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Southwest Credit Cards Compared: A Look at the Benefits & Differences

The best Southwest credit card may not be the card with the highest annual fee. It depends on your priorities and which benefits you’ll use.

Updated Nov. 12, 2024
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If you frequently travel using Southwest, having a travel credit card that rewards you with Southwest perks you can use makes sense. Because Southwest doesn’t operate like most other airlines, its credit cards offer different perks than most.

For example, you may get access to exclusive perks, like the legendary Southwest Companion Pass, rather than a free checked bag because Southwest passengers automatically get two free checked bags. While Southwest doesn’t fly everywhere, I think it’s worth comparing the flight/baggage costs with other flights when they do go to your destination.

You have five options to choose from with Southwest credit cards (issued by Chase) — three consumer cards for personal use and two business credit cards for business expenses — with annual fees ranging from $69 to $199.

How we evaluate products

Best Southwest credit cards: A side-by-side comparison

Personal cards

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

Welcome bonus Earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening Earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening
Bonus points for cardmember anniversary 3,000 6,000 7,500
Tier qualifying points N/A 1,500 for every $5,000 you spend 1,500 for every $5,000 you spend
Rewards rate 2X points on Southwest purchases and Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; plus 1X points on all other purchases 3X points on Southwest purchases; 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; local transit and commuting, including rideshare; and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; plus 1X points on all other purchases 3X points on Southwest purchases; 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; local transit and commuting, including rideshare; and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; plus 1X points on all other purchases
Annual fee $69 $99 $149
Foreign transaction fees 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars None None
Recommended Credit Excellent, Good Excellent, Good Excellent, Good
Travel protection benefits Yes Yes Yes
Purchase protection Yes Yes Yes
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Business cards

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Welcome bonus Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Bonus points for cardmember anniversary 6,000 9,000
Tier qualifying points 1,500 for every $5,000 you spend 1,500 for every $5,000 you spend
Rewards rate 3X points on Southwest purchases, 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; plus 1X points on all other purchases 4X points on Southwest purchases; 3X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; 2X on rideshare, social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services; plus 1X points on all other purchases
Annual fee $99 $199
Foreign transaction fees None None
Recommended Credit Excellent, Good Excellent, Good
Travel protection benefits Yes Yes
Purchase protection Yes Yes
Learn more Learn more

Which Southwest credit card should you choose?

With so many options for Southwest airline credit cards, it’s important to know which is right for you. I suggest determining which features you care about the most to choose the right card. For example, is a lower annual fee more important than cashback on in-flight purchases or upgraded boardings?

Deciding what’s most important for you will help you narrow your choices.

Best for frequent flyers: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

If you regularly fly on Southwest, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority is likely the best travel credit card choice to consider. Offering the most perks out of all the Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards, some of the standout benefits that come with the Priority include:

  • $75 Southwest travel credit
  • Four Upgraded Boardings each year when available (worth at least $30 each)
  • 25% back on in-flight purchases
  • 7,500 bonus Southwest points on cardmember account anniversary
  • Boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points annually

With these perks and the opportunity to earn 3X points on Southwest purchases, the Priority sets itself apart. Between the annual Southwest travel credit and the four Upgraded Boardings each year, there’s a good chance you can offset the $149 annual fee and any other points you earn is a bonus.

Best middle-of-the-road option: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

If you’re not happy about the annual fee on Southwest’s Priority card, but you want to earn similar rewards, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier is your best bet.

The Premier card offers 3X points on Southwest purchases; 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; local transit and commuting, including rideshare; and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; plus 1X points on all other purchases. This card has a lower annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and provides valuable perks including:

  • Two Early Bird Check-Ins annually
  • 6,000 anniversary points each year
  • Boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points annually

Best for perks with low annual fee: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

If you’re looking for a basic credit card that can help you earn free flights on Southwest without a high annual fee, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus can be a good option.

Despite the $69 annual fee being lower, you’ll still earn 2X points on Southwest purchases and Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; plus 1X points on all other purchases. You'll also receive:

  • 3,000 points on your cardmember anniversary
  • Two Early Bird Check-Ins per year
  • 25% back on in-flight purchases

I like this card for anyone just starting out with a travel rewards card because its annual fee is low enough that one free flight can easily offset the cost.

Best for small business: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

If you travel frequently for business, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business is a strong Southwest credit card choice to consider.

