Southwest Airways is within the midst of an enormous overhaul of its present operations, together with including bag charges, updating its boarding course of and including seat assignments.
Southwest’s three private bank cards have been additionally lately refreshed.
At first look, it’s possible you’ll not suppose there are a lot of variations among the many playing cards, particularly since all of them share the identical welcome provide, however the Southwest Fast Rewards® Plus Credit score Card (see charges and charges), Southwest Fast Rewards® Premier Credit score Card and Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card (see charges and charges) all have key variations.
The data for the Southwest Fast Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
For a restricted time, new candidates can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 or extra on purchases within the first 5 months from account opening. Based mostly on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, this provide is value $1,400. That is the best welcome provide we have seen on these playing cards that does not embody a Companion Cross.
We’ll analyze the main points of every and aid you determine which card is finest for you, based mostly on how typically you fly Southwest and what number of of those playing cards’ respective perks you may maximize.
Here is what you should know to decide on the most suitable choice for you.
Associated: redeem your factors with the Southwest Fast Rewards program
Southwest bank cards overview
| Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card | Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Credit score Card | Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual payment | $99 | $149 | $229 |
| Anniversary factors bonus | 3,000 factors | 6,000 factors | 7,500 factors |
| Incomes charges |
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| Southwest perks |
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| Tier qualifying factors and Companion Cross qualifying factors |
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| Journey and buy protections |
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| International transaction payment | None | None | None |
It is necessary to notice that present cardholders obtain each new and current incomes charges and advantages till Dec. 31.
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Associated: Southwest card welcome bonuses: Greatest provide this yr, new cardholders can earn 100,000 factors
Adjustments to Southwest playing cards
As talked about earlier, all of the Southwest playing cards have been simply refreshed. Each card noticed an annual payment enhance of not less than 40%. Together with the annual payment will increase, the playing cards will lose upgraded boardings, EarlyBird Verify-Ins and a few bonus-earning classes on the finish of the yr.
Regardless of these losses, there are some welcome additions that make the day-of-travel expertise extra nice when flying Southwest and might prevent plenty of cash.
Perks when flying Southwest
All of the playing cards now embody a free checked bag, complimentary seat choice both inside 48 hours of departure or at reserving (relying on the cardboard), and precedence boarding (for flights working in 2026 and past).
A normal first checked bag prices $35. On a round-trip itinerary, one normal checked bag every for a household of 4 would value $280. The financial savings on this one journey would greater than cowl the annual payment of any of the playing cards.
With paid seat assignments beginning on flights working in 2026, the Southwest card refresh added complimentary seat choice both at reserving or inside 48 hours of departure.
Modified incomes charges
Moreover, all of the Southwest playing cards have up to date their incomes construction.
The Southwest Plus will now earn 2 factors per greenback spent at grocery shops and fuel stations, on the primary $5,000 in mixed spending yearly. The Southwest Premier earns on the similar price on as much as $8,000 in mixed spending yearly.
The Southwest Precedence now earns an elevated 4 factors per greenback spent on Southwest purchases and a pair of factors per greenback spent at fuel stations and eating places.
However with these new incomes charges, some may even be eliminated on the finish of the yr. All three Southwest playing cards will lose the next bonus classes:
- Fast Rewards resort and automobile rental companions
- Web, cable and telephone providers and choose streaming purchases
- Native transit and commuting
Whereas it is good that the playing cards have added extra on a regular basis spending classes, with the elevated annual charges, it was a letdown to see any bonus classes eliminated.
The 2 lower-priced playing cards, the Southwest Plus and Southwest Premier, will now obtain one annual promotional flight low cost code (excluding Primary fares). Relying on the price of the flights, this promo code might assist offset the annual charges much more.
Lastly, the Southwest Plus beforehand had a overseas transaction payment, however that has now been eliminated, making all three playing cards a viable possibility for purchases overseas.
Associated: 1 in 4 Southwest planes now have extra-legroom seats — this is snag one
Frequent Southwest flyer? Select the Precedence
The Southwest Precedence makes a really compelling case for itself.
For frequent Southwest flyers, the Precedence card makes probably the most sense, particularly when you think about the adjustments occurring at Southwest.
When you’re a frequent Southwest passenger, you will don’t have any bother utilizing the $75 annual Southwest journey credit score (ends Dec. 31), decreasing your efficient out-of-pocket value for this card from $229 to $154 for brand spanking new cardholders.
For present cardholders, it brings down your annual payment to successfully $124. Make certain to make use of this credit score as it is a use-or-lose-it and will not be returning subsequent yr.
The cardboard additionally now affords limitless upgrades to extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure and Most popular seat choice on the time of reserving, whereas the Premier card solely affords Most popular seat choice inside 48 hours of departure. This perk is often solely afforded to these with airline elite standing, so seeing it supplied by a bank card is a big plus.
