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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card — Review [2025]

Jarrod West's image
Jarrod West
Edited by: Juan Ruiz
& Kellie Jez

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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business 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.
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  • 60,000

  • $149

  • 19.99% - 28.49% Variable

  • Good to Excellent

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

Business owners who fly Southwest often can earn extra points for all of their spending and add employee cards at no additional cost.

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.
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon4

Summary

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card is designed for business owners who regularly fly with Southwest and want a card that helps them earn more points while providing benefits such as 25% back on inflight purchases and EarlyBird Check-In certificates.

Card Details

Card Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info

  • Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
  • 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
  • Earn 3X points on Southwest Airlines® purchases.
  • Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per year
  • First checked bag free for Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation.
  • Select a Standard or Preferred seat within 48 hours prior to departure, 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

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • 3x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
  • 2x points per $1 on the first $8,000 in combined spend at gas stations and restaurants each anniversary year
  • 2x points per $1 on Rapid Rewards hotel and rental car partners (through December 31, 2025)
  • 1x point per $1 on all other purchases
  • 6,000 anniversary points
  • 25% back on inflight purchases
  • $500 fee credit for points transfers per year (through December 31, 2025)
  • 2,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Lost luggage insurance
  • Baggage delay insurance
  • Purchase protection and extended warranty protection

Cons

  • $149 annual fee
  • Doesn’t earn transferable rewards
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Great Card If

  • You regularly fly with Southwest
  • You want a card that can help you reach Southwest elite status

Don’t Get If

  • You hardly ever fly with Southwest
  • You want a card that earns points that can be redeemed with multiple airlines

Southwest Premier Business Card — Is It Worth It?

For business owners who regularly fly with Southwest, the Southwest Premier Business card is a great card to have in your wallet. The card helps you earn more points on all your business expenses. It comes with benefits such as a first checked bag at no additional cost for cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation, earlier boarding (starting in 2026), and no foreign transaction fees.

Plus, cardholders can earn 2,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) toward Southwest A-List status for every $5,000 spent, with no limit on the amount of TQPs you can earn. This is a great perk for those who may not fly enough to earn Southwest elite status organically but may have enough business expenses to help make qualifying easier.

Southwest Premier Business Card Top Benefits

Here’s a glance at some of the best benefits of the Southwest Premier Business card:

Travel Benefits

  • 6,000 points each year: Each year you renew your card and pay your annual fee, you’ll receive a 6,000-point anniversary bonus. We value Southwest points at 1.3 cents apiece, making 6,000 points worth about $78.
  • 2 EarlyBird Check-In certificates annually: These EarlyBird check-in certificates allow you to be one of the first to check in for your flight as soon as the window opens, giving you a higher boarding number to grab a better seat onboard. Eligible Cardmembers can use their Early Bird Check-In benefit, when available, for flights operating in 2025. Once assigned seating begins on January 27, 2026, Southwest’s Early Bird Check-In will no longer be available for purchase.
  • 25% back on inflight purchases: When you use your card to purchase drinks or Wi-Fi on board, you’ll receive 25% of the purchase back as a statement credit.
  • $500 fee credit for points transfers: Since Southwest charges a fee for transferring points to another Rapid Rewards member, this perk will allow you to make up to $500 worth of transfers with paying the fee. This benefit will end December 31, 2025.
  • Unlimited tier qualifying points: Reach Southwest A-List status faster by earning 2,000 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent on your card. Since there is no limit to the number of tier-qualifying points you can earn this way, you could spend your way to Southwest A-List status.

Travel and Purchases Protections

  • Baggage Delay Insurance: If your checked bag is delayed by more than 6 hours, you’ll receive $100 in coverage towards essential items for each day your bag is delayed.
  • Lost Luggage Reimbursement: If the items inside your luggage are lost or damaged by the carrier, you’re covered for up to $3,000 per passenger.
  • Purchase Protection: Items purchased with the card are covered for theft or accidental damage, up to $50,000 in coverage, up to 120 days from the date of purchase.
  • Extended Warranty Protection: On eligible warranties of 3 years or less, your warranty coverage will be extended by 1 additional year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees: Use your card for international transactions without additional fees.

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

The most straightforward ways to earn more Southwest Rapid Rewards points are by choosing Southwest Airlines for your personal and business travel and using the Southwest Premier Business card for your business expenses — especially on those that fall within the card’s bonus categories of Southwest purchases, Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases, and local transit and commuting purchases.

When it comes to redeeming points, keep in mind that Rapid Rewards is a fixed-value currency, meaning the number of points needed for a ticket is tied to the cash cost of the ticket. Usually, your Southwest Rapid Rewards points will give you about 1.3 cents in value per point.

Alternative Cards to the Southwest Premier Business Card

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

If you want a Southwest business card that offers even more benefits, then you should give the Southwest Performance Business card a good look.

It offers 9,000 anniversary points instead of 6,000, unlimited upgrades to Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours prior to departure (when available; starting in 2026), and a fee credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS. You’ll also get perks like the ability to earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List status and a $500 annual fee credit for point transfers (ends December 31, 2025).

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Those who prefer a more well-rounded business card should consider the Ink Business Preferred card. The card earns 3x points per $1 spent on the first $150,000 spent in combined travel, shipping, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines, and internet, cable, and phone services.

Better yet, the Ink Business Preferred card’s rewards are transferable. You can redeem your points with various Chase airline and hotel transfer partners, including Southwest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Southwest Premier Business card annual fee?

The Southwest Premier Business card annual fee is $149.

What credit score do you need for the Southwest Premier Business card?

Usually, those with a credit score of 670 or higher have relatively good approval odds. That said, there is no guarantee that you will be approved for the card no matter how high your credit score is.

Does the welcome offer on the Southwest Premier Business card count toward the Southwest Companion Pass?

Yes, the welcome offer on the Southwest Premier Business card and points earned from your spending all count towards qualifying for the Southwest Companion Pass.

 

Does the Southwest Premier Business card count toward the Chase 5/24 rule?

No, business cards from Chase do not add to your 5/24 status. That said, you likely will need to be under 5/24 to be approved for the card.

Is the Southwest Premier Business card worth it?

If you are a business owner who regularly flies with Southwest and are looking for a card that helps you earn more points, allows you to fast-track elite status with Southwest, and offers perks like annual bonus points and EarlyBird check-in certificates, then the Southwest Premier Business card is likely worth it.

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About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 8 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year, and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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