What Southwest credit cards offer and who they suit

Southwest Airlines credit cards come from two issuers — Chase and Bank of America — and they all work the same way: you earn points on purchases, redeem those points for Southwest flights, and get perks like free checked bags and priority boarding. The cards differ mainly in annual fees, sign-up bonuses, and how much you spend to break even on the fee.

These cards make sense if you fly Southwest multiple times a year or plan to. If you fly once every two years, the annual fee costs more than the value you'll get back. If you fly Southwest regularly but don't spend much on the card outside of flights, a no-annual-fee card from another airline or a general cash-back card will serve you better.

The real advantage of a Southwest card is the free checked bags — Southwest allows two free checked bags per person, but only if you have the airline's credit card or are a frequent flyer member. That alone saves $60 to $70 per round trip if you normally check luggage. The points themselves are worth roughly 1 cent each when you redeem them for flights, so earning 2 points per dollar on purchases is worth about 2% cash back, which is standard for travel cards.

Key Takeaways

  • Southwest credit cards earn points redeemable for flights, and cardholders get two free checked bags per person on every flight, which saves $60 to $70 per round trip.
  • Chase offers three Southwest cards with annual fees ranging from $69 to $99, while Bank of America offers one card with a $99 annual fee; all have sign-up bonuses worth $500 to $1,000 in flight value.
  • You break even on the annual fee only if you fly Southwest at least twice a year or spend enough on the card to earn points worth more than the fee.
  • Points earned on the card do not expire as long as you use the card at least once every 24 months, but points from flights themselves expire after 24 months of inactivity.
  • Companion Pass — a benefit that lets one person fly free with you for a year — is available through some cards and requires earning 125,000 points in a calendar year.

The three Chase Southwest cards and how they differ

Chase issues the Southwest Rapid Rewards card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. All three earn 1 point per dollar on all purchases and 2 points per dollar on Southwest purchases and at restaurants. The difference is the annual fee and the sign-up bonus.

The Rapid Rewards card has no annual fee and offers a sign-up bonus of 40,000 points after you spend $500 in the first three months. That bonus is worth roughly $400 in flight value. This card makes sense if you want to test whether Southwest flying fits your life without paying a fee, or if you fly Southwest infrequently and don't want to pay for perks you won't use.

The Rapid Rewards Plus card costs $69 per year and offers 50,000 points after you spend $2,000 in the first three months, worth roughly $500. You also get 6,000 anniversary bonus points each year you keep the card. If you fly Southwest twice a year, the anniversary bonus alone covers most of the fee.

The Rapid Rewards Priority card costs $99 per year and offers 75,000 points after you spend $5,000 in the first three months, worth roughly $750. You get 10,000 anniversary bonus points each year, plus priority boarding on every flight and a $75 annual credit toward Southwest purchases. The priority boarding matters if you want to board early and choose your seat; without it, you board in the middle of the group and get whatever seats are left.

Bank of America's Southwest card

Bank of America issues one Southwest card: the Bank of America Southwest Rapid Rewards card. It costs $99 per year and offers 50,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. You also get 3,000 anniversary bonus points each year.

This card is worth considering only if you already bank with Bank of America and want to keep all your accounts in one place. The Chase cards offer better sign-up bonuses and more anniversary points for the same annual fee. The Bank of America card does not offer priority boarding or a statement credit like the Chase Priority card does.

How to decide which card is right for you

Start by counting how many times you fly Southwest in a typical year. If it's zero or one, the no-annual-fee Chase Rapid Rewards card is your only choice — the fee on the others won't pay for itself. If it's two or more, the annual fee becomes worth considering.

Next, think about whether you check bags. If you don't, the free checked bags benefit disappears and the card becomes less valuable. If you do check bags, that benefit alone justifies the fee for two round trips per year.

Then look at the sign-up bonus and how much you'll spend in the first three months. The Chase Priority card asks you to spend $5,000 to get the full bonus; if you can't or won't spend that much, the Plus card's lower threshold makes more sense. The no-annual-fee card has the lowest threshold at $500.

Finally, consider whether priority boarding matters to you. If you fly during busy times and want to may provide an aisle or window seat, the Priority card's $99 fee might be worth it. If you're flexible about seats or fly off-peak, the Plus card at $69 is probably enough.

