Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card Review
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Note: Some offer details in this article have expired and the offer is no longer available through Credit Cards House .
With prices of domestic flights ever-increasing, Southwest offers one of the best rewards credit cards to help reduce this cost. Named the third-best airline rewards program in 2015 by U.S. News and World Report, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card offers excellent benefits for frequent flyers. You can often find one-way flights to popular destinations domestically starting at just 10,000 Rapid Rewards points.
And while Southwest does focus mostly on domestic flights they do fly to many international destinations as well. Most of the international round-trip fares come in under 25,000 Rapid Rewards points, which makes this credit card an excellent choice for international trips too.
Let’s dive into the full list of Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card benefits, as well as find out any disadvantages.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
In the first 3 months of using the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus credit card, you could earn 60,000 bonus points after spending at least $2,000. You’ll also earn 2 points for every $1 spent on Southwest flights, 2 points for every $1 spent on Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental partner purchases, and 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Not only that but this card allows you to check two bags for free, up to 50 pounds each per person. Since checked bags can cost an average of $25 each this perk alone can save an individual $100 on a round-trip flight ($25 x 2 checked bags for each one-way trip).
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is an excellent card for individuals and families who enjoy traveling frequently within the United States or to the Caribbean. It offers unlimited points that never expire and there are no blackout dates or caps on award fares. As long as there are spots open on the plane, you’re guaranteed a seat.
Snapshot Features and Benefits
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card comes with a plethora of benefits for cardholders, with one of the most popular being the companion pass. The only cost you’ll incur with the companion pass are the taxes and fees for the award flight. So you can travel with your spouse and kids for a very budget-friendly cost.
Below is a snapshot of all the benefits the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card offers.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
- Unlimited points that never expire as long as your account is open
- 2 points for every $1 spent on Southwest flights
- 2 points for every $1 spent at participating Rapid Rewards® Hotel and Car Rental partners
- 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
- 3,000 anniversary points every year
- No blackout dates or caps
- Two free checked bags
- Companion passes
- Fare-based award pricing
- Low annual fee compared to Premier card
- No change fees
- Excellent customer service
With no blackout dates, no change fees, and unlimited points that never expire, you can’t go wrong with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus credit card. Plus, on the anniversary date of owning the card you’ll be awarded with 3,000 bonus anniversary points.
Points are easy to earn and transfer from other credit card partners, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which offers a 1:1 ratio. If you need help, Southwest has won several accolades and awards for their amazing customer service.
Card Disadvantages
While the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card has some excellent advantages it also has a few disadvantages you should be aware of. In order to access this credit card’s perks, you’ll have to pay a $69 annual fee. In addition, Southwest airline hubs are limited, which may not make this a convenient option for individuals or families who don’t live near a Southwest airport hub.
- $69 annual fee
- Foreign transaction fee
- Limited airline hubs
When traveling internationally with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card it’s important to know that there is a 3% foreign transaction fee. Because of this, this card may not be the choice to use when traveling internationally. However, if you enjoy the Southwest family of credit cards you can upgrade to the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card which does not have a foreign transaction fee.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re a frequent flyer or leisure traveler, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a great choice. Points are easy to rack up by swiping your card for Southwest fares, participating hotels and car rentals, as well as everyday purchases. The $69 annual fee easily pays for itself with the two free checked bags and companion passes.
First published , last updated
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kiara Webster is a financial writer and founder of Careful Cents, a blog and community aimed at helping freelancers overcome financial mountains. Her mission is to focus on building client-based businesses through meaningful relationships. She's been featured and published in Glamour Magazine, The Huffington Post, Inc and many other media outlets. Learn more about her and connect with her in real time on Twitter @carefulcents.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
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