Southwest Airline’s seating coverage is not the one factor that is altering; the airline and Chase introduced updates to the Southwest Speedy Rewards bank cards — including enhanced advantages like pre-flight seat choice and early boarding, new incomes classes and a welcome bonus any loyal Southwest flyer would love.
For a restricted time, now via Sep. 17, new Southwest Speedy Rewards Precedence, Premier or Plus client credit score cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first 5 months from account opening. That is double the earlier welcome bonus of fifty,000 factors, and it marks Southwest’s greatest factors provide this 12 months.
Together with the extra perks come different prices: card annual charges are rising and Southwest will likely be expiring just a few present advantages and reward classes. This is a breakdown by card:
Southwest bank card adjustments
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Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus
The Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Credit score Card is an reasonably priced card that is smart for the occasional Southwest traveler.
- Precious welcome bonus
- 3,000 bonus factors each card member anniversary
- Not particularly rewarding for frequent bills similar to groceries or eating
Highlights
Highlights proven listed below are supplied by the issuer and haven’t been reviewed by CNBC Choose’s editorial employees.
- Restricted Time Supply: Our greatest factors provide this 12 months, earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 5 months from account opening.
- 3,000 anniversary factors every year.
- Earn 2 factors per $1 spent on Southwest Airways® purchases
- Earn 2 factors for each $1 you spend at gasoline stations and grocery shops on the primary $5,000 in mixed purchases per anniversary 12 months
- Cardmembers and as much as 8 further passengers in the identical reservation can examine their first bag at no further price.
- Choose a Commonplace seat inside 48 hours previous to departure, when obtainable.
- Earn 1 level for each $1 spent on all different purchases.
- No international transaction charges.
- Member FDIC
Steadiness switch payment
Both $5 or 5% of the quantity of every switch, whichever is larger
Annual payment
The Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus annual payment is rising from $69 to $99, a $30 hike.
New advantages
- Free first checked bag: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers in the identical reservation can examine their first bag at no further price
- New reward class: 2X factors on the primary $5,000 in mixed spend at gasoline stations and grocery shops every anniversary 12 months
- Seat choice: Commonplace seat choice inside 48 hours previous to departure, when obtainable, for the cardmember and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation (for flights working in 2026)
- Early boarding: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers touring on the identical reservation can board early, in Group 5
- Annual flight low cost: One promotional code for a ten% flight low cost every anniversary 12 months (besides Fundamental fare)
- Charges: No international transaction charges
Misplaced advantages (expiring Dec. 31, 2025)
- 2X factors on Southwest Cruises
- 2X factors on Speedy Rewards lodge and automotive rental companions
- 2X factors on web, cable, telephone companies and choose streaming
- 2X factors on native transit and commuting, together with rideshare
- EarlyBird check-in
Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier
The Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Credit score Card is Southwest’s mid-tier card and is effective when you usually journey to or from locations Southwest serves.
- Precious welcome bonus
- 6,000 bonus factors each card member anniversary
- No international transaction payment
- Restricted worth if you’re not touring with Southwest
- No annual assertion credit to offset the annual payment
Rewards
- 3X factors on Southwest® purchases,
- *2X factors on native transit and commuting, together with rideshare
- *2X factors on Speedy Rewards lodge and automotive rental companions
- *2X factors on web, cable, and telephone companies and choose streaming
- 1X factors on all different purchases
*Advantages expire December 31, 2025
Steadiness switch payment
Annual payment
The Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier annual payment is rising from $99 to $149, a $50 rise.
