If you fly often in the U.S. or to Mexico, Central America or the Caribbean, you’re probably familiar with Southwest Airlines. Known for its affordability and customer service, it also boasts a popular loyalty program — Southwest Rapid Rewards.
You can sign up for the Rapid Rewards program for free and start earning rewards by buying Southwest flights and booking with eligible hotel and rental car partners. You can also use the Rapid Rewards shopping portal and dining program.
But if you want to earn points for every dollar you spend, as well as a welcome bonus and other perks, a co-branded credit card from Southwest and Chase is a good way to go. Here are the best cards for Southwest Airlines for each type of cardholder.
Comparing the best cards for Southwest Airlines
Top cards for Southwest Airlines
Best for entry-level travelers
Even with the lowest annual fee of $69, the Rapid Rewards Plus card offers the same welcome bonus as other Southwest cards. Plus, you get a 3,000-point anniversary bonus; 2X points on Southwest purchases, local transit, utilities and streaming services and two EarlyBird Check-In boarding upgrades a year.
The card is a good option if you fly Southwest once or twice a year. If you start flying more often, you might get more value out of a higher-tier Southwest card.
Pros
The welcome bonus is worth $450 based on Bankrate’s valuations, which could cover a flight or more.
After the first year, the estimated $45 worth of anniversary points covers more than half of the annual fee.
Cons
The card doesn’t have much rewards-earning potential for everyday spending.
There’s a 3 percent foreign transaction fee, so you won’t want to bring the card on international trips.
Best for frequent flyers on a budget
By upping the annual fee to $99, you get the same welcome bonus as other Southwest cards plus a 6,000-point anniversary bonus, 3X points on Southwest purchases and no foreign transaction fees.
The Rapid Rewards Premier is a good card to rack up Southwest points and use those EarlyBird Check-Ins while paying around the same fee as other mid-tier travel cards.
Pros
The $90 in anniversary points, based on Bankrate’s valuations, almost covers the annual fee.
Work your way toward A-List status by earning 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $5,000 spent annually, a perk not offered by the lower-tier Southwest card. Learn more about TQPs below.
Cons
The redemption options for your rewards aren’t as flexible as comparable general travel cards.
Best for Southwest loyalists
If you fly with Southwest so often that you have a favorite seat and notice when they change snack brands, the Rapid Rewards Priority card is for you. Even for the highest annual fee of $149, you’ll get the most bang for your buck in bonus points, credits and upgraded boardings.
Although it offers the same welcome bonus and rewards earning as the mid-tier version, the generous anniversary points and travel credit make the card soar in value.
Pros
After the estimated $112.50 value of anniversary points and $75 annual credit, the annual fee pays for itself and then some.
Access four upgraded boarding per year, handy for those long or full flights.
Big spenders may be able to qualify for A-List status or a Companion Pass, especially with the annual points boosts.
Cons
The card doesn’t offer the flexible redemption options or perks — like lounge access or TSA PreCheck or Global Entry reimbursement — that other general travel cards do.
Best for casual business travel
Small businesses who simply want to cash in on rewards while flying Southwest for work may enjoy the Rapid Rewards Premier business card. For a $99 annual fee, it’s comparable to the personal version of the card, but with the ability to add free employee cards.
You’ll still get two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year and an anniversary bonus worth $90 according to Bankrate’s valuation, justifying the annual fee.
Pros
Earn 3X points on Southwest purchases you might be making anyway for your business.
By adding employee cards at no cost, your team can earn more points and even reach A-List status more quickly.
Cons
You don’t get the business-specific perks of the higher-tier card, like rewards for business expenses and in-flight WiFi credit.
Best for travel perks
The other of Southwest’s two business cards, Rapid Rewards Performance caters to businesses who can afford the $199 annual fee and want travel perks like four upgraded boardings per year, in-flight WiFi credits and Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS credit.
Plus, you’ll earn a generous 4X points on Southwest purchases, as well as 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable and phone services.
Pros
The estimated $1,200 value of the welcome bonus and $135 value of the anniversary bonus go a long way toward covering the annual fee.
After your first year, you can tap into the upgraded boardings and expedited airport screening credit to justify the fee.
The rewards rate on Southwest purchases is higher than all the other Southwest cards’ rewards.
Cons
If you don’t maximize the card’s rewards and perks, the annual fee may not be worth it.
