The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) is Southwest Airlines’ entry-level business card, and I think it’s a smart pick for small-business owners who fly the airline a few times a year. For a $149 annual fee, you get a free checked bag, priority boarding, preferred seat selection and a yearly points bonus that covers a good chunk of the fee on its own. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Southwest Premier Business: The basics
The Southwest Premier Business won’t massively change how you travel, but it will make Southwest flights easier and cheaper.
For a $149 annual fee, you get a free checked bag, priority boarding and preferred seats (for you and up to eight people on the same reservation). You also get 6,000 bonus points every account anniversary, which effectively covers half the annual fee before you’ve done anything.
The card really earns its keep when you’re spending with Southwest, earning 3 points per dollar spent. Gas stations and restaurants earn 2 points per dollar (on the first $8,000 in combined annual spending), which can be useful if those are a big part of your business expenses. Everything else earns just 1 point per dollar spent, so I’d use a different card for those purchases.
The biggest detail to keep in mind is that this is a cobranded card. The points are only useful for Southwest flights and can’t be transferred to other airlines. If you’re loyal to Southwest, that’s not necessarily a problem. But if you like having the flexibility to shop around for flights, it’s a real limitation.
Southwest Premier Business pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| <ul> <li>Annual bonus points that offset much of the fee</li> <li>Free first checked bag and priority boarding</li> <li>Unlimited tier qualifying points to speed up elite status</li> <li>Boosts your progress toward the Companion Pass</li> </ul> |
<ul> <li>Rewards are only useful with Southwest</li> <li>Bonus categories are limited</li> <li>Modest earnings outside Southwest, gas and dining</li> <li>No statement credits</li> </ul> |
Southwest Premier Business benefits
Although the Southwest Premier Business doesn’t get you into a lounge, its perks are the day-of-travel kind that add up quickly if you fly Southwest regularly.
Annual bonus points
Each account anniversary, Southwest automatically awards you 6,000 bonus points. Based on TPG’s October 2026 valuations, they’re worth $75, which covers half the annual fee before you’ve booked a single flight. I like this kind of benefit because you don’t have to activate anything or hit a spending threshold to receive it.
Bag, boarding and seat perks
You get a free first checked bag for yourself and up to eight passengers on the same reservation. A standard first checked bag costs $45, so you and a companion flying round-trip would save $180. One trip like that and the annual fee is more than covered.
The card also gives you Group 5 priority boarding for you and up to eight travelers on the same reservation. If you have A-List status, you can board even earlier. And you can select preferred seats (when available) for you and up to eight passengers on the same reservation within 48 hours of departure.
Elite status and Companion Pass boosts
You earn 2,000 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 you spend on the card each year, and there’s no cap on how many you can earn. That can help you reach A-List or A-List Preferred status faster.
Each year, the card also gives you a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points (toward the 135,000-point threshold). Both the points from the welcome offer and regular spending on the card count toward earning a Companion Pass.
Flight and inflight discounts
Each anniversary year, you receive a promotional code for 15% off a flight bought with cash (excluding Basic fares). It’s not a headline benefit, but it’s worth using on a trip you were already planning.
You’ll also receive 25% back on inflight drink and Wi-Fi purchases when using your card.
Other perks
- Free employee cards: There’s no fee for additional employee cards, and you earn points on their spending. You can also set individual spending limits.
- No foreign transaction fees: This makes the card a workable option for business travel abroad.
How to earn and use your rewards
The Southwest Premier Business earns:
- 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest Airlines purchases (a 3.8% return based on TPG’s valuations)
- 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants (on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per year; a 2.5% return)
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases (a 1.3% return)
Outside of Southwest purchases and gas and dining, this isn’t a card I’d reach for. For everyday business spending, I’d use a card like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees) or the American Express® Business Gold Card, both of which earn more flexible rewards.
The primary way to use Southwest Rapid Rewards points is to book Southwest-operated flights. Southwest’s award pricing is tied to the cash price of the ticket, so the more expensive the flight, the more points it costs. You won’t find outsize value here, but you get fairly consistent returns.
