Southwest Plus vs Southwest Premier
By Alex Compton · Updated
The Southwest Plus and Premier are separated by $30 in annual fee and a short list of upgrades. Both earn the same welcome bonuses that make Companion Pass math work, so the real question is which card is cheaper to keep in year two and beyond.
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
Where Each Wins
Annual fee
SW PlusThe Plus costs $69, the cheapest door into Southwest points. The Premier costs $99.
Anniversary points
Southwest PremierThe Premier deposits 6,000 points every anniversary, worth about $81 and covering most of its fee. The Plus deposits 3,000, worth about $40 against $69.
Net carrying cost
Southwest PremierFee minus anniversary points: the Premier nets about $18 a year, the Plus about $29. The more expensive card is cheaper to hold.
Foreign transaction fees
Southwest PremierThe Premier charges none; the Plus charges 3%, which matters on Southwest's international routes and any foreign spending.
Earning
Southwest PremierThe Premier earns 3x on Southwest purchases and adds tier qualifying points (1,500 per $5,000 spent) toward A-List status. The Plus earns 2x on Southwest.
Companion Pass math
TieBoth cards' bonuses and spending count toward the Companion Pass, and both add a 10,000-point qualifying boost each year. Neither has an edge in the chase itself.
The Compound Verdict
The Premier is the better keeper: its anniversary points nearly erase the fee, it skips foreign transaction fees, and its tier qualifying points matter to anyone flirting with A-List. The Plus's only argument is the lowest sticker price, and the anniversary math shows that argument is an illusion. Take whichever card is offering the bigger bonus during a Companion Pass run, but if terms are equal, take the Premier and keep it.
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.
Common Questions
Which Southwest card is best for earning the Companion Pass?
Whichever is running the biggest welcome bonus when you apply, since bonuses count toward the pass's qualifying points. The classic play is timing the application so the bonus posts in January, banking most of the roughly 135,000 qualifying points early in a calendar year. Card choice matters less than timing.
Is the Southwest Premier worth $30 more than the Plus?
Yes, and it is barely a cost at all: the Premier's 6,000 anniversary points are worth roughly $81 against its $99 fee, a net cost near $18, cheaper than the Plus's net $29. Add no foreign transaction fees and 3x Southwest earning and the Premier wins the keeper decision.
Do Southwest points expire, and does a card protect them?
Southwest points no longer expire from inactivity, so you do not need a card to protect a balance. Hold a Southwest card for the anniversary points, EarlyBird credits, and Companion Pass boost, not for balance protection.