Quick Verdict

The Southwest Premier credit card hits the sweet spot for most Southwest travelers, offering solid benefits at a reasonable $99 annual fee. With 6,000 anniversary points, no foreign transaction fees, and tier qualifying point earning, it provides 80% of the Priority card's value for $50 less. Skip the cheaper Plus card—the Premier's extra benefits easily justify the $30 premium.

Card Overview

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card occupies the middle tier in Southwest's personal card lineup, delivering substantial value without the premium price tag. For travelers who fly Southwest 2-4 times annually but don't want to pay the Priority card's $149 fee, the Premier offers an excellent balance of benefits and cost.

Annual Fee: $99
Welcome Bonus: 50,000 points after $1,000 spending in 3 months
Earning Rate: 3x points on Southwest purchases, 2x on select categories, 1x elsewhere
Key Benefits: 6,000 anniversary points, no foreign fees, tier qualifying points, 2 EarlyBird check-ins
Credit Score Needed: 680+ recommended

Key Features and Benefits Analysis

6,000 Annual Anniversary Points

Every year on your cardmember anniversary, the Premier card deposits 6,000 Southwest points into your account automatically. At Southwest's average value of 1.35 cents per point, this bonus is worth approximately $81 annually.

Value comparison: This anniversary bonus alone covers 82% of the card's $99 annual fee, making the Premier card's effective cost just $18 per year. Compare this to the Plus card's 3,000-point bonus (worth $40.50), and you're getting an extra $40.50 in value for just $30 more in annual fee.

Strategic timing: These points post regardless of card usage, providing guaranteed annual value. They count toward Companion Pass qualification and never expire as long as you maintain account activity.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

The Premier card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, saving you 3% on international purchases. This benefit alone can justify the card for travelers who make any international purchases.

Real-world savings: A single $1,000 international trip saves you $30 in foreign fees—exactly the difference between the Premier and Plus card annual fees. Even modest international spending makes the Premier the better choice.

Usage scenarios: The no-fee benefit applies to online purchases from foreign merchants, international travel, and any transaction processed outside the United States, making it valuable even for domestic travelers who shop internationally online.

Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) Earning

The Premier card earns 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent in a calendar year, with no cap on earnings. These TQPs count toward Southwest's A-List and A-List Preferred elite status levels.

Elite status value: A-List status provides priority boarding, bonus points, and free same-day standby. A-List Preferred adds 100% bonus points and upgraded boarding positions. For frequent Southwest flyers, elite status can provide hundreds in annual value.

Earning timeline: Someone spending $25,000 annually would earn 7,500 TQPs, covering half the requirement for A-List status (15,000 TQPs). Combined with flying, this accelerates elite qualification significantly.

Two Annual EarlyBird Check-ins

The Premier card includes two complimentary EarlyBird check-in purchases per year, typically worth $15-25 each. While not as valuable as the Priority card's upgraded boarding, EarlyBird still improves your boarding position for better seat selection.

Practical benefit: EarlyBird automatically checks you in 36 hours before departure and typically places you in the A or B boarding group. For popular routes or full flights, this can mean the difference between middle seats and window or aisle options.

Enhanced Earning Structure

Like the Priority card, the Premier earns 3x points on Southwest purchases and 2x points on select categories including Rapid Rewards partners, local transit, internet/cable services, and streaming platforms.

Southwest earning advantage: At 3x points per dollar, the Premier significantly outearns the Plus card's 2x rate on Southwest purchases. For $2,000 annual Southwest spending, this extra point per dollar provides 2,000 additional points worth $27.

Everyday categories: The 2x earning on internet, cable, streaming, and transit expenses helps justify using the Premier for non-travel spending, though dedicated cash-back cards often provide better returns for these categories.

Earning Structure Analysis

The Premier card's earning structure mirrors the Priority card's rates, focusing on Southwest and travel-related spending with some everyday bonus categories.

Southwest purchases (3x points): All Southwest flights, EarlyBird check-in, upgraded boarding, Southwest Vacations, and Rapid Rewards shopping earn triple points. This category should represent the majority of your earning if you're maximizing the card's value.

Select categories (2x points): Local transit and commuting (including rideshare), internet/cable/phone services, select streaming services, and Rapid Rewards hotel/car partners earn double points. These categories help boost overall earning beyond just Southwest purchases.

Everything else (1x points): All other purchases earn standard points, making this primarily a Southwest-focused card rather than an everyday spending solution.

