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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
Southwest Performance Business card review: Solid benefits for Southwest's most frequent flyers
Madison Blancaflor is the managing editor for TPG's content operations team. She focuses on helping TPG's broader editorial team bring news, features and advice to readers. She has nearly six years of experience covering the credit cards and travel industries.
Compliance manager Stanley Sanford has years of compliance experience in the credit card industry dating back to 2017. He's reviewed content for several reputable sites, including CreditCards.com, Bankrate, CNET. and even thepointsguy.com before leading the compliance team for The Points Guy full time in early 2022.
Chris Nelson is a credit cards writer for TPG. He specializes in budget travel, hotels, earning elite status through minimal spending and redeeming points for maximum value.
also contributed to this story
September 19, 2025 • 10 min read
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Quick summary
This premium business travel card offers enhanced benefits for frequent flyers with a major U.S. airline, including annual bonus points and travel credits.
Recent updates introduced new perks, such as preferred seat selection and priority boarding, but also increased the annual fee by about 50%.
Some valuable earning categories and benefits will expire at the end of the year, reducing long-term value for certain business expenses.
The card is best suited for business owners loyal to this airline, especially those seeking perks like free checked bags, inflight discounts and faster elite status qualification.
What to consider
Several bonus categories and benefits, including inflight Wi-Fi credits and upgraded boardings, end Dec. 31.
Eligibility is subject to specific rules, including limits on how often you can earn a welcome bonus and a restriction if you have recently opened multiple new accounts.
Southwest points are valued at 1.4 cents each as of October 2025 per TPG's valuations.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of competing business travel cards and guidance on maximizing airline-specific benefits for frequent travelers.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card overview
The (see rates and fees) is Southwest Airlines’ top-tier business credit card. It has solid earning rates across various categories. Southwest's most frequent business flyers will enjoy this card's useful perks when flying. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Southwest Performance Business card is a step up from the (see rates and fees) as the most premium business card offering. It offers an impressive welcome bonus, a better rewards structure and a nice array of day-of-travel perks.
All the credit cards in the Southwest portfolio were recently refreshed, and the Performance Business is no exception. With this refresh came a new set of travel benefits and a modified earnings structure.
Nowadays, unfortunately, most credit card refreshes come with an annual fee increase. The Southwest Performance Business increased its annual fee by approximately 50% from $199 to $299.
The recommended credit score for this product is 670 or above.
Note that Southwest is in the middle of sweeping changes that include rolling out a new boarding process, adding bag fees and implementing assigned seating. Holding a Southwest credit card is now more beneficial than ever.
Let’s dive into the pros and cons of this updated business card.
Southwest Performance Business card pros and cons
Pros
Cons
Bonus points on each cardholder's anniversary
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit
Inflight Wi-Fi credits (ends Dec. 31)
Upgraded Boardings (ends Dec. 31)
$299 annual fee means only those loyal to Southwest will truly benefit
No business earning categories after Dec. 31
Southwest Performance Business card welcome offer
Right now, the card offers 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
TPG’s October 2025 valuations assign Southwest points a value of 1.4 cents each, meaning this bonus is worth $1,120.
THE POINTS GUY
Remember to check your eligibility before applying for this card. It is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule, and there are restrictions on how often you can earn a Southwest welcome bonus, including having not received a welcome bonus on this card in the past 24 months.
The card comes with a $299 annual fee, but the perks accompanying the card make up for the cost if you take full advantage of them, even after the first year of card membership.
9,000 anniversary bonus points: Each year after your account anniversary, you’ll automatically receive 9,000 bonus points. That means you’re essentially getting $126 worth of points each year after the first year just for being an active cardholder, based on TPG’s October 2025 valuations. This helps offset more than 40% of the annual fee.
Free first checked bag: Southwest started charging for bags May 28. Luckily, Performance Business cardholders receive a free first checked bag for the primary cardholder and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation. (A standard first checked bag costs $35, which would save a family of four $280 on a round-trip itinerary.)
Four Upgraded Boardings (ends Dec. 31): For flights operating in 2025, you'll have the ability to upgrade your boarding position up to four times.
Inflight Wi-Fi credits (ends Dec. 31): Southwest will reimburse you for up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi purchases (each costing $8) as a statement credit. In other words, you could purchase an all-day inflight Wi-Fi pass every day of the year, and your card will cover it.
Preferred seat selection at booking: When available, you and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation can select preferred seating at the time of booking (for flights operating in 2026 and beyond).
