IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
Side-by-side comparison
| IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $229 |
| Welcome offer | 125,000 points | |
| Dining | 3x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1x | 1x |
| Gas | 3x | 2x |
| Travel | 3x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $431 | $343 |
| Points type | Locked to IHG One Rewards | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa |
*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 IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card earns about $431 a year in rewards and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority about $343, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. 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 IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card delivers more total value, about $279 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on travel and dining. 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 IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card currently has the larger welcome offer. 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 IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if your spending leans toward dining, gas, travel.