Best for regular Southwest flyers
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is the mid-tier option for personal Southwest credit cards. The card offers the same 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases as the Priority card and 6,000 bonus points on your card anniversary.
At a glance
- 2X Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases.
- 2X Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
- 2X Earn 2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming.
At a glance
- 2X Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases.
- 2X Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
- 2X Earn 2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming.
- Limited-time offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- 6,000 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
- Earn 2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- All points earned count towards Companion Pass®.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Our Take
TPG Editor's Rating
Overview
Like most airline cards, the Southwest Rapid Reward Premier card mainly consists of airline-specific perks. The Premier offers two annual EarlyBird check-ins, no foreign transaction fees and 6,000 bonus points every card anniversary for an annual fee of $99. It also offers the ability to earn Tier Qualifying Points based on spending if you intend to gain A-List status. Finally, the points you earn on the card count toward the carrier’s coveted Companion Pass.
Pros
- 6,000 points on each cardmember anniversary
- Travel and purchase protections through Chase
Cons
- $99 annual fee
Who is this card good for?
The Premier card is a great option for regular Southwest flyers. As the mid-tier card, it has a lower annual fee but also fewer perks which makes the Premier card a good fit for casual Southwest flyers. If you have another primary airline and travel cards, the Premier card can be a good supplement or add-on for your travel wallet, but only if you fly Southwest somewhat regularly.
Earning Rewards
The Southwest Premier card earns 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting (including rideshares) and 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming.
Frequently asked questions
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What is the Companion Pass?
The Companion Pass is one of Southwest’s most coveted benefits. It allows the cardmember to choose one person to fly with them, free of charge (not including taxes and fees starting at $5.60 one way) every time they fly.
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Does Southwest have transfer partners?
Unlike many airlines, Southwest does not have transfer partners. Southwest does allow flyers to use Rapid Rewards on international flights in their “More Rewards” section, but the redemption rates are well