Final Call: Southwest Credit Card 75K Bonus Points Offer

In late May, Chase and Southwest Airlines launched huge welcome bonus on their personal co-branded credit cards, which include lots of bonus points. I wanted to post a reminder of this, as these offers are set to expire in less than a week. Let’s go over those details.

Earn 75K Rapid Rewards points with Southwest cards

For applications through Monday, July 11, 2022, there’s a limited time welcome bonus on Southwest’s co-branded personal credit cards. With this bonus you can earn 75,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points after spending $5,000 within the first three months.

This same bonus applies to the following three cards:

• The $69 annual fee Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (review)
• The $99 annual fee Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card (review)
• The $149 annual fee Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Card (review)

Chase’s general application rules apply, including the 5/24 rule. You’re eligible for the bonus on one of these cards as long as you don’t currently have one of the personal Chase Southwest cards, and haven’t received a new cardmember bonus on one of these cards in the past 24 months.

The bonus points count toward Southwest Companion Pass

Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best deals in travel. Rapid Rewards members who earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year can earn Companion Pass, and that allows you to take a companion with you wherever you fly on Southwest, and you just have to pay the taxes and fees.

The 75,000 bonus points, plus any points earned through spending on the card, will count toward the Companion Pass requirement. So the bonus alone will get you 60% of the way to Companion Pass.

Which Southwest credit card should you get?

If you’re put off by the annual fees on these cards, note that each of the cards offers some number of anniversary bonus points, which helps offset the annual fee (I value Rapid Rewards points at roughly 1.2 cents each, for what it’s worth):

• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card has a 3,000 point anniversary bonus (worth ~$36)
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card has a 6,000 point anniversary bonus (worth ~$72)
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card has a 7,500 point anniversary bonus (worth ~$90)

The cards offer all kinds of other perks. While I’d recommend checking out my full reviews, I think for most people the $149 annual fee Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card is actually easiest to justify. I’m not trying to sell anyone on that card (I don’t care which card you apply for), but the math is easiest to make sense of. Yes, the card has the highest annual fee, but it offers:

• 7,500 bonus points on the account anniversary, which I value at $90
• A $75 annual travel credit, including the year in which you open the card, which can be applied toward purchases with Southwest, including of flights
• Four upgraded boardings per anniversary year for Southwest flights, when available

That card more than pays for itself on an ongoing basis, in my opinion.

Bottom line

Southwest’s personal co-branded credit cards have a limited time welcome bonus that includes 75,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points upon completing minimum spending.

While these bonuses are available on the Plus Card, Premier Card, and Priority Card, personally I think the Southwest Priority Card is the way to go. While the card has the highest annual fee, it also has the richest perks, including the biggest anniversary bonus plus a $75 annual Southwest credit.

If you’re eligible for a Southwest credit card and could get value out of the points, I’d highly recommend applying with this offer. The clock is ticking, as these offers are set to expire in less than a week.

Do you plan on picking up a Southwest card with this elevated bonus?