Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Southwest Plus Card [Detailed Comparison]

Key Takeaways

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card’s points transfer to various travel partners. With the card, you earn 3x points on dining, online grocery, and select streaming services, 2x points on travel, and 1x points on all other purchases.
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card earns 2x points on Southwest purchases and 2x points at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year. It also earns 2x points on Rapid Rewards^® hotel and car rental partners and Southwest cruises, as well as local transit and commuting, including ride-sharing, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming through December 31, 2025.
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a stronger choice for travelers seeking flexible points and varied redemptions beyond a single airline.

Two of Chase’s most popular cards are the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of our favorite beginner credit cards, while the Southwest Plus card is a fantastic choice for Southwest loyalists.

Even though these credit cards are both issued by Chase, each offers specific features and benefits that are advantageous for different types of travelers. It can often get confusing whether you should get the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or the Southwest Plus card. And thanks to a recent card revamp of the Southwest Plus card, understanding which benefits are going away at the end of the year, as well as the new benefits (some of which start now and others in 2026), may be a deciding factor on whether you apply for the card (or when to do so). For clarity, we’ll note exactly which benefits are left at the end of the year.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about these two cards in order to figure out which one is right for you.

Overview

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Southwest Plus card both offer larger-than-life benefits and perks relative to their annual fee. So what’s the difference between the two cards?

Here’s a comparison of what to expect with each card:

Remember that the table above is merely an overview. There are different levels of coverage within specific benefits, such as travel accident insurance coverage amounts.

Also, terms apply when using some of the benefits associated with each card. To get a comprehensive picture of the terms and conditions, log in to your Chase online account and view the benefits guide for each perk you’re looking into.

Welcome Offer Comparison

One of the most attractive features of a credit card is its welcome bonus offer, which is also sometimes referred to as an introductory bonus.

Typically, a welcome offer is for new cardmembers, which must meet a spending requirement within the first few months after opening the card.

Both of these cards offer welcome bonus offers. In the case of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, the Ultimate Rewards points you earn are worth an average of 2 cents each, while the points earned from the Southwest Plus card are worth an average of 1.3 cents each.

Hot Tip:

For more on how we value different points and miles currencies, check out our travel points and miles valuations, which we update monthly.

Here are the current bonuses on each card:

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.49% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Southwest Plus Card

NEW OFFER

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card makes it easy to earn unlimited points and qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card

This card makes it easy to earn unlimited points and qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.

Welcome Offer

Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

85,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,105

Annual Fee

$99

APR

19.49% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you spend a lot of time in the air, it’s important to get a great deal on your plane tickets.

Southwest Airlines can help you get those deals.

One way to save is by using the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card. This card helps you earn points for all your spending, and earning more reward points is always a good thing for a busy traveler!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 2x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
• 2x points per $1 on the first $5,000 in combined spend at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year
• 2x points per $1 on local transit and commuting, including rideshares (through December 31, 2025)

Cons

• $99 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 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

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

Bottom Line: In most cases, the welcome offer from the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is more valuable than the welcome offer from the Southwest Plus card. However, both cards offer generous welcome bonus offers.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Points vs. Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

As we evaluate Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Southwest Rapid Rewards points, you’ll see that Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be used to book any Southwest flight.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points have the same utility as Southwest points, but they can also be used more flexibly for luxury award travel if you ever plan on flying an airline besides Southwest.

Before we dive into that, though, let’s look at the earning potential from both of these cards:

Earning Potential Comparison

Since we deem Chase points worth an average of 2 cents each and Southwest points 1.3 cents each, Chase points can give you significantly more value.

As you can also tell from the table above, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns more points on most everyday purchases, including dining and travel, which underscores its value proposition from a return on spending perspective.

Since some of the bonus spend categories where the Southwest Plus card outperforms the Chase Sapphire Preferred card are going away in 2025, it’s a little harder to compare the two products. However, Southwest wins for gas and in-person grocery shopping, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is better for travel, dining, and online grocery shopping.

All that said, 2x Southwest points bring a 2.6% average return on spending, while 1x Chase points still has a 2% average return on spending.

Bottom Line: Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is superior to the Southwest Plus card for earning points — but it does depend on where you tend to spend. 

Anniversary Bonuses

Another benefit that the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers is a 10% bonus of points earned every cardmember anniversary based on the total dollars spent. For example, if you spent $50,000 on your card, you’d get a bonus of 5,000 points after renewing your card every year.

