• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Credit Card and banking reviews

AllCards.com

Credit Cards, Banking, and Cash Back

  • Best Credit Cards
  • Balance Transfer Cards
  • 0% Credit Cards
  • Credit Card Signup Bonuses
  • Banking
  • Calculators
Home » Credit Cards » Reviews » Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Review

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Review

February 3, 2021 by Rob Berger

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card offers an excellent signup bonus and up to 2 points per dollar spent on the card. It’s the mid-level Southwest card in terms of both rewards and fees. Some believe it offers the best rewards for the cost, which we explore in detail in this review.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Review
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card review
In this article
  • Snapshot
  • Pros & Cons
    • What we like
    • What could be better
  • Rewards
    • Signup Bonus
    • Everyday Rewards
    • Redeeming Rewards
  • 0% APR
  • Benefits
  • Credit Needed for Approval
  • Comparison
    • Who the card is best for
    • Who might do better with a different card
  • FAQs
  • The Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card Lineup
  • Rating

Snapshot

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is offering up to 80,000 bonus points. Cardmembers earn 30,000 bonus pionts after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months. The card also pays another 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months.

For everyday purchases, the card pays 2 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases, and 1 point for dollar spent on all other purchases. For a limited time, however, earn 5 points on Southwest purchases from 12/1/2020 through 3/31/2020 (limit of $2,000 spent per month).

Southwest also rewards loyalty. You’ll earn 6,000 points after your Cardmember Anniversary.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Learn More
  • Earn a Companion Pass through 2/28/2022 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
  • 6,000 bonus points after you’ve had the card for one year
  • 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases
  • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Earn unlimited points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No blackout dates or seat restrictions
  • Bags fly free
  • Annual Fee: $99

Pros & Cons

What we like

  • Earn 30,000 bonus points for new customers after spending $5,000 on purchases within 3 months
  • Earn 2 points/$1 spent on Southwest Airlines purchases and participating Hotel and Car Rental partners
  • Points never expire, no blackout dates, no seat restrictions
  • No rewards cap

What could be better

  • $99 annual fee
  • Requires good to excellent credit

Rewards

The benefits from a simple yet rich rewards program.

Signup Bonus

Bonus Points: Earn 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first of opening an account. The card also pays another 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months.

You also receive 6,000 bonus points after your cardmember anniversary.

Everyday Rewards

5x Points: Earn 5 points for every dollar you spend on Southwest purchases until 3/31/2021

2x Points: Earn 2 points for every dollar you spend on Southwest Airlines purchases and purchases at participating Hotel and Car Rental partners.

1x Points: Earn 1 point for every 1 dollar you spend on all other purchases.

Redeeming Rewards

The most frequent use of Rapid Rewards Points is for free airfare on Southwest. Unlike some other airlines, there is no set number of points needed for travel. Instead, the number of points required for a free airline ticket depends on “destination, time, day of travel, demand, fare class, point redemption rate, and other factors and is subject to change,” according to Southwest Airlines.

To give you an idea of the value of the points, here are the redemption values on several flights (keep in mind that these can change daily):

FromtoEstimated Points
DallasLos Angeles22,074
New York CityLos Angeles29,250
New York CityChicago19,890
New York CityChicago19,890

You can also use points for rental cars, hotels, gift cards, and other rewards. Here the points are typically worth 1 cent (e.g., $100 Best Western travel card costs 10,000 points).

0% APR

None.

Benefits

The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card offers several additional benefits:

  • No Foreign Transaction Fees: No foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad
  • No blackout dates or seat restrictions: Now you never have to worry about pesky blackout dates or seat restrictions when you redeem your rewards points
  • Bags Fly Free: Now your first and second checked bags fly free. Weight and size limits apply
  • No Change Fees: When you have to change your flight, some airlines charge up to $150 on top of paying a difference in fare. Unlike competitors, Southwest Airlines understand unexpected events may happen and don’t charge you a fee for changing

Credit Needed for Approval

Before getting to the credit needed, keep in mind that all of the Chase Southwest personal credit cards are subject to the 5/24 rule. If you’ve applied for five Chase credit cards in the past 2 years, you’ll be automatically rejected. In addition, you won’t be eligible for this offer if you already have a Southwest personal card or have received a signup bonus on a personal Southwest credit card in the past 24 months.

In terms of credit, LendingTree reports that the average credit score for approval is 670. The lowest score was 607. Keep in mind, however, that credit card issuers consider a lot more than just your credit score. They look at your income and existing debts, among other things.

Comparison

Who the card is best for

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is of course for those who love to fly Southwest Airlines. Those who earn all of the bonus points could get several flights for free, depending on the cost of the flight.

Who might do better with a different card

Those who aren’t loyal to Southwest Airlines or don’t travel frequently may do better with a different travel rewards credit card. Specifically, you might be better with a travel card that is not specific to a particular airline. These cards allow you to earn points or miles that can be used for any airline, hotel or car rental company.

