The Southwest Airlines credit card is yet another tactic in Chase’s mission to get your credit card business.  If you like travel and airline rewards, then Chase likes you. Not too long ago they were giving away 100,000 miles with the British Airways credit card (now expired, sadly), then more recently they started giving away 50,000 miles with the Sapphire Preferred. Along the way, they’ve been slashing foreign transaction fees to draw the overseas jetsetting crowd. And now, they’ve introduced a new rewards bonus on a distinctively domestic travel rewards card: the Southwest Airlines credit card offers 50,000 Rapid Rewards points on signup.

The best part is, you earn all of this after your first purchase, rather than having to meet a certain spending minimum over the next few months. Plus, you get an anniversary bonus of 3,000 miles each year that you hold the card, which goes a long way towards offsetting the $69 annual fee.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card - FREE FLIGHT
	NOW! Earn a FREE FLIGHT after your first purchase Get 3,000 Points every year on your Card member Anniversary that can be redeemed for a $50 Wanna Get Away® Fare Now you can redeem for International Travel, Hotels, Gift Cards and more. Earn unlimited FREE FLIGHTS - 2 Points per $1 Spent on Southwest Purchases and 1 Point per $1 Spent on EVERYTHING else Your Bags Fly FREE! No Blackout Dates, Points Dont Expire, and Unlimited Reward Seats! No Change fees if you need to change your flight, you wont be charged a fee September 11th Security Fee Applies
Annual Fee Signing Promo APR, variable* Intro APR Promotions $69 25,000 Southwest Airlines Miles Bonus - after your first purchase APR: 15.24% Default APR: 29.99% Cash Adv: 19.24% Purchase: None Bal Trans: None

So how much is this worth to me?

It’s a good thing you asked, because Southwest’s new Rapid Rewards program is considerably different from most frequent flyer programs.  Rather than issuing reward miles in exchange for actual miles flown, the airline pays for your loyalty with points. The number of points for each itinerary is then calculated off of the price of the ticket and the class flown. Here’s the breakdown:

• A “business select” ticket earns 12 points per $1 spent
• A “standard” ticket earns 10 points per $1 spent
• And a “gotta get away” ticket earns 6 points per $1 spent

For redemptions, the cost is then ten times what the earning rate is, so you can redeem 120 points per $1 for business select tickets, 100 points per $1 for standard and 60 points per $1 for wanna get away tickets.

So then the value of the signing bonus depends largely on how much you value your legroom and in-flight amenities. The 50,000 miles are worth:

• $416 toward a business class ticket
• $500 toward an economy ticket
• $834 toward a budget ticket

If you don’t mind sitting in the worst seats, and flying at the worst times, on one of America’s cheapest airlines, then you can walk away with the equivalent of $800+ from this promotion.

Is that enough for me to get the card?

If you are a frequent Southwest customer, the answer is a clear yes. You are already familiar with the airline’s many quirks, and you already enjoy the benefits of the company’s above-par customer service, so by all means you should be rewarded for your loyalty.  And the Southwest credit card does just that.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is a slight step down. from the old Premier. The annual fee dropped to $69 from $99, but the anniversary bonus also fell from 6k miles to 3k. On the other hand, the signup bonus is still 50k, which is a major point in its favor. the anniversary bonus is worth $50 in WGA fare, so the net annual fee rose to $19 from -$1. Then again, that’s a whole $20, a fairly negligible difference.

And no matter how high Chase raises the bar on the Southwest rewards, it will still be primarily useful to domestic flyers, particularly those with a penchant for unassigned seating. The bonuses on many other airline cards can be used for flights all over the country or all over the world, and sometimes even on other airlines through various global alliances. But Southwest is a bit limited in its destinations and its partnerships, so you really have to be committed to the airline to get the most out of it.

