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The consumer and small business Southwest Airlines credit cards add a few benefits without increasing the annual fee. The Southwest card benefits give you more ways to earn bonus Rapid Rewards, get EarlyBird check-in, and even one of the best signup bonuses. Additionally, cardholders can continue to maximize their purchases and travel.
Southwest Card Benefits for the Consumer Cards
Here is a summary of the benefits of the Southwest consumer cards. Note that all points earned count towards earning the Companion Pass®.
Signup Bonus
New Southwest Airlines (consumer) credit cardholders can earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
This offer applies to these consumer cards:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- And the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Additionally, get 25% back on inflight purchases with all three consumer cards.
2x Bonus Categories
In addition to earning 2x Rapid Rewards on Southwest purchases, all three consumer cards earn double points on these purchases:
- Local transit and commuting (including rideshares)
- Internet
- Phone
- Cable services
- Select streaming purchases
Depending on the card, Southwest purchases earn 3x points.
Here is a card-by-card look at the additional benefits.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card
The entry-level Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card offers these benefits.
- 2x purchase rewards
- 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins® each year
The annual fee is $69, and you also get 3,000 anniversary points upon each card renewal.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card
The mid-level Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has these perks:
- 2x purchase rewards categories
- 3x on Southwest® purchases
- 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins® each year
Its annual fee is $99, and the anniversary bonus is 6,000 points. There are no foreign transaction fees.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card
The upper-crust Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers:
- 2x purchase rewards categories
- 3x on Southwest® purchases
- Unlimited Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs)
You also get up to 4 Upgraded Bookings per year, an annual $75 Southwest travel credit, and 7,500-anniversary points when paying the $149 annual fee. There are no foreign transaction fees.
Southwest Airlines Business Credit Cards
Here are the Southwest card benefits for the airline’s two small business credit cards.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card
The entry-level Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card offers these benefits:
- 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins® each year
- $500 fee credit per year for Rapid Rewards point transfers
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card earns:
- 3x points on Southwest Airlines® purchases
- 2x points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners
- 2x points on rideshares
- 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The annual fee is $99, and you receive 6,000-anniversary points per year.
New Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card cardholders can earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months the account is open.
Related: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Review
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers these perks:
- Unlimited tier qualifying points per year
- $500 annual fee credit on Rapid Rewards point transfers
- 4 Upgraded Bookings per year
- Up to 365 inflight WiFi credits per year
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- 9,000 bonus points upon each card anniversary
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card earns:
- 4x points on Southwest® purchases
- 3x points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car partners
- 2x points on rideshares
- 2x points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services
- 1x points on all other purchases
The annual fee is $199.
New Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card card members can earn 80,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Summary
In conclusion, these Southwest card benefits can make it easier to earn bonus Rapid Rewards on daily purchases, get Southwest elite status, and also be one of the first to board the plane. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards is one of the best airline loyalty programs. These perks can help you get more mileage from this discount airline.
