Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card $0/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card $229/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card on dining, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmerican Express · No annual fee
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardChase · $229/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card$0LowestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card$229
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card10,000 milesSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card60,000 points
- Rewards
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardDelta SkyMilesSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardNoneSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardNone
- Network
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmerican ExpressSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card2xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card2x
- Gas Stations
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card2xHighest
- Everything else
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- 20% inflight purchases
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card— - Dining & delivery
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- $10/mo Instacart+
- DoorDash DashPass
Perks & access— means none on record
- Airline perks
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express 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
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- No foreign transaction fees
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
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- $500,000 travel accident insurance
- Baggage
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—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
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Secondary car rental insurance coverage
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card— - Purchase & returns
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Up to $10,000 per item against damage or theft
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $500 per claim on theft or damage
- Extended warranty
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
- Other protections
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency assistance
- 24/7 roadside dispatch assistance (pay-per-use)
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- No annual fee makes it easy to keep long-term
- 2x miles on Delta purchases and at U.S. restaurants
- 20% back on in-flight Delta purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Pay with Miles feature for partial flight redemptions
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
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- No free checked bag or priority boarding
- Weak 10,000 mile welcome bonus compared to premium Delta cards
- 1x on non-category spend limits earning potential
- Rewards locked in Delta SkyMiles (no transfer partners)
- No elite status boost or companion certificate
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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card wins in 1 of 1 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card leads in 0.
Gas Stations
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card earns 2X 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.
Ongoing value favors the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card; year-one value favors the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card.
| Scenario | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $166 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $166 Year one: $286 | Rewards: $188 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($229) Ongoing: -$19 Year one: $732 | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $662 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $662 Year one: $782 | Rewards: $750 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($229) Ongoing: $544 Year one: $1,294 | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card costs $229/yr — that's $229 more than the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $229 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 $229 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $229 fee gap means the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card needs roughly $229 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 Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card means losing:
- -Free checked bags
The Bottom Line
Ongoing value favors the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card; year-one value favors the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card.
Published annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card $0/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card $229/yr — a $229 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 $0/yr for the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $229 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 Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express 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 Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card have that the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card doesn't?
- The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card offers travel credits. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card offers dining credits.
- Should I get the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $229/yr.
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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.