It can be a great choice for those with widely-scattered families, or students at college who need to fly home on the cheap, especially since cardholders also get to check two bags for free. But it’s hard for us to recommend it as a general-use everyday rewards card. For those who don’t see themselves flying Southwest enough to get the full benefit, we recommend more flexible travel cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ Card	Capital One® Venture℠ Rewards Credit Card
Signing Promo
40,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Bonus after spending $3,000 - in the first 3 months.	10,000 Capital One No Hassle Miles Bonus after spending $1,000 - in the first 90 days
Intro APR Promo
Purchase: None Bal Trans: None	Purchase: None Bal Trans: None
Annual fee
$0 the first year, then $95	$0 intro for first year; $59 after that
Details
Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months - that's $500 toward travel rewards! 2 points per dollar spent on travel and and at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Get 20% off airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you book through Ultimate Rewards(SM) No foreign transaction fees Receive a 7% annual dividend on all new poinst earned - even on points already redeemed 1:1 point transfer to participating frequent travel programs Direct access to expert service advisors anytime No Annual Fee for your first year - A $95 value	Money(R) Magazine's "Most Rewarding Card if you crave free airline flights" 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day Earn 10,000 bonus miles, equal to $100 in travel Redeem your miles for any travel expense No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates No foreign transaction fees $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after that

It seems that every time we talk about a big signup bonus, it’s from one of the Chase credit cards: 2011 brought us the Southwest 2 free flights deal, British Airways’ 100k miles, and the Chase Sapphire’s 50,000 points. So if you’re looking for a killer rewards deal, a Chase card is probably your best bet. Whether you want to earn some travel rewards, rack up airline miles, or just avoid annual and foreign transaction fees, our list of the best Chase credit cards will help you find what you’re looking for.

Best Card for Travel: Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the top travel credit cards, mostly for its killer 50,000-point signup bonus, worth up to $600. It also offers 2 points per dollar on travel and dining purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. The travel category includes airfare, hotels, cruises, taxis, rental cars and train tickets. As is the case with all Chase rewards cards, there’s no point cap and the points never expire. You’ll also get a 7% annual point dividend on all new points earned, even if you’ve already redeemed them. Redeem your points through the Ultimate Rewards website and they’ll be worth 20% more. There’s no foreign transaction fee, which is always an important perk for world travelers. Plus, the $95 annual fee is waived for the first year, and there’s no penalty for transferring points to other frequent traveler programs.

Best No-Fee Card: Chase Freedom

The Chase Freedom credit card seems to up its signing bonus every five minutes, and it always offers decent rewards for a card with no annual fee. As of September, they’re offering $100 cash back when you spend $500 or more in the first three months. You also get 5% back on up to $1,500 spent in rotating bonus categories that change each quarter. Through September, it’s gas, hotels and airlines. For October through December, it’s movie theaters, dining, department stores and charities. You’ll get an unlimited 1% back on all other purchases, and up to 10% back when you shop through the Chase website. The 0% intro APR for the first six months is a nice touch too. After that, it varies from 11.99% to 22.99%. That’s a crazy-wide range, so it may or may not be a good deal depending on your credit score. However, if you’re paying off your balance in full each month anyway, it won’t matter.

Best Business Card: Ink Classic and Ink Cash

The Chase Ink credit cards are some of the best business credit cards around. They’re more or less the same, except for two slight differences. The Ink Cash pays out in, you guessed it, cash, while the Ink Classic pays Ultimate Rewards points, which we think have the same value as cash.

And while both cards give 5% back for first $25,000 you spend annually on office supplies, wireless services, landline communications, and cable services as well as 2% back on gas, the Classic also gives 2% back on lodging while the Cash gives 2% back on dining out. The 2% rewards are also subject to a $25,000 cap. We recommend the Ink Cash for entertainers and the Ink Classic for travelers.

Both offer the equivalent of $150 back after your first purchase, and an additional $100 back when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. The 0% intro APR for the first 6 months is great for brand new businesses that need to make a lot of large purchases upfront.

Best Hotel Card: Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz-Carlton credit card is definitely worth your while if you spend a lot of time in their hotels, even with its hefty $395 annual fee. When you use the card for the first time, you’ll get 50,000 rewards points – that’s enough for one complimentary night’s stay. Even better, you’ll always get a $100 hotel credit for dining and recreational services for every two nights or longer you stay at the hotel. The card also comes with cool travel perks like complimentary airport lounge access and a $200 annual credit toward “airline incidentals” (baggage fees, in-flight meals and the like). But we haven’t even mentioned the snazzy rewards program yet: 5% back for each $1 of net purchases charged to your guest room, 2% points for each $1 of net purchases from airlines, car rentals, and dining, and 1% per $1 spent elsewhere. 5% back is much better than most hotel credit cards. Typically, these cards give at most 3-4%.