New advantages
- Free first checked bag: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers in the identical reservation can examine their first bag at no further price
- New reward class: 2X factors on the primary $8,000 in mixed spend at grocery shops and eating places every anniversary 12 months
- Seat choice: Commonplace or Most popular seat choice inside 48 hours previous to departure, when obtainable, for the cardmember and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation (for flights working in 2026)
- Early boarding: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers touring on the identical reservation can board early, in Group 5
- Annual flight low cost: One promotional code for a 15% flight low cost every anniversary 12 months (besides Fundamental fare)
Misplaced advantages (expiring Dec. 31, 2025)
- 3X factors on Southwest Cruises
- 2X factors on Speedy Rewards lodge and automotive rental companions
- 2X factors on web, cable, telephone companies and choose streaming
- 2X factors on native transit and commuting, together with rideshare
- EarlyBird check-in
Southwest Speedy Rewards Precedence
The Southwest Speedy Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card is an ideal match for severe Southwest followers who can simply maximize its advantages like upgraded boardings and an annual journey credit score.
- Precious welcome bonus
- 7,500 bonus factors each card member anniversary
- $75 annual Southwest journey credit score
- Restricted worth if you’re not touring with Southwest
- Excessive annual payment
Highlights
Highlights proven listed below are supplied by the issuer and haven’t been reviewed by CNBC Choose’s editorial employees.
- Restricted Time Supply: Our greatest factors provide this 12 months, earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 5 months from account opening.
- 7,500 anniversary factors every year.
- Earn 4 factors per $1 spent on Southwest Airways® purchases, together with flights, inflight, and Southwest present playing cards.
- Earn 2 factors for each $1 you spend at gasoline stations and eating places
- First checked bag free for Cardmembers and as much as 8 further passengers in the identical reservation.
- Choose a Most popular seat at reserving, at no further cost, when obtainable.*
- Cardmembers and as much as 8 passengers in the identical reservation will board with Group 5 giving them earlier entry to overhead bins.*
- No international transaction charges.
- Member FDIC
Steadiness switch payment
- Both $5 or 5% of the quantity of every switch, whichever is larger
Annual payment
The Southwest Speedy Rewards Precedence annual payment is being hiked from $149 to $229, an $80 enhance.
New advantages
- Free first checked bag: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers in the identical reservation can examine their first bag at no further price
- Up to date reward class: 4X factors on Southwest Airways eligible purchases, beforehand 3X factors
- New reward class: 2X factors at gasoline stations and eating places, with no annual cap
- Seat choice: Commonplace or Most popular seat choice inside 48 hours previous to departure, when obtainable, for the cardmember and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation (for flights working in 2026)
- Free upgrades: Limitless upgrades to Further Legroom seats inside 48 hours earlier than departure, when obtainable and at no further cost, for the cardmember and as much as eight further passengers touring on the identical reservation
- Early boarding: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers touring on the identical reservation can board early, in Group 5
- Head begin towards A-Listing standing: Earn 2,500 Tier Qualifying Factors (TQPs) towards A-Listing standing for each $5,000 spent yearly (beforehand 1,500 TQPs)
Misplaced advantages (expiring Dec. 31, 2025)
- 4X factors on Southwest Cruises
- 2X factors on Speedy Rewards lodge and automotive rental companions
- 2X factors on web, cable, telephone companies and choose streaming
- 2X factors on native transit and commuting, together with rideshare
- Upgraded Boardings when obtainable for 2025 flights
- $75 Southwest annual journey credit score
Profit from your subsequent journey with considered one of these prime journey bank cards
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Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus Enterprise
Annual payment
The Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus Enterprise is presently unavailable for brand spanking new customers, however carries a $99 annual payment.
New advantages
- Free first checked bag: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers in the identical reservation can examine their first bag at no further price
- New reward class: 2X factors on first $5,000 in mixed spend at gasoline stations and eating places every anniversary 12 months
- Seat choice: Commonplace seat choice inside 48 hours previous to departure, when obtainable, for the cardmember and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation (for flights working in 2026)
- Early boarding: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers touring on the identical reservation can board early, in Group 5
- Annual flight low cost: One promotional code for a ten% flight low cost every anniversary 12 months (besides Fundamental fare)
- Charges: No international transaction charges
Misplaced advantages (expiring Dec. 31, 2025)
- 2X factors on Southwest Cruises
- 2X factors on Speedy Rewards lodge and automotive rental companions
- 2X factors on native transit and commuting, together with rideshare
- EarlyBird check-in
- $500 payment credit score for factors transfers every year
Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier Enterprise
The Southwest® Speedy Rewards® Premier Enterprise Credit score Card will help what you are promoting save on Southwest journey however gives much less worth for different journey.
