Southwest card welcome bonuses: Best offer this year, new cardholders can earn 100,000 points

For Southwest loyalists, a cobranded Southwest credit card is a great way to earn points toward travel. And if you’re looking to earn a solid stash of Rapid Rewards points, now is a great time to add a personal card to your wallet.

These cards were recently revamped with some exciting and not-so-exciting changes including new benefits, decreased earnings rates and annual fee increases.

However, with Southwest’s sweeping strategy changes — many of which have already taken effect — you may want to factor in what the airline will look like later in 2025 and beyond.

Southwest is:

• Ending its ‘bags fly free’ policy — unless you have a Southwest card or elite status or are traveling on a business fare
• Reducing points-earning on its most popular fares
• Ditching its open-seating model
• Introducing basic economy
• Shifting to dynamic pricing

If you’re familiar with Southwest as it has been, you should learn about its upcoming changes before you make a decision.

Let’s look at the current welcome bonuses on the Southwest Airlines personal and business credit cards.

Comparison of the Southwest cards welcome offers

Here’s a look at the Southwest welcome offers at first glance:

*Welcome offer value is based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Southwest personal cards

Whether you fly Southwest just a couple of times each year or it’s your exclusive airline, consider one of their cobranded credit cards.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

Best for: Beginners and infrequent travelers

Annual fee: $99

Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first five months of account opening. This offer is worth $1,400 based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

This matches the highest offer we’ve seen on the card that didn’t include the coveted Companion Pass with $8,000 less in minimum spending required.

Earning rates:

• New: 2 points per dollar spent on the first $5,000 in combined spend at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year
• 2 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points per dollar spent on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-hailing services (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar spent on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar spent on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners (ends Dec. 31)
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions
• Standard seat selection 48 hours prior to departure when available
• Two EarlyBird check-ins annually (ends Dec. 31)
• Group 5 priority boarding
• 3,000 bonus points every cardholder anniversary
• 10,000 companion Pass qualifying points boost annually
• One promotional 10% flight discount each anniversary year (excludes basic economy)
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

Best for: Regular Southwest flyers

Annual fee: $149

Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first five months of account opening. This offer is worth $1,400 based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

This offer matches the highest offer we’ve seen on the card without a Companion Pass.

Earning rates:

• New: 2 points per dollar spent on the first $8,000 in combined spend at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year
• 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points per dollar spent on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-hailing services (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar spent on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar spent on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners (ends Dec. 31)
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions
• Preferred seat selection when available 48 hours prior to departure
• Two EarlyBird check-ins annually (ends Dec. 31)
• Group 5 priority boarding
• 6,000 bonus points every cardholder anniversary
• 10,000 points companion Pass qualifying points boost annually
• One promotional 15% flight discount each anniversary year (excludes basic economy)
• Unlimited TQP earning of 1,500 for each $5,000 spent annually toward A-List status
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card review

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Best for: Southwest loyalists who can take advantage of day-of-travel perks

Annual fee: $229

Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first five months of account opening. This offer is worth $1,400 based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

This offer matches the highest offer we’ve seen on the card without a Companion Pass.

Earning rates:

• New: 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases (up from 3x)
• New: 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants, with no annual cap
• 2 points per dollar spent on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-hailing services (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar spent on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming service purchases (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar spent on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and 1 point per dollar on everything else (ends Dec. 31)
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• $75 annual Southwest credit (ends Dec. 31)
• Four upgraded boardings (ends Dec. 31)
• 7,500-point anniversary bonus
• Unlimited upgrades to extra legroom seats within 48 hours of departure at no charge when available
• Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions
• Preferred seat selection when available at booking
• Two EarlyBird check-ins annually (ends Dec. 31)
• Group 5 priority boarding
• 10,000 points companion Pass qualifying points boost annually
• Unlimited TQP earning of 2,500 for each $5,000 spent annually toward A-List status
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

TPG named this card the Best Airline Cobranded Credit Card for the second year in a row at the 2024 TPG Awards.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Southwest business cards

If you qualify for a business credit card and fly Southwest frequently, consider one of their cobranded business cards.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Best for: Business owners who fly Southwest regularly

Annual fee: $149

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening. This offer is worth $840 based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

This is the standard welcome offer we typically see on this card.

Earning rates:

• 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• New: 2 points per dollar spent on the first $8,000 in combined spend at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year
• 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting purchases, including ride-hailing services (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners (ends Dec. 31)
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• $500 fee credit for Rapid Rewards points transfers to another Rapid Rewards member (ends Dec. 31)
• Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions
• Preferred seat selection within 48 hours of departure when available
• Group 5 priority boarding
• 6,000 bonus points every cardholder anniversary
• 15% flight discount promo code each anniversary year (excluding Basic fares)
• 10,000 companion Pass qualifying points boost annually
• Unlimited TQPs earning of 2,000 for each $5,000 spent annually
• 25% discount on inflight purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card

Best for: Business owners who are loyal Southwest flyers

Annual fee: $299

Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening. This offer is worth $1,120 based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

This is the standard welcome offer we typically see on this card.

Earning rates:

• 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar on social media and paid search advertising, internet, cable and phone services (ends Dec. 31)
• 2 points per dollar spent on local transit and commuting purchases
• New: 2 points per dollar spent on at gas stations and restaurants, no annual cap
• New: 2 points per dollar spent on hotels booked directly
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Notable perks:

• Four upgraded boardings per year (ends Dec. 31)
• Up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi credits per year (ends Dec. 31)
• Earn tier-qualifying points toward A-List elite status
• $500 fee credit for Rapid Rewards points transfers to another Rapid Rewards member (ends Dec. 31).
• Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions
• Preferred seat selection at booking when available
• Unlimited upgrades to an extra legroom seat 48 hours prior to departure at no charge when available
• Group 5 priority boarding
• 9,000 points every cardholder anniversary
• 10,000 companion Pass qualifying points boost annually
• Unlimited TQPs earning of 2,500 for each $5,000 spent annually
• Up-to-$120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
• New: 25% discount on inflight purchases
• No foreign transaction fees.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business card.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card

Should you apply for a Southwest credit card now?

Southwest has many fans who love the airline’s personality. However, many of its most prominent and popular benefits, such as free checked bags with every ticket, have gone away which makes things different.

It’s important to note that credit card holders will be able to check one bag for free for themselves and up to 8 companions on the reservation, which now costs $35 each way.

Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred and Business Select members will receive two free checked bags. A-list members will only receive one checked bag. Weight and size limits apply.

The number of Southwest Rapid Rewards points required to book a flight is now “dynamic,” which means redemption rates could be higher or lower depending on the flight’s demand.

Furthermore, Southwest adjusted its policy toward cancellation and change fees and now only certain fare types get waived fees. Free same-day standby is now also limited to certain fare types.

You can get excellent value with the Companion Pass offered on Southwest’s personal cards. This perk allows you to bring along a designated travel companion on all of your Southwest flights — both paid and award tickets (but you must pay taxes and fees).

To get a Companion Pass, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying, one-way flights in a calendar year. Additionally, credit card welcome bonuses and points earned from card spending count toward qualification.

You can receive nearly two years of buy-one-get-one flights by opening a personal and business Southwest credit card and timing your spending to earn the bonuses near the beginning of any given year. That’s because the standard Companion Pass is valid for the year it’s earned and the entire following year.

Southwest cardholders get a 10,000 TQP-point boost at the beginning of the year (for existing cardholders) or within 30 days of opening an account (for new members).

To maximize your time with the Companion Pass, you may want to time your credit card application so that your welcome bonus will post after the start of the new year, if you can.

Bottom line

If you’re looking for a new Southwest card, you can choose from some of the great current welcome offers to earn a solid amount of bonus points. This is one of the highest points offers we’ve seen, with a significantly less spending requirement, so now may be the right time to apply.

If you fly frequently with a companion, the 100,000 points also puts you much closer to earning the pass, which is worth considering.

Just keep the carrier’s wide range of changes in mind happening through the rest of 2025 and 2026.

Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card