The Chase Ink Bold, a business credit card designed to reward big spenders, just announced that it’s offering an appropriately big bonus: 50,000 Ultimate Rewards Points, worth $500 cash back but $625 if you use them to book travel through the Chase travel service. The bonus is yours (or, more accurately, your business’) if you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. The rest of the Ink Bold offer is the same: 1% back on all purchases, plus up to 47,500 bonus points a year if you make certain spending thresholds.

Ink Bold℠ with Ultimate Rewards
	Earn up to 50,000 bonus points - 25,000 after your first purchase, plus an additional 25,000 after you spend $10,000 in 3 months - that's $500 in rewards of your choice, or $625 towards airfare when you redeem online through our Ultimate Rewards booking tool Earn up to 5X points per dollar on eligible business purchases, and points do not expire No foreign transaction fees Free Employee Cards No interest charges because it's a pay-in-full charge card No Annual Fee in the first year - a $95 savings
Annual Fee Signing Promo APR, variable* Intro APR Promotions $0 the first year, then $95 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Bonus after spending $10,000 - 25,000 after first purchase; 25,000 more after spending $10,000 within 3 months of opening your account N/A Purchase: None Bal Trans: None

What’s so special about the Chase Ink Bold?

There’s an entire suite of Chase Ink cards: the Classic, Cash and Bold. The Classic and Cash are almost undifferentiated, except that lodging is one of the Classic’s bonus categories and dining is one of the Cash’s, and the former gives Ultimate Rewards while the other (naturally) gives cash back. But there’s a pretty sizeable difference between the Bold and the other two.

Charge vs. credit: The Ink Bold is a charge card, meaning you have to pay your balance in full every month or get slammed with late fees of up to $39. There’s no interest rate, because there’s (presumably) no debt.

Annual fee vs. no fee: The Ink Classic and Ink Cash don’t have annual fees. On the other hand, the Ink Bold has a $95 annual fee (waived the first year).

Category rewards vs. spending thresholds: The Classic and Cash have familiar rewards systems: 5% cash back on office supplies and cable and telecom services (up to $25k in purchases a year), 2% back on gas and lodging/dining respectively (also up to $25k) and an unlimited 1% elsewhere. Simple enough: you spend more on swivel chairs, you get more rewards. The key here is that you earn the same rewards rate whether you’ve spent $15 that year or $15,000.

The Bold has a completely different strategy. You earn a flat 1% back, but beyond that, you get a bonus based on how much you spend.

• $25k-$49,999 a year: 7,500 points
• $50k-$99,999 a year: 22,500 points (cumulative)
• $100k+ a year: 47,500 points

Here’s a breakdown of your effective rewards rate in the first year (including signup bonus, with no annual fee) and ongoing (including annual fee):

In the short run, the Ink Bold’s bonus is pretty amazing. Don’t question $625. But if you’re planning on keeping it for years and years, meh.

What’s best for my business?

The 50,000-point bonus certainly helps the Ink Bold’s case. Initially, we weren’t too hot on it, because the rewards rate was pretty low unless you spend quite a bit of money. However, getting at least $500 upfront definitely raises the card in our estimation. It boils down to a few things:

Will you carry a balance? If so, no charge card for you. You’ll pay quite a bit in fees. It’s a world of not worth it. If you’re looking to your card to provide working capital, the other Chase Ink cards will be much better suited to your business.

How much will you spend? If you fall just under a bonus threshold (say, $19k, $45k or $97k a year) you’ll get a pretty mediocre rewards rate. If you’ve just made one of the higher cutoffs, you’ll see a decent return. But for low spenders or those who think they’ll fall just short, the Capital One Venture Business or the other Chase Ink cards will probably offer better value. The Venture Business gives a flat 2% rewards rate on all purchases, and its $59 annual fee is waived in the first year.

How long will you have the card? The bonus is great, but the Bold depreciates quickly. In Year One, the Bold’s 50k-point signup bonus clearly and soundly trumps the Venture’s 25k-mile bonus. But compare the ongoing rewards rates of the Bold vs. the Venture Business, including annual fees but excluding signup bonuses:

As you can see, the Ink Bold is (almost) always better in Year One, but its value is substantially lower in subsequent years. Plus, this is assuming that you use all your points for travel through Chase, giving all your points an extra 25% of their value. This table is comparing the maximum value of the Ink Bold against the more-or-less-guaranteed value of the Venture Business. In the long run and for those business that don’t spend all that much, the Venture Business’ flat 2% rate wins out.

