Why the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is Southwest’s best card for frequent flyers

Southwest doesn't do lounge access or five-star travel perks with its cards, and that's kind of the point. The credit card that stands out here — the Rapid Rewards® Priority — earns its keep through stuff regular Southwest flyers actually use every trip: free Preferred seating, a yearly points bonus, free checked bags and a better earn rate on Southwest spending.

At $229 a year, it's not the cheapest way into Rapid Rewards. But for someone who books Southwest often, the perks tend to more than cover that fee — and out of the airline's three personal cards, I'd call this the best value once you add up the travel benefits alongside the points.

I've held Rapid Rewards status since 2000 and have well over 100 Southwest flights behind me at this point. What's kept me loyal is less about any single perk and more the airline's overall approach — straightforward policies, a route network that covers where I actually need to go, and a rewards program that doesn't require a spreadsheet to understand.

Here's what the Priority Card actually delivers day to day, and who it makes sense for.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card at a glance

The Priority Card is Southwest’s flagship consumer credit card. It has the airline’s highest earning rates plus a collection of ongoing travel benefits, which make it an excellent fit for travelers who fly Southwest regularly.

• Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Annual fee: $229
• Intro APR: None
• Who it’s for: Frequent Southwest travelers who want the airline’s most comprehensive package of travel benefits.

Pros

• Free first checked bag for the primary card holder and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
• Complimentary Preferred seat selection at booking, when available.
• Group 5 boarding.
• 7,500 anniversary bonus points each year.
• Earns 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases.
• 10,000 Southwest Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Cons

• Rewards are earned exclusively in the Southwest Rapid Rewards program.
• Annual fee is significantly higher than the Southwest Plus and Premier cards.
• There are limited bonus categories outside Southwest purchases.

Earning points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

The Priority Card offers the most rewarding earning structure among the Southwest co-branded consumer credit cards:

• 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, including flights, in-flight purchases and Southwest gift cards.
• 2 points per dollar at gas stations and restaurants.
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Compared to Southwest’s lower-tier cards, the Priority Card’s biggest difference is the jump to 4 points per dollar up from 2 on Southwest spending. If you’re regularly booking flights, buying upgraded seats or paying for other Southwest purchases, those extra points can add up surprisingly quickly throughout the year.

The everyday bonus categories are also somewhat more practical than those you’ll find on some other airline credit cards. Restaurants and gas stations are expenses many people regularly have, which makes it easier to build your Rapid Rewards balance without changing your spending habits.

That said, I probably wouldn’t use this as my everyday card for most purchases. Cards that earn transferable rewards often provide better long-term value on dining, travel and general spending. Instead, I see the Priority Card as the card to pull out whenever you’re making Southwest purchases, to enjoy the travel benefits every time you fly.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card benefits

If you ask me, the biggest reason to carry the Priority Card isn’t the earning rates. Rather, the collection of travel benefits can make every Southwest trip a little easier while helping offset the annual fee.

Free checked bags

Southwest no longer offers free checked bags to all passengers, which makes this one of the card’s most valuable perks. As the primary card holder, you’ll receive your first checked bag free, along with up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation.

With Southwest now charging $45 for the first checked bag, those savings can add up quickly. Even if you only check a bag on a handful of round-trip flights each year, you could save hundreds of dollars. Families traveling together stand to benefit even more. This perk alone is capable of covering much or even all of the card’s annual fee.

Complimentary Preferred seat selection

One benefit that separates the Priority Card from Southwest’s less expensive credit cards is complimentary Preferred seat selection at the time of booking, when it’s available. Generally, Southwest Preferred seats have standard legroom but are closer to the front of the plane.

That means you don’t have to wait until shortly before departure to choose your seat. Instead, you’ll have access to a larger selection of Preferred seats as soon as you book your flight, giving you a better chance of sitting where you want without paying extra.

If you fly Southwest regularly, this is a perk you’ll likely appreciate on nearly every trip.

Group 5 boarding

The Priority Card also includes boarding no later than Group 5. This benefit applies to the primary card holder and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation.

