Welcome affords are often the most effective methods to distinguish between bank cards from the identical household. However what about Southwest Airways client bank cards, which frequently have the very same sign-up bonus?
The next three playing cards are presently providing the identical nice welcome bonus. New candidates can earn a Companion Go plus 30,000 bonus factors (price $405, based on TPG’s February 2025 valuations) after spending $4,000 inside the first three months of account opening:
The Companion Go permits cardmembers to carry any journey accomplice totally free on as many Southwest flights via February 28, 2026 (not together with taxes and costs from $5.60 one-way). Relying on whether or not you worth a better variety of bonus factors or a Companion Go, this supply is on par with the finest affords we have seen on these playing cards previously. These affords finish on March 31.
Regardless of their similar-sounding names, the three playing cards have essential variations. Which one might be finest for you depends upon how typically you fly Southwest and what number of of those playing cards’ respective perks you possibly can maximize. This is what you must know to decide on.
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 offered by the cardboard issuer.
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Southwest bank cards overview
| Profit | Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus Credit score Card | Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier Credit score Card | Southwest Speedy Rewards Precedence Credit score Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual price | $69 | $99 | $149 |
| Anniversary factors bonus | 3,000 Speedy Rewards factors | 6,000 Speedy Rewards factors | 7,500 Speedy Rewards factors |
| Incomes charges | 2 factors per greenback on Southwest purchases
2 factors per greenback on Speedy Rewards lodge and rental automobile accomplice purchases 2 factors per greenback on native transit and commuting (together with ride-hailing apps) 2 factors per greenback on web, cable and telephone providers and choose streaming 1 level per greenback on all the pieces else |
3 factors per greenback on Southwest purchases
2 factors per greenback on Speedy Rewards lodge and rental automobile accomplice purchases 2 factors per greenback on native transit and commuting (together with ride-hailing apps) 2 factors per greenback on web, cable and telephone providers and choose streaming 1 level per greenback on all the pieces else |
3 factors per greenback on Southwest purchases
2 factors per greenback on Speedy Rewards lodge and rental automobile accomplice purchases 2 factors per greenback on native transit and commuting (together with ride-hailing apps) 2 factors per greenback on web, cable and telephone providers and choose streaming 1 level per greenback on all the pieces else |
| Different perks | 2 EarlyBird check-ins per 12 months
25% again on inflight purchases 10,000 Companion Go qualifying factors enhance every year |
2 EarlyBird check-ins per 12 months
25% again on inflight purchases 10,000 Companion Go qualifying factors enhance every year |
$75 annual Southwest journey credit score
25% again on inflight purchases 10,000 Companion Go qualifying factors enhance every year 4 upgraded boardings per 12 months (when accessible) |
| Tier qualifying factors | N/A | Earn 1,500 TQPs towards A-Checklist standing for each $5,000 in spending per calendar 12 months (with no cap) | Earn 1,500 TQPs towards A-Checklist standing for each $5,000 in spending per calendar 12 months (with no cap) |
| Overseas transaction price | 3% | None | None |
Frequent Southwest flyer? Select the Precedence
The Southwest Precedence makes a really compelling case for itself.
If you happen to’re a frequent Southwest passenger, you will don’t have any bother maxing out the $75 annual Southwest journey credit score, decreasing your efficient out-of-pocket price for this card from $149 to $74.
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Keep in mind, each greenback (or level) you spend on Southwest tickets stretches twice as far after getting the Companion Go. That is as a result of while you guide one ticket with both factors or money, you possibly can carry a companion alongside — and pay simply the taxes and costs. Thus, you would argue {that a} $75 credit score is definitely price $150 for Companion Go holders, successfully chopping the annual price on the Southwest Precedence right down to zero.
Even if you happen to’re unwilling to take that numerical leap, you will nonetheless spend much less every year with the Southwest Precedence than if you happen to opted for the mid-tier Southwest Premier. With the Southwest Precedence, you’ll obtain further bonus factors in your cardholder anniversary — 1,500 greater than the Southwest Premier — which ought to get you $20 in further rewards based mostly on TPG’s February 2025 valuations.
The primary argument towards the Southwest Precedence is that it’s essential to pay the total $149 annual price upfront. Nonetheless, if you should utilize the above perks, you possibly can offset a big portion of that price.
Associated: Why I select Southwest each time
Cheaper annual price? Select the Premier, not the Plus
If you happen to’re searching for a decrease annual price to earn the present sign-up bonus, you possibly can decide between the Southwest Premier (with a $99 annual price) or the Southwest Plus (with a $69 annual price).
What does the additional $30 a 12 months on the Southwest Premier get you? For starters, your anniversary factors bonus might be 6,000 as a substitute of three,000. In line with TPG’s February 2025 valuation, 6,000 Southwest factors are price $81, greater than making up for the cardboard’s greater annual price.
Plus, if you happen to go for the most affordable card — the Southwest Plus — you will additionally get hit with a 3% price on international transactions. This is not an enormous downside contemplating that the majority of Southwest’s community is home flights, however Southwest’s low cost fares, low charges and above-average customer support make for an important excuse to make a journey to a Caribbean vacation spot at an reasonably priced price. Because the Premier does not cost international transaction charges, that is one other approach its barely greater annual price is price paying for many vacationers.
Lastly, with the Southwest Premier, you possibly can earn tier qualifying factors (TQPs) towards elite standing: 1,500 TQPs per $5,000 spent on purchases in a calendar 12 months (with no restrict on what number of TQPs you possibly can earn from bank card spending). If A-Checklist or A-Checklist Most popular standing pursuits you, select the Southwest Premier.
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Eligibility for Southwest bank cards
Chase’s restrictions on bank card functions hold most individuals from making use of for Southwest bank cards.
The issuer’s 5/24 rule applies to all three of those playing cards. Chase will virtually actually reject candidates in the event that they’ve opened 5 or extra bank cards (from any issuers) within the final 24 months. If you happen to’re at (or over) your 5 slots, we suggest not losing an utility on these playing cards since you’ll probably get declined. Keep in mind that enterprise playing cards from any issuer often do not depend towards 5/24.
Along with the 5/24 rule, the phrases and circumstances for the sign-up bonus of every of those playing cards state:
The product just isn’t accessible to both (i) present Cardmembers of any Southwest Speedy Rewards® Credit score Card, or (ii) earlier Cardmembers of any Southwest Speedy Rewards Credit score Card who obtained a brand new Cardmember bonus inside the final 24 months. This doesn’t apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Speedy Rewards Enterprise Card and Worker Credit score Card merchandise
So, if you happen to presently maintain one among these Southwest private bank cards or have obtained a bonus for one within the final 24 months, you’ll not be eligible for these affords.
Learn extra: The last word information to Southwest bank card eligibility
Backside line
Southwest Airways bank cards proceed to be well-liked. Anybody who flies Southwest even only a handful of occasions per 12 months shouldn’t have any downside maxing out the journey advantages that include the Southwest Precedence. After accounting for all of its perks, that is, palms down, the cardboard that can add probably the most worth to your pockets as an everyday Southwest flyer.
If the annual price for Southwest Precedence is just too excessive for you, you will get higher worth from Southwest Premier quite than Southwest Plus.
To study extra, try our full critiques of the Southwest Precedence, Southwest Premier and Southwest Plus playing cards.
Apply right here: Southwest Speedy Rewards Precedence Credit score Card
Be taught extra: Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier Credit score Card
Apply right here: Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus Credit score Card
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