The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card delivers solid rewards for Southwest flights and useful perks like two EarlyBird check-ins per year. This mid-tier Southwest card provides good value through its anniversary bonus points and travel benefits, making it particularly appealing if you fly Southwest several times per year.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let’s dive right in.
Welcome Bonus of Southwest Premier
The Southwest Premier Card currently offers the following welcome bonus: Earn Companion Pass® plus 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
However, remember that you won’t be eligible for this bonus if you currently hold another personal Southwest card or have earned a bonus on any personal Southwest card in the past 24 months. This bonus restriction does not apply if you have a business Southwest card.
Additionally, the Chase 5/24 Rule applies to this card. This rule states that if you have opened five or more personal credit cards in the past 24 months (from all banks, not just Chase), you are likely to not be approved.
Earning Points with Southwest Premier
The Southwest Premier Card allows you to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points at the following rates:
We value Southwest points at 1.37 cents per point, so you can expect a return of approximately 4.1% for 3x categories, 2.7% for 2x categories, and 1.4% for 1x categories.
Spending on a Southwest credit card helps you earn A-List elite status. For every $5,000 spent in purchases annually, you earn 1,500 TQPs toward A-List status.
Additionally, points earned from the Southwest credit card, including the welcome bonus, count towards earning the ultra valuable Southwest Companion Pass. This pass allows you to choose one person to fly with you for just the cost of taxes and fees (usually $5.60 each way) an unlimited number of times while your pass is valid. To qualify, you need to earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year.
Annual Fee of Southwest Premier
The Southwest Premier Card has a $99 annual fee, which is reasonable for a co-branded airline credit card with this set of benefits. When you consider the value of the anniversary bonus points (worth around $80) and the EarlyBird Check-In credits (worth around $50 in value) you receive each year, the annual fee is nearly offset.
Southwest Premier Benefits
The Southwest Premier card offers the following benefits to its cardholders: 6,000 Anniversary Points: You will receive 6,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points each year on your cardmember anniversary. This is worth about $80 towards Southwest flights, which helps offset the annual fee. Two EarlyBird Check-Ins: With the Southwest Premier Card, you’ll receive two EarlyBird Check-In credits annually. These credits allow you to automatically check in for your Southwest flights before the traditional 24-hour check-in period, securing a better boarding position. This increases your chances of getting your preferred seat and can be especially valuable on longer flights. Companion Pass Boost: Get a 10,000 point head start each year toward the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, though keep in mind all qualifying activity counts, not just credit card spend 25% In-Flight Savings: When you use your card for inflight drinks or Wi-Fi, you’ll receive 25% back as a statement credit. Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card. Baggage Delay Insurance: Missing luggage doesn’t have to derail your trip – this coverage steps in to reimburse you for essential purchases when your checked bags are delayed by airlines, trains, or other carriers. You can grab the necessities you need, from a fresh outfit to personal care items, while waiting for your bags to arrive. Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Your checked luggage gets extra protection against loss, theft, or damage beyond the basic compensation offered by carriers when you pay for travel with this card. 120-Day Purchase Protection: Get 120 days of protection against damage, theft, and even loss of your purchases – one of the longest windows available. This premium coverage automatically applies when you pay with your card. No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
Redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards
Southwest Rapid Rewards offers a flexible and straightforward way to redeem points for flights. The program’s simplicity is one of its key strengths, and its value is fairly onsistent across different fare types and destinations. Our data study found that the value of Southwest Rapid Rewards points is 1.37 cents per point, making it easy for members to gauge the worth of their rewards. Redemptions are seamless on Southwest’s website, where you can book any available seat without blackout dates. One of the program’s standout features is its generous change and cancellation policy. You can modify or cancel award bookings without fees, with points returned to your account and taxes refunded to your original form of payment. While Southwest primarily serves domestic routes, it also flies to select international destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. The airline’s extensive U.S. network makes it a popular choice for domestic travelers, despite not belonging to a major alliance. For maximum value, focus on redeeming points for Wanna Get Away fares, which often provide the best return. Avoid using points for gift cards, hotels, or rental cars, as these options typically offer significantly lower value than the 1.37 cents per point average for flights. The Southwest Companion Pass is a potential game-changer for frequent travelers. This benefit allows a designated companion to fly with you for just the cost of taxes and fees on both paid and award tickets, effectively doubling the value of your points when traveling together.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Anniversary Bonus and Credits: The 6,000-anniversary points and two EarlyBird Check-In credits can nearly offset the card’s entire $99 annual fee each year, providing a compelling argument for long-term card ownership.
Companion Pass Potential: All points earned count toward the coveted Southwest Companion Pass. The sign-up bonus, especially in the first year, provides a huge head start toward securing this valuable benefit.
Cons:
Limited Point Redemptions: Rapid Rewards can only be redeemed for Southwest flights. While the airline has a broad network, this lack of transfer partners makes the points less flexible than those of other programs.
Mediocre Everyday Earning: The Premier Card’s 1x point per dollar earning rate on everyday spending is unimpressive. You can likely earn more rewards in those categories with a transferable points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or a cash back card like the SoFi Unlimited 2% Credit Card.
Alternatives to Southwest Premier
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning Rewards: 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2x points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Card Benefits: Ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners, 25% bonus when redeeming points through Chase Travel, $50 annual hotel stay credit via Chase Travel, 10% anniversary points bonus, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty. Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
The Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Priority Credit Card (review) offers valuable perks for frequent Southwest flyers, including a $75 annual travel credit and 7,500 anniversary bonus points. This premium card provides the most benefits of Southwest’s personal credit cards, making it ideal for loyal customers who want to maximize their rewards and travel experience with Southwest. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earn Rewards: 3x points on Southwest Airlines purchases; 2x points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners, local transit and commuting (including rideshare), internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; 1x points on all other eligible purchases. Card Benefits: 7,500 points every year on your Cardmember anniversary, $75 Southwest annual travel credit, 4 Upgraded Boardings per year, 25% back on inflight purchases, 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, extended warranty, and purchase protection.
Comparison Articles
We compare the Southwest Premier to several other credit credit in these articles:
Is the Southwest Premier Worth It?
For occasional Southwest flyers, the Southwest Premier Card can be a solid choice. The substantial welcome bonus, anniversary points that help offset the annual fee, and ability to earn TQPs all make it a compelling option for earning Rapid Rewards points and enjoying some Southwest perks.
However, if you’re a frequent Southwest traveler, you’ll likely get more value from the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. For a higher annual fee of $149, the Priority Card comes with additional benefits that can more than offset the fee for regular flyers. You’ll get a $75 annual Southwest travel credit, 7,500 anniversary points each year, and four upgraded boardings annually. The Priority Card is a clear winner if you fly Southwest often enough to take advantage of these perks.
Of course, if you’re not particularly loyal to Southwest or prefer more flexibility in your travel rewards, a general travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may prove a better fit. These cards allow you to transfer points to various airline and hotel partners, providing a wider range of redemption options.
