Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

Any Southwest card is worth having in your wallet if you fly them with any regularity, and this one earns its keep well beyond the welcome bonus. My husband and I have both carried this card, and it plays a huge role in one of our favorite annual strategies: earning the Southwest Companion Pass. Between the welcome bonus, the 6,000-point anniversary bonus every year, and 3X points on Southwest purchases plus 2X on dining and gas, the points add up fast toward the Companion Pass qualifying threshold — and once you have the pass, you're flying two-for-one on nearly every Southwest flight for the rest of that year plus the following one.

Beyond the points race, this card has real everyday perks: a free checked bag for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation, Group 5 boarding for your whole party, the ability to select a Standard or Preferred seat within 48 hours of departure when available, and 25% back on inflight purchases like food, drinks, and Wi-Fi. It also earns 2,000 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 you spend annually, so heavy spenders can work toward elite status alongside the Companion Pass. If you want the full breakdown of how we use cards like this one to earn the pass, check out our Companion Pass guide.

Southwest's business cards don't swing wildly the way some other issuers do, but Chase does periodically run limited-time elevated offers on this card above its standard bonus. Since points earned from the welcome bonus count toward Companion Pass qualification, timing your application around one of these elevated windows can meaningfully shorten the distance to the pass. If you want an even bigger bonus and don't mind a steeper spend requirement, the higher-tier Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card has also run larger welcome offers, though it comes with a higher annual fee.