Southwest Airways has introduced within the period of checked bag charges, an adjusted boarding course of and seat assignments.
Southwest’s three private bank cards are right here so as to add some further perks alongside the way in which.
At first look, you could not suppose there are lots of variations among the many playing cards. However the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Credit score Card (see charges and charges), Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Credit score Card and Southwest Speedy Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card (see charges and charges) all have key variations.
The data for the Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
New candidates for any of those playing cards can earn a coveted Companion Go, which lets you carry a chosen journey companion on all of your Southwest flights (each paid and award tickets) for simply the value of taxes and charges, by way of Feb. 28, 2027. Listed below are some card-by-card supply particulars:
Southwest Plus: Earn a Companion Go legitimate for a 12 months, plus 20,000 bonus factors, after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Per TPG’s February 2026 valuations, this supply is price $260 in factors, plus the worth of a Companion Go.Southwest Premier: Earn a Companion Go legitimate for a 12 months, plus 30,000 bonus factors, after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Per TPG’s valuations, this supply is price $390 in factors, plus the worth of a Companion Go.Southwest Precedence: Earn a Companion Go legitimate for a 12 months, plus 40,000 bonus factors, after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Per TPG’s valuations, this supply is price $520 in factors, plus the worth of a Companion Go.
Here is what it’s worthwhile to know to decide on the most suitable choice for you.
Associated: How you can redeem your factors with the Southwest Speedy Rewards program
Southwest bank cards overview
$99
$149
$229
3,000 factors
6,000 factors
7,500 factors
2 factors per greenback spent at fuel stations and grocery shops, on the primary $5,000 in mixed purchases per 12 months (then 1 level per greenback spent)
2 factors per greenback spent on Southwest purchases
1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
3 factors per greenback spent on Southwest purchases
2 factors per greenback spent at grocery shops and eating places, on the primary $8,000 in mixed purchases per 12 months (then 1 level per greenback spent)
1 level per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases
4 factors per greenback spent on Southwest purchases
2 factors per greenback spent at fuel stations and eating places
1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
Free first checked bag: Obtain a free first checked bag for you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation.
Precedence boarding: Obtain Group 5 precedence boarding. When you have A-Checklist standing, you possibly can board with an earlier group.
Normal seat choice: When accessible, obtain complimentary normal seat choice inside 48 hours of departure for you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation.
Flight low cost code: Cardholders obtain one promotional 10% flight low cost code every anniversary 12 months (excluding Fundamental fares).
25% inflight financial savings: Obtain 25% again (as a press release credit score) after you employ your card to buy inflight drinks and Wi-Fi.
Free first checked bag: Obtain a free first checked bag for you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation.
Precedence boarding: Obtain Group 5 precedence boarding. When you have A-Checklist standing, you possibly can board with an earlier group.
Most well-liked seat choice: When accessible, you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation can choose Most well-liked seating inside 48 hours of departure.
Flight low cost code: Cardholders obtain one promotional 15% flight low cost code every anniversary 12 months (excluding Fundamental fares).
25% inflight financial savings: Obtain 25% again (as a press release credit score) after you employ your card to buy inflight drinks and Wi-Fi.
Free first checked bag: Obtain a free first checked bag for you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation.
Precedence boarding: Obtain Group 5 precedence boarding. When you have A-Checklist standing, you possibly can board with an earlier group.
Most well-liked seat choice at reserving: When accessible, you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation can choose Most well-liked seating on the time of reserving.
Limitless extra-legroom upgrades: When accessible, you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation can choose extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours previous to departure.
25% inflight financial savings: Obtain 25% again (as a press release credit score) after you employ your card to buy inflight drinks and Wi-Fi.
A lift of 10,000 Companion Go qualifying factors annually.
Earn 1,500 TQPs towards A-Checklist standing for each $5,000 in spending per calendar 12 months (with no cap).
A lift of 10,000 Companion Go qualifying factors annually.
Earn 2,500 TQPs towards A-Checklist standing for each $5,000 in spending per calendar 12 months (with no cap).
A lift of 10,000 Companion Go qualifying factors annually.
Prolonged guarantee safety
Baggage delay insurance coverage
Misplaced baggage reimbursement
Buy safety
Prolonged guarantee safety
Baggage delay insurance coverage
Misplaced baggage reimbursement
Buy safety
None
None
None
Associated: Southwest card welcome bonuses
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Advantages on all Southwest playing cards
There are a number of perks included with each Southwest card that make the day-of-travel expertise extra nice when flying with the airline and might prevent a number of cash.
Perks when flying Southwest
All of the playing cards embrace a free checked bag, complimentary seat choice both inside 48 hours of departure or at reserving (relying on the cardboard) and precedence boarding.
A regular first checked bag prices $35. On a round-trip itinerary, a household of 4 would incur a price of $280 for one normal checked bag every. The financial savings on this one journey would greater than cowl the annual price of any of the playing cards.
Bonus-earning classes
Moreover, all of the Southwest playing cards earn Speedy Rewards factors on eligible purchases.
The Southwest Plus earns 2 factors per greenback spent at grocery shops and fuel stations (on the primary $5,000 in mixed spending yearly).
The Southwest Premier earns 2 factors per greenback spent at grocery shops and eating places (on as much as $8,000 in mixed spending yearly). Each playing cards earn 1 level per greenback spent of their respective classes after their spending caps are hit.
The Southwest Precedence earns 4 factors per greenback spent on Southwest purchases and a couple of factors per greenback spent at fuel stations and eating places.
Lastly, not one of the Southwest playing cards cost overseas transaction charges, so all three playing cards are a viable choice for purchases overseas.
