Chase
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Large welcome offer worth an estimated $625
- Annual fee
- $149
- Welcome offer
- ~$625
- Annual benefits value
- $19.75
- Est. 1st-year value
- $644.75
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Our review
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is the top-tier consumer card in Southwest's co-branded lineup, and it is built for travelers who fly Southwest often enough to lean on the airline's loyalty perks. It carries the highest annual fee of the three personal Southwest cards and pairs that cost with the richest annual bonuses, so it rewards cardholders who actually put Southwest travel at the center of their plans.
It ranks where it does in our airline category because its value is almost entirely tied to Southwest itself. Rapid Rewards points are easy to redeem for Southwest flights with no blackout dates, and every point you earn, including the welcome bonus and the anniversary bonus, counts toward the Southwest Companion Pass. For a committed Southwest flyer that is a strong, dependable value; for anyone who flies a mix of airlines it is far less flexible than a transferable-points card.
The card leans on a set of recurring benefits designed to offset its fee: an annual Southwest travel credit, a generous batch of anniversary points, a yearly boost of Companion Pass qualifying points, and day-of-travel perks tied to seating and boarding. Several of those travel perks changed as Southwest overhauled its boarding and seating in 2025 and 2026, so it is worth confirming the current benefit details shown above and in the card terms before applying.
We like this card for people who are already loyal to Southwest and want to earn toward the Companion Pass faster while smoothing out the day of travel. The anniversary points alone recover a meaningful share of the fee for anyone who keeps the card year after year.
This card is best suited for frequent Southwest flyers, especially those actively chasing or maintaining the Companion Pass. Occasional flyers, or travelers who want lounge access and premium travel protections, will usually be better served by a flexible travel card that can still transfer points to Southwest.
Why we like it
- Every point earned on the card counts toward the Southwest Companion Pass, and the card adds a yearly boost of Companion Pass qualifying points, which shortens the path to one of the most valuable perks in domestic travel.
- A batch of anniversary points posts each year with no spending requirement, which offsets a good portion of the annual fee on its own.
- Rapid Rewards points are simple to use for Southwest flights with no blackout dates, and award pricing tracks the cash fare.
- Day-of-travel perks tied to seating and boarding, plus a discount on in-flight purchases, can make Southwest trips smoother for cardholders and companions on the same reservation.
- No foreign transaction fees, which makes it a practical card to carry on trips abroad.
Who it's best for
- Frequent Southwest flyers who want to earn free flights faster and keep travel simple.
- Travelers actively working toward or renewing the Southwest Companion Pass.
- Cardholders who will use the annual Southwest travel credit and the seating and boarding perks enough to justify the higher fee.
Welcome bonus
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card offers a welcome bonus of Rapid Rewards points after you meet a minimum spending requirement within the first few months of opening the account. The exact point total, spending requirement, and window change from time to time, so confirm the current terms and the estimated value shown above before applying.
Because the entire welcome bonus counts toward the Companion Pass, timing a new application early in a calendar year can give a meaningful head start toward earning it.
Using your rewards
Rapid Rewards points are redeemed for Southwest flights, with no blackout dates and award prices that generally move with the cash fare, so there is no complicated award chart to navigate.
Points earned on this card, including the welcome and anniversary bonuses, count toward the Southwest Companion Pass, which lets a designated companion fly with you for just taxes and fees on paid and award trips once you qualify.
Rapid Rewards points cannot be transferred to other airline or hotel programs, so their value is tied to Southwest. Points transferred into Rapid Rewards from Chase Ultimate Rewards do not count toward the Companion Pass.
Airport lounge access
None. This card does not include airport lounge access.
Foreign transaction fees
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card charges no foreign transaction fees, so it is a fine choice for purchases outside the United States.
Major credits & annual benefits
A batch of anniversary Rapid Rewards points each year, credited without any spending requirement.
An annual Southwest travel credit and a yearly boost of Companion Pass qualifying points, both shown above, which help offset the fee and speed up progress toward the pass.
