Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card review: Full details

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is essentially the most rewarding of Southwest Airways’ private bank cards, providing a $75 annual Southwest credit score and seven,500 anniversary bonus factors. With essentially the most advantages of any of the airline’s choices, that is the cardboard to get when you’re a Southwest loyalist. Card Score*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card rating is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

Southwest Airways has a legion of followers — largely resulting from its versatile change/cancellation insurance policies and providing two free checked baggage for all passengers. In contrast to different airways, Southwest would not supply lounges, premium cabins and even seating with additional legroom.

But it surely does supply a full suite of cobranded credit cards to assist frequent flyers fulfill their Southwest journey targets.

This card received the Finest Airline Cobranded Credit score Card award within the 2023 TPG Awards.

The Southwest Priority card has a advisable credit score of 670 or above and is essentially the most premium private bank card within the Southwest lineup.

However are its advantages invaluable sufficient to warrant the $149 annual payment? And is now the appropriate time so that you can apply? Let’s discover out.

New Southwest Priority cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 40,000 bonus factors and a $400 assertion credit score after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 4 months of account opening. This supply ends Dec 16.

In line with TPG’s November 2024 valuations, this welcome supply is price as much as $960 when together with the assertion credit score. The bonus factors may also assist you to get a lot nearer to securing a Companion Go, which requires incomes 135,000 factors in a calendar yr.

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In an effort to maximize the Companion Go for 2025 and 2026, it is best to attend to use for the cardboard till December. Then, after your December assertion date, full the minimal spending requirement to obtain your bonus factors in January. This could assist you to receive a Companion Go for 2025 and 2026 (relatively than the remainder of 2024 and 2025 in case your bonus factors arrive in December).

Be aware that Southwest playing cards are topic to Chase’s 5/24 rule. In case you’ve opened 5 or extra bank cards up to now 24 months (from all banks, not simply Chase), you is probably not permitted.

As well as, you possibly can’t open a brand new private Southwest card when you’ve got one open. You additionally will not be capable of get a brand new welcome bonus from a private Southwest card when you’ve acquired one up to now 24 months.

Associated: 15 lessons from 15 years’ worth of Southwest Companion Passes

The Southwest Priority card provides the next advantages, with the primary two greater than offsetting the annual payment:

• Anniversary bonus: In your card anniversary annually, you may obtain 7,500 Speedy Rewards factors, price $105 primarily based on TPG’s November 2024 valuations.
• Annual Southwest journey credit score: Throughout every cardmember yr, you may obtain a $75 journey credit score that can be utilized on most Southwest purchases, together with tickets (excluding upgraded boardings and inflight purchases).

• 25% inflight financial savings: Obtain 25% again (as a press release credit score) after you utilize your card to buy inflight drinks and Wi-Fi.
• Tier qualifying factors enhance: Earn 1,500 TQPs that depend towards A-Record and A-Record Most well-liked standing for every $5,000 you spend in a calendar yr.
• 4 upgraded boardings per yr

Along with the Southwest-specific advantages, the cardboard comes with misplaced baggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, extended warranty protection and purchase protection.

These perks are invaluable to at least one TPG reader, who stated they frequent a Southwest hub:

“Nice journey advantages and insurance coverage plus Southwest perks like free upgrades and alternatives to earn numerous factors. It is the one I’ll choose so long as I dwell close to a Southwest hub.” — Trisha M by way of a TPG E-newsletter survey

Be aware: Reader-submitted responses haven’t been edited, reviewed or permitted by the issuers nor replicate TPG’s opinions of those playing cards.

The cardboard additionally has no foreign transaction fees, so it is a sensible choice for spending overseas.

Associated: How to get airline elite status

This is what you may earn with the Southwest Priority card:

• 3 factors per greenback on Southwest purchases
• 2 factors per greenback spent with Speedy Rewards resort and automotive rental companions
• 2 factors per greenback on local transit and commuting, together with ride-hailing apps
• 2 factors per greenback on web, cable and cellphone companies; select streaming
• 1 level per greenback on all other purchases

This airline bank card provides a greater diversity of bonus classes than different airline credit cards, although top travel cards are usually much more profitable.

You may earn 4.2% again on Southwest purchases and a pair of.8% again on choose purchases (in accordance with TPG’s November 2024 valuations), which isn’t a nasty charge of return for a cobranded bank card.

Nonetheless, this is probably not the very best Southwest card for you when you do not guide Southwest flights typically or favor to make use of different portals for resort and rental automotive bookings.

Associated: The best rewards credit cards for each bonus category

Redeeming Speedy Rewards factors with the Southwest Priority card could be very simple. Southwest award costs are instantly tied to the money worth of the ticket, which means the variety of factors you want for a flight will fluctuate, however you may not often encounter occasions when you possibly can’t use your factors. Plus, you possibly can redeposit your award with out penalty in case your plans change.

Whereas Southwest’s factors will not assist you to fly in first-class suites, they’ll present nice worth. As an illustration, you possibly can fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago-Halfway (MDW) for as few as 4,701 factors one-way, relying on the time of yr. In the meantime, different airways typically cost 10,000 miles or much more (assuming you will discover availability).

In case you guide throughout considered one of Southwest’s flash sales, you may rating awards for lower than 2,500 factors one-way. You may even fly to enjoyable faraway locations like Hawaii, Costa Rica and Mexico along with your Southwest factors.

As an illustration, TPG bank cards editor Emily Thompson not too long ago took benefit of considered one of these gross sales to guide a round-trip ticket between Nashville (BNA) and San Jose, California (SJC) for beneath 25,000 factors. In case you’re flying to considered one of Southwest’s locations, you will discover an awesome deal on factors.

Associated: Why I choose Southwest every time

• If you would like Southwest advantages with a extra modest payment: The Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Credit score Card is the mid-tier card within the Southwest lineup, with a $99 annual payment. Its advantages embody 6,000-anniversary bonus factors, two EarlyBird Examine-ins per yr and 25% again on inflight purchases. To study extra, learn our full review of the Southwest Premier card.
• If you would like a Southwest card with an excellent decrease annual payment: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card has a $69 annual payment and an anniversary bonus of three,000 factors. You may additionally obtain two EarlyBird Examine-ins yearly and 25% again on inflight purchases. To study extra, learn our full review of the Southwest Plus card.
• If you would like transferable factors to make use of with Southwest and different airways: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns Chase Final Rewards factors, which you’ll switch 1:1 to Southwest and a variety of different airways for making flight redemptions. You may get quite a few journey protections, a $50 annual hotel credit on resort bookings made via Chase Journey℠ and sturdy incomes classes for a $95 annual payment. To study extra, learn our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.

The data for the Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

For extra choices, take a look at our full listing of travel credit cards.

Associated: Comparing the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier, and Plus Credit Cards

In case you fly Southwest not less than a couple of occasions annually, you’ll come out forward with the Southwest Priority card. The cardboard’s on a regular basis incomes charges aren’t essentially the most profitable, however spectacular built-in perks like upgraded boardings, a $75 annual journey credit score and a 7,500-point anniversary bonus simply make up for it. Nonetheless, when you fly Southwest much less typically, you may seemingly favor one other of our other favorite airline cards.

Nonetheless, when you do not fly Southwest typically or wish to hold your annual payment prices decrease, it’s possible you’ll wish to go for one of many different Southwest cobranded cards or a card that earns transferable rewards.

Apply right here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Associated: How to pick the right travel credit card for you