A couple of weeks ago, I had lunch with friends, and we began talking about rewards credit cards. One friend said, “I can’t believe how many new credit cards come out all the time.” Boy, is she right! New cards bring lots of opportunities to earn points, and a brand-new opportunity to earn up to 65,000 airline miles just became available.
Sign-Up Bonus is Tiered
Chase has released yet another co-branded Southwest credit card—a third one among the personal credit card options. The welcome bonus on the Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is tiered, and new card members can earn 40,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $1,000 on the card in the first three months and then another 25,000 points after spending a total of $15,000 within the first year of card membership.
It seems like a lot at first, but it comes out to about $1,250 per month. Once you take the spending into account, you will end up with 80,000 Rapid Rewards points. Still, I think the sign-up bonus could be a little higher in return for that minimum-spending requirement.
Other Benefits
- 2X Rapid Rewards points per $1 spent with Southwest
- 1X point per $1 spent everywhere else
- $75 Southwest annual travel credit
- 7,500 anniversary points at every card renewal
- four priority boarding passes per year
- 20 percent discount on in-flight purchases
- $149 annual fee (not waived for the first year)
How the Rapid Rewards Priority Card Stacks Up Against Existing Southwest Cards
You might be curious how the new card offering compares to the other two co-branded personal Southwest cards. In my opinion, it’s the best card yet. As long as you use it, the travel credit lowers the annual fee to $74. Earlier this year, Southwest assigned consistent values to its points, so the annual bonus of 7,500 points is worth about $97, which outweighs the rest of the annual fee. The mediocre earning rate is disappointing, considering that many airline cards have been adding bonus categories to their co-branded cards.
What intrigues me the most are the early boarding opportunities included with the Chase Southwest Priority Card. As you know, boarding a Southwest flight is a convoluted and sometimes an infuriating process based on your boarding position, which you can obtain by checking in at least 24 hours early. If you’re not keen on spending $15 on EarlyBird check-in and end up in a less-than-perfect boarding group, this benefit will save you.
Related: Is EarlyBird Check-In on Southwest Worth It?
As a cardholder, you can upgrade your boarding position to a Business Select A1-15 boarding group (if available at the gate) four times per year. If you pay for the upgrade with your Southwest Priority Card, you’ll receive a credit. This benefit can be worth $60 or more, but fee free to assign your own value.
Who is Eligible for This Credit Card?
Earlier this year, Chase implemented a limit to the number of personal Southwest credit cards a consumer can hold at once. The rule is similar to the Sapphire family of cards. If you currently hold either the Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card or the Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, you’re not eligible to apply for this card.
If you held either of the aforementioned cards in the past and closed it, but it’s been less than 24 months since you received the bonus, you’re not eligible to receive a new bonus. And of course, the dreaded 5/24 rule is likely in play as well, so if you’re over the threshold, tread lightly.
Related: The Best Ways to Earn a Southwest Companion Pass
In Conclusion
Although not life-changing, the Rapid Rewards Priority Card is a solid option for Southwest flyers. The fee pays for itself as long as you’re able to redeem the travel credit and the anniversary points, which do not expire if you have account activity once per 24 months. If you’re eyeing the Companion Pass, it’s also a great card to get started, but the recommendation is to earn the pass early in a calendar year to make it last longer.
What do you think of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card from Chase?
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