What the Chase Southwest Visa Card is and who it's built for

The Chase Southwest Visa Card is a co-branded credit card issued by Chase in partnership with Southwest Airlines. It's designed for people who fly Southwest regularly or want to earn rewards that work specifically with Southwest bookings. Unlike a general rewards card that gives you cash back or points you can use anywhere, this card earns you Rapid Rewards points — Southwest's loyalty currency — on every purchase you make.

The card comes in three versions: the Southwest Rapid Rewards Classic, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus, and Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier. Each one has a different annual fee and different earning rates. You pick the version that matches how often you fly and how much you're willing to spend on the card's yearly cost.

This card makes sense if you fly Southwest at least a few times a year and want your everyday spending to build toward free flights. It's less useful if you rarely fly Southwest or if you prefer flexibility — for instance, if you want to transfer points to other airlines or redeem them for things other than flights.

Key Takeaways

  • The Chase Southwest Visa Card earns Rapid Rewards points on purchases, which you redeem for Southwest flights, but you pay an annual fee that varies by card tier.
  • You get a one-time bonus of Rapid Rewards points after you meet a spending requirement in the first few months, which can cover a free flight or two.
  • The card includes perks like a free checked bag on Southwest flights and priority boarding, which save you money if you fly Southwest regularly.
  • Rapid Rewards points don't expire as long as your account stays active, but they're only useful for Southwest flights and a few partner redemptions.
  • You need to compare the annual fee against how much you'll actually fly and spend to decide if the card pays for itself.

The three versions and their annual fees

The Classic version has the lowest annual fee and is the entry point. It earns 1 point per dollar spent on all purchases. The annual fee is $69, though Chase sometimes waives it for the first year.

The Plus version costs $99 per year and earns the same 1 point per dollar on all purchases. The main difference is that it includes a $75 Southwest travel credit each year, which offsets most of the annual fee if you use it. It also gives you a free checked bag on Southwest flights for you and one companion.

The Premier version costs $149 per year and also earns 1 point per dollar on all purchases. It includes a $75 Southwest travel credit, a free checked bag for you and one companion, and priority boarding on every Southwest flight. Priority boarding means you board earlier and get better seat choices.

The choice between them depends on how much you fly. If you take one or two Southwest flights a year, the Classic makes sense. If you fly Southwest four or more times a year, the Plus or Premier usually pays for itself through the travel credit and checked bag savings alone.

How the sign-up bonus works

When you open a Chase Southwest Visa Card, you get a one-time bonus of Rapid Rewards points if you spend a certain amount within the first few months. The exact bonus and spending requirement change over time, but a typical offer might be 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. That's usually enough for a free round-trip flight within the continental United States.

The bonus is the biggest value you get from the card upfront. It's worth comparing the bonus offer across the three versions — sometimes the Premier has a higher bonus to justify its higher annual fee, and sometimes all three offer the same bonus.

To earn the bonus, you have to meet the spending requirement with the card itself. Authorized users' spending counts toward it, so if you add a family member to your account, their purchases help you reach the threshold faster.

What Rapid Rewards points are worth and how to use them

One Rapid Rewards point is worth roughly 1 cent when you redeem it for a Southwest flight, though the actual value depends on the flight you book. A short flight might cost 6,000 points, while a longer cross-country flight might cost 12,000 or more. Southwest doesn't have blackout dates, so you can use your points on any available seat, even during peak travel times.

You redeem points directly through Southwest's website or app when you book a flight. You can use points for the full ticket price or combine points and cash if you don't have enough points. You can also transfer points to a companion, which is useful if you want to book a trip for someone else.

Rapid Rewards points can also be used for a few things beyond flights — like seat upgrades, gift cards, or hotel stays through Southwest's partners — but flights are where they're most valuable. Points don't expire as long as your Southwest account has activity at least once every 24 months, which usually means at least one flight or credit card purchase per year.

Perks that save you money on Southwest flights

Beyond earning points, the card includes benefits that reduce what you pay when you fly Southwest. The most valuable is the free checked bag on the Plus and Premier versions. Southwest charges $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second on most flights, so this perk alone saves you $70 per round trip if you check bags.

The card also gives you priority boarding on the Premier version, which means you board earlier and get better seat choices. On Southwest, where you pick your own seat and boarding order matters, this can mean getting a window or aisle seat instead of a middle seat. The Classic and Plus versions don't include priority boarding, but cardholders do get priority boarding on their birthday month.

Both the Plus and Premier versions include a $75 Southwest travel credit each year. This credit covers things like seat upgrades, early boarding, or gift cards, and it resets on your card anniversary. If you use it, it effectively reduces your annual fee to $24 (Plus) or $74 (Premier).

Annual fees and whether the card pays for itself

The Classic version costs $69 per year with no travel credit. To break even, you need to earn enough points through spending and the sign-up bonus to cover that fee. If you spend $7,000 per year on the card, you earn 7,000 points, which is worth roughly $70 — so you'd break even on the annual fee alone, before counting the sign-up bonus.

The Plus version costs $99 per year but includes a $75 travel credit, so your net cost is $24. If you use that credit, you only need to earn about 2,400 points through spending to break even. Most people who fly Southwest a few times a year and use the card for everyday purchases easily hit that threshold.

The Premier version costs $149 per year but includes a $75 travel credit and priority boarding. Your net cost is $74 if you use the credit. The question is whether priority boarding and the extra perks are worth $74 to you. If you fly Southwest more than four times a year, the answer is usually yes.

The key is to be honest about how much you'll actually spend on the card and how often you'll fly. If you get the card and then barely use it, the annual fee becomes a cost with no benefit.

How earning points works on everyday purchases

You earn 1 Rapid Rewards point per dollar on all purchases with the card, no matter what category. There are no bonus categories like "5 points per dollar at restaurants" — every dollar earns the same rate. This simplicity is useful if you don't want to track which card to use for which purchase, but it also means you won't earn extra points on categories where other cards offer bonuses.

If you have an authorized user on your account, their purchases also earn points at the same 1 point per dollar rate. This is a way to earn points faster if you add a family member who spends regularly.

Points post to your account when ready after a purchase posts to the card. You can see your balance in the Southwest app or on Chase's website anytime. There's no minimum number of points you need to redeem — you can book a flight with as few as 1,000 points if you want, though most flights cost more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Rapid Rewards points on airlines other than Southwest?

Rapid Rewards points are primarily for Southwest flights. You can transfer points to a few partner airlines like United or American, but the transfer rate is usually unfavorable — you might get only 1,000 miles for 1,250 points. For most people, redeeming points on Southwest flights directly is the best use.

What happens to my points if I close the card?

Your Rapid Rewards points stay in your Southwest account even after you close the card. As long as your Southwest account has activity at least once every 24 months, the points don't expire. You can still book flights with them. You just won't earn new points from the card anymore.

Do I have to pay the annual fee every year?

Yes, the annual fee posts to your account on your card anniversary each year. Chase sometimes waives the first year's fee as part of a promotional offer, but after that, the fee is charged automatically. You can cancel the card anytime to avoid future annual fees, though you'll lose the ability to earn new points.

Can I earn the sign-up bonus again if I close and reopen the card?

Chase has rules about how often you can earn the same bonus. Generally, you need to wait at least 24 months after closing a card before you can open it again and earn the bonus. The exact rules change, so check Chase's current terms before you plan to reapply.

How do I know if a flight is available for points redemption?

When you search for a flight on Southwest's website or app, you can filter to show only flights available for points. Southwest doesn't have blackout dates, so if a seat is available for cash, it's available for points at the posted point price. The point price varies by flight and demand.