Southwest Credit Cards Debut 100,000-Point Bonuses, New Rewards Categories and Perks
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Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Slickdeals may receive compensation from Chase. Chase debuts new benefits for its co-branded Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards, and limited-time 100,000-point promotional offers for new cardmembers. New and existing cardholders will get more bonus rewards categories and perks when they fly Southwest. Plus, new users can earn up to 100,000 bonus points. Here’s what you need to know about the new card benefits.
Southwest Card | Bonus | Bonus Eligibility | Annual Fee |
100,000 points | Earn 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months and an additional 50,000 points after spending $12,000 total in the first 12 months. | $69 | |
100,000 points | Earn 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months and an additional 50,000 points after spending $12,000 total in the first 12 months. | $99 | |
100,000 points | Earn 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months and an additional 50,000 points after spending $12,000 total in the first 12 months. | $149 | |
60,000 points | Spend $3,000 on purchases during the first 3 months of account membership. | $99 | |
80,000 points | Spend $5,000 on purchases during the first 3 months of account opening. | $199 |
Southwest Credit Cards Get a Solid Reboot
The Southwest credit cards are popular, primarily because they provide a path toward the coveted Southwest Companion Pass. What’s more, the Rapid Rewards program is valuable, especially because it allows you to capitalize on regular flight deals, whether you’re paying in cash or points. Now, the airline’s co-branded credit cards are even stronger. For starters, all of the consumer cards are offering up to 100,000 bonus points through December 7, 2021. That’s 50,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 in the first three months and another 50,000 points if you spend $12,000 in total over the first 12 months. The Southwest business credit card welcome offers have not changed, but they have added perks and new rewards categories. Also, all cards now earn 2X points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-shares. Here’s what else Chase has added to each Southwest card:
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: You’ll earn 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming subscriptions. You’ll also get two early-bird check-ins per year.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: You’ll earn 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming subscriptions. Additionally, the rewards rate on Southwest purchases has been bumped up to 3 points per dollar, and you’ll get two early-bird check-ins per year.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: You’ll earn 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming subscriptions. Additionally, the rewards rate on Southwest purchases has been bumped up to 3 points per dollar, and you’ll get unlimited tier-qualifying points on your purchases that go toward A-List status.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: The rewards rate on Southwest purchases has been bumped up to 3 points per dollar. You’ll also get two early-bird check-ins per year and a $500 annual fee credit for points transfers.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: The rewards rate on Southwest purchases has been bumped up to 4 points per dollar. You’ll also get a $500 annual fee credit for points transfers and unlimited tier-qualifying points on your purchases that go toward A-List status.
Bottom Line
The changes to the Southwest credit cards allow cardholders to rack up more points without needing to change their card or spending habits. Also, the addition of early-bird check-ins will help even occasional travelers avoid an unfavorable boarding position a couple of times every year. The tier-qualifying benefit is huge for the cards that offer it because it provides consistent priority boarding, among other benefits. And for small businesses, the $500 transfer fee credit comes in handy if you want to share points with a loved one or even one of your employees. The best part? Chase hasn’t adjusted the cards’ annual fees to make up for these new benefits.
Explore Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards, start here.
While we work hard on our research, we do not always provide a complete listing of all available offers from credit-card companies and banks. And because offers can change, we cannot guarantee that our information will always be up to date, so we encourage you to verify all the terms and conditions of any financial product before you apply.