Booking is simple: Choose “Points” instead of “Dollars” when you search for flights on Southwest’s website. Award tickets still require payment of taxes and fees (starting at $5.60 each way), but they’re fully refundable, and there’s no penalty for canceling as long as you do so at least 10 minutes before departure.
My most recent redemption was a round-trip, nonstop itinerary from Austin to Albuquerque, New Mexico. I redeemed 23,000 points (plus $11.20 in taxes and fees), giving me a solid value of 1.3 cents per point (compared to the $312 cash price).
TPG newsletter and partnerships editor Emily Thompson is a frequent Southwest flyer with multiple Southwest credit cards. She often tops up the points earned from her Premier Business by transferring additional points from her Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) for flights.
Southwest also offers hotels and car rentals on its travel portal, but the rates are subpar compared to using your points for Southwest-operated flights.
Downsides to consider about the Southwest Premier Business
The biggest limit is that the rewards you earn only work with Southwest. Rapid Rewards points don’t transfer to other airlines, so if you’d rather book whichever carrier has the cheapest fare, points from a flexible card such as the Ink Business Preferred will serve you better.
The earning structure is also thin. Southwest purchases and gas and dining are the only bonus categories, and the $8,000 combined cap on gas and dining limits the upside. There are no statement credits either, so if you want a card that reimburses recurring business expenses, look elsewhere.
Southwest Premier Business vs. Southwest Performance Business
Both cards include a free first checked bag, Group 5 priority boarding, free employee cards, no foreign transaction fees and the 10,000-point annual Companion Pass boost.
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (see rates and fees) costs $150 more each year. You get 3,000 extra anniversary points (worth $38, per our valuations) and 1 extra point per dollar spent on Southwest purchases, direct hotel bookings and local transit.
My rule of thumb: If you fly Southwest a handful of times a year, the Premier Business’ lower annual fee is easier to justify. If you’re on board often enough to use the extra perks and spend heavily in the bonus categories, the Performance Business can pay for itself.
When to apply for the Southwest Premier Business
New Southwest Premier Business cardholders can earn 80,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That’s worth $1,000 (according to our valuations).
This is one of the most lucrative welcome offers we’ve seen on this card in the past six years, and I recommend applying now.
Welcome bonuses from Southwest cards also count toward the Companion Pass. Once earned, the Companion Pass is valid for the remainder of the calendar year and the entire following year, so the earlier in the year you earn it, the more you get out of it.
Before you apply, check your eligibility. This card, like most Chase cobranded cards, is subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. There are also restrictions on how often you can earn a Southwest welcome bonus. If you’ve earned a welcome bonus on this card in the past 24 months, you may not be eligible.
Other cards to consider if you don’t want the Southwest Premier Business
If you’d rather have flexible rewards or a simpler no-fee option, these are the cards I’d look at:
- If you want flexible rewards: The Ink Business Preferred earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you can transfer to Southwest or any of Chase’s 13 other travel partners. To learn more, check out our full review of the Ink Business Preferred.
- If you want simple cash back: The Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash® Card (see rates and fees) earns a flat 2% cash rewards on purchases with no annual fee, which makes it a straightforward option for spending that doesn’t earn bonus points elsewhere. To learn more, check out our full review of the Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash.
- If you live near a United Airlines hub: The United℠ Business Card (see rates and fees) has comparable perks for United for a $150 annual fee. To learn more, check out our full review of the United Business Card.
For additional options, see our picks for the best business and airline credit cards.
Bottom line
Apply for the Southwest Premier Business if you’re a business owner who already flies Southwest and wants a low-fee card that pays you back in bags, boarding and bonus points. The perks are simple and easy to maximize, so the card keeps earning its annual fee back every year you keep flying the airline.
However, skip the card if you split your flying across airlines or want flexible points on all your business spending.
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Source: thepointsguy.com
