Key takeaways
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card comes with the lowest annual fee of all the Southwest cards and earns 2X points on Southwest flights and more.
- If you already travel with Southwest and don’t want to pay a high annual fee, this card might be the right fit.If you don’t travel often or prefer the flexibility of choosing your airline, a cash back or general travel rewards card might work better for you.
For people who fly often to major cities in the United States — especially coming from or heading to the western half — Southwest Airlines is a popular choice. Southwest has a loyal fan base of passengers who enjoy two free checked bags and a generous change or cancellation policy.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a good first step toward earning Southwest points. With a low $69 annual fee, cardholders can earn 2X points on Southwest purchases, ridesharing and certain utilities and 1X points on all other purchases. But of the best airline cards, how do you know whether it’s right for you?
Read on for examples of when the card might or might not be a good fit, as well as my experience with the Rapid Rewards program.
When should you get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus credit card?
If you’re searching for a rewards credit card, you’ll find many options that fit different lifestyles — from cash back to travel points or miles. Here are a few types of people for whom the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card makes sense.
And for a full list of benefits, check out this Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus benefits guide.
People who spend on flights, hotels and transportation
If you’re already a regular jetsetter, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card lets you earn points on travel purchases you’d make anyway.
Cardholders can earn 2X points on Southwest purchases, Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases; local transit and commuting (including rideshares); and internet, cable, phone and select streaming services. On top of those bonus categories, cardholders earn 1X points on all other purchases.
Points earned with the Rapid Rewards program never expire, so you can save them up or cash them in as you please.
People who want travel rewards without a high annual fee
Some travel cards come with hefty annual fees, like the $695 fee for The Platinum Card® from American Express. If you’re just starting out with travel rewards and want to get the hang of using them before forking over several hundred dollars, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is a good entry point.
At just $69, the annual fee pays for itself the first year if you earn the welcome bonus. By spending $3,000 within three months of account opening, cardholders can earn 85,000 points right off the bat. Those points are worth about $1,275, according to Bankrate’s valuation of 1.5 cents per Southwest point.
You’ll also get 3,000 bonus points each year — valued at $45 — on your cardmember anniversary.
People who live near Southwest-friendly airports
True to its name, Southwest Airlines is often a direct and affordable option for folks who live in the southwestern U.S. But you can also get to a number of other major cities — including Chicago, New York City and Miami.
I live in Colorado, and mainly fly to see family in Texas or hike in states like Arizona, California and Nevada. Applying for a Southwest card was a no-brainer for me, and my rewards have paid for months’ worth of flights. On the other hand, my friends in Atlanta are Delta loyalists, and even my Denver friends prefer to fly United when heading east. A Southwest card might not be their best option.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards program lets you redeem points for flights, hotels, car rentals, gift cards, experiences and access to exclusive events. However, the best redemption value is always going to be on Southwest flights within the U.S. or to the Caribbean or Mexico. The card charges a 3 percent foreign transaction fee, so it’s not ideal for international travel.
Money tip:
If not paying foreign transaction fees is important to you, you could consider one of the other Southwest credit cards: the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, neither of which charges foreign transaction fees.
When should you not get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus credit card?
The biggest reason to not get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus credit card is if there’s a better card out there for you. Maybe you don’t travel often enough to reap the rewards, or you tend to fly with a different airline.
Here are examples of people who might want to consider another credit card.
People who would pay a higher annual fee for better Southwest rewards
Southwest offers three personal credit cards and two business cards with varying annual fees and rewards rates.
I’m a cardholder of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, which means I’m willing to pay $149 annually to get 7,500 anniversary bonus points — worth almost $113 — and a $75 travel credit each year. Since I fly Southwest often, the value of these bonuses and the 3X rewards I earn on flights outweigh the fee.
Check out the other Southwest card offers below to see whether the perks might be worth the cost to you:
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card* | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $69 | $99 | $149 |
| Rewards rate |
|
|
|
| Welcome and anniversary bonus |
|
|
|
| Foreign transaction fee | 3 percent | None | None |
People who are more loyal to Chase than Southwest Airlines
Chase is the card issuer for the Southwest card family as well as other travel card options. If you already bank with Chase and want to keep your credit products in the same place, but don’t tend to fly Southwest, there might be a better card for you.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a crowd favorite for frequent travelers who want to pay an annual fee under $100 while earning great rewards. While you’re limited to booking through Chase Travel℠ to earn 5X points on flights, hotels and car rentals, you’re not limited to a specific airline. You can also redeem points with Chase’s airline and hotel transfer partners.
And keep in mind that Southwest Rapid Rewards is a Chase transfer partner, so you can earn points with a Chase travel card and transfer them to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account later on.
People who prefer cash back over travel rewards
Finally, if you don’t travel often but love to visit restaurants, see live entertainment or simply pay for necessities, a cash back credit card might meet your needs instead.
Cash back cards that are in the mid-tier range with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card might come with no annual fee and offer 1 to 10 percent cash back on all purchases or rotating categories. You can usually even earn cash back on travel booked through the card issuer’s portal for when you do need to get somewhere.
The bottom line
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card offers the lowest annual fee of any Southwest card, but with slightly lower rewards rates and a foreign transaction fee. It might be a good pick if you like to fly Southwest but don’t need the added perks of a higher-tier card.
There are also ways to earn Southwest points without having the credit card. For example, you can shop in the Southwest Rapid Rewards shopping portal or join the Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining program. You’ll just have to enroll for free in the Rapid Rewards program.
*The information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
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