Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
Side-by-side comparison
| Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $249 | $229 |
| Welcome offer | 60,000 miles | |
| Dining | 2x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 2x |
| Travel | 2x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $340 | $343 |
| Points type | Locked to Avianca LifeMiles | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards |
| Network | American Express | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 60,000 miles | 60,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points |
| To earn it | $4,500 in 90 days | $2,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $691 | $789 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $91 | $189 |
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Yes | None |
| Annual credits | None | ~$75/yr (2 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Locked to a single program |
On perks and redemptions, only the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card gets you into airport lounges; the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority carries the heavier credit stack (about $75 a year). Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card earns about $340 a year in rewards and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority about $343, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card charges $249, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority charges $229, but carries about $75 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority delivers more total value, about $61 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on gas. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the two are currently comparable in size. Note that Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority is running a limited-time offer above the usual amount, so that edge may not last. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card if your spending leans toward travel. Pick the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority if your spending leans toward gas.