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Getting a new Southwest Airlines credit card bonus is the fastest way to earn miles with Southwest Airlines. Here are all of the current Southwest Airlines credit card offers.
The best Southwest credit card promotions
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
The lowest-cost Southwest credit card, but the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers better value for the frequent Southwest flyer.
Annual fee: $69
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Learn how to apply.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is likely a better choice if you don’t fly Southwest often and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is a better choice if you do.
Annual fee: $99
All information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
The best credit card for Southwest travelers who fly with the airline a few times a year, thanks to its 7,500 annual points bonus and $75 annual Southwest travel credit.
Annual fee: $149
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
An entry-level card for small business owners, but the personal cards and the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card likely offer more value.
Annual fee: $99
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
The best card for small business owners who want maximum points on Southwest purchases and free wifi on Southwest Airlines flights.
Annual fee: $199
Why we like Southwest Rapid Rewards and how to use them
We like Southwest Rapid Rewards points because of their consistent value and how easy they are to use. Here are the biggest advantages of Rapid Rewards:
- You’ll get consistent value. On average, you’ll get about 1.3-1.4 cents per point of value from each of your points. (10,000 points can get you a flight with a cash price of around $130-$140.)
- Rapid Rewards points don’t expire.
- If you cancel your flight, you get your points back. Any Southwest flight can be canceled up to 10 minutes prior to departure. If the flight was booked with your Rapid Rewards points, the points will be returned to you account.
To use Southwest Rapid Rewards points for flights, simply select “Points” when booking any flight at Southwest.com. You can also toggle between seeing flights priced in dollars and flights priced in points during the booking process.
More on each of the Southwest credit cards
Here’s a bit more on each of the Southwest credit cards so that you can decide which one is right for you.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Entry-level card with Early Bird check-ins.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is the entry-level Rapid Rewards® credit card offered by Chase and Southwest Airlines. It gives you a few perks when flying on Southwest and has an annual fee of $69.
With the Plus card, you’ll get 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points each year and a 25% back boost on inflight purchases. You’ll also receive a 3,000 point annual anniversary bonus.
See how the Rapid Rewards Plus card compares against the other Southwest credit cards in our Southwest credit card comparison.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
The Rapid Rewards points you earn with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus card’s welcome bonus count toward the Southwest companion pass.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
3,000 anniversary points after your cardmember anniversary each year.
25% back on all Southwest in-flight purchases.
2 EarlyBird Check-In® per year.
Rewards:
2x on Southwest Airlines purchases made directly with the airline.
2x on Rapid Rewards hotels and car rental partner purchases.
2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
1x on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Rapid Rewards points.
Learn more:
See all bonuses available for new Southwest credit cards in our overview of Southwest Airlines credit card welcome bonuses.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Mid-tier card with middling benefits
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card gives you more points when you book with Southwest. The card has an annual fee of $99.
The card offers better earnings on Southwest than the Plus card—you’ll get 3x points on Southwest purchases. If you’re an occasional Southwest flyer, you’ll enjoy 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year, but you probably won’t care about the ability to earn A-List tier qualifying points or the 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points each year. Each year on your account anniversary, you’ll also receive a 6,000 point anniversary bonus.
This card sits in an awkward spot in Southwest’s lineup. If you just want a welcome bonus, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a better choice. But if you fly Southwest with any sort of frequency, you’ll get more value out of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. Compare this card against all of the Southwest credit cards for more on why.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: $99
This is a referral link. All information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card sign-up bonus
Earn 85,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Southwest usually offers the same welcome bonus on all of its personal credit cards. If you fly Southwest frequently, you’ll probably want to upgrade to the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
6,000 point account anniversary bonus.
2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
Earns A-List tier qualifying points.
25% back on inflight purchases.
Lost luggage reimbursement.
Baggage delay insurance.
Extended warranty protection.
Purchase protection.
Rewards:
3x on Southwest purchases.
2x on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2x on internet, cable, and phone services.
2x on select streaming services.
1x on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards.
Learn more:
Compare this card to other Southwest Airlines credit cards in our overview of Southwest cards.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: The best card for frequent Southwest flyers
If you fly Southwest regularly, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is the card to get. Even flying Southwest a few times a year, you’ll get value from the card well in excess of its $149 annual fee.
Most of the value from the card comes from the $75 annual Southwest travel credit you’ll get each year and the 7,500 annual anniversary bonus points you’ll receive. These perks alone justify the card’s annual fee, but you’ll also get 4 upgraded boardings each year, earn tier-qualifying points with the card, and get 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points each year.
We think that this card is the best card for frequent Southwest flyers. When you compare all Southwest cards side-by-side, we’re pretty sure you’ll come to the same conclusion.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: $149
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
This is the best bonus on this card that we can recall, and it’s 10,000 points better than the bonus offered in late 2023.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
7,500 anniversary points after your cardmember anniversary each year.
25% back on all Southwest in-flight purchases.
4 upgraded boardings per year.
$75 annual Southwest travel credit.
1,500 tier-qualifying points for every $5,000 you spend.
No foreign transaction fees.
Rewards:
3x on Southwest Airlines purchases made directly with the airline.