Annual earning example: Someone spending $2,500 on Southwest flights, $1,200 on bonus categories, and $8,000 on other purchases would earn:

• Southwest: 7,500 points (worth $101)
• Bonus categories: 2,400 points (worth $32)
• Other purchases: 8,000 points (worth $108)
• Total: 17,900 points worth $242

Redemption Options and Value

Southwest's redemption system offers simplicity and flexibility that many travelers prefer over complex award charts. Points values fluctuate with cash prices, but recent analysis shows consistent value around 1.35 cents per point.

Redemption advantages:

• No blackout dates or capacity restrictions
• Points refund automatically for cancellations
• No change fees when rebooking award flights
• Points never expire with account activity

Best value strategies:

• Book Wanna Get Away fares for optimal point values
• Use points for expensive routes where cash prices are high
• Avoid "cash plus points" options that typically offer poor value
• Combine with Companion Pass for maximum redemption value

Value range: Southwest points typically provide 1.1-1.7 cents per point value depending on route, timing, and fare type. Business travelers often see higher values on last-minute bookings, while leisure travelers find good value during sales.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Excellent value proposition: The 6,000 anniversary points nearly cover the annual fee alone, making additional benefits essentially free.

No foreign fees: International travelers save immediately, and the benefit pays for itself with modest spending abroad.

Elite status pathway: TQP earning accelerates Southwest elite status qualification for frequent flyers.

Same earning rates as Priority card: You get the premium earning structure without the premium annual fee.

Reasonable credit requirements: Generally easier approval than the Priority card.

Cons

No travel credit: Unlike the Priority card's $75 annual Southwest credit, the Premier doesn't offset the annual fee through statement credits.

Limited boarding benefits: Two EarlyBird check-ins provide less value than the Priority card's four upgraded boardings.

Narrow focus: Benefits primarily apply to Southwest, limiting flexibility for travelers who use multiple airlines.

Annual fee: While reasonable, the $99 fee may not make sense for very occasional Southwest travelers.

Chase 5/24 restriction: Subject to Chase's 5/24 rule, potentially limiting availability for active credit card users.

Who Should Get This Card?

Perfect For

Regular Southwest travelers: If you fly Southwest 2-4 times annually, the Premier provides excellent value without the Priority card's premium fee.

International travelers: Anyone making international purchases benefits immediately from no foreign transaction fees.

Elite status seekers: The TQP earning helps accelerate Southwest elite status qualification for frequent flyers.

Value-conscious travelers: Those who want Southwest benefits but find the Priority card's fee too high.

Companion Pass candidates: The enhanced earning and anniversary points help toward the 125,000-point requirement.

Skip If

Very occasional flyers: Flying Southwest once annually makes it difficult to justify even the $99 fee.

Multi-airline travelers: Those preferring airline flexibility should consider transferable points cards instead.

Premium seekers: Travelers wanting lounge access and premium perks should upgrade to the Priority card.

Poor credit: The card requires good credit for approval.

Over 5/24: Chase's restriction prevents approval for many active credit card users.

How It Compares to Other Southwest Cards

vs. Southwest Priority ($149 annual fee): The Premier provides the same earning rates and similar benefits for $50 less, but misses the $75 travel credit and upgraded boarding positions. Choose the Premier unless you heavily value priority boarding and can maximize the travel credit.

vs. Southwest Plus ($69 annual fee): The Premier costs $30 more but provides 3,000 additional anniversary points (worth $40.50), no foreign fees, elite qualifying points, and higher Southwest earning rates. The math strongly favors the Premier for virtually all travelers.

vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95 annual fee): The Sapphire Preferred costs $4 less and offers transferable points to multiple airlines, but lacks Southwest-specific benefits. Choose based on airline loyalty—Southwest loyalty argues for the Premier, while airline flexibility favors the Sapphire Preferred.

vs. Southwest Performance Business ($99 annual fee): The business card offers 9,000 anniversary points (3,000 more than Premier) and doesn't count toward 5/24, but requires business ownership. Business owners should consider both cards for maximum Companion Pass earning. Learn more in our Southwest Performance Business card review.

vs. Banking Southwest cards: Various banks offer Southwest cards with different terms, but they typically provide fewer benefits than Chase cards. See our Southwest banking card review for details on these alternatives.

How to Maximize Value

Anniversary Points Strategy

Track timing: Anniversary points post based on account opening date, not calendar year. Mark your calendar to ensure you receive them annually.

Combine with spending: Use anniversary points alongside earned points for larger award redemptions or to top off accounts for specific flights.

