How To Earn 100K Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

Despite not flying outside the Americas, Southwest is among the largest airlines in the world by multiple metrics. It’s among the top 10 airlines worldwide in fleet size, passenger traffic, and daily flights. The airline currently serves over 120 airports, with more than 4,000 daily departures during peak travel.

While most of its routes operate within the U.S., it also has an extensive route network to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. It’s also developed an extensive Hawaiian route network over the years, flying from the mainland U.S. to the Aloha State and serving various intra-Hawaii flights.

While the airline has been scrutinized for eliminating free checked bags and open seating, its loyalty program remains a favorite among travelers. Southwest Rapid Rewards points can be redeemed on any flight with no blackout dates, giving you the ultimate flexibility to travel whenever you’d like. Coupled with the airline’s Companion Pass benefit, you can bring a companion on any Southwest flight, whether booked with points or cash.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to earn 100,000 Rapid Rewards points using credit cards and other earning options.

What Can You Do With 100,000 Southwest Points?

Before we dive into earning, let’s address why 100,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points can be useful.

During peak travel season, Southwest has more than 4,000 daily departures from cities across the U.S. That’s a ton of flights on which to redeem Rapid Rewards points. You can fly these routes to visit family, attend conferences, or take a much-needed vacation.

Rapid Rewards redemptions don’t have blackout dates, so you can use your points on any Southwest route on any day you’d like. That said, award prices are tied to the cost of a cash ticket, so you must spend more points for flights on peak dates.

Earning 100,000 points or more can come in handy when using the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass. It effectively doubles the value of your Rapid Rewards balance when you travel with a companion, since it gives you 2-for-1 travel even if you book with points.

1. Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Credit Cards

One of the best ways to earn Rapid Rewards points is via Chase, since the program is an Ultimate Rewards transfer partner. Points transfer at a 1:1 ratio, so 10,000 Ultimate Rewards points are worth 10,000 Rapid Rewards points.

You can use various Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards to earn tons of points. To transfer points to your Rapid Rewards account, you need a premium Ultimate Rewards card (i.e., one with an annual fee), whether it’s personal or business.

Hot Tip: You can book Southwest flights through the Chase Travel portal online or by calling the number on the back of your credit card. This may make more sense for Chase Sapphire Reserve^® members, as they can redeem at up to 2 cents per point toward select paid flights using Points Boost. You earn Rapid Rewards on flights booked through this portal since they’re considered paid tickets.

Point transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards do not count toward Companion Pass qualification.

Here’s a look at some of the best Chase’s Ultimate Rewards-earning cards:

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

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

19.24% - 27.49% 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: 19.24% - 27.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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 top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

125,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$2,500

Annual Fee

$795

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.

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like worldwide airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus, it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to cover you at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases
• 5x points on Lyft rides
• 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly

Cons

• $795 annual fee

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Card Highlights

• Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
• Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge^® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^® every 4 years
• Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
• Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Hot Tip: Check out our Transfer Partner Tool for quick calculations on point transfers.

2. Use Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards

Southwest Airlines partnered with Chase to offer a range of Southwest-branded credit cards.

You cannot have more than 1 Southwest consumer card at a time. However, this rule does not apply to Southwest business cards, so consider getting both a personal and business Southwest credit card if you want to earn a large number of Rapid Rewards points at once.

Points earned with Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards count toward Companion Pass qualification. You can also sometimes earn a promotional Companion Pass as part of the welcome offer for select Southwest cards.

Here’s a look at Chase’s Southwest personal and business co-branded credit cards:

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

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Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Priority 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 focuses on the Southwest traveler with anniversary points, preferred boarding and seat selection, and money back on inflight purchases.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Priority Credit Card

This card focuses on the Southwest traveler with anniversary points, preferred boarding and seat selection, and money back on inflight purchases.

