Southwest unveils big credit card refresh: 50% fee hikes, but new seating and boarding perks
Quick summary
Over the past year, Southwest Airlines has made major changes to its business model, from ending open seating to adding checked bag fees and revamping aspects of its Rapid Rewards loyalty program.
Up next? A significant refresh of its credit cards lineup.
The Dallas-based carrier announced on Thursday it's adding new perks to each of its Chase cobranded cards, effective immediately. The newly-revealed benefits include ways to earn bonus points on restaurant, grocery and gas purchases.
And, as TPG first reported in April, certain Southwest cardholders will get complimentary access to its brand-new extra legroom seats.
But the changes will come at a hefty price tag for new and existing cardholders. Annual fees on each Southwest card are set to rise sharply, with average fee hikes hovering around 50%.
That said, there's a major deal sweetener for travelers who add a Southwest card to their wallets: For a limited time, new applicants for any of its personal cards can earn 100,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first five months.
"We believe that our existing cardmembers as well as the new cardmembers will see the real and measurable value that the benefits convey, as well as increased flexibility and increased choice," Corbitt Burns, Southwest managing director of cobrand and payments, told TPG in an interview this week.
Here's what to know about the overhaul to the airline's card lineup, including new benefits, disappearing perks and the ones that are sticking around.
Higher annual fees
Let's get the bad news out of the way first. Each of Southwest's five credit cards will see an annual fee hike as part of this card suite refresh:
| Credit card | Previous annual fee | New annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees) | $69 | $99 (+43%) |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | $99 | $149 (+50%) |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees) | $149 | $229 (+54%) |
| Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) | $99 | $149 (+50%) |
| Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) | $199 | $299 (+50%) |
Existing Southwest Rapid Rewards Cardmembers' annual fees will adjust on their 2026 Anniversary date.
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.
The fee hikes come as a slew of credit card issuers have raised annual dues on cards over the past year (or plan to soon), particularly at the more premium end of the spectrum. In the case of Southwest's portfolio, Chase attributed the hikes to new benefits and the passage of time.
"This is the first time, in some cases, that we're increasing the fee in a decade," Chris Cracchiolo, president of cobranded cards at JP Morgan Chase, told TPG. "We believe strongly that we're pricing for value, and we think the incremental benefits on the card products justify the modest fee increases."
Related: Best time to apply for Southwest Chase cards based on offer history
New benefits
Southwest's card lineup will see a range of new benefits which, in most cases, have been redesigned for an airline that — by January — will look a lot different than it did a year ago.
Free checked bag
Like they do today, Southwest cardholders will get their first checked bag free on each of the airline's cards. This benefit will apply to the primary cardholder and up to eight travelers flying on the same reservation.
For context, Southwest now charges customers $35 for their first checked bag, after implementing fees in late May.
Related: These 26 credit cards can get you free checked bags on your next flight
Seating benefits
All cardholders will be allowed to select a seat in some capacity, even if they're flying on a basic fare (which recently replaced Southwest's well-known "Wanna Get Away" tickets). But the seating benefits improve as you look at cards with higher annual fees.
Plus, as TPG first reported this spring, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority and Performance Business cardholders will be allowed to select the airline's extra legroom seats within 48 hours of departure at no cost (if seats are available).
| Card | Extra Legroom seat selection | Preferred seat selection (situated closer to the front of the aircraft) | Standard seat selection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 48 hours of departure | At booking | At booking | |
| N/A | Within 48 hours of departure | Within 48 hours of departure |
| N/A | N/A | Within 48 hours of departure |
Like with bags, the seating benefits for each card will apply for the primary cardholder and up to eight companions flying on the same reservation.
New bonus spend categories
Southwest also made big changes to the number of points customers can earn on everyday purchases.
Bonus spend categories for local transportation, commuting and ride-hailing services will disappear for most cards in 2026. So will bonus points for purchases like internet, cable and phone services on most cards. Instead, effective immediately, you'll see the airline reward customers more for dining, grocery and gas purchases.
Cracchiolo said this shift gives cardholders "much more utility" to earn points for their next redemption. "We're pretty confident they're going to resonate with both new customers and existing customers," he said.
However, we should note: some cards have limits on how many bonus points customers can earn in these new categories. Exact details below.
Related: Your ultimate guide to Southwest credit card eligibility
Boarding perks
As Southwest revamps its boarding procedures with a process that looks a lot more like its competitors (farewell to lining up at the gate!) the airline plans to offer earlier boarding to Rapid Rewards members who carry its cards.
Those travelers will board no later than Group 5, ahead of standard boarding. Southwest's new boarding process will include a total of eight groups.
Faster track to A-List
Also, Southwest will give some cardholders a faster track to A-List elite status than they have today, with more Tier Qualifying Points earned on card spending.
What's going away?
Along with phasing out some existing bonus spend categories, Southwest's card lineup will lose some of the benefits that were specific to its outgoing open seating model and single-file boarding process, such as the EarlyBird and Upgraded Boarding perks currently offered with some cards.
Existing cardholders will have through the end of the year to use those benefits before they disappear.
Southwest Airlines credit card benefits
There are a handful of additional perks that Southwest and Chase are adding — or cutting — as part of this overall refresh.
