Chase
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus offers 2X points on flights and qualifying purchases, free checked bag, and annual perks ideal for frequent Southwest travelers.
Annual fee
$99
Top rate
2x flights
Welcome bonus
$650
Quick look
Free First Checked Bag
Plus 2X points on Southwest and bonus annual points
3.9
out of 5
Rewards
Fees
Welcome bonus
Perks
Value
Overall score is a weighted average: Rewards 20% · Fees 20% · Welcome bonus 20% · Perks 20% · Value 20%.
Ideal for
Southwest frequent flyers who take multiple trips annually and want to eliminate checked bag fees without paying for a premium card.
The verdict
This card is built for one audience: people who fly Southwest multiple times a year and care about avoiding checked bag fees. If that's you, the math works. The free checked bag alone covers most of the $99 fee, and the 3,000 annual bonus points cover the rest. The 2X on Southwest purchases and capped rewards at gas and groceries (first $5,000 combined per year) are solid but unremarkable compared to the broader credit card catalog.
Pass if you're a casual traveler or split your flying across multiple airlines. The rewards rates are middle-of-the-pack for a $99 card, and Southwest points don't transfer—you're locked in. But for the Southwest devotee, it's a clean, efficient card that doesn't overpromise.
Pros
- Free checked bag for cardmember and up to 8 companions removes the $35-70 sting most Southwest flyers face
- 3,000 anniversary points every year offset roughly $40 of the annual fee before you earn anything else
- Group 5 boarding gets you closer to the gate than economy travelers, a modest but real perk for connection-heavy routes
- 50,000 signup bonus covers several domestic round trips for Southwest loyalists
Cons
- Rewards earning caps at $5,000 combined annually for gas and groceries—a bottleneck for high-volume spenders
- 1X on everything else ranks 33rd out of 100 cards; no-fee cards beat it handily here
- No tier-qualifying miles toward A-List status if you're chasing elite benefits
- Locked exclusively to Southwest; points cannot transfer to other airlines or hotel chains
Reward rates
| Category | Rate | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | 2x | 2X points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines purchases |
| Gas & EV charging | 2x | 2X points per $1 on first $5,000 spent annually at gas stations |
| Groceries | 2x | 2X points per $1 on first $5,000 spent annually at grocery stores |
| Everything else | 1x | 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
The 2X on Southwest flights is solid for a $99 card—you're 40th in a 48-card category, well below the elite tier but ahead of 1X flat-rate cards. The capped 2X at gas and groceries ($5,000 combined per anniversary year) targets casual household spenders, not high-volume earners. After hitting the cap, you earn 1X on both, which ranks 33rd out of 100 cards nationally. The card's strength is narrow: lock in 2X on your actual airline and a couple of categories, then get a boost from annual points. Don't expect to optimize every dollar spent.
Fees and APR
Does it pay for itself?
The $99 fee is entry-level for travel cards—Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture both charge the same. Your 3,000 annual points are worth roughly $30–40 in Southwest bookings, and the free checked bag saves $35–70 per round trip for most flyers. If you take just two round trips per year, the perks cover the fee. For one-off flyers or those who can pack carry-on, it's harder to justify.
Welcome bonus
Is it worth chasing?
50,000 points at the standard Southwest valuation of roughly $650 is solid for a $99 card but not exceptional. It requires $1,000 spend in 3 months—a low bar for most households. The bonus alone covers 3–4 domestic round trips, making it attractive for Southwest loyalists planning a travel surge. Larger bonuses exist elsewhere (American Airlines cards offer up to 80,000 miles), but you'd pay $99–$150 annually for those too.
Similar cards
If you split flying between carriers: $99 annual fee, same signup bonus style (80,000 miles), but earns on American Airlines exclusively with similar earning caps and annual miles.
For airline flexibility: same $95 annual fee, 2X on all purchases (vs. Southwest-plus-capped categories here), and points work with any airline or hotel—trade exclusivity for versatility.
Frequently asked questions
Does the free checked bag apply to companions on the same reservation?
Yes. You and up to 8 companions traveling on the same reservation get one free checked bag each. After that, standard Southwest checked bag fees apply. This is one of the card's biggest perks for family travelers.
What happens if I don't spend $5,000 at gas stations and grocery stores?
You don't earn extra points. You simply earn 1X on gas and groceries after you've hit the annual cap (or from day one if you don't expect to hit it). There's no rollover to the next year, so if you spend $3,000 on groceries, the remaining $2,000 of the cap disappears at the next anniversary date.
Can I transfer Southwest points to other airlines or hotel chains?
No. Southwest points are locked to Southwest Airlines only. They can be redeemed for flights, seat upgrades, or transferred to a Southwest Rapid Rewards account held by a friend or family member, but not converted to other loyalty programs.
Does this card count toward Southwest A-List elite status?
The card does not earn tier-qualifying miles for A-List status. Only your actual Southwest flight purchases and a couple of premium Southwest cards earn those qualifying miles. This card is designed for convenience, not status chasing.
Is there a sign-up bonus on the Southwest Priority card, and what's the difference?
The Southwest Priority card (the premium tier) offers a larger welcome bonus and additional annual anniversary points, but carries a $299 annual fee. The Plus card is the middle option—less expensive than Priority, and cheaper than the Premier by $30. Choose Plus if the free checked bag and modest annual points are enough for your travel pattern.
Reviewed by YoungerFinance Editorial · Last updated August 11, 2026