Oh, planning on diving into the world of Southwest Airlines credit cards? Excellent choice! You're about to unlock a realm of travel perks, points, and possibly even the legendary Companion Pass. But how exactly does this magical piece of plastic work to get you flying more for less? Let's break it down, step by exciting step!
How Does the Southwest Airlines Credit Card Work? Your Comprehensive Guide
The Southwest Airlines credit card, issued by Chase Bank, is a powerful tool for frequent Southwest flyers and those looking to maximize their travel rewards within the Southwest ecosystem. It operates by allowing you to earn Rapid Rewards points on your everyday spending, which you can then redeem for flights and other travel benefits.
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| How Does The Southwest Airlines Credit Card Work |
Step 1: Choosing Your Perfect Southwest Credit Card
Ready to pick your travel companion? Southwest and Chase offer a variety of credit cards, each tailored to different spending habits and travel needs. Understanding the differences is crucial to maximizing your benefits.
Personal Cards:
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: This is often the entry-level card with a lower annual fee and provides a solid foundation for earning points and enjoying basic Southwest perks.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: A step up, offering more anniversary points and potentially a higher earning rate on Southwest purchases. It also typically comes with no foreign transaction fees.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: The premium personal offering, boasting the highest anniversary points, an annual Southwest travel credit, upgraded boardings, and potentially a credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck. It also has no foreign transaction fees.
Business Cards:
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Designed for small business owners, allowing them to earn points on business expenses.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: The top-tier business card with enhanced earning rates, a larger anniversary bonus, and various travel perks relevant to business travel.
Consider your spending habits, how often you fly Southwest, and which benefits resonate most with your travel goals when making your choice.
Step 2: Unlocking the Welcome Offer – Your Initial Point Boost
One of the most appealing aspects of Southwest credit cards is their generous welcome offers.
QuickTip: Don’t skim too fast — depth matters.
The Power of the Sign-Up Bonus:
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Upon approval and meeting a specified spending requirement within the first few months of account opening, new cardmembers can earn a significant chunk of bonus Rapid Rewards points. This initial influx of points is a fantastic kickstart to your travel dreams and can even get you a considerable way towards the coveted Companion Pass.
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Pay close attention to the specific spending threshold and timeframe for your chosen card, as these can vary.
Step 3: Earning Rapid Rewards Points – Every Purchase Counts!
Once you have your Southwest credit card, earning points becomes an integrated part of your financial life.
How Points Accumulate:
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Southwest Purchases: All Southwest credit cards offer accelerated earning rates on purchases made directly with Southwest Airlines (flights, in-flight purchases, gift cards). This is often the highest earning category.
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Bonus Categories: Many cards offer elevated earning on specific categories like local transit and commuting (including rideshare), internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services, or even social media and search engine advertising for business cards.
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Everyday Spending: You'll earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
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Anniversary Bonus Points: A delightful perk of all Southwest credit cards is receiving a set amount of bonus points each year upon your cardmember anniversary, after paying your annual fee. These points help offset the annual fee and continuously boost your Rapid Rewards balance.
Leveraging Rapid Rewards Partners:
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Beyond your credit card, you can earn additional Rapid Rewards points through Southwest's partners. This includes:
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Rapid Rewards Shopping: Earn points by shopping online through their portal.
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Rapid Rewards Dining: Link your credit cards and earn points when dining at participating restaurants.
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Hotel & Rental Car Partners: Book through Southwest's partners to earn more points.
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Step 4: Understanding the Companion Pass – Fly Two for the Price of One!
The Southwest Companion Pass is arguably the most valuable perk in the world of domestic airline travel. It allows you to designate one person to fly with you for just the cost of taxes and fees ($5.60 one-way) on any Southwest flight, whether you pay with cash or points.
How to Qualify:
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To earn the Companion Pass, you need to either fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in a calendar year.
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Crucially, points earned from Southwest credit card welcome bonuses and everyday spending DO count towards the 135,000 qualifying points. This makes the credit card strategy a popular and often faster way to achieve this incredible benefit.
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Many Southwest credit cards also offer an annual "Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost," which automatically deposits 10,000 qualifying points into your account each year, making the target even more attainable.
Using Your Companion Pass:
QuickTip: Focus on one paragraph at a time.
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Once earned, the Companion Pass is valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which you qualified, plus the entire next calendar year.
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You must book your flight first, and then you can add your designated companion to your reservation for the taxes and fees. You can change your designated companion up to three times per calendar year.
