Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Southwest Airlines Credit Cards

Below are all five available Southwest Airlines Credit Cards, issued by Chase. And everybody loves the Southwest Companion Pass. For as long as you hold it, you can bring a companion with you and they pay only taxes and fees for their ticket. It even works when you use Rapid Rewards points! You need 135,000 qualifying points in one calendar year to achieve this. Simply holding any Southwest credit card will give you 10,000 points towards that, leaving 125,000.

Written by Dave Grossman Your Best Credit Cards author & editor

FEATURED CARD

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

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Card Details

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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

(3.98) Our Review

Annual Fee:

$229

☝ Increased Offer

Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

💡 Need to Know

The go-to card for frequent Southwest flyers with a wide range of benefits like complimentary preferred seating and free checked bags.

Featured Credit Card

Excellent Southwest-specific perks – including annual bonus points every cardmember anniversary.
Earn points toward Southwest Companion Pass and Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List and A-List Preferred Status.
Upgrade to Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours prior to departure when available

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* Suggested credit score ranges for credit cards are supplied by QuinStreet, not from the issuers, and are guidelines, not a guarantee of approval.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

(3.98) Our Review

Annual Fee:

$229

☝ Increased Offer

Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Excellent Southwest-specific perks – including annual bonus points every cardmember anniversary.
Earn points toward Southwest Companion Pass and Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List and A-List Preferred Status.
Upgrade to Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours prior to departure when available

Excellent Southwest-specific perks – including annual bonus points every cardmember anniversary.
Earn points toward Southwest Companion Pass and Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List and A-List Preferred Status.
Upgrade to Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours prior to departure when available

Pros

Upgrade to Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours prior to departure when available
7,500 bonus points each cardmember anniversary (worth $105)
Preferred Seat selection at booking when available

Cons

$229 annual fee is the highest annual fee of any personal Southwest credit card.
Rapid Rewards points are only really valuable for Southwest award flights.

Annual Fee: $229

Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%

Min Credit Score: Good (670-739) *

Point Value:

$0.0125

APR: 19.24%-27.74% (Variable)

Balance transfer fees: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

2x
Gas Stations
2x
Dining Out / Food Delivery
1x-4x
Airfare

4X applies only to tickets purchased directly from Southwest. Other airfare earns 1X.
1x
Everything Else

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

(3.73) Our Review

Annual Fee:

$99

☝ Increased Offer

Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Lowest annual fee of any of the Southwest credit cards.
Cardmember anniversary bonus and free checked bags more than offset the card's annual fee.
Group 5 Boarding + your 1st checked bag free

Lowest annual fee of any of the Southwest credit cards.
Cardmember anniversary bonus and free checked bags more than offset the card's annual fee.
Group 5 Boarding + your 1st checked bag free

Pros

3,000 bonus points every account anniversary
Lowest annual fee of any Southwest credit cards
Group 5 Boarding + your 1st checked bag free

Cons

Bonus Spending categories could be better
No access to extra legroom seats like with the Priority card

Annual Fee: $99

Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%

Min Credit Score: Good (670-739) *

Point Value:

$0.0125

APR: 19.24%-27.74% (Variable)

Balance transfer fees: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

2x
Gas Stations

Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
2x
Supermarkets

Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
1x-2x
Airfare

2X applies only to tickets purchased directly from Southwest. Other airfare earns 1X.
1x
Everything Else

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

(4.25) Our Review

Annual Fee:

$299

🎁 Bonus offer

Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

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

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

Pros

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

Cons

The high annual fee will be hard to justify for infrequent travelers
Rapid Rewards points only provide a good value for Southwest flights

Annual Fee: $299

Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%

Min Credit Score: Good (670-739) *

Point Value:

$0.0125

APR: 19.24%-27.74% (Variable)

Balance transfer fees: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

2x
Gas Stations
2x
Hotels

Booked directly with the hotel
2x
Transit

Local transit and commuting, Including rideshare
1x-4x
Airfare

4X applies only to Southwest Airlines booked directly with Southwest; Otherwise earn 1X
1x
Everything Else

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

(3.9) Our Review

Annual Fee:

