Southwest Visa Credit Card Review: 30% Promo Code LTO
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If you love traveling throughout the U.S. and Caribbean, a Southwest Visa card might be for you. Offering easy to earn points that translate into free and reduced airfare, these are some of my favorite airline cards around.
Southwest Airlines has long been known for low fares and great service. With destinations throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii, it’s a great option to help you hit the beach without breaking the bank.
Additionally, the Southwest Visa includes a lot to love for rewards card enthusiasts. In addition to making your flights even cheaper, the Southwest Visa credit cards offer a ton of benefits to help you travel in style. And, since there are plenty of personal and business cards to choose from, you’re sure to find a card that fits your needs.
Let’s check them out!
Southwest Visa Credit Card Options
The Southwest Visa Card actually comes in several different options, including:
Obviously, if you don’t own a business, the Southwest Visa business cards are out. But, how do you decide between the other options? Let’s compare them and help you decide.
Southwest Visa Personal Card Comparisons
Let’s start by comparing the highlights of the three personal cards. Here they are:
card_name Highlights
- Signup Bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points and a 30% off promo code when you open a new account and spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. In many cases, 60K points is enough for two round-trip tickets to the Caribbean.
- Anniversary Bonus: You’ll earn an additional 3,000 bonus points on your cardmember anniversary each year.
- Earn Points for Spending: Earn 2x points per dollar on all Southwest purchases; 2x points on local transit and commuting (including rideshare purchases); 2x points on internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services; and 1 point per dollar on other spending.
- EarlyBird Check-In: Enjoy EarlyBird Check-In twice per year.
- No Blackout Dates: Unlike some airline rewards programs, you’ll never have to worry about blackout dates at Southwest.
- Fare-based Pricing: You can even use your points to book flights that are on sale! With Southwest, cheaper fares means fewer points.
- Free Checked Bags: Adding checked bags to your flights can really add up. Southwest allows you to check your first two bags for free.
- No Expiration: Your points don’t expire for as long as you keep your account open.
- Annual Fee: annual_fees
That’s a ton of value packed into one card. It is simply one of the best airline cards on the market.
card_name
- Signup Bonus: Like the Plus Card, you’ll earn 60,000 bonus points and a 30% off promo code for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
- Anniversary Bonus: The anniversary bonus is higher with the Premier Card, totaling 6,000 point bonus on your cardmember anniversary.
- Earn Points for Spending: With this card, you’ll earn 3x points on all Southwest purchases plus the same 2x points on transit, cable, phone, and internet services you earn on the Plus card.
- EarlyBird Check-In: Again, you’ll enjoy EarlyBird Check-In two times per year.
- No Blackout Dates: As with all Southwest Visa cards, there are no blackout dates.
- Fare-based Pricing: Using points to book flights is based on the fare rates.
- Free Checked Bags: On all Southwest flights, the first two bags you check are free.
- No Expiration: Keep your account open and your points never expire.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: This card does not charge foreign transaction fees.
- Annual Fee: annual_fees
Obviously, there is a lot to like about this card too. And, compared to other airline cards, we think the points offer a ton of value.
card_name
- Signup Bonus: You can earn the same signup bonus of 60,000 bonus points and a 30% off promo code for opening a new account. Like the other cards we’ve mentioned, simply make $3,000 in purchases during the the first 3 months to earn the bonus.
- Anniversary Bonus: Additionally, you’ll earn 7,500 bonus points each year on your cardmember.
- Travel Credit: Southwest will give you a $75 travel credit every year you have the card.
- Upgraded Boardings: With this card, you’re eligible to receive 4 upgraded boardings every year.
- Earn Points for Spending: Again, you get 3x points on all Southwest purchases; 2x points on local transit (including rideshare); 2x points on internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services; and 1x points on all other spending.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: There are no fees for using this card while traveling internationally.
- Annual Fee: annual_fees
Although the annual fee is higher than the others, you do get some additional perks – particularly the travel credit – that may make it worth it for you.
