Southwest launches record-high 100,000-point credit card welcome bonuses

The offers mentioned below is no longer available.

On Oct. 19, Chase announced new welcome bonuses where you can earn up to 100,000 points on three of its Southwest Rapid Rewards consumer cards. Additionally, new benefits were added to Southwest personal credit cards and business credit cards.

This welcome bonus of 100,000 Southwest points are worth approximately $1,400 towards Southwest flights, making this one of the best credit card welcome bonuses currently available. The three credit cards with new bonuses are:

1. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
2. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
3. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

You must hurry to take advantage of these offers: You have to apply and be approved by Dec. 7, 2021 in order to score the elevated welcome bonuses.

The two business cards — the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card — don't have increased welcome offers but have added perks that make them more enticing for business owners who frequently fly Southwest Airlines.

Often card issuers, like American Express, increase the price of the annual fees when they add new benefits to credit cards. In this case, none of these Southwest cards are getting a fee increase.

Here's what you need to know about each card's changes:

Southwest consumer credit cards

All three of the consumer Southwest credit cards now have the same massive welcome offer:

You can earn up to a total of 100,000 Rapid Rewards points: You can earn 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months your account is open, plus another 50,000 points after spending $12,000 total on eligible purchases in the first 12 months of card membership.

Southwest points are worth around 1.4 cents apiece, meaning the 100,000 points from the bonus alone are worth roughly $1,400 towards Southwest flights.

After earning the welcome bonus you'll also be well on your way to earning the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, which requires you to earn 125,000 Southwest points in a calendar year to qualify. The Companion Pass allows you to select a companion to fly with you for free on every flight you're on, with no limit on how many times you use it or how expensive the ticket is. All you have to do is pay the taxes for the flight, which is just $5.60 for a flight within the U.S..

In addition, each individual card is expanding its spending categories and benefits. Note that perks listed below are in addition to each card's current benefits.

In addition to the card's current benefits, cardholders with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card will also earn:

• 2X points for every dollar spent on local transit and commuting, internet, cable and select streaming services
• Two EarlyBird check-ins per year

This card has a $69 annual fee.

In addition to the card's current benefits, cardholders with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card will also earn:

• 3X points for every dollar spent on Southwest Airlines flight purchases
• 2X points for every dollar spent on local transit and commuting, internet, cable and select streaming services
• Two EarlyBird check-ins per year

This card has a $99 annual fee.

In addition to the card's current benefits, cardholders with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card will also earn:

• 3X points for every dollar spent on Southwest Airlines flight purchases
• 2X points for every dollar spent on local transit and commuting, internet, cable and select streaming services
• Unlimited tier qualifying points (TQPs), which goes toward earning A-list elite status

This card has a $149 annual fee.

Southwest business credit cards

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card don't have new welcome offers, but are getting improved spending categories.

In addition to the card's current benefits, cardholders with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card will also earn:

• 4X points for every dollar spent on Southwest Airlines® flight purchases
• 2X points for every dollar spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
• $500 fee credit per year for Rapid Rewards point transfers
• Unlimited tier qualifying points (TQPs), which goes toward earning A-list elite status.

New cardholders can earn 80,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open. This card has a $199 annual fee.

In addition to the card's current benefits, cardholders with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card will also earn:

• 3X points for every dollar spent on Southwest Airlines® flight purchases
• 2X points for every dollar spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
• $500 fee credit per year for Rapid Rewards point transfers
• Two EarlyBird check-ins per year

New cardholders can earn 60,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open. This card has a $99 annual fee.

These bonuses are among the largest ever offered by personal Southwest Airlines credit cards. With airline fares on the rise, earning airline miles through credit cards is a great way to offset those costs. Southwest offers a wide array of destinations, two free checked bags per person on all flights and an easy-to-understand rewards program.

But before signing up for this card, make sure you're able to meet the minimum spend requirement responsibly. Because you will need to spend $12,000 over 12 months, this breaks down to spending $1,000 a month. This may take some forward planning, but if you have any large expenses coming up in the next year, such as your annual tax bill or college tuition, it will help you achieve that spending threshold even quicker.

Catch up on Select's in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.