FAQs

Which Southwest credit card is best?

The answer will depend on how frequently you fly Southwest. For most travelers, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card offers the best mix of rewards with a reasonable annual fee.

How much is 50,000 Southwest points worth?

The value will depend on how you use the points. Our analysis shows that generally 50k points are worth roughly two domestic round-trip flights in the continental U.S.

Is a Southwest Airlines credit card worth it?

Yes, if you make Southwest your airlines of choice. It’s the fastest way to earn free flights on Southwest. If you prefer to pick the cheapest flight, regardless of the airline, the Southwest card is probably not for you.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card Lineup

Keep in mind that Southwest offers several versions of its credit card:

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Learn More
  • Earn a Companion Pass through 2/28/2022 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
  • 6,000 bonus points after you’ve had the card for one year
  • 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases
  • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Earn unlimited points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No blackout dates or seat restrictions
  • Bags fly free
  • Annual Fee: $99
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Learn More
  • Earn a Companion Pass through 2/28/2022 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
  • Earn 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
  • $75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
  • Four Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
  • 20% back on inflight drinks, WiFi, messaging, and movies.
  • Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases.
  • Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Annual Fee: $149
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Learn More
  • Earn a Companion Pass through 2/28/2022 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
  • Anniversary Bonus: 3,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary
  • 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
  • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • No blackout dates or seat restrictions
  • Bags fly free and no change fees
  • Redeem your points for flights, hotel stays, gift cards, access to events and more
  • Annual Fee: $69
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Learn More
  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
  • Annual Bonus: Earn 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
  • 2X Rewards: Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partner purchases.
  • 1X Rewards: Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Earn points on employee spending
  • No blackout dates when you redeem points, no seat restrictions, bags fly free®, and no change fees
  • No foreign transaction fees
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
Learn More
  • Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
  • Second Bonus: Earn 9,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
  • 3x Rewards: 3 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases.
  • 2x Rewards: 2 points per $1 spent on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable and phone services. Perfect for online entrepreneurs.
  • 1x Rewards: 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available
  • Inflight WiFi Credits
  • Global Entry or TSA Pre?® Fee Credit
  • Employee cards at no additional cost, earn points on employee spending.
  • $199 Annual Fee

Rating

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card Rating

Rob Berger

Signup Bonus
Rewards
Fees
Benefits

Summary

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is an ideal credit card for frequent Southwest Airlines travelers. Its combination of signup bonus points and ongoing rewards can help you earn free flights fast.

4.5

About Rob Berger

Rob Berger is the founder of allCards.com. He's written about personal finance and investing since 2007 and is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Retire Before Mom and Dad. He currently serves as the Deputy Editor of Forbes Money Advisor.

Primary Sidebar

Advertiser Disclosure

Credit Cards by Category

  • Balance Transfer
  • 0% APR Cards
  • Cash Back
  • Travel
  • Miles
  • Business
  • Gas Rewards
  • Supermarket Credit Cards
  • Secured Credit Cards
  • Student Credit Cards
  • Prepaid Debit Cards

Popular Credit Cards

Wells Fargo Platinum Visa

0% APR for 18 months

Chase Freedom Flex

NEW: Up to 5% cash back + $200 signup bonus + No annual fee

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Up to 6% cash back

American Express Gold Card

Welcome Bonus: 60,000 Membership Rewards points

Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Best: 100,000 bonus miles

Chase Freedom Unlimited

New Benefits: Up to 5% cash back + $200 signup bonus + No annual fee

United Explorer Card

Signup Bonus: 60,000 miles

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Signup Bonus: 60,000 points

Banking

  • Best Online Banks
  • Best Online Savings Accounts
  • Best CD Rates
  • Best Checking Accounts

Credit Cards by Issuer

  • American Express
  • Capital One
  • Chase
  • Citibank
  • Discover
  • U.S. Bank
  • Wells Fargo

About Allcards.com

Rob Berger founded allcards.com in 2008 to help consumers make data-driven decisions about credit cards and banking. A retired trial attorney, he’s written about credit cards, banking and personal finance since 2007, and is the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad. He currently serves as the Deputy Editor of Forbes Money Advisor.

  • Best Credit Cards of 2020
  • 0% Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Credit Cards with Signup Bonuses
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • RSS Feed

© 2020 A.R. Roberts LLC All Rights Reserved

Advertising Disclosure: allCards.com is an independent, advertising-supported blog offering financial product comparisons. We are compensated when users click links to or apply for sponsored financial products including, but not limited to, credit cards or bank/brokerage accounts. Credit card reviews and listings express the opinions of the author alone, and not those of any credit card issuer. The content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card advertisers. This compensation may impact how or where links appear on this site. This site does not include all available financial companies or offers.

Banking Content Disclosure: Content is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser(s). Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of the bank advertiser(s), and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser(s). This site may be compensated through the bank advertiser(s) Affiliate Program(s).

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT