Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card Review

Earn 2X points on various categories, including Southwest purchases, internet, cable, phone services, select streaming services, local transit, commuting, and rideshare, and 1X points on all other purchases. This broad range of everyday expenses ensures that you can earn rewards on both your travel-related spending and your daily essentials. The absence of bonus miles on everyday spending, such as groceries or gas, could be a drawback for some. But you can still earn bonus points on dining: registering for Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining allows you to earn up to 3X points at participating restaurants and an additional 10 points for writing a review of your experience.

This card's welcome offer is pretty compelling: spend $3,000 in the first three months, and you receive a whopping 60,000 bonus points and a 30% off promo code. These points and discount can provide a significant boost, potentially translating to hundreds of dollars in airfare.

This card is loaded with travel benefits. Lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and even two EarlyBird Check-In® boarding upgrades each year provide peace of mind and added convenience. Plus, the perk of having your first two checked bags fly free (size and weight limits apply) and no fees for flight changes are extra bonuses that can save you a fair bit of cash. You'll also get 25% cash back on eligible in-flight purchases.

The Companion Pass feature is the real game-changer for couples or frequent travel buddies. It allows a chosen companion to fly with you for virtually just the cost of the taxes and fees, starting at $5.60 for a one-way flight. The fact that the pass, once earned, is active for the rest of the year and all of the next, potentially gives it almost two-year validity - an incredible deal for frequent flyers.

Foreign transaction fees are uncommon in the travel card space, so it's worth pointing out that this card has them. You'll pay a 3% foreign transaction fee for purchases made abroad. While this may not be a problem if you're only flying domestic, it's something to keep in mind if you're looking to get an airline card to also use for spending while traveling overseas.

The card carries an annual fee of $69, which may give you reason to pause. However, considering the lucrative rewards, if you're a frequent Southwest flyer or spend heavily on the other bonus categories, it should be fairly easy to offset the fee.