Key facts
This card is not currently available. Consider the similar the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card instead.
Annual Fee:
$149Min. Credit Score for Approval:
670-739 * GoodOngoing APR:
21.49%-28.49% VariableBalance transfer fees
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.Foreign Transaction Fee:
0%If you have this card, bank policies restrict you from being approved for the following cards: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card.
Reward multipliers
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card cardholders earn:
- 3 Rapid Rewards points per dollar on Southwest purchases
- 2 Rapid Rewards points per dollar for every $1 you spend at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
- 1x Rapid Rewards points on all other eligible purchases.
Through Dec. 31, 2025
Continue to earn 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases (made at this link), local transit, commuting, and rideshare; and internet, cable, and phone services and on select streaming.
Earns bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Applies only to tickets purchased directly from Southwest. Other airfare earns 1X.
Estimated Rewards Value: 3.75%
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
Estimated Rewards Value: 2.5%
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
Estimated Rewards Value: 2.5%
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.25%
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
15% Flight Discount
Receive a 15% promo code each year on your cardmember anniversary (Excludes Basic fare).
6,000 Rapid Rewards Bonus Points Every Cardmember Anniversary
Each year that you renew your Southwest Priority Credit Card, you’ll get 6,000 bonus Southwest Rapid Rewards points. At MilesTalk’s valuation of 1.25 cents per Southwest point, that’s $75 in value right there.
Earn Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) from Spend
Earn 1,500 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 free within 48 hours prior to departure when available.
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
You and up to 8 passengers in the same reservation will board with Group 5
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
Simply decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge a car rental purchase to your Southwest credit card to get a theft and collision damage waiver.
Note that this coverage is secondary to your personal insurance for rentals in the United States.
Extended Warranty
Get an automatic one-year extension to manufacturer warranties of three years or less.
Purchase Protection
Southwest card purchase protections cover up to $500 per claim for damage or theft to new purchases for up to 120 days after purchase.
Trip Protections
The Southwest Premier Card includes lost luggage insurance of up to $3,000 per passenger. Plus, Southwest Airlines credit cards offer baggage delay insurance of $100 per day for up to three days.
Roadside Assistance
Get help anytime you have a roadside emergency. Just call 1-800-847-2869 to dispatch the help you need, anything from a tow or jumpstart to a tire change, lockout service, winching, or gas delivery.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Chase’s Benefits Administrator can help connect you with legal or medical referrals or other travel and emergency assistance if you run into a problem away from home.
No Fees for Authorized Users
Add an authorized user for no additional annual fee to earn Southwest points on their everyday spending.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
The Southwest Premier Credit Card doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees.
Free Access to Credit Score
Chase offers free credit score monitoring through Chase Credit Journey.
Earn more rewards by combining credit cards
Pros & cons
- First checked bag free for you and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation
- 6,000 bonus points every account anniversary
- Solid spending category bonus
- Rapid Rewards points aren't valuable for anything other than flying Southwest.
- The Southwest Priority Credit Card is likely a better fit for frequent Southwest flyers.
Our review
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.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Southwest Premier Card offer an annual travel credit?
Not anymore. A $75 annual statement credit was previously a feature of this card, but no longer.
Can you earn Tier Qualifying Points through a Southwest Credit Card?
Earn unlimited Tier Qualifying Points by spending on the Southwest Premier or Priority Credit Card. Cardholders earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points per $50,000 spent on the card.
While we don’t recommend it, you can earn A-List Preferred Status just through the Tier Qualifying Points earned through Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards.
Does the Southwest Premier Card charge foreign transaction fees?
You can earn Southwest points on overseas purchases without having to worry about paying a foreign transaction fee.
Can you earn bonus points on travel purchases on the Southwest Premier Card?
Southwest Premier cardholders earn 3x points on Southwest purchases. Other travel is not bonuses.
How long does it take for sign-up bonus points to post to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account?
Per the terms and conditions, it can take up to eight weeks for your sign-up bonus to post to your Rapid Rewards account. However, points typically post much quicker than that in practice.
Does the Southwest Credit Card offer primary rental car insurance?
Personal Southwest credit cards offer secondary rental car insurance on rentals within the United States.
If you’re looking for a Southwest credit card with primary rental car insurance, consider the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card – which offers primary car rental coverage when renting for business purposes.
You can also see all credit cards with primary car rental coverage.
What are the benefits of getting a Southwest business card instead?
If you’re a small business owner, consider getting the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card to get 4x points on Southwest purchases, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, and a range of benefits for selecting seats for free.
Should you consolidate debt on Southwest credit cards?
We don’t recommend that you consolidate debt on a Southwest credit card. Southwest cards charge punitively high balance transfer APR, even for those with a high credit score.
Is it better to get a Southwest credit card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?
Southwest credit cards offer Southwest-specific perks.
The benefit of getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is that Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Southwest and 10 other airline partners, making the points you earn much more flexible.
