Card guide · Southwest Rapid Rewards
Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus
Card guide overview
An entry-level Southwest card that earns Rapid Rewards points and counts toward Companion Pass qualification. The cornerstone of Southwest credit-card strategy is staging eligible welcome bonuses over time so the qualifying points post in one calendar year—with January ideal for maximizing the Companion Pass window. The $99 Plus is the lowest-fee entry point, subject to Chase eligibility rules.
Key card attributes
| Issuing bank | Reward currency | Currency type | Network | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase | Southwest Rapid Rewards | Airline Miles | Visa | $99 |
Closest alternatives
At a glance
The card in three decisions.
The Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is the entry-level Southwest co-branded card at $99. It earns 2X on Southwest purchases, 2X on gas and grocery purchases (on the first $5,000 combined per year), and 1X everywhere else. The sign-up bonus points count toward Companion Pass qualification—the holy grail of Southwest loyalty that gets a designated companion flying with you for just taxes and fees on both paid and award tickets. The cornerstone of Southwest credit-card strategy is not simply holding multiple cards; it is staging eligible welcome bonuses so the qualifying points post in one calendar year. January is ideal for a bonus that will help earn the pass because Southwest requires the points to post to both the billing statement and Rapid Rewards account in the same calendar year, and a January posting gives the maximum runway. January is not required, but a later posting leaves less time to earn the pass and shortens the potential validity window. Plan the minimum-spend deadline, statement close, and Chase's processing time together rather than relying only on the purchase date. Chase's current Plus terms restrict the personal bonus if you have a current personal Southwest card or received a personal Southwest bonus within the last 24 months.
At $99, the Plus is the lowest-cost way into the Southwest card family. It now carries no foreign transaction fees, matching the Premier and Priority, and adds 3,000 anniversary points, a 10% flight discount code, and 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year. For frequent Southwest flyers, the Premier or Priority still offer richer perks, but the Plus is the cheapest entry point.
Best fit
Southwest flyers building Companion Pass through a multi-card strategy
The Plus is the lowest-fee personal Southwest card and a useful building block for a staged Companion Pass plan. A practical approach is to work backward from a January posting: some applicants start the application and minimum-spend process in the prior year, but the key date is when the bonus posts to the statement and Rapid Rewards account. Confirm the statement close and issuer timing; January is ideal, not mandatory.
Current timing
50K is below the 100K or Companion Pass + 30K maximum offers
Southwest periodically runs Companion Pass promotions that include a pass plus points. These offers are substantially more valuable.
Main watchout
A single 50K bonus is only one piece of the Southwest strategy
The Plus is strongest as part of a deliberate, timing-sensitive Companion Pass plan, not as a high-earning everyday card. Multiple bonuses help only when the applicant is eligible and the qualifying points post in the same calendar year. If you will not pursue that strategy or use the annual benefits, compare the Premier or Priority before paying the fee.
Current and historical offer
50K is standard; 100K or Companion Pass + 30K have been tracked maximums.
We compare public points offers with public points offers. Referral, branch, targeted and mixed cash-plus-points offers are outside this ladder.
Timing assessment
50K is well below the tracked maximums—wait for a better offer if possible.
Southwest runs elevated offers regularly, especially Companion Pass promotions. The difference between 50K and 100K+Companion Pass is worth thousands of dollars in flights.
Why someone may still apply
Companion Pass progress from bonus points starts immediately.
If you have imminent Southwest travel and need Companion Pass-qualifying points now, the 50K bonus moves you nearly halfway to the 135,000-point Companion Pass threshold.
Card benefits
Entry-level Companion Pass progress at the lowest Southwest card fee.
The tiers are a Points Brief editorial assessment of decision importance and rarity among entry-level airline cards—not labels supplied by Chase.
Tier 1 · Core Southwest value
Benefits that define the card value proposition.
Bonus points count toward Companion Pass qualification
The sign-up bonus and all spending points count toward the 135,000-point Companion Pass threshold (or 100 qualifying one-way flights). Companion Pass lets a designated companion fly with you for just taxes and fees on both paid and award tickets. That makes the Plus a building block in a broader strategy that stages welcome bonuses from multiple Southwest cards over time, subject to each product's current eligibility rules. The goal is not to open every personal card at once; it is to plan eligible bonuses so they post in the same calendar year, with January ideal for maximizing the pass window.
- Companion Pass is valid for the remainder of the year earned plus the entire following calendar year.
- Points from card spend, bonus, and Rapid Rewards partners all count.
- No blackout dates and unlimited use—companion flies nearly free on every flight you take.
