The best credit card for Southwest
At Southwest, American Express Platinum Card earns the most: $10.00 per $100.
Southwest rings up as flights.
The short version
- Use: American Express Platinum Card, if you carry it.
- Why Southwest has its own page: at least one card pays a bonus that names this store, which a ranking of the whole category cannot show.
| # | Card | EarnsThe rate the card advertises here, in its own currency: cash back, points or miles. | per $100What $100 of spending earns, in dollars: the rate multiplied by what the currency is worth. This is what the table is ranked by. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
American Express, $895/yr
Booked with the airline or Amex Travel. Up to $500,000 per year, then the base rate |
5x | $10.00 |
| 2 |
Chase, $795/yr
Booked directly with the airline or hotel |
4x | $8.00 |
| 3 |
Chase, $795/yr
Booked directly with the airline or hotel |
4x | $8.00 |
| 4 |
Wells Fargo, $95/yr
|
4x | $6.00 |
| 5 |
Chase, $95/yr
Travel and internet, cable and phone — the first $150,000 each account year, shared with shipping and advertising. Up to $150,000 per year, then the base rate |
3x | $6.00 |
| 6 |
American Express, $150/yr
Travel, including airfare, hotels, campgrounds, car rentals and cruises |
3x | $6.00 |
| 7 |
American Express, $325/yr
Booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel |
3x | $6.00 |
| 8 |
Chase, $229/yr
Southwest purchases only |
4x | $5.20 |
No rotating categories switched on, and no travel-portal rates — the method.
Cards with a rate that names Southwest
- Chase Rapid Rewards Priority — 4x at Southwest. Southwest purchases only
- Chase Rapid Rewards Plus — 2x at Southwest. Southwest purchases only
- Chase Rapid Rewards Premier — 3x at Southwest. Southwest purchases only
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business — 3x at Southwest. Southwest purchases only
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business — 4x at Southwest. Southwest purchases only
Before you pay
A shopping portal and a card-linked offer can both pay on top of whichever card you use here — and the portal has to be started before you shop. How the three stack, and in what order.