While this won’t make you one of the very first passengers to board, it does improve your chances of finding overhead bin space and getting settled before the cabin fills up. That’s especially helpful if you’re traveling with only a carry-on bag, as I usually do.

Anniversary bonus points

Each year, after your card-member anniversary, you’ll receive 7,500 bonus Rapid Rewards points.

Travel rewards website The Points Guy values 7,500 Rapid Rewards points at $94. Combined with the card’s other ongoing benefits, this bonus helps reduce its effective cost year after year.

Companion Pass qualification boost

The Southwest Companion Pass remains one of the most valuable perks offered by any US airline. Once you qualify, your designated companion can join you on an unlimited number of Southwest flights by paying only the applicable taxes and fees.

The Priority Card moves you closer to earning that benefit by providing an annual boost of 10,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points, in addition to qualifying points you can earn through eligible spending.

If you’re actively working toward Companion Pass status, having one of Southwest’s co-branded credit cards can make reaching the requirement much easier.

Stronger rewards on Southwest purchases

The Priority Card earns 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, the highest earning rate available on any Southwest consumer credit card.

If you frequently purchase flights, vacation packages, upgraded seating or other Southwest products, you’ll build your Rapid Rewards balance noticeably faster than you would with the Plus or Premier cards.

Using points from the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Like the rest of the Rapid Rewards program, the points you earn with the Priority Card are redeemed through Southwest’s revenue-based award system. In other words, the number of points you’ll need for a flight generally tracks with the cash price.

The nice part about this? If a seat is available to purchase with cash, it’s usually available using points as well. There are no complicated award charts or limited saver inventory to navigate.

The tradeoff is that you won’t find the outsized redemption values that are sometimes possible with other airline programs. Instead, Southwest focuses on predictable value and straightforward redemptions.

Over the years, I’ve used Rapid Rewards points for everything from quick weekend getaways to cross-country flights, and I’ve found the redemption process simple every time.

Who should get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card?

The Priority Card makes the most sense for travelers who fly Southwest several times a year and want the airline’s strongest collection of ongoing benefits.

This card is an especially good fit if you:

• Fly Southwest regularly.
• Check bags several times each year.
• Want complimentary Preferred seat selection.
• Are working toward earning a Companion Pass.
• Prefer airline-specific perks over flexible travel rewards.

It may be a tougher sell if you:

• Only fly Southwest occasionally.
• Rarely check luggage.
• Prefer earning transferable credit card points.
• Want premium travel benefits like airport lounge access or travel credits that can be used across multiple airlines.

For occasional Southwest flyers, one of the airline’s lower-annual-fee cards may provide a better balance of cost and benefits. But if Southwest is one of your primary airlines, I think the Priority Card is the easiest one to justify keeping for the long haul.

Alternatives to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

If you like Southwest’s travel perks but don’t want to pay the Priority Card’s $229 annual fee, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card is a compelling alternative. At $99 per year, it’s the airline’s most affordable consumer credit card, and it includes several valuable benefits for occasional Southwest flyers.

You’ll earn points based on the following structure:

• 2 points per dollar on Southwest purchases.
• 2 points per dollar at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases each anniversary year.
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

The card also includes several Southwest-specific perks:

• Free first checked bag for the card member and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
• Group 5 boarding.
• Standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure, when available.
• 3,000 anniversary bonus points each year.
• Annual 10%-off Southwest promo code.
• Helps earn 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points annually.

With the Plus card, you’ll give up perks such as complimentary Preferred seat selection at booking, a higher earning rate on Southwest purchases and the larger anniversary points bonus that come with the Priority Card. However, if you only fly Southwest a few times each year, the Plus Card offers many of the airline’s most useful benefits while keeping your annual fee to a minimum.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Read our review

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

If you’d rather earn flexible rewards than commit to a single airline, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card remains one of my favorite travel credit cards. It has a $95 annual fee and earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points that you can redeem with Southwest or a variety of other airline and hotel partners.