Elite Status Optimization

Maximize TQP earning: Focus spending on the Premier card to earn 1,500 TQPs per $5,000 spent, accelerating elite status qualification.

Track progress: Monitor your TQP earning throughout the year to understand when you're approaching elite thresholds.

Foreign Purchase Strategy

No-fee advantage: Use the Premier for all international purchases to avoid foreign transaction fees while earning Southwest points.

Online international shopping: The benefit applies to foreign merchant purchases even when shopping from home.

Earning Optimization

Southwest concentration: Put all Southwest purchases on the Premier for 3x earning.

Bonus categories: Use for internet, cable, streaming, and transit purchases where possible.

Chase ecosystem: Combine with Chase Freedom cards for 5x rotating categories that can transfer to Southwest.

Application Process and Requirements

Credit Requirements

Minimum score: 650+ for basic consideration
Recommended score: 680+ for good approval odds
Preferred score: 720+ for strong approval likelihood

Income Considerations

While Chase doesn't publish minimum income requirements, successful applicants typically report:

• Individual income of $25,000+
• Household income of $40,000+ when including spouse
• Stable employment for 6+ months

Chase Application Rules

5/24 rule impact: Chase automatically denies applications from users who've opened 5+ credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months.

Southwest restriction: Cannot receive welcome bonus if you currently hold any Southwest personal card or received a Southwest personal card bonus in the past 24 months.

Application timing: Apply early in the month when Chase approval systems reset, and ensure credit reports are clean before applying.

Current Offers

The standard welcome bonus provides 50,000 points after $1,000 spending in three months. Enhanced offers occasionally appear during Southwest's promotional periods, typically January-March.

Historical patterns: Southwest sometimes offers 60,000+ point bonuses during Companion Pass promotion periods or to compete with other airline card offers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Premier card better than the Plus card?

Yes, for virtually all travelers. The Premier costs $30 more annually but provides 3,000 additional anniversary points (worth $40.50), no foreign transaction fees, tier qualifying points, and higher Southwest earning rates. The math strongly favors the Premier card.

Can I upgrade from the Plus to the Premier card?

Chase doesn't offer direct upgrades between Southwest cards. You'd need to apply for the Premier as a new account, but Chase's 24-month restriction prevents earning welcome bonuses on multiple Southwest personal cards within 24 months.

How do the tier qualifying points work?

You earn 1,500 TQPs for every $5,000 spent on the card in a calendar year, with no cap. These points count toward Southwest's elite status requirements: 15,000 TQPs for A-List or 35,000 TQPs for A-List Preferred.

Do the anniversary points count toward Companion Pass?

Yes, anniversary points count as qualifying points toward Companion Pass status. Combined with welcome bonuses and regular earning, the Premier card can significantly accelerate Companion Pass qualification.

What happens if I cancel the card?

Your Southwest points remain in your Rapid Rewards account and don't expire as long as you maintain account activity. However, you'll lose the anniversary points benefit and any unused EarlyBird check-ins.

Can I get both personal and business Southwest cards?

Yes, you can hold one Southwest personal card and one Southwest business card simultaneously. This strategy is popular for accelerating Companion Pass earning through multiple welcome bonuses.

The Bottom Line

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card represents the sweet spot in Southwest's credit card lineup, delivering substantial value at a reasonable price point. The 6,000 anniversary points nearly offset the $99 annual fee alone, while the no foreign transaction fees, tier qualifying points, and enhanced earning rates provide additional value that easily justifies the cost for regular Southwest travelers.

The Premier card particularly shines for travelers who fly Southwest 2-4 times annually but don't want to pay the Priority card's premium fee. It offers the same earning rates as the top-tier card while providing meaningful benefits like foreign fee savings and elite status acceleration.

Compared to the Plus card, the Premier provides compelling additional value for just $30 more annually. The math is clear—unless you're an extremely occasional Southwest traveler, the Premier delivers better returns through higher anniversary bonuses and foreign fee savings.

For most Southwest travelers, the Premier card offers the optimal balance of benefits and cost. It provides premium earning rates without premium fees, valuable perks without overwhelming complexity, and genuine annual value that exceeds the modest annual fee. For a complete comparison of all Southwest credit cards, see our comprehensive Southwest cards guide.

Ready to maximize your Southwest travels? The current welcome offer provides 50,000 points after $1,000 spending in three months, worth $675 in Southwest flights. Combined with the first year's anniversary points and benefits, new cardholders receive over $750 in value during the first year.