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Anybody who is aware of me is aware of that I am a giant proponent of getting at the very least one airline card, even if you happen to aren’t loyal to a selected model.
Many factors and miles followers keep on with playing cards that earn transferable rewards; whereas these are nice, avoiding an airline card means you may be shedding out on useful advantages.
Take the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Credit score Card (see charges and charges), for instance. If you happen to fly Southwest Airways simply twice every year, you will get constructive worth out of this card’s $99 annual charge.
Here is how.
Welcome provide
At the moment, new Southwest Plus cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first 5 months from account opening.
In line with TPG’s September 2025 valuations, these 100,000 factors are price $1,350.
These bonus factors will show you how to get considerably extra worth than this card’s annual charge in your first 12 months, since Southwest flights can value as few as 6,000 factors one-way.
If you happen to play your playing cards proper, you must be capable of stretch this welcome provide fairly far. Plus, if you happen to place important worth on Southwest’s Companion Move, this welcome provide will get you very near incomes one. To get one, it’s essential to both fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 qualifying factors in a single 12 months.
Some might take into account paying a $99 annual charge 12 months after 12 months price it solely due to the worth they get out of the welcome bonus. I am huge on discovering extra methods to get your cash’s price than simply that first huge stash of factors.
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Fortunately, the Southwest Plus comes with a couple of additional perks that greater than justify its annual price ticket.
Free first checked bag
For a few years, Southwest attracted loyal flyers due to its day-of-flight perks, like no assigned seating and free checked luggage. With the latest resolution to toss these advantages out the aircraft door, Southwest vacationers should flip to different strategies to get these options.
The Southwest Plus presents cardholders their first checked bag free. As much as eight further passengers on the identical reservation can even test their first bag free, so this perk could be prolonged fairly far.
{Couples}, households and vacationers with associates can get way more worth out of their card than its $99 annual charge.
Even if you happen to’re a solo traveler, checking a bag on one spherical journey or two one-ways will carry you near breaking even on this card’s annual charge. Southwest fees $35 on your first checked bag, so utilizing this profit twice will prevent $70.
Happily, there’s one other profit that, when paired with this perk, will make sure you’re within the inexperienced with this card.
Anniversary bonus factors
Every year, Southwest Plus cardholders will obtain 3,000 bonus factors on their card anniversary. Per our valuations, these factors are price roughly $41.
Whether or not you are touring solo or not, the worth you get from checking a bag twice every year and utilizing these anniversary factors will web you extra worth than the cardboard’s annual charge.
If you happen to actually wish to optimize your technique with the Southwest Plus, you possibly can obtain all of this in only one journey by reserving a round-trip flight or two one-way flights utilizing your anniversary factors and checking your bag in every route.
In case your anniversary factors do not offer you sufficient rewards to cowl a whole ticket, keep in mind that Southwest presents an choice to pay on your fare with each money and factors.
Different notable perks
Whereas receiving your first checked bag free, anniversary bonus factors and the prospect to earn a welcome bonus are the most effective methods to get important worth out of the Southwest Plus, they don’t seem to be the one advantages price noting.
Cardholders and as much as eight further passengers on the identical reservation will obtain precedence boarding. With restricted overhead bin house, getting on the aircraft sooner than you in any other case might is a small option to ease journey stress.
Plus, as the first cardholder, you possibly can choose a Customary seat inside 48 hours of departure, when obtainable.
Lastly, the Southwest Plus supplies cardholders with a lift of 10,000 qualifying factors every year. When mixed with the welcome bonus, you will solely must earn a further 25,000 qualifying factors to obtain a Companion Move.
This is probably not essentially the most helpful profit after the primary cardholder 12 months, however it’s a good way to get additional worth out of your welcome bonus.
Backside line
You do not must be a Southwest loyalist to make this card be just right for you. So long as you fly at the very least twice with Southwest in a 12 months, you can get constructive worth out of the Southwest Plus‘s annual charge.
Considering exterior of the field in terms of bank cards and their advantages is essential if you need your pockets to take you and your travels so far as doable. Do not draw back from opening an airline card simply since you’re an rare traveler otherwise you choose to fly with totally different airways.
To be taught extra, take a look at our full evaluate of the Southwest Plus.
Apply right here: Southwest Speedy Rewards Plus Credit score Card
