The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority is the best of Southwest's personal cards for frequent flyers, and it ranks among CreditOdds' Best Airline Credit Cards. The $229 annual fee is offset by a $75 Southwest travel credit and 7,500 anniversary points, and the perks go further than the cheaper cards: unlimited Extra Legroom upgrades within 48 hours of departure when available, Preferred seat selection at booking, a free first checked bag for up to nine travelers and 2,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List for every $5,000 spent. It earns 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases and 2 points on gas and dining. The welcome bonus was recently cut from 90,000 to 60,000 points, which makes the first year less compelling than it was. If Southwest is your primary airline, the upgrade and seat perks earn their keep, but occasional flyers will do fine with the Plus or Premier.
Earn rates & credits
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Airlines Southwest Airlines purchases (flights, in-flight, gift cards) | 4x |
Gas | 2x |
Dining | 2x |
Everything Else | 1x |
| Benefit | Value |
|---|---|
Annual Travel Credit Statement credit for Southwest Airlines purchases | $75 /yr |
Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year | 10,000 points /yr |
Inflight Purchase Rebate 25% back on inflight purchases | 25% |
First Checked Bag Free First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation (up to $90 round trip) | $90 |
Instacart Credit Up to $120 in annual Instacart credits ($0 delivery fees with 3 months of complimentary Instacart+ and $10 monthly credit) | $120 /yr |
| Total annual credits | $195 |
Card details
Regular APR | 19.24%–27.74% variable |
Foreign transaction fee | None |