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.
This card is no longer available at Your Best Credit Cards. Please see our Card Explorer to find the card that is right for you.
Applies only to tickets purchased directly from Southwest. Other airfare earns 1X.
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
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.
The Southwest Premier credit card is Southwest’s mid-tier personal card. It balances offering some perks while still charging less than a $150 annual fee.
Cardholders get access to (starting in 2026) boarding with group 5 and access to select both Standard and Preferred seats for themselves and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation 48 hours before the flight, when available.

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 $5,000 spent on the card each year.
The Southwest Premier Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Add in the higher earning rate on Southwest purchases, higher anniversary bonus, and ability to earn Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List Preferred Status (which the Plus doesn’t offer), and the Premier Card easily justifies its slightly higher annual fee, although, in our opinion, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card has the best value of the three cards.
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.