How points work and when they expire

Points earned through the credit card do not expire as long as you use the card at least once every 24 months. That means you can let points sit for two years without losing them, as long as you make one purchase on the card during that window. Points earned through actual Southwest flights expire after 24 months of no account activity — no flights, no card purchases, nothing.

Points are worth roughly 1 cent each when you redeem them for flights, though the value varies depending on the route and how far in advance you book. A flight that costs $200 in cash might cost 20,000 points; a flight that costs $400 might cost 35,000 points. You can also use points for seat upgrades, gift cards, or hotel stays, but those redemptions are usually worth less than 1 cent per point.

The Companion Pass is a special benefit available if you earn 125,000 points in a calendar year — either through the card, through flights, or through a combination of both. Once you hit that threshold, you can designate one person to fly free with you for the rest of that year and all of the next year. That person pays taxes and fees but no base fare. If you fly Southwest frequently, the Companion Pass can be worth thousands of dollars.

Annual fees and how to know if they pay for themselves

The no-annual-fee Chase card costs nothing, so there's no break-even calculation. The Plus card at $69 per year breaks even if you earn at least 6,900 points per year outside of the sign-up bonus and anniversary bonus — that's roughly $69 in flight value. If you spend $3,450 per year on the card at the standard 2-point rate on restaurants and Southwest purchases, you'll hit that threshold.

The Priority card at $99 per year is trickier because it includes a $75 annual credit toward Southwest purchases. That means the real cost is $24 per year. You break even if you earn at least 2,400 points outside of bonuses, which happens if you spend about $1,200 per year on the card. Most people who fly Southwest twice a year will spend that much just on booking flights.

The Bank of America card at $99 per year has no statement credit, so you need to earn 9,900 points outside of bonuses to break even. That requires spending about $4,950 per year on the card, which is more than most casual Southwest flyers will do.

Sign-up bonuses and how to use them

Sign-up bonuses range from 40,000 points on the no-annual-fee card to 75,000 points on the Chase Priority card. These bonuses require you to spend a certain amount in the first three months — $500 to $5,000 depending on the card.

The bonus points are real points that you can redeem for flights when ready after you hit the spending requirement. You don't have to wait for a statement to close or anything else. If you're planning a Southwest trip in the next few months, you can use the bonus points to pay for it.

The key is to only sign up for a card if you were already planning to spend that amount anyway. If the Plus card requires $2,000 in three months and you normally spend $500 per month on groceries and gas, you'll hit that threshold without changing your behavior. If you'd have to manufacture spending just to get the bonus, the card isn't worth it — the interest you'd pay on a balance would erase the bonus value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use points from a Southwest credit card on other airlines?

No. Southwest Rapid Rewards points work only on Southwest flights, seat upgrades, and Southwest-branded products like gift cards. You cannot transfer them to other airlines or use them on partner airlines. If you want flexibility to use points on multiple airlines, a general travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a better choice.

What happens to my points if I close the card?

Points don't disappear when you close the card. They stay in your Southwest Rapid Rewards account as long as your account stays active — which means at least one transaction every 24 months. Once you close the card, you can no longer earn points from purchases, but you can still redeem the points you already have. If you want to keep earning points after closing the card, you'd need to take a Southwest flight or use a different Southwest card.

Do I need to be a frequent flyer member to get the credit card benefits?

No. You get the free checked bags and other card benefits just by having the card, regardless of whether you're a frequent flyer member. However, if you want to earn Companion Pass through the credit card, you need a Southwest Rapid Rewards account, which is free to open. The account and the card are separate things.

How long does it take to earn enough points for a free flight?

It depends on the flight and how much you spend. A short domestic flight might cost 15,000 to 25,000 points; a longer flight might cost 35,000 to 50,000 points. If you spend $2,000 per month on the card at 2 points per dollar, you'll earn 4,000 points per month, which is enough for a short flight in about four months. The sign-up bonus can cut that time in half.

Can I have more than one Southwest credit card at the same time?

Yes, but Chase limits how often you can open new cards. You can typically open one Chase card every 30 days and no more than five Chase cards in a 24-month period. If you want multiple Southwest cards — for example, the Plus card for everyday spending and the Priority card for the priority boarding — you can do that, but you'll pay multiple annual fees. Most people find one card is enough.