Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card Overview 2023

There are three flavors of Southwest bank cards, all of which have Southwest-specific perks of various high quality.

The card_name is the least precious—however least costly—possibility. Presently, new cardholders will bonus_miles_full.

This card is an efficient selection for many who fly Southwest a few times per 12 months. And, as we’ll cowl, it could actually fast-track you to one of many undisputed finest offers in journey, the Southwest Companion Cross. Right here’s every little thing you want to know concerning the card_name.

TIME’s Take

The card_name is essential to reaching the Southwest Companion Cross inexpensively. Its sizable welcome bonus and 10,000-point Companion Cross factors enhance make the Southwest Companion Cross far more attainable.

Its annual_fee_disclaimer annual price isn’t superb, however the card’s annual advantages (bonus factors every anniversary, EarlyBird Examine-In reimbursements, and so forth.) are sufficient to make the cardboard a keeper.

Professionals & cons

Who’s the cardboard for?

The card_name is for individuals who fly Southwest a few times per 12 months. If you happen to fly any lower than that, you seemingly gained’t handle to squeeze sufficient worth from the cardboard’s ongoing advantages to justify the annual_fee_disclaimer annual price.

This card can also be for these stretching their fingers towards the Southwest Companion Cross, which lets you deliver a buddy or member of the family with you for simply the price of taxes and costs. This is without doubt one of the Most worthy offers on the earth of journey, as we’ll cowl shortly.

Additionally, Southwest doesn’t fly to as many airports as legacy carriers like American Airways, Delta, and United Airways. Most notably, Southwest doesn’t fly to many worldwide locations. It’s a useful possibility for these enthusiastic about home flights (together with Hawaii), the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America.

So, ensure you reside in an space that’s served by Southwest—and that it flies to locations you’re enthusiastic about—earlier than you pounce on this card.

Rewards

The card_name card holders will bonus_miles_full. Southwest factors are usually price about 1.4 cents every towards airfare, so this bonus ought to be capable to web you $700 in free Southwest airfare.

Moreover, the cardboard will earn the next to your spending:

• 2 factors per greenback for Southwest purchases.
• 2 factors per greenback with Southwest resort and automotive rental companions.
• 2 factors per greenback for native transit and commuting purchases.
• 2 factors per greenback for web, cable, and telephone providers, and choose streaming.
• 1 level per greenback for all different purchases.

There are a selection of how to redeem Southwest factors, together with for merchandise, present playing cards, resort stays, rental vehicles, and extra. However you’ll persistently get the very best worth by redeeming them for Southwest flights.

Southwest costs its awards in direct proportion to its money fares. In different phrases, if money costs are low, you may count on factors costs to even be low.

The fantastic print

The card_name expenses a annual_fee_disclaimer annual price. It additionally expenses a 3% international transaction price, so it’s not a fantastic card to make use of abroad.

Moreover, you’ll pay:

• APR: reg_apr,reg_apr_type rates of interest when carrying a steadiness month-to-month.
• Stability switch charges: balance_transfer_fees.
• Money advance charges: cash_advance_fee Plus, you’ll pay 29.99% APR which is able to accrue the identical day you provoke the money advance.
• Late/returned funds: late_payment_fee.

Extra hidden perks

Quick-track to the Southwest Companion Cross

Right here’s a fast rundown of the Southwest Companion Cross—which has the potential to avoid wasting you actually hundreds of {dollars} every year, relying on how typically you employ it.

The Southwest Companion Cross helps you to deliver alongside a companion each single time you fly Southwest for simply the price of taxes and costs—even in the event you fly a number of instances per day. So long as there’s one other flight obtainable on the aircraft, your companion can come alongside.

The Southwest Companion Cross is legitimate till December 31 of the next calendar 12 months. For instance, in the event you have been to earn the move in November 2023, the move could be good till December 31, 2024.

To get the Southwest Companion Cross, you need to earn 135,000 qualifying factors in a calendar 12 months. However in the event you maintain the card_name, your requirement drops to 125,000 factors. Even higher, Southwest bank card welcome bonuses depend towards the Companion Cross—that means you’ll solely want 75,000 extra factors after you meet this card’s $1,000 spending requirement and earn its bonus.

