Is the Southwest Premier Business worth the annual fee?
Editor's Note
Quick summary
There are many reasons to love Southwest Airlines: free checked bags, no change fees and easy cancellation for maximum flexibility. If you're a small-business owner who flies regularly and loves these unique Southwest perks, you've probably wondered whether a Southwest business card is right for you.
If you've been considering it, now might be a good time to get the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card. Beyond the welcome bonus, does the Southwest Premier Business have enough benefits to make it worth paying the $99 annual fee each year?
Here's what you need to know before adding it to your wallet.
Welcome bonus
Currently, the Southwest Premier Business card is offering 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
TPG values these 60,000 bonus points at $840 as of September 2024.
Related: The best time to apply for these Chase cards based on offer history
Earning
The Southwest Premier Business card earns 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental purchases, local transit and commuting (including ride-hailing services), and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Beyond Southwest purchases, this is far from the most valuable earner available. If you spend a large portion of your business budget on specific business expenses beyond travel, you'll likely benefit more from the earning structure on one of our other favorite business cards.
Related: 10 considerations for your small-business credit card strategy
Other benefits
With the Southwest Premier Business card, you'll get these Southwest-specific perks:
- 6,000 points every year on cardmember anniversary
- Two Early Bird check-ins per year
- Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent
- $500 fee credit for points transfers
- 25% back on inflight purchases
TPG values the 6,000-anniversary points at $84, and the two Early Bird check-ins are worth at least $30 (and up to $198). These two benefits alone can make the $99 annual fee worth paying, even before you take advantage of any status-earning opportunities or inflight purchase discounts. Plus, if you regularly transfer your points to other accounts, the $500 transfer fee credit will be especially valuable.
Additionally, you can get employee cards at no additional cost.
This card also doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, which is helpful if you find yourself abroad. Even so, given Southwest's limited international routes, you'll likely want to build loyalty with a different airline if you travel internationally often.
Related: Maximizing the Rapid Rewards program
Alternatives
Of course, no one card is right for everyone. If you want more Southwest perks or flexible rewards, a different card may better suit your business.
If you frequently fly Southwest and want a card that offers additional perks, the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card might be a better choice. It comes with a higher $199 annual fee but has a stronger earning structure as well as perks like inflight Wi-Fi credits and a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit every four years.
For more details, check out our full review of the Southwest Business Performance card.
If you want to earn bonus points on business expenses as well as travel, you may prefer the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
It carries a similar $95 annual fee and earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent yearly on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising with social media and search engines. It earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer to Southwest or any of Chase's other travel partners.
For more details, check out our full review of the Ink Business Preferred.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Ink Business Preferred
Bottom line
If you're a small-business owner who flies Southwest regularly, the Southwest Premier Business card's 6,000-anniversary points and two Early Bird check-ins provide enough value to offset the $99 annual fee. This could be enough to justify adding it to your wallet, especially with the solid welcome bonus valuable. However, if you spend a lot on business categories other than Southwest-specific travel, you'll likely get more value from a different business credit card.
For more details, please see our full review of the Southwest Premier Business credit card.
Apply here: Southwest Premier Business