With this card, you will earn 4X points on Southwest purchases; 3X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; 2X on rideshare, social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services; plus 1X points on all other purchases, as well as 9,000 points on your cardmember anniversary. This is on top of the handful of other valuable travel perks, including:

  • Four upgraded boardings per year (when available)
  • In-flight wifi credits
  • Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit
  • Access to additional employee cards at no cost

The higher points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases can quickly help offset the annual fee if you travel frequently.

Best for earning a Companion Pass

One of the easiest ways to get a Companion Pass is to apply for a Southwest credit card with a generous welcome offer. All five cards pay healthy bonus points if you meet the spending requirements, and get you well on your way to the required 135,000 points to qualify. For example, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card offers the chance to earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.

But here’s a hack to earn a Companion Pass:

  • Apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business credit card
  • Apply for a personal Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card

While you’ll owe two annual fees, if you fly Southwest frequently and own a business, you can earn points for your business and personal spending and earn the Companion Pass faster.

How the Southwest credit cards differ from each other

Despite having many similarities, each Southwest credit card brings something different to the table. Here are some of the differences to note:

Annual fee

Each Southwest credit card charges an annual fee, but before you turn your back on any of these Chase credit cards, consider the value you can squeeze out of the benefits and rewards. If you travel enough on Southwest, paying an annual fee — even a higher one — might be worth it. Here’s how they compare:

Card Annual fee
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card $69
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card $99
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card $99
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card $149
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card $199

Cardmember anniversary points

Each Southwest credit card pays points on your cardmember anniversary — but not every card offers the same amount. Here’s how they compare:

Card Points received on cardmember anniversary
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card 9,000
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card 7,500
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card 6,000
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card 6,000
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card 3,000

Priority boarding

Each of the Southwest credit cards offer some type of priority boarding benefit. I’d consider what you’d use most and choose the credit card with that option:

Card Priority boarding benefit per year
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card 2 Early-Bird check-ins
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card 2 Early-Bird check-ins
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card 4 upgraded boardings (when available)
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card 2 Early-Bird check-ins
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card 4 upgraded boardings (when available)

Foreign transaction fees

The only card in this group that charges foreign transaction fees is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. All of the other Southwest credit cards have no foreign transaction fee, so you can feel comfortable using them abroad without worrying about accruing extra fees each time you swipe.

Still not convinced? Southwest credit card alternatives

If you’re still on the fence about pledging your loyalty to Southwest or you want a credit card with a broader travel focus, here are two other options to consider:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

With a comparable $95 annual fee and broader rewards-earning categories, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card might be what you’re looking for in a travel rewards card. What’s more, cardholders can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book Southwest flights through the Chase travel portal.

Plus the healthy welcome offer allows you to earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, you can earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

Find out more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is another card with a comparable $95 annual fee. You can also earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25, making it a decent card for everyday spending. When you’re ready to use your rewards, the Venture Rewards card offers a lot of flexibility in choosing your preferred airline.

This card’s low annual fee, and lack of foreign transaction fees or blackout dates make it a great option for anyone looking for a more flexible travel credit card that doesn’t tie you into a single airline. Miles also never expire, so you can take your time and save up points for that dream vacation.

Learn more in our Capital One Venture Rewards review.

FAQs

What credit score is needed for a Southwest credit card?

The recommended credit score for all of Southwest’s credit cards is good or excellent, which means a FICO score of 670 or higher. Keep in mind that your credit score is only one factor that card issuers consider, and having a certain score doesn’t guarantee approval.

What credit card company does Southwest use?

The Southwest credit card brand is part of the Chase credit card family. Unfortunately, Chase has some of the strictest qualifying requirements.

Is it worth it to upgrade to a Southwest Priority Card?

The $75 annual travel credit alone could make it worthwhile to upgrade to the Southwest Priority Card. You also earn 7,500 anniversary bonus points each year, four upgraded boardings, and a 10,000-point Companion Pass qualifying boost each calendar year. Whether it’s worth it depends on if you’d use such robust benefits. If you don’t travel often, it may not be worth it.

Bottom line

I think tucking a Southwest credit card into your wallet can be a good choice if you frequently travel Southwest. While it may take some time to figure out which one suits you best, the right card ultimately comes down to how much you travel, the perks you expect in a credit card, and how the card fits into your overall lifestyle.

Generous Welcome Bonus

4.5
info

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Current Offer

Earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$69

Rewards Rate

2X points on Southwest purchases and Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; plus 1X points on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details