Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Annual fees: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card $149/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card $229/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card on grocery stores, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardChase · $149/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardChase · $229/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card$149LowestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card$229
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card55,000 pointsSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card60,000 points
- Rewards
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardSouthwest Rapid RewardsSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardNoneSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardNone
- Network
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardVisa SignatureSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card2xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card2x
- Gas Stations
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card2xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card2xHighestSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
- Everything else
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Dining & delivery
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- $10/mo Instacart+
- DoorDash DashPass
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $10/mo Instacart+
- DoorDash DashPass
Perks & access— means none on record
- Airline perks
- 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
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
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- No foreign transaction fees
- 24/7 roadside assistance dispatch
- 24/7 travel and emergency assistance
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
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- $500,000 travel accident insurance
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $500,000 travel accident insurance
- Baggage
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Baggage delay insurance for essential purchases
- Lost luggage reimbursement coverage
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
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card— - Purchase & returns
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- 120-day purchase protection coverage
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- $500 per claim on theft or damage
- Extended warranty
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Extended warranty protection for purchases
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
- Other protections
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card—Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency assistance
- 24/7 roadside dispatch assistance (pay-per-use)
Pros & cons
- Pros
- 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
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
- 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)
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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card leads in 0. 1 more category depend on booking channel or caps.
Grocery Stores
Depends: up to $8,000/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 2X when conditions are met; Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
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.
The better card depends on how much you spend.
| Scenario | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $150 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($149) Ongoing: $24 Year one: $712 | Rewards: $188 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($229) Ongoing: -$19 Year one: $732 | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $600 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($149) Ongoing: $474 Year one: $1,162 | Rewards: $750 Credits (our usable estimate): $23 − Annual fee ($229) Ongoing: $544 Year one: $1,294 | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit 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 $80 more than the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card ($149/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $80 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 $80 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $80 fee gap means the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card needs roughly $80 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on dining and gas stations and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
The better card depends on how much you spend.
Published annual fees: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card $149/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card $229/yr — a $80 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 $149/yr for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $80 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card have that the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card doesn't?
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card offers dining credits. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card offers dining credits.
- Should I get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has a lower $149/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.