Southwest Credit Card Review: Best Way to Earn Free Flights?

It's worth getting a Southwest credit card if you're a frequent flyer who is brand loyal to Southwest Airlines. There are 5 Southwest credit card offers available right now, all of which are issued by Chase and require at least good credit for approval.

If you're not a frequent Southwest Airlines flyer, you're probably better off with a travel rewards credit card that's equally rewarding no matter which airline you use or where you book your flights. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Capital One Venture Card are two particularly good options. 

You need a minimum credit score of at least 700 to be approved for a Southwest Airlines credit card, which is considered good credit. If your credit score is below the threshold needed for a Southwest Airlines credit card, it's best to wait to apply until you meet the credit score requirement. You can check your credit score for free on WalletHub.

Southwest Airlines Credit Score Requirements by Card

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: 700+ (Good credit)
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: 700+ (Good credit)
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: 700+ (Good credit)
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: 700+ (Good credit)
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: 700+ (Good credit)

Your credit score is an important factor, but there are plenty of other things that will impact your chances of being approved for a Southwest Airlines credit card, too. Some other key criteria include your income, existing debt load, number of open credit accounts, recent credit inquiries, employment status and housing status.

The Southwest Premier card benefits are rental car insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and travel accident insurance. Cardholders also get their first and second checked bags free on Southwest flights, plus 6,000 bonus points every year the Southwest Premier card is renewed. Additionally, the Southwest Premier card's foreign transaction fee is $0.

Southwest Premier Card Benefits List

• Rental car insurance.
• Purchase protection.
• Extended warranty protection.
• Lost luggage reimbursement.
• Baggage delay insurance.
• Travel accident insurance.
• First and second checked bags free.
• 6,000 bonus points every time card is renewed.
• No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
• $0 foreign transaction fee.
• Initial bonus: 50,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months.
• 1 - 3 points per $1 on purchases.

The Southwest Premier credit card isn't the cheapest Southwest card - nor the most expensive - but its $99 annual fee can be worth it for people who travel a lot. The initial bonus alone is worth at least two free flights - and maybe more, depending on the cost of airfare. The travel insurance benefits also stand out on this card, simply because so many card issuers have dropped these benefits in recent years.

The Southwest Premier card 60,000-point bonus offer is no longer available. Southwest Premier's current signup bonus is 50,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. The bonus points are worth at least 2 free Southwest flights, and likely more.

With that bonus and an annual fee of $99, the Southwest Premier credit card is a pretty good value for the first year. The card gives more bonuses outside of the first year, too. Southwest Premier cardholders receive an extra 6,000 bonus points every year they renew their card membership.

The Southwest Premier Card foreign transaction fee is $0. That means transactions processed outside the U.S. won't incur the typical 2%-4% foreign fee charged by certain credit cards. Although the Southwest Premier Card has a $99 annual fee, cardholders who travel abroad frequently will save money with $0 foreign transaction fees.

On the topic of saving money, with this card you'll also get: 3 points per $1 spent with Southwest, 2 points per $1 on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners, 2 points per $1 on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, 2 points per $1 on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Paired with $0 foreign transaction fees, the Southwest Premier Card is a pretty good value.

The Southwest Premier Card travel insurance benefit is made up of three types of coverage: travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and baggage delay insurance. Southwest Premier also has rental car insurance, though that's usually considered a separate type of benefit from travel insurance. All of these perks come free just for owning the card and paying the $99 annual fee.

Southwest Premier Card travel insurance includes:

Travel accident insurance. Provides up to $500,000 in reimbursement for death or dismemberment that occurs during travel on a common carrier (plane, train, bus, ship, etc.). Must pay for the trip with the Premier Card.

Lost luggage reimbursement. Pays up to $3,000 per trip for checked or carry-on bags that get damaged or stolen while you are traveling on a common carrier. Must pay for the tickets with the Premier Card.

Baggage delay insurance: Reimburses up to $100 per day for up to 3 days when baggage arrives more than 6 hours late to your destination. Must pay for the tickets with the Premier Card.

Rental car insurance: Provides coverage against damage or theft on cars rented with the Premier Card. It reimburses up to the actual cash value of most vehicles for rentals of up to 31 consecutive days. To qualify, you must turn down the rental agency's own insurance policy.

Each type of Southwest Premier card travel insurance has its own rules for eligibility and filing claims, so make sure to read your benefits guide for the full details.

You can add a Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier authorized user online or by calling the issuer's customer service, Chase in this case, at 800-432-3117.

To add an authorized user online, sign in to your account, click “Things you can do,” and then select “Add an authorized user” from the drop-down menu. After that, fill out the form and click “Add Authorized User.”

You may also want to check out our article on adding an authorized user for more information on the benefits and risks of doing so.

To cancel your Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card, you will need to call the issuer's customer service department at 800-432-3117.

Just make sure to redeem your rewards before doing so. You may also want to check out our article about when it's good and bad to close a credit card account.

It is hard to get a Southwest credit card because they require at least good credit for approval. Unless your credit score is 700 or higher and you have a lot of income, it will be difficult for you to get approved for a Southwest credit card credit card.

Minimum Credit Score for Notable Southwest Credit Cards

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Good credit
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Good credit
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Good credit
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Good credit

Keep in mind that while the credit score requirement is the main thing that makes a Southwest credit card credit card hard to get, there are other requirements you will have to meet to get approved. As with all credit cards, you'll need to have a steady income that's big enough to handle the card's credit limit, and you must be at least 18 years old.

Finally, it's important to note that even if you exceed all of the requirements to get a Southwest credit card, you're never guaranteed to get approved, though your odds are good.

A credit score of 700+ is needed for the Southwest Premier Card. This means that you need at least good credit to get this card.

However, no one can tell you for sure whether a good credit score is sufficient to garner approval. The reason for that is because, while your credit standing is a very important factor, it's not the only one. There are other variables that may play a role such as your credit history, any outstanding debts, and your income.

Having said that, it is also worth noting that you can check your credit score for free on WalletHub and see where you stand.