Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card assessment: Full particulars

Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card overview

The Southwest Fast Rewards® Plus Credit score Card has the bottom annual price of any Southwest bank card available on the market, which is both a energy or a weak spot, relying on the way you take a look at it. Whereas the $69 annual price is inexpensive, the Plus card lacks the perks supplied by its higher-priced counterparts to maintain you previous the preliminary welcome bonus. Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐

* Card score is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

In a pastime that feels dominated by ultra-premium bank cards with $550-plus annual charges and laundry lists of luxurious perks, it is arduous to think about {that a} cobranded airline bank card with a $69 annual price is likely to be priceless to loyal Southwest prospects.

Nevertheless, the Southwest Plus card does make sense for some flyers — in some instances.

Southwest isn’t any stranger to doing issues in another way, together with providing three inexpensive private bank cards. Earlier than you apply, be aware that this card has a beneficial credit score rating of 670 or above.

Let us take a look at how the Southwest Plus card and its perks measure up towards its higher-end siblings.

Associated: How to decide on an airline bank card

Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card  execs and cons

Associated: Bank cards 101: The newbie’s information

Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card welcome provide

New candidates for the Southwest Plus card can earn 40,000 bonus factors and a $400 assertion credit score after spending $3,000 on purchases inside the first 4 months of account opening. In response to TPG’s December 2024 valuations, this welcome provide is price $960. This provide ends on Dec. 16, 2024.

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The welcome provide is much more profitable for those who worth Southwest’s Companion Cross, which you may get after incomes 135,000 factors. To get probably the most out of the Companion Cross for 2025 and 2026, apply for the cardboard in early October. Then, following your December assertion date, full the minimal spending situations to get further factors in January 2025. This could let you purchase a Companion Cross for 2025 and 2026.

Earlier than you rush to use for this card, there are two software guidelines to recollect. First, the Southwest Plus card is topic to Chase’s 5/24 rule. Should you’ve opened 5 or extra new bank card accounts (from any financial institution, not simply Chase) up to now 24 months, you possible will not be authorised for this card.

One other limitation applies particularly to Southwest bank cards. If in case you have any private Southwest bank card — or earned a sign-up bonus on a private Southwest card within the final 24 months — you will not be eligible for the bonus on this card.

Associated: The last word information to bank card software restrictions

Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card advantages

There are perks on the Southwest Plus card that transcend the factors from the sign-up bonus. You may take pleasure in the next ongoing advantages in change for the cardboard’s $69 annual price:

• Reimbursement for as much as two EarlyBird check-ins each card anniversary (a extra priceless perk now that the pricing for EarlyBird check-ins has elevated)
• 10,000 Companion Cross qualifying factors increase each calendar 12 months
• 3,000 bonus factors every account anniversary 12 months, price $42 in accordance with TPG’s December 2024 valuations
• 25% again on inflight purchases of drinks and Wi-Fi on Southwest Airways flights

Associated: Why I select Southwest each time

Incomes factors on the Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card

With the Southwest Plus card, you may earn 2 factors per greenback spent on Southwest purchases and with Fast Rewards resort and rental automotive companions. It is a 2.8% return on spending based mostly on TPG’s December 2024 valuations.

You may additionally earn 2 factors per greenback spent on native transit and commuting (together with ride-hailing companies), 2 factors per greenback spent on web, cable and cellphone companies, 2 factors per greenback spent on choose streaming companies and 1 level per greenback spent on different purchases.

It is price declaring that purchases exterior the U.S. will nonetheless earn bonus factors at these similar charges, however you’ll pay a 3% overseas transaction price. Thus, this is not a superb card for purchases in different international locations.

These are first rate incomes charges for a cobranded airline card, however the incomes fee on Southwest purchases is decrease than the opposite private Southwest playing cards. In case your major motivation for getting this card is to earn bonus factors in your Southwest purchases, you may most likely need to go along with considered one of them as an alternative.

Associated: Are airline bank cards price it anymore?

Redeeming factors on the Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card

Redeem the Fast Rewards factors you earn on the Southwest Plus card for Southwest flights to get the very best worth from them. Fast Rewards additionally affords different redemption choices, together with reward playing cards, merchandise, resort stays, rental vehicles and journey experiences. Nevertheless, the redemption values on these choices are a lot decrease than what you may get when utilizing your factors for Southwest flights.

The airline affords 4 tiers of fares, starting from the most cost effective Wanna Get Away tickets to the dearer Enterprise Choose choice — with Wanna Get Away Plus and Anytime fares in between.

Award pricing is tied to the money value of the tickets. Thus, the variety of factors you want will go up or down relying on the money value of the flight. The constructive is that utilizing your factors for Southwest flights is sort of at all times attainable.

TPG senior director of content material Summer season Hull redeemed 11,000 Fast Rewards factors to journey from Houston all the way in which to Lihue in Hawaii. Securing redemptions like these could make your factors go even additional.

Associated: Easy methods to redeem factors with the Southwest Fast Rewards program

Which playing cards compete with the Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card?

The Southwest Plus card’s most blatant rivals are the opposite Southwest bank cards. Nevertheless, it is also price contemplating whether or not a normal journey bank card would possibly match higher in your pockets.

• If you would like extra Southwest advantages with a modest price: The Southwest Fast Rewards® Premier Credit score Card has stable perks to justify its $99 annual price. These embrace 6,000-anniversary bonus factors, two EarlyBird check-ins per 12 months, 25% again on inflight purchases and tier-qualifying factors towards A-Checklist standing. To study extra, learn our full assessment of the Southwest Premier card.
• Should you fly Southwest repeatedly and need probably the most perks: The Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card is the premium Southwest bank card, providing 7,500-anniversary bonus factors and a $75 Southwest journey credit score every year. The cardboard has a $149 annual price. To study extra, learn our full assessment of the Southwest Precedence card.
• If you would like extra factors that can be utilized with Southwest and in different methods: The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card is an efficient alternative for incomes Chase Final Rewards factors, which you’ll be able to redeem with Southwest and different airline and resort companions. You may additionally get quite a few journey protections, and the cardboard has a $95 annual price. To study extra, learn our full assessment of the Sapphire Most well-liked.

The knowledge for the Southwest Fast Rewards Premier bank card 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.

For extra choices, take a look at our full listing of the greatest journey bank cards and greatest Chase bank cards.

Associated: Evaluating the Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence, Premier and Plus bank cards

Is the Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card price it?

The Southwest Plus card has the bottom annual price of the Southwest bank cards at $69 per 12 months, so it is a good choice for these conserving annual price prices low or simply making an attempt out Southwest. Nevertheless, for those who’re a loyal Southwest flyer, one of many different two private playing cards will characterize higher worth.

Backside line

For under $69 per 12 months, the Southwest Plus card means that you can earn sufficient factors to make it nicely well worth the annual price. Plus, it comes with a handful of advantages that may justify conserving the cardboard in your pockets yearly.

Nevertheless, for those who fly with Southwest typically, one of many different two Southwest playing cards will present further perks. You’ll want to consider what’s greatest for you past merely wanting on the annual price.

Apply right here: Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card