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signup Bonus | 60,000 points and 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 in first 3 months | 60,000 points and 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 in first 3 months | 60,000 points and 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 in first 3 months |
| Annual Travel Credit | $0 | $0 | $75 |
| Anniversary Bonus | 3,000 points each year | 6,000 points each year | 7,500 points each year |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | Yes - 3% | None | None |
| Annual Fee | annual_fees | annual_fees | annual_fees |
Which Southwest Visa is Best?
As you can see, the Southwest Visa personal cards come with nearly identical benefits. All three personal Southwest Visa credit cards are offering a chance to earn 60,000 bonus points AND a 30% off promo code for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. So, for me, the biggest difference between the personal cards comes when comparing the fees.
Looking at the fees, the new Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card charges the highest annual fee at annual_fees. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card charges a annual_fees annual fee while the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card has an annual fee of just annual_fees. Since none of the fees are waived for the first year, the Plus gets a slight nod here.
With that said, the more expensive cards do come with additional benefits. The Priority Card offers an annual bonus of 7,500 points and an annual travel credit of $75. This effectively makes the annual fee $74, provided you use the credit. On the other hand, the Premier Card comes with an annual anniversary bonus of 6,000 points as opposed to the 3,000 point bonus offered by the Plus Card. That essentially makes up for the $30 difference in the annual fee.
Additionally, both the Priority and Premier cards come with no foreign transaction fees. So, if you’re traveling internationally with Southwest, you can use your card while you’re on vacation without incurring additional fees. If you use the Plus card in another country, however, each transaction is subject to a foreign_transaction_fee foreign transaction fee.
Finally, the Priority and the Premier card now offer 3x points on Southwest purchases. This isn’t a massive deal, but it can certainly earn you more points if you fly with Southwest on the regular.
So, which card is best? With the recent updates, I’m going to go with the Priority card. Sure, the annual fee is higher, but the $75 annual Southwest credit nearly offsets that cost. When you add in the additional earnings on Southwest purchases and no foreign transaction fees, the Southwest Priority card is likely the best deal. However, if you fly Southwest exclusively, you really can’t go wrong with any of these cards.
One final note here: In the past, you were able to earn a signup bonus for two cards in the same year, helping you to earn points toward one of my favorite perks, the Southwest Companion Pass. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. On personal cards, you may not earn a signup bonus if you’ve earned one in the previous 24 months. This is a big change, and it makes the Companion Pass significantly harder to get.
With that said, if you are a business owner, you may still earn a welcome bonus from both a personal and a business card. More info on the business versions can be found below.
Compare the Best Airline Cards Here
Where These Cards Shine
Want to know more? Of course you do!
As we mentioned, all personal versions of the Southwest Visa Card offer 60,000 bonus points and a 30% off promo code for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. In many cases, 60,000 Southwest points are good for two round-trip flights to the Caribbean, if you’re flexible.
Although I love a good signup bonus, I really love that redeeming my Rapid Rewards Points is based entirely on the actual airfare price. Southwest flights are often the cheapest available, but they also run some ridiculous deals throughout the year.
I’m talking about domestic round-trip tickets that occasionally run for less than $100! And, since the point redemption is fare-based, your points stretch even further during these sales. Plus, there are no blackout dates or rewards caps. That means I can use my points on any flight with available seating…and I can still check 2 bags for free!
Oh yeah, have I mentioned that Southwest now flies to 15 destinations throughout Mexico and the Caribbean? It’s true! You can use your points to book free flights for your entire family to places like Jamaica, Costa Rica, Belize, and Aruba. That’s pretty sweet, especially if you’re a beach bum like me.
Southwest also flies to Hawaii, which can save you big bucks there too!
A Quick Overview of Southwest Business Credit Cards
We’ve mentioned the business versions of the Southwest Visa Card a few times. Keep in mind that both the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card offers many of the same benefits as its personal card counterparts. Rather than run through all the benefits of Southwest points again, here’s a quick overview of their unique features.
card_name
- Signup Bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points for opening a new account and spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
- Anniversary Bonus: Earn a 6,000 point bonus on your cardmember anniversary.
- Earn Points for Spending: You’ll earn 3x points for every dollar spent on Southwest purchases and 2x points for purchases with Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners. Get 1X points on everything else.
- Employee Cards: Employee cards can be added with no additional fees. You’ll also earn points on all their spending.
