Overview
In this Southwest Airlines credit card review, we’re going to break down the value you can squeeze out of the welcome bonus, as well as ongoing benefits that will make any Southwest loyalist excited.
After all, is there any airline more family-friendly than Southwest? With its policies such as two free checked bags for each passenger, free flight changes up to 10 minutes before departure time, and the ability to earn a Companion Pass (which lets you bring someone with you for just the cost of taxes and fees as many times as you want), Southwest is often the no-brainer choice for sizable groups vacationing together.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is offering an enticing welcome offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Let’s take a look at this bonus to help you decide if this Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards card is a good fit for your upcoming travel plans.
- Best for: Beginner Southwest Points
- Annual Fee: $99
- APR: 19.74% - 28.24% Variable
- Reward Rate: 1X - 2X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
50,000 bonus points
Offer Details:
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Why we like it
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is the popular airline’s entry-level card and offers solid value for those who fly with the carrier at least once a year. It comes with a few easy-to-use perks like 3,000 Southwest points every year after your first cardmember anniversary and two EarlyBird check-ins per year (ends December 31st, 2025). It’s a good option for those who want to earn Southwest points on an ongoing basis and not have to pay a high annual fee.
Reward details
2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases
2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
1X points on all other purchases.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
The 3,000 annual bonus points are worth around $40 towards travel on Southwest.
25% discount on Southwest in-flight purchases when paying with the card
The intro bonus can be used for collecting points for the Companion Pass benefits
Elite status can be earned with day-to-day spending, and not just flights.
Cons
Southwest points cannot be transferred or used with any airline partners.
Terms Apply
How to Earn the Bonus
You might be surprised at how quickly you can achieve this Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards card’s spending requirement by simply putting away any other credit or debit cards you regularly use and funneling all of your spending onto your new card for a few months, you’ll have a large bucket of points at your disposal for free travel.
As always, you should never spend more money than you otherwise would simply to earn travel rewards. Don’t let a shiny new welcome bonus enchant you into financial irresponsibility.
How to Use the Bonus
Southwest points work differently than most other airline miles. The value you get from them doesn’t really vary depending on the route and seat class you book. That’s because award prices are directly proportional to Southwest’s cash prices. If Southwest is having a sale, you can expect both cash and points prices to be low.
The value of Southwest points consistently hovers around 1.4 cents each, meaning you can expect this 50,000-point bonus to be worth about $700 towards Southwest flights.
Remember: Southwest points never expire, so there’s no hurry to redeem them. Even if you don’t plan on flying Southwest anytime soon and ditch this Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards card after a year, you’ll still be able to use the bonus points towards free flights years later.
Is the Card Worth it After the Bonus?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card is decent at earning Southwest points for everyday spending. Here’s what you’ll get:
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
1x point on all other eligible purchases
This isn’t a bad mix of bonus categories, but not necessarily outstanding. Still, this Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards card is a good option if you want to earn Southwest points on an ongoing basis and pay a modest annual fee.
Ongoing benefits
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card has a number of benefits you’ll receive as long as you hold the card. Here’s what you’ll get:
2 EarlyBird Check-In® per year — Get automatic check-in to enjoy a better boarding position and earlier access to overhead bins. (Ends December 31st, 2025)
3,000 anniversary points — You’ll get 3,000 points every year after your first cardmember anniversary, those points are worth about $40 towards Southwest flights.
25% back on Southwest inflight purchases
Boost of 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points every 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.
If you fly Southwest at least once a year, you shouldn’t have trouble using the two EarlyBird Check-In passes and 3,000 anniversary points. The value of those two perks more than covers the $99 annual fee.
Which Cards Compete?
Southwest issues two other personal credit cards in addition to the Southwest Plus Card: The $149 annual fee Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and the $229 annual fee Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.
These other two cards offer very similar earning rates, as well as the same intro bonus.
The big difference is with each card’s ongoing benefits. For example, the Southwest Priority Card comes with benefits like 7,500 points after each cardmember anniversary (worth around $105 in Southwest flights) and $75 in Southwest travel credits each year.
Before you apply, be aware of the application rules surrounding Southwest credit cards:
You aren’t eligible to open a Southwest personal credit card if you already have one.
You aren’t eligible to earn a Southwest personal credit card bonus if you’ve earned one in the past 24 months.
You will likely not be approved for a Southwest credit card if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards from any bank in the past 24 months.
- Best for: Frequent Southwest Fliers
- Annual Fee: $229
- APR: 19.74% - 28.24% Variable
- Reward Rate: 1X - 3X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Card
50,000 Bonus Points
Offer Details:
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Why we like it
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is the popular airline’s premium card offering and represents a solid piece of value for those who fly with the carrier at least once or twice a year. While premium, in this case, doesn’t stretch to the same lounge-based perks as some of its competitors, the card offers four upgraded boardings a year (Benefit expires on 12/31/25), and a generous annual points bonus, making it well worth the fee.
Reward details
4x points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards.
2x points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants
1X points on all other purchases.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cardholders enjoy four upgraded boardings a year when available.
The $75 travel credit is for any Southwest expense, including ticket cots and not just incidentals (Benefit expires on 12/31/25).
The 7,500 annual bonus points are worth around $100 towards travel on Southwest.
25% discount on in-flight purchases when paying with the card
The intro bonus can be used when collecting points for the Companion Pass benefit.
Elite status can be earned with day-to-day spending, and not just flights.
Cons
The $229 annual fee can be steep if the card isn’t used to its full value.
No lounge access included
Southwest points cannot be transferred or used with any airline partners.
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
