Southwest Performance vs. Premier: Which Southwest business credit card is right for you?
Editor's Note
How do you decide which of Southwest's fantastic business credit cards to apply for — the Southwest? Rapid Rewards? Performance Business Credit Card or the Southwest? Rapid Rewards? Premier Business Credit Card?
Today, we'll look at how these two cards stack up and help you answer an important question: Which Southwest business credit card is right for you?
Related: Comparing the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier and Plus credit cards
Southwest Performance Business vs. Southwest Premier Business comparison
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $199 | $99 |
| Sign-up bonus | Earn up to 120,000 points. Earn 80,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first three months from account opening and an additional 40,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first nine months. | Earn up to 120,000 points. Earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening and an additional 60,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first nine months. |
| Earning rates | 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases
3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases 2 points per dollar on local transit, social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable and phone services 1 point per dollar everywhere else | 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases
2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases and local transit 1 point per dollar everywhere else |
| Anniversary bonus points | 9,000 | 6,000 |
| Elite qualifying benefits | Earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 in purchases | Earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 in purchases |
| Perks & statement credits | Four A1-A15 boarding passes per year when available
Up to 365 $8 Inflight Wi-Fi credits per year (covers all-day passes) Up to $100 every four years to cover enrollment fees for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus | Two EarlyBird Check-Ins each year
25% back on inflight purchases |
Southwest Performance Business vs. Southwest Premier Business welcome bonus
With the Southwest Performance Business, you'll earn 80,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first three months and an additional 40,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first nine months of account opening. Meanwhile, you'll earn 60,000 points with the Southwest Premier Business after spending $3,000 in the first three months and an additional 60,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first nine months of account opening. Those bonuses are worth up to $1,560, per June 2024 TPG valuations.
Winner: Tie! These cards come with different tiered welcome bonuses but if you can hit the full spend requirement, you'll earn an equal value of points on both cards.
Related: The best time to apply for these popular Chase credit cards based on offer history
Southwest Performance Business vs. Southwest Premier Business benefits
When comparing an entry-level card to its premium competition, the key question to ask yourself is, "Do the increased benefits outweigh the additional cost of the annual fee?" In this case, the Southwest Performance Business costs $100 more each year than the Southwest Premier Business, so that's the threshold for added benefits it needs to be worth it.
The Performance starts strong by offering 9,000 bonus points on your account anniversary versus 6,000 with the Premier Business. As of June 2024, TPG values Southwest points at 1.3 cents each, and since Southwest uses a revenue-based award pricing scheme, you should be able to score this exact redemption value without any real work. The Premier Business anniversary bonus is worth $78, while the Performance's is worth $117.
The next standout benefit of the Performance card is the Wi-Fi credit. Essentially, you can buy an $8 day pass every day of the year, or at least as many days as you actually fly Southwest. For business travelers who value their time, this is a great perk that can be incredibly valuable. If you fly Southwest just eight times per year, your Wi-Fi credits would come out to $64 and almost negate the remaining higher annual fee of the Performance card.
If you fly more than that, the choice becomes even clearer. The Performance card also comes with four space-available A1-A15 priority boarding passes. Southwest charges between $30 and $80 per round-trip flight for these, so even on the low end, this represents $120 a year in additional savings.
Winner: Southwest Performance Business. Higher annual fees often bring greater benefits, and the Performance doesn't disappoint.
Related: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?
Earning points with the Southwest Performance Business vs. Southwest Premier Business
The Southwest Performance also has noticeably better bonus categories, but those only make sense if you can take advantage of them.
The Performance offers 4 Rapid Rewards points per dollar on Southwest purchases to the Premier Business 3 points per dollar, plus 3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases to the Premier Business 2 points per dollar. You'll also enjoy 2 points per dollar on local transit with both cards, though the Performance also offers 2 points per dollar on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable and phone services.
Of course, there's still a compelling case to opt for the Premier Business instead. If you fly Southwest only occasionally — and don't spend tons on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable and phone services — you might not be able to get the full value out of the Performance's earnings rates.
Winner: Southwest Performance Business. Its higher earn rates and extra bonus category make it a winner against the Premier Business.
Related: 12 easy ways to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points
Redeeming points with the Southwest Performance Business vs. Southwest Premier Business
The primary way to redeem Rapid Rewards points is by using them for Southwest-operated flights. Southwest has a straightforward redemption process where the cost of a flight in points aligns with its cash price. This means that no exceptional deals are available, but it ensures that you consistently receive value for your rewards.
Redeeming Southwest points is a simple online process when booking flights on the Southwest website. Instead of paying with cash, you choose the "Points" option, and the website will display the corresponding award pricing for your selected itinerary. It is important to note that, like with any airline's award tickets, additional taxes and fees are still applicable, starting at $5.60 per way. However, tickets booked with points are fully refundable, and there are no penalties for cancellations as long as you cancel at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
Redeeming the points you earn on your Southwest business cards can unlock new opportunities for your family and your business. Thanks to Southwest Rapid Rewards points, TPG managing editor Erica Silverstein was able to take her family on their first big theme park trip.
While Southwest also offers international flights, hotels and car rentals through its travel portal, the rates for these options are generally not as favorable compared to using your points for Southwest-operated flights.
Winner: Tie. Since both cards have the same redemption options, there's no clear winner here.
Related: Southwest Rapid Rewards is now offering Cash + Points redemption
Should I get the Southwest Performance Business or Southwest Premier Business?
With the Southwest Performance's 9,000 anniversary bonus points, Wi-Fi credits and superior priority boarding passes, the card is worth the extra annual fee if you fly Southwest regularly. However, the Premier Business is better if you are a less regular flyer, since it has a lower annual fee.
Related: How to choose an airline credit card
How to switch from the Southwest Performance Business to the Southwest Premier Business
While it is possible to switch between these two cards, it's a better idea to open both so that you aren't missing out on bonus points from their welcome offers. That being said, if you want to switch between these two cards, you'll need to call Chase's customer service and request the product change. You won't be able to do it online or through the app.
Before switching, see if you can secure an upgrade offer to upgrade your Premier Business to a Performance Business.
Related: Complete guide to downgrading and product-changing to earn sign-up bonuses on Chase Sapphire cards
Bottom line
No matter which Southwest card you decide to apply for, you should be able to earn considerable value. You'll get great Southwest perks and earning potential with either card. The right one for you will simply boil down to your business needs and priorities.
To learn more, read our full reviews of the Southwest Performance and Premier Business.
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
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