Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card Review 

Plus, if you’re both a Southwest fan and a business owner, you may be interested in the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, which offers a high rewards rate for Southwest purchases, along with benefits like upgraded boarding and TSA PreCheck®. 

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Overview of the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is a solid rewards card for business owners who want travel perks. The benefits of the card are most valuable when you fly often on Southwest Airlines and book hotels and car rentals through Rapid Rewards travel partners. 

There is an annual fee with the Southwest Business credit card, but it is easily paid back in the form of welcome points, reimbursement for TSA PreCheck®, and other perks. Just keep in mind that you need to fly quite a bit on Southwest to maximize the benefits. 

LEARN MORE: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Redeeming Rewards 

You can redeem Rapid Rewards points for Southwest flights to get the greatest value from them. Southwest offers flights to over 100 destinations in the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean.  

Taxes and fees of $5.60 per one-way trip aren’t redeemable with points, however. You also can’t purchase military or government fares with points. 

Other redemption options include hotels, car rentals, merchandise, gift cards, curated travel experiences, and exclusive events. There’s also the option of statement credits, although those aren’t nearly as exciting as redeeming points for travel. 

READ MORE: How to Maximize Credit Card Rewards

Earning the Southwest Companion Pass

One of the biggest draws of Southwest Rapid Rewards cards is that purchases can qualify you for the coveted Companion Pass. That’s a major perk for frequent Southwest flyers: secure a Companion Pass, and you can designate one person to fly with you basically for free (other than fees and taxes starting at $5.60 one-way).

Timing is key to maximizing the value of a Companion Pass. It’s valid for the remainder of the calendar year during which you earned it, plus the entire full calendar year after that. In other words, if you’ve accumulated 135,000 points by January, you’ll enjoy nearly two full years of free Companion flights. 

You also receive 10,000 points toward the Companion Pass on each card anniversary. 

READ MORE: The Southwest Companion Pass: Ultimate Guide

Benefits of the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Rewards points aside, the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers plenty of other benefits.

• 4 upgraded boardings annually (when available: purchase positions A1-15 with the app up to 24 hours before departure)
• Unlimited Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) and 1,500 TQPs per $5,000 spent
• $500 fee credit annually for points transfers
• Reimbursement for TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry, or NEXUS application fee up to $100 every four years
• Up to 365 inflight wifi credits annually (worth $8 each)
• No foreign transaction fees
• Free employee cards
• Up to two free checked bags per flight
• No change fees for flights (although fares may differ)
• Unlimited reward seats and no blackout dates
• Auto rental collision damage waiver (up to actual cash value of vehicle)
• Purchase protection for 120 days, up to $10,000 per claim ($50,000 max per account)
• Lost luggage protection up to $3,000 per passenger
• Travel and emergency services assistance
• Roadside dispatch (fees for services apply)
• Extended warranty — add a year to eligible warranties of three years or less
• Baggage delay insurance of up to $100 per day for three days
• Travel accident insurance for death and dismemberment of up to $500,000

LEARN MORE: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

What We Like About the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Perhaps the greatest feature of the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is that your regular business purchases go towards earning the Southwest Companion Pass, which can save you serious cash if you regularly travel with a companion on your work trips.

We also like how much it can help you make the most of your Southwest flights, with free checked bags, upgraded boarding, credits, and no change fees. If you fly Southwest a lot, those perks can make your trips much more enjoyable and affordable.

Plus, we like that the card comes with some important protections, like baggage delay insurance, an auto rental collision waiver, and a one-year extended warranty on purchases. 

READ MORE: Baggage Delay Insurance: How It Works

What We Dislike About the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

The main downside of the Southwest business credit card is that it’s not as flexible as some other cards for transferring points to other loyalty programs. While this is fairly normal for an airline-branded card, it also means you need to be extremely loyal to that one airline to get the most out of your rewards.

If you prefer to shop around for flights, a general travel credit card may be a better option, so that you can pick routes and fare prices that best suit your travel plans.

