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Southwest Premier Business Card Review: Is It the Best Credit Card for You?
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Beyond redeeming points for travel, the bonus also counts toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass. Once you have this secured, you can designate a travel companion who gets to fly with you free of charge (plus taxes and fees).
The
You'll also earn 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) toward A-List elite for each $10,000 in spending, with no limit to the number of TQPs you can earn. So you could meet all or part of the requirement for top-tier status without actually stepping on a plane.
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However, if you're looking for more substantial category bonuses for your business, you may want to consider a card like 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.
Southwest Premier Business Card Rewards
Welcome Bonus Offer
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Insider's points and miles valuations peg Southwest points as worth about 1.4 cents each, which means the full welcome bonus is worth around
How to Earn Points From the Southwest Premier Business Card
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- 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases (including flights, inflight purchases, Southwest gift cards, and Southwest Vacations packages)
- 2 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)
- 1 point per dollar everywhere else
The card also comes with a 6,000-point bonus every card anniversary (worth $84 based on Insider's valuations), which can be enough for a short-haul ticket. You can earn additional points by referring your friends to the card. Currently, for each successful referral, you will earn 20,000 bonus points and you can earn up to 100,000 points per year.
It's worth noting that you're not just earning points with the
How to Use Southwest Points
Southwest makes it easy to redeem points for anything from airfare to hotels to merchandise and everything in between. Southwest prices award tickets based on the cost of paid fares. So the number of points you need to redeem depends on the cash fare. Usually, you can expect 1.4 to 1.8 cents in value per point.
That means the bonus from the
If you don't plan to redeem Southwest points for travel, you might be better off with a cash-back credit card. Many of these cards carry no annual fees and you can redeem your cash back for virtually any purchase.
Southwest Premier Business Card Benefits and Features
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Here's a closer look at all the benefits and features of the
Southwest Companion Pass
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best deals in travel. When you have the Companion Pass, you can bring a designated companion with you on paid and award flights for just the cost of taxes and fees.
Earning the Companion Pass usually requires 100 one-way flights or 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. However, the welcome bonus offer and subsequent spending on the
Between the welcome bonus and the points from meeting the minimum spending requirement on the card, you'll be well on your way to qualifying for the Companion Pass. But you'll need to complete the spending requirement for the Companion Pass before the end of 2023. That's because to earn the Companion Pass, you must earn all of the qualifying points in a single calendar year.
Your Companion Pass is valid as soon as you earn it and for the rest of the year, and for the entire following year. So for example, if you earn the Companion Pass in November 2023, it will expire at the end of December 2024.
Anniversary bonus
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6,000 Rapid Rewards points are enough to book airfare valued at roughly $84. Considering the card's
Earn elite status faster
Southwest Rapid Rewards has two status tiers: A-List, which requires 25 one-way flights or 35,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) per calendar year, and A-List Preferred, which requires 50 one-way flights or 70,000 TQPs.
Status 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, as well as a dedicated phone line. A-List Preferred members also receive free inflight Wi-Fi.
The good news is that you can qualify for Rapid Rewards elite status partially through credit card spending.
EarlyBird Check-In
Because your boarding position is determined by the time you check in, this perk can help you get on the airplane sooner and have a better opportunity to select your desired seat.
Inflight purchase discount
When you use your
Southwest transfer fee credits
When you use your
Transferring points to others is usually best avoided, because Southwest charges $5 for every 500 points transferred, with a minimum transfer amount of 2,000 points. However, with this fee rebate, you may be more inclined to share your points with friends or family — it will cover up to 50,000 points worth of transfers.
DashPass membership
Food delivery apps like DoorDash and Caviar have skyrocketed over the past couple of years, as most people were stuck at home. DashPass membership costs $9.99 per month, but
Lost luggage reimbursement
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Baggage delay insurance
Delayed luggage can put a significant strain on your vacation plans. Once again, the
Purchase protection
If your brand new gadget or favorite pair of shoes goes missing or incurs damage, the
Extended warranty protection
If you're one of the few people who take advantage of manufacturer warranties, you'll appreciate the
This perk extends the period of any US manufacturer's warranty by a year. Note, this only applies to warranties of three years or less.
Southwest Premier Business Card Annual Fee and Other Costs
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You can also add employee cards without an additional fee, which is nice because it enables you to generate lots of points on business spending. Other than the annual fee, you won't be paying extra to use the card abroad since foreign transaction fees are waived.
Like most other cards, the
- Cash advance fees
- Balance transfer fees
- Late payment fees
- Returned payment fees
And if you carry a balance, you'll pay interest (currently a
How the Southwest Premier Business Card Compares
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card vs Other Southwest Cards
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 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 | 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 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 | 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 | 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 Up to $100 NEXUS, 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 |
Review |
Southwest Premier Business Credit Card vs Other Airline Business Credit Cards
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 No foreign transaction fees
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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 Premier Business Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the Southwest Premier Business worth it?
The
Who is eligible for the Southwest Premier Business?
There are a few rules to remember before you apply for this card. Most importantly, this is a small business credit card. You don't qualify unless you've got a business venture (which can be things like Uber driving or tutoring).
Additionally, the card is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule: If you've opened five or more cards from any bank (excluding certain small-business cards) in the past 24 months, you're not eligible for the
How does the Southwest Companion Pass work?
The Southwest Companion Pass gives you the ability to bring along a friend or family member for just the cost of taxes and fees whenever you fly Southwest. Even if you fly multiple times per day, your companion can come along. The pass can last up to two years, depending on when you earn it.
Taxes and fees are $5.60 each way on domestic flights — but can reach $50 or more when traveling internationally to areas like Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Can you change your companion with the Southwest Companion Pass?
You can change your Southwest companion up to three times per calendar year. That means you can have up to four different companions during the year that you earn the Companion Pass. Also note that even if you change your companion to someone who was previously designated as your companion, it will still count as an additional change.
Methodology: How We Reviewed the Southwest Premier Business Card
Insider's credit cards team reviewed the
- Ease of use — Is it easy to earn and use rewards? Are there lots of ways to redeem points?
- Earning potential — Does the card offer a welcome bonus and earning rates that are as good or better than similar cards? Are the card's bonus categories appealing to small-business owners, frequent Southwest flyers, or both?
- Benefits — Does the card offer valuable perks, especially for travel? Early boarding, a path to elite status, and inflight discounts are all positive attributes.
- Annual fee — Do the card's rewards and benefits justify the annual fee?
Here's a closer look at how we rate credit cards at Insider for a deeper dive into our methodology.