Earn 3X on Southwest flights booked directly; otherwise earn 1X
Only when booked via the Rapid Rewards portal; Otherwise earn 1X.
Only when booked via the Rapid Rewards portal; Otherwise earn 1X.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Small business owners that occasionally fly Southwest should consider getting the Southwest Premier Business Credit Card. You’ll get a solid earning rate on Southwest Airlines purchases and select travel purchases, a statement credit for two EarlyBird Check-Ins each card membership year, plus 25% back on inflight purchases.
In addition to the bonus points earned after account opening, cardholders earn points at a rate of 3x Rapid Rewards points on Southwest purchases, 2x points on Southwest Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases, local transit, commuting, and ride-hailing services, and 1x Rapid Rewards points on all other purchases.
When you earn points through the Southwest Premier Business Credit Card, they count toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass. Plus you’ll earn 1,500 Tier-Qualifying Points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent on the card in a calendar year.
You can boost your point earnings by adding employee cards at no additional cost. If you want a unique way to reward your employees, the Southwest Premier Business Card reimburses up to $500 in fees for points transfers.
When you go to redeem points, Southwest offers a simple rewards structure. You’ll pay between 81 and 83 Rapid Rewards points per dollar of base fare on Southwest flights, valuing the points around 1.4 cents each. While there are no blackout dates, that also means there’s no way of getting more value from your Rapid Rewards points.
Although the Southwest Premier Business Card is a solid card, Southwest frequent travelers should strongly consider getting the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card instead. For a $199 annual fee, you’ll earn higher rewards in several rewards categories: 4x bonus points on Southwest purchases, 3x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases, 2x points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services, and 1x on other purchases. Plus, you’ll get four Upgraded Boardings each year and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit.
Lastly, this card is great for getting halfway to a Southwest Companion Pass with the bonus offer. Read our guide on earning a Southwest Companion Pass for up to two years via new account bonuses.
On American Airlines flights booked directly only. Other airfare earns 1X mile per dollar.
Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
If you and your immediate family members fly American Airlines often, the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard offers an outstanding slew of perks. As the most premium offering of all of the American Airlines’ AAdvantage credit cards, the most enticing and primary benefit by far is the ability the Admirals Club membership (though you’ll need a same day boarding pass on American or on any of the Oneworld partner airlines). You can bring your immediate family, which counts as your spouse/domestic partner and children under the age of 18 or two guests.
Valued at $500 – $650 per year outright, you can save quite a big chunk of cash by applying for the card instead. What’s more, you can add up to 10 authorized users to the primary card account with fees as follows: $175 total for the first three authorized users and $175 for each additional AU after that. While the card used to give free Authorized Users, that was simply too good to last. It remains a good deal on up to 3 AUs.
Your authorized users, whether you add your trusted friends or family members, will get their own American Airlines Admirals Club® membership. This makes the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard for larger families with lots of guests to bring along the way.
When you’re flying on American Airlines, you’ll not only get a 25% discount on inflight eligible American Airlines purchases for food and drinks, but you’ll get the VIP treatment at the airport. It starts with priority check-in, where you can bring a first checked bag free, and priority airport screening allows you to skip the line when available. Finally, priority boarding allows you to board with Group 4. Best of all, these three benefits apply to you and up to eight travelers on the same reservation!
Not only does the card help provide an enhanced airport experience, but you get to earn both American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points to help you qualify for AAdvantage® frequent flyer status. You’ll earn 2x redeemable miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1x miles on everything else. On top of that, you’ll earn 1x Loyalty Point per $1 spent.
As well, there are now Loyalty Point bonuses:
And statement credit:
It not only has Global Entry / TSA PreCheck reimbursement every 4 years, but now comes with a suite of Trip Protections:
In short, if you want American Airline’s Admiral’s Club access (and don’t need Priority Pass or other lounge access), the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is a fantastic pick.