Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card review: Full details

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card Overview

the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (See rates and fees) This is the most rewarding Southwest Airlines personal credit card. Its annual fee is $229 and offers an additional 7,500 anniversary points. With the most benefits of any of the Southwest cards, this is the card to get if you’re a Southwest loyalist. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG editors and is not influenced by card issuer.

Southwest Airlines is seeing sweeping changes, including a revamped boarding process starting in January 2026 and bags no longer flying for free. Unlike other airlines, Southwest does not offer lounges, but it plans to implement premium cabins and has begun retrofitting its planes to include seats with extra legroom.

Amidst all these changes, the airline’s entire suite of co-branded credit cards was recently updated, introducing a wide range of changes.

This includes Southwest Priority Cardthe most exclusive card containing perks aimed at making the Southwest travel experience more enjoyable for frequent Southwest travelers.

This card won Best Airline Co-Branded Credit Card at the 2024 TPG Awards, but with these new changes, only time will tell if it takes home the crown again this year.

The Southwest Priority Card has a recommended credit score of 670 or higher.

Let’s dive in and see if the card’s benefits are valuable enough to justify the $229 annual fee, and if now is a good time to apply.

Pros and Cons of the Southwest Priority Credit Card

Southwest Priority Credit Card Welcome Offer

new Priority to the southwest Cardholders can earn a whopping 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

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According to TPG’s October 2025 ratings, the 85,000 points included in this welcome offer are worth $1,190. This is one of the higher-scoring welcome offers we’ve seen on a card and meets our criteria for when to apply.

Note that Southwest cards are subject to the 5/24 Chase rule. If you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months (from all banks, not just Chase), you may not be approved.

Additionally, you cannot open a new personal Southwest Card if you have one open. You also won’t be able to get a new welcome bonus from your Southwest Personal Card if you’ve received one within the past 24 months.

RELATED: How to Quickly Get a Southwest Companion Pass

Southwest Priority Credit Card Benefits

the Southwest Priority Card It offers the following benefits, many of which can help offset the annual fee. Most of the features will make your travel day experience more enjoyable.

It is important to note that existing cardholders will receive all their current benefits until December 31st.

Cardholders get:

• Anniversary bonus: On your card anniversary each year, you will receive 7,500 Rapid Rewards points worth $105 based on TPG ratings.
• Southwest Annual Travel Credit: During each year of Card Membership, you will receive a $75 travel credit that can be used on most Southwest purchases, including tickets (excluding boarding upgrades and onboard purchases; this credit will expire on December 31).
• Twice EarlyBird check-in per year: EarlyBird logins can cost up to $99 (ends December 31).
• Four ascents per year: For flights operating in 2025, you will have the ability to upgrade your boarding up to four times (ending December 31).
• First checked bag is free: Get your first checked bag free for you and up to eight passengers traveling on the same booking. (The first standard bag costs $35, which will save a family of four $280 on a round-trip itinerary.)
• Group 5 promotion priority (for 2026 onwards): If you have A-list status, you can board with a previous group.
• Choose your preferred seat when booking: When available, you and up to eight passengers traveling on the same booking can select preferred seats at the time of booking.
• Unlimited upgrades for extra legroom: When available, you and up to eight passengers traveling on the same booking can select seats with extra legroom within 48 hours before departure. This is arguably the most valuable feature the card offers, as most domestic airlines only offer complimentary seats with extra space to their elite members or require a hefty spending amount on the co-branded card.
• 25% discount on flights: Get 25% back (as a statement credit) after using your card to purchase on-board drinks and Wi-Fi.
• Boost tier qualification points: Earn 2,500 qualifying points that count toward A-List and A-List Preferred status for every $5,000 you spend in a calendar year.
• Boost 10,000 Companion Pass eligible points annually: Cardholders earn 10,000 points for the Companion Pass each year.

In addition to Southwest-specific benefits, the card comes with lost baggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, extended warranty protection, and purchase protection.

The card also has no foreign transaction fees, so it’s a good option for spending abroad.

