Points, Miles & Credit Cards

Review: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

January 26, 2024

5 min read

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Who is the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card for?

With a low annual fee, the Southwest Premier Business card is a great option for business owners who travel Southwest but don’t need or want all the perks of the Southwest Performance Business Card.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card Quick Facts

Annual fee: annual_fees

Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee

Earning rate:

Earn 3X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases.
Earn 2X points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
Earn 2X points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
Earn 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full

Pros and cons

Pros:

Low annual fee
Earn points toward Companion Pass
No foreign transaction fee

Cons:

No credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
Lacks the in-flight WiFi credit offered by the Southwest Performance Business Card

Our take

As the lower-cost option of the two Southwest business cards, it lacks the same punch as its more expensive sibling. Still, it's a great option if you want to work towards the Companion Pass and want to skip some of the perks.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card Review

Despite its name, the card_name is actually the lower tier of two Southwest business credit cards. Although it lacks some of the perks like a credit for in-flight WiFi purchases or for Global Entry, it does provide you with the ability to earn bonus rewards on Southwest purchases, and other common business spending categories.

The current welcome offer for opening a new card is: bonus_miles_full

Earning points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

Earning points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card is easy. You’ll earns 3X points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases, 2X points per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Rapid Rewards, 2X points per $1 on local transit, and 1X point per $1 on all other eligible purchases.

While these are good rewards rates, it is worth noting that other Southwest cards earn at higher rates.

Redeeming points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

As easy as it may be to earn Rapid Rewards® points with this card, it’s even easier to redeem them. Although you have several options, the best redemption option is for Southwest flights. When you’re looking to book a flight on Southwest, select the Points radio button instead of the Dollars button, and you’ll see the fares for your itinerary in points.

Points prices track the cash price of the ticket, which means that fares may rise or fall depending on timing. You can use the Southwest Low Fare Calendar to ensure you find a great deal.

Southwest doesn’t charge change fees, so if your flight price in points (or cash), you can always change your ticket.

Alternatives to the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

When it comes to comparisons, two Southwest cards deserve a mention:

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Of the five Southwest cards available, the clearest competitor is the card_name. This comes with a higher annual fee, but also offers a lot more perks. Southwest and Chase limit you to one personal and one business credit card from the Southwest suite of cards, so you can only have one or the other.

Read our review of the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

The card_name is essentially the personal card version of this card. This card is also light on the perks, so if you’re looking for more frills, you might want to consider the top-of-the-line personal option, instead.

Read our review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card