Travelers have to appreciate the array of Southwest credit cards, including the card_name, on the market today. Whatever type of traveler, Southwest likely has a card to suit your needs.
EarlyBird Check-In, Tier Qualifying Points, and InFlight Statement Credits are the primary reasons to get excited about the card_name. Separately, the card comes with a respectable welcome offer and bonus categories to help you earn points.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Details
New card members earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. It’s important to note the bonus points are not available to you if you’re a:
- current cardmember of any Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card, or
- previous cardmember of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months
- these restrictions do not apply to cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Perks
EarlyBird Check-In, Tier Qualifying Points, and InFlight Statement Credits are the perks that come with the card_name.
Each cardmember anniversary year you receive two EarlyBird Check-In credits made with your Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. EarlyBird Check-In provides automatic check-in before the traditional 24-hour check-in and can be purchased as part of the original flight purchase or added to a flight after purchase. The price of EarlyBird Check-In may vary.
Tier qualifying points (TQP) are earned from revenue flights booked through Southwest Airlines or when you use the card_name to make purchases. Cardmembers earn 1,500 TQPs for each $10,000 in purchases annually. TQPs earned qualify the cardmember A-List and A-List Preferred status.
25% back on inflight purchases comes with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. Eligible flight purchases include drinks and WiFi.
How to Earn Points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Cardmembers earn points under the following earning structure:
- 3X points on Southwest Airlines
- 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
In addition, card members receive 6,000 bonus points each account anniversary year. An additional 1,500 TQPs for each $10,000 spent in purchases annually can also be earned. TQPs can be used to count toward qualification for Rapid Rewards A-List or A-List Preferred status.
As a point of comparison, you can earn points with the following cards at these rates:
- 5X points on airfare with the Amex Platinum Card
- 3X points on hotels, rental cars, transit, and commuting with the Chase Sapphire Reserve
- 5X points on internet, cable, and phone services with the Chase Ink Business Cash
- 3X points on streaming with the Chase Sapphire Preferred
How to Redeem Points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Southwest points are generally fixed at around 1.5 cents per point. This equates to 15,000 points being worth the equivalent of a $100 flight. When airline points/miles are fixed, you generally will not receive outsized value. however, if you have the Southwest Companion Pass, you could argue you receive outsized value when booking a second flight for free with Southwest.
Which Cards Compete with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card?
Aeroplan Card, United Explorer Card, British Airways Visa Signature card, Aer Lingus Visa Signature card, Iberia Visa Signature card, Delta SkyMiles Gold, AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard, JetBlue Plus Card, and Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select are the closest competitors to the card_name.
Conclusion on the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
EarlyBird Check-In, Tier Qualifying Points, and InFlight Statement Credits are the main reasons to apply for the card_name. In addition, the card earns 2-3X points in select bonus categories.
Disclaimer: If you click and/or sign up for a credit card through certain links on this site or any of my related social media platforms, I may make a commission from that click-through. The editorial content on this page and the user comments are not provided by any of the companies mentioned and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The opinions expressed here are mine alone.
