Advertiser Disclosure: Katie's Travel Tricks has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Katie's Travel Tricks and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author's alone.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Earns Rapid Rewards Counts Toward 5/24

Welcome Offer

bonus_miles

bonus_miles_full

How to Earn Rewards

2x Points on all Southwest® purchases

2x Points at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year, then 1x

1x Points on all other purchases

Key Benefits

Tap any benefit to see details.

3,000 Bonus Points on Each Cardholder Anniversary

Receive 3,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points each cardmember anniversary year. Worth approximately $42 — covers nearly half the annual fee.

10,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost (Annual)

Earn one boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year. Deposited by January 31st each calendar year (or up to 30 days after account opening). Major accelerator toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass (which requires 100,000 qualifying points).

2 EarlyBird Check-In® Credits Per Year

Receive 2 EarlyBird Check-In credits each year (worth $30-50 total — EarlyBird is typically $15-25 per one-way segment).

10% Flight Discount Promo Code (Annual)

Receive a 10% promo code each cardmember anniversary year (excludes Basic fare, Southwest's lowest-priced fare option).

Standard Seat Selection Within 48 Hours of Departure

Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available, for cardholder + up to 8 passengers on the same reservation. For flights operating in 2026 and beyond. Average value ~$50 round trip per Chase.

25% Back on Southwest Inflight Purchases (Drinks & WiFi)

Earn 25% back as statement credits on Southwest inflight purchases of drinks and WiFi.

First Checked Bag Free for Cardholder + 8 Passengers

First checked bag free for cardmember and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation. Per Southwest's April 9, 2026 fee update, first bag is now $45 (was $35) — making this benefit more valuable. (Southwest ended its long-standing free-bags-for-all policy on May 28, 2025; this is now a major card differentiator.)

Group 5 Boarding for Cardholder + 8 Passengers

Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers traveling on the same reservation board with Group 5, giving them earlier access to overhead bins. (Southwest assigned-seating model, 2026.)

Travel and Purchase Protections

Includes auto rental collision damage waiver, roadside dispatch, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, lost/delayed luggage reimbursement, travel and emergency assistance, and travel accident insurance.

20,000 Bonus Points Per Approved Friend Referral

Earn 20,000 bonus points for each friend who gets any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card after they apply through your unique referral link.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

No foreign transaction fees on international purchases.

Katie's Take

Why this card might (or might not) be right for you.

Show Hide

This is the lowest annual fee Southwest card and the value is decent for what you pay. The anniversary points are worth about $40-45. You can compare this to other Southwest cards in our Southwest card guide and check the benefit calculators.

If you like the peace of mind of picking your seats right when you book your flights, you'll want to look at the Priority card instead which lets you pick seats at time of booking. This card will only get you seats confirmed 48 hours before your flight takes off -- and during busy seasons, that might make it hard for a family to sit together.

Note that you can only get one of the three personal cards at a time, and are only eligible for the bonus if you have not had another Southwest personal card bonus in the last 24 months.

With any offer, pay close attention to Companion Pass timelines if you're hoping to earn a Companion Pass.

Benefits Calculator

What's the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card worth to you? Get a personalized estimate.

Calculate Hide

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card Benefits Calculator

Enter your personal estimated annual value for each benefit to see a customized calculation of the card's worth.

3,000 Bonus Points on Each Cardholder Anniversary Receive 3,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points each cardmember anniversary year. Worth approximately $42 — covers nearly half the annual fee.

2 EarlyBird Check-In® Credits Per Year Receive 2 EarlyBird Check-In credits each year (worth $30-50 total — EarlyBird is typically $15-25 per one-way segment).

First Checked Bag Free for Cardholder + 8 Passengers First checked bag free for cardmember and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation. Per Southwest's April 9, 2026 fee update, first bag is now $45 (was $35) — making this benefit more valuable. (Southwest ended its long-standing free-bags-for-all policy on May 28, 2025; this is now a major card differentiator.) (per-use benefit — value depends on how often you'll use it)

Your Total Annual Value

Annual Fee: annual_fees

Your Net Value / Cost

Offer History

See past welcome bonuses to gauge whether the current offer is elevated.

View History Hide

Offer	Spend Req.	Date
Companion Pass through 2/28/27 + 20K PointsCurrentElevated	$3,000 in 3 months	Alt CP offer)
80,000 Bonus Points (standard public)CurrentElevated	$1,000 in 3 months	Current as of June 2026
65,000 Bonus Points (in-airport / pre-approved)CurrentElevated	$1,000 in 3 months	In-airport / pre-approved offer
85,000 Bonus PointsElevated	$3,000 in 3 months	Elevated; ended December 2025
20,000 Points + shorter promotional Companion PassElevated	Standard spend req	Ended March 19, 2026
50,000 Bonus Points (standard public)	$1,000 in 3 months	Standard public offer

Benefit Activation Checklist

Step-by-step guide to activate and maximize every benefit on this card.