One of the BEST ways to fly free is to take advantage of travel credit cards, and getting a Southwest credit card is usually the FIRST step I recommend if you want to fly your entire family free.
Applying for a Southwest credit card and meeting the minimum spend lets you earn a SIGNIFICANT number of points (we’re talking 40,000-120,000 points!) after you meet a low minimum spend in the first 3-6 months, but most importantly helps you earn the Southwest Companion Pass.
It’s much better to earn tens of thousands of points with a $1,000-$5,000 minimum spend than to earn the card’s typical 1 point per dollar you spend on the card.
To apply for credit cards in this post, please click on Cards in the Main Menu at the top of the page (shown below) to help support my small business. For Southwest and Capital One, you can also use the links within the post. I greatly appreciate it!
About Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards
Southwest Airlines offers 5 Southwest credit cards to earn Southwest points, which you can use for FREE travel on the airline.
You can choose from 3 Southwest credit cards for personal use and 2 Southwest credit cards for business.
These cards typically offer a 40,000 to 120,000-point bonus after you meet the minimum required spend within 3 months.
Southwest’s frequent flyer program is called Rapid Rewards, and they track points instead of miles.
If you apply for 2 cards when each has a 40,000- to 100,000-point bonus, you either immediately can earn the coveted Southwest Companion Pass or you’ll come darn close :).
Your options are either:
- 1 personal and 1 business card OR
- 2 business cards (as you can hold BOTH business cards but not more than 1 personal card; see rules below)
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What You Need to Know Before Applying for a Southwest Credit Card
Here are some rules you should know and understand BEFORE applying for ANY Southwest credit cards
- You can only hold ONE personal Southwest card at a time.
- You can only earn the bonus on ANY personal Southwest card ONCE every 24 months, so if you’ve earned a bonus on ANY personal Southwest card in the last 24 months, you will not be eligible for this offer. But instead, consider having a spouse or loved one take advantage!
- You can hold BOTH business cards (which is different than the personal card rule)
- Chase will not approve you for ANY card if you have opened 5 or more new cards of ANY type in the last 24 months (excluding Chase, AMEX, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Citi business cards). This is Chase’s notorious 5/24 rule.
- Chase will not approve you if you apply for more than 1 of their cards within 30 days. There may be an exception to this if you bank with Chase and go into a branch to apply. Additionally, some of our readers have reported success applying for 2 Chase cards in one day (the theory being there is not time for Chase to note you’ve already applied for 1 of their cards). I have not personally tried this.
Remember all of these points, in addition to qualifying toward the Southwest Companion Pass, also may be used for free travel anywhere Southwest flies!
Southwest Credit Card Options
Here are your Southwest personal credit card options, though please note we only recommend Southwest Plus or Southwest Priority:
This is the TOP card I recommend for Southwest in light of all Southwest’s changes in 2025. It gives you 1 free checked bag, Group 5 boarding and a seat selection at booking — all for you and up to EIGHT people on the same reservation including a Companion.
Read my FULL REVIEW of this card and see my top 10 reasons to get a Southwest Priority Card.
Bonus Offer: 50,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
Annual Fee: $229
Benefits include:
- 1 free checked bag for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion (regularly $35 per bag for 1st checked bag)
- Free Standard or Preferred seat at booking (if available) for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion
- Extra Legroom seat for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion if available 48 hours ahead of departure
- Board with Group 5 (out of 8 boarding groups) for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion
- 7,500 anniversary points each year (These points DO qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass)
- Earn 2,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for each $5,000 in purchases. TQPs can be used to count toward qualification for Rapid Rewards A-List (35,000 TQPs needed) or A-List Preferred (70,000 TQPs needed) status. Note: This is NOT how I recommend earning A-List if that’s something you want to strive for.
