✈️ Southwest Cards Refresh: New Perks, Higher Fees, and Shortcut to Companion Pass

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All information about Southwest Cards has been collected independently by Chris Hutchins. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Southwest just rolled out a major refresh of their entire Chase credit card lineup. The changes bring new travel perks, new everyday bonus categories, and unfortunately, higher annual fees. Here's everything you need to know and how to use these cards to score the Southwest Companion Pass for nearly two full years.

💸 Higher Annual Fees

With the refresh, all Southwest cards are seeing annual fee increases, including the business versions. The fee changes take effect on 7/24, but existing cardholders won’t see the new fees until their 2026 anniversary date.

🤩 Benefits and Perks

The refresh introduces several new benefits designed to enhance the travel experience and offer more ways to earn points on everyday spending.

• First Checked Bag Free: Card members and up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation can check their first bag at no extra cost. For a group of 4, this could save up to $280 roundtrip.
• Group 5 Boarding: Card members and up to 8 passengers in the same reservation will board with Group 5, providing earlier access to overhead bins.
• 10,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost: All consumer and business cards continue to offer a 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year.
• 25% Back on Inflight Purchases: This benefit remains for all cards.

Card-Specific New Perks

Several existing benefits will be phased out or altered, particularly those tied to Southwest's previous open seating model.

Benefits ending after 12/31/25

• EarlyBird Check-In: The 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins per year on the Plus, Premier, and Premier Business cards, and for 2025 flights on Priority and Performance Business cards, will no longer be offered.
• Upgraded Boardings: The 4 upgraded boardings per year on the Priority and Performance Business cards will cease.
• $75 Southwest® Annual Travel Credit: This popular perk on the Priority Card is being removed.
• Bonus Categories: Several existing bonus categories will no longer earn bonus points after 12/31/25:
  • Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner.
  • Internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming.
  • Local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
  • Social media and search engine advertising.

✍️ My Thoughts

Overall I think the card changes are a bit of a downgrade for frequent Southwest travelers who have A-List or A-List Preferred, because most of the new perks and benefits are already included in their status. However, if you only fly Southwest a few times a year and check bags, I think the savings on bag fees can make up for the annual fee. I'd also love to be able to select preferred seats in advance for free. 

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