Southwest has spent months announcing its big upcoming changes — assigned seating, extra-legroom seats, charging fees for checked bags, and the end of EarlyBird and Upgraded Boarding.
What didn’t get nearly as much attention?
The annual fee on the Southwest Co-Brand credit cards are increasing. The Priority Card price is increasing from $149 to $229, which is effective for current cardholders on their next annual fee billing date on or after January 1, 2026.
Since I already had the card, I didn’t pay attention to the fine print, focusing instead on the benefits of the card. Therefore, I skimmed the disclosure packet and completely missed the fee increase.
Considering the adjustments to benefits and the annual fee increase, the card’s entire value proposition has changed.
The Priority Card Used To Be a No-Brainer
The old version practically paid for itself:
- $75 Southwest travel credit
- 7,500 anniversary points
- Four Upgraded Boardings
Even if you flew Southwest only once or twice a year, the math worked.
After December 31, 2025, all that changes.
What the Priority Card Will Offer Now
Going forward, the Priority card’s primary selling point is this:
You can select a standard or priority seat at the time of booking.
And, if Extra Legroom seats are available, you get early access within 48 hours of departure.
The card also includes:
- 7,500 anniversary points
- Free checked bags (for you and everyone on your reservation)
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying point boost
- 25% discount on in-flight food and drinks
Additional benefit: the card earns 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent. That could be useful for frequent Southwest flyers chasing elite status.
It doesn’t matter to us — and it doesn’t matter to people who fly Southwest once or twice a year.
What Are You Really Paying Extra For?
When you compare Southwest’s personal co-brand cards (Plus, Premier, Priority), here’s what the Priority card offers that the others do not:
- Seat selection at booking
- First chance at Extra Legroom seats (within 48 hours of departure)
Everything else that most travelers value — free checked bags, Companion Pass boost, and in-flight discounts — is available on the cheaper cards.
You’re paying more for additional seat control.
Why We’re Rethinking It
We signed up for the Southwest Plus card this year to take advantage of a limited-time Companion Pass offer. The plan was to close it later and keep the Priority card.
Now? The Plus card appears to be the better long-term option.
Most importantly, it still gives us:
- Free checked bags
- Standard seat selection within 48 hours before departure, when available
And it costs $130 less per year.
Are You Keeping or Downgrading?
We’re leaning toward keeping the Plus card—at least for now. But I’m curious:
Are you planning to keep the Priority card, downgrade it, or cancel it altogether?
Let me know in the comments.
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