20 Benefits of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card [2025]

If you fly on Southwest Airlines often, you may wonder if you should get a Southwest credit card. They have 3 personal and 2 business credit cards, so knowing which is the best for you can be confusing.

Of these, the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card is the middle-tier personal, co-branded Southwest credit card. It’s our focus in this article.

We’ll go over the benefits of the Southwest Premier card in detail to help you decide if it’s the right Southwest card for you.

Southwest Premier Card Overview

There are 5 Southwest co-branded credit cards available, and the Southwest Premier card is in the middle of the pack. It has a reasonable annual fee with a solid list of benefits.

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 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.

Earn Southwest points on every purchase, plus anniversary points, Tier Qualifying Points, and points toward the Companion Pass!

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card

Earn Southwest points on every purchase, plus anniversary points, Tier Qualifying Points, and points toward the Companion Pass!

Welcome Offer

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

50,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $650

Annual Fee

$149

APR

19.74% - 28.24% 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 (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

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.

So why not get the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card to help you earn extra Rapid Rewards points?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
• 2x points on the first $8,000 in combined spend at grocery stores and restaurants each anniversary year
• 2x points per $1 on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners (through December 31, 2025)

Cons

• $149 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable rewards

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Card Highlights

• Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 6,000 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 3 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines^® purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards.
• Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary 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

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

Rapid Rewards Points Earning Potential

1. Earn Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

One of the biggest benefits of the Southwest Premier card is the ability to earn lots of Rapid Rewards points. Here’s a look at how many points you can earn with this card:

• 3x points on Southwest Airlines purchases made directly with the airline
• 3x points on Southwest Cruises (through December 31, 2025)
• 2x points at grocery stores and restaurants, up to $8,000 in purchases per year
• 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners (through December 31, 2025)
• 2x points on local transit and commuting, including ride-sharing (through December 31, 2025)
• 2x points on internet, cable, and phone services (through December 31, 2025)
• 2x points on select streaming services (through December 31, 2025)
• 1x points on all other purchases

One of the more unique things about the Southwest Premier card is that earns you points on balance transfers. You earn 1 point per $1 on up to $15,000 in the first 90 days after account opening. While that’s a nice perk, the card has a balance transfer fee, which can easily wipe out the value of any points you may earn. If you have a large balance to transfer, it’s probably best to look for a credit card without a balance transfer fee.

2. 6,000 Anniversary Bonus Points

After your card account anniversary, you receive 6,000 anniversary bonus points. These points are automatically applied to your account each year your Southwest Premier card is renewed.

We value Southwest Rapid Rewards points at 1.3 cents each, so this bonus is worth about $78.

3. Southwest Premier Card Referral Bonus

If you have a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card, you may be able to refer friends and family to apply for any Southwest credit card. If they are approved, you earn bonus Rapid Rewards points. One of the best parts of this perk is that points earned from referral bonuses count toward Companion Pass qualification.

Flight Benefits

The Southwest Premier card comes with baggage, seating, and boarding benefits that help make every flight better.

4. Complimentary EarlyBird Check-In (for Flights Through January 26, 2026)

Southwest Airlines has a unique boarding process based on when you check in for your flight. For passengers who don’t want to deal with that, there’s EarlyBird Check-In, a service you can purchase that automatically checks you in for your flight, which gets you a better boarding position and, therefore, a better choice of seats.

EarlyBird Check-In usually costs between $15 and $35 per person per flight. However, if you have a Southwest Premier card, you get 2 complimentary EarlyBird Check-In credits each year.

This can be a valuable benefit for anyone who flies Southwest Airlines, even once a year.

Hot Tip:

Southwest’s new assigned seating and boarding policies go into effect on January 27, 2026. After that, EarlyBird Check-In will be discontinued.

5. Complimentary Preferred Seating (for Flights Starting on January 27, 2026)

As a cardmember, you can select a complimentary Standard or Preferred seat for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation up to 48 hours prior to departure.

Preferred seats are the same type as Standard seats, but they’re closer to the front of the plane.

This benefit is available for any flight that departs on January 27, 2026, or later.

6. Free Checked Bag

Get a free checked bag for you and up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation with the Southwest Premier card. Since Southwest changed its baggage policies, each checked bag costs $35. This perk alone can make the card worth it if you often check bags.

7. Early Boarding (for Flights Beginning on January 27, 2026)

Southwest credit cardholders get Group 5 boarding for themselves and up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation. This is a nice perk that gives you earlier access to overhead bins than passengers in the general boarding groups.

