Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card overview
The Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card is essentially the most rewarding of Southwest Airways’ private bank cards, providing a $75 annual Southwest credit score and seven,500 anniversary bonus factors. With a wholesome sign-up bonus and essentially the most advantages of any of the airline’s choices, that is the cardboard to get in the event you’re a Southwest loyalist. Card Score*: ⭐⭐⭐½
*Card Score relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
Southwest Airways has a legion of followers — largely attributable to its versatile change/cancellation insurance policies and providing two free checked baggage for all passengers. In contrast to different airways, Southwest doesn’t provide lounges, premium cabins and even seating with additional legroom. However it does provide a full suite of cobranded bank cards to assist frequent flyers fulfill their Southwest journey targets.
The Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card is essentially the most premium private bank card within the Southwest lineup. It provides a whole bunch of {dollars} in worth with Southwest every year, plus its present sign-up bonus provides factors and a Companion Move legitimate by means of February 2024.
However are its advantages precious sufficient to warrant the $149 annual charge? And is now the best time so that you can apply? Let’s discover out.
Welcome provide: Companion cross plus 30,000 factors
The Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card at the moment provides a welcome bonus of a Companion Move and 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. The Companion Move is legitimate till Feb. 28, 2024 (excludes taxes and costs from $5.60 a method); nonetheless, the factors do not expire. TPG values Fast Rewards factors at 1.5 cents every, which means 30,000 factors are price $450. This provide ends March 13.
The Southwest Companion Move is a two-for-one profit that means that you can deliver a delegated buddy or member of the family alongside on any Southwest flight — together with award flights booked with factors. With the Companion Move, you simply pay the taxes and costs on the second ticket. In case you usually fly with one other particular person, this one perk could be extraordinarily profitable.
To achieve the Southwest Companion Move, you usually must earn 135,000 qualifying factors (up from 125,000 factors in earlier years) or take 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar yr. The Companion Move earned this fashion is legitimate for the complete yr it is earned plus the next yr.
In distinction, the Companion Move acquired by means of the present sign-up bonus is legitimate solely by means of Feb. 28, 2024, whatever the date you earn it from finishing the spending necessities.
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Associated: 13 classes from 13 years’ price of Southwest Companion Passes
All Southwest playing cards are topic to Chase’s 5/24 rule. This implies in the event you’ve opened greater than 5 bank cards previously 24 months (from all banks, not simply Chase), you is probably not authorized. Additionally, you may’t open a brand new private Southwest card in the event you at the moment have one open or in the event you earned a sign-up bonus previously 24 months on any private Southwest card.
Important advantages and perks
The Southwest Precedence card provides the next advantages:
- Anniversary bonus: Every year in your card-opening anniversary, you’ll obtain 7,500 Fast Rewards factors, price about $112, based mostly on TPG’s valuations.
- Annual Southwest journey credit score: Throughout every cardmember yr, you’ll obtain a $75 journey credit score that can be utilized on most Southwest purchases, together with tickets (however excluding upgraded boardings and inflight purchases), dropping the cardboard’s precise price to $74.
- 4 upgraded boardings per yr: Use your card to pay for A1-A15 boarding spots and also you’ll be reimbursed as much as 4 occasions per yr. Ordinarily, upgraded boarding prices between $30 and $50 per round-trip improve, so this perk could be price as much as $200 per yr. You should buy upgraded boardings on-line, by means of the app or on the airport.
- 25% inflight financial savings: Obtain 25% again (as an announcement credit score) after you utilize your card to buy inflight drinks, Wi-Fi, messaging and films.
- Tier qualifying factors enhance: Earn 1,500 TQPs that rely towards A-Listing and A-Listing Most popular standing for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar yr.
Along with the Southwest-specific advantages, the cardboard comes with misplaced baggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance coverage, prolonged guarantee protection and buy safety. The cardboard has no international transaction charges, and the annual charge is $149.
Incomes and redeeming
Right here’s what you’ll earn with the Southwest Precedence card:
- 3 factors per greenback on Southwest purchases.
- 2 factors per greenback spent with Fast Rewards resort and automotive rental companions.
- 2 factors per greenback on native transit and commuting, together with rideshare apps.
- 2 factors per greenback on web, cable, telephone companies and choose streaming.
- 1 level per greenback on all different purchases.
Redeeming factors with the Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card may be very easy. Southwest award costs are immediately tied to the money worth of the ticket, which means the variety of factors you want for a flight will fluctuate however you may not often encounter occasions when you may’t use your factors. Plus, in case your plans change, you may redeposit your award with out penalty.
Whereas Southwest’s Fast Rewards factors will not enable you to fly in first-class suites, they will present nice worth. As an illustration, you may fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago-Halfway (MDW) for simply 8,091 factors one-way, relying on the time of yr. In the meantime, different airways typically cost 10,000 miles or much more (assuming yow will discover availability).
