Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence card assessment: Full particulars

Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card overview

The Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card (see charges and charges) is essentially the most rewarding of Southwest Airways’ private bank cards. It features a $229 annual payment and seven,500 anniversary bonus factors. With essentially the most advantages of any of the cardboard choices, that is the cardboard to get should you’re a Southwest loyalist. Card Score*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card score is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

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Southwest Airways has gained legions of followers, largely as a consequence of its earlier versatile change/cancellation insurance policies and providing two free checked baggage for all passengers.

The airline, nevertheless, is in the midst of sweeping adjustments, together with an up to date boarding course of beginning in January 2026 and baggage not flying free.

In contrast to different airways, Southwest would not supply lounges, but it surely plans to implement premium cabins and has began retrofitting planes to incorporate seats with further legroom.

However it does supply a full suite of cobranded bank cards to assist frequent flyers fulfill their Southwest journey objectives. These playing cards have been not too long ago refreshed, introducing all kinds of adjustments.

This contains the Southwest Precedence card, which has added extra perks geared toward making the Southwest journey expertise extra nice and has modified bonus class incomes charges. Nevertheless, with this comes an unlucky over 40% annual payment enhance to $229.

This card gained the Greatest Airline Cobranded Credit score Card award within the 2024 TPG Awards, however with the brand new adjustments, solely time will inform if it is going to take residence the crown once more this 12 months.

The Southwest Precedence card has a really useful credit score rating of 670 or above and is essentially the most premium private bank card within the Southwest lineup.

However are its advantages beneficial sufficient to warrant the $229 annual payment, and is now the suitable time so that you can apply? Let’s discover out.

Southwest Precedence Credit score Card professionals and cons

Southwest Precedence Credit score Card welcome supply

New Southwest Precedence cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 5 months from account opening. This supply ends Sept 17.

In line with TPG’s July 2025 valuations, the 100,000 factors included on this welcome supply are value $1,400.

This matches the perfect welcome supply we have seen on this card that does not embody a Companion Move, and it requires $8,000 much less in minimal spending.

Your bonus desire ought to decide whether or not you apply for this card now or not; nevertheless, if the Companion Move would not curiosity you, this is a wonderful supply to reap the benefits of. Know, although, that you will have the prospect to earn the welcome bonus and a Companion Move (relying on how a lot you spend) since you would be 114,000* factors nearer to the 135,000 factors wanted to earn a Companion Move.

*This whole is predicated on the 100,000 factors you’d earn from the welcome bonus, plus an extra 4,000 factors you’d obtain from the spending requirement and the ten,000 Companion Move qualifying factors increase you’d additionally earn.

Word that Southwest playing cards are topic to Chase’s 5/24 rule. When you’ve opened 5 or extra bank cards previously 24 months (from all banks, not simply Chase), you might not be accredited.

Moreover, you may’t open a brand new private Southwest card you probably have one open. You additionally will not have the ability to get a brand new welcome bonus from a private Southwest card should you’ve obtained one previously 24 months.

Associated: The right way to rapidly earn the Southwest Companion Move

Southwest Precedence Credit score Card advantages

The Southwest Precedence card provides the next advantages, a lot of which may help offset the annual payment. Most advantages will make the day-of-travel expertise far more pleasurable. It is essential to notice that present cardholders will obtain all their present advantages till Dec. 31.

Cardholders obtain:

• Anniversary bonus: In your card anniversary annually, you will obtain 7,500 Fast Rewards factors, value $105 primarily based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.
• Annual Southwest journey credit score: Throughout every cardmember 12 months, you will obtain a $75 journey credit score that can be utilized on most Southwest purchases, together with tickets (excluding upgraded boardings and inflight purchases; this credit score will finish Dec. 31).
• Two EarlyBird Examine-Ins yearly: These EarlyBird Examine-Ins can value as a lot $99 (ends Dec. 31).
• 4 upgraded boardings per 12 months: For flights working in 2025, you will have the power to improve your boarding as much as 4 occasions (ends Dec. 31).
• Free first checked bag: Obtain a free first checked bag for you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation. (An ordinary first checked bag prices $35, which might save a household of 4 $280 on a round-trip itinerary.)
• Group 5 precedence boarding (for 2026 and past): If in case you have A-list standing, you may board with an earlier group.
• Most well-liked seat choice at reserving: When obtainable, you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation can choose most well-liked seating on the time of reserving.
• Limitless extra-legroom upgrades: When obtainable, you and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation can choose extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours previous to departure. This arguably is essentially the most beneficial perk offered by the cardboard, as most home airways solely supply complimentary extra-legroom seating to their elite members or require a hefty spending quantity on a cobranded card.
• 25% inflight financial savings: Obtain 25% again (as a press release credit score) after you utilize your card to buy inflight drinks and Wi-Fi.
• Tier qualifying factors increase: Earn 2,500 tier qualifying factors that depend towards A-Record and A-Record Most well-liked standing for each $5,000 you spend in a calendar 12 months.
• 10,000 Companion Move qualifying factors increase yearly: Cardholders obtain 10,000 factors towards a Companion Move annually.

Along with the Southwest-specific advantages, the cardboard comes with misplaced baggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance coverage, prolonged guarantee safety and buy safety.

The cardboard additionally carries no international transaction charges, so it is a sensible choice for spending overseas.

