Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier vs Choice Privileges® Mastercard®
Side-by-side comparison
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier | Choice Privileges® Mastercard® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $149 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 60,000 points | |
| Dining | 2x | 1x |
| Groceries | 2x | 3x |
| Gas | 1x | 3x |
| Travel | 1x | 5x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $382 | $527 |
| Points type | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards | Locked to Choice Privileges |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier earns about $382 a year in rewards and the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® about $527, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier charges $149, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Choice Privileges® Mastercard® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® delivers more total value, about $294 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on travel and groceries. 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier if your spending leans toward dining. Pick the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, travel.