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.

Community Referral

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

Earns Rapid Rewards Counts Toward 5/24

Welcome Offer

55,000 Bonus Points

Earn 55,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

How to Earn Rewards

3x Points per $1 on Southwest Airlines® purchases (flights, inflight, Southwest gift cards)

2x Points per $1 on the first $8,000 in combine purchases at grocery stores and restaurants per anniversary year (then 1x)

1x Point per $1 on all other purchases (and on grocery/restaurant spend over $8,000 cap)

Key Benefits

Tap any benefit to see details.

6,000 Anniversary Points Each Year

Receive 6,000 Rapid Rewards points each year on your cardmember anniversary, automatically deposited into your Rapid Rewards account. ~$80 in airfare value.

First Checked Bag Free

First checked bag free for cardmember and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation.

10,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost Each Calendar Year

10,000 points will be added to your Companion Pass tracker each year by January 31 (or 30 days from account opening). These aren't points you can spend but do reduce the number you need to earn for a Companion Pass.

15% Flight Discount Promo Code

Receive a 15% promo code each cardmember anniversary year. Can be used for Choice fares and above.

Standard or Preferred Seat Selection 48 Hours Before Departure

Cardholder + up to 8 passengers in same reservation can select a Standard or Preferred seat within 48 hours prior to departure (subject to availability).

Group 5 Boarding

Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers traveling on the same reservation board with Group 5, giving them earlier access to overhead bins.

Katie's Take

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

Show Hide

I think the overall value is currently most balanced on this one, comparing all the Southwest cards with their new higher annual fees. You can compare all the Southwest cards here. The biggest downside is that you can't pick seats with this card until 48 hours before departure, and by that time, sometimes it's hard to find seats together. Because of that, some people will prefer the Priority card instead, even though the value on paper isn't quite as good.

On your cardmember anniversary you'll get 6000 anniversary points — that's worth about $80 in flights. You'll also get a 15% off coupon on your anniversary (not valid on Basic fares). And then you'll get the additional option of picking Preferred or Standard seats 48 hours in advance. Effectively when you value the anniversary points, I think the Premier card costs $5 more than the Plus — and I think that $5 is worth it for having more seats to pick from.

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® Premier Credit Card worth to you? Get a personalized estimate.

Calculate Hide

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card Benefits Calculator

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

6,000 Anniversary Points Each Year Receive 6,000 Rapid Rewards points each year on your cardmember anniversary, automatically deposited into your Rapid Rewards account. ~$80 in airfare value.

First Checked Bag Free First checked bag free for cardmember and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation. (per-use benefit — value depends on how often you'll use it)

10,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost Each Calendar Year 10,000 points will be added to your Companion Pass tracker each year by January 31 (or 30 days from account opening). These aren't points you can spend but do reduce the number you need to earn for a Companion Pass.

15% Flight Discount Promo Code Receive a 15% promo code each cardmember anniversary year. Can be used for Choice fares and above.

Your Total Annual Value

Annual Fee: $149

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
55,000 Bonus Points	$1,500 in 3 mo	Standard offer (current)
40,000 - 85,000 Bonus Points	Variable spend	Recurring offer range throughout the year
100,000 Bonus PointsElevated	Standard spend	Highest-ever; ENDED September 2025
85,000 Bonus PointsElevated	$3,000 in 3 mo	Elevated; ENDED December 2025
30,000 Points + Promotional Companion PassElevated	Standard spend	Best-ever for spring; ENDED March 19, 2026

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

Katie's Take

Benefits Calculator

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card Benefits Calculator

Offer History

Related Articles