The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card has been around for a while now but it is sometimes ignored in favor of the Premier version of the credit card. Here are four reasons you shouldn’t ignore the card, especially right now.
1. It’s the beginning of 2017.
You know what that means? It’s time to get the Southwest Companion Pass and have it be valid for nearly two years. You have to earn 110,000 points within a calendar year to earn the Companion Pass.
While that sounds like a lot, the good news is that sign up bonuses for the Southwest Credit Cards count toward the 110,000 points you need! The 50,000 point signup bonus from the Southwest Plus Card will get you nearly half way there.
2. Chase’s 5/24 Rule.
Chase implemented the 5/24 rule in early 2016, and the rule basically means that if you have been approved for more than 5 credit cards within the past 24 months you won’t be approved for most Chase credit cards. The Southwest Plus Card does fall under this rule, so if you haven’t gotten more than 5 cards in the last 24 months, now might be the time.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
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$69 annual fee
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Earn 50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Read Review » |
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card |
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3. The Sign Up Bonus.
The 50,000 point sign up bonus from the Southwest Plus Card can be earned after completing a minimum spending requirement of $2,000 within three months of account opening. This is a pretty standard sign up bonus for this card, but it’s a good one! You should be able to get at least $550 in value toward flights out of this sign up bonus, even without the Companion Pass. If you have the Companion Pass your points are worth double!
4. Earn An Anniversary Bonus.
Every year upon your cardmember anniversary, you’ll earn 3,000 bonus Southwest points. These points essentially help set off the annual fee. The Southwest Plus Card has a $69 annual fee, and 3,000 Southwest points are worth around half (or a bit more) of the annual fee, depending on the exact redemptions you end up making.
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of my favorite travel perks I’ve ever had and if I can earn it again after being under 5/24 I’m definitely going to go for it! The Southwest Plus Card will help!
What do you think about the Southwest Plus Card?