2x on Rapid Rewards hotels and car rental partner purchases.
2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
1x on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Rapid Rewards points.
Learn more:
See all bonuses available for new Southwest credit cards in our overview of Southwest Airlines credit card welcome bonuses.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card welcome bonus
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card is the entry-level small business Southwest credit card. It offers
With the Premier Business card, you’ll get 3x Rapid Rewards® points on your Southwest Airlines purchases and 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins per year. You won’t earn bonus Companion Pass® qualifying points like the personal cards, but you will earn tier-qualifying points with this card.
Picking up the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card Card in addition to one of the personal cards can be a great strategy to earn a Companion Pass® from new cardmember welcome bonuses. But we think that most small business owners will be more interested in the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, which offers up to 365 credits toward WiFi purchases aboard Southwest. Compare the Southwest Airlines credit cards to find the best card for your small business.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
Best welcome offer we’ve ever seen on this card.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
6,000 point account anniversary bonus.
2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent on the card.
Up to $500 in fee credits for point transfers.
25% back on inflight purchases.
Lost luggage reimbursement.
Baggage delay insurance.
Extended warranty protection.
Purchase protection.
No foreign transaction fees.
Rewards:
3x on Southwest purchases.
2x on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
1x on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Rapid Rewards® points.
Learn more:
Compare this card to the other 4 Southwest credit cards to find the best card for you.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card welcome bonus
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers the most value for small business owners who fly Southwest Airlines and frequently purchase WiFi in-flight.
Between the card’s 9,000 annual anniversary point bonus and the up to 365 inflight WiFi credits each year, you’re likely to get more value than you give up by paying the card’s $199 annual fee. Depending on how you value the Rapid Rewards points, the break-even point on this card is about a dozen wifi sessions each year. And if you use WiFi about Southwest more often than that, this card is a must get.
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is a clear winner for small business owners who use WiFi, but if you don’t use WiFi, you might do better with the personal Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. Learn why in our head-to-head comparison of the Southwest Airlines credit cards.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
Currently the best welcome bonus available on any Southwest Airlines credit card.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
9,000 point account anniversary bonus.
4 upgraded boardings each year.
Up to 365 credits toward inflight WiFi each year.
Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent on the card.
Up to $500 in fee credits for point transfers.
25% back on inflight purchases.
Lost luggage reimbursement.
Baggage delay insurance.
Extended warranty protection.
Purchase protection.
Trusted traveler credit.
No foreign transaction fees.
Rewards:
4x on Southwest purchases.
3x on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
2x on social medial and search engine advertising.
2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2x on internet, cable, and phone services.
1x on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Rapid Rewards® points.
Learn more:
See this card matched up against the other Southwest credit cards in our Southwest Airlines credit card comparison.
A few notes on applying for Chase cards
- 5/24 rule. Chase generally won’t approve you if your credit report is showing 5 or more new credit card accounts opened in the last 24 months. This rule is knows as the 5/24 rule. If you’re unsure if you are “under 5/24” you should check your 5/24 status before applying for a Chase card. Note that recently this rule seems to have softened, especially for Ink cards. See our coverage about Chase 5/24 for more.
- Only one Sapphire-branded card. You can only hold one Chase Sapphire-branded card at a time. This means you can have either a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, but not both.
- You can get a welcome bonus on a Chase card, even if you’ve had the card previously. How often you can earn a welcome bonus on a Chase card varies by card family.
- Most cards allow you to earn a welcome bonus if it has been at least 24 months since your last received a welcome bonus on the same card.
- Chase Sapphire-branded cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can only earn a welcome bonus once every 48 months. (We published a separate article to help you determine if you can get a Sapphire welcome bonus.)
- Marriott cards have their own special rules.
- Chase will match an increased bonus. If you apply for a Chase card and the bank offers a higher bonus within 90 days, you can send Chase a secure message or call them to have your welcome offer matched.
- In-branch offers are sometimes better. Chase sometimes has better credit card welcome offers in-branch than it will publish on its own website or through affiliate networks. Check all channels to make sure you’re getting the best bonus.
- Chase business cards do not report to personal credit reports and do not impact your 5/24 status as long as they are current.
Other ways to get Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points through welcome bonuses.
Chase Ultimate Rewards® is a transfer partner of Southwest Rapid Rewards. If you’re collecting Southwest Rapid Rewards, you might also be interested in Ultimate Rewards welcome bonuses. Ultimate Rewards become transferable to Southwest Rapid Rewards if you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Frequently asked questions
Which Southwest card is best?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers the most value for Southwest flyers. You’ll get 7,500 points on your cardmember anniversary and a $75 Southwest annual travel credit. These perks alone can provide more value than the card’s $149 annual fee. Plus, you’ll earn more points on Southwest than any other personal card and get tier qualifying points toward A-List status.
How do I earn a Southwest companion pass?
You can earn a Southwest Companion Pass by earning 135,000 points per year. Points earned from credit card welcome bonuses count toward the companion pass. Points transferred from transfer partners do not count.
How do I get the Southwest 85k offer?
On June 27, 2024, Southwest and Chase ended the limited-time 85k point welcome offer on the personal Southwest Airlines cards.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
