Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
If you’re looking for a shortcut to the Southwest Companion Pass, it’s here.
Current welcome bonuses on Southwest credit cards from Chase offer a Companion Pass (excludes taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) — enabling you to bring a friend on all of your flights — for a year, plus $450 worth of points in TPG’s valuations. The same offer is available on all three personal Southwest credit cards. It ends March 13.
Is this the best-ever offer on these cards? Well, it depends: Do you prefer more points or fewer points plus a limited-time Companion Pass?
Let’s take a look at the current sign-up bonuses on the Southwest Airlines credit cards so you can decide whether now is the right time to apply.
Related: The best time to apply for these popular Chase credit cards based on offer history
Southwest personal cards
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Best for: Beginners and infrequent travelers.
- Annual fee: $69.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus points plus a Companion Fare (excludes taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) valid through Feb. 28, 2024 after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends March 13.
- Earning rates: 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-share services like Uber and Lyft, 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases, 2 points per dollar on Southwest flights, 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
- Primary perks: 2 EarlyBird check-ins every card anniversary and 3,000 points every card anniversary.
For more details, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Best for: Regular Southwest flyers.
- Annual fee: $99.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus points plus a Companion Fare (excludes taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) valid through Feb. 28, 2024 after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends March 13.
- Earning rates: 3 points per dollar on Southwest flights, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases (including ride-share services), 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases, 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
- Primary perks: 2 EarlyBird check-ins every card anniversary, 6,000-point anniversary bonus, Unlimited TQP earning: 1,500 for each $10,000 spent and no foreign transaction fees.
For more details, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card.
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Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- Best for: Southwest loyalists who can take advantage of day-of-travel perks.
- Annual fee: $149.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus points plus a Companion Fare (excludes taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) valid through Feb. 28, 2024 after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends March 13.
- Earning rates: 3 points per dollar on Southwest flights, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-share services, 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases, 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
- Primary perks: Unlimited TQP earning: 1,500 for each $10,000 spent, $75 annual Southwest credit, 7,500-point anniversary bonus, four upgraded boardings per year and no foreign transaction fees.
For more details, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Southwest business cards
If you already have a personal Southwest card — or are looking for alternatives to these welcome offers — don’t forget that the airline also fields two cobranded business credit cards. Here are the details on those.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Best for: Business owners who fly Southwest regularly.
- Annual fee: $99.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Earning rates: 3 points per dollar on Southwest flights, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases (including ride-share services), 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
- Primary perks: 2 EarlyBird check-ins every card anniversary, $500 fee credit for Rapid Rewards points transfers to another Rapid Rewards member, 6,000-point anniversary bonus, earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status and no foreign transaction fees.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
- Best for: Business owners who are loyal Southwest flyers.
- Annual fee: $199.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Earning rate: 4 points per dollar on Southwest flights, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases (including ride-share services), 3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, 2 points per dollar on social media and paid search advertising, internet, cable and phone services, 1 point per dollar on everything else.
- Primary perk(s): Unlimited TQP earning: 1,500 for each $10,000 spent, $500 fee credit for Rapid Rewards points transfers to another Rapid Rewards member, 9,000-point anniversary bonus, four upgraded boardings per year, up-to-$100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi credits per year and no foreign transaction fees.
Check out the full card review.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
Should you apply for a Southwest credit card now?
Southwest has many fans who love the airline’s personality and the fact that all passengers can check two bags for free. The carrier’s Rapid Rewards program is also popular, thanks to its simplicity. The number of Southwest Rapid Rewards points required to book a flight is directly tied to the flight’s current fare, and you often get good deals if you know when and where to look for redemptions.
Furthermore, because of Southwest’s policy of no cancellation or change fees on its flights, you can actually re-price a Southwest flight if you book a trip and then find the same itinerary at a lower price before departure. In addition, Southwest points never expire, so you don’t need to worry about earning points and then not getting a chance to use them.
However, you can get even more value from your Southwest points if you can earn a Companion Pass. This perk allows you to bring along a designated travel companion on all of your Southwest flights — both paid and award tickets (you just need to pay taxes and fees).
Related: How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass
Currently, to get a Companion Pass, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying, one-way flights in a calendar year. But credit card welcome bonuses and points earning from card spending count toward qualification, so the current elevated offers on these cards can really jumpstart you toward earning your Companion Pass.
Without the current offers to obtain a one-year Companion Pass, you can receive nearly two years of buy-one-get-one flights by opening a personal and business Southwest credit card and timing your spending to earn the bonuses early in January. That’s because the standard Companion Pass is valid for the year it’s earned and the entire following year.
This year, the points required to earn the Companion Pass jumped from 125,000 to 135,000. However, Southwest cardholders will get a 10,000-point boost at the beginning of the year (for existing cardholders) or within 30 days of opening an account (for new members).
Read more: 13 lessons from 13 years’ worth of Southwest Companion Passes
Bottom line
All three of Southwest’s personal credit cards — the Plus, Premier and Priority — have identical sign-up bonuses.
If you add any of these cards to your wallet, you can earn 30,000 bonus points and a Companion Pass valid through Feb. 28, 2024. These offers end March 13, meaning you shouldn’t delay if you’re interested in earning this bonus.
This is a great way to unlock a lot of free travel over the next year, thanks to the Companion Pass’ ability to bring a friend on Southwest flights with you — even on flights you paid for with points and miles.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Ryan Wilcox, Madison Blancaflor, Eric Rosen, Christina Ly and Ryan Smith.
