Updated: October 29, 2024
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The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is the better choice if you’re indifferent between Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines. It has a higher rewards rate and valuable perks like the Companion Fare. It offers 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases and no foreign transaction fees.
However, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is worth considering for its lower annual fee and big sign-up bonus, especially if you prefer flying with Southwest.
The Alaska Airlines Signature is better for frequent Alaska Airlines travelers who can benefit from the Companion Fare and 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases. This card is suitable for those who can offset the $95 annual fee with the travel perks offered. However, if you don't frequently fly with Alaska Airlines, this card may not provide the best value for your spending.
The Rapid Rewards Plus card is better for travelers who prefer Southwest Airlines and are looking for a card with a lower annual fee. It offers a substantial sign-up bonus that counts toward the Companion Pass. However, due to its foreign transaction fees, it may not be the best choice for international travelers.
Point-by-point comparisons help you evaluate key aspects like APRs, fees and rewards. For instance, if you're focused on rewards, Alaska Airlines Signature offers 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases, while Rapid Rewards Plus provides 2X points on Southwest purchases. This makes the Alaska Airlines Signature card a better choice for maximizing rewards on airline spending.
Regular APR: Alaska Airlines Signature
The Alaska Airlines Signature card is better for regular APR. It offers a range of 20.74% to 28.74%, compared to the Rapid Rewards Plus card's 20.99% to 27.99%. This slightly lower starting rate benefits those who may carry a balance.
Annual Fee: Rapid Rewards Plus
Rapid Rewards Plus is better for annual fees, costing $69 compared to Alaska Airlines Signature's $95. The lower rate is more appealing for budget-conscious travelers, while Alaska Airlines Signature may offer more value for frequent flyers despite the higher fee.
Introductory 0% APRs: Tie
Neither the Alaska Airlines Signature nor the Rapid Rewards Plus card offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers.
Rewards: Alaska Airlines Signature
The Alaska Airlines Signature card is better for rewards, offering 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases and 2X on gas, EV charging, cable, streaming and transit. Rapid Rewards Plus offers 2X points on Southwest purchases, transit, internet, cable and streaming.
Welcome Offers: Alaska Airlines Signature
The Alaska Airlines Signature card is better for welcome offers. It provides 50,000 bonus miles and a companion fare after spending $3,000 in 90 days. In contrast, Rapid Rewards Plus offers 50,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first three months.
Recommended Credit Score: Tie
Both the Alaska Airlines Signature and Rapid Rewards Plus cards require a recommended credit score of 670 to 850, making them equally accessible to those with good to excellent credit.
Penalties and Fees: Rapid Rewards Plus
Rapid Rewards Plus is better for penalties and fees because it has no penalty APR. Alaska Airlines Signature charges up to 29.99% penalty APR. Both cards have up to $40 late fees, but Alaska Airlines Signature has no foreign transaction fees, unlike Rapid Rewards Plus.
Issuer Satisfaction: Alaska Airlines Signature
The Alaska Airlines Signature card has a better issuer satisfaction rating, with a 4.5 rating for Bank of America. The Rapid Rewards Plus is issued by Chase, which has a rating of 4.1. The higher rating reflects higher customer satisfaction with Bank of America.
Card Benefits: Alaska Airlines Signature
The Alaska Airlines Signature card is better for card benefits. It offers a companion fare and free checked bags, providing significant travel value. Rapid Rewards Plus offers 3,000 anniversary points and EarlyBird Check-In, but its perks have a lower expected value.
The Alaska Airlines Signature card offers better rewards value due to its higher earning rate on Alaska Airlines purchases. Both cards provide similar unit values for their rewards, with points and miles valued at approximately 1.4 cents. This makes them comparable in terms of redemption value.
For those indifferent to airline loyalty, the Alaska Airlines Signature card's higher earning rate on specific categories might be more appealing. However, the Rapid Rewards Plus card's broad earning categories could suit those with diverse spending habits.
The table below details the rewards categories for each card, allowing you to compare their offerings at a glance.
Category | Alaska Airlines Signature | Rapid Rewards Plus |
|---|---|---|
Airfare | 3X miles | 2X points |
Gas | 2X miles | 1X points |
EV Charging | 2X miles | 1X points |
Internet & Cable | 2X miles | 2X points |
Streaming Services | 2X miles | 2X points |
Taxi & Ride Share | 2X miles | 2X points |
All Other Transit | 2X miles | 2X points |
Hotels | 1X miles | 1X/1.25X if booked through Rapid Rewards |
Car Rental | 1X miles | 1X/1.25X if booked through Rapid Rewards |
All Other | 1X miles | 1X points |
Both the Alaska Airlines Signature and Rapid Rewards Plus cards offer rewards that do not expire, providing flexibility for cardholders. Alaska Airlines miles can be redeemed for flights with Alaska Airlines and its partners, with no blackout dates, making it a strong choice for loyal Alaska Airlines travelers.
Southwest points offer broader redemption options, including flights, hotel stays and more, but are limited to Southwest and its partners. Both programs provide valuable redemption opportunities, but the choice depends on your preferred airline and travel habits.
Alaska Airlines offers superior perks for frequent travelers, with a Companion Fare and free checked bags providing significant value. Southwest's EarlyBird Check-In and anniversary points cater to less frequent travelers, offering modest benefits. Both cards have unique advantages, but Alaska Airlines' perks are more valuable for those who travel often.
Travel Perks
*Credits & Discounts
All Other Perks
Travel Perks
Credits & Discounts
The Alaska Airlines Signature credit card has a $95 annual fee, while the Rapid Rewards Plus card has a $69 annual fee.
The Alaska Airlines Signature card offers 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases, ideal for frequent flyers. The Rapid Rewards Plus card offers 2X points on Southwest purchases.
The Alaska Airlines Signature card has no foreign transaction fees, making it an excellent choice for international travel. The Rapid Rewards Plus card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee.
The Alaska Airlines Signature card offers 60,000 bonus miles and a Companion Fare after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. The Rapid Rewards Plus card offers 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months.
The Rapid Rewards Plus card offers 2X points on local transit, internet, cable and streaming services, making it suitable for everyday spending.
MoneyGeek's scoring process evaluates each card based on multiple use cases, ensuring the scores reflect the cards' strengths. In this comparison, the scores shown represent the best performance of each card in the "Airline" category. Several factors determine this score:
For more details on our scoring process, review our ranking methodology.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
