Aeroplan® Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Annual fees: Aeroplan® Card $195/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card $229/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Aeroplan® Card on travel, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Aeroplan® CardChase · $195/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardChase · $229/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Aeroplan® Card$195LowestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card$229
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Aeroplan® Card75,000 pointsSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card60,000 points
- Rewards
- Aeroplan® CardAeroplan Loyalty ProgramSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Aeroplan® CardNoneSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardNone
- Network
- Aeroplan® CardMastercard World EliteSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Travel
- Aeroplan® Card3xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
- Dining
- Aeroplan® Card2xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card2x
- Gas Stations
- Aeroplan® Card2xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card2x
- Grocery Stores
- Aeroplan® Card2xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
- Everything else
- Aeroplan® Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Aeroplan® Card
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS · $120 every 4 years
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card— - Dining & delivery
- Aeroplan® Card
- DoorDash DashPass
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $10/mo Instacart+
- DoorDash DashPass
- Other credits
- Aeroplan® Card
- Up to $100 in Air Canada credits · $50 every 6 months
- Credit Journey
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Aeroplan® Card
- Automatic Aeroplan 25K Status
- Aeroplan 35K Status at $75,000 spend
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card— - Airline perks
- Aeroplan® Card
- 15% off Air Canada flight redemptions
- Free First Checked Bags
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- Unlimited Extra Legroom seat upgrades
- 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points
- Free Preferred or Standard seat selection at booking
- Free first checked bag for you and 8 companions
- Boarding benefit
- Inflight purchase discount
- Other perks
- Aeroplan® Card
- No foreign transaction fees
- Mastercard 24/7 Concierge
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- No foreign transaction fees
- 7,500 points every year
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Aeroplan® Card
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance · up to $1,500
- Trip Delay Reimbursement · up to $500
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $500,000 travel accident insurance
- Baggage
- Aeroplan® Card
- Baggage Delay Insurance · up to $100
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- Up to $3,000 lost luggage coverage per trip
- $100/day baggage delay coverage, up to 3 days · up to $300
- Rental car
- Aeroplan® Card
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card— - Purchase & returns
- Aeroplan® Card
- Purchase Protection · up to $500
- 24/7 Fraud Monitoring
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $500 per claim on theft or damage
- Extended warranty
- Aeroplan® Card—Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
- Other protections
- Aeroplan® Card
- Roadside Assistance
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency assistance
- 24/7 roadside dispatch assistance (pay-per-use)
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Aeroplan® Card—Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost every year accelerates path to free companion flights
- 7,500 anniversary bonus points ($112+ value) help offset the annual fee
- Earn 2,500 TQPs toward A-List status per $5K annual spend
- Unlimited Extra Legroom seat upgrades at 48 hours when available
- Free first checked bag for cardholder and up to 8 passengers on same reservation
- Cons
- Aeroplan® Card—Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- $229 annual fee is steep compared to mid-tier airline cards
- Legacy $75 travel credit and EarlyBird benefits ended December 2025
- Only 1x points on non-category purchases limits everyday earning
- No lounge access included despite premium pricing
- Southwest's limited route network reduces card utility for some travelers
Category-by-Category Winner
The Aeroplan® Card wins in 2 of 2 categories. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card leads in 0.
Grocery Stores
Aeroplan® Card earns 2X vs 1X
Travel
Aeroplan® Card earns 3X vs 1X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the Aeroplan® Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Aeroplan® Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $250 Credits (our usable estimate): $93 − Annual fee ($195) Ongoing: $148 Year one: $1,123 | Rewards: $188 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($229) Ongoing: -$19 Year one: $732 | Aeroplan® Card | Aeroplan® Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $998 Credits (our usable estimate): $93 − Annual fee ($195) Ongoing: $896 Year one: $1,871 | Rewards: $750 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($229) Ongoing: $544 Year one: $1,294 | Aeroplan® Card | Aeroplan® Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card costs $229/yr — that's $34 more than the Aeroplan® Card ($195/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $34 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card includes dining credits, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $34 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $34 fee gap means the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card needs roughly $34 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on dining and gas stations and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card means losing:
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Aeroplan® Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Aeroplan® Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Aeroplan® Card $195/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card $229/yr — a $34 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card costs $229/yr vs $195/yr for the Aeroplan® Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $34 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card also lists dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Aeroplan® Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Aeroplan® Card have that the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card doesn't?
- The Aeroplan® Card offers travel credits, dining credits. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card offers dining credits.
- Should I get the Aeroplan® Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Aeroplan® Card has a lower $195/yr fee; the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $229/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.