At Bankrate, we have a mission to demystify the credit cards industry — regardless or where you are in your journey — and make it one you can navigate with confidence. Our team is full of a diverse range of experts from credit card pros to data analysts and, most importantly, people who shop for credit cards just like you. With this combination of expertise and perspectives, we keep close tabs on the credit card industry year-round to:
At Bankrate, we focus on the points consumers care about most: rewards, welcome offers and bonuses, APR, and overall customer experience. Any issuers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide to consumers at each of these levels. At each step of the way, we fact-check ourselves to prioritize accuracy so we can continue to be here for your every next.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.
We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers.
Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
This content is powered by HomeInsurance.com, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 8781838) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate.com. HomeInsurance.com LLC services are only available in states were it is licensed and insurance coverage through HomeInsurance.com may not be available in all states. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
4.0
on Chase's secure site
Rewards rate
2X–3X PointsAnnual fee
$149Intro bonus
100,000 pointsRegular APR
15.99% - 22.99% VariableRecommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is an ideal travel credit card for jet-setters who frequently book domestic flights, especially those who are loyal to Southwest. You’ll earn points on all your purchases, helping you quickly build up rewards you can redeem for future flights.
Best of all, you’ll get an annual Southwest travel credit, bonus points on your cardmember anniversary, discounts on in-flight purchases and four upgraded boardings per year (depending on availability), making it possible to fly more and have an elevated experience every time you travel.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card is currently offering up to 100,000 points by the end of your first year. You can obtain 50,000 points during your first three months just by spending $2,000 on purchases, plus another 50,000 points once you spend a total of $12,000 by the end of your first 12 months.
The spending requirement may sound intimidating, but based on a 1.5-cent point value according to The Points Guy’s most recent valuations, you’re getting an impressive $1,500 toward airfare just for putting $1,000 on your card each month.
Earning points with your Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is incredibly easy, especially if you fly frequently with Southwest. Best of all, your Rapid Rewards points will never expire while your account is open. Keep in mind that the sign-up bonus and rewards rate is the same for all consumer Southwest credit cards, so make sure you can take full advantage of the Priority card’s extra benefits to rake in more points.
An obvious way to earn points quickly with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is to make Southwest Airlines your go-to airline, whenever possible. Booking flights with Southwest will get you 3 points per dollar spent, and using Southwest partners for hotel stays and car rentals too will net you 2 points per dollar. Southwest’s newest update to the Rapid Rewards Priority card also includes a solid 2 points per dollar on everyday expenses, like local transit and commuting (including rideshares) and your monthly internet, cable, phone and select streaming services. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
Priority cardmembers will receive an anniversary bonus of 7,500 points each year—the highest among Southwest credit cards. You can also earn additional points by shopping through the Southwest Rapid Rewards shopping portal and eating out at restaurants in its Dining Rewards program.
But perhaps the most effective way to earn more points is to earn Southwest elite status. On top of other benefits, qualifying for A-List status earns 25 percent more points on Southwest purchases and A-List Preferred delivers an extra 100 percent. You can get a headstart with the Priority card’s bonus 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) per $10,000 in purchases (there’s no longer a limit for earning bonus points this way).
However, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card also offers this same TQP bonus. If you go the extra mile and end up flying at least 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 125,000 eligible Southwest points in one year, you can stretch your rewards even further with the Companion Pass and its waived airline charges for one passenger (not including taxes and fees).
According to Chase’s reward category guidelines, The following streaming services will earn you 2X points with this Southwest Rapid Rewards card:
The Rapid Rewards program boasts unlimited award seats with no blackout dates or restrictions for flight redemptions. You’ll just be required to pay taxes and fees on the award ticket (at least $5.60 for a domestic one-way flight). Southwest award tickets are tethered to the cash value of a ticket. So, a more expensive ticket will require more points.
Your points can also be redeemed for international flights with global carriers, hotel stays, rental cars, merchandise, gift cards and more. With the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card or another co-branded Southwest card, it’s even possible to gift or donate points.
With Rapid Rewards points valued at around 1.5 cents per point maximum, the 7,500-point anniversary bonus could be worth $112.50. However, your reward value may fluctuate depending on several factors, including the redemption option and your reward flight’s destination, time and date.
While you won’t get fancy perks like airport lounge access with this Southwest card, you’ll save plenty with its annual travel credit, Southwest priority card upgrades, anniversary bonus and more. Here’s a closer look at what the card has to offer.
You’ll be eligible for a variety of travel savings, including:
By using your card, you receive several protection benefits as a Visa card, including:
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority cardholders will receive an additional 7,500 points on their account anniversary—worth almost $113 toward airfare at a 1.5-cent point value.
The Rapid Rewards Priority card has an annual fee of $149—the highest of any Southwest personal credit card. However, there are no foreign transaction fees and Southwest never charges change fees, so you have more flexibility with your travel plans. This flexibility is helpful when offsetting your annual fee with rewards since it’ll take a little work; in order to recoup the yearly cost, you’ll need to spend at least $414 per month on Southwest purchases (based on TPG’s 1.5 cent point value).
If you carry a balance month-to-month, you can expect interest to be charged at a rate between 15.99 percent and 22.99 percent variable APR.
Compared to other co-branded airline cards, the Southwest credit card has less flexibility in how you can earn and redeem rewards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for example, can potentially rake in more rewards value on a wider variety of travel in addition to everyday expenses like dining—all for a lower $95 annual fee.
The lower-cost Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card might also be worth considering if you’re not as concerned with the Priority card’s bonus features since it offers the same rewards rate, sign-up bonus and TQP-earning feature.
| Card | Rewards rate | Annual fee | Welcome bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card |
|
$149 | Up to 100,000 points during the first year: 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months, plus another 50,000 points by spending a total of $12,000 in purchases by the end of the first 12 months |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card |
|
$69 | Up to 100,000 points during the first year: 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months, plus another 50,000 points by spending a total of $12,000 in purchases by the end of the first 12 months |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
|
$95 | 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months |
Pair your Southwest credit card with a credit card that has no annual fee and will reward you for everyday purchases, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. Right now, you’ll get 5 percent cash back on travel purchased through Chase and on Lyft purchases (through March 2022), 5 percent cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year, 3 percent on dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5 percent cash back on all other purchases.
If you have a Chase Sapphire card in your wallet, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Sapphire Preferred, you can opt to convert your earnings into Chase Ultimate Rewards points—a valuable, transferable currency you can use to book flights with other airlines, hotel stays and more.
This card is perfect for Southwest loyalists who fly often enough with the airline to make use of the points or are pursuing elite status.
If you need more flexibility (and can’t be loyal to Southwest), you’ll be better off with a general travel rewards credit card. These tend to come with bonus rewards on a broader range of spending categories and more redemption options. Look for one with a transferable currency so you can use your points and miles for a wide range of airlines and hotels.
Bankrate expert Garrett Yarbrough strives to make navigating credit cards and credit building smooth sailing for his readers. After regularly featuring his credit card, credit monitoring and identity theft analysis on NextAdvisor.com, he joined the CreditCards.com and Bankrate.com teams as a staff writer to develop product reviews and comprehensive credit card guides focused on cash back, credit scores and card offers.
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
Share