Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
Side-by-side comparison
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 | $229 |
| Welcome offer | ||
| Dining | 1x | 2x |
| Groceries | 2x | 1x |
| Gas | 2x | 2x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $373 | $343 |
| Points type | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 50,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points | 60,000 Rapid Rewards® bonus points |
| To earn it | $1,000 in 3 months | $2,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $774 | $789 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $274 | $189 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority is ahead by roughly $15, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority after about 1 year. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority. Planning to keep it for years? The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus pulls ahead.
*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 | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | 1 listed credits | ~$75/yr (2 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Locked to a single program |
On perks and redemptions, 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.
Both are Southwest cards, so the points are locked to Southwest, though Southwest points are flexible within its no-change-fee, no-blackout system, and both cards’ spend counts toward the coveted Companion Pass. The tiers differ on annual perks, not on earning currency.
The Plus is the low-fee foot in the door. The Priority adds a $75 travel credit, upgraded boardings, and a bigger anniversary points bump, aimed at the frequent Southwest flyer. How often you board a Southwest plane decides whether the higher fee pays for itself.
Pros and cons
- Lowest fee at $99 for a Southwest card
- 3,000 anniversary points each year
- Points count toward the Companion Pass
- Two EarlyBird check-ins a year
- No annual travel credit
- Smaller anniversary points than the Priority
- No upgraded boardings
- Points locked to Southwest
- $75 annual Southwest travel credit that cuts the effective fee to about $154
- Four upgraded (A1-A15) boardings a year
- 7,500 anniversary points, more than double the Plus
- Also counts toward the Companion Pass
- $229 fee, though the credit and points narrow the gap
- Only worth it if you fly Southwest regularly
- Points locked to Southwest
- No lounge access, though Southwest has no lounges anyway
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Annual travel credit | Priority | $75 credit cuts the effective fee to about $154. |
| Anniversary points | Priority | 7,500 vs the Plus’s 3,000. |
| Upgraded boardings | Priority | Four a year; the Plus has none. |
| Companion Pass progress | Tie | Both cards’ points count toward it. |
| Annual fee | Plus | $99 vs $229 sticker. |
| Best for | Depends | Plus for occasional flyers; Priority for frequent Southwest travelers. |
The verdict
If you fly Southwest regularly, the Priority is the better card and closer in cost than it looks. The $75 travel credit drops the effective fee to around $154, and the bigger anniversary points bump plus four upgraded boardings a year more than close the rest of the gap for a frequent flyer. If Southwest is your default airline, the Priority pays for itself.
If you fly Southwest a few times a year, the Plus is plenty. It counts toward the Companion Pass just the same, hands you a modest anniversary points bump, and keeps the fee low. For a Companion Pass chaser focused on the welcome bonus and spend, either card works, so the lower-fee Plus is often the smarter hold unless you’ll use the Priority’s credit and boardings.