The
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is a good credit card for high-spending Rapid Rewards members who want to quickly earn free flights on Southwest Airlines and enjoy a variety of frequent flyer benefits. The Priority Card’s
$229 annual fee might scare some would-be applicants away. But people who travel often could easily earn well over $2,000 in net rewards value in just two years with the Southwest Priority Card.
Some of the Priority Card’s best features include a 7,500 bonus points after each account anniversary, first checked bag free for cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation, and 25% off in-flight drinks and Wi-Fi.
But perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of the offer – an initial bonus of
85,000 points – is currently available with several
Southwest Airlines credit cards. Keep that in mind as you compare offers.
Below, we’ll lay out the biggest pros and cons of the Southwest Priority Card to help you decide whether or not it will be worth the money in your situation.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card Review Highlights:Big Limited-Time Initial Bonus. The Southwest Priority Card gives a
85,000 points. New cardholders who spend
$3,000 within
3 months of opening an account get it.
Initial bonuses on credit cards average about
37,069 points/miles or
$235 cash back, according to WalletHub’s latest
Credit Card Landscape Report. For context, the Southwest Priority Card’s bonus points are worth about
$1,266.5 in Southwest airfare, on average, per our calculations.
High Annual Fee. The Southwest Priority Card’s annual fee is
$229. That’s the highest annual fee among the current Southwest credit card consumer offers. It also means the Priority Card is about
nine times more expensive than the average credit card.
Good Ongoing Rewards. Southwest Priority cardholders earn 4 points per $1 spent through Southwest Airlines®, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards. That’s worth about 5.96% cash back when points are redeemed for Southwest airfare. Plus, you get 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants (or roughly 2.98%). All other purchases get you 1 point per $1 spent, or roughly 1.49% back.
Annual Loyalty Bonus. After each account anniversary, cardholders get 7,500 bonus points - worth about
$111.75. That yearly bonus goes a long way toward making the Priority Card worth the cost.
Lots of Benefits. The Southwest Priority Card’s benefits include the first free checked bag each flight for cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation, and 25% back on in-flight Wi-Fi and drinks. You can also select a Preferred seat at booking, at no additional charge, when available.
Making purchases with the Southwest Priority Card also enables cardholders to earn points toward qualifying for Southwest’s Companion Pass.
Opportunity for a Southwest Priority Card Upgrade. If you have the
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card or the
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, you might be able to upgrade to the Priority Card without applying all over again.
You can see how the Southwest Priority Card stacks up vs. the Southwest Premier and Plus cards
from this comparison. We also recommend checking out our in-depth review of all the
Southwest credit card offers available now.
Note: This review is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Opinions and ratings are our own.
