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In the event you love touring all through the U.S. and Caribbean, a Southwest Visa card may be for you. Providing simple to earn factors that translate into free and diminished airfare, these are a few of my favourite airline playing cards round.
Southwest Airlines has lengthy been identified for low fares and nice service. With locations all through Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii, it’s a fantastic possibility that will help you hit the seashore with out breaking the financial institution.
Moreover, the Southwest Visa features a lot to like for rewards card lovers. Along with making your flights even cheaper, the Southwest Visa bank cards supply a ton of advantages that will help you journey in model. And, since there are many private and enterprise playing cards to select from, you’re positive to discover a card that matches your wants.
Let’s verify them out!
Southwest Visa Credit score Card Choices
The Southwest Visa Card truly is available in a number of totally different choices, together with:
Clearly, in the event you don’t personal a enterprise, the Southwest Visa enterprise playing cards are out. However, how do you determine between the opposite choices? Let’s evaluate them and enable you determine.
Southwest Visa Private Card Comparisons
Let’s begin by evaluating the highlights of the three private playing cards. Right here they’re:
Southwest Fast Rewards® Plus Credit score Card Highlights
- Signup Bonus: Earn a Companion Go plus 30,000 bonus factors (limited-time supply) once you open a brand new account and spend $4,000 within the first 3 months. In lots of circumstances, 30K factors is sufficient for 2 round-trip tickets to the Caribbean. Plus, a Companion Go means a companion can fly free with you any time you fly with Southwest.
- Anniversary Bonus: You’ll earn an extra 3,000 bonus factors in your cardmember anniversary every year.
- Earn Factors for Spending: Earn 2x factors per greenback on all Southwest purchases; 2x factors on native transit and commuting (together with rideshare purchases); 2x factors on web, cable, cellphone, and choose streaming providers; and 1 level per greenback on different spending.
- EarlyBird Examine-In: Take pleasure in EarlyBird Examine-In twice per yr.
- No Blackout Dates: Not like some airline rewards packages, you’ll by no means have to fret about blackout dates at Southwest.
- Fare-based Pricing: You possibly can even use your factors to ebook flights which can be on sale! With Southwest, cheaper fares means fewer factors.
- Free Checked Luggage: Including checked baggage to your flights can actually add up. Southwest means that you can verify your first two baggage without spending a dime.
- No Expiration: Your factors don’t expire for so long as you retain your account open.
- Annual Price: $69
That’s a ton of worth packed into one card. It’s merely among the best airline playing cards in the marketplace.
> Southwest Fast Rewards Plus: Study Learn how to Apply
Southwest Fast Rewards® Premier Credit score Card Highlights
- Signup Bonus: Just like the Plus Card, for a restricted time, you’ll earn the Companion Go plus 30,000 bonus factors for spending $4,000 within the first 3 months.
- Anniversary Bonus: The anniversary bonus is increased with the Premier Card, totaling 6,000 level bonus in your cardmember anniversary.
- Earn Factors for Spending: With this card, you’ll earn 3x factors on all Southwest purchases plus the identical 2x factors on transit, cable, cellphone, and web providers you earn on the Plus card.
- EarlyBird Examine-In: Once more, you’ll get pleasure from EarlyBird Examine-In two occasions per yr.
- No Blackout Dates: As with all Southwest Visa playing cards, there aren’t any blackout dates.
- Fare-based Pricing: Utilizing factors to ebook flights is predicated on the fare charges.
- Free Checked Luggage: On all Southwest flights, the primary two baggage you verify are free.
- No Expiration: Preserve your account open and your factors by no means expire.
- No International Transaction Charges: This card doesn’t cost international transaction charges.
- Annual Price: $99
Clearly, there’s a lot to love about this card too. And, in comparison with different airline playing cards, we predict the factors supply a ton of worth.
