Southwest Airlines offers three different personal credit cards with Chase: the premium Priority card, the mid-tier Premier card, and the entry-level Plus card. Historically positioned as a no-frills option, the Plus Card is undergoing a significant upgrade—both in terms of cost and benefits.
If you’re considering applying for the Southwest Plus Card (or any Chase Southwest card), we’d appreciate it if you used our referral link. We earn Southwest points with each sign-up, which helps us keep Your Mileage May Vary HQ running strong.
Annual Fee
$99 for new applicants (up from $69). Current cardholders will see a price increase in 2026. Chase will provide more information about the exact timing.
Sign-Up Bonus
New cardholders can earn:
100,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
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 in the last 24 months. Business and employee cards are excluded.
This card is also subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.
Earning Points
Until December 31, 2025, cardholders earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points in the following categories:
- 2X points on Southwest purchases
- 2X points on purchases with Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners
- 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
- 2X points at grocery stores and gas stations (on up to $5,000 in combined purchases per calendar year) (New for 2025)
- 1X point on all other purchases
In 2026, the spending categories will be reduced to:
- 2X points on Southwest purchases
- 2X points at grocery stores and gas stations (on up to $5,000 in combined purchases per calendar year)
- 1X point on all other purchases
Card Benefits (What You Get)
This is where the card has undergone significant changes—especially in response to Southwest’s new fee structure.
Checked Bag Benefit – New in 2025
As of May 28, 2025, Southwest no longer offers two free checked bags to all passengers. Instead:
- The Southwest Plus Card provides one free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation.
- Without this card (or status), travelers pay $35 for the first and $45 for the second checked bag.
For a family of four, this could save up to $280 on a roundtrip ($35 per bag, per direction, per person).
New Travel Benefits
- Complimentary Standard Seat Selection (within 48 hours of departure, when available) (Effective 2026)
- Group 5 Boarding for the cardholder and up to 8 additional passengers (Effective 2026)
- 10% Flight Promo Code on your card anniversary (excludes Basic fares)
In short, you’ll be able to select a seat for free within 48 hours of departure and board with Group 5 (out of 8 total boarding groups).
Foreign Transaction Fees
Now eliminated!
The card used to charge 3% for purchases abroad, but that fee is gone—making the Plus Card more travel-friendly for international trips.
Benefits That Remain Unchanged:
- 3,000 Anniversary Points
- 10,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Point Boost each year
- 25% Back on inflight purchases (Wi-Fi, drinks, snacks)
Redeeming Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
The points you earn post directly to your Rapid Rewards account. Southwest no longer publishes a set value for points, but they typically fall in the 1.3–1.4 cents per point range.
The good news:
- No blackout dates
- Point prices directly correlate with cash fares
- Fully refundable with no change or cancellation fees
Final Thought
While the Southwest Plus Card has added some valuable perks that align with the “New Southwest”, including a free checked bag and Group 5 boarding, the trade-offs are hard to ignore. The loss of EarlyBird Check-In credits and the reduction in bonus spending categories starting in 2026 mean this card isn’t quite as rewarding for everyday purchases as it used to be.
That said, the $99 annual fee is still relatively modest compared to entry-level co-branded cards from other major airlines—both Delta and United now charge $150. For occasional Southwest travelers, holding a co-branded card like the Plus can still make sense, especially to avoid baggage fees and get access to an assigned seat. Even if seat selection only opens 48 hours before departure, it harks back to the days of having to check in exactly 24 hours before your flight to secure a better boarding position.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
