For Southwest loyalists, a Southwest cobranded credit card is a great way to earn travel points.
And if you’re looking to earn a solid stash of instant rewards points, now’s a great time to add a personal card to your wallet.
Right now, all three of Southwest’s personal cards offer a bonus that we haven’t seen before. On December 16, applicants can get 40,000 instant bonus points and a $400 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first four months of account opening. This offer ends on Dec. 16.
This whole bonus is worth up to $960 according to TPG’s November 2024 figures.
The average offer on these cards is $700, and the highest offer we often see is just over $1,100, so I think this is a good time to apply for the card if you’re interested. Plus, the $400 statement credit is very flexible — you don’t need to buy a Southwest flight; you will receive a statement credit for any purchase.
And you can earn up to 80,000 bonus points with a current welcome offer on two Southwest business cards; these points can help you earn the Companion Pass you desire. If you time your spending where your bonus doesn’t arrive until early 2025, you’ll have the best chance of earning a Companion Pass that you can use for the rest of 2025 and 2026.
Let’s take a look at the current sign-up bonuses on the Southwest Airlines personal and business credit card.
Southwest personal cards
Southwest Rapid Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Suitable for: Beginners and casual travelers
- Annual fee: $69
- Signup bonus: Earn 40,000 bonus points and a $400 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first four months from account opening. This offer ends on Dec. 16.
- Income levels: 2 points per dollar on purchases for local transportation and commuting, including ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft; 2 points per dollar on Internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming service purchases; 2 points per dollar on Southwest purchases; 2 points per dollar on Instant Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else
- Main advantages: Two EarlyBird entries per year and 3,000 points each card year
For more details, see our full Southwest Rapid Rewards review® Additional Credit Card.
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Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Premier Credit Card
- Bis for: Southwest frequent flyers
- Annual fee: $99
- Signup bonus: Earn 40,000 bonus points and a $400 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first four months from account opening. This offer ends on Dec. 16.
- Income levels: 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transportation and commuting purchases (including ride-hailing services), 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming service , 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else
- Main advantages: Two EarlyBird entries annually, 6,000 anniversary bonus, unlimited Tier Qualifying Points of 1,500 per $5,000 spent annually and no international transaction fees.
Southwest Rapid Rapid Rewards Premier information is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card information on this page has not been updated or provided by the card issuer.
Read more: Southwest Rapid Rapid® Premier Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- Suitable for: Southwest loyalists can take advantage of day trip benefits
- Annual fee: $149
- Signup bonus: Earn 40,000 bonus points and a $400 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first four months from account opening. This offer ends on Dec. 16.
- Income levels: 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transportation and commuting purchases, including ride services, 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming service purchases, 2 points per dollar on Instant Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else
- Main advantages: Unlimited TQP earnings of 1,500 on every $5,000 in annual spending, a $75 annual Southwest credit, a 7,500-point anniversary bonus and no international transaction fees.
TPG named this card the Best Airline Cobranded Credit Card at the 2023 TPG Awards.
For more details, see our full Southwest Rapid Rewards review® Priority Credit Card.
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Priority Credit Card
Southwest business cards
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Suitable for: Business owners frequently fly Southwest
- Annual fee: $99
- Signup bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening.
- Income levels: 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transportation and commuting purchases (including ride services), 2 points per dollar on Instant Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else thing.
- Main advantages: Two EarlyBird entries every card year, earn points that qualify for A-List elite status, a $500 payment credit in Rapid Rewards points transferable to another Rapid Rewards member, a 6,000-year anniversary bonus and no foreign transaction fees.
For more details, check out our full Southwest review® Immediate Rewards® Premier business card.
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rapid Credit Card Premier Business Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rapid Performance Business Credit Card
- Suitable for: Trusted business owners of Southwest flyers
- Annual fee: $199
- Signup bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening.
- Salary level: 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on local transportation and commuting purchases (including ride services), 3 points per dollar on instant rewards hotel and car rental partners, 2 points per dollar on the field for social media and paid advertising for search, internet, cable and phone services, 1 point per dollar on everything else
- Main advantages: Four upgraded boards per year, earn points that qualify for A-List elite status, $500 Instant Rewards points payment credit transferable to another Instant Rewards member, 9,000-point anniversary bonus, up-to $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit , up to 365 Wi-Fi credits per year and no external service charges.
For more details, check out our full Southwest review® Immediate Rewards® A working business card.
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rapid Performance Business Credit Card
Should you apply for a Southwest credit card now?
Southwest has many fans who love the personality of the airline and the fact that all passengers get two checked bags for free.
The carrier’s Rapid Rewards program is also popular for its simplicity. The number of Southwest Instant Rewards points required to book a flight is directly tied to the airline’s current fare, and you can often find great deals if you know when and where to look for redemptions.
In addition, because of Southwest’s policy of no cancellation or change fees on its flights, you can re-enter the price of a Southwest flight when you book a trip and find the same itinerary at a lower price before departure. Plus, Southwest points never expire, so you don’t have to worry about getting points and not having a chance to use them.
However, you can get more value for your Southwest points if you can get a Companion Pass. This benefit allows you to bring a designated companion on all of your Southwest flights – paid and award tickets (but you must pay taxes and fees).
Generally, to get a Companion Pass, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying, one-way flights per calendar year. But credit card bonuses and points earned from card spending count towards eligibility, so current offers on these cards can help you earn your Companion Pass.
You can get up to two years of buy-one-get-one flights by opening a Southwest personal and business credit card and timing your spending to get bonuses at the end of any year. That’s because the standard Companion Pass is valid for the year earned and the following year.
Southwest cardholders receive a 10,000 point bonus at the beginning of the year (for existing cardholders) or within 30 days of account opening (for new members). To maximize your time with the Companion Pass, you may want to time your credit card application so that your welcome bonus will be sent after the start of the new year if you can.
Read more: 15 lessons from 15 years of having a Southwest Companion Pass
Bottom line
If you’re looking for a new Southwest card, you can choose from some of the best current welcome offers to earn a healthy amount of bonus points. Southwest sometimes offers a combination of bonus points and a Companion Pass for new cardholders throughout the year; however, if you are very interested in upgrading your Rapid Rewards account with bonus points, this is your chance to apply.
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Priority Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rapid Credit Card Premier Business Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rapid Performance Business Credit Card
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