Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card Review: High Rewards, Low Annual Fee

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is great for Southwest loyalists looking to earn rewards from their flights without a high annual fee. It’s particularly beneficial for folks looking for the most affordable Southwest card that can give them a boost on their Rapid Rewards points. With a generous sign-up bonus and 2X points on Southwest purchases and other travel-related categories, the card lets you rack up points quickly.

However, its limited bonus categories and rewards redemption make this card less appealing. If you fly Southwest frequently for business or leisure, the Rapid Rewards Priority card may offer better rewards and perks.

The Rapid Rewards Plus card is a solid choice for Southwest flyers who want to earn Rapid Rewards points. At $69, its annual fee is the lowest among Southwest cards, but it still offers a generous sign-up bonus of 50,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. You’ll also earn unlimited 2X points on Southwest purchases and select travel expenses, helping you quickly accumulate points for free flights.

However, the card lacks some of the premium benefits found in Southwest’s more expensive options. It doesn’t earn qualifying points toward Southwest’s elite status program, though it does contribute to attaining the Companion Pass, which allows a designated companion to fly with you for free (excluding taxes and fees). Additionally, it charges foreign transaction fees, a smaller anniversary point bonus and fewer points earned on Southwest flights than on other Southwest cards.

Like other Southwest cards, the Rapid Rewards Plus has limited bonus categories, and the best redemption value is restricted to Southwest flights. It’s still a good card to get if you’re primarily looking for a Companion Pass boost, but if you often travel internationally or want more flexibility, you may want to consider other travel cards.

The Rapid Rewards Plus lets you earn high rewards on Southwest purchases and various spending categories, making it easy to accumulate rewards quickly.

• Southwest Purchases: 2X points
• Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental Partners: 2X points
• Local Transit and Commuting (Including Rideshare): 2X points
• Internet, Cable and Phone Services; Select Streaming: 2X points
• All Other Purchases: 1X points

It’s important to note that when you fly Southwest, you automatically earn points in your Rapid Rewards account. The points you earn with this card are added to the initial points from your fare.

Southwest points are best used for booking Southwest flights, giving you a value of 1.4 cents per point. While you can also redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, car rentals and hotel stays, these options usually offer less value than flights. Rapid Rewards points don’t expire as long as your account remains active, allowing flexible redemption.

The Rapid Rewards Plus lets you earn Companion Pass points but doesn’t earn qualifying points for Southwest’s elite status programs.

Companion Pass: The points you earn with the Rapid Rewards Plus card count toward qualifying for the Companion Pass, just like other Southwest cards. The Companion Pass lets you bring someone for free (excluding taxes and fees) on any flight you book with cash or points. Every point you earn, including the 50,000 sign-up bonus, helps you reach the 135,000 points needed for this perk.

A-List and A-List Preferred: The Rapid Rewards Plus is the only Southwest co-branded card that doesn't accumulate tier qualifying points for Southwest’s elite status: A-List and A-List Preferred. With elite status, you get perks like priority boarding and extra points on paid flights. If you’re a Southwest loyalist, you may want to get either the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority or the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier to earn qualifying points for these programs.

The Rapid Rewards Plus still dazzles with its rewards and perks, even though it’s not the most impressive Southwest card.

Sign-Up Bonus: The card lets you earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This is a valuable perk because it contributes to the 135,000 points needed for the Companion Pass. If your main goal is to boost your points toward earning Southwest’s most coveted perk, the Rapid Rewards Plus is the most budget-friendly option.

Companion Pass: All points earned with this card count toward the Companion Pass, which allows you to bring a companion on your flights for the cost of taxes and fees. This can be a significant money-saver for those who often travel with a partner or family member.

Anniversary Points: During your anniversary year, you can earn 3,000 points every year on your card anniversary. These points can be used for future travel and are worth $42 when redeemed for Southwest flights.

EarlyBird Check-In: This card lets you enjoy two EarlyBird Check-In credits (worth $30 per flight) each year, giving you a better boarding position and earlier access to overhead bins.

Travel Insurance: The card offers free lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance, providing peace of mind and financial protection in case of travel mishaps.

Take a look at these drawbacks before deciding on the Rapid Rewards Plus:

Limited Bonus Rewards Categories: The card offers 2X points on Southwest purchases and several travel-related categories. However, most everyday purchases, such as groceries and dining, only get the base 1X point. If you want to get a travel card that also lets you earn points on a broader range of categories, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

Inflexible Rewards Redemption: While you can redeem points for flights, hotel stays, car rentals and other purchases, you’d get the best value only by redeeming on Southwest flights. Since Rapid Rewards points are not transferable to other loyalty programs, redeeming points would always mean flying Southwest.

Annual Fee: The card has an annual fee of $69. While the rewards can offset this cost, it's important to consider whether the benefits align with your spending habits.

Fewer Perks Than Other Southwest Cards: Unlike its pricier counterparts, this card earns 1X fewer points on Southwest flights and offers a smaller anniversary points bonus. It also comes with a 3% foreign transaction fee and doesn’t earn tier-qualifying points for Southwest’s elite programs. If you’re a Southwest loyalist and want to get the most from your flights, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority is a strong alternative.

If you're thinking about other Southwest co-branded cards, here's how they stack up against the Rapid Rewards Plus:

Below, we compare the Rapid Rewards Plus with another travel card to help you find the best travel card for your needs.

If you want to earn more rewards from your purchases, you may want to pair the Rapid Rewards Plus with a no-annual-fee cash back card.

We evaluated the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card among 20 cards using MoneyGeek's Airline Score. Our evaluation considered several key features:

• Expected Value for Traveler (40%): Measures the expected monetary value of rewards and perks minus the annual fees for a frequent traveler.
• Airline Scope (20%): Rates the number of destinations the airline flies to, which is crucial for frequent travelers.
• Offer ROI (15%): Evaluates the return on investment from the introductory bonus offers.
• Airline Rewards Rate for Traveler (10%): Measures the rewards earned on airline expenditures for frequent travelers.
• Issuer Satisfaction (5%): Based on J.D. Power's issuer satisfaction study, rating the overall satisfaction with the card issuer.
• Foreign Transaction Fees (5%): Rates the cost of foreign transaction fees, where a higher rating indicates no or low fees.
• Recommended Credit (5%): Rates the accessibility of the card based on credit score requirements.