Last updated on May 25th, 2023
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Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- 21.49% to 28.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 21.49% to 28.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
- 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
For frequent Southwest Airlines® flyers, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is an airline card that makes it easy to reap benefits rapidly with (up to) triple points earning, travel credits, and convenient in-flight discounts.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- Earn 60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- 7,500 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, and phone services; select streaming
- $75 Southwest® travel credit each year
- No foreign transaction fees
- Member FDIC
- Regular Purchase APR: 21.49% to 28.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer APR: 21.49% to 28.49% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Annual Fee: $149
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- You travel often, especially with Southwest Airlines®
- You're looking to use your credit card to make purchases abroad
- You make frequent in-flight purchases
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card Review
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is a co-branded travel credit card that features a robust set of benefits.
Earn Bonus Rapid Rewards Points From the Start
New Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority cardmembers can enjoy a quality welcome bonus of 60,000 Rapid Rewards points that don’t expire (a Rapid Rewards benefit) after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months from the account’s opening. But there’s more. New accounts that spend at least $3,000 on spending in the first three months of account opening also receive a 30% off promo code. Once you meet the spending minimums, you can be on the lookout for the 30% promo code in your account at Southwest.com within eight weeks.
How to Earn Rewards
Additionally, cardholders earn 3X Rapid Rewards points for every dollar spent on Southwest Airlines purchases. This includes checked baggage, in-flight purchases, and more. Even if your expenses are not exclusively with Southwest – through which you’ll earn double points from things like Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners – you’ll still be rewarded with 2X for every dollar on a range of purchases, including:
- Local transit and commuting, including rideshares
- Internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
All other purchases with the card earn 1X points per dollar spent. Rapid Rewards points never expire as long as the account is open and active.
7,500 Point Anniversary Bonus
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority cardholders also receive a 7,500-point anniversary bonus on their cardmember anniversary each year. In effect, you can earn up to 107,500 points for spending just $13,000 in the first 12 months of having an account. If you use this as your primary payment method, that’s not a difficult task to accomplish. And the rewards are quite substantial.
How to Redeem Rewards
When you begin to cash in on the rewards you’ve earned with your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority 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. Southwest Rapid Rewards points are redeemable for award flights with Southwest, with four distinct tiers: Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select.
Southwest teams with hotel, car rental, and other partners to help members maximize their value for money. Other options for redeeming points include making bookings with Southwest partners. Other redemption options include gift cards, merchandise, event access, or statement credits to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card account.
Related Article: The Ultimate Southwest Rapid Rewards Program Guide
Southwest Rapid Rewards consumer Credit Card Comparison
Not sure which Rapid Rewards credit card from Chase is right for your personal needs? Here is a quick breakdown of all the personal consumer credit cards from Southwest Airlines and JP Morgan Chase:
 Rapid Rewards® Plus |
 Rapid Rewards® Premier |
 Rapid Rewards® Priority |
| Earn 2X pts. on Southwest purchases, 2X pts. on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, and 1X on all other purchases | Earn 3X pts. on Southwest purchases, 2X pts. on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, and 1X on all other purchases | Earn 3X pts. on Southwest purchases, 2X pts. on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, and 1X on all other purchases |
| 2 EarlyBird Check-In per year. | 1,500 tier qualifying points towards A-List status for every $10,000 spent | 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available |
| No annual fee | $99 annual fee | $149 annual fee |
Other Travel Features
The travel features of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Card don’t end with the decent point potential and impressive sign-up bonuses. The card also enjoys other Southwest Airline perks, including:
- A $75 Southwest annual travel credit
- Four upgraded boardings per year when available on Southwest flights
- 25% back on inflight purchases
- 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points towards A-List and A-List Preferred status
Beyond Southwest perks, the card also comes with baggage delay insurance for reimbursement for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for baggage delays over six hours by passenger carrier up to $100 a day for three days. Cardholders also enjoy no foreign transaction fees and Visa travel protections at no extra charge.
The Southwest credit cards enjoy Visa Signature protections, including:
| Zero Fraud Liability | Cardholder Inquiry Services | Emergency Card Replacement | Luxury Hotel Collection | Extended Warranty Coverage |
| Roadside Dispatch | Lost/Stolen Card Reporting | ID Navigator from Norton | Travel & Emergency Assistance |
FAQs About Southwest Rapid Rewards
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Southwest’s Rapid Rewards loyalty program:
- No, Rapid Rewards account numbers are meant to be used only by the accountholder.
- Yes. According to Southwest, you can request past flight points for up to 12 months after your flight. To claim points for a past flight, simply log into your account, select My Account and choose the Manage tab within My Rapid Rewards. Choose Request past points in the grey bar and enter your record locator (confirmation number) from your reservation. After verification of your flight information (up to 5 days), points will be deposited into your account.
- Rapid Rewards Dining is a rewards program within the Rapid Rewards program. This features lets members earn points from dining with select Southwest restaurant partners.
Related Article: Dining Programs: How to Earn Airline Miles with Any Credit Card
JP Morgan Chase and Southwest Visa Card Ratings
How does the Chase Southwest Visa stack up? Here is a selection of expert reviews for the card, as well as an overview of JP Morgan Chase as a bank:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
4.5/5 |
3.5/5 |
2/5 |
Should You Apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority truly shines once your cardmember anniversary rolls around, though. You’ll automatically receive an additional 7,500 points, and, depending on the purchases you’ve made, you could also be in line to get up to a $75 credit as well as a reimbursement for up to four Upgraded Boardings – and the perks don’t stop there.
If you find yourself frequently making in-flight purchases, such as beverages, Wi-Fi, or movies, you’ll also find yourself getting a 20% discount for each. However, all these benefits come at a price in the form of a $149 annual fee. It’s a steep sum to pay for a credit card, especially when others offer similar rewards for less, but it can be offset with the proper amount of savings and statement credits. So if you plan to see “Southwest Airlines” often in your credit card statement, you’ll be glad to have the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority card in your pocket.6,0
