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3. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card review: Will it take you in the right direction?

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reviews

3.8

Rating: 3.8 out of 5.

Great for Southwest loyalists

Annual Fee: $69

This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit limit range

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $14,553, with $2,000 being the most common.

Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit score range

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 716, with 819 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.

Member stats

Updated daily

27.9%

Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.

46 years

Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.

$111,283

Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.

Pros and cons

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Good sign-up bonus

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No blackout dates for flight redemptions

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Points can often be redeemed at a high value on flights

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$69 annual fee

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3% foreign transaction fee

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Rewards rate is low for most purchases

What you need to know about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

The sign-up bonus could be lucrative

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card offers 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on qualifying purchases within the first 3 months after your account opens.

The value of Southwest Rapid Rewards points depends on which flights you choose when redeeming your points. If you’re able to find the right flights, you could use your bonus points for multiple round-trip flights around the U.S.

Some might find this to be a lucrative sign-up bonus. But make sure the minimum spend requirement is within your budget.

You’ll earn more bonus points every year

Each account anniversary year, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card members receive a bonus of 3,000 Rapid Rewards points to their account, which can be used like any other Rapid Rewards points you earn. That’s a nice gift just for keeping your account open every year.

Earning points on purchases

Like many airline credit cards, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card has somewhat limited points-earning potential. You’ll earn two points for every $1 you spend on Southwest purchases as well as purchases with Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners.

Plus you’ll earn two points for every $1 you spend on local transit and commuting, including ride-sharing. You’ll also get two points for every $1 you spend on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming. You’ll earn one point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Foreign transaction fees could limit your spending to the U.S.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card charges a 3% fee on all foreign transactions, which many may consider a downfall. So if you think you might travel abroad or make purchases outside the U.S., we recommend looking for a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, which could save you some serious cash.

The annual fee could eat into your rewards value

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card charges a $69 annual fee. While that ranks as the lowest annual fee for any of Southwest’s credit cards, it still could cut into your rewards value if you only fly Southwest occasionally.

Consider how often you’re likely to use your card for Southwest purchases and how often you’ll redeem those points for Southwest flights. If you tend to fly multiple airlines, you might get better value from a more versatile travel card, even if it has a higher annual fee.

Understanding your points and redemption options

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card earns Southwest Rapid Rewards points that you can use toward Southwest flights.

How far your points will get you is based on a number of factors, including destination, time of day and demand. That means the value of these points varies depending on which flights you choose.

Southwest Rapid Rewards used to be one of the most valuable rewards programs in the industry. But according to our point valuations, these Rapid Rewards points are worth an estimated 1.35 cents per point.

You can use your points for any Southwest-operated flight, with no blackout dates — so it’s just a matter of whether you have enough points to cover the relative cost of the flight you want.

You can also redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points for things like hotel stays, car rentals and gift cards. You can check Southwest’s redemption portal to see if these provide the best value for your travel plans.

Who this card is good for

This card may be best for loyal Southwest flyers who want to redeem points for free flights on the airline throughout the year. While you can find higher rewards rates on other Southwest cards, the ability to earn Rapid Rewards points on every purchase and get 3,000 bonus points per card anniversary year could get you closer to your next Southwest flight redemption.

Frequent Southwest Airlines flyers might find they’d earn more rewards and benefits from the airline’s other cards. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is the next step up with a $99 annual fee. And the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offers the most opportunity to earn rewards and get additional features, although you’ll have a higher annual fee at $149.

Not sure this is the card for you? Consider these alternatives.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card:
This card could be the right choice for super-frequent Southwest flyers.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card:
This card is good for travelers who want versatility when booking their trips.