Chase and Southwest Airlines have announced changes to its cobranded portfolio of Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards. The changes represent a major overhaul with increased annual fees and new benefits being added to each card across business and personal accounts.
Rapid Rewards Credit Card Fees Are Increasing
It’s no secret that credit cards, especially in the travel space, have been increasing their annual fees in recent years. The changes for Southwest Rapid Rewards cobranded Chase cards are steep, with annual fees jumping anywhere from 43% to 54%. Changes are as follows:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card is increasing to $99, up from $69
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card (which I have) is increasing to $149, up from $99
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card is increasing to $229, up from $149
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card is increasing to $149, up from $99
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card is increasing to $299, up from $199
In addition to the cards listed above, Southwest also has a Rapid Rewards Plus Business Card which will carry a $99 annual fee, though it doesn’t appear that this card is currently available at the time of publication. When you click the link above and go to apply, only the top two cards are available.
Rapid Rewards Card Benefits Are Changing
With such a significant hike in annual fees, and a large scale change to Southwest’s business model, it comes as no surprise that the benefits on these cards have been changed. While each card is different, most of the benefits are related to travel on Southwest, as you would expect. The full list of cards and benefits is below.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card ($99 Annual Fee)
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost. For a group of 4 this would be a savings of up to $280 roundtrip ($35 per bag per trip).
- 2X points on first $5,000 in combined spend at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year
- Standard seat selection within 48 hours prior to departure, when available, for the Cardmember and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation (for flights operating in 2026)
- Earlier boarding – the Cardmember, and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation, can board in Group 5
- One promotional code for a 10% flight discount each anniversary year (except Basic fare)
- No foreign transaction fees
- Find full list of benefits and additional details here
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card ($149 Annual Fee)
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost. For a group of 4 this would be a savings of up to $280 roundtrip ($35 per bag per trip).
- 2X points on first $8,000 in combined spend at grocery stores and restaurants each anniversary year
- Standard or Preferred seat selection within 48 hours prior to departure, when available, for the Cardmember and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation (for flights operating in 2026)
- Earlier boarding – the Cardmember, and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation, can board in Group 5
- One promotional code for a 15% flight discount each anniversary year (except Basic fare)
- Find full list of benefits and additional details here
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card ($229 Annual Fee)
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost. For a group of 4 this would be a savings of up to $280 roundtrip ($35 per bag per trip).
- 4X points on Southwest Airlines eligible purchases, previously 3X points
- 2X points at gas stations and restaurants, with no annual cap
- Standard or Preferred seat selection at booking, when available for the Cardmember and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation (for flights operating in 2026)
- Unlimited upgrades to Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours prior to departure, when available and at no additional charge, for the Cardmember and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation
- Earlier boarding – the Cardmember, and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation, can board in Group 5
- 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) towards A-List status for every $5,000 spent annually, previously 1,500 TQPs
- Find additional benefits and details here
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Business Card ($99 Annual Fee)
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost. For a group of 4 this would be a savings of up to $280 roundtrip ($35 per bag per trip).
- 2X points on first $5,000 in combined spend at gas stations and restaurants each anniversary year
- Standard seat selection within 48 hours prior to departure, when available, for the Cardmember and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation (for flights operating in 2026)
- Earlier boarding – the Cardmember, and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation, can board in Group 5
- Promotional code for a 10% flight discount each anniversary year (except Basic fare)
- No foreign transaction fees
- Find additional benefits and details here
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card ($149 Annual Fee)
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost. For a group of 4 this would be a savings of up to $280 roundtrip ($35 per bag per trip).
- 2X points on first $8,000 in combined spend at gas stations and restaurants each anniversary year
- Standard or Preferred Seat Selection within 48 hours prior to departure, when available, for the Cardmember and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation (for flights operating in 2026)
- Earlier boarding – the Cardmember, and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservations, can board in Group 5
- 2,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) towards A-List status for every $5,000 spent annually, previously 1,500 TQPs
- Promotional code for a 15% flight discount each anniversary year (except Basic fare)
- Find additional benefits and details here
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card ($299 Annual Fee)
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost. For a group of 4 this would be a savings of up to $280 roundtrip ($35 per bag per trip).
- 2X points on spend at gas stations and restaurants, with no annual cap
- 2X points on all hotel purchases
- 2X points on local transit, rideshare and commuting
- Standard or Preferred Seat Selection at booking, when available, for the Cardmember and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation (for flights operating in 2026)
- Unlimited upgrades to Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours prior to departure, when available and at no additional charge, for the Cardmember and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation
- Earlier boarding – the Cardmember, and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation, can board in Group 5
- 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) towards A-List status for every $5,000 spent annually, previously 1,500 TQPs
- Find additional benefits and details here
Annual fee changes are in effect now for all new applicants and current cardmembers will see the updated fee as part of the 2026 renewal cycle.
My Thoughts
With six (or five) cards to choose from, there are plenty of options for Southwest passengers to choose from. Unfortunately for me, the card that I currently hold, the Rapid Rewards Premier Card, seems to hold the least amount of value.
I primarily spend on either my American Express Platinum or American Express Gold cards, depending on the category. For places that don’t take American Express, I have a Chase Sapphire Preferred card that does the trick.
I got my Southwest card back in college when I was primarily flying back and forth between New Orleans and Nashville. Southwest offered the only direct flight and, not knowing much at the time about the world of points and miles, it seemed like a good option.
After graduation, I moved to Dallas and later Austin and, while I primarily flew one of the big three legacy carriers, Southwest had a large presence in both cities and I found myself on the airline enough to keep the card in my wallet. Now, with the changes, I feel I’m going to have to make a change.
The Rapid Rewards Premier card seems like the worst of the three personal card options. I’m stuck between downgrading to the Plus card, which will still provide me Group 5 boarding, a free checked bag, and access to a standard seat selection 48 hours prior to departure, or upgrading to the Priority card, which will give me access to Preferred and Standard seating at booking and Extra Legroom seating 48 hours before departure, if available.
The primary differentiator between the Plus and Premier card is the fact that you can access Preferred seating 48 hours prior to departure. These are the same as Standard seats, just located at the front of the plane. So, my decision will come down to whether or not I think I’ll fly Southwest enough with my family to warrant the higher annual fee card or, drop down to the lower tier card as it gives me most of the benefits I need anyway.
I’m curious to hear what your thoughts are on the changes and whether it’ll make you reconsider your current Southwest Rapid Rewards card or make you want to get a new one.
Summary
Southwest Airlines and Chase have announced changes to its portfolio of Rapid Rewards cobranded credit cards. Benefits are changing across the entire portfolio and, with that, comes a fairly significant hike in the annual fee.