In case you ebook throughout one in every of Southwest’s flash gross sales, you would rating awards for lower than 2,500 factors one-way. You may even fly to enjoyable faraway locations like Hawaii, Costa Rica and Mexico along with your Southwest factors.
Evaluating the Southwest Precedence with different Southwest private playing cards
Southwest Airways at the moment provides three private playing cards — all with the identical sign-up bonus. Thus, it may be tough to decide on the best one. This is a comparability of those playing cards:
| Card function | Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card | Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Credit score Card | Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual charge | $69. | $99. | $149. |
| Signal-up bonus |
30,000 factors plus a Companion Move(excludes taxes and costs from $5.60 a method) legitimate by means of Feb. 28, 2024 after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | 30,000 factors plus a Companion Move(excludes taxes and costs from $5.60 a method) legitimate by means of Feb. 28, 2024 after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | 30,000 factors plus a Companion Move(excludes taxes and costs from $5.60 a method) legitimate by means of Feb. 28, 2024 after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
| Anniversary factors bonus | 3,000 Fast Rewards factors. | 6,000 Fast Rewards factors. | 7,500 Fast Rewards factors. |
| Incomes charges |
|
|
|
| Different perks | 25% again on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi. | 25% again on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi. | 25% again on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi.
$75 annual Southwest journey credit score. |
| Tier qualifying factors | N/A. | Earn 1,500 TQPs for every $10,000 spent in a calendar yr (with no limits). | Earn 1,500 TQPs for every $10,000 spent in a calendar yr (with no limits). |
| Upgraded boardings (when obtainable) | N/A. | N/A. | 4 per yr. |
| Early Chicken Examine-In | 2 per yr. | 2 per yr. | N/A. |
| International transaction charge | 3%. | None. | None. |
The Southwest Precedence card is the apparent alternative for normal Southwest flyers. The $75 journey credit score successfully drops the cardboard’s annual charge to $74.
Think about its 7,500-point anniversary bonus — price $112.50 in response to TPG’s newest valuations — and also you’ll really come out $38.50 forward simply by having the cardboard. That is earlier than contemplating the cardboard’s different perks.
Nevertheless, the Southwest Precedence card doesn’t simply compete with different Southwest playing cards. It can also go face to face with extra basic journey playing cards — which can even provide a direct pathway to incomes Fast Rewards factors.
Two playing cards that successfully earn Southwest factors are the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve. Southwest is a 1:1 switch associate of Chase Final Rewards, so you may simply switch your factors earned with both of those playing cards to the airline. The Sapphire Most popular has a $95 annual charge and earns:
- 5 factors per greenback on journey booked by means of the Chase journey portal.
- 5 factors per greenback on Lyft (by means of March 2025).
- 5 factors per greenback on Peloton gear and accent purchases of $250 or extra (by means of March 2025) — as much as 25,000 factors.
- 3 factors per greenback on eating, choose streaming companies and on-line groceries (excludes Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment).
- 2 factors per greenback on journey booked exterior the Chase portal.
- 1 level per greenback on every part else.
It additionally provides precious journey advantages, together with main automotive rental protection and journey delay safety.
Associated: Chase Sapphire Most popular card overview
In the meantime, the Sapphire Reserve provides 3 factors per greenback on all journey and eating purchases (aside from these lined by the $300 in annual journey credit) plus lots of the similar journey protections because the Sapphire Most popular. As well as, you’ll take pleasure in Precedence Move lounge entry and earn factors at greater charges on journey, Lyft rides and Peloton purchases. Nevertheless, the cardboard does include a notably greater annual charge of $550.
Associated: Chase Sapphire Reserve overview
In case you worth the pliability of a transferable factors program like Chase Final Rewards (however nonetheless need the selection to transform your earnings to Southwest factors), then one in every of these playing cards could also be your finest guess.
In any other case, in the event you’re after Southwest-specific perks whenever you journey, the Southwest Precedence card might make a whole lot of sense.
Associated: I are likely to keep away from these two Chase Final Rewards switch companions — here is why
Backside line
In case you fly Southwest at the least just a few occasions every year, you’re positive to return out forward with the Southwest Precedence Credit score Card. The cardboard’s on a regular basis incomes charges go away one thing to be desired, however spectacular built-in perks like upgraded boardings, a $75 annual journey credit score and a 7,500-point anniversary bonus simply make up for it. Chances are you’ll even come out forward.
Official software hyperlink: Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card
Further reporting by Ryan Wilcox, Benét J. Wilson, Jennifer Yellin, Joseph Hostetler, Christina Ly and Ryan Smith.
