Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Review

Overview

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority is a category rewards card from Chase, running on the Visa network. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority earns up to 2x on dining and gas, so it pays you the most exactly where you already spend. It carries a $229 annual fee, so the real question is whether its rewards, credits, and perks clear that bar for the way you spend. New cardholders can earn Up to 90,000 bonus points (after $3,000 spend) after $3,000 in 3 months.

It lands in the mid tier: a modest annual fee in exchange for stronger earn rates and a meaningful welcome offer. The right call depends on whether your spending and the perks clear that fee each year.

Our 3.5 out of 5 rating

Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.

Rewards: how it earns

Where the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority earns its rewards is its bonus categories: 2x on dining (about $60 a year on the $3,000 a typical household spends there) and 2x on gas (about $43 a year on the $2,160 a typical household spends there). Across a full year of average household spending, the card returns roughly $343 in rewards before any welcome bonus, so the more your spending overlaps those categories, the better it does.

Brand and bonus rates: beyond the everyday categories above, this card also earns:

• 4x points on Southwest purchases
• 15% anniversary promo code for Southwest flights
• 25% back on Southwest in-flight purchases

Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.

Pros and cons

The welcome bonus

The current welcome offer is Up to 90,000 bonus points (after $3,000 spend), earned after you spend $3,000 in 3 months. Valued honestly at a flat 1 cent per point, that is worth about $900. The spending requirement works out to roughly $1,000 per month, so make sure it fits your normal budget rather than pushing you to overspend. Stacking the welcome offer on top of a typical year of rewards and accounting for the $229 annual fee, the first year is worth roughly $1,014.

Is the annual fee worth it?

To come out ahead on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority you need to clear its $229 annual fee. On typical spending it earns about $343 a year in rewards, and it carries up to $75 in statement credits. For anyone who spends in its categories, the fee is easy to justify.

Benefits and protections

Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:

• First checked bag free for you and up to 8 passengers on the same reservation
• 7,500 anniversary bonus points each year
• $75 Southwest annual travel credit
• 4 Upgraded Boardings per year (when available)
• Complimentary preferred or standard seat selection, plus Extra Legroom upgrades within 48 hours when available
• No foreign transaction fees

Statement credits

• $75 Southwest annual travel credit
• 7,500 anniversary bonus points each year

Who should get it, and who should skip it

It is best for frequent flyers loyal to this airline who will use perks like free checked bags and priority boarding and want miles toward award flights.

Skip it if you are not loyal to this brand. The rewards lose value the moment your travel plans point somewhere else.

Frequently asked questions