Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
The card for people who fly Southwest constantly. You pick a Preferred seat at booking, upgrade to Extra Legroom inside 48 hours when available, and collect 7,500 anniversary points that cover a real chunk of the $229 fee. Spending earns 4X on Southwest and adds tier qualifying points toward A-List status.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- 60,000-point welcome offer after $2,000 in 3 months
- 7,500 anniversary points each year, the largest in the personal lineup
- Preferred seat selection at booking and unlimited Extra Legroom upgrades inside 48 hours, when available
- 4X points on Southwest purchases
- 2,500 tier qualifying points per $5,000 spent toward A-List
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year
- First checked bag free for you and up to 8 companions
- Annual fee: $229, applied to the first billing statement
- Purchase APR: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
- Intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer APR: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable; fee: Either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash advance APR: 28.49% Variable; fee: Either $10 or 5% of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Late payment fee: Up to $40
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Rates and offers verified on the issuer's website on August 27, 2026 and may change. See the issuer's pricing and terms for current details.
- You fly Southwest monthly; seat selection at booking and legroom upgrades change every trip
- You are chasing A-List; card spending adds 2,500 TQPs per $5,000
- You want the biggest anniversary point drop Southwest offers on a personal card
- You are building the Companion Pass and want the 10,000-point yearly head start
- You should skip it if you fly Southwest a few times a year; the Plus card captures the same offer family for $130 less
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card Review
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is the flagship of Southwest's personal lineup under the airline's assigned-seating era. This review weighs the seat perks, the 7,500 anniversary points and the $229 fee.
How You Earn
The 4X Southwest rate is the highest in the personal lineup, and gas and dining carry an uncapped 2X.
- 60,000-point welcome offer
- 7,500 anniversary points each year
| Category | Earn rate |
|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines purchases | 4X points |
| Gas stations | 2X points |
| Restaurants | 2X points |
| All other purchases | 1X points |
How You Redeem
Points redeem against Southwest fares with no blackout dates, and never expire.
- Southwest flights priced against cash fares
- Companion Pass progress from every point earned
- Upgrades, hotels and more at lower per-point value
Benefits and Protections
Priority's perks map directly onto Southwest's assigned seating world.
- Complimentary Preferred seat at booking, when available
- Unlimited Extra Legroom upgrades within 48 hours of departure, when available
- First checked bag free for you and up to 8 passengers
- Group 5 boarding
- 25% back on inflight purchases
- 2,500 TQPs toward A-List per $5,000 in yearly purchases
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year
Who This Card Is For
Priority pays off for the every-few-weeks Southwest flyer and the status chaser. The math is simple: if the seat perks and 7,500 points beat $229 for you, it is the right Southwest card.
- Frequent Southwest flyers
- A-List and Companion Pass chasers
- Travelers who want better seats without Business Select fares
Comparison
| Feature | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card | Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $229 | $0 intro first year, then $150 | $0 intro first year, then $99 |
| Welcome Offer | 60,000 points ($2,000 in 3 mo) | As high as 80,000 miles plus $250 credit | 50,000 miles ($2,500 in 3 mo) |
| Rewards Rate | 4X Southwest, 2X gas and dining | 2x Delta, dining, U.S. supermarkets | 2x AA, restaurants, gas stations |
| Intro APR | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | None | None | None |
| Best For | Frequent Southwest flyers | Delta flyers | American Airlines flyers |
Issuer Comparison
| Feature | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $229 | $149 | $99 |
| Welcome Offer | 60,000 points ($2,000 in 3 mo) | 55,000 points ($1,500 in 3 mo) | 50,000 points ($1,000 in 3 mo) |
| Rewards Rate | 4X Southwest, 2X gas and dining | 3X Southwest, 2X capped grocery and dining | 2X Southwest, 2X capped gas and grocery |
| Key Credits | 7,500 anniversary points, seat upgrades | 6,000 anniversary points | 3,000 anniversary points, 10% discount code |
| Best For | Frequent Southwest flyers | Middle-ground Southwest flyers | Occasional Southwest flyers |
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Reader reports, not issuer data. Not a prediction of your result. Ranges only, reviewed before publishing.