What the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card Does
The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card earns points on every purchase you make, and those points convert directly into Southwest flight tickets and other travel rewards. You get a sign-up bonus of points after you spend a set amount in the first few months, plus an annual bonus of points just for keeping the card open each year. The card has no foreign transaction fees, which matters if you travel internationally.
Southwest itself issues this card through Chase. The card comes in two versions — the Performance Business card for business owners and the personal card for individual use. Both work the same way for earning and redeeming points, though the business version has different annual fees and bonus structures.
Key Takeaways
- You earn one point per dollar spent on any purchase, with bonus points on Southwest purchases and at gas stations.
- The sign-up bonus requires you to spend a specific dollar amount within the first three months, and the bonus points post after you meet that threshold.
- You pay an annual fee to keep the card, but you receive a points bonus each year on your card anniversary that partially or fully offsets that fee.
- Points redeem for Southwest flights, seat upgrades, and other travel purchases through the Southwest website or mobile app.
- The card includes trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage coverage, and other travel protections that set up when you charge the trip to the card.
How to Earn Points with This Card
You earn one point for every dollar you spend on the card, no matter what you buy. Groceries, gas, restaurants, utilities — all earn the same rate. This is different from cards that give higher points on certain categories and lower points on everything else.
You earn bonus points on specific purchases. When you buy a Southwest flight directly from Southwest, you earn two points per dollar instead of one. When you buy gas at a gas station (not a convenience store), you earn two points per dollar. When you stay at a hotel or rent a car through Southwest's travel partners, you earn bonus points as well, though the rate varies by partner.
The sign-up bonus is the largest chunk of points you will earn upfront. You must spend a certain dollar amount on the card within the first three months of opening the account. Once you cross that spending threshold, the bonus points post to your account within one to two billing cycles. The exact bonus amount changes based on current promotions, so check the current offer before you open the card.
You also earn an anniversary bonus of points every year on the date you opened the card. This bonus does not require you to spend anything — it posts automatically as long as your account is open and in good standing.
Annual Fees and What You Get for Them
The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card charges an annual fee that renews each year on your card anniversary. The exact amount depends on which version you hold — the personal card and the business card have different fees. You pay this fee whether you use the card or not.
The annual fee is offset partly or fully by the anniversary bonus of points you receive each year. The bonus points convert into flight value, so the card issuer designs the bonus to cover some or all of the annual cost if you redeem the points for a flight. Whether the bonus fully covers the fee depends on current point values and the size of the bonus in your specific offer.
If you do not want to pay the annual fee, you can close the card. There is no penalty for closing it early, and you keep any points you have already earned. Some people keep the card open just for the anniversary bonus and the points they earn on everyday spending, even if they do not fly Southwest frequently.
How to Redeem Points for Flights and Other Rewards
You redeem points through the Southwest website or the Southwest mobile app. Log into your account, go to the "Rapid Rewards" section, and select "Redeem Points." You can search for flights by date and destination, and the system shows you how many points each flight costs.
Points do not have a fixed dollar value — the cost in points varies by flight, date, and demand. A short flight on a slow day might cost 5,000 points, while a cross-country flight on a busy weekend might cost 15,000 points. You can see the point cost before you commit to the redemption.
You can also use points for seat upgrades, rental cars, hotel stays, and other travel purchases through Southwest's partners. The redemption process is the same — search for what you want, see the point cost, and confirm the redemption.
Points do not expire as long as you have account activity at least once every 24 months. Account activity includes earning points, redeeming points, or even just logging into your Rapid Rewards account. If your account goes inactive for more than 24 months, Southwest may close it and you lose the points.
Travel Protections and Other Card Benefits
The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card includes trip delay reimbursement, which covers meals and lodging if your Southwest flight is delayed more than 12 hours. You must charge the flight ticket to the card for this protection to work. The reimbursement has a per-day limit and a total limit per trip.
The card also covers lost luggage if you check a bag on a Southwest flight charged to the card. If the airline loses your bag, the card reimburses you for essential items you had to buy while waiting for the bag to arrive. This is secondary coverage, meaning the airline's own liability limits explore first.
You get extended warranty coverage on items you buy with the card. If something you purchase breaks within a certain timeframe and the manufacturer's warranty has expired, the card extends that coverage for an additional period. You must file a claim with the card issuer's claims department.
The card includes roadside information, which means if your rental car breaks down, you can call a number on the back of your card and get help. This is a referral service — the card does not pay for the service directly, but it connects you to providers who may offer discounts.
How to Open the Card and Meet the Spending Requirement
You open the card by going to the Southwest Airlines website or the Chase website and clicking the link to explore. You will enter your personal information, Social Security number, and income. Chase runs a credit check and makes a decision within minutes to a few days.
If you are approved, you receive a card in the mail within 7 to 10 business days. You can also request a temporary digital card number that you can use to make purchases online before the physical card arrives.
Once you have the card, you need to spend the required amount within the first three months to earn the sign-up bonus. The three-month window starts on the date you open the account, not the date the card arrives in the mail. Plan your spending so you hit the threshold before the important date — any spending after the important date does not count toward the bonus.
The easiest way to meet the spending requirement is to charge regular bills to the card: rent, insurance, utilities, groceries. You can also make a large purchase like a plane ticket or hotel stay if you were planning to buy it anyway. Do not spend money you would not normally spend just to reach the bonus threshold — the points bonus is not worth going into debt.
When This Card Makes Sense and When It Does Not
This card works best if you fly Southwest at least once or twice a year. The annual fee is worth paying if you redeem points for one flight per year, and the bonus points help you reach that goal. If you never fly Southwest, the annual fee is a pure cost with no benefit.
The card also works well if you live in a city where Southwest has frequent flights. Southwest does not fly to every airport, so if your home airport or your frequent destinations are not on Southwest's route map, you cannot redeem points easily.
If you have a choice between this card and a general travel rewards card, compare the point values. Some travel cards earn points that you can use on any airline, while Southwest points work only for Southwest. If you fly multiple airlines, a general travel card may give you more flexibility.
The card is worth considering if you already spend money on gas and groceries — the bonus points on those categories add up over time. If you rarely buy gas or groceries, the bonus categories do not help much and you are just earning one point per dollar on everything else.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my points if I close the card?
Your points stay in your Rapid Rewards account and do not disappear when you close the card. You can still redeem them for flights and other rewards. The only risk is if your account goes inactive for more than 24 months — then Southwest may close the account and you lose the points. Closing the card itself does not trigger this rule.
Can I use points to buy a ticket for someone else?
Yes. You can redeem points for a ticket in someone else's name as long as you are the one redeeming the points from your account. The person flying does not need to have a Rapid Rewards account. You book the flight through your account and provide the passenger's name.
Do I have to use my points within a certain time?
Points do not expire as long as your account stays active. You must have at least one account activity — earning points, redeeming points, or logging in — within 24 months. If your account goes inactive, Southwest closes it after 24 months and you lose the points. Keeping the card open counts as activity.
What if I do not meet the spending requirement in three months?
You do not earn the sign-up bonus if you do not meet the spending threshold within the three-month window. The bonus does not roll over or extend — you either earn it or you do not. You still keep the card and earn regular points on your purchases going forward.
Can I get the sign-up bonus more than once?
Southwest and Chase have rules about how often you can earn a bonus on the same card. You typically cannot earn another sign-up bonus on the same card for a set period, usually 24 months. If you close the card and reopen it later, you may be able to earn the bonus again, but check the current rules before you close and reopen.