Chase
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Key Features
| Annual Fee | $149.00 |
| Sign-up Bonus | Earn 55,000 bonus points |
| Rewards Rate | 1x-3x points |
| Regular APR | 19.24%-27.74% variable APR. |
About this card
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is a good card, particularly well-suited for its specific target audience: frequent Southwest Airlines flyers who consistently pay their balance in full. Its strengths lie in its robust rewards program and fee structure for these loyalists, but it is significantly hampered by an exceptionally high APR. The rewards program earns an 'Excellent' 4.0/5.0, offering generous points on Southwest purchases, groceries, and dining, along with an attractive sign-up bonus and valuable annual anniversary points. These, combined with airline-specific perks like free checked bags, flight discounts, and accelerated progress toward elite status and the Companion Pass, create substantial value for dedicated Southwest customers. The fee structure, rated 'Good' at 3.7/5.0, includes a moderate $149 annual fee that is largely offset by the aforementioned benefits and the welcome absence of foreign transaction fees. The card's reputation is also 'Good' (3.8/5.0), benefiting from Chase's strong brand and being recognized as a reliable option for Southwest devotees. However, the card's 'Poor' APR rating of 1.2/5.0 is a major drawback. With a variable APR ranging from 19.24% to 27.74% and no introductory APR period, carrying a balance on this card would be extremely costly, severely diminishing its overall value proposition. Therefore, while it offers excellent benefits for a niche audience, its high APR prevents it from achieving an 'Excellent' overall rating, placing it firmly in the 'Good' category with a notable limitation.
Pros & Cons
What's great
- Generous sign-up bonus
- No foreign transaction fees
- Valuable airline-specific travel benefits
- Accelerated progress towards airline elite status and Companion Pass
- Rewards on everyday spending categories
- Purchase and travel protections
Things to consider
- Annual fee applies
- High regular APR
- No introductory APR period
- Limited elevated rewards categories for general spending
What this card offers
Sign-up bonuses
- Earn 55,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards
- Earn 3 points for each dollar spent on Southwest Airlines purchases.
- Earn 2 points for each dollar spent at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year.
- Earn 1 point for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
Other features
- First checked bag free for Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost.
- Complimentary Preferred seat - Select a Preferred seat within 48 hours prior to departure valued, on average, at $70 round trip, when available.
- 6,000 points every year on your Cardmember anniversary.
- 15% Flight Discount - Receive a 15% promo code each year on your Cardmember anniversary (Excludes Basic fare).
- Spend your way to A-List - Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent in purchases annually accelerating your way to A-List status.
- 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year.
- Boarding benefit - Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation will board with Group 5 giving them earlier access to overhead bins.
- 25% back on inflight purchases
- No foreign transaction fees.
- No change fees.
- Unlimited reward seats with no blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- Your points don't expire, a benefit of the Rapid Rewards program.
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement - Provides reimbursement up to $3,000 per covered traveler for the cost to repair or replace checked or carry-on baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen during a covered trip.
- Baggage Delay Insurance - Reimburses you up to $100 a day for up to 3 days for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing when baggage is delayed over 6 hours.
- Extended Warranty Protection - Extends the time period of the manufacturer's U.S. warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less, up to four years from the date of purchase.
- Purchase Protection - Covers your eligible new purchases for 120 days from the date of purchase against damage or theft up to $500 per item.
- Contactless - Just Tap To Pay
- Apply for a card, use it the same day
- Receive instant access to your card by adding it to a digital wallet, like Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
- Doordash - Get one-year complimentary DashPass, membership for both DoorDash and Caviar, that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. After that, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. Activate by Dec 31, 2027.
- Plus, DashPass members get up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders through Dec 31, 2027.
- Chase Pay Over Time - After purchase: Pay off an eligible purchase you've already made of $100 or more in smaller, equal monthly payments. No Interest- just a fixed monthly fee with plan durations that range from 3-24 months.
- Chase Pay Over Time - At checkout: Chase Credit card members may have the option to create a payment plan at checkout on Amazon.com. Orders totaling $50 or more using your eligible Chase credit card at Amazon.com could be eligible for Chase Pay Over Time.
Additional Notes
This product is available to you if you do not have a current Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card and have not received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.