> Southwest Fast Rewards Premier: Study Learn how to Apply
Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card Highlights
- Signup Bonus: You possibly can earn the identical limited-time signup bonus of 30,000 bonus factors PLUS the Companion Go for opening a brand new account. Like the opposite playing cards we’ve talked about, merely make $4,000 in purchases throughout the the primary 3 months to earn the bonus.
- Anniversary Bonus: Moreover, you’ll earn 7,500 bonus factors every year in your cardmember.
- Journey Credit score: Southwest offers you a $75 journey credit score yearly you have got the cardboard.
- Upgraded Boardings: With this card, you’re eligible to obtain 4 upgraded boardings yearly.
- Earn Factors for Spending: Once more, you get 3x factors on all Southwest purchases; 2x factors on native transit (together with rideshare); 2x factors on web, cable, cellphone, and choose streaming providers; and 1x factors on all different spending.
- No International Transaction Charges: There aren’t any charges for utilizing this card whereas touring internationally.
- Annual Price: $149
Though the annual price is increased than the others, you do get some further perks – significantly the journey credit score – that will make it price it for you.
> Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence: Study Learn how to Apply
| Southwest Fast Rewards Plus | Southwest Fast Rewards Premier | Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signup Bonus | Companion Go plus 30,000 factors after spending $4,000 in first 3 months | Companion Go plus 30,000 factors after spending $4,000 in first 3 months | Companion Go plus 30,000 factors after spending $4,000 in first 3 months |
| Annual Journey Credit score | $0 | $0 | $75 |
| Anniversary Bonus | 3,000 factors every year | 6,000 factors every year | 7,500 factors every year |
| International Transaction Charges | Sure – 3% | None | None |
| Annual Price | $69 | $99 | $149 |
Which Southwest Visa is Finest?
As you’ll be able to see, the Southwest Visa private playing cards include almost similar advantages. All three private Southwest Visa bank cards are providing a limited-time likelihood to earn a Companion Go plus 30,000 bonus factors for spending $4,000 within the first 3 months. So, for me, the most important distinction between the private playing cards comes when evaluating the charges.
Wanting on the charges, the brand new Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Card expenses the best annual price at $149. The Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Card expenses a $99 annual price whereas the Southwest Fast Rewards Plus card has an annual price of simply $69. Since not one of the charges are waived for the primary yr, the Plus will get a slight nod right here.
With that stated, the costlier playing cards do include further advantages. The Precedence Card provides an annual bonus of seven,500 factors and an annual journey credit score of $75. This successfully makes the annual price $74, supplied you utilize the credit score. Alternatively, the Premier Card comes with an annual anniversary bonus of 6,000 factors versus the three,000 level bonus provided by the Plus Card. That primarily makes up for the $30 distinction within the annual price.
Moreover, each the Precedence and Premier playing cards include no international transaction charges. So, in the event you’re touring internationally with Southwest, you should utilize your card whilst you’re on trip with out incurring further charges. In the event you use the Plus card in a foreign country, nevertheless, every transaction is topic to a 3% international transaction price.
Lastly, the Precedence and the Premier card now supply 3x factors on Southwest purchases. This isn’t an enormous deal, however it will probably actually earn you extra factors in the event you fly with Southwest on the common.
So, which card is finest? With the latest updates, I’m going to go together with the Precedence card. Certain, the annual price is increased, however the $75 annual Southwest credit score almost offsets that price. Whenever you add within the further earnings on Southwest purchases and no international transaction charges, the Southwest Precedence card is probably going the perfect deal. Nonetheless, in the event you fly Southwest solely, you actually can’t go mistaken with any of those playing cards.
One ultimate notice right here: Previously, you have been in a position to earn a signup bonus for 2 playing cards in the identical yr, serving to you to earn factors towards certainly one of my favourite perks, the Southwest Companion Go. Sadly, that’s not the case. On private playing cards, chances are you’ll not earn a signup bonus in the event you’ve earned one within the earlier 24 months. This can be a huge change, and it makes the Companion Go considerably tougher to get.
