Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Extra Miles But Few Perks

Southwest Rapid Rewards<sup>®</sup> Premier Credit Card: Extra Miles But Few Perks article image.

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offers three Southwest consumer credit cards that you can use to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards® points. Each card offers the same intro bonus and earnings rate on purchases, but different annual fees and cardholder benefits. The is in the middle of the pack.

ProsCons
Receive extra points each yearAnnual fee
Earn tier qualifying points that count toward elite statusModest rewards on purchases
No foreign exchange feesOther Southwest credit cards may offer more value
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The could be a good fit for occasional Southwest flyers who don't want to spend a lot on annual fees or travel frequently outside the country. While it costs a year, you'll receive 6,000 Rapid Rewards® points annually after your cardmember anniversary (worth about $90) and you won't pay foreign transaction fees.

Earn Rewards on Purchases and an Anniversary Bonus

All three Southwest consumer credit cards currently offer identical, large intro bonuses for new cardholders. You can earn bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after making worth of eligible purchases during your first months with the card. In addition to the intro bonus, the offers several benefits:

  • Earn points per dollar spent on Southwest flights. In addition, you can earn points per dollar on local transit and commuting, including rideshare and points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming.
  • Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
  • Receive 6,000 points each cardholder anniversary. This can help cover much of the annual fee.
  • Get 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for each $10,000 you spend. This can help you earn A-List or A-List Preferred status, which offers benefits including priority boarding, same-day standby and a 25% or 100% earning bonus.

Consider the Pros and Cons of Each Card

If you fly Southwest at least once or twice a year, you might be better off with the higher-end card, the . Although that card has a annual fee, it comes with an annual $75 Southwest travel credit that you can use to purchase flights.

In other words, you're spending an extra $50 to get a $75 credit. In addition, you receive 7,500 anniversary points and four upgraded boardings per year when available (a value of $120 to $200).

If you'd prefer to pay less in fees each year, you could opt for the . It has a annual fee, but you only receive 3,000 anniversary points and you can't earn TQPs.

Here's a side-by-side comparison of the three consumer cards:



Cardholders Also Get Travel and Purchase Protections

When you apply for the , you may get approved for a Visa Platinum version of the card if your credit limit is below $5,000 or a Visa Signature version if your credit limit is $5,000 or higher.

For the most part, the two versions offer the same benefits. In addition to a higher credit limit, however, the Visa Signature card comes with travel and emergency assistance services and more travel accident insurance coverage. You may also receive additional perks from Visa with your Signature card.

Travel and purchase protections that come with your Southwest card may include:

  • Auto rental collision damage waiver: If your rental car gets damaged or is stolen, this secondary coverage may provide protection.
  • Roadside dispatch: You can be connected to a roadside dispatch service and have the charges applied to your card.
  • Lost luggage reimbursement: Get reimbursed for the cash value of your items if you're traveling and your bags are lost, stolen or damaged. The benefit will only cover what the airline doesn't pay for and up to $3,000 per passenger.
  • Baggage delay insurance: You can get up to $100 a day (three days maximum), which you can use to purchase eligible essential supplies such as toiletries and clothing if your bags get delayed for more than six hours.
  • Travel accident insurance: Receive up to $250,000 (up to $500,000 with a Visa Signature card) if you're involved in a covered accident, such as one that results in the loss of your life, a limb, hearing or speech.
  • Travel and emergency assistance services: Exclusive for the Visa Signature card, you can use these services to get referrals to local medical, legal, translation and emergency transportation providers when you're away from home. The service provider can also help you, subject to local laws, replace lost, forgotten or stolen documents, such as a prescription at your own expense.
  • Extended warranty protection: You can get up to one additional year of warranty coverage on purchases if the eligible, original warranty was for three years or less.
  • Purchase protection: If something you purchase is lost or stolen within 120 days from the day you purchase it, you can get reimbursed up to $500 per incident and $50,000 per account.

These benefits aren't unique to the Southwest credit cards, as they come from the credit card network—Visa, in this case. To receive the benefits, make sure you use your credit card for purchases or to book travel.

Authorized-User Policy

You can add an authorized user to your for free. Whoever you designate will then receive a card that's linked to your account. While they can use it to make purchases, you'll receive the miles from those purchases and be legally responsible for both your and their cards' transactions.

Is This Card Right for You?

The is best suited for infrequent flyers who enjoy Southwest Airlines. If you know you'll be flying on Southwest several times a year, the might wind up costing you less overall, even though it has a higher annual fee. If you rarely fly, consider a general travel card that offers rewards you can use on multiple airlines or for other types of travel.