- Precious welcome bonus helps you qualify for a Companion Cross
- 6,000 bonus factors each card member anniversary
- As much as $500 in credit for level switch charges yearly (Profit expires December 31, 2025)
- Restricted worth if you’re not touring with Southwest
- No bonus spending classes for frequent enterprise purchases like workplace provides, transport or promoting
Highlights
Highlights proven listed below are supplied by the issuer and haven’t been reviewed by CNBC Choose’s editorial employees.
- Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months your account is open.
- 6,000 bonus factors after your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 3X factors on Southwest Airways® purchases.
- Earn 2 factors for each $1 you spend at gasoline stations and eating places on the primary $8,000 in mixed purchases per 12 months
- First checked bag free for Cardmembers and as much as 8 further passengers in the identical reservation.
- Choose a Commonplace or Most popular seat inside 48 hours previous to departure, when obtainable.*
- Cardmembers and as much as 8 passengers in the identical reservation will board with Group 5 giving them earlier entry to overhead bins.*
- No international transaction charges.
- Member FDIC
Steadiness switch payment
Both $5 or 5% of the quantity of every switch, whichever is larger
Annual payment
The Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier Enterprise annual payment is rising from $99 to $149, a $50 rise.
New advantages
- Free first checked bag: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers in the identical reservation can examine their first bag at no further price.
- New reward class: 2X factors on first $8,000 in mixed spend at gasoline stations and eating places every anniversary 12 months
- Seat choice: Commonplace or Most popular seat choice inside 48 hours previous to departure, when obtainable, for the cardmember and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation (for flights working in 2026)
- Early boarding: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers touring on the identical reservation can board early, in Group 5
- Headstart towards A-Listing standing: Earn 2,000 Tier Qualifying Factors (TQPs) towards A-Listing standing for each $5,000 spent yearly (beforehand 1,500 TQPs).
- Annual flight low cost: One promotional code for a 15% flight low cost every anniversary 12 months (besides Fundamental fare)
Misplaced advantages (expiring Dec. 31, 2025)
- 3X factors on Southwest Cruises
- 2X factors on Speedy Rewards lodge and automotive rental companions
- 2X factors on native transit and commuting, together with rideshare
- EarlyBird check-in
- $500 payment credit score for factors transfers every year
Southwest Speedy Rewards Efficiency Enterprise
The Southwest® Speedy Rewards® Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card is Southwest’s most premium enterprise bank card and may be extremely rewarding for frequent flyers, particularly these chasing the Southwest Companion Cross or different Southwest elite standing.
- Welcome bonus counts towards incomes a Southwest Companion Cross
- As much as 365 in-flight Wi-Fi credit yearly
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per 12 months (when obtainable)
- International Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck® credit score each 4 years
- Excessive annual payment
- Restricted worth if you’re not touring with Southwest
Highlights
Highlights proven listed below are supplied by the issuer and haven’t been reviewed by CNBC Choose’s editorial employees.
- Earn 80,000 factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
- 9,000 bonus factors after your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 4X pts on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 2 factors for each $1 you spend at gasoline stations and eating places
- Earn 2X factors on lodge lodging booked instantly with the lodge
- Earn 2X factors on native transit and commuting, together with rideshare.
- First checked bag free for Cardmembers and as much as 8 further passengers in the identical reservation.