Welcome Offer

Earn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 40,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Companion Pass + 40k points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$2,275

Annual Fee

$229

APR

19.24% - 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 Southwest Priority card is the most premium personal Southwest card offering from Chase. It offers multiple bonus categories to help you earn more Southwest Rapid Rewards points and is loaded with valuable benefits for Southwest flyers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points on Southwest Airlines eligible purchases
• 2x points at gas stations and restaurants
• 1x points on all other purchases

Cons

• $229 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable points

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 40,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 7,500 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines^® purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards.
• Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants
• First checked bag free for Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation.
• Select a Preferred seat at booking, at no additional charge, 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: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

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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 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 Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Companion Pass + 30,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $390

Annual Fee

$149

APR

19.24% - 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

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
• First checked bag free for the cardholder and up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation

Cons

• $149 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 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: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

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.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

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 Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 20,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Companion Pass + 20k points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$2,015

Annual Fee

$99

APR

19.24% - 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

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
• 3,000 anniversary points each year on your card renewal

Cons

• $99 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and 20,000 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: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

Hot Tip: Check out the valuable benefits of the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card.

3. Use the Southwest Rapid Rewards Debit Card

If you prefer using a debit card or pay bills that don’t accept credit cards, the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Debit Card may be a good choice for earning more points on everyday purchases.

The Southwest Debit card has a small welcome offer and earns 1 point per $1 spent on eligible Southwest Airlines purchases and qualifying dining and subscription purchases (e.g., cable, internet, phone, streaming services, utilities, and insurance premiums). For other qualifying purchases, you earn 1 point per $2 spent.

4. Transfer Points From Diners Club International

If you’re a Diners Club member, you can transfer your points to Southwest Airlines.

You receive 1,200 Rapid Rewards points for every 1,500 Club Rewards points transferred, so the transfer ratio is less than that of Chase Ultimate Rewards.

It has been years since Diners Club accepted applications for new cardmembers, however.

5. Use Rental Car Partners

Earn 600 points per rental when you book a car through Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, Payless, or Thrifty. If you rent a car a few times per year, you can add thousands of points to your Rapid Rewards account.

6. Rapid Rewards Dining

Enroll in the Southwest Dining Rewards program and earn Rapid Rewards points for dining out at participating restaurants. You can link up to 6 credit and debit cards to your account to maximize your potential.

You can earn up to 3 points per $1 spent at participating restaurants. Just sign up, link a credit card, and opt in to email notifications. If you don’t opt in to email notifications, you earn only 2 points per $1 spent.

Leave a review after you dine and earn 10 bonus Rapid Rewards points for it. Plus, you can earn more points by completing the following requirements:

• First Step bonus: Earn 500 bonus points after earning 1,500 points through the dining program.
• Thank You bonus: Earn 300 bonus points every time you earn 1,000 points through the dining program.

The points you earn in Southwest Dining Rewards are on top of any points you earn with rewards credit cards. This means if you use the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, you can earn 3 Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on top of the points you’d earn from the dining program.

7. Switch Home Utility Providers

Like many airlines, Southwest partners with alternative home utility providers to offer points to its customers.

You generally earn a one-time bonus when switching to a Southwest home utility partner and bonus points for each $1 you spend on monthly utilities. Here’s a look at Southwest’s current lineup of home utility partners:

• Reliant (Texas): Get 15,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points after you sign up and 500 additional points each month for the next 24 months for a total of 27,000 Rapid Rewards points.
• NRG (Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania): Get 10,000 enrollment bonus points after 2 months of service and 1 point per $1 spent on the supply portion of your bill every month. Rapid Rewards credit cardholders earn an additional 2,500 enrollment bonus points and an additional 1 point per $1 spent on utilities.

These providers may not offer competitive rates, so compare prices. You could sign up for the welcome offer bonus and then switch to a different provider after a few months.

8. Book Hotel Rooms Through Southwest Hotels

The Southwest Hotels portal is powered by Rocket Travel, so you can book millions of hotels through the portal and earn points. Each hotel earns a different number of points, with more costly hotels typically earning more. In the example above, you’d earn 7,500 points for a $348 stay.

