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Southwest Airlines is one of the most popular airlines in the United States because of its extensive domestic route network, lack of change and cancelation fees, two free checked bags, and great customer service.
The carrier has co- branded credit cards that are popular. Several weeks ago, we saw some huge elevated welcome bonuses on these cards. This is the last chance to apply, they are only available through December 7, 2021. The cards have received all the new benefits without the annual fees increasing.
Southwest Rapid rewards cards offer 100K points.
All three Southwest Rapid Rewards personal credit cards are offering the same welcome bonus of up to 100,000 Rapid Rewards points. The structure is as follows.
Spending $2,000 in the first three months will get you 50,000 points.
After spending a total of $12,000 within the first year, you can earn an additional 50,000 points.
This bonus applies to three cards.
Eligibility for Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa cards.
Chase has a rule that applies to all three versions of the Southwest Visa. If you have opened five or more new card accounts in the past 24 months, you won't be approved.
If you are, any personal Southwest Visa is not available.
A current Southwest Visa Card member.
A previous Southwest Visa Cardmember who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months.
Chase has general application restrictions.
The welcome bonus is the same on all three of these personal cards. Premium cards can represent a much better value than the lowest annual fee cards.
There are three Southwest credit cards.
All three Southwest Visa cards have something in common.
Southwest personal credit cards all have the same 25% savings on inflight drink and wi-fi purchases. The benefits of the cards differ.
There are three personal Southwest Visas that have different annual fees.
Every 12 billing cycles after you open your Southwest Visa, you earn anniversary bonus points, which you can use to hold onto the Southwest Visa.
There is a 3,000 point anniversary bonus on the Southwest Rapid rewards card.
There is a 6,000 point anniversary bonus on the Southwest Rapid rewards premier card.
There is a 7,500 point anniversary bonus for the Southwest Rapid rewards priority card.
Southwest Airlines points can be redeemed for 1.2 cents towards the cost of a ticket, but as a general rule of thumb, you can expect that to be the case. To crunch the numbers further.
You can earn $36 worth of points on the Plus Card, which is less than the annual fee.
You are earning less points on the card than the annual fee would suggest.
You can earn $90 worth of points on the Priority Card, which is less than the annual fee.
Southwest Airlines credit card is returned on spending.
There are three personal Southwest Airlines credit cards.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card gives 2x points on Southwest purchases, local transit and commute, internet, cable, phone services, and streaming.
The Southwest Rapid rewards card offers 3x points on Southwest purchases, 2x points on local transit and commute, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, and 1x points on all other purchases.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card offers 3x points on Southwest purchases, 2x points on local transit and commute, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, and 1x points on all other purchases.
The Southwest Plus Card has 3% foreign transaction fees, but the Southwest Priority and Southwest Premier have no foreign transaction fees.
Southwest Priority Visa Card benefits.
The Southwest Plus Card and Southwest Premier Card have the same benefits but the Southwest Priority Card is what I recommend people apply for.
The most expensive version of the card has a yearly fee of $149. Is the annual fee worth it over the lower priced versions?
The card offers three more perks that seem too good to be true, and I think they are more than justified.
The Southwest Priority Visa Card offers a $75 travel credit every anniversary year, starting your first year, and is based on every 12 billing cycles.
Inflight drink and wi-fi purchases, as well as upgraded boardings, are not included in this.
The eligible purchase should be posted to your account the same day the statement credit is posted.
If you spend at least $75 per year on Southwest, you should get this credit. The real out of pocket on this card is $74 per year, which is lower than I was concerned about.
Southwest Airlines has four upgraded boardings.
Four upgraded boardings per anniversary year are available if you have the Southwest Priority Card.
Up to four upgraded boardings in positions A1-15 will be reimbursed. It can be purchased at the departure gate or ticket counter on the day of travel. You can use them on four different occasions, or you can use them on a single flight.
It can take up to eight weeks for these to be paid back, but it usually posts faster than that.
It is hard to put a dollar value on this benefit because the price of upgraded boardings varies by flight. The EarlyBird check-ins are offered every anniversary year on the other cards.
The Southwest Priority Card pays for itself.
The Priority Card is a no-brainer if you fly Southwest frequently. You get a $75 Southwest Airlines travel credit and 7,500 Southwest Airlines points every year.
There is a card with a $149 annual fee that has a value of $165. The upgraded boardings are not accounted for.
How much are rapid rewards worth?
The number of points required for an award redemption is tied to the amount of cash a ticket would cost.
You need 83 Southwest Rapid Rewards points per dollar of airfare, meaning each Southwest Rapid Rewards point gets you about 1.2 cents towards an airfare purchase, which is how I arrive at my valuation of Rapid Rewards points.
There are some things to keep in mind when you redeem points on Southwest Airlines.
Southwest Airlines tickets can be changed for free.
Southwest Airlines charges no change fees, while many airlines charge change and cancelation fees. If you want to change your ticket at the last minute, you can apply that value forward. That is awesome.
If I am hoping for another flight to open up, I often book a Southwest Airlines award ticket as a backup option, because I can always cancel it.
There are two free checked bags with every Southwest Airlines ticket.
Southwest gives away two free checked bags on all itineraries. This also includes Rapid Rewards redemptions.
Southwest Airlines has free snacks and drinks.
Southwest Airlines doesn't charge for snacks or soft drinks, as everything is free. The only things you can pay for on the plane are alcohol and wi-fi.
Southwest Airlines does not charge for seat assignments.
Southwest has a completely different system than most airlines. The seat you get depends on when you check-in.
If you check-in online as close to 24 hours as possible, you will get a good boarding position and you can use your upgraded boardings or EarlyBird check-in to get the best boarding position.
As your account is open, you don't have to keep your points for long.
As long as your account is open, your points don't expire.
Southwest has the best business cards.
If you are looking for a business credit card, there are great offers on it.
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card has a welcome bonus of 60,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $3,000 within three months, and the card offers perks like 6,000 anniversary points every year.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card has a welcome bonus of 80,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $5,000 within three months, and it has incredible perks like four upgraded boardings per year, a daily wi-fi credit on Southwest, and more.
The bottom line.
Southwest has personal credit cards that have up to 100,000 Rapid Rewards points. This is the biggest bonus we have ever seen on these cards, and it all comes at a time when the cards have been refreshed with new benefits.
For anyone who flies Southwest, all three cards have something going for them. I think the Southwest Priority Card is the best of the options because of the extra perks it has.
If you haven't yet applied, this is your last chance to do so.
Do you want to get a Chase Southwest credit card with a bonus of 100K points?
