The best Southwest credit cards of 2026

With perks that set Southwest Airlines apart from the rest — including no change fees on all fares — it's no wonder the carrier is so popular among travelers.

Southwest Airlines currently offers flights to 121 airports throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as internationally to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, making it a great option for families, couples, solo and business travelers looking to get away.

The carrier is also known for its Southwest Companion Pass, which lets you bring a friend or family member along with you on any domestic or international Southwest flight for just the price of taxes and fees (usually just $5.60 per person for a one-way U.S. flight). Qualifying requires racking up at least 135,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards® points in a calendar year, and once you do, it'll be valid for the rest of the year you've earned it as well as the whole following year. Plus, those with a co-branded Southwest credit card automatically get 10,000 Companion Pass Qualifying points at the beginning of every calendar year.

The easiest way to jump-start your journey to redeeming Rapid Rewards® points for a free flight is to sign up for one of the airline's cobranded credit cards, or — if snagging the Companion Pass is not your main goal — a travel rewards card that lets you accumulate transferable points that can then be moved to the Southwest Rapid Rewards® loyalty program.

Below, CNBC Select details the best credit cards for casual and frequent Southwest flyers — and those who prefer to transfer their points to Southwest Rapid Rewards® from other rewards programs.

Who's this for? The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is for fans of Southwest who don’t fly often but are still looking to earn points to redeem for free flights when they do. With a modest annual fee of $149 and a welcome offer that earns 55,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The card lets you earn 3X points on Southwest Airlines^® purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards, 2X points at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year, and 1X points on all other purchases. So, even if you only fly with Southwest a few times a year, you’ll be racking up Rapid Rewards® points in no time.

Celebrate each anniversary with 6,000 points, as well as perks such as no foreign transaction fees, 25% back for in-flight purchases and 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status every time you spend $5,000.

Who's this for? If you're a die-hard Southwest frequent flyers who love everything about the airline, appreciate upgrades and are working toward A-List status or the Companion Pass, look no further than the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. New cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

While there is a hefty $229 annual fee, there are no foreign transaction fees and you’ll have access to benefits such as 25% back on in-flight purchases, 2,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status each time you spend $5,000 and 7,500 points each anniversary.

Like the Southwest Premier Card, the Southwest Priority Card lets you earn 4X points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases; 2X points per dollar spent on gas stations and restaurants and 1X points per dollar for all other spending.

Who’s this for? If you love traveling and dining and want to rack up Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be transferred to Southwest, among other airlines, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could be a great choice. It is currently offering 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Once approved, you can earn 5X points per dollar for travel booked via Chase Travel℠; 5X points per dollar on Lyft rides now through September 30, 2027; 3X points per dollar for dining, online grocery shopping (except Target®, Walmart® and other wholesale clubs) and using certain streaming services; 3x on vacation homes; 3x on gas & EV charging; 2X points per dollar for all other travel spending; and 1X point per dollar for all other purchases.

While the card does come with a modest $95 annual fee, there are no foreign transaction fees. Its considerable list of travel benefits includes collision damage waivers for car rentals, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and a $100 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit. You’ll also score special perks with DoorDash and more.

Point transfers from Ultimate Rewards® to Southwest are usually instant. Just note that transferred points do not count toward earning the Companion Pass.

Who's this for? The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is for small business owners seeking benefits similar to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card — and maybe a shot at the Companion Pass — but with a lower annual fee of $149. New cardholders can currently earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

You'll also have access to perks such as 25% back for in-flight purchases, 2,000 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status each time they spend $5,000. There are no foreign transaction fees for using the card abroad and there is no extra fee to add more cards for employees.

This card also rewards you with 6,000 points each year for your anniversary and lets you earn 3X points per dollar spent with Southwest Airlines; 2X points per dollar you spend at gas stations and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year; and 1X points per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Who's this for? The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card is for small business owners looking to rack up Rapid Rewards® points by flying with Southwest, spending with its travel partners and paying for other business-related expenses. It is currently offering a welcome bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

There is a $299 annual fee, but it's tax-deductible and the perks make up for it. Once approved, you’ll receive a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit. Cardmembers can also add extra cards for their employees for free, have no foreign transaction fees and score 2,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status whenever they spend $5,000.

In addition to picking up 9,000 points each year on your card anniversary, you can earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest^® purchases. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on gas station and restaurant purchases. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Who's this for? The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is perfect for travelers who love flying with Southwest but are looking for a low-annual-fee card to help them earn more Rapid Rewards® points. The carrier does not currently have a no-annual-fee card, so this one, with a reasonable $99 annual fee, is your best bet.

New cardholders can earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

In addition to the 3,000 points you’ll get for each anniversary, you’ll earn 2X points per dollar spent with Southwest, 2X points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year and 1X points per dollar spent on other purchases. Additional perks include the ability to earn 25% back on in-flight purchases made with the card.

Best for racking up transferable points

Who's this for? Anyone who wants to take advantage of a particularly lucrative welcome bonus and unlock luxury travel benefits should consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. New cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The card lets you earn 8x points on Chase Trave℠, 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct, 3x points on dining, and 1x points on all other purchases, and $300 annually in monthly DoorDash promos and complimentary DashPass membership worth $120 annually.

There is a high $795 annual fee, but in turn, cardholders receive a $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year; a suite of travel and purchase protections; a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit; Priority Pass airport lounge access; extra benefits when you book a rental car with Avis, National Car Rental or Silvercar, and VIP access to events and experiences.

Who's this for? Small business owners who tend to spend more and are looking for a card with transferable rewards points, which can be used for flights with airline partners such as Southwest. The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

With a modest annual fee of $95, you’ll be able to earn 3X points per dollar on your first $150,000 worth of spending in business categories such as travel; shipping; cable, phone and internet services; and advertising expenses — then an unlimited 1X points per dollar for all other purchases.

Redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel^SM or by transferring them to Chase’s travel partners, including Southwest Airlines. The card also offers fraud and purchase protections and additional employee cards to help you stay on top of all your business needs.

The following Chase credit cards earn Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be transferred to the Southwest Rapid Rewards® loyalty program:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

If you have one of the cards above, you can also convert the cash back you earn with the following cards to transferable Ultimate Rewards® points:

• Chase Freedom Flex®
• Chase Freedom® (closed to new applicants)
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® (See rates and fees)
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (see rates and fees)

There’s also a more roundabout process you could go through to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards® points for Southwest flights through Chase. While this can’t be done directly through the Chase travel portal, you can call the Chase Travel Center at (855) 233-9462 and redeem your points at a potentially higher rate, depending on what card you have.

While it wouldn't provide the best value, you could also transfer points to Southwest Rapid Rewards® from Marriott Bonvoy® at a 3:1 ratio — or from American Express Membership Rewards® points to Marriott Bonvoy® at a 1:1 ratio and then to Southwest at that same 3:1 ratio.

Be aware that the Southwest credit cards are issued by Chase so you'll have to adhere to its notorious 5/24 rule, which could cause you to be denied any new Chase cards if you've already applied for five credit cards within the last 24 months. You also may be disqualified from receiving a Southwest cobranded credit card if you already have one or have received a new cardmember bonus within the past 24 months. The one exception to this is if you have a personal Southwest card and are applying for a business card, and vice versa.

There's a travel rewards credit card for every type of consumer, whether or not you consider yourself to be a frequent flyer with Southwest. The co-branded Southwest cards offer useful perks for loyal flyers, but if you don't want to fully commit to the airline, consider a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points as you'll have greater flexibility in redeeming your rewards.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best Southwest Airlines credit cards.

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Information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.