Comparing the personal Southwest cards: Which is b...

Southwest Airlines has introduced within the period of checked bag fees, an adjusted boarding process and seat assignments.

Southwest’s three personal credit cards are right here so as to add some additional perks alongside the best way.

At first look, you could not suppose there are numerous variations among the many playing cards. However the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees), Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees) all have key variations.

The data for the Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

New candidates for any of those playing cards can earn a coveted Companion Pass, which lets you convey a delegated journey companion on all of your Southwest flights (each paid and award tickets) for simply the value of taxes and charges, by means of Feb. 28, 2027. Listed here are some card-by-card supply particulars:

• Southwest Plus: Earn a Companion Cross legitimate for a 12 months, plus 20,000 bonus factors, after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Per TPG’s February 2026 valuations, this supply is price $260 in factors, plus the worth of a Companion Cross.
• Southwest Premier: Earn a Companion Cross legitimate for a 12 months, plus 30,000 bonus factors, after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Per TPG’s valuations, this supply is price $390 in factors, plus the worth of a Companion Cross.
• Southwest Priority: Earn a Companion Cross legitimate for a 12 months, plus 40,000 bonus factors, after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Per TPG’s valuations, this supply is price $520 in factors, plus the worth of a Companion Cross.

This is what it is advisable to know to decide on the best choice for you.

Associated: How to redeem your points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards program

Southwest bank cards overview

Associated: Southwest card welcome bonuses

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Advantages on all Southwest playing cards

There are a number of perks included with each Southwest card that make the day-of-travel expertise extra nice when flying with the airline and may prevent numerous cash.

Perks when flying Southwest

All of the playing cards embrace a free checked bag, complimentary seat choice both inside 48 hours of departure or at reserving (relying on the cardboard) and precedence boarding.

A typical first checked bag prices $35. On a round-trip itinerary, a household of 4 would incur a value of $280 for one commonplace checked bag every. The financial savings on this one journey would greater than cowl the annual payment of any of the playing cards.

Bonus-earning classes

Moreover, all of the Southwest playing cards earn Speedy Rewards factors on eligible purchases.

The Southwest Plus earns 2 factors per greenback spent at grocery shops and gasoline stations (on the primary $5,000 in mixed spending yearly).

The Southwest Premier earns 2 factors per greenback spent at grocery shops and eating places (on as much as $8,000 in mixed spending yearly). Each playing cards earn 1 level per greenback spent of their respective classes after their spending caps are hit.

The Southwest Priority earns 4 factors per greenback spent on Southwest purchases and a couple of factors per greenback spent at gasoline stations and eating places.

Lastly, not one of the Southwest playing cards cost foreign transaction fees, so all three playing cards are a viable choice for purchases overseas.

Associated: 1 in 4 Southwest planes now have extra-legroom seats — here’s how to snag one

Frequent Southwest flyer? Select the Precedence

The Southwest Priority makes a really compelling case for itself.

For frequent Southwest flyers, the Precedence card makes probably the most sense. The cardboard affords limitless upgrades to extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure (when obtainable) and Most popular seat choice on the time of reserving, whereas the Premier card solely affords Most popular seat choice inside 48 hours of departure (when obtainable).

This perk is often solely afforded to these with airline elite standing, so seeing it offered by a bank card is a large plus.

Moreover, when you’re a frequent Southwest flyer, you are possible aiming to earn A-List elite status. You may earn 2,500 tier qualifying factors for each $5,000 spent with the Precedence card and 1,500 factors for each $5,000 spent with the Premier card.

Plus, with the Southwest Precedence card, you will earn 1 further level per greenback spent on Southwest purchases (for a complete of 4 factors, in comparison with 3 with the Premier) and an uncapped 2 factors per greenback spent on eating places. Incomes extra factors with the Precedence card will aid you get to the Companion Pass faster.

With the Southwest Precedence, you’ll obtain 7,500 bonus factors in your cardholder anniversary, in comparison with 6,000 factors with the Southwest Premier — price about $20 extra based mostly on TPG’s valuations.

