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The offer mentioned below for the Southwest consumer cards is no longer available.
Southwest flyers, listen up: The personal Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards are currently offering limited-time welcome bonuses. However, you'll have to act fast as these offers are ending soon.
Through March 11, you can earn Companion Pass® good through 2/28/25, plus 30,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening any personal Southwest co-branded card. This includes the following cards:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Limited-time Southwest card welcome bonuses
- Elevated offer: Earn Companion Pass® good through 2/28/25 plus 30,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Old offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months from account opening.
The value of Southwest points varies slightly depending on the type of fare you book but is generally around 1.4 cents per point.
Not only are these limited-time bonuses worth 50% more than the previous offer, but Southwest's recent overhaul of its loyalty program makes it even easier to earn elite status with certain Southwest credit cards. You can now earn 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $5,000 spent on an eligible Southwest card.
On the flip side, the spending requirement to earn the bonus is slightly higher now so you'll want to make sure you don't overspend on purchases you wouldn't ordinarily make just to earn it.
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
Southwest personal credit card perks
The various Southwest consumer cards have different annual fees and features. However, there are certain benefits available across all of the cards.
Each card provides an annual 10,000 qualifying point boost for earning a Southwest Companion Pass, which means you'll only need to earn 135,000 qualifying points (or complete 100 qualifying one-way flights with Southwest) to get a companion pass. In addition to offering 25% back on inflight purchases, the three Southwest personal cards also earn Southwest points at the following rates:
- 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming services
- 1X points on everyday purchases
For Southwest purchases, the Southwest Plus card earns 2X points, while the Southwest Premier card and Southwest Priority cards earn 3X points.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a good fit for occasional Southwest fliers. It has the lowest annual fee of $69 and every year cardholders get 3,000 points (worth roughly $42 in Southwest airfare) on their cardmember anniversary.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
The mid-tier Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has a $99 annual fee and an annual 6,000-point bonus (worth roughly $84 in Southwest airfare), which you receive on your cardmember anniversary.
This card can also help you fast-track your way to Southwest A-List elite status. Cardholders currently earn 1,500 TQPs for every $10,000 spent on the card. Starting in 2024, you'll only need to spend $5,000 on the card to earn the 1,500 TQPs.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
If Southwest is your go-to airline, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is the card for you. It has a $149 annual fee and a host of perks that make the cost easy to justify. Every cardmember anniversary, you'll receive bonus points (worth roughly $105 in Southwest flights) and a $75 annual Southwest travel credit. It also has the same TQPs bonus as the Southwest Premier card.
Getting approved for a Southwest credit card
Southwest credit cards are issued by Chase, which means applications are likely to be subject to its 5/24 rule. The way this restriction works is that you'll be denied a Chase card if you've opened five or more credit cards (from any credit card issuer, not just Chase cards) in the past 24 months.
Additionally, you're not eligible for any Southwest consumer card if you currently have a Southwest consumer card or have earned an intro bonus on a Southwest consumer card in the past 24 months. This restriction does not apply to Southwest business credit cards, so having the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) or Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees), won't disqualify you from this offer.
Earning more Southwest points
Perhaps the easiest way to earn a Southwest Companion Pass is by opening a personal Southwest card and a business Southwest card. You may be eligible for a business credit card with a part-time side hustle or freelance gig. The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card currently offers 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on the card in the first three months of account opening and the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card currently offers 80,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to Southwest. To be able to transfer Chase points, you'll need one of the following Chase credit cards:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees)
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees)
However, the points you transfer from Chase to Southwest won't count toward earning a Southwest Companion Pass.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections, flexible rewards and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- Annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- 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 TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation and more
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $156.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for 12 months when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
- Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with luxury perks including, hotel credits, complimentary hotel elite status, travel credits, dining credits, rideshare and delivery benefits and much more.
- Access Priority Pass lounges, including unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club locations.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
- Complicated list of benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM 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 PassTM 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 subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Music for a minimum of one year when activated by June 22, 2027, a value of $288 annually.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Bottom line
All three of the personal Southwest credit cards are offering an elevated welcome bonus. After being approved, you can earn the coveted Companion Pass, plus 30,000 bonus Southwest points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This offer will end on March 11, 2024.
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