Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card

Chase's Southwest Travel Card

Annual Fee $149

Earning Rate 3x Southwest • 2x dining • 2x groceries • 2x transit • 2x streaming • 1x everything else

Welcome Bonus 100,000 points after $4,000 spend in 5 months

Card Material Plastic card with standard finish

Practical Recommendation

If Southwest is your go-to a few times a year, this card is an easy keeper: 6,000 anniversary points, two EarlyBird Check-Ins reimbursed, Group 5 boarding, and a 15% flight promo code each year. Those alone can offset the annual fee with one planned trip.

You also get a yearly 10,000-point boost toward Companion Pass and can earn tier-qualifying points from spend. If you never book Southwest or do not want to use EarlyBird or the promo code, skip it. Bottom line: best for Southwest regulars who like simple, guaranteed value.

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.

EarlyBird Check-In (2 per anniversary year) – Automatic reimbursement for up to two EarlyBird Check-In purchases made with the card each anniversary year. Applies per one-way, per passenger purchase; credits post after the charge. Note: Southwest plans assigned seating in 2026, and this benefit will not apply on flights with assigned seating. Good if you value early boarding without babysitting check-in.
DoorDash DashPass (through 12/31/27) + $10 quarterly discount – Activate with the card for 12 months of DashPass (once between Feb 1, 2025–Dec 31, 2027), then get $10 off one non-restaurant order each calendar quarter while enrolled and paying with the card. Handy if you already use DoorDash; $0 if you do not activate.

Click Here to Calculate Your Annual Fee

Credit

Include

Your Value

Practical Tip

You can edit the amounts in the number fields if you value a credit at less than the full value. For example, if you only use a $10/month Uber credit half the months, you might value it at $60 instead of $120.

EarlyBird Check-In (2 per year)

What It Is:	Reimbursement for up to two EarlyBird Check-In purchases each anniversary year when paid with the card.
How It Works:	Buy EarlyBird with the card (at booking or later); a statement credit posts after the charge. Counts per one-way, per passenger.
Gotchas:	Caps at two per anniversary year; price varies; will not apply on flights with assigned seating in 2026; account must be open and not in default.
Who Actually Benefits:	Travelers who want earlier boarding and do not want to set alarms for 24-hour check-in.
Practical Value:	Worth the exact EarlyBird fees you would have paid—easy, guaranteed value if you use it twice.

Include:

Your Value:

DoorDash DashPass + $10 quarterly

What It Is:	One 12-month DashPass membership (activate once by Dec 31, 2027) plus $10 off one non-restaurant order each calendar quarter while enrolled and paying with the card.
How It Works:	Add the card as default in DoorDash/Caviar and activate; membership runs 12 months from activation; 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 then-current price unless canceled.
Who Actually Benefits:	People who already place delivery/retail orders on DoorDash a few times a year.
Practical Value:	Real savings if you already use DoorDash; otherwise $0.

Include:

Your Value:

Annual Fee: $149

Your Credits: $0

YOUR Annual Fee: $149

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 structure (full detail) – 3x southwest purchases (plus 3x southwest cruises through Dec 31, 2025); 2x restaurants & grocery stores on first $8,000 per anniversary year; 2x rapid rewards hotel & car partners; 2x local transit & commuting (incl. rideshare); 2x internet, cable, phone & select streaming (the 2x partner/category boosts run through Dec 31, 2025); 1x everything else. Simple everyday coverage for Southwest fans.
First checked bag free (cardmember + up to 8 on same reservation) – Useful now that Southwest has new fare types; just add your Rapid Rewards number at booking.
Preferred seat selection (within 48 hours, when available) – Choose a Preferred or Standard seat for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation. Great for families who want to sit together without sprinting at check-in.
Group 5 boarding – Board earlier than general boarding for better overhead space; extends to up to 8 companions on the same reservation.
Anniversary & status help – 6,000 anniversary points each year; 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually; earn 1,500 tier-qualifying points per $5,000 in purchases to push toward A-List.
15% flight promo code (each anniversary year) – One code deposited to your Rapid Rewards account (excludes Basic fares). Easy way to knock down cash fare once a year.
25% back inflight – Automatic 25% statement credit on drinks and Wi-Fi purchased onboard with the card.
No foreign transaction fees – Use abroad without extra percentage fees.

Protections

Lost Luggage Reimbursement – Up to $3,000 per covered traveler for checked or carry-on bags lost, damaged, or stolen by the carrier. Read the guide for New York-specific caps.
Baggage Delay Insurance – Up to $100 per day for 3 days for essentials if your bag is delayed over 6 hours. Handy for toiletries and a shirt when your bag takes a detour.
Purchase Protection – Covers eligible new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $500 per item.
Extended Warranty – Adds 1 extra year on U.S. manufacturer warranties of 3 years or less (max 4 years total).