The Revamped Southwest Priority Card Jumped To The Top Of My List. Here’s Why

Photo by Benét Wilson; Illustration by Bankrate

Full disclosure: I’ve been a Southwest Airlines superfan for almost 30 years, so I want to be clear about my bias.

— Benét Wilson Lead credit cards writer

I had the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card* in the 2010s, but dropped it because I wanted to earn more points in other categories outside of flights.

But what started as researching three travel cards — the American Express® Gold Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — quickly narrowed once I saw Southwest’s newly revamped credit cards.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, with a $229 annual fee, has gone to the top of my travel card list — even though I’m not typically a fan of airline credit cards. Here’s why Southwest made it easy for me to add one of its credit cards to my lineup.

What I’d get with the Southwest Priority card

The Southwest Priority card starts with a generous welcome offer. With all the travel I have planned for the rest of 2025 — plus the points I rack up via Southwest’s shopping portal and on dining via my connected credit and debit cards — that offer would put me close to having more than 200,000 points in my Rapid Rewards loyalty program account. That’s a lot of award flights I can take on my favorite airline.

I currently hold A-List Preferred status after flying 70,000 miles last year. I’ve already requalified for A-List status through 2026 and expect to hit A-List Preferred again by November 2025. While it’s been a slog, the perks that come with A-List Preferred make it worth my time to chase it.

• Southwest A-List Preferred benefits

  • A 100 percent points bonus
  • Same-day standby and a same-day confirmed seat (with me near the top of the list thanks to my A-List Preferred status)
  • Two free checked bags
  • Priority lines for check-in, airport security line and boarding
  • Dedicated customer service phone number
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Two free premium drink coupons on select flights over 250 miles

And the Priority card adds:

• 7,500 points every year on my cardmember anniversary
• 10,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points boost each year
• $75 Southwest travel credit every year (through Dec. 31, 2025)

Starting in 2026, the airline begins assigned seating, including extra legroom and preferred seats. With A-List Preferred status, I can book both types of seats at no charge, plus I can board in Group 1 or 2 out of eight total.

Southwest Priority card benefits

By opening the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card, gone is the pressure to chase miles or one-way segments to earn status and the perks that come with it. Instead, card membership comes with the following enhanced benefits:

• 4X points on Southwest Airlines eligible purchases (previously 3X).
• 2X points at gas stations and restaurants, with no annual cap.
• Cardmember and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation can check a first bag free. For a group of four, this would be a savings of up to $280 round-trip ($35 per bag, per one-way flight).
• Standard or preferred seat selection at booking, when available, for the cardmember and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation, starting 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 passengers traveling on the same reservation.
• Earlier boarding for the cardmember, and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation, in Group 5.
• 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent annually (previously 1,500 TQPs).

With all these perks, Southwest Airlines has made a compelling case for why I should sign up for the Priority card — and I’m really tempted.

Comparing popular travel cards

Let’s take a look at what the four travel cards I’m considering bring to the table.

The bottom line

Writing this story was helpful in showing me all my travel card options with a critical eye. All four have pros and cons, but when I add everything up, the winner is… the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. It makes sense to me because of my long-time loyalty to the airline.

In the end, no other card matched the Priority card for all my travel needs. Its perks mirror elite status — without the hassle of chasing flights — and the welcome bonus gives my points balance a huge lift. While the Chase Sapphire Preferred came close, Southwest’s value was unbeatable for someone who flies it almost exclusively.

For me, this card doesn’t just represent the points I’ll earn — I see it as a reward for years of loyalty and a smart shortcut to premium perks I used to work hard to earn. It’s rare to find a card that fits your travel habits this well. For someone who flies Southwest as much as I do, the Southwest Priority card just makes sense.

*Information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.