7 Southwest Plus Card Benefits You Didn’t Know About
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Written by
Sarah Hostetler
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Edited by
Emily Gadd
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Reviewed by
Jasmin Baron
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card currently offers a generous 50,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. That matches the bonuses on the other, pricier personal Southwest credit cards, worth potentially hundreds of dollars in Southwest flights.
That’s a compelling reason to open this $99-annual-fee credit card. But the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card also comes with valuable perks that make it a keeper after that excellent bonus is spent.
Here are seven Southwest Plus Card benefits you might not know about.
1. Annual 3,000-Point Bonus
Each year you renew the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card, you’ll automatically receive 3,000 bonus Southwest points. Because Southwest points tend to be worth around 1.4 cents each toward Southwest flights, this anniversary bonus amounts to around $42 in travel.
2. Annual Southwest Companion Pass Head Start
Southwest offers one of the best deals in travel: the Southwest Companion Pass. With it, you can take a friend or family member along with you for just the cost of taxes and fees every single time you fly Southwest.
The Companion Pass is valid during the year you earn it until the end of the following calendar year. That means you could potentially get BOGO Southwest flights for nearly two years.
To qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass, you’ll have to earn 135,000 qualifying Southwest points in a calendar year. But if you hold the Southwest Plus Card, you’ll get a 10,000-mile jumpstart each year — meaning you’ll only need to earn 125,000 qualifying miles.
This 10,000-mile boost isn’t redeemable like the annual 3,000-mile bonus, but it’s a boon for anyone who chases a Companion Pass every couple of years.
3. Annual 10% Flight Discount
Each year, you’ll receive a promo code for 10% off paid Southwest flights (excluding Basic fares). This code won’t affect the taxes and fees you pay, but it could still save you a lot of money depending on how you use it.
If you tend to pay for Southwest flights at least once per year, this 10% discount code will be a snap to use.
4. Free Checked Bag
The best airline credit cards typically come with free checked bags. Southwest used to offer two free checked bags per passenger — but that has since ended. As a consolation prize, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card members will receive the first free checked bag for themselves and up to eight companions on the same reservation.
Southwest charges $35 each way for the first checked bag, meaning you could easily offset the card’s annual fee after just one trip with a travel buddy.
5. Travel Insurance
The Southwest Plus Card comes with a few nifty travel protections that automatically activate when you pay for your trip with the card. These include:
- Rental car insurance: Decline the car rental agency’s CDW and you’ll be covered against any damage or theft that your primary insurance won’t cover. The insurance is secondary when you rent within the U.S.
- Travel accident insurance: Get up to $500,000 for accidental death or dismemberment during your trip.
- Baggage delay insurance: When your bag is delayed more than six hours, you can receive up to $100 per day (up to three days) for necessities like toiletries and clothing.
- Lost luggage insurance: Get up to $3,000 per covered traveler for checked or carry-on bags that are lost, damaged, or stolen during a covered trip.
6. Seat Selection Perks
On Jan. 27, 2026, Southwest will no longer offer open seating to its passengers.
At this point, passengers will file onto the plane in conventional boarding groups. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card will offer Group 5 boarding, guaranteeing that you’ll be on the plane before three other groups. That means you should have plenty of overhead bin space for your bags.
Also, you’ll be able to choose a Standard seat for free 48 hours before departure. Similar to legacy carriers, this will be free for everyone except those who have booked a Basic fare. But if you hold the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card, you’ll be able to book your flight even when booking into Basic.
7. Annual EarlyBird Check-Ins
Through 2025, you’ll receive two EarlyBird Check-Ins. This feature will automatically check you into your Southwest flight before the standard window of 24 hours before your flight. That means you’ll be one of the first on the plane, as Southwest currently orders passengers in the order they check in.
Because Southwest will assign seats in 2026, these EarlyBird Check-Ins will disappear as a benefit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card Benefits
Is the Southwest Plus Card worth it?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card is worth it if you can get more than $99 in annual value from its benefits each year. For those who fly Southwest a couple of times each year, this shouldn’t be difficult thanks to the annual 3,000-point anniversary bonus and first checked bag free.
Do Southwest credit cardholders get priority boarding?
Yes, if you hold a Southwest credit card (like the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card), you will get Group 5 priority boarding once Southwest begins assigning seats in early 2026.
Do I get a free checked bag with a Southwest credit card?
With the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card, you and up to eight companions on the same reservation will get the first checked bag free.
What is the Chase 5/24 rule?
The Chase 5/24 rule is an unwritten policy that prevents you from being approved for the best Chase credit cards — including the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card — if you’ve opened five or more credit cards from any bank (excluding most small business credit cards) within the past 24 months.
How much are 100,000 Southwest points worth?
Southwest points tend to be worth around 1.4 cents each toward Southwest flights. When used toward airfare on Southwest, 100,000 Southwest points are worth $1,400, on average.