It’s also disappointing that there is no trip delay, interruption, or cancellation insurance with the Southwest business card, which some other airline credit cards do offer.

Who Should Get the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card?

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card offers plenty of benefits, but is best for business owners who fly exclusively or primarily on Southwest.

Someone located near airports that fly Southwest is best. In addition, the ideal customer is someone who wants to earn a Southwest Companion Pass to get double the passengers traveling without paying double the fares. 

Who Shouldn’t Get the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card?

Anyone who doesn’t intend to make the most of the benefits of flying Southwest should not get the Southwest business credit card. It doesn’t make sense if you’re planning to fly on multiple different airlines each year; in that case, a more general travel rewards card may be best. 

Be aware of where Southwest flies to and from, as well. If you’re not near a Southwest hub or you need to do a lot of international travel, a Southwest rewards card doesn’t have as much to offer. 

Alternatives to the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

United℠ Business Card

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The United℠ Business Card offers many of the same benefits as the Southwest business credit card, but for a lower annual fee.

Benefits include a 5,000-mile anniversary bonus (if you also have a Chase United® personal card), a $100 United travel credit after purchasing seven United flights, 25% off in-flight purchases, priority boarding, a free checked bag, and two United Club one-time passes each year. 

Like with the Southwest business credit card, United Business Card members also receive points for referrals: 20,000 each up to 100,000 per year. 

However, travel protection is more robust with the United Business Card: insurance for trip cancellation, interruptions, and delays is included, while Southwest’s business credit card doesn’t include this. 

LEARN MORE: United℠ Business Card

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Another fantastic business card for those who are loyal to Southwest Airlines is the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. With a lower annual fee, significant rewards on travel and business spending categories, and the option to transfer points to travel partners including Southwest Rapid Rewards, you’ll get most of the same benefits but with greater flexibility. 

Points never expire, and they’re worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel^SM. 

Where the Ink Business Preferred stands out is that your points transfer equally to Southwest Rapid Rewards, as well as to 10 other airline partners. You can also transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to hotel partners IHG® One Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy®, and World of Hyatt. So your rewards are much more flexible with the Ink Business Preferred.

Chase’s travel insurance coverage is also more comprehensive, covering things like cellphone damage and trip cancellation. 

One reason you might still prefer using the Southwest business credit card is if you’re going after the Companion Pass. If your business earns that, you’ll get nearly two years of free companion flights, which can increase your card benefits exponentially. 

LEARN MORE: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business

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Another option for luxury travel rewards for business spending is the Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business. Like the Ink Business Preferred, it offers greater rewards flexibility and you get up to $120 back for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry. 

Over 15 travel loyalty programs have a 1:1 transfer policy with Capital One, so your miles go just as far. However, Southwest isn’t one of the travel partners, so you’re out of luck if you’re set on Southwest flights. Partners include Choice Hotels and several international airlines such as Air Canada and British Airways. 

LEARN MORE: Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business

FAQs

How many business cards does Southwest have?

There are currently only two Southwest business credit cards, the Rapid Rewards® Performance and the Rapid Rewards® Premier. Both cards are offered by Chase, which also has co-branded business credit cards for United, World of Hyatt, and IHG One Rewards.

Is a Southwest Rapid Rewards card worth it?

If you fly with Southwest Airlines frequently, a Rapid Rewards credit card can absolutely be worth it. You can use the card to earn rewards on Southwest purchases, plus get perks like upgraded boarding, flight credits, and free checked bags.

But the biggest benefit of a Rapid Rewards card is that you can use your regular spending to earn the Companion Pass, which enables you to invite a travel companion for free for up to two years. If you frequently fly Southwest with friends or family, that’s a huge savings.

All that said, if you aren’t loyal to Southwest, then the card may not be worth it for you.

The Bottom Line

If you frequently fly Southwest for business, the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is worth considering. In addition to perks like free checked bags and flight credits, you can also earn the Southwest Companion Pass, which can come in very handy if there’s someone who regularly travels with you.

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Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.