Best credit cards for Southwest Airlines

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Published on February 10, 2023 | 5 min read

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If you’re a domestic traveler in the U.S. (or select international destinations) you may already know why Southwest Airlines is popular, with benefits like a generous cancellation and rebooking policies and two free checked bags allowance per person. Plus, it boasts one of the most popular airline loyalty programs available: Southwest Rapid Rewards.

There are several easy ways to earn rewards once you sign up for a free Rapid Rewards loyalty account. Two examples are shopping through its online portal and signing up for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining program. You can also earn Southwest points by flying with the airline.

Co-branded credit cards from Southwest and Chase let you earn even more points for each dollar you spend, plus sign-up bonuses and other perks. Here are the best credit cards to use for Southwest Airlines, along with a basic overview of how many points you can earn.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus: Best for entry-level travelers

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card has the lowest annual fee of all three consumer Southwest rewards card options. For $69 per year, cardholders can earn:

2X points on Southwest purchases; Southwest hotel and car rental partners; local transit and commuting (including rideshares); internet, cable and phone; and select streaming services
1X points on all other purchases

New cardholders can earn earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

It’s also worth noting that all three Southwest credit cards offer the ability to earn 3X points on purchases with restaurants via the Rapid Rewards Dining program. In order to receive this 3X rate, you must opt into Southwest email communications. Should you opt-out, you’ll only receive 1 point for every $2 spent.

Lastly, with the Rapid Rewards Plus, you’ll earn 3,00 bonus points each cardmember anniversary.

Additional card details:

3 percent foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside of the U.S.
Two complimentary EarlyBird Check-in upgrades per year

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier: Best mid-tier option

For a $99 annual fee, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is a middle-of-the-road option from Southwest. You’ll earn the same offer as the Plus: 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening — but its ongoing rewards are a slight step up from what’s offered by the Rapid Rewards Plus:

3X points on all Southwest purchases
2X points on local transit and commuting (including rideshares); internet, cable and phone services; and select streaming services
1X points on everything else

Two additional differences to note: You’ll earn 6,000 bonus points each cardmember anniversary (3,000 more points compared to the Plus), and you won’t have to pay foreign transaction fees.

Additional card details:

1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $10,000 you spend
Two complimentary EarlyBird Check-in upgrades per year

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority: Best for Southwest loyalists

As the most premium consumer card in Southwest’s lineup, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers the following ongoing rewards for a $149 annual fee:

3X points on Southwest purchases
2X points on Southwest Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; local transit and commuting (including rideshares); internet, cable and phone services; and select streaming services
1X points on all other purchases

You’ll also get the same welcome bonus offered by the Plus and Premier cards. Further, you’ll earn 7,500 points each year on your cardmember anniversary (1,500 more points than the Premier and 4,500 more points than the Plus).

Additional card details:

1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $10,000 you spend
Four upgraded boardings per year
$75 annual Southwest travel credit
No foreign transaction fees

Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business: Best for luxury business travel

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is one of two business cards offered by Southwest, and it features the highest rewards rates of all Southwest cards. For a $199 annual fee, you’ll earn:

4X points on Southwest purchases
3X points on participating hotel and rental car partners
2X points on local transit; rideshares; commuting; social media and search engine advertising; and cable and phone services
1X points on all other purchases

In terms of a welcome bonus, you’ll get 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months. Plus, the card offers a 9,000-point cardmember anniversary bonus.

Additional card details:

1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $10,000 you spend
Four upgraded boardings per year
Up to a $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit
Up to 365 in-flight Wi-Fi credits each year
No foreign transaction fees

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business: Best for casual business travel

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card offers toned-down features compared to the Performance Business, but you’ll only owe a $99 annual fee. In terms of rewards, you’ll earn:

3X points on Southwest airlines purchases
2X points on participating Rapid Rewards hotel and rental car partners, as well as rideshares
1X points on all other purchases

There’s also a chance to earn up to 120,000 bonus points: 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn an additional 60,000 points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 9 months.

Additional card details:

1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $10,000 you spend
Two complimentary EarlyBird Check-in upgrades per year
No foreign transaction fees

Earning tier status with Southwest

If you’re interested in pursuing elite status with Southwest, the Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier, Premier Business and Performance Business can give you a leg up (as you may have already noticed). Extra tier qualifying points is not a benefit of the $69 annual fee Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card.

Once you own one of these four airline credit cards, you’ll earn 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for each $10,000 you spend. These TQPs can be used to earn the following positions:

Tier status	How to earn it	What you get
A-List status	25 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year or earn 35,000 TQPs within a calendar year	Priority boarding; 25 percent earning bonus; free same-day standby and change; priority check-in and security; dedicated phone line
A-List Preferred	50 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year or earn 70,000 TQPs within a calendar year	Priority boarding; 100 percent earning bonus; free same-day standby and change, priority check-in and security; dedicated phone line; free in-flight Wi-Fi
Companion Pass	100 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year or earn 135,000 TQPs within a calendar year	Designated companion flies free for the rest of the year you earn the pass and the entire next year

The bottom line

Whether you’re looking to reach a new tier status with Southwest, earn the Companion Pass or something more, Southwest Airlines offers a bevy of options by which you can earn rewards. However, the right travel credit card for you will depend on the categories you spend the most in, how much you’re willing to pay in annual fees and any additional card perks you’re interested in taking advantage of.