Anniversary bonus

The card_name presents 3,000 bonus factors after every account anniversary. Consider it as a reward for paying the cardboard’s annual_fee_disclaimer annual price. Once more, Southwest factors are usually price 1.4 cents every, that means that it is best to be capable to get $42 in worth from it.

EarlyBird Examine-Ins

Every cardmember 12 months, your card will probably be reimbursed when paying for as much as two EarlyBird Examine-Ins. These provide the potential to routinely test in to your flight earlier than 24 hours (which is when everybody else checks in). If you happen to have been to pay for EarlyBird Examine-in, you’d spend a minimum of $15 a pop—although they are often far more costly relying on the route.

The massive benefit right here is that you just’ll be one of many first to board the flight. As a result of Southwest doesn’t have seat assignments, this implies you’ll have the power to decide on practically any seat on the aircraft.

Inflight reductions

If you use your card to purchase drinks or Wi-Fi onboard a Southwest flight, you’ll get a 25% rebate. This may actually add up in the event you fly Southwest typically.

Journey and buy protections

The card_name comes with a few so-so journey insurances. You’ll get:

• Baggage delay insurance coverage: When your bag is delayed by a minimum of six hours on the fault of the passenger provider, you’ll be reimbursed $100 per day (max three days) for frequent bills. Suppose issues like toiletries, clothes, telephone charger, and so forth.
• Misplaced baggage insurance coverage: If you happen to or rapid household has checked or carry-on baggage that’s misplaced or broken by the passenger provider, you’re eligible for as much as $3,000 in protection per passenger.

The card_name additionally comes with buy coverages:

• Buy safety: New purchases are lined in opposition to harm or theft as much as $500 per declare (max $50,000 per account) for 120 days after the acquisition date.
• Prolonged guarantee safety: Eligible U.S. producer’s warranties of three years or much less might be prolonged by as much as one 12 months.

Momentary perks

Presently, the card_name presents a free 12-month DoorDash DashPass membership whenever you activate by December 31, 2024. DashPass in any other case prices $9.99 per thirty days, that means you’ll get practically $120 in worth from this profit.

DashPass comes with perks like $0 supply charges and decreased service charges for eligible orders. You’ll even get 5% in DoorDash credit whenever you elect to select up your order as a substitute of getting it delivered.

What might be improved

Truthfully, this card is troublesome to critique. For an off-the-cuff Southwest flyer, it’s a passable providing.

Nonetheless, the cardboard might add higher journey protections. Competing playing cards, such because the United℠ Explorer Card, provide main rental automotive insurance coverage and journey delay insurance coverage—each terribly precious for air journey.

It could even be good to see some sort of award low cost supplied for cardholders. For example, Delta bank card holders obtain a profit known as TakeOff 15, which reduces award costs by 15% for Delta-operated flights. This might make the card_name the most effective airline bank cards available on the market.

Card options

Time Stamp: If you happen to fly a few times per 12 months on Southwest, this card is tough to beat.

The card_name’s 3,000-point anniversary bonus and two EarlyBird Examine-Ins are greater than sufficient to offset the cardboard’s annual_fee_disclaimer annual price. However in the event you fly greater than a few times per 12 months on Southwest, you’ll seemingly do higher with a extra premium possibility, such because the Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card. It comes with improved advantages corresponding to elite standing boosts, 50% greater incomes charges for Southwest purchases, and extra.

Steadily requested questions (FAQs)

What’s the minimal credit score restrict for card_name?

The minimal credit score restrict for the card_name is reportedly $2,000.

What are the cons of card_name?

In comparison with different Southwest bank cards, the card_name is fairly vanilla in relation to advantages. It additionally expenses a annual_fee_disclaimer annual price which is troublesome to recoup until you fly Southwest a minimum of as soon as per 12 months.

Is the card_name price it?

The card_name is price it if you will get sufficient worth from the cardboard’s ongoing advantages to offset the annual_fee_disclaimer annual price. If you happen to’re paying greater than you’re saving, the cardboard isn’t price it.

What is the credit score rating for Southwest bank card?

Chase doesn’t make public the bottom doable credit score rating it can entertain to approve you for the card_name. Nonetheless, it is best to have a credit score rating of 670, which is taken into account “good” by FICO, earlier than you apply for rewards bank cards usually.