Moreover, when you’re a frequent Southwest flyer, you are doubtless aiming to earn A-Checklist elite standing. You will earn 2,500 tier qualifying factors for each $5,000 spent with the Precedence card and 1,500 factors for each $5,000 spent with the Premier card.
Moreover, with the Southwest Precedence card, you will earn 1 extra level per greenback spent on Southwest purchases (for a complete of 4 factors, in comparison with 3 with the Premier) and an uncapped 2 factors per greenback spent on eating places. Incomes extra factors with the Precedence card will aid you get to the coveted Companion Cross faster.
With the Southwest Precedence, you’ll obtain 7,500 bonus factors in your cardholder anniversary, in comparison with 6,000 factors with the Southwest Premier — value $21 extra based mostly on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.
The largest argument towards the Southwest Precedence is that it has a $229 annual payment. Nevertheless, if you need to use the above advantages, you may offset a majority and even all of that value.
There is a purpose this card was named the Greatest Airline Cobranded Credit score Card on the 2024 TPG Awards and must be in shut rivalry for the crown once more this yr.
Associated: How (and when) to switch Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Fast Rewards
Desire a decrease annual payment? Select the Premier, not the Plus
When you’re on the lookout for a decrease annual payment and might’t justify the Southwest Precedence, we would advocate the Southwest Premier, with its $149 annual payment, over the Southwest Plus and its $99 annual payment.
For an additional $50 per yr, you will obtain 6,000 anniversary factors, double that of the Plus card. Based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, these anniversary bonus factors are value $84, which covers greater than half of the annual payment.
With the Premier card, you may choose Most popular seating inside 48 hours of departure, whereas the Plus Card solely affords normal seating inside 48 hours of departure.
Each playing cards provide an annual flight promo low cost code (excluding Primary fares): The Premier affords a 15% low cost code and the Plus affords a ten% low cost code.
When you’re aiming to earn A-Checklist or A-Checklist Most popular standing, you will wish to go for the Southwest Premier, as you will earn 1,500 tier qualifying factors per each $5,000 spent on purchases in a calendar yr (with no cap). The Plus card does not provide bonus TQPs for bank card spending.
The Premier Card additionally affords larger bonus factors earnings on Southwest purchases and has the next mixed spending cap within the bonus class of fuel stations and grocery shops than the Plus card.
All of the added perks of the Premier card simply justify the additional $50 per yr.
Associated: determine if a bank card’s annual payment is value paying
Eligibility guidelines for Southwest bank cards
Chase’s 5/24 rule applies to all three of those playing cards. This rule signifies that Chase will virtually actually reject new candidates when you’ve opened 5 or extra bank cards (from any financial institution or issuer) within the final 24 months.
When you’re at (or over) 5/24, we advocate not losing an software and a tough credit score inquiry on these playing cards since you’ll probably get declined. It is also necessary to notice that enterprise playing cards from any issuer normally do not rely towards 5/24.
Along with the 5/24 rule, Southwest has eligibility guidelines concerning the welcome bonus. The phrases and circumstances for the welcome bonus of every of those playing cards state:
“The product shouldn’t be out there to both (i) present Cardmembers of any Southwest Fast Rewards® Credit score Card, or (ii) earlier Cardmembers of any Southwest Fast Rewards Credit score Card who acquired a brand new Cardmember bonus inside the final 24 months. This doesn’t apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Fast Rewards Enterprise Card and Worker Credit score Card merchandise.”
When you at present maintain any of the Southwest private bank cards or have acquired a bonus for one within the final 24 months, you’ll not obtain a brand new welcome provide until it has been 24 months because you final acquired one.
Associated: The final word information to Southwest bank card eligibility
Which card ought to I select?
The Southwest Plus is finest for many who need the bottom annual payment doable. However when you fly Southwest one or twice per yr, we would skip the Southwest Plus and begin with the Southwest Premier or Southwest Precedence.
When you’re a frequent flyer, you need to go for the Precedence card, because it affords probably the most for many who board a Southwest plane typically, together with limitless upgrades to extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure and Most popular seat choice at reserving (for flights in 2026).
In the meantime, if you would like a modest annual payment and stable perks when flying Southwest, the Plus card is an effective center floor.
Associated: Airline bank cards vs. journey bank cards
Backside line
Southwest Airways bank cards proceed to be fashionable, and with all the present adjustments on the airline, it is much more useful to have one in your pockets.
Anybody who flies Southwest, even when it is only a handful of instances per yr, should not have any drawback maxing out the journey advantages that include the Southwest Precedence, which palms down will present probably the most worth for Southwest frequent flyers.
If the annual payment for the Southwest Precedence is simply too steep for you, you will get higher worth from the Southwest Premier than the Southwest Plus.
To study extra, try our full evaluations of the Southwest Precedence, Southwest Premier and Southwest Plus playing cards.
Apply right here: Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card
Apply right here: Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card
Study extra: Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Credit score Card
