Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Review: Modest Perks, Big Bonus
The Bottom Line
3.9
It's a good option for Southwest loyalists who don't care about airline status or a slew of side benefits.
Rates, fees and offers
Rates, fees and offers
Annual fee
$99
Rewards rate
1x-2x
Bonus 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.
Intro APR
N/A
Ongoing APR
APR: 19.99%-28.49% Variable APR
Cash Advance APR: 29.24%, Variable
Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
$0
More details from Chase
More details from Chase
- 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.
- 3,000 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases
- Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost.
- Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Member FDIC
Pros and Cons
Pros
Anniversary perk
No reward caps
Cons
Has annual fee
Rewards have limited flexibility
Detailed Review
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card isn't the flashiest of the three co-branded Chase cards in the Rapid Rewards family, but that doesn't mean it's the black sheep of the clan either.
After all, the three Southwest cards offer the same APR and sign-up bonus, which gives you a nice boost toward earning the coveted Southwest Companion Pass (or during some promotions, a first-year Companion Pass included after required spending). And since the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card has the lowest annual fee of all the Southwest cards, why wouldn't it win out every time?
Well, it’s not as generous with side benefits or ongoing rewards rates as its two big siblings. And if you're a loyal Southwest customer seeking extra perks when you travel, it could be that the much pricier Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card will still be a better deal for you thanks to the added value you'll get.
In July 2025, the entire portfolio of Southwest credit cards underwent significant changes to a variety of features, including their annual fees, bonus categories and perks. See our story for more information.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Basics
Card type: Airline.
Annual fee: $99.
Sign-up bonus: 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.
Rewards:
2 points per dollar spent on Southwest Airlines purchases.
2 points per dollar at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined spending each anniversary year.
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Through Dec. 31, 2025:
2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2 points per dollar spent on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming.
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.
Interest rate: The ongoing APR is 19.99%-28.49% Variable APR.
Foreign transaction fee: None.
Other benefits:
Anniversary bonus of 3,000 points every new cardmember year.
For 2025 flights, 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year.
10% flight discount each anniversary year (excluding Basic fare, the lowest-priced fare option.)
Free checked bag for cardholder and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
Standard seat selection within 48 hours before departure, when available, for cardholders and up to eight passengers on the same reservation for flights in 2026.
Group 5 boarding for cardholders and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
10,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points boost each calendar year.
25% back on in-flight purchases.
On March 11, 2025, Southwest announced that two bags will no longer fly free for flights booked on or after May 28, 2025, ending a longstanding and popular policy that had defined the airline. The first checked bag will cost $35, and the second checked bag will cost $45. However, select Southwest flyers — including those with elite status, Business Select flyers and Rapid Rewards credit cardholders — will still get at least one free bag. The airline also announced a host of additional changes, including plans to begin operating flights with seat assignments and extra-legroom seats in 2026, ending its open-seating policy. Read NerdWallet's story on Southwest's changes for details.
Compare to Other Cards
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Benefits and Perks
Generous sign-up bonus
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.
This welcome bonus is the same across all three Southwest cards, so you can snag it for a lower $99 annual fee with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card.
Extra anniversary points
For each year you keep your card account open, you'll receive an anniversary bonus of 3,000 points. (You can also earn extra points by booking car rentals and hotels through the Rapid Rewards program, or using the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal.)
No foreign transaction fee
Like its pricier sibling cards, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, which makes it a good choice to use during an international trip.
Travel perks
You won’t get as many travel perks with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card as you would with its counterparts. But the card does offer some valuable benefits that can make travel easier:
10% flight discount each anniversary year (excluding Basic fare).
Free checked bag for you and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
For flights in 2026, standard seat selection within 48 hours before departure for you and up to eight passengers on the same reservation.
Group 5 boarding for you and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
25% back on in-flight purchases.
For 2025 flights, 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins®.
Drawbacks and Considerations
Fewer perks than other Southwest cards
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card earns 3,000 anniversary points, half as many as the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card.
And the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers even more benefits to help defray its hefty $229 annual fee. Every year, Priority cardholders get a 7,500-point anniversary bonus, a $75 Southwest travel credit and four upgraded boardings when available (those are worth $30 to $50 per flight).
Also, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is the only card of the three that doesn't earn tier qualifying points. Those points count toward elite status, known as "A-List" or "A-List Preferred" in Southwest's programs. Benefits of such status include priority boarding and bonus points for flights you pay for.
Here's a look at how the three Southwest consumer cards compare:
| Empty Table Header | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $229. | $149. | $99. |
Rewards on Southwest purchases | 4 points per $1 spent. | 3 points per $1 spent. | 2 points per $1 spent. |
Rewards on other spending |
Through Dec. 31, 2025:
|
Through Dec. 31, 2025:
|
Through Dec. 31, 2025:
|
Sign-up 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. | 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. | 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. |
Anniversary bonus | Earn 7,500 points automatically after your cardholder anniversary each year. | Earn 6,000 points automatically after your cardholder anniversary each year. | Earn 3,000 points automatically after your cardholder anniversary each year. |
Earns tier qualifying points? | Yes (unlimited). | Yes (unlimited). | No. |
Foreign transaction fees | None. | None. | None. |
Travel perks |
|
|
|
Other cards earn more
The rewards on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card are mediocre. Even the most enthusiastic Southwest flyer might be better off with a card that earns more robust rewards.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a $95 annual fee and earns rewards in a variety of useful categories:
5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase.
3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases.
2 points per dollar on travel not purchased through Chase.
1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Better yet: The rewards you earn with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can be transferred to Southwest.
See how this card stacks up against competitors by visiting NerdWallet's roundup of airline credit cards. Also check out our best credit cards page for other offers.
How To Decide If It's Right For You
Frequent but frugal Southwest flyers will find a lot to like about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card because it offers some of the same perks as its higher-end siblings, including a free checked bag benefit.
Just keep in mind that you won't get the side benefits found on the more expensive Southwest co-branded cards. And if you're seeking a card that offers higher rewards and more flexibility with those rewards, consider other options.
Earn bonus rewards in categories such as travel and dining. Those points are potentially worth more when you redeem them for travel through Chase, and you can also transfer points to partner airlines, including Southwest. Annual fee: $95.
Looking For Something Else?
Methodology
NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
About the authors
Sara Rathner
Senior Writer/SpokespersonGregory Karp
Senior Writer
