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.
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.
- 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):
| From | to | Estimated Points |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas | Los Angeles | 22,074 |
| New York City | Los Angeles | 29,250 |
| New York City | Chicago | 19,890 |
| New York City | Chicago | 19,890 |
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
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.
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.
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:
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
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.
