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Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in ...
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.
4
Earn 50,000 points
$99
21.49% - 28.49% Variable
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Earn Southwest points on every purchase, plus anniversary points, Tier Qualifying Points, and points toward the Companion Pass!
U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.
4
Another week, another flight. Flying weekly can get tiring, but you know that every flight gets you closer to taking some great vacations with your significant other or your favorite travel buddy.
To save money on the flights, you like to use Southwest Airlines.
You like Southwest Airlines and spend enough to earn Tier Qualifying Points
You have your eyes set on the Companion Pass
You want to earn some extra Rapid Rewards points each year
Don’t Get If
You’re a low spender and won’t make up the $99 annual fee in bonus points
You enjoy luxury benefits when traveling and don’t like low-cost carriers
You want a card that earns transferable rewards
Southwest Premier Card — Is It Worth It?
If you’re a frequent Southwest flyer, then it’s likely the Southwest Premier card would be a great option for you.
For starters, the card not only helps you earn more Southwest Rapid Rewards points on all of your flights but also on all of your other daily purchases, too.
The card isn’t just great for earning points, though. It also helps enhance your Southwest flights by offering 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, 25% back on inflight purchases, and travel protections.
While the card does charge a $99 annual fee, it also offers 6,000 bonus Southwest Rapid Rewards points each year to help offset that fee.
Southwest Premier Card Top Benefits
6,000 Bonus Points Each Year
Each year you renew your card, you’ll receive 6,000 bonus points deposited into your Rapid Rewards account. Oftentimes, you’ll get around 1.3 cents per point when redeeming your Southwest Rapid Rewards points, making 6,000 points worth about $78 towards a Southwest flight.
EarlyBird Check-In
Those who fly with Southwest know that you want to score as early of a boarding position as possible, as seat selection is a first-come, first-served process.
With EarlyBird Check-In, you’ll be automatically checked in as soon as the check-in window opens, helping you score a great boarding position. The price for EarlyBird Check-In starts at $15 but can be more depending on the route.
Southwest Premier cardholders will receive 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year for free.
Tier Qualifying Points
The Southwest Premier card will also help you work your way towards elite status with Southwest by giving you 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 you spend on the card.
While you won’t want to rely on this alone as a method for reaching elite status, it is a welcome addition.
Discounts on Inflight Purchases
Receive a 25% discount on Wi-Fi, drinks, or other items on your Southwest flight when you pay with your Southwest Premier card.
Card Protections
Baggage Delay Insurance: If you have checked a bag, and it is delayed by more than 6 hours, you’ll receive $100 per day your bag is delayed in coverage towards essential items.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement: If the items inside of your luggage are lost or damaged by the carrier, you’re covered for up to $3,000 per passenger.
Extended Warranty Protection: On eligible warranties of 3 years or less, your warranty coverage will be extended by 1 additional year.
Purchase Protection: Items you purchase with the card are covered against theft or accidental damage, with up to $50,000 in coverage, up to 120 days from the date of purchase.
Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Thankfully, the Southwest Rapid Rewards program is very robust. This is advantageous because it means you have plenty of great ways to rack up Southwest Rapid Rewards points, such as through its dining program or shopping portal.
As a fixed point rewards program, Southwest helps take the headache out of the equation when it comes to redemptions, by making each point worth about 1.3 cents towards any Southwest flight with no blackout dates or award space to worry about. Southwest also offers a great route map with plenty of great destinations you can visit with your Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
Alternative Cards to the Southwest Premier Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
If you’re a frequent Southwest flyer, then the Southwest Priority card will likely be a better fit for you.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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 focuses on the Southwest traveler with anniversary points, travel credit, upgrades, and money back on inflight purchases.
This card focuses on the Southwest traveler with anniversary points, travel credit, upgrades, and money back on inflight purchases.
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 50,000 points.
$650
$149
21.49% - 28.49% Variable
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 cardapplication.
Not only does the card offer multiple bonus categories to help you earn more Southwest Rapid Rewards points, but it is also loaded with benefits that are sure to offer quite a bit of value to Southwest flyers.
Here is a full overview of the card to help you decide if it is a good fit for your wallet.
Pros
3x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
2x points per $1 on local transit and commuting, including rideshare purchases
2x points per $1 on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming purchases
1x point per $1 on all other purchases
7,500 points each year on your cardmember anniversary
$75 annual Southwest travel credit
4 Upgraded Boardings per year
25% back on inflight purchases
1,500 tier qualifying points towards elite status for every $5,000 spent
Travel and purchase protection
Cons
$149 annual fee
Does not earn transferable points
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
7,500 anniversary points each year.
Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases.
Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
While the annual fee is a bit higher, the card offers quite a bit more benefits like 7,500 bonus points each year, a $75 Southwest credit each year, and 4 Upgraded Boarding certificates per year.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Those who want an all-around travel rewards card should opt for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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 huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
60,000 points
$1,200
$95
21.49%-28.49% Variable
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 cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cardson 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
5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
2x points on all other travel worldwide
$50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
Excellent travel and car rental insurance
10% annual bonus points
No foreign transaction fees
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
Cons
$95 annual fee
No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
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, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
You’ll earn 5x points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 2x points per $1 on other travel purchases, and 3x points per $1 on dining, online grocery, and select streaming purchases.
Plus, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most valuable points available to award travelers thanks to their ability to be transferred at a 1:1 rate to many great Chase transfer partners.
All cards are issued by Chase and would be great for those who fly Southwest frequently and want a card to earn even more points to use on reward flights.
The Southwest Premier card is also good for someone who wants to get Southwest elite status more quickly or to get the Companion Pass.
How does the Southwest Premier card work?
You’ll earn 3x on all Southwest purchases, 2x on local transit and commuting (including rideshares), and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, then 1x points on all other purchases. Every year on your cardmember anniversary, you’ll earn 6,000 points.
To help you reach elite status, you’ll earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 you spend.
Additionally, all points you earn on the card count toward the 135,000 qualifying points you need to earn within a calendar year for the Southwest Companion Pass.
How do you redeem Southwest Premier card points?
Points earned with any Southwest credit card automatically get deposited into your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. From there, you can redeem the points through Southwest’s portal.
Are Southwest Premier card points tier qualifying?
You will earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) for every $5,000 you spend. TQPs are only earned in this way or by flying Southwest.
The rest of the points earned on your card are considered bonus points.
Can you earn the Companion Pass by using the Southwest Premier card?
You need to earn 135,000 points in a calendar year to earn an annual Southwest Companion Pass.
What is the Southwest Premier card login?
You can view your card information by signing in to chase.com.
What other credit cards allow me to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points?
Chase Ultimate Rewards is partnered with Southwest, so if you use one of the many Chase credit cards, you can transfer points to Southwest.
Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.
This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.
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