Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
A Chase Visa card with a $149 annual fee. Here's what it pays back after that fee for three spending profiles, simulated month by month. Terms verified Oct 5, 2026.
What it's worth
5 years, the welcome offer counted when the profile's own spending reaches it, rewards valued as cash. Merchant credits like Uber or DoorDash aren't counted for typed profiles. Assumes you fly mostly Southwest.
| Profile | Year 1 | Then yearly | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday spender About $2,000 a month, mostly groceries and errands, one trip a year. | $911 | $319 | $2,185 |
| Balanced About $3,500 a month with a few trips a year and regular dining out. | $1,212 | $595 | $3,592 |
| Frequent traveler About $5,000 a month, heavy on flights, hotels and restaurants, some trips abroad. | $1,568 | $941 | $5,331 |
Your spending isn't one of our profiles. Drop in a year of statements and see where the Southwest Premier ranks against every card we track. They're read on this device and never uploaded.
Terms
| Term | Southwest Premier |
|---|---|
| Issuer and network | Chase, Visa |
| Annual fee | $149 |
| Requires | Nothing extra |
| Welcome offer | 55,000 points after $1,500 in 3 months |
| Earning | 3x on Southwest Airlines purchases (flights, inflight, gift cards, Getaways by Southwest) · 2x at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases each anniversary year · 3x total on Lyft rides and products bought in the Lyft app through 12/31/2027 · 1x on everything else |
| Rewards currency | Southwest Rapid Rewards points |
| Statement credits | Complimentary DashPass membership for 12 months ($120 value) · $10 quarterly DoorDash promo on a non-restaurant order · $10 monthly Instacart credit (with Instacart+) |
| Lounges | None |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Authorized users | No fee |
| Availability | Open to new applicants |
| Verified | Oct 5, 2026 |
Checked against the issuer's page. Dates and sources for each part.
Fine print
- Annual fee rose from $99 to $149 in the July 2025 refresh. Pricing & terms (accurate as of 9/22/2026) show $149 and no foreign transaction fee.
- Earns 1 point per $1 on the first $15,000 of balance transfers made in the first 90 days.
- 2025 refresh (Chase press release 7/24/2025): annual fees raised, first checked bag free kept, assigned-seat and Group 5 boarding perks added (for flights from 1/27/2026, when Southwest began assigned seating). Old 2x categories (Rapid Rewards hotel/car partners, transit, internet/cable/phone, streaming) ended 12/31/2025.
- Southwest started charging bag fees on 5/28/2025 and raised them to $45 first / $55 second bag (each way) for U.S. mainland tickets issued on or after 4/9/2026. Cardmembers get the first bag free for up to 9 people on the reservation.
- Welcome offers on chase.com match southwest.com's card page as of 2026-10-05. A limited-time Companion Pass + points offer ran 2/10/2026 to 3/19/2026 (pass valid through 2/28/2027) and has ended (NerdWallet).
- Rapid Rewards points don't expire; no change fees (fare difference may apply); no blackout dates on reward seats.
- cashOutCents 1.2 = conservative fixed value for Rapid Rewards points on Basic fares (Southwest's renamed Wanna Get Away fare). Southwest award prices have been variable since 2025; TPG values points at 1.25 cents (Aug 2026), AwardWallet measured a 1.21-cent average on Basic fares (May 2026), Frequent Miler/Upgraded Points use 1.3, NerdWallet 1.4. Points cannot be cashed out; Cash + Points gives about 1 cent.
Already have it? Is the Southwest Premier still worth $149 a year?