Associated: The right way to get airline elite standing

Incomes factors with the Southwest Precedence Credit score Card

Here is what you will earn with the Southwest Precedence card:

• New: 4 factors per greenback spent on Southwest purchases (5.6% return primarily based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations)
• New: 2 factors per greenback spent at gasoline stations and eating places (2.8% return)
• 2 factors per greenback spent with Fast Rewards lodge and automobile rental companions (2.8% return; ends Dec. 31)
• 2 factors per greenback spent on native transit and commuting, together with ride-hailing apps (2.8% return; ends Dec. 31)
• 2 factors per greenback spent on web, cable and cellphone companies and choose streaming purchases (2.8% return; ends Dec. 31)
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases (1.4% return)

It is essential to notice that present cardholders will obtain the present and new incomes charges till Dec. 31.

This airline bank card provides a greater variety of bonus classes than different airline bank cards; nevertheless, many of those bonus classes can be eliminated on the finish of the 12 months. You might be higher suited with different high journey playing cards, as their earnings could be much more profitable.

You may earn 5.6% again on Southwest purchases and a pair of.8% again on choose purchases (in accordance with TPG’s July 2025 valuations), which aren’t dangerous charges of return for a cobranded bank card. The addition of gasoline and grocery as a bonus class is a welcome addition and helpful for many who plan to place a bulk of their on a regular basis spending on the cardboard.

Nevertheless, this might not be the perfect Southwest card for you should you do not guide Southwest flights typically or choose to make use of different portals for lodge and rental automobile bookings.

Associated: Greatest rewards bank cards

Redeeming factors with the Southwest Precedence Credit score Card

Redeeming Southwest Fast Rewards factors with the Southwest Precedence card may be very simple.

Southwest award costs are instantly tied to the money worth of the ticket, which means the variety of factors you want for a flight will fluctuate, however you will not often encounter occasions when you may’t use your factors. Plus, you may redeposit your award with out penalty in case your plans change.

Whereas Southwest’s factors will not enable you fly in first-class suites, they’ll present nice worth.

For example, you may fly from Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to Chicago’s Halfway Worldwide Airport (MDW) for as few as 8,091 factors one-way, relying on the time of 12 months. In the meantime, different airways typically cost 10,000 miles or much more (assuming you could find availability).

When you guide throughout certainly one of Southwest’s flash gross sales, you would rating awards for lower than 2,500 factors one-way. You possibly can even fly to enjoyable locations like Hawaii, Costa Rica and Mexico along with your Southwest factors.

For example, Emily Thompson, a publication and partnerships editor at TPG, not too long ago took benefit of certainly one of these gross sales to guide a round-trip ticket between Nashville Worldwide Airport (BNA) and San Jose Mineta Worldwide Airport (SJC) in California for underneath 25,000 factors.

Associated: The right way to redeem your factors with the Southwest Fast Rewards program

Which playing cards compete with the Southwest Precedence Credit score Card?

Southwest Airways provides three private playing cards, so you may select the one that matches you greatest.

• If you would like Southwest advantages with a extra modest payment: The Southwest Fast Rewards® Premier Credit score Card is the mid-tier card within the Southwest lineup, with a $149 annual payment. Its advantages embody most well-liked seat choice when obtainable, one 15% promotional code every cardmember anniversary, 6,000 anniversary bonus factors, a Companion Move qualifying factors increase perk and free checked baggage. To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Southwest Premier card.
• If you would like a Southwest card with a fair decrease annual payment: The Southwest Fast Rewards® Plus Credit score Card (see charges and charges) has a $99 annual payment and permits commonplace seat choice when obtainable, supplies one 10% promotional code every cardmember anniversary, provides 3,000 anniversary bonus factors, features a Companion Move qualifying factors increase perk and comes with free checked baggage. To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Southwest Plus card.
• If you would like transferable factors to make use of with Southwest and different airways: The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and charges) earns Chase Final Rewards factors, which you’ll be able to switch 1:1 to Southwest and a variety of different airways for making flight redemptions. You may get quite a few journey protections, a $50 annual lodge credit score on lodge bookings made by way of Chase Journey℠ and strong incomes classes for a $95 annual payment. To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Sapphire Most well-liked.

For extra choices, take a look at our full listing of journey bank cards.

Associated: Companion Move and bonus factors: Evaluating the Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence, Premier and Plus bank cards

The knowledge for the Southwest Fast Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Is the Southwest Precedence Credit score Card value it?

When you fly Southwest at the very least just a few occasions annually, you’ll come out forward with the Southwest Precedence card. Its on a regular basis incomes charges aren’t essentially the most profitable, however spectacular built-in perks like most well-liked seat choice (when obtainable), Group 5 boarding (for 2026 and past), free checked baggage for you and eight journey companions, and anniversary bonus factors make up for it. Nevertheless, should you fly Southwest much less typically, you will seemingly choose certainly one of our different favourite airline playing cards.

Backside line

The Southwest Precedence card is essentially the most rewarding of Southwest Airways’ private bank cards, permitting you to earn a superb stash of factors and get essentially the most advantages of any of the airline’s choices.

Regardless of the latest refresh and annual payment enhance, that is nonetheless the perfect Southwest card for you should you fly the provider typically.

Nevertheless, should you do not fly Southwest typically or wish to preserve your annual payment prices decrease, chances are you’ll wish to go for one of many different Southwest cobranded playing cards or a card that earns transferable rewards.

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Apply right here: Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card

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Associated: The right way to decide the suitable journey bank card for you