How to Make the Most of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Carrying this card earns you more points toward free flights — and gives you a boost toward Southwest's coveted companion pass.
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To get the most out of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, you need to earn as many points as possible and use those points to book Southwest flights. That's it.
In this way, Southwest Airlines’ loyalty program, Rapid Rewards, is far simpler than its counterparts. Southwest's program doesn’t have ever-changing rewards values or hard-to-follow jargon. You won't get much more for your money by redeeming the points differently. And in a way, that's a relief. It gives you more time to focus on earning extra points, qualifying for Southwest's top-notch benefits and saving money. Here's how you can do that.
NerdWallet values Southwest points at 1.3 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.3 cents or more in value from your Southwest points.
Apply when there's a big welcome bonus
Sometimes, this card's welcome offer goes sky-high for a limited time. If you apply during such a promotion, you could potentially get a lot more value from the card in the first year. The current bonus: Limited Time Offer: Our best points offer this year, earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 5 months from account opening.
Earn a Companion Pass
Southwest’s Companion Pass is the most coveted benefit the airline offers. It's basically a Southwest ID card that lets someone fly for free with you for the remainder of the calendar year in which you earn it, plus the following calendar year. If you manage to qualify for the pass early in the year, that's almost two years' worth of free flights for the person of your choosing. (Different terms may apply for a Southwest Companion Pass obtained through a promotional offer.)
To get a pass, you have to either earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights on the airline. Certain promotions or limited-time offers may be exceptions to this requirement. And if you're trying to requalify for the pass, the card's 6,000-point anniversary bonus and the 10,000 Companion Pass bonus points per calendar year can inch you closer. However, some rewards, including purchased points and points earned through Southwest's partners, don't count toward this pass.
Check a bag
Go ahead: Pack heavy and check a bag. The Premier card (and all of the other Southwest credit cards) will give cardholders and up to eight passengers on the same reservation a free checked bag. Southwest charges $35 for the first bag, so this perk could be worth hundreds of dollars per flight.
Spend strategically with the card
The Premier card earns the following ongoing rewards:
3x points on Southwest purchases.
2x points on the first $8,000 in combined annual spend at grocery stores and restaurants.
1x points on all other purchases.
To squeeze the most value out of the card, use it for all Southwest purchases, which include flights, in-flight purchases and Southwest gift cards. A 2x rate on groceries and restaurants isn’t bad, either, though you may want to temporarily shelve your Southwest card once you hit the $8,000 annual spend cap for another card with a better rewards rate in those categories.
Rebook if your flight gets cheaper
Southwest lets you reschedule flights for free, with no change fee. If your plans change, you can rebook your flight and get an airline credit if the new flight is less expensive than the old one. If the new flight is more expensive, you only have to pay the difference in price.
So after you book your ticket, keep an eye on the price. If it drops significantly after you make your purchase, rebook your flight and get some airline credit in return.
Although you can redeem points on Southwest's More Rewards platform for merchandise, gift cards and international flights with Southwest partners, these options generally get you less than 1 cent per point. You can get a better deal by redeeming for Southwest flights.
Use your promo code
Every account anniversary, Premier cardholders will receive a promotional code good for 15% off a flight except for Basic fares. If possible, wait until you receive the discount code before booking upcoming travel.
Get a head start on elite status
The Premier card can help you earn Southwest's popular loyalty benefits by giving you 1,500 tier-qualifying points for every $5,000 spent, with no limit.
A-List status. 35,000 tier-qualifying points needed to qualify. A-List status benefits include:
Priority check-in.
One free checked bag.
25% points bonus when purchasing eligible Southwest flights.
Free same-day standby.
A-List Preferred status. 70,000 tier-qualifying points needed to qualify. A-List Preferred status benefits include all of the A-List benefits plus the following:
Two free checked bags.
Free in-flight Wi-Fi.
100% points bonus when purchasing eligible Southwest flights.
Up to two free drinks on select flights.
Once you earn the Companion Pass and A-List/A-List Preferred status, they're good for the rest of the calendar year and the whole next year.
Enroll in the dining program
With Southwest’s dining program, members of the airline's Rapid Rewards frequent flier program can earn 3 points per $1 spent at certain restaurants, regardless of which credit card you use to pay.
To sign up, create an account on the Rapid Rewards Dining landing page, and link it to your Rapid Rewards account. Next, add any credit card or debit card to the account. Use the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card if you want to earn as many Rapid Rewards points as possible.
You can search eligible restaurants in your area by entering your ZIP code at the top of the page. When you use your registered card at these places, you’ll earn those bonus points automatically.
» MORE: The best dining rewards programs
Shop Southwest's bonus mall
Through Southwest’s bonus mall, you can earn unlimited Rapid Rewards points for shopping at certain online retailers — sometimes, as much as 15 extra points per dollar spent.
To earn the points, begin shopping from the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal. After clicking on an offer you want, you’ll be taken to the store’s website. Shop and purchase as you normally would, and you’ll automatically receive your bonus rewards into your Rapid Rewards account.
Like the dining program, this bonus mall works with any card — but you’ll earn more Rapid Rewards points by shopping with your Premier card.
1x-5x
Points75,000
Points
1.5%-5%
Cashback$200
2x-5x
Miles75,000
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