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Offers for the Southwest
Southwest Airlines has changed dramatically over the past year, and many of the perks travelers once took for granted now come with an added cost.
Fortunately, there's an easy way to soften the blow. The $99 Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Rates & Fees) restores several of the benefits that many travelers lost.
If you fly Southwest, the Southwest Plus Card may be the easiest and least expensive way to beat the new Southwest.
- Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 3,000 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases
- Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost.
- Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Member FDIC
- 2X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The New Southwest Isn't What It Used to Be
Southwest was always my family's go-to airline. Much of that came down to its “Transfarency” philosophy. Two free checked bags and open seating meant we could travel with luggage and still sit together without paying a fortune in extra fees.
But last year, Southwest dismantled many of its customer-friendly policies and announced it would begin charging for bags and end its open seating policy. Today, the fare you pay determines if you can choose your seat before your flight.
The screenshot below shows how Southwest has tied seat selection to its fare bundles. Travelers booking the least expensive Basic fare are assigned a seat at check-in, while those willing to pay $45 to $185 more on this itinerary can choose a standard, preferred, or extra-legroom seat.
As for checked bags, travelers will now have to pony up $45 for their first checked bag and $55 for their second unless they purchase Southwest's most expensive fare, Choice Extra. It's the only fare bundle that still includes two free checked bags.
It's definitely gotten a lot more complicated (and expensive!) to fly Southwest. And that's where credit card perks come in.
Related: Southwest Rapid Rewards
How the Southwest Plus Card Helps You Beat the New Southwest
If the new Southwest has you rethinking your loyalty to the airline, there's an easy workaround. The Chase won't undo every change Southwest has made, but it can restore several of the benefits travelers now have to pay for.
Beat baggage fees
The biggest benefit is also the easiest to justify. Cardmembers receive their first standard checked bag free on Southwest-operated flights. Even better, the benefit extends to up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation.
With Southwest now charging $45 for a first checked bag, a single round-trip flight saves $90 per traveler. A family of four could avoid up to $360 in baggage fees on just one vacation, easily offsetting the card's $99 annual fee.
Beat seat selection fees
One of the biggest frustrations with Southwest's new fare bundles is having to pay extra just to choose your seat. Fortunately, Chase members can select a complimentary standard seat within 48 hours of departure, when available. You won't get to choose your seat at the time of booking, but you also won't have to leave it up to chance and risk being assigned a random middle seat at check-in.
This perk, of course, doesn't include Preferred or Extra Legroom seats; however, it can help you avoid paying extra for a standard seat. If you're content skipping the premium seating options, that's another new Southwest fee you may never have to pay.
Beat the new boarding rules
The Southwest Plus Card also includes Group 5 boarding for the primary cardmember and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
Boarding earlier than Basic fare passengers gives you a better chance of finding overhead bin space near your seat and getting settled before the cabin fills up.
Want Even Better Perks? Consider a Higher-Tier Southwest Card
Chase gives you an inexpensive way to help offset many of Southwest's newest fees. But if you fly Southwest regularly, one of the airline's higher-tier cards could make even more sense.
All three Southwest personal
The biggest differences are in the seat selection benefits:
| Card | Annual Fee | Seat Selection Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Plus Card | $99 | Select a complimentary Standard seat within 48 hours of departure, when available. |
| Southwest Premier Card | $149 | Select a complimentary Standard or Preferred seat within 48 hours of departure, when available. |
| Southwest Priority Card | $229 | Select a complimentary Standard or Preferred seat at the time of booking. Then, if available, upgrade to an Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours of departure at no additional cost. |
If you're an occasional Southwest flyer, Chase may be enough to help avoid the airline's most offensive new fees. But if you fly Southwest frequently and consistently want better seat options, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card card may justify its higher annual fee.
Bottom Line
I don't love the direction Southwest has gone. What used to be one of the easiest airlines for my family to fly now comes with more fees, more fare rules, and more things to think about before booking.
But if you're still flying the airline, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a pretty simple way to get around some of the changes. For a relatively low annual fee, you get your first checked bag free, complimentary Standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure, and Group 5 boarding.
Southwest isn't going back to the airline it used to be. But the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card can make the new version a little easier — and cheaper — to deal with.
- Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 3,000 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases
- Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost.
- Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Member FDIC
- 2X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
