Best for people who want to earn Southwest points fast
- Rewards rate: 5X points on up to $2,000 in combined purchases per month from Dec. 1, 2020, to Mar. 31, 2021, (otherwise, 2X points) on Southwest Airlines flights and purchases with the airline’s hotel and car rental partners; 1X points on all other purchases.
- Welcome offer: Up to 80,000 points: 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months, plus 30,000 points after spending a total of $10,000 in purchases within the first nine months
- Annual fee: $149
- Purchase intro APR: None
- Balance transfer intro APR: None
- Regular APR: 15.99 percent to 22.99 percent variable
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is ideal for travelers who frequently book domestic flights, especially those who are loyal to Southwest. You’ll earn points on all your purchases, helping you quickly build up rewards you can redeem for future flights.
Best of all, you’ll get an annual Southwest travel credit, bonus points on your cardmember anniversary, discounts on inflight purchases and four upgraded boardings per year, depending on availability, making it possible to fly more and have an elevated experience every time you travel.
Current sign-up bonus
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card is currently offering a one-time, up to 80,000-point sign-up bonus to new cardmembers. You earn 50,000 points after spending $2,000 within the first three months of account opening, then an additional 30,000 points if you spend a total of $10,000 on purchases within your first nine months.
Since 1 Rapid Rewards point is worth approximately 1.5 cents, according to The Points Guy’s most recent valuations, this bonus could get you $600 of value when redeeming them for Southwest flights.
While this isn’t the most generous welcome offer we’ve seen from a Southwest credit card, these points can still help propel you toward a Companion Pass (so a companion can travel with you for free, plus taxes and fees) and A-List elite status.
Rewards
Earning points with your Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is incredibly easy, especially if you fly frequently with Southwest. Best of all, your Rapid Rewards points will never expire.
Earning rewards
An obvious way to earn points quickly with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is to make Southwest Airlines your go-to airline, whenever possible. Booking flights with Southwest will usually get you 2 points per dollar spent, as will using Southwest partners for hotel stays and car rentals. But from Dec. 1, 2020, to Mar. 31, 2021, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar on up to $2,000 in combined Southwest purchases per month, then 2X points. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
While the card doesn’t offer bonus rewards in popular spending categories — a big drawback compared to other airline credit cards — cardmembers will receive an anniversary bonus of 7,500 points each year. You can also earn additional points by shopping through the Southwest Rapid Rewards shopping portal and eating out at restaurants in its Dining Rewards program.
Redeeming rewards
The Rapid Rewards program boasts unlimited award seats with no blackout dates or restrictions for flight redemptions. You’ll just be required to pay taxes and fees on the award ticket (only $5.60 for a domestic flight). Southwest award tickets are tethered to the cash value of a ticket. So, a more expensive ticket will require more points.
Your points can also be redeemed for hotel stays, rental cars, merchandise, gift cards and more. With the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card or another co-branded Southwest card. It’s even possible to gift or donate points.
How much are points worth?
With Rapid Rewards points valued around 1.5 cents per point, the 7,500-point anniversary bonus is valued at $112.50 and the 80,000-point sign-up bonus (after spending a total of $10,000 in purchases within the first nine months) could translate to $1,200 of value.
Benefits
While you won’t get fancy perks like lounge access with this Southwest card, you’ll save plenty with its annual travel credit, Southwest priority card upgrades, anniversary bonus and more. Here’s a closer look at what the card has to offer.
Travel perks
You’ll be eligible for a variety of travel savings, including:
- Four Southwest upgraded boardings a year, subject to availability
- A $75 Southwest travel credit every year (automatically applied when using your card on eligible travel purchases through the airline)
- 20 percent back on inflight purchases, such as drinks and Wi-Fi
- 1,500 tier-qualifying points for every $10,000 spent on your card so you can reach A-List status faster (priority security line access, priority check-in and upgraded boarding).
Protection and insurance
By using your card, you receive several protection benefits, such as:
- Lost luggage and baggage delay protection, up to $3,000 per traveler if your luggage is damaged or lost, and up to $100 a day for three days if your bags are delayed at least six hours
- Purchase protection and extended warranty on eligible purchases
- Car rental collision and theft insurance, roadside assistance and travel accident insurance on eligible auto incidents
Anniversary bonus
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority cardholders will receive an additional 7,500 points to their points balance on every anniversary.
Rates and fees
The Rapid Rewards Priority card has an annual fee of $149 — the highest of any Southwest personal credit cards. However, there are no foreign transaction fees, and Southwest never charges change fees, so you have more flexibility with your travel plans.
If you carry a balance month-to-month, you can expect interest to be charged at a rate between 15.99 percent and 22.99 percent variable APR.
How the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card compares to other airline credit cards
Compared to other co-branded airline cards, the Southwest credit card has less flexibility with how you can earn and redeem rewards. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and Citi® AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® both allow you to earn bonus rewards on everyday spending in addition to airline purchases.
| Card | Rewards rate | Annual fee | Welcome bonus |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card |
|
$149 | Up to 80,000 points: 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months. Then, another 30,000 points after spending a total of $10,000 in purchases within the first nine months. |
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card |
|
$99 (waived first year) | 35,000 miles after spending $1,000 within three months of account opening. |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® |
|
$99 (waived first year) | 50,000 miles after spending $2,500 within three months of account opening. |
Best cards to pair with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Pair your Southwest credit card with a credit card that has no annual fee and will reward you for everyday purchases, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. Right now, you’ll get 5 percent cash back on Chase Ultimate Rewards purchases, 3 percent on dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5 percent cash back on all other purchases.
If you have a Chase Sapphire card in your wallet, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can opt to convert your earnings into Chase Ultimate Rewards points — a very valuable, transferable currency you can use to book flights with other airlines, hotel stays and more.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card worth it?
This card is perfect for Southwest loyalists who fly often enough with Southwest to make use of the points — plus the possible Companion Pass or elite status.
If you need more flexibility (and can’t be loyal to Southwest), you’ll be better off with a general travel rewards credit card — these tend to come with bonus rewards on a broader range of spending categories and more redemption options. Look for one with a transferable currency so you can use your points and miles for a wide range of airlines and hotels.
Pros
- Great perks for frequent Southwest flyers such as upgraded boarding, an annual travel credit, inflight savings and more.
- A generous anniversary bonus
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to premium travel and purchase protections
Cons
- Higher annual fee than other airline cards not waived in the first year
- Applicants for Southwest credit card credit score must be good to excellent
- Limited to earning Rapid Rewards points that are best used when redeemed for Southwest flights
All information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and Citi® AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
