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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Best Low-Fee Southwest Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Annual fee: $99
Current welcome offer

Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

How you earn points
2xpoints on Southwest purchases
2xpoints at gas stations and grocery stores (on first $5,000 in combined purchases per year, then 1x)
1xpoints on all other purchases
Full benefits & perks
  • First checked bag free
  • 3,000 anniversary points every year
  • 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost every year
  • Complimentary standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure (when available)
  • Board with Group 5 for earlier access to overhead bins
  • 10% promo code each cardmember anniversary (excludes Basic fare)
  • 25% back on inflight purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees
My thoughts

The Plus is the most affordable entry point into the Southwest card lineup and a great option if you're primarily opening it to earn the Southwest Companion Pass. The $99 annual fee is the lowest of the three personal Southwest cards, and the 50,000-point welcome offer is easy to earn with just $1,000 in spending. The annual 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying point boost is a nice ongoing perk that gives you a head start on earning the pass each year. If you fly Southwest regularly, even the free checked bag alone can quickly offset the annual fee.

How to use your points

Southwest Rapid Rewards points are best used for free flights on Southwest. Here are the best ways to use them:

  • Book free Southwest flights — points cover the base fare with no blackout dates
  • Earn the Southwest Companion Pass so your designated companion flies free on every flight — learn all about the Companion Pass
  • Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to Southwest Rapid Rewards to top off your balance — learn more here
Further reading
Quick recap

The most affordable Southwest card — great for helping earn a Companion Pass.

  • Lowest annual fee of the three personal Southwest cards at $99
  • 50,000-point welcome offer with a very low $1,000 spending requirement
  • 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost every year
  • First checked bag free — pays for itself fast if you fly Southwest regularly
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

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Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

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EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE:

Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.