Seating and boarding perks for the cardholder and companions on the same reservation, plus a discount on eligible in-flight purchases. Southwest reworked its boarding and seating during 2025 and 2026, so review the current benefit terms to confirm exactly how these perks work today.
A boost toward Southwest A-List and A-List Preferred elite status through tier-qualifying points earned on card spending, which is otherwise only earned by flying Southwest.
Insurance & protections
As a Chase-issued Visa, the card generally includes baggage delay coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, and select purchase protections such as extended warranty and purchase protection.
Coverage requires paying with the card and meeting the benefit terms, and specific limits, exclusions, and claim steps apply. Review the current benefit guide before relying on any protection.
Fees & tradeoffs
This is the most expensive of Southwest's personal cards, so it only makes sense if you will use the annual travel credit, the seating and boarding perks, and the elite-status boost enough to justify the difference over the cheaper Southwest cards.
The rewards are inflexible. Points are useful only for Southwest, and the card offers no lounge access or application-fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, so travelers who value those perks should look elsewhere.
Final verdict
For a committed Southwest flyer, the Priority card can pay for itself between the anniversary points, the annual travel credit, and the head start toward the Companion Pass, with the welcome bonus adding meaningful first-year value on top. The estimated value shown above helps illustrate that math.
Travelers who do not fly Southwest regularly, or who want flexible rewards and premium perks, are usually better off with a lower-fee Southwest card or a transferable-points travel card.
Card details change often. Verify current rates, fees, welcome offers, credits, and benefit terms with the issuer before applying.
Is this card worth it for you?
Check the benefits you’d realistically use and see your personalized total value below. This is a personal estimate — actual value depends on your spending. Verify terms with the issuer.
- Selected benefits
- $208.75
- Welcome offer
- $625
- Annual fee
- −$149
- Estimated first-year net
- +$684.75
Welcome offer
Welcome offer value
Earn 50,000 points after $3,000 in spend within 3 months
$625
Spend requirements apply. Verify current offer with the issuer. How we calculate this
Benefits & credits
Total benefits & credits value
Estimated annual value of all tracked perks
$168.75
| Benefit | Frequency | Est. annual value |
|---|---|---|
$75 Southwest Travel Credit Up to $75 annual statement credit for Southwest purchases. Resets on cardmember anniversary. | Annual | $75 |
7,500 Anniversary Points 7,500 bonus Rapid Rewards points each cardmember anniversary. | Annual | $93.75 |
Upgraded Boarding Upgraded (A1–A15) boarding position on eligible Southwest flights, up to 4 times per cardmember year, when available. Estimated value ~$40 per upgrade (typical Southwest Upgraded Boarding fee). | per_visit | $40 |
25% Back on Inflight Purchases 25% back as a statement credit on inflight drinks, WiFi, and messaging on Southwest flights. | Annual | $0 |
Earning rates
Who it's for
Consider it if
- Large welcome offer worth an estimated $625
- Ongoing benefits can outweigh the annual fee if used
Maybe skip it if
- Verify current terms with the issuer before applying
Fees & details
- Annual fee
- $149
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Card network
- Varies
- Recommended credit
- Good to Excellent (690+)
- Rewards currency
- Southwest Rapid Rewards
- Last updated
- 2026-07-25
Details are estimates and may be out of date. View issuer terms. Verify all rates, fees, and offers with the issuer before applying.
How it compares
| Annual fee | $149 | $895 | $895 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | ~$625 | ~$3,000 | ~$3,000 |
| Est. 1st-year value | $644.75 | $5,160.40 | $4,684 |
| Annual benefits value | $19.75 | $2,160.40 | $1,684 |
| Editor rating | 4.1 / 5 | 5.0 / 5 | 5.0 / 5 |
| Points earning structure |
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| Transfer partners | |||
| Lounge access | |||
| No foreign txn fee | |||
| Recommended credit | Good to Excellent (690+) | Good to Excellent (690+) | Good to Excellent (690+) |
