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The
The card currently offers the highest welcome bonus of any Southwest credit card:
Review: Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card the Best Card for You?
Chase offers five co-branded Southwest credit cards with varying annual fees and benefits. The most premium is the
The
Of all the Southwest credit cards, this card has the highest earning rate on Southwest flights, and offers bonus points in other categories like social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services, local transit, and commuting. But where the
If you don't fly often enough to take advantage of these perks, you'll likely do better with other Southwest cards with lower annual fees. Another small-business version — the
Alternately, you could consider one of the Southwest personal cards, all of which are offering a welcome bonus of
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
These all come with varying benefits, so depending on your travel habits one of them could be a better fit.
For those who prefer flexibility, a card that earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points is another option. You can transfer Chase points to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio when you have the
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
How to Earn Points From the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card
The
- 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases (including flights, inflight purchases, Southwest gift cards, and Southwest Vacations packages)
- 3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners (see the full list here)
- 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting, including rideshare (and also passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, rideshare, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages)
- 2 points per dollar on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services
- 1 point per dollar everywhere else
In addition, you can earn more points when you refer a friend for any Southwest card. Southwest cards currently offer 20,000 points per approved referral, up to a maximum of 100,000 Southwest points per year.
How to Use Southwest Points
The easiest way to use your points is by redeeming them for flights on Southwest. The airline has a substantial domestic route network (including Hawaii), and it also flies to a number of international destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America.
Unlike many airlines, Southwest doesn't have an award chart — instead, the number of points required for an award flight is directly tied to the price of a paid ticket. You can expect to get an average value of around 1.4 cents per Southwest point, based on Insider's points and miles valuations, when you redeem them for award travel. There are no blackout dates and no seat restrictions; as long as there's a ticket available for purchase, you can book it with points.
Using your Southwest points to book award flights online is straightforward — once you log into your Rapid Rewards account, just search for flights as if you were looking for a paid ticket. You can toggle between the cash price and the points cost, so you can easily compare the two.
If you're not ready to get back in the air yet, there's no rush to redeem your points, because they'll never expire. However, Southwest credit card holders do have other options for redeeming points through the More Rewards program, including merchandise, gift cards, car rentals, hotels, cruises, experiences, and international flights on other airlines. The value you'll get per point varies, but it's usually a poor value compared to redeeming for Southwest flights.
Southwest Business Card Benefits and Features
Earn the Southwest Companion Pass
Widely considered to be one of the best deals in travel, the Southwest Companion Pass allows you to bring a designated companion along on paid and award flights for just the cost of taxes and fees (typically about $6 on domestic flights) — and you can use your Companion Pass an unlimited number of times while it's valid.
To earn the Southwest Companion Pass, you'll need to accumulate 135,000 qualifying Southwest points in a calendar year, and points earned from the bonus and spending on the
Anniversary bonus
The
Upgraded boardings
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This is different from Southwest EarlyBird Check-In, which you purchase at booking or add afterward; upgraded boarding is sold at the gate when there is extra space available in the A1-A15 boarding group.
Southwest doesn't offer preassigned seating; instead, your boarding position (and opportunity to choose a seat) is based on when you check in for your flight. Upgraded boarding is a great way to get on the airplane sooner and avoid getting stuck in the middle seat.
Inflight Wi-Fi credits
With the
If you use this credit 25 times, you'll get enough value from this perk to offset the entire annual fee. You're limited to a total of 365 credits across your account between yourself and any authorized users you add.
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit
Every four years,
Fast-track to Southwest A-List elite status
If you're trying to qualify for Southwest's A-List or A-List Preferred elite status, the
A-List status normally requires 25 one-way flights or 35,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) per calendar year, and A-List Preferred requires 50 one-way flights or 70,000 TQPs. Benefits include bonus points on qualifying flights (25% for A-List and 100% for A-List Preferred), priority boarding, check-in and security line access, a dedicated phone line, and free inflight Wi-Fi (A-List Preferred only).
Southwest transfer fee credits
When you use your
Transferring points to others is usually not a good deal, because Southwest charges $5 for every 500 points transferred, with a minimum transfer amount of 2,000 points. However, with this fee rebate, you'll be covered for up to 50,000 points worth of transfers.
Car rental insurance
When you use your
However, this doesn't include liability, so you'll have to pay for that separately or carry coverage through your own personal auto insurance policy.