Step 5: Redeeming Your Rapid Rewards Points – Turning Points into Flights
Now for the fun part: using your hard-earned points to fly!
Booking Flights with Points:
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Southwest's redemption system is revenue-based, meaning the number of points required for a flight is generally tied to the cash price of that flight.
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There are no blackout dates or seat restrictions when redeeming points for Southwest flights, which offers incredible flexibility. If there's a seat available for cash, you can book it with points.
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Simply log into your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com, select "Points" as your payment type when searching for flights, and the system will show you the points cost. You'll still pay a small amount in government-imposed taxes and fees (starting at $5.60 one-way).
Other Redemption Options:
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While flights offer the best value for your Rapid Rewards points, you can also redeem them for:
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Cash + Points: A newer option that allows you to combine points and cash for a flight.
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Hotel stays and car rentals: Through the More Rewards platform (for credit cardholders).
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Gift cards and merchandise: Generally, these options provide a lower redemption value than flights, so use them as a last resort.
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Step 6: Leveraging Additional Card Benefits – Beyond Points
Southwest credit cards offer a suite of valuable benefits that go beyond just earning points.
Key Perks Include:
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Free First Checked Bag: For the primary cardmember and often up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation, saving you significant money on baggage fees.
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In-flight Discounts: Many cards offer a statement credit (e.g., 25% back) on in-flight purchases of drinks and Wi-Fi.
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EarlyBird Check-In®: Some cards provide a certain number of complimentary EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, which automatically checks you in 36 hours before your flight, improving your boarding position.
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Upgraded Boardings: The Priority card offers reimbursements for upgraded boardings to positions A1-A15, when available, ensuring you're among the first to board.
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Southwest Travel Credit: The Priority card offers an annual credit that can be used for Southwest purchases.
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Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs): On certain cards, your spending can earn you TQPs, helping you achieve A-List or A-List Preferred elite status faster, which comes with benefits like priority boarding, earning bonuses on flights, and same-day standby.
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No Foreign Transaction Fees: Premier and Priority cards waive foreign transaction fees, making them ideal for international travel.
By strategically using your Southwest credit card, you can significantly enhance your travel experience and save money on flights and related expenses.
10 Related FAQ Questions
QuickTip: Stop scrolling fast, start reading slow.
How to choose the best Southwest credit card for me?
Consider your flying frequency, spending habits, and desired benefits. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is generally best for frequent flyers due to its comprehensive perks, while the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a good entry point for occasional travelers.
How to qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass with a credit card?
You typically need to earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in a calendar year. The most common strategy is to earn a large sign-up bonus from one or two Southwest credit cards, as these bonus points count towards the Companion Pass requirement.
How to maximize my Rapid Rewards points earning with the credit card?
Focus your spending on Southwest purchases and any bonus categories your specific card offers. Utilize Southwest's shopping and dining portals (Rapid Rewards Shopping and Dining) to earn extra points on everyday purchases.
How to redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points for flights?
Log in to your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com, select "Points" as your payment type during flight search, and choose your desired flight. You'll only pay a small amount in government taxes and fees.
How to use the Southwest Companion Pass once I've earned it?
Book your own flight first (with cash or points), then go to your "My Trips" section online and select "Add Companion." You'll pay the taxes and fees for your companion's ticket.
QuickTip: Read actively, not passively.
How to change my designated Southwest Companion?
You can change your designated Companion up to three times per calendar year. This can typically be done online through your Rapid Rewards account or by calling Southwest customer service.
How to avoid foreign transaction fees with my Southwest credit card?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card do not charge foreign transaction fees. If you have the Plus card, be aware of the 3% fee on international purchases.
How to use the EarlyBird Check-In benefit from my Southwest credit card?
If your card offers this benefit, you'll typically receive a certain number of complimentary EarlyBird Check-Ins each year. You can apply these during the booking process or later through your reservation details on Southwest.com.
How to use the upgraded boarding benefit from the Southwest Priority Card?
With the Priority card, you can get reimbursed for up to four upgraded boardings per year. These upgrades (to A1-A15) are purchased at the ticket counter or gate on the day of travel, and a statement credit will typically be applied later.
How to know if my Southwest credit card points count towards A-List or A-List Preferred status?
Points earned from credit card spending (not sign-up bonuses) on certain Southwest Premier and Priority cards contribute as Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) towards A-List and A-List Preferred status, helping you reach elite status faster. Look for this specific benefit in your card's terms.
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