Know the limits: Companion Pass requires 135,000 qualifying points or 100 one-way flights in a calendar year. Southwest counts card points when they post to both the billing statement and Rapid Rewards account. January is ideal but not required; plan the statement close and issuer processing time carefully so the bonus posts in the intended calendar year.
Tier 2 · Annual benefits and everyday earning
Benefits that add value each year beyond the welcome bonus. We rate Coupon Book 1/5 because the Plus has a simple annual package—anniversary points, one annual discount code, and a Companion Pass qualifying-points boost—rather than monthly or quarterly credits that require repeated tracking.
3,000 Anniversary points every year
Receive 3,000 Rapid Rewards points each cardmember anniversary year—worth approximately $40–45 toward Southwest flights.
10% Annual flight discount code
Receive a discount code each cardmember anniversary year good for 10% off a Southwest flight purchase.
10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year
Receive 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each cardmember anniversary year, helping you earn or renew Companion Pass status.
Tier 3 · Expected card basics and travel perks
Standard protections, boarding, and seating benefits.
No foreign transaction fees No FTF
No foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
First checked bag free Bag benefit
First checked bag free for the cardmember and up to 8 passengers on the same reservation.
Group 5 boarding Boarding benefit
Group 5 boarding for the cardmember and up to 8 passengers on the same reservation.
Complimentary Standard seat selection Seating benefit
Complimentary Standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure when available.
Purchase protection Card baseline
Coverage for eligible new purchases against damage or theft.
Rental car coverage Travel baseline
Auto rental collision damage waiver; secondary coverage in the U.S.
Comparison method: Entry-level airline co-branded cards; official public pages reviewed in July 2026.
Earning rates
2X on Southwest and gas & grocery (first $5,000 combined); 1X everywhere else.
Rates shown are Southwest Rapid Rewards points per dollar on eligible purchases. Points count toward Companion Pass qualification.
Southwest Airlines purchases
Flights, inflight purchases, and Southwest Vacations packages.
Gas and grocery purchases
Earn 2 points per dollar on gas and grocery purchases on the first $5,000 combined per year, then 1X.
All other purchases
One point per dollar on purchases not eligible for a higher rate.
Credit interaction: Rapid Rewards points are estimated at ~1.3–1.5 cents each. The primary value of this card is Companion Pass qualification progress—not the earning rates themselves.
Southwest Rapid Rewards program
The largest domestic low-cost carrier with Companion Pass—one of the most valuable airline loyalty benefits.
Southwest Rapid Rewards is the loyalty program of Southwest Airlines. Points can be redeemed for Southwest-operated flights at a revenue-based rate (~1.3–1.5 cents per point). Points do not expire. The Companion Pass—earned at 135,000 qualifying points or 100 one-way flights per calendar year—is widely considered the best value in U.S. airline loyalty: a designated companion flies with you for just taxes and fees on every flight you take, both paid and award, for up to nearly two years when timed properly.
Key benefit
CompanionPass
Card points count toward the Companion Pass—one of the most valuable airline loyalty benefits.
Points earned from the sign-up bonus and card spend count toward the 135,000 qualifying point Companion Pass threshold. Staging welcome bonuses from multiple Southwest cards over time is the cornerstone of Southwest credit-card strategy; the Plus is the low-fee entry point, but Chase eligibility rules determine when another personal-card bonus may be available. January is the ideal posting target—not a requirement—because a bonus posted at the start of the calendar year gives the most time to reach the threshold and, if earned, the remainder of that year plus the entire following calendar year to use the pass. Plan the minimum-spend deadline, statement close, and issuer processing time together, and verify when the points actually post. Southwest no-change-fee policy and two free checked bags for all passengers add to the value.
Southwest focus cities
Where Southwest operates the most flights.
- Dallas Love Field (DAL)
- Denver (DEN)
- Chicago Midway (MDW)
- Las Vegas (LAS)
- Phoenix (PHX)
- Baltimore (BWI)
- Orlando (MCO)
- Houston Hobby (HOU)
Southwest Plus at a glance
What this card gets you.
- 2X on Southwest purchases
- 2X on gas & grocery (first $5,000 combined/year)
- No foreign transaction fees
- 3,000 anniversary points
- 10% flight discount code
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points/year
- First checked bag free (cardmember + up to 8 passengers)
- Group 5 boarding (cardmember + up to 8 passengers)
- Companion Pass progress
Southwest card family
How this card compares to other Southwest cards.
- Plus: $99 fee, no FTF, 2X Southwest/gas/grocery, 3,000 anniversary pts
- Premier: $149 fee, no FTF, 6,000 anniversary points
- Priority: $229 fee, no FTF, 7,500 anniversary pts
Sources and methodology
Sources for this page
- Last checked: August 2, 2026
Reader feedback