Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Review

Full Review of Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

Pros Explained

• Allows you to supplement Southwest points earned through flying: You can earn 1 to 3 points when you use your card for Southwest flights, hotels, car rental partners, transit, phone services, and other purchases.
• Generous introductory and anniversary rewards bonuses: Cardmembers receive 6,000 points on their first and subsequent anniversaries. Plus, Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Cons Explained

• $99 annual fee applies: The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards card, even in your first year, has a $99 annual fee billed to your account statement.
• No luxury travel perks: The Southwest card does not include extras like complimentary lounge access and credits for onboard food and drinks or the cost of Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Who This Card Is Best For

Like most airline cards, the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa is purpose-built to serve dedicated customers of its branded airline. Delivering 50,000 points, the card’s introductory bonus justifies its $99 fee for the first year.

After that, the annual 6,000-point anniversary bonus helps the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa make financial sense even to those who occasionally fly Southwest. Cardholders can earn more points by using the card on hotel stays and rental cars with Southwest partners. 

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. To qualify for the bonus, you can't currently hold a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card or have received a new card member bonus in the past 24 months.

Rewards Earning Details

With the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa, you can earn

• 3 points for each dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points for each dollar spent on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners
• 2 points for each dollar spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
• 2 points for each dollar spent on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
• 1 point for each dollar spent on all other purchases
• 1 point per $1 on balance transfers made within the first 90 days, up to $15,000. That's a feature you don't often see with other rewards cards, although many of those extend a period of 0% APR on such transfers, which this card doesn't do.
• Plus, earn 2 Early Bird Check-In® each year, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more.

There are no limits on the number of points you can earn. Each year, members earn 6,000 anniversary bonus points and are eligible to earn 20,000 points by referring friends and family to this card, or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card, with its $149 annual fee. The bonus is good for up to five referrals per year or 100,000 points.

Rewards Redemption Details

Members can redeem points earned with this card for flights aboard Southwest. The number of points needed depends on the fare, and no blackout dates apply. Besides airfare, you can also redeem rewards for:

• Gift cards
• Merchandise
• International flights
• Hotel stays with partner brands
• Rental cars
• Exclusive experiences

Transferring Points

You can redeem rewards earned with this card for flights on Southwest's international partners, but you cannot transfer points to Southwest's other travel partner's loyalty programs, which many other airline loyalty programs allow.

How to Maximize Your Rewards

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Use the card for everyday expenses, such as groceries, online shopping, or gas.

Compare the value of earning additional bonus points to the benefit you get by charging those expenses to another card that offers more than 1.5% in value per dollar spent, which is close to the effective rate earned with the 1 point per dollar spent earned with this card. 

By flying with Southwest and using the airline's partners when you make travel arrangements, you can earn points with rental-car partners, Avis, Budget, Hertz, and National, or with hotel partners, Marriott, Radisson, and Best Western. You can sign up for email updates on special promotions that can boost the points you earn, or the price you pay, on flights or goods and services from Southwest partners.  

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa Credit Card's Outstanding Benefits

• $0 fee for first and second checked bags
• Earn tier qualifying points toward Rapid Rewards A-List and A-List Preferred Status

Standard Perks

• Contactless pay
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Baggage delay insurance
• Extended warranty protection
• Purchase protection

Cardholder Experience

This card is issued by Chase, which earned a score of 813 in J.D. Power's 2022 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study. This rating was one point below the average and ranked Chase fourth out of 11 national card issuers.

You can manage your card online or through the Chase app to track purchases, set up alerts, or review your points earned. If you have questions or need help with your account, customer service is available by phone at 1-800-432-3117.

Security Features

This card is EMV-chip-enabled for security, and Chase routinely monitors accounts to detect suspicious or fraudulent activity. You can also set up security alerts in your account to notify you of new transactions. If your card is lost or stolen, you can log into your Chase account online and use the lock/unlock feature to secure it against unauthorized purchases.

Our Verdict

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Visa is a basic airline card that offers 3 points for each dollar spent on Southwest purchases from the airline and its partners but does not come with the travel perks offered by other airlines like complimentary lounge access or credits for onboard food and drinks. Cardmembers can earn 1 or 2 points using the Rapid Rewards Visa for hotel and car rental partners, rideshare, phone services, and other purchases.

Because of its annual $99 fee, this card benefits those who travel on Southwest and want to use bonus points to buy flights. Other travel credit cards are more versatile. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 2 points on travel, but you're not limited to flying on Southwest or a specific airline to earn those points.