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Having a co-branded airline credit card is practically a must — especially if you care about saving money when you travel. That’s true with Southwest Airlines too, and even more so now that the airline is starting to charge for things that used to be free.
Now is a perfect time to apply for a Southwest credit card as all three consumer cards are offering the same incredible offer: 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 5 months from account opening. This offer is even available on the $99 annual fee Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
- Limited Time Offer: Our best points offer this year, earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 5 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
- Rates & Fees
- 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
Here’s why right now is an excellent time to apply for a Southwest credit card.
Page Contents
Why Fly Southwest?
Southwest offers an incredible rewards program — even in light of all the changes the airline has undergone. Rapid Rewards features some of the most flexible policies of any frequent flyer program in the U.S. so that you can book travel without the added hassle. Even better, you can access an almost endless list of destinations within North America and get consistent value from your points when booking travel.
- There are no blackout dates, and Rapid Rewards will let you change or refund award tickets with no fees as often as you like.
- Points never expire, so you can collect as many points as possible when increased offers are on the table without having to worry about losing them to expiration.
- In addition to an extensive domestic network, Southwest also flies to fan-favorite holiday destinations like Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii, giving you a massive list of destinations you can reach with Rapid Rewards points.
- Rapid Rewards points are easy to earn, making it simple to rack up enough for your next redemption in no time.
Moreover, Southwest offers one of the best perks in award travel with its Companion Pass. This pass allows you to bring a friend or family member on any Southwest flight (as long as a seat is available) for just the taxes and fees, starting at $5.60 one-way. The Companion Pass can unlock significant savings if you frequently travel with a plus one.
What Is the Southwest Plus Card Welcome Offer Worth?
Southwest has three personal credit cards, and each currently offers the same valuable welcome offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 5 months from account opening.
On average, AwardWallet users redeem Rapid Rewards points for 1.52¢ apiece. That makes the 100,000 bonus points you'll earn from this offer worth over $1,500 toward award travel on Southwest. This is an incredible welcome offer, especially considering you can get it on a card that carries just a $99 annual fee.
Welcome offer restrictions
Chase issues Southwest's credit cards, meaning the bank's 5/24 rule applies. In other words, Chase will generally deny your application for a new Southwest Plus Card if you have opened five or more card accounts in the previous 24 months. Before you apply, check your 5/24 status for free to ensure your eligibility.
Moreover, you will find these terms on the application page:
“The product is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.”
Thus, if you currently have or earned a welcome bonus on any Southwest personal credit card in the past 24 months, you aren't eligible for this bonus. If it's been 24 months (or more) since you earned a welcome bonus, but you still have a Southwest personal card, you'll need to close that card to become eligible for this offer. Luckily, this restriction doesn't apply to Southwest's business or employee credit cards.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Which Southwest Credit Card Should I Get?
- 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
- 3X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 4X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Alongside a valuable welcome offer, each card features a similar set of travel protections, such as:
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Complimentary theft and damage protection for rentals charged to your card.
- Purchase Protection: Covers new purchases against theft and damage for up to 120 days.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Add one year to your manufacturer's extended warranty.
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Up to $3,000 per passenger.
- Baggage Delay Insurance: Up to $100 per day for three days.
Now, let's dive into each card's specifics.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Our top pick for this increased offer is the entry-level Southwest Plus Card, which offers several valuable benefits in exchange for a $99 annual fee. It was also recently refreshed to reflect the broader changes happening at the airline, which makes it even more of a must-have. Here’s what the card offers now:
- Earning Rates: Earn 2X points per dollar on Southwest Airlines purchases, 2X points per dollar at gas stations and grocery stores on up to $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year, and 1X point per dollar on all other purchases.
- Free Checked Bags: First checked bag free for the cardmember and up to eight passengers on the same reservation.
- Seat Selection Benefits: Standard seat selection available within 48 hours of departure for the cardmember and up to eight passengers on the same reservation (for flights operating in 2026).
- Priority Boarding: Earlier boarding for the cardmember and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation, with access to Group 5.
- Flight Discount: One promotional code for a 10% discount on a flight each anniversary year (excluding Basic fares).
- Bonus Points: Get 3,000 points every year on your cardmember anniversary.
- Companion Pass Head Start: Receive 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year.
- In-flight Savings: Get 25% back on in-flight purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Limited Time Offer: Our best points offer this year, earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 5 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
- Rates & Fees
- 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
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card falls right in the middle of the Southwest family of cards with a $149 annual fee. In exchange for a higher fee, here's how this card differs from the Southwest Plus Card:
- Earning Rates: Earn 3X points per dollar on Southwest Airlines purchases, 2X points per dollar at grocery stores and restaurants on up to $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year, and 1X point per dollar on all other purchases.
- Flight Discount: One promotional code for a 15% discount on a flight each anniversary year (excluding Basic fares).
- Tier Qualifying Points: Get 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List elite status for every $5,000 spent.
- Bonus Points: Get 6,000 points every year on your cardmember anniversary.
- 3X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Related: Southwest Premier Card review
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
The higher-end Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card card can quickly pay for itself if you fly with the airline a couple of times each year. Cardholders get a higher anniversary bonus, Extra Legroom seat upgrades, and a higher earn on Southwest flights.
If you're trying to figure out if this card is worth the higher annual fee, here's how it differs from the Southwest Plus Card:
- Extra Legroom Upgrades: Get an upgrade to an Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours of departure, when available.
- Earning Rates: Earn 4X points per dollar on Southwest Airlines purchases, 2X points per dollar at gas stations and restaurants (uncapped), and 1X point per dollar on all other purchases.
- Tier Qualifying Points: Get 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List elite status for every $5,000 spent.
- Bonus Points: Get 7,500 points every year on your cardmember anniversary.
- Limited Time Offer: Our best points offer this year, earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 5 months from account opening.
- 7,500 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards.
- Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants
- First checked bag free for Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation.
- Select a Preferred seat at booking, at no additional charge, when available.*
- Cardmembers and up to 8 passengers in the same reservation will board with Group 5 giving them earlier access to overhead bins.*
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 4X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Related: Southwest Priority Card review
Final Thoughts
Increased offers don’t come around every day — but when they do, they’re worth applying for, especially if you can put 100,000 bonus points to good use. And honestly, who couldn’t? This bonus could cover several one-way award flights or help offset the cost of your next big family trip.
Plus (pun intended), the card’s benefits can save you a lot of money once you’re ready to book and fly. Cardmembers can check their first bag at no extra cost, and standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure is included, too. If you care about saving money and don’t want to pay a high annual fee, there's no card better than the Southwest Plus Card.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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