- Annual Fee: annual_fees
Besides the fact that this is a business card, the biggest difference here is the signup bonus. So, if you’re looking specifically for an airline card for your business, you can’t go wrong with this card for your business.
card_name
- Signup Bonus: Earn 80,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months.
- Anniversary Bonus: With this card, you’ll get 9,000 bonus points annually on your cardmember anniversary.
- Increased Points for Spending: The Southwest Performance Business Card earns 4x points on Southwest purchases, 3x points with Rapid Rewards hotel and rental car partners, 2x points for search engine/social media advertising, 2x points for internet/cable/phone services, and 1x point on everything else.
- TSA Precheck/Global Entry: With this card, you’ll also get a credit toward paying for Global Entry or TSA Precheck fees.
- Upgraded Boardings: You’ll also get 4 Upgraded Boardings per year, subject to availability.
- Annual Fee: annual_fees
Business owners who want an airline card that offers premium benefits should consider the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card. The card with a hefty yet easy to earn signup bonus, plus it helps you earn even more points for your spending. With free employee cards, TSA Precheck/Global Entry credits, and upgraded boardings, this card may be a great fit for the frequent Southwest business traveler.
Getting the Most From Your Southwest Visa
To get the most from your Southwest Visa Card, be sure to use it whenever you book travel through Southwest or their participating hotel and rental car partners.
Also, use your points to book flights when they’re on sale. Since redeeming your points is based on the actual fare price, you can really stretch those points further. Check out our “Beginner’s Guide to Credit Card Rewards” for more tips.
Paring your card with a premium rewards card can make a great match too!
With the card_name you’ll earn a 60,000 point signup bonus, but you’ll have to spend $4,000 in 3 months to do it. Your Chase rewards transfer at a 1:1 ratio to the Rapid Rewards loyalty program.
If you decide not to transfer them to Southwest, you can transfer them to other loyalty programs through travel partners like Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, and United Airlines. They are also redeemable for gift cards at places like Kohl’s, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and more; or, you can redeem them for $750 in travel when booked through the Chase portal. There is a $95 annual fee.
This is almost always the first rewards card we recommend. The points are flexible, valuable, and our favorite type to earn.
Learn how to apply | Read the review
What You May Not Like
Although the Southwest Visa cards are some of our favorite airline cards, there are some things you need to watch out for.
- Annual Fees: Each version of the card has an annual fee which is not waived. Of course, the signup bonus more than makes up for it the first year. However, if you don’t travel much or don’t use the points, the fee may not be worth it to you.
- No Flights to Europe or Asia: Although Southwest now travels all around the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean, it does not offer any flights to popular international destinations in Europe or Asia. If you’re wanting to book travel there, you should look at other cards.
- Points Don’t Transfer: Whenever we travel domestically or to the Caribbean with our whole family, Southwest is usually a great option. However, if you don’t like Southwest or don’t live near a Southwest hub, this may not be the card for you. Consider other travel rewards cards instead.
- No Double Dip for Companion Pass – As we mentioned earlier, unfortunately, Southwest updated its signup bonus policy concerning their two consumer credit cards. You may no longer earn a signup bonus on a second Southwest consumer card if you’ve earned a new member card bonus within the previous 24 months. While earning points on the card still counts toward the pass, it makes earning the Companion Pass significantly harder.
Alternatives to the Southwest Visa Card
Most of the major airlines now have their own co-branded credit cards that allow you to earn points and save on flights. However, with co-branded cards, you’ll only be able to use the points you earn with that particular brand of airline. That’s not always a problem, but it could be.
For a more flexible option, consider the card_name. This card provides a one-time welcome offer of 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months (worth a statement credit of $750 toward travel expenses). You’ll also earn 2 miles per dollar on all spending. There is a $95 annual fee.
Honestly, these are some of the most flexible points and miles you’ll find. You can use the to book airline tickets, excursions, and other travel experiences when you pay with your card.
Learn more here | Read the review
Wrapping Up
If you’re looking for cheap flights throughout the U.S., Caribbean, and Mexico, Southwest is a great place to start. One of these cards can make it even cheaper.
With a Southwest Visa Card, points are easy to earn and the benefits are super solid. Since points are tied to airfare prices, you can use them to save even more during sales. And, you’ll definitely want to pair it with another card to earn even more points.
