Is the Southwest Plus Card Worth It? Full Review and Analysis

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Southwest Airlines offers three different co-branded personal credit cards with Chase. There’s the upper-end Priority card, the middle-child Premier card and the entry-level Plus card. While many airline credit card programs include a no-annual-fee option, the Southwest Plus Card has a $69 annual fee. Unlike cards from other airlines, which often provide free checked bags (already standard with Southwest) or priority boarding (available with Southwest’s Priority Boarding and EarlyBird Check-In), what exactly do you get with the Southwest Plus Card?

If you decide to sign up for the Southwest Plus card or any Southwest credit cards, we’d appreciate it if you use our link. We receive Southwest points for each referral, which helps us keep Your Mileage May Vary HQ going strong.

Annual Fee

$69 Annual Fee

Sign Up Bonus

The current sign-up bonus for the Southwest Plus card is 50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months.

Note: Chase puts the following restrictions on applications to receive this bonus.

This product is available to you if you do not have a current Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card and have not received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.

This card is subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Earning Points

When spending on the card, you earn points in the Southwest Rapid Rewards program as follows:

• 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases
• 2 points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
• 2 points per $1 spent on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming
• 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases

I have to be honest, I’m a bit unclear about which purchases for hotels and rental cars will earn two points. Is it through any company that partners with Southwest, or do you have to book through Southwest? The documentation on this benefit is very vague on which expenses will qualify.

Only earning 2 points per dollar on Southwest purchases is disappointing because you can earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on Southwest airfare with the Sapphire Reserve and 2x points with the Sapphire Preferred. You can transfer Ultimate Rewards to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio, so there’s no benefit on spending on the card for the bonus categories, even on Southwest purchases.

The Southwest cards now include 2x points on local transit and commuting expenses, as well as internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, making them slightly more appealing for everyday spending.

Card Benefits

The Southwest Plus card has some benefits for keeping it past the first year. Unlike most airline co-brand cards that offer a free checked bag or priority seating, those benefits don’t mean anything with Southwest, so they offer something different.

• 3,000 anniversary points each year. Valuing Southwest points at 1.3 cents each, a $39 value. But that’s like buying Southwest points, and I hate to purchase points. What else?
• Points earned with the card count towards earning a Southwest Companion Pass. Some people find ways to manufacture enough spending to receive a pass each year.
• Cardholders get a 10,000-point boost toward a Companion Pass each year. These points aren’t redeemable, as they only count toward the pass.
• 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year. Each EarlyBird costs $15-$99 one-way per customer.
• 25% back on inflight purchases.

Foreign Transaction Fees

The Southwest Plus Card charges a 3% fee for foreign transactions. You can book a Southwest flight to Cabo but leave this card at home in favor of one with no foreign transaction fees.

Redeeming Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

The points you earn with the sign-up bonus and spending on the card are deposited into your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. From there, you can use the points to book flights on Southwest. While Southwest used to say how much points were worth, they’ve done away with set values. Figure that you’ll get about 1.3 to 1.4 cents per point value.

How much you’ll pay for a ticket is directly related to how much that ticket costs. The nice thing is that you’ll never have a blackout date from redeeming points on Southwest. Prices might be high, but you’ll always be able to use points if a cash ticket is available.

Final Thoughts

The Southwest Plus Card is a good entry-level option for those who fly Southwest occasionally and want a straightforward way to earn Rapid Rewards points. The sign-up bonus and the annual 3,000-anniversary points make it a reasonable choice for its $69 annual fee. Perks like 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins annually, which can save you from scrambling for an early boarding position, add some additional value.

That said, it’s worth considering how this card fits your overall travel habits. Since Southwest doesn’t charge for checked bags, the card’s value lies elsewhere—in Companion Pass qualification, bonus categories, and inflight discounts. If you fly Southwest often or can use perks like the $75 annual travel credit and upgraded boarding offered by the Southwest Priority Card, upgrading to a higher-tier card might be a better fit in the long term.

For casual travelers who just want a budget-friendly way to earn points and enjoy modest perks, the Plus Card holds its own. If that sounds like the right card for you, feel free to use our referral link—we’d be grateful for your support as it helps us keep Your Mileage May Vary running strong!

Not sure which Southwest card is right for you? Drop a comment—we’re happy to help you decide!

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary