Compare the Features and Benefits of Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Credit Card

The Southwest Premier credit card is Southwest’s mid-tier personal card. It balances offering some perks while still charging less than a $100 annual fee.

Cardholders will be reimbursed for up to two EarlyBird Check-In purchases each year, get 25% back on inflight purchases on Southwest Airlines, plus get 6,000 bonus points each card anniversary.

The Southwest Premier Card offers some of the broadest spending bonus categories of any card with an annual fee under $100. Cardholders will earn 3x points on Southwest purchases and 2x points on Southwest Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners; local transit, commuting, rideshare; internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services.

Points earned count toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass. Plus, primary cardholders earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List Preferred Status for every $10,000 spent on the card each year.

The Southwest Premier Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, unlike the Southwest Plus Card. Add in the higher earning rate on Southwest purchases, higher anniversary bonus, and ability to earn Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List Preferred Status, and the Premier Card easily justifies its $30 higher annual fee.

Lastly, this card is great for getting a good piece of the way to a Southwest Companion Pass with the bonus offer, since the signup bonus points count. Read our guide on earning a Southwest Companion Pass for up to two years via new account bonuses.

This card does not have a rewards program or offer cash back, so you won’t earn rewards for spend. Rewards credit cards tend to carry high APRs and are suitable for those that do not carry a balance.

The Diamond Preferred card is all about the Introductory Purchase and Balance Transfer offers and ideal for those that already have credit card debt.

You can use this offer to help get your debt under control and think about rewards and cash back cards later – once you are debt free and won’t need to carry a balance. Be sure to read all rates, fees, and disclosures before you apply.

It also offers Citi “My Deals” both on the Citi Mobile App and Citi Online. My Deals provides easy access to national and local coupons across categories such as dining, shopping, and entertainment. Offers depend on your geographic location.

You’ll also have access to discounted gift cards select brands and a daily gift card deal.