If you book chain hotels through the portal, such as Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott properties, you likely won’t be able to use your elite status benefits or earn hotel points. Most hotel chains require you to book directly with the hotel to take advantage of these perks. However, you can try your luck and add your rewards number when you arrive at the hotel.

This can help you make progress toward a 100,000-point goal, especially if you have many upcoming hotel stays. Just make sure to use a credit card that earns bonus points on travel when booking hotels.

9. Shop Through Rapid Rewards Shopping

You can use the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal to earn bonus Rapid Rewards points on everyday purchases.

This portal lets you earn bonus points on purchases from hundreds of online merchants. Sign up for an account and search for the merchant you’d like to make a purchase from on the Rapid Rewards Shopping website. Then click the merchant’s name. Southwest will direct you to the merchant’s website to make your purchase as usual. Points earned will show up in your account within 15 days of purchase.

Each merchant has a different points-earning rate, and all points are earned based on how much you spend. For example, Lenovo purchases earn 2 points per $1 spent. However, earning rates can change depending on when merchants run promotions.

Rapid Rewards Shopping frequently offers spending bonuses around holidays and the back-to-school season, so keep an eye on the portal for more bonus opportunities.

10. Earn With IcelandAir (and Soon Other Partners)

Southwest Airlines has added airline partnerships over the years, expanding the list to 5 international airlines as of February 2026. This growing list of airlines includes the following partners:

• China Airlines
• Condor Airlines
• EVA Air
• Icelandair
• Philippine Airlines
• Turkish Airlines

You can only earn Rapid Rewards points when you book Icelandair flights that include a Southwest connection, and only on the Southwest segments. Southwest’s website notes that point earnings will come to partner airlines in the future, but this functionality is not yet live.

Redeeming 100,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

Redeeming Rapid Rewards points is the fun part.

The price of Southwest award tickets depends on the flight cost. We’ve found that Rapid Rewards points are generally worth about 1.3 cents per point when redeemed for flights, but values can vary slightly.

With that in mind, here are a few suggestions for redeeming your Rapid Rewards points:

Visit the Big Apple: Southwest Airlines flies from a number of destinations to New York LaGuardia (LGA), and more often than not, you can score an excellent deal. For example, booking a one-way flight from Chicago Midway (MDW) to New York (LGA) 3 months in advance starts at 5,500 Rapid Rewards points.

Go to the Cayman Islands: Ever wanted to visit beautiful Grand Cayman? You can book a flight to this Caribbean island from Orlando (MCO), Florida, for around 10,500 Rapid Rewards points, plus about $5.60 in taxes and fees.

Companion Pass: Earn 135,000 points in a calendar year and you’ll get the Companion Pass for the remainder of the year in which you earn it, plus the following year. Only certain points qualify, including points earned for:

• Flights (base but not bonus points)
• Rapid Rewards credit and debit card purchases and welcome offers
• Southwest Dining
• Shopping portal purchases

This benefit lets you select a companion to travel with you for free on all flights, whether they’re booked with cash or points. You can change your Southwest companion up to 3 times per calendar year

Consider Avoiding Choice Extra Fares

When you fly a Choice Extra fare, you get perks such as priority security, priority boarding, complimentary extra legroom seating, and a free premium drink during the flight.

However, a Choice Extra flight from Baltimore (BWI) to Chicago (MDW) costs 17,000 points when booked 3 months in advance. Alternatively, you can book a Basic fare for just 6,000 points. In most cases, we recommend booking the Basic fare to save points. You can always pay to upgrade your seat.

Final Thoughts

Southwest Rapid Rewards are some of the easiest U.S. domestic airline points to earn and redeem, and you can earn your first 100,000 points quickly for valuable redemptions.

Want to earn even more points? Check out our complete guide to earning Rapid Rewards points to continue earning points so that you always have a stash available for quick flights out of town.