Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

In-Depth Review: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

A step above the Rapid Rewards® Plus, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card offers essentially the same lineup of incentives. The Chase card is a premium airline rewards credit card that caters to those who prefer to fly with low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines but still want impressive travel benefits.

Who Can Benefit from the Rapid Rewards Premier Card?

The Rapid Rewards Premier Card is Southwest and Chase’s “mid-range” credit card, providing benefits slightly beyond the Plus Card ($69 annual fee) but less than the premium Priority Card ($149 annual fee). The card charges a $99 annual fee but backs that fee up with a selection of travel perks and enhanced rewards versus the Plus.

These features combine to create a co-branded airline card that caters to the casual traveler who wants to enjoy a more carefree travel experience thanks to free bags, anniversary bonus rewards, and the chance to earn lucrative Rapid Rewards points on various unique categories. The premium price point might turn some away from the card, but for those who plan to maximize their value, this card is an excellent tool for Southwest regulars.

How to Get the Rapid Rewards Premier Card

The Rapid Rewards Premier Visa Signature is targeted towards applicants with “good” or “excellent” credit applicants. Applying for credit cards from Chase is similar across the different co-brand relationships, Southwest Airlines included. You’ll need the following information to apply for the Plus Card:

• Aged 18 or older
• A U.S. mailing address (no PO Boxes permitted)
• SSN or ITIN
• FICO Score above 670 (good)
• Proof of income

You should also be aware of Chase’s 5/24 rule. This unofficial rule of Chase states that applicants won’t be approved for a new Chase card if they’ve opened five or more credit cards in the previous 24 months.

Guide to Rapid Rewards Premier Card Rewards

Welcome Offer

The Premier Visa Signature provides the exact same welcome offer as the Plus Card. New Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus cardmembers can enjoy a quality welcome bonus of 50,000 points after spending $1,000 on the card within 90 days of opening an account. That welcome bonus has a cash value of around $600 to $700 when booking an award flight with Southwest.

How to Earn Points

Like the welcome offer, everyday rewards with the Primer Card mimic the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card, albeit with one twist. Cardholders earn the following Rapid Rewards points on all eligible purchases:

• Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases.
• Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

The 3X points on Southwest purchases are an excellent addition – and 1X more than what is found on the Plus Card. That earning rate makes the Premier Card an excellent option for those who prefer to fly with Southwest.

The Card also earns double points for every dollar on various purchases, including local transit, commuting, and rideshares. Cardholders also enjoy 2X points on phone/TV/internet providers and select streaming services. Every other dollar spent with the card earns a single point. There is no limit to the total number of points earnable. These rewards are similar across Chase and Southwest Airline’s personal credit card offerings.

Of note is adding “streaming services” as a bonus category. Here is how Chase defines as eligible “streaming services:”

Earning Points with Partners

Premier cardmembers can earn additional Rapid Rewards points with Southwest Airlines partners. Here is where you can earn 2X Rapid Rewards points:

Earn Additional Rewards Through Rapid Rewards Dining

Joining the Rapid Rewards Dining program allows Rapid Rewards members to earn points when they eat out. Additionally, new members receive impressive bonuses, including an additional 1,000 points after they dine out three times, an extra 500 points after earning their first 1,500 points through dining, and a thank-you bonus of 300 points after every 1,000 points they earn through the dining program.

Anniversary Bonuses

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier has an anniversary bonus double what you’d get with the Rapid Rewards Plus Card. Cardholders receive a 6,000-point anniversary bonus on their cardmember anniversary each year. Valued at around $75 to $80, this anniversary bonus comes close to recouping that $99 annual fee – but falls just short. Still, the annual fee is easily recoverable with the offered benefits for cardholders who plan to use this card.

How to Redeem Rapid Rewards Points

When you begin to cash in on the rewards you’ve earned with your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Card, you’ll notice that you can turn your Rapid Rewards points into just about anything; flexible rewards redemption is a big draw with this program.

• Travel:Once you’ve earned rewards for that dream trip you’ve been planning, you’re ready to redeem them. Points earned with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Card can be redeemed to book or upgrade travel on Southwest. Rewards can be used to save on flights, seat upgrades, and more (including Companion Passes!). Log into your Rapid Rewards account on the Southwest® homepage, select a flight, and pay with points; the sky is the limit!
• Hotels: With the Southwest Rapid Rewards® program, cardholders are eligible to book hotel stays with points earned from their Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Card at over 70,000 hotels across the globe.
• Car Rentals:Renting a car often makes travel easier, as you’re able to move at your own pace, make pitstops at your leisure, and take your time enjoying your destination. Points earned with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Card can be used to hire a car rental from several companies.
• Retail:Points can be redeemed with hundreds of retail partners for products, services, and even gift cards. Shop retail options, from golf balls and electronics to home goods, or find the right gift card from brands like Amazon, iTunes, Lowes, and more to treat yourself or a friend –use your points to purchase!
• Buy, Gift, or Transfer:Cardholders can use their Rapid Rewards points for a variety of purchases; they also have the option to gift points or transfer their points to whoever they’d like, even if they are not a cardholder. All the recipients must do is enroll in the Rapid Rewards program if they have not already. Points can even be donated to pre-selected charities; Southwest has chosen several charities that can accept points as donations.

Southwest Airlines Travel Benefits

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card also has several other Southwest Airlines-centric perks. These include the airline’s Transfarency, meaning cardholders don’t have to worry about paying any hidden fees or change fees. You can check your first and second bags free of charge with Southwest’s bags fly-free service (weight and size limits apply).

Like other Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards from Chase, the Rapid Rewards Plus Card offers an impressive selection of Southwest-centric travel features. These Rapid Rewards perks include:

• 2 EarlyBird Check-In® Vouchers Each Year: EarlyBird Check-In® is a low-cost option giving travelers the convenience of automatic check-in before Southwest’s traditional 24-hour check-in.
• 25% Back on In-Flight Purchases: Get 25% back on inflight purchases with Southwest when using the card.
• No change fees on reservations
• Unlimited reward seats
• No foreign transaction fees

The biggest change here is the addition of no foreign transaction fees on international transactions. This is a great feature for those who plan to travel abroad and don’t want to get stuck with a 3% charge on each transaction. The Priority Card also provides no foreign transaction fees, while the Rapid Rewards Plus Card charges a fee.

Visa Benefits

Chase’s Southwest personal credit cards also enjoy Visa Signature security protections and essential travel benefits. These features include the following:

Comparisons

Rapid Rewards Comparison

Tips for Maximizing Rewards with Rapid Rewards

While the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card comes with a hefty sign-up bonus, there are plenty of other ways to quickly build up Rapid Rewards points in addition to sign-up bonuses and purchasing flights, including transactions with the following Southwest Rapid Rewards partners:

What We Like About the Card

No Foreign Transaction Fee

The Rapid Rewards Premier Card’s lack of a foreign transaction fee is great. Sure, it is a feature with plenty of airline cards, but it isn’t a given for carriers who either focus on the United States or are low-cost carriers.

Southwest does both, so no foreign transaction fee is stellar – especially with the brand’s growing footprint. The carrier operates flights to over 100 destinations in 42 states, plus Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Things to Consider

Annual fee

Yes, the card has an annual fee – and an anniversary bonus to help pay down that annual fee – but the $99 yearly charge is frustrating. That’s because what’s on offer with the card isn’t dramatically different enough from the Plus to justify a $30 annual fee increase. There is 1X point more on Southwest bookings and purchases, double the anniversary points, and no foreign transaction fees – but you need to decide if that is worth the extra squeeze.

FAQs

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Southwest’s Rapid Rewards loyalty program: