Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Visa Signature Card Review

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Rewards rate:

Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

• Intro bonus: Earn Companion Pass® plus 30,000 points
• Annual fee: $69
• Regular APR: 15.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} – 22.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} Variable
• Recommended credit score: 670-850 (Good to Excellent)

The Southwest Rapid Rewards®  Plus Visa Signature Card is a good option for loyal Southwest Airlines flyers who want to take advantage of Southwest’s perks and benefits and score a great welcome bonus. 

For a $69 annual fee, you can earn the airline’s coveted Companion Pass (valid through February 28, 2022) after spending $5,000 in the first three months from account opening — plus 30,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards® points.

At a Glance

• Earn 2x points on Southwest purchases and 1x points on everything else
• Earn Companion Pass through Feb. 2022, plus a 30,000-point welcome bonus after spending $5,000 within three months of account opening
• 3,000 bonus points on every anniversary of card membership
• $69 annual fee
• 15.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} to 22.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} variable APR

Additional Card Details

The card can help you boost your balance of Rapid Rewards points, which can get you free or discounted travel on Southwest flights. Your Rapid Rewards points don’t expire, either, as long as your account is in good standing, so any points you accumulate today you’ll still be able to use once it’s safe to travel again.

You’ll typically get the best value redeeming your points for Southwest flights, but you can also use them to purchase other travel and gift cards, for as little as 3,000 points.

In addition to points, Rapid Rewards Plus comes with many shopping and travel protections standard among travel credit cards, like purchase protection, extended warranty, travel accident insurance, and lost luggage reimbursement. But unlike many other travel cards, it does charge foreign transaction fees.

Should You Get This Card?

You’ll benefit most from this card if you’re a frequent or even semi-frequent Southwest Airlines flyer and you want to start maximizing Southwest’s Rapid Rewards program.

The card carries a $69 annual fee, which is lower compared to other travel cards on the market, but a fee nonetheless. Because of that, it’s important to make sure you can offset the cost with this card’s rewards and benefits.

If you typically fly other airlines, or aren’t planning on traveling often even once it’s safe to do so again, you likely won’t get much value out of this card. And if you’re planning a lot of future international travel, you might also want to look elsewhere — Southwest doesn’t offer many flight options beyond North America, and this card charges foreign transaction fees.

How to Use the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Visa Signature Card

To maximize your rewards, you should use this card for all purchases you make with Southwest Airlines to earn 2x bonus points.

But the Rapid Rewards Plus card’s best value is in its welcome offer. Make sure you meet the $5,000 minimum spend within three months (without overspending on purchases you wouldn’t normally make) to earn both the Southwest Companion Pass (through Feb. 2022) and 30,000 Rapid Rewards points. 

Companion Pass allows you to choose a companion to fly with you free of charge (except taxes and fees) on Southwest. This applies whether you purchase the flight or use points to book the flight, and you can change your designated companion up to three times per year. To earn the Pass otherwise, you must take 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 125,000 qualifying points in one calendar year. This benefit alone is worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars, depending on how frequently you plan to fly with a companion.

You’ll also get a bonus 3,000 Rapid Rewards points every cardmember anniversary, which can help recoup the annual fee cost year after year. We don’t recommend canceling credit cards since it can damage your credit score — and this bonus offers incentive to keep the card open long-term. 

The card comes with a variable APR between 15.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} and 22.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5}. You should pay off your balance in full and on time every month to avoid taking on high-interest debts.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Visa Signature Card Compared to Other Cards

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

• Intro bonus:
  Earn Companion Pass® plus 30,000 points
• Annual fee:

  $69

• Regular APR:

  15.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} – 22.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} Variable

• Recommended credit:

  670-850 (Good to Excellent)

• Learn more at our partner’s secure site

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card

• Intro bonus:
• Annual fee:

  $0

• Regular APR:

  15.74{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5}-24.74{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} Variable

• Recommended credit:

  670-850 (Good to Excellent)

• Learn more at our partner’s secure site

American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card

• Intro bonus:
• Annual fee:

  $0

• Regular APR:

  15.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} – 24.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} (Variable)

• Recommended credit:

  740-850 (Excellent)

• Learn more at our partner’s secure site

Bottom Line

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Visa Signature card is a solid, low cost pick for Southwest flyers. It can help you quickly earn the airline’s Companion Pass and help you save money while earning points toward future Southwest flights. But if you don’t fly often, or don’t prefer Southwest Airlines, consider other travel rewards cards that may better suit your spending.    

Frequently Asked Questions