Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card
Chase's Southwest Entry-Level Travel Card
Practical Recommendation
Southwest is a different airline than it was: bags cost money now, boarding is assigned, and open seating is gone. That actually made this card more useful, because the free first checked bag for you and up to eight people on your reservation is now a real fee you're dodging rather than a perk everyone got anyway. You also get a 10% off flight code each year (excludes Basic fares), 3,000 anniversary points, boarding no later than Group 5, and the ability to grab a Standard seat within 48 hours of departure when one is open.
If you fly Southwest even once or twice a year with a checked bag, the bag savings plus the 10% code cover the $99. If you rarely touch Southwest, skip it. Bottom line: easy keeper for casual Southwest flyers who check a bag and want benefits without fuss.
Credits
Practical Advice
This is what makes or breaks a card for you. If you can use these credits in your normal spend, the perks and protections are all bonus for you. We have a calculator at the bottom of this section to help you calculate that. Below we break down exactly what every credit is to show you if it's easy or if they're going to make you jump through 17 hoops to redeem it.
- Instacart Credit (up to $120/yr) – $10 per month in Instacart credits when you pay with the card and hold an active Instacart+ membership; the card includes a 3-month Instacart+ trial (then auto-renews around $99/year unless you cancel). Monthly credits do not roll over. Easy money if you already order groceries; $0 if you don't and won't pay for Instacart+.
- DoorDash DashPass + $10 Quarterly Discount (through 12/31/27) – One 12-month DashPass membership (activation required) and $10 off one non-restaurant order each calendar quarter while enrolled and paying with the card. Fees/taxes/tips do not count; discount does not roll over.
| What It Is: | $10 per month in Instacart credits (up to $120 per year) when you pay with the card, plus a 3-month Instacart+ membership. |
| How It Works: | Add the card to your Instacart account and activate the offer; the credit applies at checkout on Instacart.com or in the app. |
| Gotchas: | You need an active Instacart+ membership, which auto-renews at about $99/year after the 3-month trial — so cancel if you won't use it. Monthly credits do not roll over. |
| Who Actually Benefits: | People who already order groceries through Instacart at least once a month. |
| Practical Value: | Up to $120 if Instacart is part of your routine; near $0 if it isn't, and negative if you forget to cancel Instacart+. |
| What It Is: | One 12-month DashPass plus $10 off one non-restaurant DoorDash order each calendar quarter while enrolled and paying with the card. |
| How It Works: | Activate DashPass by Dec 31, 2027; membership runs 12 months from activation. Add the card as payment; select the quarterly $10 offer at checkout. |
| Gotchas: | Must activate; discount does not roll over; excludes gift cards; fees/taxes/gratuity still apply; membership auto-renews at current price unless canceled. |
| Who Actually Benefits: | Anyone already using DoorDash/Caviar a few times a year for retail or convenience items. |
| Practical Value: | Real savings if you already order; otherwise $0. |
This is effectively what you are paying for this card. It is now up to you if the perks, protections, and earning rates are worth this fee to you over other cards.
Perks
- Earning (full detail) – 2x on Southwest purchases (flights, inflight, Southwest gift cards); 2x at gas stations & grocery stores on the first $5,000 combined per year; 2x on Lyft rides through 12/31/2027; 1x on everything else. The old 2x on transit, streaming, and internet/cable/phone ended Dec 31, 2025.
- First checked bag free (you + up to 8 companions) – Now that Southwest charges for checked bags, this is the card's headline benefit. Add your Rapid Rewards number to the reservation; a single round trip for two can cover most of the fee.
- Group 5 boarding – You and up to eight on the same reservation board no later than Group 5 (earlier overhead-bin access).
- Standard seat selection within 48 hours – With assigned seating now in place, cardmembers and up to eight passengers on the same reservation can pick a complimentary Standard seat within 48 hours of departure, when available — including on Basic fares, where non-cardmembers just get whatever they're assigned at check-in.
- Anniversary & status help – 3,000 anniversary points each year; 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually; plus 1,500 tier-qualifying points per $5,000 in card spend toward A-List.
- 10% flight promo code (each anniversary year) – Single code deposited to your Rapid Rewards account; excludes Basic fares.
- 25% back inflight – Automatic 25% statement credit on eligible inflight purchases when you pay with the card.
- No foreign transaction fees – Use abroad without extra percentage fees.
Protections
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement – Up to $3,000 per covered traveler if the carrier loses or damages your bags.
- Baggage Delay Insurance – Up to $100/day for 3 days for essentials if your bag is delayed more than 6 hours.
- Purchase Protection – Covers eligible new items for 120 days against damage/theft, up to $500 per item.
- Extended Warranty – Adds 1 year on eligible U.S. warranties of 3 years or less (max 4 years total).