5 Things to Know Before Getting a Southwest Credit Card

Southwest Airlines issues five co-branded credit cards through Chase, with fees ranging from $69 to $149. For frequent Southwest flyers, the cards are worth their annual fees — especially if they get you closer to a Companion Pass, a special benefit you can earn that lets you take a companion on Southwest flights for free (plus taxes and fees) for at least a year.

The cards can save you money on checked bags, too, as Southwest recently ditched its longstanding policy of letting passengers check bags for free.

Here are some things to know before getting a Southwest credit card.

1. Southwest offers both personal and business cards

Southwest Airlines offers three personal and two business co-branded credit cards through Chase.

2. These cards can save you money on checked bags, too

For decades, Southwest stood out from competitors with its “bags fly free” policy. But that’s come to an end, with checked bag fees kicking in for reservations booked on or after May 28, 2025. Southwest’s new rule:

Starting on May 28, 2025, all Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers and up to eight additional Passengers traveling on the same reservation are eligible to receive their first standard checked bag free. At time of bag check, the cost of one standard bag will be waived per passenger on the reservation if a cardmember is on the reservation.

There are some exceptions, though. Passengers who have A-List status with the airline will get one free checked bag, and A-List Preferred flyers and those booking Business Select get two free checked bags. However, you can’t stack a Southwest card’s free checked bags benefit on top of either of these. If you are already exempt from paying the first bag fee, the airline notes, you won’t receive the card benefit. In other words, an A-List member with a Rapid Rewards card will still only get one free checked bag, not two. Normally, your first bag will cost $35 to check, and your second checked bag will cost $45.

3. There are limits on how many sign-up bonuses you can earn

Every Southwest card comes with the same disclaimer about the sign-up bonus:

The product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.

If you already have a personal Southwest credit card — and earned a sign-up bonus — that generally means you can’t get another. The same goes if you’ve earned a sign-up bonus on a Southwest card within the last two years, even if the card has since been closed.

The exception to this rule: You can have a personal Southwest card and a business Southwest card at the same time and earn sign-up bonuses on both.

» Learn more: Can you have two Southwest cards?

4. Southwest points are relatively valuable (but that might change)

The Rapid Rewards program doesn't have a standard award chart. A reward flight is based on airfare and is influenced by destination, time of travel, and demand. This means a redemption rate in points is tied directly to the flight's cash cost in dollars. The more expensive a flight is, the more points you need to book it.

According to NerdWallet’s valuation, each Rapid Rewards point is worth 1.3 cents. That means 10,000 Rapid Rewards points would be worth $150. Compared to other airline miles, that’s relatively high.

But that might soon change, too. In the same March 2025 press release that outlined its new baggage policy, Southwest announced it would “introduce variable redemption rates across higher-demand and lower-demand flights.” That could mean worse redemption rates for higher-demand flights, potentially making points less valuable in the future.

5. A card can get you closer to a Companion Pass

With a Companion Pass, you can book flights with cash or points anywhere Southwest flies and add a designated companion for free (plus taxes and fees). The pass is valid for the remainder of the calendar year you earn it, plus the entire following calendar year. To qualify, you must either fly 100 qualifying flight segments or earn 135,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year to earn it.

Something to note: The points from sign-up bonuses on Southwest cards count toward the qualification requirement. Sometimes, a card's sign-up bonus even includes a pass outright. Keep this in mind when you’re deciding which card to apply for.

All Southwest cards also come with an annual bonus of 10,000 points that count toward the Companion Pass qualification.

If you're considering applying for a Southwest credit card

Frequent Southwest Airlines flyers will find value in getting a Southwest credit card. The perks are helpful, and the spending categories offer many opportunities to earn more rewards.The Rapid Rewards program also offers a competitive value, especially if you're going for a Companion Pass. It's hard to beat companion flights booked entirely with rewards.