Southwest Performance Business card review: Solid ...

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is Southwest Airways’ top-tier enterprise bank card. It earns 4 factors per greenback on Southwest Airways purchases, 3 factors per greenback on Fast Rewards resort and automotive rental companions and a couple of factors per greenback throughout common enterprise classes. The annual payment is manageable, and Southwest flyers will get pleasure from helpful perks. Card Score*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The Southwest Performance Business card is a step up from the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card, providing a powerful sign-up bonus, a greater rewards construction and a pleasant array of perks that make the upper $199 annual payment nicely price paying for loyal Southwest flyers.

The really helpful credit score for this product is 670 or above.

Let’s dive into the professionals and cons of this enterprise card.

Proper now, the Southwest Performance Business card is providing new candidates 80,000 factors after they spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

TPG’s March 2025 valuations peg Southwest miles at 1.35 cents every, which means this bonus is price $1,080.

Keep in mind to verify your eligibility earlier than making use of for this card. It’s topic to the Chase 5/24 rule, and there are restrictions on how usually you’ll be able to earn a Southwest welcome bonus.

Associated: How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass

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The Southwest Performance Business card comes with a $199 annual payment, however the perks accompanying the cardboard make up for the fee in the event you take full benefit of them — even after the primary yr of card membership.

Free checked bag: Southwest has introduced that it’ll start charging for checked bags starting Could 28, however Southwest cardholders will still receive one free checked bag.

4 Upgraded Boardings: Every anniversary yr, you will be reimbursed for as much as 4 A1-A15 boarding passes, which let you be among the many first to board. As a result of Southwest doesn’t assign seats, Upgraded Boarding allows you to guarantee you’ll be able to seize the seat you need (and have room within the overhead bins). Upgraded Boarding passes are topic to availability.

9,000 anniversary bonus factors: Every year after your account anniversary, you will robotically obtain 9,000 bonus factors. Which means you are primarily getting $122 price of factors annually after the primary yr only for being an lively cardholder, primarily based on TPG’s March 2025 valuations.

Inflight Wi-Fi credit: Southwest will reimburse you for as much as 365 $8 inflight Wi-Fi purchases as an announcement credit score. In different phrases, you could possibly buy an all-day inflight Wi-Fi go daily of the yr, and Southwest would cowl it.

Standing Enhance: You will earn 1,500 tier-qualifying factors per $5,000 you spend on purchases in a calendar yr that can assist you reach elite status faster. There isn’t any restrict on the variety of TQPs you’ll be able to earn.

World Entry or TSA PreCheck: As soon as each 4 years, you’ll be able to obtain an announcement credit score (as much as $120) to your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

Free worker playing cards: You pay no payment for added worker playing cards and can earn factors on worker spending. You’ll be able to set spending limits on worker playing cards by calling cardmember companies.

$500 payment credit score for factors transfers per yr: Switch factors to a different Fast Rewards member, and as much as $500 in charges related to the switch will probably be reimbursed every account anniversary yr.

Associated: Is the Southwest Performance Business Card worth the annual fee?

Because the extra premium enterprise card, the Southwest Performance Business card has the next incomes charge than different Southwest card choices. You will earn:

• 4 factors per greenback on Southwest Airways purchases
• 3 factors per greenback on Fast Rewards resort and automotive rental companions
• 2 factors per greenback for native transit and commuting, together with ride-hailing companies
• 2 factors per greenback for social media and search engine promoting
• 2 factors per greenback for web, cable and cellphone companies
• 1 level per greenback for all different eligible purchases

That is a 5.4% return on Southwest purchases and a 2.7% return on eligible enterprise purchases.

Nonetheless, you will be higher off utilizing the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card for common journey past Southwest Airways purchases. Each playing cards earn 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards factors per greenback on journey purchases (as much as the primary $150,000 in mixed purchases for the Ink Enterprise Most well-liked), which you’ll be able to switch to Southwest Fast Rewards.

Associated: 10 easy ways to earn more Rapid Rewards points

The Southwest Performance Business card earns Fast Rewards factors, so you will get essentially the most worth once you redeem your points for award travel.

Redeeming factors for Southwest award flights is easy. Simply log in to your account, put in your search parameters on Southwest’s web site, select your required out there flight and observe the on-screen steps to take a look at. You’ll have to pay extra taxes and costs on worldwide routes, however Southwest is clear about these all through the search course of.

Southwest has a journey portal for worldwide flights on different carriers, however you are sometimes not going to get as nice a return once you redeem factors that means. Moreover, you’ll be able to redeem factors on lodges, automotive leases or merchandise. Nonetheless, we advocate skipping these choices and utilizing them for Southwest award flights to get essentially the most worth out of your factors.

TPG senior author Tarah Chieffi used Southwest factors to pay for a portion of the price of her journey to Orlando by redeeming 37,000 factors to complement her out-of-pocket price of two round-trip tickets. Whereas it is not at all times one of the best worth, paying with a mix of money and factors might be a good way to successfully use a smaller variety of Southwest factors.

Associated: How to redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points

Even in the event you’re a Southwest-loyal enterprise proprietor, the Southwest Performance Business card is probably not your best choice.

For extra particulars, see our full checklist of best business credit cards and best airline credit cards.

Learn extra: How to get a business credit card

In case you’re a enterprise proprietor who flies Southwest steadily, the Southwest Performance Business card is a superb choice. You will get nice worth from its Southwest-specific perks and the excessive welcome bonus.

Nonetheless, you will need to select a unique product in the event you solely often fly Southwest or spend most of your enterprise price range exterior the cardboard’s bonus classes.

Apply right here: Southwest Performance Business Credit Card

Associated: 9 reasons to get a business credit card