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.
October 10 2024: The limited-time bonus available on Southwest Airlines personal credit cards has ended. The Southwest Airlines credit cards are now down to their business-as-usual offers.
We keep this page updated with best sign-up bonus for every Southwest Airlines credit card. Below, you’ll find the best public bonus available for every Southwest credit card.
In this article…
Best bonus offers: The best Southwest credit card sign-up bonuses
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Annual fee: annual_fees
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Annual fee: $99
All information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Best sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Annual fee: annual_fees
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
Annual fee: annual_fees
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Annual fee: annual_fees
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
How to use the points: Easy to use for Southwest flights
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 the cards: Benefits and features of each card
Here’s a bit more on each of the Southwest credit cards so that you can decide which one is right for you. You can compare the benefits and features of all cards side-by-side in our guide to the Southwest credit cards.
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.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card offers 3,000 annual anniversary points and 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year. For most Southwest flyers, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers better value.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Rewards
- 2x 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, plus select streaming.
- 1x on all other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Benefits
Southwest Airlines benefits
- 3,000 point cardmember anniversary bonus.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- 25% back on inflight purchases.
- 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year.
Consumer insurance benefits
Travel insurance benefits
- Lost luggage reimbursement.
- Baggage delay insurance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- Complimentary DashPass for one year.
After one year, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. You must activate by 1/31/25.
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.
Annual fee: $99
Foreign transaction fee: None
All information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is the mid-tier Southwest card, offering 3x points on Southwest and a 6,000 point anniversary bonus For most Southwest flyers, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers better value.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
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, plus select streaming.
- 1x on all other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Benefits
Southwest Airlines benefits
- 6,000 point cardmember anniversary bonus.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- 25% back on inflight purchases.
- Earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List status for every $5,000 you spend.
- 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year.
Consumer insurance benefits
Travel insurance benefits
- Lost luggage reimbursement.
- Baggage delay insurance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- Complimentary DashPass for one year.
After one year, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. You must activate by 1/31/25.
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.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers consistent value to Southwest flyers thanks to its 7,500 point anniversary bonus and the $75 annual Southwest travel credit you’ll get for having the card.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Rewards
- 3x on Southwest purchases
- 2x on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
- 2x on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
- 1x on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards® points.
Benefits
Southwest Airlines benefits
- 25% back on inflight purchases on Southwest.
- 10,000 qualifying point boost toward Companion Pass each year.
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
- $75 Southwest annual travel credit.
- Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points towards A-List status for every $5,000 spent annually.
Consumer insurance benefits
Travel insurance benefits
- Lost luggage reimbursement.
- Baggage delay insurance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- One-year complimentary DashPass membership. After your complimentary year, you will be automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. Activate by 12/31/24.
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.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card is the lowest-tier small business Southwest Airlines credit card. But if you pay for inflight WiFi more than about a dozen times a year, check out the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card for its inflight WiFi credits.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Rewards
- 3x on Southwest Airlines® purchases.
- 2x on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services.
- 1x on everyday purchases.
Rewards are earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Benefits
Southwest Airlines benefits
- 6,000 point cardmember anniversary bonus.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- 25% back on inflight purchases.
- Earn 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent.
- Up to $500 in fee credits for points transfers.
Consumer insurance benefits
Travel insurance benefits
- Lost luggage reimbursement.
- Baggage delay insurance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- Complimentary DashPass for one year.
After one year, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. You must activate by 1/31/25.
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.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is the card to get if you frequently purchase WiFi access onboard Southwest Airlines flights.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Rewards
- 4x on Southwest Airlines® purchases.
- 3x on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 2x on social media and search engine advertising.
- 2x on internet, cable, and phone services.
- 2x on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services.
- 1x on everyday purchases.
Rewards are earned as Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Benefits
Southwest Airlines benefits
- 9,000 point cardmember anniversary bonus.
- 4 upgraded boardings per year, when available.
- Up to 365 InFlight WiFi credits per year.
- 25% back on inflight purchases.
- Earn 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent.
- Up to $500 in fee credits for points transfers.
Consumer insurance benefits
Travel insurance benefits
- Lost luggage reimbursement.
- Baggage delay insurance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- Complimentary DashPass for one year.
After one year, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. You must activate by 1/31/25. - Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit up to $100 every 4 years.
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.
Earn more points: Other ways to get Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points
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.
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.
