SW Plus vs Southwest Premier
Which Southwest card feeds the Companion Pass best?
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Chase
- Our rating
- 7.8/10
- Welcome bonus
- 50,000 points
- Bonus value
- ≈$675
- Annual fee
- $69
- Credits, max/yr
- $0
- Foreign txn fee
- 3%
Top earning rates
- 2x Southwest purchases
- 2x Local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2x Internet, cable, phone and select streaming
- 1x All other purchases
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
Chase
- Our rating
- 7.8/10
- Welcome bonus
- 50,000 points
- Bonus value
- ≈$675
- Annual fee
- $99
- Credits, max/yr
- $0
- Foreign txn fee
- None
Top earning rates
- 3x Southwest purchases
- 2x Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners
- 2x Local transit, internet, cable, phone services
- 1x All other purchases
The Compound Verdict
Our ratings score these dead even. The right pick depends on your spending. On current welcome offers, the SW Plus brings the bigger first-year haul at ≈$675. The fee gap is $30 a year, so make sure the extra credits and multipliers actually fit your spend.
Read the full reviews for the complete math: SW Plus review and Southwest Premier review, or put them side by side in the comparison tool.