Chase · Visa
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus
Occasional Southwest flyers who want a free checked bag at a low fee
$99 annual fee up to $240/yr in credits if you use them $42/yr arrives automatically
Why people consider it
- 2x on Southwest.
- 2x on Gas.
- 2x on Grocery.
Elevated welcome offer
Above the recent 50,000 points offer (about $700)
Current: 80,000 points
Recent typical offer: 65,000 points
Current offer is 23% higher than recent typical offers.
Welcome offer: 80,000 points≈ $1,120 at our typical valuation
Requirement: Spend $1,000 in 3 months
Tell us what you normally spend and we’ll check it against this requirement. Find a card →
Current offer shown; issuer determines eligibility.
Details: 80,000 Rapid Rewards points after $1,000 spend in 3 months — Chase calls it a limited-time offer with no published end date (trackers cite an apply-by of 2026-12-02, not relied on). Verified on creditcards.chase.com 2026-11-04.
Recommended credit score: 670+
Advertising disclosure: we may earn a commission if you apply through this link. This does not affect your ranking. Full disclosure
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Is this card worth it?
Ongoing value
$819/year
for the sample household ($4,800/month) · points at typical value
First-year value
$1,939 first year
Includes: +$1,120 welcome offer (80,000 points at our typical value)
Also counts $42 in anniversary points — deposited automatically at your first account anniversary (the end of month 12), so it sits in both the ongoing and the first-year figure.
$1,120 is one-time. $819/year is ongoing.
To earn the bonus: spend $1,000 in 3 months.
Offer verified: Nov 4, 2026
Worth considering if you already want this type of card.
- Full annual fee:
- $99, charged in full — credits count only if you use them
- Major trade-offs:
- $99 annual fee — raised from $69 in the 2025 refresh Points only useful on Southwest (no airline transfer partners)
- Against a no-fee alternative:
- We'd choose the $0-fee option. Citi Double Cash nets as much as Southwest Plus on this spending, with no fee to earn back. (The sample household; run your own numbers.)
Detailed research
Full reward table and category caps
Southwest Airlines purchases
Gas stations (first $5k/yr combined with grocery, then 1x)
Cap: $5,000/yr
Grocery stores (first $5k/yr combined with gas, then 1x)
Cap: $5,000/yr
Point value: ~1.4¢ each
Optional benefits and credits
Arrives automatically
Deposited each cardmember anniversary
Credits — if you use them
$10 Instacart credit each month while Instacart+ is active, through 12/31/2027 (3 months complimentary Instacart+ when activated by 12/31/2027)
12 months of complimentary DashPass (activate by 2026-12-31) plus $10 off one non-restaurant DoorDash order each month for DashPass activated on or after 2026-09-01 (quarterly for earlier activations) — enrollment required
Perks (not counted in our math)
For you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation (Southwest now charges for checked bags otherwise)
10% promo code each year on your cardmember anniversary (excludes Basic fare)
Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year
Board no later than Group 5
Statement credit on Southwest inflight purchases
Approval and bonus eligibility caveats
Recommended credit score: 670+ — the issuer decides every application.
Issuer verification source
Rates and fees may vary.See current rates, fees, and terms on Chase's site
Detailed methodology
Net annual value = rewards on a spending profile at typical point value − the full annual fee; credits count only if you tell us you use them; a welcome offer counts once, in year one, only where the profile meets its requirement. Same math as Find a Card. Methodology v2026.09.4.
Editorial review and disclosures
Pros
- + First checked bag free on every flight (now that Southwest charges for bags)
- + 80,000-point welcome offer with an easy $1k spend
- + 2x on gas & groceries (first $5k/yr) plus Southwest purchases
- + Points count toward the Companion Pass
Cons
- - $99 annual fee — raised from $69 in the 2025 refresh
- - Points only useful on Southwest (no airline transfer partners)
- - 2x gas/grocery capped at $5,000/yr combined
Written by Tim · Data verified against issuer terms · Last checked Nov 4, 2026 · Methodology v2026.09.4
Card information is collected independently and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. See our disclosure for details.