With that stated, if you’re a enterprise proprietor, you should still earn a welcome bonus from each a private and a enterprise card. Extra data on the enterprise variations could be discovered beneath.
Examine the perfect airline playing cards right here
The place These Playing cards Shine
Need to know extra? After all you do!
As we talked about, for a restricted time, all private variations of the Southwest Visa Card supply 30,000 bonus factors PLUS the Companion Go for spending $4,000 within the first 3 months. In lots of circumstances, 30,000 Southwest factors are good for 2 round-trip flights to the Caribbean, in the event you’re versatile.
Though I really like a very good signup bonus, I actually love that redeeming my Fast Rewards Factors is predicated totally on the precise airfare value. Southwest flights are sometimes the most cost effective out there, however additionally they run some ridiculous offers all year long.
I’m speaking about home round-trip tickets that often run for lower than $100! And, for the reason that level redemption is fare-based, your factors stretch even additional throughout these gross sales. Plus, there aren’t any blackout dates or rewards caps. Meaning I can use my factors on any flight with out there seating…and I can nonetheless verify 2 baggage without spending a dime!
Oh yeah, have I discussed that Southwest now flies to fifteen locations all through Mexico and the Caribbean? It’s true! You should use your factors to ebook free flights in your total household to locations like Jamaica, Costa Rica, Belize, and Aruba. That’s fairly candy, particularly in the event you’re a seashore bum like me.
Southwest additionally flies to Hawaii, which may prevent huge bucks there too!
A Fast Overview of Southwest Enterprise Credit score Playing cards
We’ve talked about the enterprise variations of the Southwest Visa Card a couple of occasions. Understand that each the Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Enterprise Card and the Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise Card provides lots of the identical advantages as its private card counterparts. Moderately than run via all the advantages of Southwest factors once more, right here’s a fast overview of their distinctive options.
Southwest® Fast Rewards® Premier Enterprise Credit score Card Highlights
- Signup Bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus factors for opening a brand new account and spending $3,000 within the first 3 months.
- Anniversary Bonus: Earn a 6,000 level bonus in your cardmember anniversary.
- Earn Factors for Spending: You’ll earn 3x factors for each greenback spent on Southwest purchases and 2x factors for purchases with Fast Rewards lodge and automobile rental companions. Get 1X factors on every thing else.
- Worker Playing cards: Worker playing cards could be added with no further charges. You’ll additionally earn factors on all their spending.
- Annual Price: $99
In addition to the truth that it is a enterprise card, the most important distinction right here is the signup bonus. So, in the event you’re trying particularly for an airline card for your enterprise, you’ll be able to’t go mistaken with this card for your enterprise.
> Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Enterprise: Study Learn how to Apply
Southwest® Fast Rewards® Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card Highlights
- Signup Bonus: Earn 80,000 Fast Rewards factors after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months.
- Anniversary Bonus: With this card, you’ll get 9,000 bonus factors yearly in your cardmember anniversary.
- Elevated Factors for Spending: The Southwest Efficiency Enterprise Card earns 4x factors on Southwest purchases, 3x factors with Fast Rewards lodge and rental automobile companions, 2x factors for search engine/social media promoting, 2x factors for web/cable/cellphone providers, and 1x level on every thing else.
- TSA Precheck/World Entry: With this card, you’ll additionally get a credit score towards paying for World Entry or TSA Precheck charges.
- Upgraded Boardings: You’ll additionally get 4 Upgraded Boardings per yr, topic to availability.
- Annual Price: $199
Enterprise homeowners who need an airline card that gives premium advantages ought to think about the Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card. The cardboard with a hefty but simple to earn signup bonus, plus it helps you earn much more factors in your spending. With free worker playing cards, TSA Precheck/World Entry credit, and upgraded boardings, this card could also be a fantastic match for the frequent Southwest enterprise traveler.
> Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise: Study Learn how to Apply
Getting the Most From Your Southwest Visa
To get probably the most out of your Southwest Visa Card, make sure to use it everytime you ebook journey via Southwest or their taking part lodge and rental automobile companions.
Additionally, use your factors to ebook flights once they’re on sale. Since redeeming your factors is predicated on the precise fare value, you’ll be able to actually stretch these factors additional. Try our “Newbie’s Information to Credit score Card Rewards” for extra suggestions.
Paring your card with a premium rewards card could make a fantastic match too!
With the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card you’ll earn a 60,000 level signup bonus, however you’ll should spend $4,000 in 3 months to do it. Your Chase rewards switch at a 1:1 ratio to the Fast Rewards loyalty program.
In the event you determine to not switch them to Southwest, you’ll be able to switch them to different loyalty packages via journey companions like Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, and United Airways. They’re additionally redeemable for present playing cards at locations like Kohl’s, Residence Depot, Lowe’s, and extra; or, you’ll be able to redeem them for $750 in journey when booked via the Chase portal. There’s a $95 annual price.
That is virtually all the time the primary rewards card we suggest. The factors are versatile, worthwhile, and our favourite sort to earn.
Learn to apply | Learn the overview
What You Could Not Like
Though the Southwest Visa playing cards are a few of our favourite airline playing cards, there are some issues you must be careful for.
- Annual Charges: Every model of the cardboard has an annual price ($69/$99/$149 private, $99 Premier Enterprise/$199 Efficiency Enterprise) which isn’t waived. After all, the signup bonus greater than makes up for it the primary yr. Nonetheless, in the event you don’t journey a lot or don’t use the factors, the price will not be price it to you.
- No Flights to Europe or Asia: Though Southwest now travels throughout the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean, it doesn’t supply any flights to widespread worldwide locations in Europe or Asia. In the event you’re desirous to ebook journey there, it’s best to take a look at different playing cards.
- Factors Don’t Switch: At any time when we journey domestically or to the Caribbean with our entire household, Southwest is often a fantastic possibility. Nonetheless, in the event you don’t like Southwest or don’t reside close to a Southwest hub, this will not be the cardboard for you. Think about different journey rewards playing cards as a substitute.
- No Double Dip for Companion Go – As we talked about earlier, sadly, Southwest up to date its signup bonus coverage regarding their two client bank cards. You might not earn a signup bonus on a second Southwest client card in the event you’ve earned a brand new member card bonus throughout the earlier 24 months. Whereas incomes factors on the cardboard nonetheless counts towards the go, it makes incomes the Companion Go considerably tougher.
Alternate options to the Southwest Visa Card
Many of the main airways now have their very own co-branded bank cards that can help you earn factors and save on flights. Nonetheless, with co-branded playing cards, you’ll solely be capable to use the factors you earn with that individual model of airline. That’s not all the time an issue, but it surely could possibly be.
For a extra versatile possibility, think about the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card. This card gives a one-time welcome supply of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 throughout the first 3 months (price an announcement credit score of $750 towards journey bills). You’ll additionally earn 2 miles per greenback on all spending. There’s a $95 annual price.
Truthfully, these are among the most versatile factors and miles you’ll discover. You should use the to ebook airline tickets, excursions, and different journey experiences once you pay along with your card.
Study extra right here | Learn the overview
Wrapping Up
In the event you’re searching for low cost flights all through the U.S., Caribbean, and Mexico, Southwest is a good place to begin. One in every of these playing cards could make it even cheaper.
With a Southwest Visa Card, factors are simple to earn and the advantages are tremendous stable. Since factors are tied to airfare costs, you should utilize them to avoid wasting much more throughout gross sales. And, you’ll undoubtedly wish to pair it with one other card to earn much more factors.
In the event you do all that, you’ll save huge bucks when flying with Southwest!
Examine Southwest Visa playing cards with different airline playing cards right here