Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business

Getting to Know the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card from Chase is an airline rewards card designed for companies that travel often and prefer to fly with Southwest. The card earns Rapid Rewards points in key areas of spending: 3x  points for every dollar spent on flights and other purchases with Southwest Airlines, 2x points on every dollar sent on both social media and search engine advertising, as well as cab;e, internet, and phone services, and 1x points on every other purchase. New accounts also benefit from an intro bonus offer of 80,000 points when they make $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of opening an account. The card features an annual fee of $199, which is assessed on the first billing statement.

How It Works

Cardholders can expect the following from the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card from Chase:

How to Earn Rewards:

• Fly with Southwest: Cardholders earn triple Rapid Rewards points on all Southwest Airlines purchases.
• Business Spending: Earn 2x points on social media and search engine marketing, Internet and cable services, and even phone services.
• Everyday Purchases: Cardholders earn one point for every other dollar spent on purchases with their Performance Business Card.
• Anniversary Bonus: Cardholders automatically receive 9,000 bonus points each year on their cardmember anniversary.
• Tier Qualifying Points: Earn tier qualifying points (TQPs). These are applicable towards qualification for Rapid Rewards A-List or A-List Preferred status. They’ll earn 1,500 TQPs for each $10,000 in purchases annually, up to $100,000 total each year.
• Rewards Don’t Expire: One of the many great things about the card is that once you’ve earned rewards, they never expire, as long as the account is open.
• Unlimited Points: The ere is no limit to the total amount of Rapid Rewards points businesses can earn with their card.

How to Redeem Rewards:

When you begin to cash in on the rewards you’ve earned with your Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card, you’ll notice that you can turn your Rapid Rewards® points into just about anything; flexible rewards redemption is a big draw with this program.

• Travel: Points earned with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card can be redeemed to book or upgrade travel on Southwest. Rewards can be used to save on flights, towards seat upgrades, and more (including Companion Passes!). Log into your Rapid Rewards account on the Southwest.com® homepage, select a flight, and pay with points; the sky’s the limit!
• Hotels: With the Southwest Rapid Rewards® program, cardholders are eligible to book hotel stays with points earned from their Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card at over 70,000 hotels across the globe. Select Southwest hotel partners include Radisson, Choice Hotels, Best Western, World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, MGM, and more.
• Car Rentals: Rapid Rewards points are applicable towards vehicle rentals with Southwest rental partners, inducing Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Thrifty, and more. can be used towards hiring a car rental from several different rental companies.
• Other Ways to Redeem: Southwest points are also redeemable for gift cards or purchases made through the Southwest Rapid Rewards shopping portal.

Today’s Bonus Offer

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card comes with a hefty introductory bonus offer. Cardholders spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months earn 80,000 points. This bonus has a cash equivalent of about $1,200, meaning it is more than enough for at least two round trips with Southwest! 80,000 points is also a significant portion of the 110,000 points required to reach the exclusive Companion Pass bonus from Southwest. The Companion Pass is one of the most coveted perks in the airline rewards game, entitling holders to have a companion fly with them for only the cost of fee and taxes (as low as $5.60 one-way).

The Plane Facts

Can you expect a smooth flight from the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card from Chase, or will there be turbulence?

• Annual Fee: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card features an annual fee of $199. This is relatively high when compared to other similar airline rewards credit cards. The cost might be a deal-breaker for small business owners not looking to spend a ton of money each year for a travel rewards program, a comparable card with equal rewards and a lower annual fee may be difficult to find elsewhere.

Airline and Airport Perks:

• Bags Fly Free: First and second checked bags are free when flying with Southwest – a great perk for budget-conscious businesses.
• Global Entry or TSA Pre ✓^® Fee Credit: Cardholders will receive a statement credit of up to $100 every four year to cover the cost of application to the Global Entry or TSA Pre✓^®
• Upgraded Bookings:  Cardolders are reimbursed for the purchase of up to four upgraded bookings each year. These can be purchased at the departure gate or ticket counter on the day of travel only.
• In-flight WiFi Credits: When purchasing in-flight WiFi on Southwest flights using the card, account holders receive a statement credit.

