Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Annual fees: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card $99/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card $149/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card on gas stations, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card on grocery stores.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit CardChase · $99/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardChase · $149/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card$99LowestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card$149
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card50,000 pointsSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card55,000 points
- Rewards
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit CardSouthwest Rapid RewardsSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit CardNoneSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardNone
- Network
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit CardVisa SignatureSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card2xHighest
- Gas Stations
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card2xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card1x
- Grocery Stores
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card2xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card2x
- Everything else
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Dining & delivery
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- $40/yr DoorDash + DashPass
- $10/mo Instacart+
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- $10/mo Instacart+
- DoorDash DashPass
Perks & access— means none on record
- Airline perks
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Free first checked bag for you and 8 companions
- Board with Group 5 for overhead bin access
- 10% off Southwest flights each anniversary year
- Free Standard seat selection 48 hours before departure
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points
- Free first checked bag for you and 8 companions
- Board with Group 5 for overhead bin access
- 15% Flight Discount
- Complimentary Preferred seat
- Other perks
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- No foreign transaction fees
- 24/7 roadside assistance dispatch
- 24/7 travel and emergency assistance
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- No foreign transaction fees
- 24/7 roadside assistance dispatch
- 24/7 travel and emergency assistance
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- $500,000 travel accident insurance
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- $500,000 travel accident insurance
- Baggage
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Lost luggage reimbursement coverage
- $100/day baggage delay coverage for up to 3 days · up to $300
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- Baggage delay insurance for essential purchases
- Lost luggage reimbursement coverage
- Rental car
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- Auto rental collision damage waiver
- Purchase & returns
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- 120-day purchase protection coverage
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- 120-day purchase protection coverage
- Extended warranty
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Extended warranty protection for purchases
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- Extended warranty protection for purchases
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Lowest annual fee ($99) among Southwest cards while still earning 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points annually
- 3,000 anniversary bonus points help offset annual fee
- 2x points on gas and groceries (first $5K combined) adds everyday earning value
- Free first checked bag for cardholder and up to 8 passengers on same reservation
- 10% anniversary promo code for Southwest flights
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- 6,000 anniversary bonus points ($90+ value) help justify the annual fee
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually accelerates free companion flights
- 2x on grocery stores and restaurants (first $8K combined) adds everyday earning
- Earn 1,500 TQPs toward A-List status per $5K annual spend
- Complimentary Preferred or Standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure, when available
- Cons
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Only standard seat selection (Premier/Priority get preferred seats, Priority gets Extra Legroom)
- Lower 3,000 anniversary points vs 6,000 (Premier) or 7,500 (Priority)
- No tier qualifying points toward A-List status
- Only 1x points on non-category purchases limits everyday earning
- $5,000 combined cap on 2x gas/grocery earning restricts bonus potential
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- $149 annual fee may not be justified for infrequent Southwest flyers
- No Extra Legroom upgrades (Priority cardholders get unlimited upgrades at 48 hours)
- Only 1x points on non-category purchases limits everyday earning potential
- 1,500 TQPs per $5K spent is less than Priority's 2,500 TQPs
- Limited bonus categories — only grocery/restaurants at 2x (old transit/internet/RR partners expired)
Category-by-Category Winner
No unconditional category winner — 2 categories depend on how you earn.
Gas Stations
Depends: up to $5,000/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card earns 2X when conditions are met; Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Dining
Depends: up to $8,000/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 2X when conditions are met; Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $150 Credits (our usable estimate): $42 − Annual fee ($99) Ongoing: $93 Year one: $746 | Rewards: $150 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($149) Ongoing: $24 Year one: $712 | Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $600 Credits (our usable estimate): $42 − Annual fee ($99) Ongoing: $543 Year one: $1,196 | Rewards: $600 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($149) Ongoing: $474 Year one: $1,162 | Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $149/yr — that's $50 more than the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card ($99/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $50 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier 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 $50 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $50 fee gap means the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card needs roughly $50 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on grocery stores and dining and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card $99/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card $149/yr — a $50 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card costs $149/yr vs $99/yr for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $50 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card also lists dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card have that the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card doesn't?
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card offers dining credits.
- Should I get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card has a lower $99/yr fee; the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $149/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.