- 4 points per $1 on Southwest Airline purchases (previously 3 points)
- 2 points per $1 spent on gas stations and restaurants
- 1 point per $1 on everything else
- Get 25% back on inflight purchases made with the card
- No foreign transaction fees
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card
Bonus Offer: 50,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
End Date: None
Annual Fee: $99
Benefits include:
- 1 free checked bag for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion (regularly $35 per bag for 1st checked bag)
- Standard or seat if available 48 hours ahead of departure for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion
- Board with Group 5 (out of 8 boarding groups) for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion
- 2 points per $1 on Southwest Airlines purchases
- 2 points per $1 on gas and grocery – up to $5,000 combined annually
- 1 point per $1 earned on all other purchases
- 3,000 points (valued at ~$45) credited on your one-year anniversary of holding the card, which DO qualify for the current year’s Companion Pass
- 10% discount code on account anniversary for a flight in points or dollars, excluding Basic fares
- 25% back on inflight purchases
- No foreign transactions fees (new benefit for 2025)
Southwest Business Card Options
Bonus Offer: 120,000 points after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months
Annual Fee: $299
Benefits include:
- 1 free checked bag for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion (regularly $35 per bag for 1st checked bag)
- Free Standard or Preferred seat at booking (if available) for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion
- Extra Legroom seat for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion if available 48 hours ahead of departure
- Board with Group 5 (out of 8 boarding groups) for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion
- 9,000 anniversary points each year (Worth ~$135) – These points DO qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass
- Earn 2,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for each $5,000 in purchases. TQPs can be used to count toward qualification for Rapid Rewards A-List (35,000 TQPs needed) or A-List Preferred (70,000 TQPs needed) status. Note: This is NOT how I recommend earning A-List if that’s something you want to strive for.
- 4 points per $1 on Southwest purchases
- 2 points per $1 on gas stations and restaurants
- 2 points per $1 on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2 points per $1 on hotel accommodations booked directly with a hotel
- 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- 9,000 anniversary points (these DO qualify for the Companion Pass)
- $120 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit every 4 years
- 25% back on inflight purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
Bonus Offer: Earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Annual Fee: $149
Benefits include:
- 1 free checked bag for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion (regularly $35 per bag for 1st checked bag)
- Standard or seat if available 48 hours ahead of departure for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion
- Board with Group 5 (out of 8 boarding groups) for you and up to 8 people on your reservation + a Companion
- Earn 2,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for each $5,000 in purchases. TQPs can be used to count toward qualification for Rapid Rewards A-List (35,000 TQPs needed) or A-List Preferred (70,000 TQPs needed) status. Note: This is NOT how I recommend earning A-List if that’s something you want to strive for.
- 3 points per $1 on Southwest purchases
- 2 points per $1 on gas stations and restaurants
- 1 point per $1 earned on all other purchases
- 6,000 points (worth ~ $90) credited on your one-year anniversary of holding the card, which DO qualify for the current year’s Companion Pass
- 15% discount code on account anniversary for a flight in points or dollars, excluding Basic fares
- 25% back on in-flight purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
In addition to earning the bonus points for each Southwest card, you will earn an additional 1 point per dollar spent for reaching the minimum spend, netting you another 1,000-6,000 points.
BONUS: Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a great third card to hold after applying for the Southwest cards (one personal, one business).
It earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which may be transferred to Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, as well as other airline and hotel loyalty programs for free travel instantly at a 1:1 ratio.
Read my FULL review of Chase Sapphire Preferred
Annual Fee: $95
- Earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 2x points on travel and 1x points on all other purchases
- Earn 3x points on dining, online grocery purchases and select streaming services
- Points can be instantly transferred to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio.
- Points DO NOT count toward the Southwest Companion Pass, only toward a free flight
Declined for a Credit Card?
If you are declined for one of these cards, not to worry!
It’s not necessarily a bad sign. There are lots of reasons you may be declined and many people are approved later.
Your next step should be to contact Chase customer service to review your application by calling the Chase Reconsideration Line phone number at 1-888-270-2127.
I also have some industry “secret” tips to help you get approved for a small business card, which I share inside the Secrets of a Travel Journalist Club.
Once you are approved, be sure to login to your account online or call by phone to make your payment on time monthly and pay off your balance every month, if not every few days, to be sure you do not incur any debt.
This is no longer a good deal if you have to pay steep interest rates on your balance.
Read More:
- 11 Ways to Meet the Minimum Spend on Your Southwest Credit Card
- How the Southwest Companion Pass Changed My Life!
- Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About the Southwest Companion Pass
- Reader Question: Can I Refer Myself to Apply for a Southwest Card?