How to choose the best card for Southwest Airlines
Consider how often you fly with Southwest. You don’t have to fly with the airline every time you travel to justify having a co-branded Southwest card. But if you only choose Southwest every now and then, a general travel card may let you use your points or miles more flexibly while earning rewards at the same rate. Frequent Southwest fliers might enjoy the airline-specific perks that come with the co-branded cards above.
Compare fees and features. If you’d like to keep the annual fee down, a lower-tier card can offer enough points through the welcome bonus, anniversary bonus and rewards to use for a few flights while covering the fee. But if you’re willing to pay more — while still keeping it under $200, unlike top-tier travel cards — then a higher-tier card like the Rapid Rewards Priority offers more value for the annual fee in bonuses, credits and rewards potential.
Decide whether you need a personal or business card. If you’re not a business owner and fly Southwest solely for pleasure, you’d want to apply for a personal card. But if you have a business or side hustle and make those expenses on a personal card, your transaction records can get complicated. Plus, you may want to add employees to the account. In that case, you could apply for a business card.
How to earn tier status with Southwest
If you’re aiming for an A-List status — with priority boarding and even free drinks and WiFi for A-List Preferred — or Companion Pass, a Southwest card can help you get there.
To qualify for A-List, you need to fly 20 one-way Southwest flights or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) per year. You earn TQPs by buying Southwest flights, but you can get even more with a credit card. Other than the Rapid Rewards Plus card, Southwest cards offer 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $5,000 you spend in a year.
That way, you can get to A-List with a combination of purchasing Southwest flights and spending on a Southwest card. A-List Preferred status requires 40 flights or 70,000 TQPs.
A Companion Pass is another coveted benefit that lets you bring a free companion on every flight. To earn a Companion Pass, you need to fly 100 one-way flights or accrue 135,000 TQPs in a year. You can earn TQPs by buying Southwest flights and earning Rapid Rewards with your credit card.
Southwest cards also offer 10,000 TQPs toward your Companion Pass each year. Get strategic about securing a Southwest Companion Pass by applying for a card and timing the welcome bonus to hit at the beginning of the year, leaving you with plenty of time to rack up the remaining points by December.
Tier status
How to earn it
What you get
A-List
20 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year, or
35,000 TQPs within a calendar year
Priority boarding
25 percent points earning bonus on flights
Free same-day standby and same-day change
See more
A-List Preferred
40 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year, or
70,000 TQPs within a calendar year
Free in-flight WiFi and drinks
Priority boarding
100 percent points earning bonus on flights
Free same-day standby and same-day change
See more
Companion Pass
100 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year, or
135,000 TQPs within a calendar year
Designated companion flies free
Pass is valid for the remainder of the year and entire next year
Frequently asked questions about credit cards for Southwest Airlines
Yes, you can use a Southwest card for any purchase, like a typical credit card. You’ll earn at least 1X point per dollar to put toward future Southwest bookings.
You’ll also earn 2-4X points on Southwest purchases; 2-3X points on Rapid Rewards hotels and car rental partner purchases and 2X points on local transit and commuting and internet, cable, phone services and select streaming.
But other credit cards offer better rewards for everyday spending like groceries and gas, so you could pair a Southwest card with another rewards card to maximize your strategy.
To qualify for a Southwest credit card, you’ll likely need a credit score that’s between good and excellent, so a FICO score above 670. You can get pre-qualified for a card to know your odds before applying and getting a hard inquiry on your credit score.
If you don’t have good credit yet, you can apply for a credit-building card and practice using it responsibly.
Southwest points are valued at 1.5 cents per point, according to Bankrate’s valuations. For example, a stash of 50,000 points is worth $750 in flights.
One-way Southwest flights can range from around 6,000 points to above 30,000 points, based on the destination, day of the week and time of year. If you’ve got points to spend, consider checking out Southwest’s low fare calendar for affordable flights to your dream destination.
What’s next?
The bottom line
If you’re looking to earn points on Southwest flights while tapping into perks like upgraded boardings and a potential Companion Pass, one of these Southwest cards might be right for you.
The card you choose depends on how often you fly Southwest and how much you’re willing to pay for an annual fee. As soon as you apply and snag that welcome bonus, you could be on a Boeing 737, joking with flight attendants and enjoying free snacks in no time.
