Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Annual fees: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $95/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card $229/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on travel, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase · $95/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardChase · $229/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card$95LowestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card$229
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card75,000 pointsSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card60,000 points
- Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Ultimate RewardsSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardNoneSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardNone
- Network
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardVisa SignatureSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card2x
- Electric Vehicle Charging
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
- Gas Stations
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card2x
- Grocery Stores
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
- Streaming
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
- Vacation Rentals
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card2xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
- Everything else
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit · $120 every 4 years
- $100 hotel credit
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card— - Dining & delivery
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- $10/mo Instacart+
- DoorDash DashPass
- Entertainment & streaming
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- A year of Apple TV, valued at $180 · $180 one-time
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Airline perks
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—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
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Complimentary DashPass after activation
- Up to $10 monthly on a non-restaurant DoorDash order
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases
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
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Travel Accident Insurance up to $500,000
- $10,000 Trip Cancellation Insurance per person
- $500 Trip Delay Reimbursement per traveler
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $500,000 travel accident insurance
- Baggage
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $500 Baggage Delay Insurance ($100 per day)
- $3,000 Lost Luggage Reimbursement per traveler
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
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Auto Rental Coverage
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card— - Purchase & returns
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- 120-day Purchase Protection up to $500 per item
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $500 per claim on theft or damage
- Extended warranty
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Extended Warranty Protection adds 1 extra year
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
- Other protections
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency assistance
- 24/7 roadside dispatch assistance (pay-per-use)
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- 75,000 point welcome bonus after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee partly offset by a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each account anniversary year
- 1:1 transfer to 14 airline and hotel partners including Hyatt
- 5X on Chase Travel, 3X dining, streaming, online groceries
- Trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance included
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
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $95 annual fee vs $0 Freedom cards
- No lounge access included
- 5/24 rule restricts applicants with 5+ cards in 24 months
- No 0% intro APR offer
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 Chase Sapphire Preferred Card wins in 6 of 6 categories. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card leads in 0. 1 more category depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via Chase Travel portal
Dining
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 2X
Gas Stations
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 2X
Electric Vehicle Charging
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Vacation Rentals
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Streaming
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Grocery Stores
Depends: Online purchases only. Excludes Target, Walmart, Wholesale Clubs. Grocery pickup or delivery must be ordered online and qualify under Chase's online grocery category. Excludes membership and subscription fees, supermarket pharmacies, gift cards and gift baskets.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
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 Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $346 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $326 Year one: $1,784 | Rewards: $188 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($229) Ongoing: -$19 Year one: $732 | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,382 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $1,362 Year one: $2,820 | Rewards: $750 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($229) Ongoing: $544 Year one: $1,294 | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card costs $229/yr — that's $134 more than the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $134 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 $134 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $134 fee gap means the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card needs roughly $134 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 Chase Sapphire Preferred Card means losing:
- -Free checked bags
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $95/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card $229/yr — a $134 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 $95/yr for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $134 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 Chase Sapphire Preferred 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 Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have that the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card doesn't?
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card focuses on earn rates, while the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card offers dining credits.
- Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lower $95/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.