Southwest Efficiency Enterprise card overview: Full particulars

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Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card overview

The Southwest® Fast Rewards® Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card (see charges and charges) is Southwest Airways’ top-tier enterprise bank card. It has stable incomes charges throughout numerous classes. Southwest’s most frequent enterprise flyers will take pleasure in this card’s helpful perks when flying. Card ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card ranking is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The Southwest Efficiency Enterprise card is a step up from the Southwest® Fast Rewards® Premier Enterprise Credit score Card (see charges and charges) as essentially the most premium enterprise card providing. It provides a formidable welcome bonus, a greater rewards construction and a pleasant array of day-of-travel perks.

All of the bank cards within the Southwest portfolio had been not too long ago refreshed, and the Efficiency Enterprise isn’t any exception. With this refresh got here new day of journey advantages and a modified earnings construction.

These days, sadly, most bank card refreshes include an annual charge improve. The Southwest Efficiency Enterprise elevated its annual charge by roughly 50% from $199 to $299.

The really useful credit score rating for this product is 670 or above.

Word that Southwest is in the midst of sweeping modifications, together with a brand new boarding course of, added bag charges and assigned seating. Holding a Southwest bank card is now extra helpful than ever.

Let’s dive into the professionals and cons of this up to date enterprise card.

Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card execs and cons

Execs Cons
  • Bonus factors on every cardholder anniversary
  • World Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit score
  • Upgraded Boardings (ends Dec. 31)
  • Inflight Wi-Fi credit (ends Dec. 31)
  • $299 annual charge means solely these loyal to Southwest will actually profit
  • No enterprise incomes classes after Dec. 31

Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card welcome provide

Proper now, the Southwest Efficiency Enterprise card is providing new candidates 80,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

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TPG’s August 2025 valuations peg Southwest miles at 1.35 cents every, that means this bonus is value $1,080. That is the usual welcome provide we sometimes see on this card.

a hand holds a credit card
THE POINTS GUY

Keep in mind to verify your eligibility earlier than making use of for this card. It’s topic to the Chase 5/24 rule, and there are restrictions on how typically you may earn a Southwest welcome bonus, together with having not obtained a welcome bonus on this card previously 24 months.

Associated: Learn how to rapidly earn the Southwest Companion Cross

Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card advantages

The Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card comes with a $299 annual charge, however the perks accompanying the cardboard make up for the fee should you take full benefit of them, even after the primary 12 months of card membership.

  • 9,000 anniversary bonus factors: Every year after your account anniversary, you will robotically obtain 9,000 bonus factors. Which means you are basically getting $122 value of factors every year after the primary 12 months only for being an lively cardholder, primarily based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations. This helps offset greater than 40% of the annual charge.
  • Free first checked bag: Southwest began charging for baggage on Could 28. Fortunately, Efficiency Enterprise cardholders obtain a free first checked bag for the first cardholder and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation. (A regular first checked bag prices $35, which might save a household of 4 $280 on a round-trip itinerary.)
  • 4 Upgraded Boardings (ends Dec. 31): For flights working in 2025, you will have the power to improve your boarding place as much as 4 instances.
  • Inflight Wi-Fi credit (ends Dec. 31): Southwest will reimburse you for as much as 365 $8 inflight Wi-Fi purchases as a press release credit score. In different phrases, you would buy an all-day inflight Wi-Fi cross day-after-day of the 12 months, and your card will cowl it.
  • Precedence boarding: Cardholders and as much as 8 passengers touring on the identical reservation will obtain Group 5 precedence boarding (for flights working in 2026 and past). When you’ve got A-list standing, you may board with an earlier group.
  • Most popular seat choice at reserving: When out there, you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation can choose most well-liked seating on the time of reserving (for flights working in 2026 and past).
  • Limitless extra-legroom upgrades: You and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation can choose extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours previous to departure when out there (for flights working in 2026 and past). A perk like that is often solely afforded to airline elite members.
looking from the back of the plane up the center aisle toward the front of a plane, full of passengers
JESSICA PUCKETT/THE POINTS GUY