RELATED: How to Get Elite Status on Airlines

Earn points with the Southwest Priority Credit Card

Here’s what you’ll gain with Southwest Priority Card:

• 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases (5.6% return based on TPG ratings)
• 2 points for every dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants (2.8%)
• 2 points per dollar spent with Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners (2.8%, expires December 31)
• 2 points per dollar spent on transportation and local travel, including ride-hailing apps (2.8%, ending December 31)
• 2 points per $1 spent on internet, cable, phone and select streaming purchases (2.8%, expiring December 31)
• 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases (1.4%)

This card offers a wider range of rewards categories than other airline credit cards; However, many of these bonus categories will be removed at the end of the year. You may be better suited with other top travel cards, as their payouts can be more lucrative.

You’ll earn 5.6% back on Southwest purchases and 2.8% on select purchases (according to TPG ratings), which aren’t bad return rates for a co-branded credit card. Additionally, the gas and grocery bonus category can be beneficial for those who plan to put a significant portion of their daily spending on the card.

However, this may not be the best Southwest card for you if you don’t book Southwest flights often or prefer to use other portals for hotel reservations and car rentals.

Related: Best Rewards Credit Cards

Redeem points using the Southwest Priority Credit Card

recovery Southwest Rapid Rewards Points with Southwest Priority Card Very clear.

Southwest award prices are directly tied to the cash value of the ticket, which means the number of points you need for a flight will fluctuate, but you’ll rarely encounter times when you can’t use your points. Additionally, you can redeposit your prize without penalty if your plans change.

Although Southwest points won’t help you fly in first-class suites, they can provide you with great value.

For example, you can fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) for as little as 8,091 points one way, depending on the time of year. Meanwhile, other airlines often charge for 10,000 miles or more (assuming you can find availability).

If you book during one of Southwest’s flash sales, you can score awards for as little as 2,500 points one way. You can also travel to fun destinations like Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Mexico through your Southwest points.

For example, Emily Thompson, newsletters and partnerships editor at TPG, recently took advantage of one of these sales to book a round-trip ticket between Nashville International Airport (BNA) and San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) in California for less than 25,000 points.

RELATED: How to redeem your points through Southwest Rapid Rewards

Which cards compete with the Southwest Priority Credit Card?

Southwest Airlines offers three personalized cards, so you can choose the one that’s right for you.

• If you want the benefits of Southwest with more modest fees: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has an annual fee of $149. They offer selection of preferred seat within 48 hours before departure (when available), one 15% off promo code per cardmember anniversary (excluding base fare), 6,000 anniversary bonus points and a complimentary checked bag. To learn more, read our website Complete review of the Southwest Premier Card.
• If you want a Southwest card with a lower annual fee: the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (See Rates and Fees) It has an annual fee of $99 and allows for standard seat selection within 48 hours before departure (when available), one 10% promo code per cardmember anniversary (excluding base fare), 3,000 anniversary bonus points and a free checked bag. To learn more, read our full review of the Southwest Plus Card.
• If you want to use transferable points with Southwest and other airlines: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See rates and fees) You earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer 1:1 to one of 13 Chase partners, including Southwest. You’ll get multiple travel protections, a $50 annual hotel credit on hotel bookings made through Chase Travel℠, and powerful earning tiers for a $95 annual fee. To learn more, read our full review of Sapphire Preferred.

For more options, check out our complete list of travel credit cards.

Information for Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier was collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

RELATED: Companion Pass card and reward points: Compare Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier, and Plus credit cards

Is the Southwest Priority Credit Card worth it?

If you travel to Southwest at least a few times a year, you’ll be making a trip Southwest Priority Card. Daily earning rates aren’t the most lucrative, but impressive built-in perks like choosing a preferred seat (when available), Group 5 boarding (for 2026 and beyond), free checked bags for you and eight travel companions, and Anniversary Bonus points make up for it. However, if you fly Southwest less frequently, you’ll likely prefer one of our other favorite airline cards.

RELATED: How to Choose the Travel Credit Card That’s Right for You

Bottom line

the Southwest Priority Card It’s the most rewarding of Southwest Airlines’ personal credit cards, allowing you to earn a good selection of points and get the most out of any of the airline’s offers.

Despite the recent update and annual fee increase, this is still the best Southwest card for you if you fly with the carrier often.

However, if you don’t fly Southwest often or want to keep your annual fee costs low, you may want to choose one of Southwest’s other co-branded cards or a card that earns transferable rewards.

Apply here: Southwest Express Rewards Priority Credit Card