Many of the Barclays credit cards are geared toward travel. With AirTran, Priceline and Best Western credit cards available, Barclays offers a variety of travel rewards programs designed to reward loyal hotel guests and frequent flyers. Unfortunately, none of those programs are very good.

Narrow selections: Iceland or China?

Barclays has a long list of travel credit cards, ranging from China Airlines to Princess Cruises. While many them are tailored for customers with specific needs, you will be better off choosing a more versatile card with better rewards. Take Barclays’ Icelandair credit card for example. Let’s say you’re favorite cousin lives in Iceland, and you visit him several times a year. A credit card specific to Icelandic travel is just what you need, right?  Well, not really.

The Icelandair World Mastercard offers 2 points for every $1 spent on Icelandair travel, and $1 spent anywhere else. It has the paltry rewards program of a no-fee credit card, but comes with a $39 annual fee. The signup bonus is a mere 10,000 points, plus 1 point per dollar of transferred balance, up to 10k points. Compare that to the Capital One Venture. The Venture has a slightly higher annual fee of $59 (waived the first year), but its rewards are astronomically better. You receive 2 points for every $1 spent anywhere at all, including flights to and from Iceland. If you decide you want to get crazy and visit your other cousin in Nova Scotia, you�ll earn double points there as well. Even at home, every purchase will get you 2 points to the dollar.

The Barclays travel credit cards only give double rewards with a single company, which makes them very limiting. If you want bonus points on Aer Lingus or Best Western or Virgin America purchases, you have to pick one and only one. Why not choose a more flexible credit card that’ll earn you 2x rewards on all purchases, or if you’re not feeling the CapOne Venture, even one that gives 2x rewards on all airfare rather than just one carrier?

A (small) step up: travel site cards

A slightly better Barclays option is the Priceline card. The Priceline Rewards Visa Card will get you rewards on Priceline.com, which means you’re not limited to earning at a particular airline or hotel chain. You’ll get high reward rates on flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages and more, as long as you book them through the website. Priceline offers 4 points to the dollar on Priceline Name Your Own Price purchases, 3 points on other eligible Priceline purchases, 2 points on home improvement or groceries (you choose which), and 1 point on everything else. Again, this is an okay rewards program, but only truly worth it if you use Priceline for every single travel decision you ever make.

The better options

Though the Priceline card is the best Barclays has to offer, it still can’t hold a candle to some of the more versatile travel credit cards out there.

Another stellar travel card is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. It gives you 2 points for every $1 spent on dining and general travel (that’s airfare, hotels, rental insurance and so on) and 1 point for everything else. The annual fee is a bit steep at $95, but you do get the first year free and a 50,000-point signup bonus. Like the Venture, the Sapphire is a Visa Signature card, which means you get some pretty astounding additional benefits, including special access and preferred seating at events, shopping discounts, 24-hour roadside assistance, auto rental insurance, and complimentary upgrades at hotels and resorts.

In short, we wouldn’t recommend a Barclays credit card. The rewards are limiting and pretty mediocre. If you qualify for something a little better, pay the higher annual fee. You’ll be glad you did.

Capital One® Venture℠ Rewards Credit Card	Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ Card
Signing Promo
10,000 Capital One No Hassle Miles Bonus after spending $1,000 - in the first 90 days	40,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Bonus after spending $3,000 - in the first 3 months.
Intro APR Promo
Purchase: None Bal Trans: None	Purchase: None Bal Trans: None
Annual fee
$0 intro for first year; $59 after that	$0 the first year, then $95
Details
Money(R) Magazine's "Most Rewarding Card if you crave free airline flights" 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day Earn 10,000 bonus miles, equal to $100 in travel Redeem your miles for any travel expense No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates No foreign transaction fees $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after that	Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months - that's $500 toward travel rewards! 2 points per dollar spent on travel and and at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Get 20% off airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you book through Ultimate Rewards(SM) No foreign transaction fees Receive a 7% annual dividend on all new poinst earned - even on points already redeemed 1:1 point transfer to participating frequent travel programs Direct access to expert service advisors anytime No Annual Fee for your first year - A $95 value

The Visa Black Card is built on prestige and exclusivity. In fact, this esteemed “ultimate buying tool” has its own website, the homepage of which describes it as “the world’s most prestigious and versatile credit card.” To “ensure the highest caliber of personal service,” Visa limits cardholders to 1% of the U.S. population. But for all its status and cachet, its most unique feature is the fact it’s made of carbon, not plastic.