Southwest offers a flat rate of 3,000 Southwest points every year on your cardmember anniversary and 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points every year.

Redemption Options

When it comes to the different ways you can use your points, your Southwest Rapid Rewards points are limiting, as the best way to use them is really only for Southwest Airlines flights.

Meanwhile, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are incredibly valuable. They can be used to book not just Southwest flights but also luxury award travel through a variety of airline and hotel partners, whether it’s for the Park Hyatt New York or Air France business class.

And because Chase is transfer partners with Southwest at a 1:1 ratio, you can transfer Chase points to Southwest whenever you need to.

In addition, Chase allows you to get bonus redemption value in 2 ways:

• Bookings made with points through the Chase Travel portal
• Pay Yourself Back

If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you could get up to a 75% redemption bonus in the Chase Travel portal, which equates to as much as a 1.75 cent-per-point redemption value. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can also be used for statement credits, gift cards, Amazon.com purchases, online shopping, and more.

Southwest points have the best value when you book tickets through Southwest, usually around 1.5 cents per point. However, if you redeem points for flights on other airlines, hotels, rental cars, gift cards, online shopping, or experiences, you only get a maximum of 1 cent per point in value, which is low.

Bottom Line: By earning Southwest points only instead of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you limit the value you get from your points. We always recommend earning Chase points. If you ever need Southwest points, just transfer them from Chase at a 1:1 ratio.

Southwest Airlines Travel Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card doesn’t come with any Southwest-specific benefits.

The Southwest Plus card comes with the following benefits specific to Southwest:

• 25% back on Southwest inflight purchases
• 3,000 points after every anniversary year
• 10% flight discount (excludes basic fares)
• 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost
• Complimentary standard seat selection within 48 hours prior to departure, when available, starting in 2026
• Free checked bag or you and 8 additional passengers
• Group 5 boarding for you and 5 additional passengers, starting in 2026
• Through December 31, 2025: 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins

Since we value Rapid Rewards points at an average of 1.3 cents each, earning an anniversary bonus of 3,000 points every year is like getting $39 in points every year.

EarlyBird Check-In is a benefit that Southwest offers that lets you automatically check in before the normal 24-hour check-in period. With EarlyBird Check-In, you get an earlier boarding position, a better opportunity to select your preferred seat from boarding earlier, and earlier access to overhead bins. If you do get the card soon, make sure to use this benefit ASAP, as it goes away this year.

The 10% flight discount is a solid way to save if you frequently fly Southwest (and not on basic fares, because those aren’t eligible). And since you can no longer check bags for free on Southwest, it’s nice that the card includes a checked bag, and it can be especially valuable if you have a large family or are traveling with a group where everyone needs to check a bag. Group 5 boarding, a newer perk of the card, is also helpful, as is the complimentary standard seat selection 48 hours in advance (these perks both begin in 2026).

Finally, if you make an inflight purchase aboard a Southwest flight, you get a 25% statement credit back when you use your Southwest Plus card — so if you spend $10 on Southwest inflight purchases, you get back $2.50.

Statement Credits Comparison

When you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you can utilize:

• $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit

The Ultimate Rewards hotel credit is easy to use — just book your paid hotel stay through the Chase Travel portal and get up to $50 back every cardmember anniversary year.

Although the Southwest Plus card doesn’t have statement credit benefits every year, it’s worth reiterating that you get a bonus of 3,000 points every cardmember anniversary year, a 10% flight discount (that excludes basic fares), a free checked bag for you and 8 travel companions, and 25% back on Southwest inflight purchases, among other benefits.

Travel Protection and Benefits Comparison

To adequately protect yourself while traveling, you should pay for travel expenses using a credit card that offers the best coverage. So whether you’re booking a car rental or paying for plane tickets, the right credit card can help save you thousands of dollars in the long run through reimbursements if you experience an adverse event.

In this section, we compare the travel insurance benefits offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to those offered by the Southwest Plus card.

Auto Rental Coverage

The Southwest Plus card’s rental car coverage is secondary, which means it kicks in after you file a claim with your primary insurance first.

Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s rental car insurance policy includes primary coverage.

To get coverage on either card, you need to pay for your rental reservation using your card and decline the car rental company’s collision damage waiver and loss damage waiver (CDW/LDW) to activate the coverage.

