Key facts
Annual Fee:
$299Min. Credit Score for Approval:
670-739 * GoodOngoing APR:
19.24%-27.74% VariableBalance transfer fees
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.Foreign Transaction Fee:
0%The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers a wide selection of benefits for Southwest small business travelers.
Diverse spending bonus categories reward small business spending on the ground.
Cardholders get a 9,000-point anniversary bonus (worth about $126), 2,500 tier qualifying points towards A-List status for every $5,000 spent annually, and 4X points on Southwest flights.
You’ll also be able to upgrade to Extra Legroom seat for free within 48 hours prior to departure when available. That’s after you can select a complimentary Preferred seat at booking at no additional charge, when available.
Reward multipliers
Cardholders of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card earn:
- 4X Rapid Rewards points on Southwest purchases
- 2x Rapid Rewards points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2x Rapid Rewards points at gas stations
- 2x Rapid Rewards points on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel.
- 1x points on all other eligible purchases.
Earns bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
9,000 Bonus Rapid Rewards Points Every Account Anniversary Year
We value this at about $113 worth of points.
Earn Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) from Spend
Earn 2,500 TQPs toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent in purchases annually – there is no limit on the amount of TQPs you can earn.
Early Boarding
Board with Group 5.
Seat Selection
Choose a standard or preferred seat within 48 hours prior to departure when available. Also, choose a Preferred Seat at booking when available.
Extra Legroom
Upgrade to Extra Legroom seat for free within 48 hours prior to departure when available – for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation.
25% back on inflight purchases
When made with this card.
Free Checked Bags
First Checked Bag Free
Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost. For a family of 4 this would be a savings of up to $280 roundtrip ($35 per bag per trip).
Priority Boarding
Cardmembers and up to 8 passengers in the same reservation board with Group 5.
Primary Car Rental CDW Waiver
Get primary coverage when renting for business purposes. This protection provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad. Limits on coverage apply; see benefits guide.
Specific limitations apply to New York residents: inside the United States coverage is secondary to Your personal automobile insurance.
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Reimbursement
Get a statement credit reimbursing the application fee for NEXUS, Global Entry, or TSA PreCheck. Just use your Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card to pay the application fee.
Cardholders get one statement credit of up to $120 every four years. That’s more than enough considering Global Entry or TSA PreCheck memberships are valid for five years.
Extended Warranty
Provides extended warranty protection extending the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less.
Purchase Protection
Covers new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Trip Protections
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card provides lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and travel accident insurance protections.
Roadside Assistance
Get 24/7 roadside assistance by calling 1-800-847-2869. Operators will dispatch help to provide anything from a tow or jumpstart to a tire change, lockout service, winching, or gas delivery. Roadside service fees will be provided when you call and will be billed to your card.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
The Chase Benefit Administrator can refer you to legal and medical services or provide other travel and emergency assistance.
Does Not Report Credit Line to Personal Credit Profile
Getting a Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card won’t affect your personal credit profile or increase your Chase 5/24 score.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
No Fees for Authorized Users
Add employee cards at no additional cost to be rewarded for employee spending.
Earn more rewards by combining credit cards
Pros & cons
- Enjoy unlimited upgrades to an Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours prior to departure, at no additional charge, when available.
- First checked bag free for you and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation
- 9,000 bonus points on every cardmember anniversary
- The high annual fee will be hard to justify for infrequent travelers
- Rapid Rewards points only provide a good value for Southwest flights
Our review
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card should be the go-to card for Southwest frequent travelers that own a small business. Don’t let the $299 annual fee scare you off. This card comes packed with perks that can easily justify that fee.
Southwest-specific perks include the ability to earn 2,500 TQPs toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent in purchases annually, the ability to choose a standard or preferred seat within 48 hours prior to departure when available and to choose a Preferred Seat right at booking when available. You will also be able to upgrade to Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours prior to departure when available – for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation.
Plus, cardholders get premium travel perks like a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit once every 4 years. This includes the option of the Canadian NEXUS program.
Cardholders earn 4x Rapid Rewards points on Southwest Airlines purchases. That’s a higher rewards earning rate on Southwest purchases than you’ll find on any other Southwest business credit card.
Cardholders will earn 2,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent on purchases annually. While you probably don’t want to put that much spending on the card, you can conceivably spend all the way to A-List Preferred status by spending alone.
The biggest downside to this card is the limited redemption options. The best way to redeem Rapid Rewards points is for Southwest flights. And since the Rapid Rewards structure is a fixed-value program, you won’t get more value from some flights than others. The good news is that means there are no blackout dates when you want to redeem points.
You can add employee cards for no additional cost, meaning you can be rewarded for employee spending.
Lastly, this card is great for getting more than 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.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Southwest Performance Business Card offer a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit?
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card cardholders can get a Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years.
Can you earn Southwest A-List Status through the Southwest Performance Business Card?
Cardholders will earn 2,500 Tier-Qualifying Points for every $5,000 spent on the card in a calendar year, including on employee spending.
There’s no limit to how many Tier-Qualifying Points you can earn through credit card spending. That means you can earn A-List Status just from eligible purchases on the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card.
What are the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card rewards categories?
Cardholders earn 4x points on Southwest Airlines purchases; 2X on hotels booked directly, gas stations, as well as transit and rideshare.
You’ll earn points on all other eligible purchases at a rate of 1x points per dollar.
Does the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card have a cardmember anniversary bonus?
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance cardholders get a cardmember anniversary bonus of 9,000 points. Rapid Rewards points have a fixed value of around 1.4 cents per point, meaning this card benefit is worth around $126.
Can you earn the Companion Pass by spending on the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card?
A Rapid Rewards member can earn points toward the Southwest Companion Pass by spending on the Southwest Performance Business Card..
We also have a strategy for earning the Southwest Companion Pass for up to Two Full Years
Can you add employee cards to the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card?
Cardholders can add employee cards with no additional fee to earn points from employee spending.
Does the Southwest Performance Business card give you free checked bags?
Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost. For a family of 4 this would be a savings of up to $280 roundtrip ($35 per bag per trip).
Does the Southwest Performance Business card give you upgraded seating?
Seat Selection
Choose a standard or preferred seat within 48 hours prior to departure when available. Also, choose a Preferred Seat at booking when available.
Extra Legroom
Upgrade to Extra Legroom seats for free within 48 hours prior to departure when available – for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation.