Associated: 1 in 4 Southwest planes now have extra-legroom seats — this is the way to snag one
Frequent Southwest flyer? Select the Precedence
The Southwest Precedence makes a really compelling case for itself.
For frequent Southwest flyers, the Precedence card makes essentially the most sense. The cardboard provides limitless upgrades to extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure (when accessible) and Most well-liked seat choice on the time of reserving, whereas the Premier card solely provides Most well-liked seat choice inside 48 hours of departure (when accessible).
This perk is usually solely afforded to these with airline elite standing, so seeing it offered by a bank card is a large plus.
Moreover, should you’re a frequent Southwest flyer, you are probably aiming to earn A-Checklist elite standing. You will earn 2,500 tier qualifying factors for each $5,000 spent with the Precedence card and 1,500 factors for each $5,000 spent with the Premier card.
Plus, with the Southwest Precedence card, you will earn 1 further level per greenback spent on Southwest purchases (for a complete of 4 factors, in comparison with 3 with the Premier) and an uncapped 2 factors per greenback spent on eating places. Incomes extra factors with the Precedence card will assist you to get to the Companion Go faster.
With the Southwest Precedence, you’ll obtain 7,500 bonus factors in your cardholder anniversary, in comparison with 6,000 factors with the Southwest Premier — price about $20 extra based mostly on TPG’s valuations.
The largest argument towards the Southwest Precedence is that it has a $229 annual price. Nevertheless, if you should use the above advantages, you possibly can offset a majority and even all of that value.
Associated: How (and when) to switch Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Speedy Rewards
Desire a decrease annual price? Select the Premier, not the Plus
In the event you’re searching for a decrease annual price and might’t justify the Southwest Precedence, we would suggest the Southwest Premier, with its $149 annual price, over the Southwest Plus and its $99 annual price.
For an additional $50 per 12 months, you will obtain 6,000 anniversary factors, double that of the Plus card. In keeping with TPG’s valuations, these anniversary bonus factors are price $78, which covers greater than half of the annual price.
With the Premier card, you possibly can choose Most well-liked seating inside 48 hours of departure, whereas the Plus Card solely provides normal seating inside 48 hours of departure (when accessible).
Each playing cards supply an annual flight promo low cost code (excluding Fundamental fares): The Premier provides a 15% low cost code, whereas the Plus provides a ten% low cost code.
In the event you’re aiming to earn A-Checklist or A-Checklist Most well-liked standing, you will wish to go for the Southwest Premier, as you will earn 1,500 tier-qualifying factors for each $5,000 spent on purchases in a calendar 12 months (with no cap). The Plus card would not supply bonus TQPs for bank card spending.
The Premier Card additionally provides increased bonus factors earnings on Southwest purchases and the next mixed spending cap for eating places and grocery shops, versus fuel stations and grocery shops for the Plus card.
All of the added perks of the Premier card simply justify the additional $50 per 12 months.
Associated: How you can determine if a bank card’s annual price is price paying
Eligibility guidelines for Southwest bank cards
Chase’s restrictions on bank card functions is usually a roadblock for some individuals contemplating making use of for a Southwest bank card.
Chase’s 5/24 rule applies to all three of those playing cards. This rule implies that Chase will nearly definitely reject new candidates should you’ve opened 5 or extra bank cards (from any financial institution or issuer) within the final 24 months.
In the event you’re at (or over) 5/24, we suggest not losing an utility and a tough credit score inquiry on these playing cards since you’ll almost definitely get declined. It is also essential to notice that enterprise playing cards from any issuer normally do not rely towards 5/24.
Along with the 5/24 rule, Southwest has eligibility guidelines concerning the welcome bonus. The phrases and circumstances for the welcome bonus of every of those playing cards state:
“The product is just not accessible to both (i) present Cardmembers of any Southwest Speedy Rewards® Credit score Card, or (ii) earlier Cardmembers of any Southwest Speedy Rewards Credit score Card who obtained a brand new Cardmember bonus inside the final 24 months. This doesn’t apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Speedy Rewards Enterprise Card and Worker Credit score Card merchandise.”
In the event you at present maintain any of the Southwest private bank cards or have obtained a bonus for one within the final 24 months, you’ll not obtain a brand new welcome supply until it has been 24 months because you final obtained one.
Associated: The last word information to Southwest bank card eligibility
Which card ought to I select?
The Southwest Plus is finest for individuals who need the bottom annual price. However should you fly Southwest at the very least a few instances annually, contemplate the Southwest Premier or Southwest Precedence as a substitute.
In the event you’re a Southwest loyalist, it’s best to go for the Precedence card, because it provides essentially the most for individuals who board a Southwest plane usually, together with limitless upgrades to extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure and Most well-liked seat choice at reserving (when accessible).
Associated: Fly Southwest at the very least twice a 12 months? Here is why the Southwest Plus is sensible for you
Backside line
Southwest Airways bank cards stay widespread, and having one in your pockets may be extremely helpful.
Anybody who flies Southwest, even when it is only a handful of instances per 12 months, should not have any downside maxing out the journey advantages that include the Southwest Precedence, which will certainly present essentially the most worth for Southwest frequent flyers.
If the annual price for the Southwest Precedence is simply too steep for you, you will probably get higher worth from the Southwest Premier than the Southwest Plus.
To be taught extra, learn our full critiques of the Southwest Precedence, Southwest Premier and Southwest Plus playing cards.
Apply right here: Southwest Speedy Rewards Precedence Credit score Card
Apply right here: Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus Credit score Card
Be taught extra: Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier Credit score Card
