Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: For Serious Southwest Flyers Only

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is one of Southwest's credit cards that offers more benefits in exchange for a higher annual fee. It's essentially the cream of the crop card for business owners, mostly due to its exceptional earning rates for Southwest flights and the card's premium benefits for frequent flyers.

Not only does the Rapid Rewards Performance card offer a generous welcome bonus and accelerated earning rates on Southwest purchases, but it comes with four upgraded boardings with the airline each year, up to 365 in-flight Wi-Fi credits per year and a fee credit for Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck membership every four years. Cardmembers can even get a leg up toward elite status by earning 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent on the card with no caps or limits.

Who this card is best for

• If you fly Southwest regularly for business travel: If you're a frequent business traveler who typically takes to the air with Southwest, this card could benefit you.
• If you're a big spender with Southwest and its travel partners: The more you spend with Southwest, the more valuable this card becomes.
• If you mostly fly within the US, the Caribbean or Mexico: This card is most beneficial for business travelers who stay within the airline's limited travel area.
• If you want to avoid the TSA lines: This card's fee credit for Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck membership can help you avoid long wait times and improve the airport experience.
• If you want to earn elite status with the airline: The option to earn 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent on the card makes earning elite status much easier over time.

Who this card isn't good for

• If you fly for business with several airlines throughout the year: If you want the option to redeem miles with more than one airline, this card isn't for you.
• If you want to benefit from a broad airline alliance: Southwest doesn't belong to a big airline alliance like some carriers, so you cannot earn or redeem points with partners.
• If you frequently travel overseas: Southwest doesn't fly to Europe, Asia, South America or many other destinations around the world.
• If you want to earn a more valuable elite status: Some airlines have business and first-class cabins and more premium perks for their elites, whereas Southwest A-List status benefits are less impressive.
• If you want premium travel perks like airport lounge access: This card doesn't have premium benefits like airport lounge access or annual travel credits. However, all Southwest customers (with or without a credit card) get two free checked bags with the airline.

Rewards

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card earns rewards for Southwest purchases, a few business expenses and a handful of other travel-related purchases. Redeem your rewards for airfare to get the most out of them.

According to Bankrate, Southwest points are worth approximately 1.5 cents each when redeemed for airfare, so a flight that costs $300 with the airline would set you back approximately 20,000 points.

Welcome offer

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card starts new customers off with 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. With a valuation of 1.5 cents per point, this bonus could be worth up to $1,200 in airfare. 

That said, you'll want to make sure you can meet the threshold to earn the bonus on this card with regular business spending and bills. If you have to stretch yourself with unplanned purchases to spend $5,000 on this card within three months of account opening, the rewards you earn won't be worth it.

Fees

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card has several fees, including:

• Annual fee: $199
• Balance transfer fee: 5% (minimum $5)
• Cash advance fee: 5% (minimum $15)
• Late payment fee: $40
• Returned payment fee: $40

For the most part, these fees are fairly standard when you compare it to other business credit cards for travel. One fee the Rapid Rewards card doesn’t charge is a foreign transaction fee. 

Additional card perks

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers quite a few benefits that can help users recoup their $199 annual fee, including:

• Anniversary points: Get 9,000 anniversary points each year after you renew your card, which are worth approximately $135 in airfare.
• Baggage insurance: Automatically get lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance when airfare is paid for with the card.
• DoorDash benefits: Get one year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership as a cardholder.
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit: Get an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS membership every four years.
• Tier-qualifying points: Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent on the card, with no limits.
• Upgraded boardings: Get four upgraded boardings per year with this card, based on availability.
• Wifi credits: Get up to 365 in-flight Wi-Fi credits each year as a cardholder.

Southwest Rapid Rewards A-List

Southwest Rapid Rewards has two main elite status tiers frequent flyers can pursue, plus a Companion Pass tier that lets users take a companion on their flights for free when they fly with the airline. 

That said, the bonus tier-qualifying points earned with the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card only give a head start toward earning Rapid Rewards A-List or A-List Preferred status with the airline. Specifically, cardholders earn 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent on the card.

The chart below outlines the requirements to get to these levels of Southwest elite status each year, plus the perks when you get there.

Alternative credit cards

If you like the idea of earning points with Southwest but you want to consider other options, the two business cards highlighted below could also work for your needs:

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

This business card from Chase comes with a much lower $99 annual fee, yet it still offers lucrative rewards for Southwest purchases and other spending. New cardholders can also earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 points when they spend $3,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. Major perks include 6,000 anniversary bonus points each year, two Early Bird check-ins each year, 25% back on in-flight purchases and 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent on the card.

Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

This business credit card earns flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points that transfer to Southwest and other partners at a 1:1 ratio. A $95 annual fee applies, but cardholders get major benefits like a 25% point redemption bonus when redeeming for travel through Chase Travel℠, primary auto rental coverage when renting a car for business travel and trip cancellation and interruption insurance. New cardholders can also earn 90,000 points worth $1,125 in travel through Chase Travel after spending $8,000 on purchases within three months of account opening.

You can learn more in our Chase Ink Business Preferred Review.

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