The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature and Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier are both airline credit cards that offer valuable rewards for frequent flyers. However, they have different benefits and drawbacks that make them better suited for different types of travelers.
General Comparison
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is a solid choice for domestic travelers who prefer a straightforward rewards program.
Southwest Airlines focuses on domestic routes, making it suitable for those who frequently travel within the U.S. The card offers a generous sign-up bonus and the potential to earn tier-qualifying points, bringing you closer to elite status for additional perks.
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Rewards Battle: A Side-by-Side Analysis
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|---|---|---|
Spend Per Category | Alaska Airlines Visa Signature | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier |
$15,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 15,000 miles | 15,000 points |
$5,000 – Restaurants
| 5,000 miles | 5,000 points |
$5,000 – Airline | 15,000 miles | 15,000 points |
$5,000 – Hotels | 5,000 miles | 10,000 points |
$4,000 – Gas | 8,000 miles | 4,000 points |
Total Miles | 48,000 miles | 49,000 points |
Estimated Redemption Value | 1 mile ~ 1.3 cents | 1 point = ~1.3 cents
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Estimated Annual Value | $624 | $637 |
With Southwest Premier card, you can use points for flights with no blackout dates, allowing flexible travel. Points cover ticket costs, taxes, and fees. Additionally, you can redeem points for international flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and gift cards.
Which Card Provides Better Travel Perks & Insurance?
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
- $99 Alaska's Companion Fare: Receive a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees) annually after spending $6,000 or more within the prior year, applicable to all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
- Free First Checked Bag: Cardholders, along with up to 6 additional guests on the same reservation, can check their first bag for free when purchasing airfare with the card.
- Priority Boarding: Enjoy priority boarding for quicker access to your seat when you use your card to pay for your flight.
- 10% Rewards Bonus: Receive a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases with an eligible Bank of America® account.
- 20% Back On Inflight Purchases: Get 20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases
- $100 Lounge Membership Discount: get a discount on an annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership when paying with the card.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
- 25% Back on Inflight Purchases: Receive a 25% rebate on inflight purchases, making onboard snacks, drinks, and entertainment more affordable for travelers.
6,000 Points Annually on Cardmember Anniversary: Cardholders receive an additional 6,000 bonus points every year on their Cardmember anniversary, further enhancing the annual point accumulation and boosting the overall rewards potential.
- Unlimited Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs): For every $10,000 spent, earn 1,500 TQPs toward A-List status, with no limit on the amount of TQPs you can accumulate, facilitating progress towards elite status and associated benefits.
- 10,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost: The card provides an annual boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points, bringing cardholders closer to earning the highly coveted Southwest Companion Pass.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® Each Year: Enjoy the convenience of two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, allowing cardholders to secure earlier boarding positions.
- DoorDash Benefits: Cardholders receive a complimentary one-year DashPass membership.
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Receive coverage up to $3,000 per passenger for lost or damaged checked or carry-on luggage.
- Baggage Delay Insurance: Get reimbursed for essential purchases (up to $100 per day for 3 days) in case of baggage delays over 6 hours.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Extend the manufacturer's warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Purchase Protection: Enjoy coverage for new purchases against damage or theft for 120 days, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account, providing added security for your acquisitions.
When You Might Prefer The Alaska Visa Signature Card?
Here are the main reasons why you may prefer the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card:
Global Travel Enthusiast: If you love exploring destinations worldwide, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature is a better fit due to its partnership network that allows you to use miles for flights beyond the U.S.
Companion Travel: If traveling with a friend or family member is a priority, the Alaska Airlines card provides an annual companion fare, allowing your travel companion to join you at a reduced cost.
Alaska Airlines Hub Access: If you live near or frequently travel through airports where Alaska Airlines has a strong presence, the card can offer more convenience and direct flight options, enhancing your overall travel experience.
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When You Might Prefer The Southwest Premier Card?
Here are the main reasons why you may prefer the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card:
Frequent Southwest Flyers: For individuals who frequently fly with Southwest Airlines due to its convenient routes and hubs, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card offers benefits like priority boarding and in-flight discounts, enhancing the overall travel convenience and experience with the airline.
Domestic Traveler: If your travel primarily involves domestic destinations within the United States, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier is a strong choice, as Southwest Airlines focuses on providing extensive coverage within the country.
Better Travel Insurance: As we've shown above, the travel insurance and protections the Southwest Premier card offers are better than the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card, so if you prioritize this aspect – it may be a better choice.
Compare The Alternatives
If you're looking for an airline credit card with travel rewards – there are some good alternatives you may want to consider:
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Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite | |
Annual Fee | $150, $0 intro first year. (See Rates and Fees.) | $99 | $99 (waived for the first 12 months)
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Rewards |
1X – 2X
2X miles on delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide (including take-out and delivery in the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
| 1X – 3X
3X points on Southwest® purchases,2X on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car partners, local transit and commuting, including rideshare, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming and 1X points on all other purchases.
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1X – 2X
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
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Welcome bonus |
40,000 Miles
40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months
| 50,000 Points
50,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
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50,000 Miles
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
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Foreign Transaction Fee | $0. See Rates and Fees. | $0 | $0 |
Purchase APR | 20.99%-29.99% Variable | 21.49%–28.49% variable
| 21.24% – 29.99% (Variable) |
Compare Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
We think the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier wins – it's cheaper and there is no significant difference in points rewards or airline perks.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier vs Priority: Side By Side Comparison
If you're a frequent flyer, the Premier card has the edge so that you can cover the annual fee difference. If not, the Plus card is enough.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus vs Premier: Side By Side Comparison
The AAdvantage Platinum Select and the Southwest Premier card share many common features.
Here's where each card shines: AAdvantage Platinum Select vs. Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
The United Explorer and the Southwest Premier card have numerous shared features. Let's explore the distinctive strengths of each card.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier vs. United Explorer: Comparison
While the Southwest Premier card extra travel perks are better, the JetBlue Plus Card is our winner in this comparison. Here's why.
JetBlue Plus Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier: Side By Side Comparison
Both cards have similar annual cashback value and diverse airline benefits. While there is no clear winner, each card has its unique perks.
Frontier World Mastercard vs. Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier: Side By Side Comparison
Compare Alaska Visa Signature Card
The Capital One Venture is a clear winner as it offers higher annual cashback value and better travel perks than the Alaska Visa Signature.
Alaska Visa Signature vs Capital One Venture: Side By Side Comparison
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is our winner due to its higher annual cashback value and various redemption options compared to Alaska card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card: How They Compare?
While the Hawaiian World Elite Mastercard offers a higher miles rewards ratio, we think the Alaska card offers a bit better airline perks.
Hawaiian World Elite Mastercard vs. Alaska Visa Signature: How They Compare?
While the airline benefits are pretty similar, The JetBlue Plus Card is a clear winner due to much higher cashback rates than the Alaska card.
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature vs JetBlue Plus Card: Side By Side Comparison
While Alaska Visa Signature card offers higher miles rewards ratio on airline, the Delta SkyMiles Gold is our winner. Here's why.
Alaska Visa Signature vs Delta SkyMiles Gold: Side By Side Comparison
The Alaska Visa offers higher annual cashback value than United Explorer, but the latter takes the lead when it comes to airline perks.
Alaska Visa Signature vs United Explorer: Side By Side Comparison
