Your complete guide to qualifying for Southwest credit cards

Currently, the three personal credit cards offered by Southwest Airlines feature a welcome bonus valued at $700 according to TPG.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card each provide 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening.

Keep an eye out for specific rules when considering a Southwest credit card, as they vary for personal and business cards. Here's what to consider.

The details for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier have been independently gathered by Dinogo. The information presented on this page has not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

What Southwest credit cards can I qualify for?

If you're considering Southwest credit cards, you have a total of five options: three personal cards and two business cards.

Here are the personal credit card options:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Here are the two business credit card options:

• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

At present, the Southwest Performance Business card provides 80,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first three months following account opening, while the Southwest Premier Business card offers 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the same period. According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, these bonuses are valued at $1,120 and $840, respectively.

Chase and Southwest have streamlined this process by treating all personal cards equally and implementing two straightforward rules for business cards.

To apply for a personal card, follow these steps.

You qualify as long as you meet the following criteria:

• The Chase 5/24 rule: If you've opened five or more credit cards (from any issuer) in the last 24 months, you're likely to be denied a Southwest credit card — excluding most business cards.
• Restrictions on card "families": If you currently hold a Southwest personal card, you can't apply for another until you either cancel or change your existing card.
• Sign-up bonus conditions: You won't be able to apply for this card if you've received a sign-up bonus from a Southwest personal card in the last 24 months.

It's important to note that holding a Southwest business credit card does not impact your ability to apply for personal cards.

If you're interested in applying for a business card,

You qualify as long as you're below 5/24 and adhere to these rules:

• You must not currently hold that specific credit card.
• You should not have received a bonus on that card within the last 24 months.

Applying for personal Southwest credit cards won't affect your eligibility for business cards, aside from utilizing one of your 5/24 slots. Notably, having any Southwest business credit card doesn't impact your ability to get another Southwest business card.

What is the optimal strategy for applying for Southwest credit cards?

If you have one or two 5/24 slots available, the best approach for most individuals is to apply for both Southwest business credit cards. This won't increase your 5/24 count and will keep you eligible for a personal Southwest card later on.

You might start by applying for the Performance Business card, followed by the Premier Business card, and then one of the three personal cards. Given Chase's restrictions on personal Southwest card applications, it's wise to wait for the best sign-up bonus before submitting your application.

In summary

It's crucial to strategize your credit card applications and consider the specific rules associated with each card and issuer. Although Chase's "family restriction" on personal Southwest cards complicates many users' Companion Pass strategies, this limitation does not extend to the two business cards.

For more information, check out our comprehensive reviews of the Southwest cards, listed from lowest to highest annual fee: Southwest Plus, Premier, Priority, Premier Business, and Performance Business.