Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card Review and 2 Free Flights!

southwest rewards card reviewI love free money.  No work and the bank account goes up.  As you know, I’m a huge proponent of opening and closing credit cards to maximize bonuses throughout the year.

Today, I’d like to recommend to you a card I personally use.  It’s the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Card.  If you’re near a Southwest hub, you should really look into this card.  I was fortunate enough to have opened this card when they were offering the 50,000 bonus points but now the offer is at 25,000.  Still mighty good if you ask me!

Southwest is a company I just happen to love!  When I Southwest, I’m almost guaranteed an aisle row seat since you can pick your own seats.  Also, they serve almost every major city in the United States so you should be covered for the most part when it comes to travel.

So, now that you know a little bit about the card, let’s dive into some additional benefits that truly make this card great.

Get 25,000 after your first purchase!

Man, talk about a sweet bonus!  After you open your card, all you have to do is make a purchase at any amount and you will receive 25,000 bonus points.  This is equal to $400 in Wanna Get away Fares, which is their rewards brand.  Basically, that’s enough for two free flights!

While 25,000 points at other airlines will only get you a single flight, Southwest places a greater value on their points.  This is really a no-brainer if you’re looking to fly soon and need to save some money.

Using your bonus points

What makes this card even better is the flexibility of the bonus points.  You don’t have to use your bonus points for airline tickets.  You can also redeem them for gift cards to places like Amazon and Home Depot.  You can even use the points for car rentals and vacation packages.  The sky’s the limit with this card.  I ended up using the bonus points for both flights and Amazon gift cards.  Heck, Mother’s Day is coming up, use the points to get her something nice!

Here are some positives to the card

-Higher value for points means a greater number of free flights!  If you take short trips like myself, you will more than likely be able to squeeze two flights out of your bonus while people who travel from coast to coast will not be able to.

-Unlike other airlines, there is no first class on a Southwest flight.  However, if you do make the A-List you will gain priority access to boarding.

-Fantastic customer service definitely needs to be mentioned for this card.  Every time I’ve had a question about my card, I’ve had nothing but great experiences with a Southwest staff person.  They know how to put the customer first!

Not every credit card is perfect

-The reward formula is complicated for earning points and it would take me forever to explain it in this credit card review.  All you need to know is that it’s a waste of your time to look into how earning points are calculated.

-If you like to carry a balance on a credit card, this card is not for you!  With an APR of 15.24%, you’d be nuts to keep debt on this card.  Stay away if you have problem spending within your means.

-Rewards rate is abysmal.  This varies across credit card companies, and this card simply flat lines.  The Southwest Rewards Card only offers 1.66 cents per dollar spent.  Talk about stingy!  If you’re looking for a card for the long run, look else where and maybe consider the Discover it card.

You ready for two free flights?

Hopefully you’ll find this card useful and get you a couple free flights.  I love showing people these cards because it can make a huge impact on your finances!  If you’re flying soon, go ahead and sign up for this card, you will be happy you did.

As I currently use this card, please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email if you have additional questions!

southwest rewards card