The most important argument towards the Southwest Precedence is that it has a $229 annual fee. Nevertheless, if you should use the above advantages, you possibly can offset a majority and even all of that value.

Associated: How (and when) to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards

Desire a decrease annual payment? Select the Premier, not the Plus

In the event you’re in search of a decrease annual payment and may’t justify the Southwest Priority, we would suggest the Southwest Premier, with its $149 annual payment, over the Southwest Plus and its $99 annual payment.

For an additional $50 per 12 months, you will obtain 6,000 anniversary factors, double that of the Plus card. In keeping with TPG’s valuations, these anniversary bonus factors are price $78, which covers greater than half of the annual payment.

With the Premier card, you possibly can choose Most popular seating inside 48 hours of departure, whereas the Plus Card solely affords commonplace seating inside 48 hours of departure (when obtainable).

Each playing cards supply an annual flight promo low cost code (excluding Fundamental fares): The Premier affords a 15% low cost code, whereas the Plus affords a ten% low cost code.

In the event you’re aiming to earn A-List or A-List Preferred status, you will need to go for the Southwest Premier, as you will earn 1,500 tier-qualifying factors for each $5,000 spent on purchases in a calendar 12 months (with no cap). The Plus card does not supply bonus TQPs for bank card spending.

The Premier Card additionally affords increased bonus factors earnings on Southwest purchases and a better mixed spending cap for eating places and grocery shops, versus gasoline stations and grocery shops for the Plus card.

All of the added perks of the Premier card simply justify the additional $50 per 12 months.

Associated: How to decide if a credit card’s annual fee is worth paying

Eligibility guidelines for Southwest bank cards

Chase’s restrictions on credit card applications could be a roadblock for some individuals contemplating making use of for a Southwest bank card.

Chase’s 5/24 rule applies to all three of those playing cards. This rule signifies that Chase will virtually actually reject new candidates when you’ve opened 5 or extra bank cards (from any financial institution or issuer) within the final 24 months.

In the event you’re at (or over) 5/24, we suggest not losing an software and a tough credit score inquiry on these playing cards since you’ll almost definitely get declined. It is also necessary to notice that enterprise playing cards from any issuer usually don’t count toward 5/24.

Along with the 5/24 rule, Southwest has eligibility guidelines relating to the welcome bonus. The phrases and situations for the welcome bonus of every of those playing cards state:

“The product will not be obtainable to both (i) present Cardmembers of any Southwest Speedy Rewards® Credit score Card, or (ii) earlier Cardmembers of any Southwest Speedy Rewards Credit score Card who obtained a brand new Cardmember bonus inside the final 24 months. This doesn’t apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Speedy Rewards Enterprise Card and Worker Credit score Card merchandise.”

In the event you at present maintain any of the Southwest private bank cards or have obtained a bonus for one within the final 24 months, you’ll not obtain a brand new welcome supply except it has been 24 months because you final obtained one.

Associated: The ultimate guide to Southwest credit card eligibility

Which card ought to I select?

The Southwest Plus is greatest for many who need the bottom annual payment. However when you fly Southwest no less than a few occasions every year, think about the Southwest Premier or Southwest Priority as a substitute.

In the event you’re a Southwest loyalist, it’s best to go for the Precedence card, because it affords probably the most for many who board a Southwest plane usually, together with limitless upgrades to extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure and Most popular seat choice at reserving (when obtainable).

Associated: Fly Southwest at least twice a year? Here’s why the Southwest Plus makes sense for you

Backside line

Southwest Airways bank cards stay fashionable, and having one in your pockets will be extremely helpful.

Anybody who flies Southwest, even when it is only a handful of occasions per 12 months, should not have any downside maxing out the journey advantages that include the Southwest Priority, which will certainly present probably the most worth for Southwest frequent flyers.

If the annual payment for the Southwest Precedence is simply too steep for you, you will possible get higher worth from the Southwest Premier than the Southwest Plus.

To study extra, learn our full opinions of the Southwest Priority, Southwest Premier and Southwest Plus playing cards.

Apply right here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Apply right here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

Be taught extra: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card