Trip Interruption and Cancellation Insurance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers trip interruption and cancellation insurance, while the Southwest Plus card doesn’t.

If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and use it to pay for your common carrier ticket, you can get reimbursed up to $10,000 per person or $20,000 per trip for illness, severe weather, or other covered reasons.

Trip Delay Reimbursement

Trip delay insurance is another travel protection that is offered to Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders but not Southwest Plus cardholders.

On delays of more than 12 hours or where an overnight stay is required, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card can get you reimbursements for up to $500 per ticket with a maximum of 1 claim per trip.

Baggage Delay Insurance

The Southwest Plus card offers you up to $100 per day for up to 3 days toward the purchase of essential items if you check a bag and your flight is delayed by more than 6 hours.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also offers the same benefit of up to $100 per day, but for up to 5 days, triggered by a delay of more than 6 hours.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement

With the Southwest Plus card, you’re eligible to receive up to $3,000 per passenger in reimbursements if your luggage is lost or damaged by the airline.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card shares the same lost luggage reimbursement policy.

Travel Accident Insurance

The Southwest Plus card offers up to $500,000 in travel accident insurance. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also offers up to $500,000 in travel accident insurance.

Roadside Dispatch

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Southwest Plus card have a benefit called Roadside Dispatch, which is essentially a basic roadside assistance perk. It offers coverage for specific services at a pre-negotiated rate of $69.95 per service call.

Currently, coverage for both cards includes:

• Fuel delivery (up to 5 gallons, plus the cost of fuel)
• Jump-starting
• Lockout service (key replacement not included)
• Standard towing (up to 5 miles)
• Standard winching
• Tire changing (must have a good, inflated spare)

Travel and Emergency Assistance Services

When it comes to the Southwest Plus card, you are also provided travel and emergency assistance services. You get travel and emergency assistance services with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, too.

Here are some of the benefits included for you, your spouse, and any dependent children under 22 years old traveling with you when you use the Visa Signature version of the Southwest Plus card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred card:

These services are accessible 24/7/365 for those who hold either card. However, keep in mind that these benefits are for referrals and assistance only — any services or charges incurred are your sole responsibility.

Shopping Protection and Benefits Comparison

Both of these cards offer some level of protection while you’re swiping beyond travel expenses.

Purchase Protection

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you have access to a purchase protection policy that covers a timeframe of up to 120 days after purchase, $500 per item, and $50,000 per calendar year.

The purchase protection coverage you get on the Southwest Plus card is identical to that of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Extended Warranty

Both the Southwest Plus card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offer the same extended warranty protection.

This policy offers 1 additional year on eligible original warranties of 3 years or less with a maximum claim amount of $10,000 per item and $50,000 per calendar year. So if you purchase an item with an eligible warranty of 1 year, you receive 1 extra year for a total of 2 years. On the other hand, if you purchase an item with an eligible warranty of 5 years, you don’t receive any additional protection.

Fees and Authorized Users

Foreign Transaction Fees

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has no foreign transaction fees. The Southwest Plus card also doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee.

That means if you spend $1,000 while traveling abroad, you save $30 by using either of these cards over another that may charge a fee of 3%.

Annual Fees

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has an annual fee of $95, while the Southwest Plus card has an annual fee of $99.

Adding Authorized Users

There are no additional annual fees for adding authorized users to either card.

Final Thoughts

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Southwest Plus card are two of the most popular credit cards offered by Chase, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is superior to the Southwest Plus card in almost every way.

To start off, you can earn up to 5x points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, while the Southwest Plus card only earns you a maximum of 2x points. And let’s not forget about the 10% anniversary bonus you get with the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are also much more valuable than Southwest points.

Every year, you can also get some statement credit benefits that further contribute to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s value proposition. That’s not to say that the 3,000-point anniversary bonus from the Southwest Plus card isn’t useful — it just doesn’t add as much value.

The only area in which the Southwest Plus card outperforms the Chase Sapphire Preferred card would be the marginal Southwest-specific benefits, such as the 10% flight discount, standard seat selection, Group 5 boarding, or the free checked bag.

All in all, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the card to get of these two, especially if you fly Southwest only sporadically. And if you’re a frequent Southwest flyer? You could consider getting both cards.