This perk is for flights beginning on January 27, 2026.

Elite Status and Companion Pass Perks

8. Tier Qualifying Points for Elite Status

The Southwest Premier card can be valuable to those pursuing Southwest Airlines elite status. For every $5,000 you spend annually on the card, you earn 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List and A-List Preferred status.

Southwest A-List status requires 35,000 tier-qualifying points or 20 qualifying one-way flights. Theoretically, you could earn status by spending $70,000 on the Southwest Premier card annually. While we’re not recommending that, earning extra tier-qualifying points with as little as $5,000 in annual spending is great.

Hot Tip:

Curious about how this card stacks up against one of the most popular travel rewards cards out there? Check out our head-to-head comparison of the Southwest Premier card vs. the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card.

9. Earn the Southwest Companion Pass Faster

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best deals in travel, allowing you to bring a companion on any Southwest flight for only the cost of taxes and fees ($5.60 each way for a domestic flight) for up to 2 years!

Without the Southwest Premier card, you need to earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year to get a Companion Pass. However, Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cardholders get a 10,000-point boost each year, reducing the required number of points to earn a Companion Pass to 125,000. These points are just good for Companion Pass qualification, so they aren’t redeemable.

Travel Protection Perks

10. Auto Rental Coverage

Many credit cards come with car rental insurance, and the Southwest Premier card is no exception. The coverage is secondary, which means it supplements any other insurance you may have.

To be eligible, the entire car rental cost must be charged to your card, and you must decline the car rental company’s insurance policy. Coverage is for theft and collision damage for most rental cars.

11. Baggage Delay Insurance

If you check bags often enough, you’ll likely be affected by a baggage delay at some point. The Southwest Premier card offers reimbursement for basic items like toiletries and clothing when your bags are delayed more than 6 hours by a common carrier such as an airline, bus, train, or cruise ship. This benefit has a maximum reimbursement of $100 per day for up to 3 days.

12. Lost Luggage Reimbursement

The Southwest Premier card includes lost luggage reimbursement coverage for the cardholder and immediate family members. If a common carrier (airline, bus, train, or cruise ship) damages or loses checked or carry-on luggage, you’re eligible for up to $3,000 per passenger.

Hot Tip:

You must purchase a common carrier fare (like a plane ticket) using the card to take advantage of the Southwest Premier card’s travel protections.

13. Roadside Assistance

Access to roadside assistance, including services like towing and tire changes, is available through the Southwest Premier card by calling 800-847-2869. However, the card’s benefit doesn’t cover the cost of the services. Any charges for the service are applied to your card.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

14. 15% Flight Discount Promo Code

Every year on your cardmember anniversary, you receive a promotional code for 15% off a flight, excluding Basic fares.

15. Access to Chase Offers

Access to Chase Offers is included with any Chase card, including the Southwest Premier card. These are card-linked offers that can save money on your everyday purchases. Each offer must be added to the card before you make a purchase.

These offers are for various stores and can sometimes include discounts on Southwest Airlines.

16. Complimentary Instacart+ Membership and Monthly Credit

You can get a 3-month complimentary Instacart+ membership with your Southwest Premier card. Plus, as long as you have an active Instacart+ membership, you receive a $10 monthly Instacart credit to use toward a purchase when you pay with your card. Benefits end December 31, 2027.

17. Purchase Protection

The Southwest Premier card offers purchase protection coverage of up to $500 per claim ($50,000 maximum per account) when a new purchase is damaged or stolen within 120 days.

18. Extended Warranty Protection

The Southwest Premier card’s extended warranty benefit adds an additional year to a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty if the original warranty is 3 years or less.

19. Save on Inflight Purchases

Using the Southwest Premier card, you save 25% on inflight purchases, including drinks and Wi-Fi. The discount, which extends to any authorized users on the card, comes as a statement credit that should post to your account on the same day as the purchase.

20. No Foreign Transaction Fees

The Southwest Premier card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees, so go ahead and bring it along on your next international trip, especially if you’re flying on Southwest Airlines.

Final Thoughts

There are 5 Southwest credit cards: 3 consumer and 2 business. The Southwest Premier card is the middle-tier personal card.

This card comes with valuable seating and boarding benefits, as well as a free checked bag. Those benefits, plus the additional perks, like a 10,000-point Companion Pass boost, make the Southwest Premier card one that many Southwest Airlines fans will want to keep in their wallets year after year.