Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Best for: Southwest flyers and families who check bags on a few trips a year
- What Sets It Apart: Lowest fee among Southwest’s personal cards; the same free first checked bag and Group 5 boarding as pricier Southwest cards
- Cost: $99 annual fee; 19.49% to 27.99% variable APR; no foreign transaction fees
- Features: 50,000-point bonus after $1,000 in 3 months; 2X on Southwest purchases; 2X on the first $5,000 a year at gas stations and grocery stores; 3,000 anniversary points
- Pros: Saves up to $90 per traveler per round trip in bag fees; Standard seat pick within 48 hours; 25% back on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi
- Cons: 1X on most spending; no free Preferred or Extra Legroom seats; Companion Pass boost ends after 2026; no lounge access
Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card if you fly Southwest a few times a year and check bags. It costs $99 a year, the lowest fee among Southwest’s personal cards, and still waives the first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on your reservation.
That bag perk and Group 5 boarding come with every Southwest card, and the Plus is the entry-level one, issued by Chase. It suits travelers and families who care more about checked bags than seat upgrades.
Key Features
- $99 annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and a 19.49% to 27.99% variable interest rate
- 50,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, worth about $700 at NerdWallet’s median value of 1.4 cents a point
- 2X points on Southwest purchases, 2X at gas stations and grocery stores until you spend $5,000 there in a year, and 1X on everything else
- 3,000 bonus points each card anniversary
- One tier qualifying point per $1 spent toward Southwest elite status, starting January 1, 2027
Pros
- Up to $90 saved per traveler on each round trip, at Southwest’s $45 first-bag fee on mainland flights
- Group 5 boarding for you and up to 8 companions, instead of Group 8 on a Basic fare, Southwest’s cheapest
- A rear-cabin Standard seat of your choice, when available, within 48 hours of departure, instead of one assigned at check-in on a Basic fare
- 25% back on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi
- A yearly code for 10% off a base fare, Basic fares excluded
Cons
- Just 1 point per $1 on most spending, including gas and groceries past $5,000 a year
- Its yearly 10,000-point boost toward the Companion Pass, which lets a companion fly with you for taxes and fees, ends after 2026
- No lounge access, which Southwest plans to offer through a new premium Chase card in 2027
- Off-limits if you hold a Southwest personal card or earned a sign-up bonus on one in the past 24 months
Check a bag each way on one round trip a year and the Plus pays off, since $90 in waived fees plus 3,000 anniversary points worth about $42 at NerdWallet’s rate beat its $99 fee by about $33. Step up to the $149 Premier if you want a Preferred seat near the front, or to the $229 Priority if you want free Extra Legroom upgrades.
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