JESSICA PUCKETT/THE POINTS GUY

  • $500 charge credit score for factors transfers per 12 months (ends Dec. 31): Switch factors to a different Fast Rewards member, and as much as $500 in charges related to the switch will probably be reimbursed every account anniversary 12 months.
  • Standing Enhance: You will earn 2,500 tier-qualifying factors per $5,000 you spend on purchases in a calendar 12 months that can assist you attain A-Listing elite standing sooner. There is no restrict on the variety of TQPs you may earn.
  • 10,000 Companion Cross qualifying factors increase yearly: Cardholders obtain 10,000 factors towards a Companion Cross every year. With this increase and the factors earned from the welcome provide, you’ll solely must earn 45,000 extra companion qualifying factors to earn the coveted Companion Cross.
  • Inflight low cost: Cardholders obtain 25% again on inflight meals and beverage or Wi-Fi purchases.
  • World Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus credit score: As soon as each 4 years, you may obtain a press release credit score (as much as $120) in your World Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus software charge.
  • Free worker playing cards: You pay no charge for extra worker playing cards and can earn factors on worker spending. You may set spending limits on worker playing cards by calling cardmember companies.
  • No overseas transaction charges

Associated: Is the Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card definitely worth the annual charge?

Incomes factors on the Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card

Because the extra premium enterprise card, the Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card has the next incomes charge than different Southwest card choices. You will earn:

  • 4 factors per greenback spent on Southwest Airways purchases (5.4% return primarily based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations)
  • 4 factors per greenback spent on Southwest Cruises (5.4% return; ends Dec. 31)
  • 3 factors per greenback spent on Fast Rewards resort and automobile rental companions (approximate 4.1% return; ends Dec. 31)
  • 2 factors per greenback spent at gasoline stations and eating places (2.7% return)
  • 2 factors per greenback spent on resort lodging booked straight with the resort (2.7% return)
  • 2 factors per greenback spent on native transit and commuting, together with ride-hailing companies (2.7% return)
  • 2 factors per greenback spent on social media and search engine promoting, web, cable and telephone companies (2.7% return; ends Dec. 31)
  • 1 level per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases (approximate 1.4% return)

It is necessary to notice that present cardholders may have entry to each the brand new and expiring bonus classes.

Southwest Boeing 737 in Atlanta
DAVID SLOTNICK/THE POINTS GUY

It is good that two new classes geared extra towards on a regular basis spending had been added; nonetheless, seeing two key business-oriented classes eliminated on the finish of the 12 months is an enormous draw back for the top-tier enterprise card within the Southwest portfolio.

You will be higher off utilizing the Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card (see charges and charges) for basic journey past Southwest Airways purchases because it earns 3 factors per greenback spent on as much as $150,000 every account anniversary 12 months for mixed journey and choose enterprise purchases.

Associated: 10 simple methods to earn extra Fast Rewards factors

Redeeming factors on the Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card

The Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card card earns Fast Rewards factors, so you will get essentially the most worth if you redeem your factors for award journey on Southwest.

Redeeming factors for Southwest award flights is straightforward. Log in to your account, enter your search parameters on Southwest’s web site, select your required out there flight and observe the on-screen steps to take a look at.

You will have to pay extra taxes and charges on worldwide routes, however Southwest is clear about these all through the search course of.

Restaurant owner using laptop
SOUTHWORKS/GETTY IMAGES

Southwest has a journey portal for worldwide flights on different carriers, however you are sometimes not going to get as nice a return if you redeem factors that approach.

Moreover, you may redeem factors on inns, automobile leases or merchandise. Nevertheless, we suggest skipping these choices and utilizing your factors for Southwest award flights to get essentially the most worth from them.

TPG senior author Tarah Chieffi used Southwest factors to pay for a portion of the price of her journey to Orlando by redeeming 37,000 factors to complement her out-of-pocket price of two round-trip tickets. Whereas it is not at all times the very best worth, paying with a mixture of money and factors could be a good way to successfully use a smaller variety of Southwest factors.

Which playing cards compete with the Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card?

Even should you’re a Southwest-loyal enterprise proprietor, the Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card card is probably not the best choice.

For added particulars, see our full record of finest enterprise bank cards and finest airline bank cards.

Associated extra: Learn how to get a enterprise bank card

Backside line

When you’re a enterprise proprietor who flies Southwest continuously, the Southwest Efficiency Enterprise card is a good possibility. You will get nice worth from its Southwest-specific perks and its welcome bonus.

Nevertheless, you will wish to select a unique product should you solely sometimes fly Southwest or spend most of what you are promoting price range outdoors the cardboard’s bonus classes.


Apply right here: Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card


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