United℠ Explorer vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
Side-by-side comparison
| United℠ Explorer | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $229 |
| Welcome offer | Up to 60,000 bonus miles | |
| Dining | 2x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 2x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $322 | $343 |
| Points type | Locked to United MileagePlus | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified September 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | United℠ Explorer | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Up to 60,000 bonus miles | 60,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points |
| To earn it | $3,000 in 3 months | $2,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $772 | $789 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $172 | $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 | United℠ Explorer | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Yes — United Club | 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 United℠ Explorer 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.
These reward two very different airline models. United is a traditional network carrier where a free checked bag is real money; Southwest gives free bags to everyone, so its card value comes from the Companion Pass and boarding perks.
The Explorer’s pitch is straightforward: cheaper United flights via a free bag and early boarding, plus lounge passes. The Priority’s pitch is the Companion Pass, letting a companion fly with you for just taxes, which its welcome bonus and spend help you earn. Which airline you fly, and whether you’ll chase the Companion Pass, decides it.
Pros and cons
- Free first checked bag and priority boarding on United, real savings on a network carrier
- Two United Club passes and a Global Entry credit
- $79 cheaper than the Priority
- Good for the regular United flyer
- Only useful if you fly United
- No Companion Pass equivalent
- Miles locked to United
- Points count toward the Companion Pass, potentially the best deal in domestic travel
- $75 annual Southwest travel credit and four upgraded boardings
- Free checked bags come standard on Southwest
- 7,500 anniversary points
- $229 fee, the higher of the two
- Only useful if you fly Southwest
- No lounges (Southwest has none)
- Points locked to Southwest
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Airline | Depends | United for the Explorer; Southwest for the Priority. |
| Checked bags | Different models | Explorer gives a free bag on United; Southwest bags are free for everyone. |
| Companion Pass | Southwest Priority | Its spend helps earn the Companion Pass, a huge perk. |
| Lounge passes | Explorer | Two United Club passes; Southwest has no lounges. |
| Annual fee | Explorer | $150 vs $229. |
The verdict
This comes down to which airline you fly, but with a twist: if you can earn the Southwest Companion Pass, the Priority’s ceiling is far higher than any single-card perk on the Explorer. The Companion Pass lets a designated person fly with you for just taxes on every trip, sometimes for over a year, which can be worth thousands. For a Southwest flyer, especially a couple or family, that potential outweighs the higher fee.
If you fly United, the Explorer is simply the right tool, its free bag and boarding save real money on a carrier that charges for them, and the lounge passes and Global Entry credit round it out at a lower fee. The two cards aren’t really competing for the same person, so pick by your airline first, and if it’s Southwest, lean into the Companion Pass math.