Cardholder Protections:

• Zero Fraud Liability: Visa cardholders are automatically protected from unauthorized use of their card and their account information with Visa’s Zero Liability policy. You’ll pay $0 for any transactions that are reported as unauthorized; cardholders must notify the issuing financial institution immediately of any unauthorized activity.
• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Renting a car makes traveling much easier. And, when you use your British Airways Visa Signature® Card to pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the rental car counter’s collision damage waiver, you’have protection against damage or theft. Exclusions and restrictions apply.
• Roadside Dispatch®: Visa cardholders will benefit from Roadside Dispatch®, which is a pay-per-use roadside program.
• Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: Whether you’re traveling for work or for pleasure, Visa is there for you, anywhere in the world, with a multilingual call center. Call toll-free in the United States, or collect whilst abroad, for assistance. Visa can provide pre-trip assistance (information about health precautions, currency exchange rates, visas, immunizations and other pertinent info for first-time travelers), as well as emergency transportation assistance, prescription assistance, Valuable Document Delivery arrangements (for critical documents like a passport or travel visa that might have been misplaced or left at home), a location service for lost luggage, and emergency translation services in all major languages.

Additional Benefits:

• No Foreign Transaction Fees: The Southwest Performance Business Card does not charge an annual fee, which makes it a great tool for foreign business trips – especially since Southwest Airlines flies to over a dozen locations throughout the Caribbean, as well as Central and South America.
• Year-End Summary: Access to Year-End Summary outlines all charges over the fiscal year. This makes it easy to see where most spending takes place. It also allows companies to plan their next year accordingly.
• Extended Warranties: Cardholders are eligible for two extra years of protection to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Some restrictions apply. These include 
• Complimentary Employee Cards: Employers can add employee cards at no additional cost. Employee spending points go right to the account holder’s account.

The Perks That Make the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card Worthwhile:

What are some of the pros that set this card ahead of the rest?

• A Great Intro Bonus Offer: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. That’s great for those planning to use the card for a large purchase right away.
• No Blackout Dates: Southwest doesn’t have any blackout dates for those looking to redeem their Rapid Rewards points.
• A-List: Cardholders have the opportunity to qualify for Southwest’s A-List elite status. This program opens the door to some great benefits at the airport and on the plane.
• Cardholder Anniversary Bonus: Each year, you’ll get a hefty 9,00 point bonus just for being a cardholder. This is a higher annual bonus than any of the other offerings from Southwest. It certainly will sweeten the deal for business owners considering a Southwest card.
• In-flight WiFi: Anyone who’s traveled for business can attest that a Wi-Fi can be essential during a long-haul flight. Whether you’re answering emails or updating social media accounts, Wi-Fi is a lifesaver. You’ll essentially get free in-flight WiFi, so be sure to take advantage of this tempting perk!
• Upgraded Bookings: An offer of one free upgraded booking per year is nothing to scoff at. So, when a credit card issuer offers four of them, it’s worth a second look.

Potential Turbulence with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card:

What are some cons that take the wind from under this card’s wings?

• You’ll Get What You Pay For: The $199 annual fee might seem exorbitant. However, there are airline cards out there that ask even higher fees each year. Remember, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card is the highest-tiered offering from Southwest. It comes with benefits that simply are not available with their lower-tiered business card. That said, there are cards that offer even more benefits, that may be a better option for your business. Of course, they may have a higher annual fee or charge foreign transaction fees. At the end of the day, you’ll need to decide what benefits are most attractive to you. Then, compare them to the price you’re willing to pay to receive them.

Thoughts Before Takeoff

Although the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card from Chase has an annual fee of $199, once you reach altitude you’ll be cruising with all of the perks and benefits that accompany this card’s top rewards-earning potential. Business owners who are willing to invest their money towards top-tiered travel rewards each year certainly won’t want to miss their flight. 80,000 bonus points is more than three-quarters of the way to a Companion Pass, which is an exceptional value that is very difficult to pass up.