- Cardmembers and as much as 8 passengers in the identical reservation will board with Group 5 giving them earlier entry to overhead bins.*
- Member FDIC
Steadiness switch payment
Both $5 or 5% of the quantity of every switch, whichever is larger
Annual payment
The Southwest Speedy Rewards Efficiency Enterprise annual payment is being bumped up from $199 to $299, a $100 enhance.
New advantages
- Free first checked bag: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers in the identical reservation can examine their first bag at no further price
- New reward class: 2X factors on spend at gasoline stations and eating places, with no annual cap
- New reward class: 2X factors on all lodge lodging booked instantly
- Seat choice: Commonplace or Most popular seat choice inside 48 hours previous to departure, when obtainable, for the cardmember and as much as eight passengers touring on the identical reservation (for flights working in 2026)
- Free upgrades: Limitless upgrades to Further Legroom seats inside 48 hours earlier than departure, when obtainable and at no further cost, for the cardmember and as much as eight further passengers touring on the identical reservation
- Early boarding: Cardmembers and as much as eight further passengers touring on the identical reservation can board early, in Group 5
- In-flight purchases: Earn 25% again on in-flight purchases
- Head begin towards A-Listing standing: Earn 2,500 Tier Qualifying Factors (TQPs) towards A-Listing standing for each $5,000 spent yearly (beforehand 1,500 TQPs)
Misplaced advantages (expiring Dec. 31, 2025)
- 4X factors on Southwest Cruises
- 3X factors on Speedy Rewards lodge and automotive rental companions
- 2X factors on social media, search engine promoting, web, cable and telephone companies
- Upgraded Boardings for 2025 flights
- $500 payment credit score for factors transfers every year
- As much as 365 inflight web credit per 12 months
Execs and cons
Execs
In the event you fly on Southwest with some frequency, likelihood is you can get some additional worth out of those playing cards. Not solely will you might have alternatives if you ebook with Southwest, however with the addition of recent rewards classes, you might have extra alternatives to earn Southwest Speedy Rewards, which may be redeemed for priceless rewards like flights and lodge stays.
- Some playing cards have manageable payment will increase: Annual charges are rising by $50 or much less for the Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus, Premier and Premier Enterprise playing cards, so a single round-trip making use of the free first checked bag (a $35 worth every approach) would greater than cowl the rise.
- Restricted-time welcome bonus: The 100,000 welcome bonus is one other nice cause to contemplate the cardboard now. With Southwest now utilizing dynamic pricing, your actual redemption worth may range, however 100,000 Speedy Rewards factors can get you a good distance, particularly when you’re reserving at off-peak instances.
- Free first checked bag: With the perks that relate to checked baggage and seat choice, you solely have to have one member of your get together with a qualifying bank card, as it would apply to the cardholder and as much as eight different friends on the identical reservation. Just one particular person in your group (as much as 9) wants a qualifying bank card to get perks like checked baggage and seat choice. In the event you’re happening a household journey or a getaway with associates, a gaggle of 4 can save $280 spherical journey.
Cons
The Southwest playing cards are dropping some advantages in classes like transit, web and telephone companies, plus rising annual charges. Whereas a Southwest bank card should make sense when you regularly journey with Southwest, it is likely to be tougher to earn rewards factors when you do not typically spend within the new rewards classes.
- Fewer business-focused rewards: Whereas the Southwest enterprise playing cards additionally obtained some new rewards classes, they focus totally on journey not enterprise bills. The playing cards added new reward classes for spending on inns, transit, gasoline and eating places, so they won’t be the very best match when you’re searching for advantages that instantly relate to what you are promoting.
- Shedding assertion credit: The Speedy Rewards Precedence card is dropping the $75 annual Southwest journey credit score, and the enterprise playing cards are dropping the $500 payment credit score for factors transfers every year.
- Lacking attainable earnings: In the event you primarily use your Southwest bank card for purchases with the airline, you may nonetheless be getting new perks, however may miss out on the extra rewards earned in on a regular basis spending classes.
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