Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is the most accessible entry point into one of the most underrated benefits in all of consumer loyalty programs: the Southwest Companion Pass. Earn 135,000 qualifying points in a single calendar year, and Southwest will let one designated companion fly with you on every single Southwest flight you take — paying only taxes and fees (typically $5.60 each way) — for the remainder of that year plus the entire following year. Welcome bonuses from Southwest credit cards count toward that threshold, making this card a powerful Companion Pass catalyst when combined with strategic spending.

This card is best for Southwest loyalists who live near a Southwest hub city and fly the airline multiple times per year. Even without the Companion Pass angle, you get solid ongoing value: no blackout dates on reward flights, no change fees, free checked bags on every Southwest flight (Southwest's policy for all passengers), and 2x points on Southwest purchases. The 3,000 anniversary points each year soften the $99 annual fee, and the low $1,000 spend requirement for the welcome bonus is one of the lowest in the travel card space.

If you rarely fly Southwest or live in a city with limited Southwest service, the points have almost no utility — they can't be transferred to other airlines or hotels, which makes this one of the least flexible loyalty currencies available. Frequent flyers who value premium cabin upgrades, lounge access, or international award travel will find the Southwest Rapid Rewards ecosystem limiting. The Plus is also the most stripped-down of the three Southwest personal cards; the Premier ($99 AF) eliminates foreign transaction fees on some purchases and earns tier-qualifying points, and the Priority ($149 AF) adds $75 in annual travel credits and 7,500 bonus points per year.

For broad travel flexibility, the Chase Sapphire Preferred transfers to Southwest at 1:1, giving you Rapid Rewards access without locking your entire rewards strategy into one domestic carrier. The Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex and United Explorer Card are the closest airline-card comparisons, both offering more global reach at a similar price point.

The Companion Pass is the headline story here, but the timing matters: points must post to your Rapid Rewards account in the same calendar year to count toward that year's Companion Pass threshold. Welcome bonus points post after your first statement closes, not immediately, so apply early in the year if you're targeting Companion Pass. The 10,000 annual qualifying point boost from this card reduces your effective earn target from 135,000 to 125,000 — a meaningful reduction that can make the pass achievable through regular card spending alone over the course of a year.