That Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card Chase airline credit card. At $69/year, this is an affordable card that could be a good choice for many Southwest commuters.
The Southwest Card earns 2 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, local transportation, commuting (including sharing), Internet access, cable TV, phone service, and streaming choices. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar. The card also offers several perks that can make it attractive to travelers.
Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card right for you, or should you look into other Southwest cards or other travel cards in general?
Read on to find out when Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is worth it (or not worth it) and whether you should consider adding it to your wallet.
When is Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus worth it?
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is not the most lucrative travel card, but it can offer a great value in some situations.
When you are a casual traveler
It’s not like you travel often, but when you do, you fly Southwest.
If this applies to you, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus may be a good option for you. You won’t have to worry about justifying a high annual fee, and the card will help you earn rewards on and off the road.
In addition, the card offers several useful perks for travelers, including:
- Two EarlyBird registrations each card anniversary
- 25% refund on in-flight purchases
- Baggage delay insurance
- Lost luggage insurance
In addition, for your loyalty, the issuer will reward you with 3,000 bonus points for each account anniversary.
If you are interested in the Companion Pass
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most coveted perks in the travel world. This allows you to designate a companion that you will take with you free of charge (excluding taxes and fees) on any Southwest flight you purchase for the remainder of the year and the following year.
If you travel regularly with a companion, whether it be your partner, friend or family member, you can easily save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your pass, depending on how often you travel.
Unfortunately, the requirements for obtaining the Companion Pass are quite high. This will cost you either 100 qualifying one-way flights or 125,000 points.
A Southwest credit card can help with this. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is currently offering a signup bonus of 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open.
This promotion will help you earn a Companion Pass.
When is Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus not worth it?
Despite the low annual fee and several valuable benefits for Southwest passengers, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus program is not an ideal choice for everyone.
Here are a few situations in which you might want to explore different maps.
When you are a frequent traveler
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is an economical option, but that doesn’t mean it provides the best value.
If you travel frequently and fly with Southwest, the more expensive Southwest card is likely to be a better choice.
For example, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card costs $149 per year but offers a higher reward rate on Southwest purchases (3 points per dollar) and enhanced perks including:
- Four boarding school upgrades per year (subject to availability)
- $75 Annual Travel Credit towards Southwest purchases
- 7500 bonus points for each account anniversary
- 25% refund on in-flight purchases
- 1,500 A-List Qualifying Points for every $10,000 spent
- No fees for foreign transactions
With only Travel Credit and an Annual Bonus, you can more than offset the annual card fee while enjoying more benefits.
When You Want Luxurious Perks
Premium perks are not what Southwest cards are known for.
If you’re a regular traveler and want a credit card that opens up airport lounges for you, grants you elite status, and reduces the time you spend in security lines, we recommend considering premium credit cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card and Platinum. ® from American Express.
These cards come with a premium price, of course, with the Capital One Venture X Credit Card being the most affordable option at $395 per year. However, the claimed credits and benefits offered by the best cards in this class easily outweigh their costs.
When you’re a bargain hunter
On the other hand, if price is your key factor when booking flights, you want to be able to compare costs without being tied to one airline.
In this case, it’s not worth paying the airline credit card fee, even if it’s only $69. You’ll be better off with a regular travel credit card as it will allow you to not only earn and redeem airfare rewards from different airlines, but also transfer your rewards to the issuer’s travel partners to potentially increase your value even more.
For example, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, a great mid-range travel card with a $95 annual fee. You’ll earn valuable rewards such as 5 points per dollar on a ride purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 2 points per dollar on all other rides. In addition, you’ll receive a $50 Annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit and 10% Anniversary Bonus Points.
In addition, you will receive 25% more value if you redeem a trip through the Chase Portal. In addition, you can transfer your points to issuer partners to increase the value of your rewards – and Chase has an excellent choice of partners.
With this credit card, you have more ways to save on travel, including shopping at the best prices, earning maximum rewards, and enjoying valuable benefits.
Should I get a Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card?
If you prefer to fly with Southwest and fly regularly but not often enough to justify the higher annual fees, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus might be worth considering. It’s also a good option if you’re looking for an inexpensive way to get closer to the Companion Pass.
On the other hand, if you’re a flyer, the more expensive Southwest might make more sense. You may even prefer a regular travel card if you don’t want to be tied to one loyalty program or prefer the card’s better perks.
Please note that Southwest cards are issued by Chase and are subject to the issuer’s “5/24 rule”. This means that you are unlikely to be approved for a Chase card if you have opened five or more credit cards from any issuer in the last 24 months.
bottom line
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card doesn’t offer much in terms of reward flexibility or travel perks, but it can provide unique value for some Southwest passengers at a low cost.
If you’re considering getting a Southwest card, take a look at your travel habits and consider what perks you need the most.
Check CardMatch to see which cards you are most likely eligible for based on your credit profile and compare all available options. Viewing CardMatch will not affect your score and you will only see cards for which you have a good chance of being approved.
Editorial disclaimer
The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective judgment of our contributors and is not based on advertising. It was not provided or ordered by credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to our partners’ products.
