The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier sits in the middle of the Southwest card lineup — more perks than the Plus, fewer than the Priority, and priced at $149 to match. It's the Goldilocks option for Southwest flyers who want meaningful upgrades over the base card without paying $229 for the full premium experience.

The Premier's selling points over the Plus are the 3x earning on Southwest (vs. 2x), 6,000 anniversary points (vs. 3,000), a 15% promo code on your anniversary, and Preferred seat selection 48 hours before departure. You still get the core perks — free checked bags, 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points, and 25% back on inflight purchases.

Is it the best value? It depends on your flying frequency. For moderate Southwest flyers (4-6 flights per year), the Premier hits a sweet spot. Below that, the Plus is cheaper. Above that, the Priority's travel credit and upgraded boarding make it the better deal.

• Free Checked Bags: Cardmember and up to 8 passengers on the same reservation get their first bag free. Same across all Southwest cards.
• 6,000 Anniversary Points: Worth ~$78 in Southwest flights. More than the Plus (3,000) but less than the Priority (7,500).
• 15% Promo Code: A 15% discount code each anniversary year on Southwest flights (excludes Basic fares). Decent savings on premium fares.
• Preferred Seat Selection: Complimentary Preferred seat within 48 hours of departure, when available. Valued at ~$70 round trip on average.
• 10,000 Companion Pass QP Boost: Same annual head start toward the Companion Pass as all Southwest cards.
• 25% Back on Inflight Purchases: Statement credit on drinks and Wi-Fi.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: Use it internationally without surcharges.

• Annual Fee: $149 — the middle ground between Plus ($99) and Priority ($229).
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• APR: Variable, typically 22.49% - 29.49%
• Balance Transfer Fee: 5% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
• Late Payment Fee: Up to $40

Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. At ~1.3 cents per point, that's roughly $390 in Southwest flight value.

Honestly, this is the weakest standard welcome bonus among the three Southwest cards. The Plus offers 55,000 for $1,500 spend, and the Priority offers 60,000 for $2,000 spend. The Premier asks for more spending and gives fewer points. If the welcome bonus is a major factor in your decision, the Plus or Priority are better bets.

That said, keep an eye out for limited-time Companion Pass offers — when those appear, the welcome bonus becomes secondary.

• 3x points on: Southwest Airlines purchases.
• 2x points on: Grocery stores and restaurants (on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year, then 1x).
• 1x points on: Everything else.

The 3x on Southwest is a nice step up from the Plus's 2x, and the $8,000 cap on grocery/restaurant bonus earning is more generous than the Plus's $5,000 cap. Still, the Priority card's 4x on Southwest and uncapped restaurant earning is better for heavy spenders.

Same straightforward redemption system as all Southwest cards:

• Southwest Flights: No blackout dates, no award charts. Points cover the fare at ~1.2-1.5 cents per point.
• International Partners: Select airlines through the More Rewards program.
• Hotels & Car Rentals: Available through Rapid Rewards but generally poor value.
• Gift Cards: Available but a waste of points.

Keep it simple: use your points for Southwest flights. That's where the value is.

• Free Checked Bags: For you and up to 8 companions. The universal Southwest card benefit.
• 6,000 Anniversary Points: ~$78 in flight value, automatically deposited each year.
• 15% Promo Code: Anniversary discount on Southwest flights. Useful for premium fare bookings.
• Preferred Seat Selection: Access to Preferred seats 48 hours before departure, when available.
• 25% Inflight Credit: Quarter back on drinks and Wi-Fi.

What's missing vs. the Priority: No $75 travel credit, no upgraded boarding reimbursement, no seat selection at booking time. These are meaningful gaps for frequent flyers.

• vs. Southwest Plus ($99/yr): The Premier costs $50 more but earns 3x on Southwest (vs 2x), gives 6,000 anniversary points (vs 3,000), and includes the 15% promo code. Worth the upgrade if you fly Southwest 3+ times a year.
• vs. Southwest Priority ($229/yr): The Priority costs $80 more but adds a $75 travel credit, upgraded boarding, seat selection at booking, and 7,500 anniversary points. If you fly Southwest 5+ times a year, the Priority is the better deal.
• vs. United Explorer ($250/yr): Different airline ecosystem entirely. The United Explorer offers lounge passes and higher earning on United flights. Pick based on which airline you fly.
• vs. Delta SkyMiles Gold ($150/yr): Nearly identical price point. Delta Gold offers 2x on Delta and restaurants, plus first bag free. Similar value proposition for their respective airlines.

• Moderate Southwest flyers: 4-6 flights per year on Southwest. Enough to justify the upgrade over Plus, not enough to warrant the Priority.
• Grocery and restaurant spenders: The $8,000 cap on 2x grocery/restaurant earning is higher than the Plus card.
• Companion Pass builders: Same 10,000 QP boost as all Southwest cards, plus 3x on Southwest spending helps accumulate qualifying points faster.

Not ideal for: Occasional flyers (get the Plus), frequent flyers (get the Priority), or the welcome-bonus obsessed (the Premier's standard bonus is the weakest of the three).