Visa® Black Card
	Made with carbon, not just another piece of plastic; Membership is limited 24-hour concierge service at your disposal Unlimited VIP airport lounge visits Exclusive rewards program; 1% cash back or airfare on any airline - no blackouts or restrictions Accepted globally; zero liability protection against unauthorized purchases
Annual Fee Signing Promo APR, variable* Intro APR Promotions $495 None APR: 14.99% Default APR: 29.99% Cash Adv: 25.24% Purchase: None Bal Trans: None

We’ve seen this all before

If you’re looking for a symbol to immortalize your prominence and distinction, at least get one with better rewards. For a point of reference, we’ll use the American Express Platinum, the card perhaps most comparable to the Black Card. Both the Platinum and the Black Card are travel rewards cards with formidable reputations. Their annual fees alone limit who is worthy and who should kneel before their might. The Platinum will cost you $450 a year, and the Black Card is bit steeper at $495.

It is important to note that while the Black Card is indeed a credit card, the Platinum is actually a charge card, which means you have to pay off the entirety of your balance each month. Aside from that, these cards function much the same way.

Similar travel services

Both the Black and Platinum offer 24-hour concierge services, so a personal assistant should be available at any given moment to assist you with your travels. Basically, you have a walking, talking Google to consult. Through your concierge, you can get information or make reservations on flights, hotels, restaurants, car rentals, sports events and more. It’s a nice feature, especially since Platinum cardholders get their own seperate concierge service unsullied by Gold Card ruffians.

Either card will grant you a variety of travel assistance services, including travel accident insurance, baggage insurance, and roadside emergency services. They pretty much protect you from anything that could possibly go wrong whilst travelling. There are some minor differences you’ll want to take a closer look at (the Black offers accident insurance up to $250,000, whereas the Platinum will cover up to $500,000), but in general, they share a common goal: to make your trips as convenient and secure as possible.

The platinum edge

Where the two cards really diverge is in the extra benefits they offer. They both grant you access to private airport clubs and lounges, and they both offer purchase protection and warranties. But scroll through the Platinum’s details and you’ll see an extensive list comprised of virtually any travel service you could conceive of—benefits for limousine rentals, private jet bookings, rented rooms at private residences worldwide, cruise privileges, hotel upgrades and preferred seating at events. The Black Card advertises none of these perks.

If you look both rewards systems, the Platinum comes out on top again. The Black Card’s program is fairly simple. You earn 1% rewards and can redeem them for cash back or airfare at any airline. The Platinum program is a little more involved, but a lot more beneficial. Like the Black, the Platinum has a base rate of 1 point per dollar spent. But the Platinum goes beyond the base rate and offers double points for booking trips on the American Express website, and 10x points on purchases made on the rewards site. But here’s the real kicker and the reason the Black Card can’t compete with travel rewards: When you redeem your points for travel, you’ll instantly get 20% of those points back.

In addition, the Black Card has a foreign transaction fee of 3%, so international travel is automatically more expensive.  The Platinum has no foreign transaction fee. You won’t have to worry about paying an extra percentage for everything you buy outside the States.

Better than black

When it comes down to it, there is little reason to choose the Visa Black Card over its rival, the American Express Platinum. I mean, the Black Card is made of carbon, but if you’re okay with plastic, going Platinum will get you more benefits and better rewards for a lower annual fee. If both these cards are a bit out of your league, don’t feel bad. They’re beyond most of us common folk. Check out some of the other Visa Signature cards instead. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card, for example, has a much more affordable annual fee of $95 (waived the first year), and comes with the same benefits and an even higher rewards rate than the Black Card. The CapOne Venture is an even better travel card, giving out 2 No Hassle Miles per $1 spent, with a $59 annual fee that’s waived the first year, and no foreign transaction fee.

In summation, the Visa Black Card needs to get over itself. It can’t contend with the Platinum, and it will never be the legendary Centurion.