Here's the breakdown of Southwest's new credit card benefits and fees.
Consumer cards
| Plus Card | Premier Card | Priority Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 (up from $69) | $149 (up from $99) | $229 (up from $149) |
| Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 5 months | √ | √ | √ |
| 1st checked bag free
(For primary cardholder and up to 8 companions on the same reservation) | √ | √ | √ |
| Standard/Preferred seating benefit
(For flights operating in 2026) | Standard seat selection within 48 hours, even on basic fares | Standard or Preferred seat selection within 48 hours, even on basic fares | Standard or Preferred seat selection available at booking, when available. |
| Extra Legroom seating benefit
(For flights operating in 2026) | N/A | N/A | Within 48 hours, pending availability |
| Group 5 boarding or better
(For flights operating in 2026) | √ | √ | √ |
| Anniversary perks | 3,000 points after each card anniversary
One promotional 10% flight discount each anniversary year (excludes basic economy). | 6,000 points after each card anniversary
One promotional 15% flight discount each anniversary year (excludes basic economy) | 7,500 points after each card anniversary |
| Rapid Rewards earnings | 2 points per $1 spent on eligible Southwest purchases
NEW: 2 points per $1 on the first combined $5,000 spent at gas stations and grocery stores during the card anniversary year. 1 point per $1 on all other eligible purchases ENDING 12/31/25: 2 points per $1 spent on:
| 3 points per $1 spent on eligible Southwest purchases
NEW: 2 points per $1 spent on the first combined $8,000 spent on groceries and restaurants 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases ENDING 12/31/25: 2 points per $1 spent on:
| NEW: 4 points per $1 spent on eligible Southwest purchases (up from 3x)
NEW: 2 points per dollar at gas stations and restaurants, with no annual cap 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases ENDING 12/31/25: 2 points per $1 spent on:
|
| 10,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points boost each year | √ | √ | √ |
| 25% back on inflight purchases | √ | √ | √ |
| Perks ending after 2025 | 2 EarlyBird check-ins per year | 2 EarlyBird check-ins per year | 4 Upgraded Boardings per year
$75 annual travel credit on Southwest |
| Boost for A-List status | N/A | For every $5,000 spent, earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points (TQP) | For every $5,000 spent, earn 2,500 TQP (up from 1,500) |
| No foreign transaction fees | √ (NEW) | √ | √ |
Business cards
| Premier Business Card | Performance Business Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $149 (up from $99) | $299 (up from $199) |
| First checked bag free
(For primary cardholder and up to 8 companions on the same reservation) | √ | √ |
| Standard/Preferred seating benefit
(For flights operating in 2026) | Standard or Preferred seat selection within 48 hours, even on basic fares | Standard or Preferred seat selection available at booking, when available. |
| Extra Legroom seating benefit
(For flights operating in 2026) | N/A | Within 48 hours, pending availability |
| Group 5 boarding or better
(For flights operating in 2026) | √ | √ |
| Anniversary perks | 6,000 points after each card anniversary | 9,000 points after each card anniversary |
| Rapid Rewards earnings | 3 points per $1 on Southwest purchases
NEW: 2 points per $1 on the first $8,000 in combined purchases each anniversary year at gas stations and restaurants 1 point per $1 on all other eligible purchases ENDING 12/31/25: 2 points per $1 spent on:
| 4 points per $1 on Southwest purchases
NEW: 2 points per $1 at gas stations and restaurants (no annual cap) NEW: 2 points per $1 on hotels booked directly 2 points per $1 on local transit, rideshare and commuting 1 point per $1 on all other eligible purchases ENDING 12/31/25: 3 points per $1 spent on:
2 points per $1 spent on:
|
| Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus fee credit
(Up to $120 statement credit every 4 years) | N/A | √ |
| Inflight benefits | 25% back on inflight purchases | NEW: 25% back on inflight purchases |
| Perks ending after 2025 | 2 Early Bird check ins per year
$500 fee credit for point transfers per year
| 4 Upgraded Boardings per year
$500 fee credit for point transfers per year Up to 365 inflight internet credits per year |
| Boost for A-List status | For every $5,000 spent, earn 2,000 TQPs (up from 1,500) | For every $5,000 spent, earn 2,500 TQP (up from 1,500) |
| No foreign transaction fees | √ | √ |
Bottom line
Southwest's credit card revamp will mean higher annual fees and the end of some perks that were specific to its longstanding open seating setup.
Now, a new-look airline has ushered in a new-look card lineup, with first-time rewards like extra legroom seat access.
Going forward, Rapid Rewards flyers who carry Southwest's cards will be able to sidestep some of the airline's newest hurdles, like the bag fees and seat selection limitations now facing passengers who purchase the carrier's cheapest (Basic) fare.
That's by design: Southwest leaders have said, for months, that as part of the wholesale changes at the airline, they hoped to reward A-List members and cardholders — and to entice other customers to carry a card and earn status.
How customers take to the new card tradeoffs remain to be seen, but Southwest is confident about the value proposition it's offering.
"We believe a lot of these [rewards] are unmatched in the industry, and industry-leading," Burns said.
Related reading:
- Your complete guide to maximizing Southwest Rapid Rewards
- The best Southwest Airlines credit cards
- How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- How to change or cancel a Southwest Airlines flight