$149

🎁 Bonus offer

Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Early boarding (Group 5), First free checked bag (you and up to 8 companions, Preferred seating
Ability to spend toward A-List status and the Southwest Companion Pass
6,000 bonus points on every cardmember anniversary

Early boarding (Group 5), First free checked bag (you and up to 8 companions, Preferred seating
Ability to spend toward A-List status and the Southwest Companion Pass
6,000 bonus points on every cardmember anniversary

Pros

6,000 bonus points on every cardmember anniversary
Receive a 15% promo code each year on your cardmember anniversary (Excludes Basic fare).
Ability to spend toward A-List status and the Southwest Companion Pass
Early boarding (Group 5), First free checked bag (you and up to 8 companions, Preferred seating

Cons

Lack of business spending rewards categories
Better perks and earning rates on the Southwest Performance Business Card

Annual Fee: $149

Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%

Min Credit Score: Good (670-739) *

Point Value:

$0.0125

APR: 19.24%-27.74% (Variable)

Balance transfer fees: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

2x
Gas Stations

Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
2x
Dining Out / Food Delivery

Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
1x-3x
Airfare

Earn 3X on Southwest flights booked directly; otherwise earn 1X
1x
Everything Else

💡 Tip from Dave

Depending on the current bonus offers, you may be able to open one business card and one personal card to achive the Southwest Companion Pass for up to 2 full years – but of course you need to do it the right way.

If you are eligible for a business card, get that first. We recommend the Performance card for its larger bonus.

Once you have met the minimum spend for the bonus, you can get a personal card. Or, you can get BOTH business cards (Performance and Premier), however you’ll have to space two Chase business card applications out by at least 31 days.

This does not apply if you open a business card, then a personal card.

Since you earn the Southwest Companion Pass for all of the current year and all of the following year, it’s best to do this as early in a calendar year if Companion Pass is your goal.

If you are brand new, we have a Guide to Southwest’s Companion Pass.

Tip: You can signup for one or two cards (depending on if the bonus offer of any one is elevated and enough to earn Companion Pass) in the last couple of months of a calendar year and make sure not to spend enough to earn the bonus or bonuses until the following January.

That will get you close to two full years of Companion Pass!

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What’s the most important factor to consider when choosing a credit card?

The right credit card for you (Your Best Credit Card!!) depends on your spending habits and goals. If you want rewards, focus on categories where you spend the most (like travel, dining, or groceries). If you’re looking to save money, a 0% intro APR, 0% Intro APR Balance Transfer, or a no-annual-fee card may be best. Luckily, we are here to help you figure this out with a wide variety of tools like our Smart Search and Card Explorer!

Do credit card applications affect my credit score?

Yes and no. Applying for a new card results in a “hard inquiry,” which may temporarily lower your credit score by a few points for a short period of time. However, since you’ll grow your available credit, your total utilization will shrink, possibly increasing your score over time. Of course this depends on responsible use of your credit and 100% on-time payments. We recommend trying to always pay in full as well as revolving balances increase your debt exponentially over time.

What’s the difference between cash back, points, and miles?

Cash back: Rewards you can redeem for statement credits, checks, or bank deposits.
Points: Flexible rewards that can often be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or merchandise. (We prefer transferring to airline and hotel programs!). These are, in our opinion, the most flexible types of credit cards.
Miles: Primarily geared toward travel, usually tied to one specific airline.
The best option depends on whether you value simplicity (cash back) or maximizing travel rewards (points/miles).

Do I need an excellent credit score to get approved?

Not always. Premium rewards and travel cards often require good to excellent credit (typically 670+). But there are plenty of cards for fair or limited credit, including secured cards and student cards, that help build your score over time.

How do annual fees work, and are they worth it?

Annual fees are charged once per year for keeping the card open. They can be worth it if the card’s rewards, perks, and benefits outweigh the cost. For example, frequent travelers may get hundreds of dollars in value from perks like lounge access or travel credits. You need to do the math on each card with an annual fee to see if the perks and credits outweigh the fee in your particular case since there are generally a range of credits that an individual may or may not value.

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Southwest Airlines Credit Cards

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

☝ Increased Offer

Featured Credit Card