Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus worth $99/yr?
The honest math on the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus: which credits you'd actually use, what its points earn beyond a plain 2% card, and what its protections would cost to buy — against the $99 annual fee.
Chase · $99 annual fee · earns Southwest Rapid Rewards points
Earning rates
- 2x Southwest Airlines purchases
- 2x Grocery stores (on the first $5,000 combined with gas stations per anniversary year, then 1x)
- 2x Gas stations
- 2x Lyft (in-app)
- 1x Everything else
Statement credits (3)
- 3,000 Anniversary Points — Bonus points every account anniversary year — valued at your selected cents-per-point.
- $10/quarter DoorDash Promo — Up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders, with DashPass enrollment — through Dec 31, 2027.
- $10/month Instacart Credit — Up to $10 back each month on Instacart purchases (up to $120/yr), plus a complimentary 3-month Instacart+ membership.
Protections and perks (13)
- DashPass Membership — Complimentary DashPass ($0 delivery fees) for both DoorDash and Caviar for one year, a roughly $120 value, if activated by Dec 31, 2027.
- First Checked Bag Free — Your first checked bag flies free on Southwest — the airline now charges $45 each way for it.
- Standard Seat Selection & Group 5 Boarding — Complimentary Standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure (when available), plus Boarding Group 5 for you and up to 8 others on the same reservation.
- 25% Back on Inflight Purchases — 25% back as a statement credit on Southwest inflight WiFi, drinks, and movies.
- 10% Annual Flight Discount Code — A 10% promo code each Cardmember anniversary for a Southwest flight booking (excludes Basic fare).
- Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost — 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year — a progress boost, not redeemable points. Unlike Premier and Priority, this card earns no A-List tier qualifying points.
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement — Up to $3,000 per covered traveler for checked or carry-on luggage that's lost, damaged, or stolen during a covered trip.
- Baggage Delay Insurance — Reimburses up to $100/day for 3 days for essential purchases when your bags are delayed more than 6 hours.
- Rental Car Coverage — Collision/damage coverage on rentals paid with the card — secondary to your personal auto insurance in the US (acts as primary if you carry none), primary outside the US.
- Purchase Protection — New purchases covered against damage or theft for 120 days from purchase.
- Extended Warranty — Adds a year to eligible manufacturer warranties of 3 years or less.
- Travel Accident Insurance — Accidental death or dismemberment coverage for common-carrier and other covered travel accidents.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees — No surcharge on purchases abroad.
Card data verified against Chase on 2026-08-21.
All cards · Compare cards · Find your card