Lacks direct dining perks
While some travel cards have special categories for dining or groceries, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority doesn’t. However, cardholders can link this card with a Rapid Rewards Dining membership for free to earn 3 points per dollar if they opt-in for email communication.
No lounge access
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority is not a card with airport lounge access. This is disappointing for a card molded specifically for Southwest “super travelers.” As the most premium Southwest card, Priority would have been the only hope for lounge access. While there are some rumors that Priority Pass perks are coming in the future, nothing has been confirmed.
No special travel perks
For a card that caters to frequent Southwest passengers, Rapid Rewards Priority holds back on convenience-adding perks for travelers. There are no statement credits or discounts for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
The lack of airline transfer partners is also disappointing. While you can transfer points to hotel loyalty programs, the list is limited to Choice Hotels, Best Western, World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy and MGM Rewards.
How Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card compares
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card vs. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is the lowest-tier card in the Rapid Rewards roster. For a $69 annual fee, you’re keeping all of the rewards earned with the Southwest Priority apart from the 3X rewards on Southwest purchases, which are downgraded to 2X.
Early boarding passes, 25% off in-flight purchases and 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points annually are also included with the Rapid Rewards Plus. However, the Rapid Rewards bonus anniversary points drop from 7,500 to 3,000 with this card.
Another major downfall is that the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus also tacks on a 3% foreign transaction fee, compared to the Rapid Rewards Priority, which has no foreign transaction fees.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The annual fee for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is only $95, which is low considering the perks it offers and cheaper than the Rapid Rewards Priority.
You get 2X miles per dollar on most purchases and don’t have to worry about spending categories. You also get double the points for everyday purchases compared to Rapid Rewards Priority. However, that boost does come at the expense of bringing 5X points on airfare down to just 2X.
Another area where the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card falls short is the absence of anniversary reward points. You need to upgrade to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to get 10,000 bonus miles every anniversary.
However, the Venture Rewards card still pulls its weight as a travel card by offering 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. There’s also up to a $100 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit every four years.
Should you get the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card?
You should get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card if you already like flying with Southwest and do some moderate-to-heavy leisure travel. You must also be willing to live without “flashy” imagery.
Unlike some travel cards, this one doesn’t offer lounge access, free dining perks or fancy seat upgrades. However, the practical perks of cash back on commuting purchases and fast track to A-List status make it a “quietly” premium credit card for patient and practical travelers.
If you’re trying to come to this card as a convert from something like a Delta SkyMiles card, the lack of lounge access and elite travel perks will leave you disappointed.
However, suppose you’re looking for your first airline-branded travel credit card. In that case, Rapid Rewards Priority can be a refreshing option that starts to make the travel you’re already doing pay you back.
