Points, Miles & Credit Cards

Review: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

July 28, 2025

6 min read

Going has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Going and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of all of the card offers that appear on this page are from advertisers; compensation may affect how and where the cards appear on the site; and Going does not include all card companies are all available card offers.

Who is the Southwest Priority Credit Card Review for?

If you fly often on Southwest, this is the best of the airline’s consumer credit cards. It comes with valuable perks for Southwest loyalists.

Southwest Priority Credit Card Quick Facts

Annual fee: annual_fees

Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee

Earning rate:

Earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines(R) purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards.
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants

Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full

Pros and cons

Pros:

7,500 anniversary points each year
No foreign transaction fee

Cons:

Higher annual fee than similar airline cards
No airport lounge access
Welcome offer is equal to other, lower-fee Southwest cards

Our take

If you're a Southwest devotee, the Southwest Priority Credit Card is the best option of the airline's three personal cards. But if you want more perks, like Global Entry credit or lounge access, you may want to consider another travel credit card.

Southwest Priority Credit Card Review

The card_name is ideal for frequent travelers on Southwest Airlines.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card gives you a head start towards earning both the coveted Southwest Companion Pass and A-List elite status. Each year, you’ll receive a 10,000 qualifying point boost toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass. And each card anniversary, you’ll receive 7,500 Rapid Rewards points you can use for redeeming a free flight.

Earning points with the Southwest Priority Credit Card

Like many co-branded airline credit cards, purchases directly with the airline earns the most points per dollar. You'll earn:

Earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines(R) purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards.
Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants

However, if you want to maximize earning points on spending categories outside of the card’s bonus categories, you can enroll in Rapid Rewards dining and use the Southwest Rapid Rewards shopping portal. Each can reward you with additional points per dollar on top of what the card earns itself.

Redeeming points with the Southwest Priority Credit Card

Redeeming points with Southwest is very simple. You can use the points you earn to redeem for a ticket on a Southwest flight.

Point prices for Southwest flights closely track the cash price of the ticket. This means that the price will vary, but also that you’ll likely be able to find availability.

Plus, Southwest Airlines regularly offers its “Wanna Get Away” fare class for under 10,000 points per seats, each way. Other domestic airline carriers regularly charge 20,000 points or more for economy class seats on their flights, so this can be a great deal.

Alternatives to the Southwest Priority Credit Card

Similar cards to the Southwest Priority Credit Card

If you’re a Southwest fanatic, but balk at the annual fee, there are two cards that offer lower annual fees: the Southwest Plus Credit Card and the Southwest Premier Credit Card.

All three cards award you the 10,000 qualifying points toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass annually, but the two lower fee cards award you fewer anniversary points.

One word of caution: Chase limits you to only one personal Southwest card and one business Southwest card per person.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Southwest Priority Card give you?

With the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card, you get a head start toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass (10,000 qualifying points annually), 7,500 Rapid Rewards points each card anniversary, an accelerated way to earn A-List status, and up to four upgraded boardings each year.

Is the Southwest Priority Card worth it?

If you’re a Southwest loyalist, the Southwest Priority Card is a great option for you. Among other perks, you’ll get a leg up toward earning Southwest Companion Pass and A-List status.

How do I get the most out of my Southwest Priority Card?

To maximize your Southwest Priority Card, you should redeem the 7,500 Rapid Rewards points you’ll receive each card anniversary for a flight. If you want to squeeze every ounce of value out of this card, work toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass and A-List status.

Does the Southwest Priority Card reimburse for TSA PreCheck?

No, the Southwest Priority Card does not include a credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. If you want statement credit for a trusted traveler program, consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. The only Southwest credit card that does include a credit for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS is the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card.