You’ll earn points based on the following structure:

• 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
• 3 points per dollar on dining.
• 3 points per dollar on gas stations and electric vehicle charging.
• 3 points per dollar on select streaming services.
• 3 points per dollar on online grocery purchases.
• 3 points per dollar on vacation home rentals through eligible providers such as Airbnb and Vrbo.
• 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases.
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

The card also includes several valuable benefits:

• Up to $100 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠.
• Trip delay, trip cancellation and baggage insurance.
• Primary rental car insurance.
• Complimentary DashPass membership when activated by Dec. 31, 2027, plus a monthly $10 promo on eligible orders not from a restaurant.

Unlike the Southwest Priority Card, the Sapphire Preferred doesn’t come with airline-specific perks like free checked bags, boarding benefits or seat selection. Instead, it gives you the flexibility to transfer points to Southwest Rapid Rewards or numerous other airline and hotel loyalty programs.

For travelers who split their flying across several airlines instead of sticking primarily with Southwest, I think the Sapphire Preferred is one of the strongest all-around travel cards available.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Read our review

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

If you want to keep your rewards strategy simple, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is another excellent alternative. Rather than focusing on one airline, it earns a flat rate on nearly every purchase and lets you redeem miles across a wide range of travel expenses or transfer them to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners.

You’ll earn miles based on the following structure:

• 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
• 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.

The card also includes several useful travel benefits:

• Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® every four years.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Access to Capital One Travel with price prediction and price drop protection on eligible bookings.
• The ability to transfer miles to 15+ airline and hotel loyalty programs.

Unlike the Southwest Priority Card, the Venture Rewards Card won’t help you earn a Companion Pass, waive checked bag fees or improve your Southwest travel experience. However, it gives you considerably more flexibility if you fly multiple airlines throughout the year.

If you’re not particularly loyal to Southwest and simply want a straightforward travel rewards card that earns solid rewards on virtually everything you buy, the Venture Rewards Card is one of the easiest cards to recommend.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Read our review

How we evaluate credit cards

According to CNN Underscored’s credit card methodology, we evaluate cards based on a variety of factors, gauging their utility for real-world users, not just card experts. The principal factors we consider are the following:

• Earning rate vs. redemption value: A high earning rate is valuable, but only if the rewards are too. We balance both factors to assess a card’s overall value.
• Weighing fees against benefits: We compare annual fees to the tangible value of a card’s perks. Travel benefits such as lounge access, statement credits and insurance protections are weighed relative to a card’s annual cost.
• Welcome offer: A sizable welcome offer may make applying for a card worthwhile in itself, but only if the spending target is reasonably attainable.
• Ease of redemption: We evaluate whether rewards can be easily redeemed and whether cards with transferable points and miles have strong airline and hotel partners.
• Travel and purchase protections: Trip delay and interruption coverage, baggage protection and rental car insurance add significant value to travel-focused credit cards. Purchase protections like extended warranties and price protection can also make certain cards stand out.
• Interest rates and balance transfer offers: While we advise avoiding interest charges, we evaluate 0% APR introductory offers for consumers looking to manage debt strategically.

FAQs

What are the benefits of having a Southwest credit card?

A Southwest credit card can make flying with the airline cheaper and more rewarding. Depending on the card, you may get perks like a free checked bag, boarding and seat selection benefits, annual bonus points and boosts toward earning the Companion Pass, while also earning Rapid Rewards points on everyday purchases.

Which Southwest card is better, Rapid Rewards Priority or Plus?

I’d choose the Priority Card if you fly Southwest regularly, since its extra perks can easily make up for the higher annual fee. If you only fly a few times a year, the Plus Card offers many of the same benefits for less.

What credit score do you need for a Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority credit card?

Chase doesn’t specify a minimum credit score, but you’ll generally want good to excellent credit, typically a score of 700 or higher, to have the best chance of approval.

Why trust CNN Underscored

Travel products editor Kyle Olsen has covered airline and travel rewards credit cards for years and has flown Southwest more than 100 times since joining Rapid Rewards in 2000. For this review, he evaluated the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card based on its annual fee, rewards earning, travel perks and long-term value, comparing it with other Southwest cards and competing travel rewards cards to determine who it’s best suited for.

Some information for this report was gathered via edition.cnn.com.