Baggage delay insurance
If you use your
Lost luggage reimbursement
Cardholders and their immediate family members are eligible for up to $3,000 per passenger in coverage if the carrier loses or damages your bags, when you use the card to pay for your ticket.
Travel accident insurance
When you use your
Purchase protection
If an eligible new item you've bought with your
Extended warranty
The
Travel and emergency assistance services
The
Roadside dispatch
Cardholders can also access a 24/7 roadside dispatch hotline, which can arrange things like towing and jumpstarts when you're on the road for a set fee, which gets billed to your card.
Free DoorDash DashPass subscription
Through December 31, 2024, you can activate a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for 12 months which gets you no delivery fees and reduced service fees when you order from DoorDash and Caviar delivery services.
Gopuff credits
Through December 31, 2023, you can get $10 per month in Gopuff credits when you add the
Gopuff is a fast delivery service that offers things like groceries, convenience items, beverages, household supplies, and more.
Fees and Costs
The
There are no fees for authorized user cards, so you can earn points from your employees' spending at no additional cost. Like most other cards, the
Compare Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card vs Other Southwest Credit Cards
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 4x points on Southwest purchases 3x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners 2x points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare 2x points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services 1 point per dollar on all other purchases | 3x points on Southwest Airlines purchases 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners 2x points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare 1 point per dollar on all other purchases | 3x points on Southwest purchases 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases 2x points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare 2x points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming 1x point per dollar on everything else |
Welcome bonus | |||
Southwest benefits | 9,000 points on your card anniversary Earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status Four upgraded boardings per year, when available Up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi credits per year $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit every four years Up to $500 per year in Southwest fee credits for points transfers | 6,000 points on your card anniversary Earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status Two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year 25% back on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi Up to $500 per year in Southwest fee credits for points transfers | 7,500 points on your card anniversary Earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status $75 annual Southwest travel credit 4 upgraded boardings per year when available 25% back on in-flight drinks and Wi-Fi |
Review |
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance vs other airline business cards
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 4x points on Southwest purchases 3x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners 2x points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare 2x points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services 1 point per dollar on all other purchases | 2x miles on United purchases 2x miles on dining, gas stations, office supply stores, and local transit and commuting 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases | 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases 2x miles on eligible purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants, and gas stations 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
Welcome bonus | |||
Airline benefits | 9,000 points on your card anniversary Earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status Four upgraded boardings per year, when available Up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi credits per year $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit every four years Up to $500 per year in Southwest fee credits for points transfers | Two United Club one-time passes per anniversary year Free first checked bag on United flights* Priority boarding on United flights 25% back on United inflight purchases $100 United credit* 5,000 bonus miles each card anniversary when you have the United Business Card and a personal United credit card 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $12,000 you spend on purchases*** | Free first checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights 25% back on American Airlines inflight purchases Domestic companion certificate when you spend $30,000 on purchases in a calendar year and renew your card |
Review | CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select American Airlines credit card review |
*$100 United credit after making seven or more United flight purchases of $100 or more each card anniversary year
***Up to 1,000 PQP in a calendar year for the United Business Card
Southwest Performance Business Card Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the Southwest Performance Business worth it?
The
Who is eligible for the Southwest Performance Business?
The
This card is also subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. In short, you won't qualify for this card if you've opened five or more cards from any bank (excluding certain small-business cards) in the past 24 months.
You also do not qualify for this card if you currently hold the card or if you've earned its bonus within the past 24 months.
How does the Southwest Companion Pass work?
The Southwest Companion Pass is effectively a BOGO certificate for Southwest flights. You can bring along a friend or family member for just the cost of taxes and fees whenever you fly Southwest. Even if you fly every single day, your companion can accompany you. The Companion Pass can last up to two years, depending on when you earn it.
Be prepared to pay a minimum of $5.60 in taxes each way on domestic flights — and sometimes more than $50 when traveling internationally to areas like Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Can you use Southwest points and the Companion Pass?
The Companion Pass is valid on paid and award flights, so if you booked your own flight with points, you can still add a companion for just the cost of taxes and fees. Also note that by earning the necessary Southwest points to achieve a Companion Pass, you don't have to "trade" your points for the pass. You'll still have them to use for (nearly) free flights.