If you do all that, you’ll save big bucks when flying with Southwest!
Thanks for this post! I’ve been thinking about getting the Southwest card, but hadn’t looked into the specifics yet. We love flying Southwest (free checked bags!). The only thing I’m bummed about is they don’t waive the annual fee – but it more than pays for itself.
Yeah, the annual fee is a bit of a bummer. But, like you said, it more than pays for itself…especially that first year with the signup bonus.
I think we are going to do this in 2017! We already have a decent amount of points accumulated. We’re just trying to make sure we have some wiggle room in our calendar to book a trip or two!
Yeah, the Southwest card is great! If I were you, I’d try to be patient and wait for the 50K offer to come around. It isn’t guaranteed, but it usually comes around a few times a year.
I have this card and I love it so far! I wish I would have waited a bit until the signup bonus points increased because I did not receive 50,000 points offer. Mine was lower I think but, I was a little too anxious 🙂
It’s still a good deal, but it does help to know that the 50K generally comes around a few times a year.
I love Southwest. Booked a round trip from Austin to Vegas for $115.. I was pleasantly surprised (wish I could find rates this great again though..). Thanks for the review! I was wondering what someone thought of the rewards mileage cards though I don’t know if I will be signing up for them cause I don’t like annual fees.. My mind might change though.
It depends on the card and it depends on the bonus. Personally, I like the Southwest card the best because the points are tied directly to the fare rates. Plus, it is already cheap for us to fly on Southwest. However, if you fly on a particular airline a lot, especially if it is for work, it is probably worth getting that airline’s card to book flights and pick up points.
So I’ve been debating this card for a bit but waiting till closer to my husband retiring. However, I’ve flown southwest going on 3 times in 6 months so it’s too bad i don’t have a card. I want to get the companion pass and wondering the best strategy? Apply in January and try to accumulate points as quickly as possible before the end of the year? Also it sounds like you can use your points before the companion pass is reached? Or is that subtracted from your 110,000 needed if you use them before you hit the mark? Please explain. Thanks.
Unfortunately, the Southwest Companion pass has recently become significantly harder to get. You may no longer earn a signup bonus on a second Southwest consumer card if you’ve earned a new member card bonus within the previous 24 months. At the moment, this does not apply to the business version of the card though.
Thank you! My son warned me about the very recent change in SW credit card deals. I do have a business so could get a business card at this point. Given it is May I’m thinking it would be best to take out at the end of the year and start accumulating the points after January 1st–i.e. spending the amount needed on the card to get the added bonus. I’d hate to not be able to accomplish it unless they start giving the points so far after i could do Christmas and holidays on a new card and take out the 2nd after the first of the year? And do i understand you can use your points before you reach your 110,000 goal –you don’t have to save them in the year just earn them all in one year. Is that correct? Thank you for your suggestions.
Yep, you can use your points as you go. You just need to earn all your points in the same calendar year. Ideally, you’d like to start earning in January. However, you’re also running the risk that they change the signup bonus on the card, increase the points needed to earn the companion pass, etc. So, keep that in mind as well.
THought I would let you know I went for it end of last year. Took out a business card in late November and had some last year end larger expenses i was able to charge and get the bonus points. In late December I took out the consumer one and switched all our credit card charges to that and as of mid-March I was notified we got our companion pass! It does still last for two years earning it this way which I was a bit nervous about when I saw the “new” deal of earning it. Now hopefully we can do some travelling in the next few years before it expires. Was super excited and pleased the timing worked out perfectly. WE have companion pass status from mid-March of 2019 through December of 2020! Thanks for all your tips on how to do this!! Appreciated greatly!!
Congrats!!!! The pass is much tougher to get than it used to be, but it sounds like the business card definitely helped you out.
Yes, there was a Companion Pass promo that was running earlier this year on the consumer cards only (2019). For that promo, the Companion Pass was only good through the remainder of the year. Thankfully, that promo has since expired (along with all sorts of confusion). When you earn the Companion Pass the regular way, it still works for the rest of the calendar year in which you earn it and the following year. Enjoy!
do you think they might offer the 50K points this year?
Thank you for this nice post. Its really help full.