Priority boarding: Cardholders and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation will receive Group 5 priority boarding (for flights operating in 2026 and beyond). If you have A-List status, you can board with an earlier group.
Unlimited extra-legroom upgrades: You and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation can select extra-legroom seats within 48 hours of departure, when available (for flights operating in 2026 and beyond). A perk like this is usually only afforded to airline elite members.
Free employee cards: You pay no fee for additional employee cards and will earn points on employee spending. You can set spending limits on employee cards by calling cardmember services.
Inflight discount: Cardholders receive 25% back on inflight food, beverage or Wi-Fi purchases.
No foreign transaction fees
Status Boost: You’ll earn 2,500 tier qualifying points per $5,000 you spend on purchases in a calendar year to help you reach A-List elite status faster. There’s no limit on the number of TQPs you can earn.
$500 fee credit for points transfers per year (ends Dec. 31): Transfer points to another Southwest Rapid Rewards member, and up to $500 in fees associated with the transfer will be reimbursed each account anniversary year.
10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually: Cardholders receive 10,000 points toward a Companion Pass each year. With this boost and the points earned from the welcome offer, you will only need to earn 45,000 more Companion Pass qualifying points to earn the coveted Companion Pass.
Earning points on the Southwest Performance Business card
As the more premium business card, the card has a higher earning rate than other Southwest card options. You’ll earn:
4 points per dollar spent on Southwest Airlines purchases (a 5.6% return based on TPG's October 2025 valuations)
4 points per dollar spent on Southwest Cruises (a 5.6% return; ends Dec. 31)
3 points per dollar spent on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases (approximately a 4.2% return; ends Dec. 31)
2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants (a 2.8% return)
2 points per dollar spent on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel (a 2.8% return)
2 points per dollar spent on local transit and commuting, including ride-hailing services (a 2.8% return)
2 points per dollar spent on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable and phone services (a 2.8% return; ends Dec. 31)
1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases (approximately a 1.4% return)
DAVID SLOTNICK/THE POINTS GUY
It's nice that two new categories geared more toward everyday spending were added; however, seeing two key business-oriented categories removed at the end of the year is a big downside for the top-tier business card in the Southwest portfolio.
You’ll be better off using the (see rates and fees) for general travel beyond Southwest Airlines purchases, as it earns 3 points per dollar spent on up to $150,000 each account anniversary year for combined travel and select business purchases.
Redeeming points on the Southwest Performance Business card
The card earns Rapid Rewards points, so you’ll get the most value when you redeem your points for award travel on Southwest.
Redeeming points for Southwest award flights is simple. Log in to your account, enter your search parameters on Southwest’s website, choose your desired available flight and follow the on-screen steps to check out.
You may have to pay additional taxes and fees on international routes, but Southwest is transparent about those throughout the search process.
SOUTHWORKS/GETTY IMAGES
Southwest has a travel portal for international flights on other carriers, but you’re typically not going to get as great a return when you redeem points that way.
Additionally, you can redeem points on hotels, car rentals or merchandise. However, we recommend skipping these options and using your points for Southwest award flights to get the most value from them.
TPG senior writer Tarah Chieffi used Southwest points to pay for a portion of the cost of her trip to Orlando by redeeming 37,000 points to supplement her out-of-pocket cost of two round-trip tickets. While it isn’t always the best value, paying with a combination of cash and points can be a great way to effectively use a smaller number of Southwest points.
Which cards compete with the Southwest Performance Business card?
Even if you’re a Southwest-loyal business owner, the card may not be your best option.
If you want Southwest perks for a lower annual fee: The card offers Southwest perks like a free checked bag, an anniversary points bonus and a 15% promotional flight discount code each anniversary year (excluding Basic fares) for a lower $149 annual fee than the Performance Business. To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Premier Business card.
If you want more flexible rewards: The earns Chase Ultimate Rewards that you can transfer to Southwest or any of Chase’s 13 other airline and hotel transfer partners for a lower annual fee. To learn more, check out our full review of the Ink Business Preferred.
If you want a personal Southwest card: The (see rates and fees) offers some solid perks for a lower annual fee. For a $99 annual fee, you’ll get 3,000 bonus points every cardholder anniversary, a free checked bag, a 10% promotional flight discount code each anniversary year and 25% back on inflight purchases. To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Plus card.
If you’re a business owner who flies Southwest frequently, the Southwest Performance Business card is a great option. You’ll get great value from its Southwest-specific perks and its welcome bonus.
However, you’ll want to choose a different product if you only occasionally fly Southwest or spend most of your business budget outside the card’s bonus categories.
