The Frontier World Mastercard and Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier are airline miles credit cards offering different benefits and rewards for cardholders. Let's compare them side by side.
General Comparison
The Frontier World Mastercard, associated with Frontier Airlines, is tailored for those who frequently fly with this carrier. Its appeal lies in the airline-specific benefits it offers, including priority boarding, 0% intro APR, and the potential for elite status through qualifying spending.
On the other hand, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is affiliated with Southwest Airlines, renowned for its extensive domestic route network and benefits such as 2 EarlyBird Chec-In, companion pass points boost, and 25% back on inflight purchases.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the card's main features:
Frontier Airlines World Mastercard | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier | |
Annual Fee | $89 | $99 |
Rewards | 5x miles per dollar on purchases at flyfrontier.com, 3x miles per dollar at restaurants and 1x miles on all other purchases |
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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Welcome bonus | 40,000 travel miles after spending $500 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. 20,000 travel miles after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 6 months with the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® |
50,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
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0% Intro APR | 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening | N/A |
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0 |
Purchase APR | 21.24% – 29.99% | 21.49%–28.49% variable
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Point Rewards Analysis: Which Card Is Better?
When we analyze the amount of points cardholders can get for each card for the same spend, we can see that while Frontier earns more miles than Southwets, the estimated annual worth of both cards is quite similar, so there is no clear winner in this category. Here's the comparison:
Spend Per Category | Frontier Airlines World Mastercard | Rapid Rewards Premier |
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 10,000 miles | 10,000 points |
$4,000 – Restaurants
| 12,000 miles | 4,000 points |
$5,000 – Airline | 25,000 miles | 15,000 points |
$5,000 – Hotels | 5,000 miles | 10,000 points |
$4,000 – Gas | 4,000 miles | 4,000 points |
Total Points | 56,000 miles | 43,000 points |
Redemption Value (Estimated) | 1 mile = ~1 cent | 1 point = ~1.3 cents
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Estimated Annual Value | $560 | $559 |
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.
What Airline Benefits And Protections Each card Offers?
There is no definitive winner in terms of additional benefits. While the Frontier card stands out with its $100 annual flight voucher, a perk not offered by Southwest, Southwest, on the other hand, provides a range of travel insurance and protection options that are not available with the Frontier card.
Frontier Airlines World Mastercard
- $100 Flight Voucher: Receive a $100 flight voucher every account anniversary after spending $2,500 or more on purchases during your cardmembership year.
- Priority Boarding: Enjoy Zone 2 boarding on Frontier Airlines flights, allowing for a more convenient and expedited boarding process.
- Earn toward Elite Status: Accumulate Qualifying Miles at a rate of 1 mile for every $1 spent on purchases or by flying Frontier, contributing towards achieving Elite Status.
- Award Redemption Fee Waiver: Benefit from a waiver on award redemption fees when booking an award ticket, provided the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard is used to pay the related taxes and fees (starting from $5.60 for a one-way ticket).
- Mastercard World Elite Benefits: World Elite Mastercards give you some cool deals from other stores, and they also come with good things like special benefits at hotels, a helpful concierge service, cell phone protection, and fraud protection.
- Customized Card Design: Personalize your Frontier Airlines World Mastercard by selecting an animal design, with the added environmental benefit of the card being made from 85% recycled material, showcasing endangered species to support the airline's commitment to environmental sustainability.
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.
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When You Might Want The Southwest Premier Card?
You may prefer the Southwest Premier Card in the following cases:
Extensive Domestic Travel: Opt for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier if you prioritize domestic travel, as Southwest Airlines has an extensive domestic route network, offering more flexibility and options for your travel needs.
Better Travel Insurance: As we've shown above, the travel insurance and protections the Southwest Premier card offers are better than the Frontier card, so if you prioritize this aspect – it may be a better choice.
Aspiration for Companion Pass: If you aspire to attain the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, which allows a designated companion to fly for free (excluding taxes and fees), the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card offers an accelerated path towards achieving this valuable benefit.
When You Might Want The Frontier World Mastercard?
You may prefer the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard in the following cases:
Frequent Frontier Flyers: Opt for the Frontier World Mastercard if you frequently fly with Frontier Airlines, as it offers airline-specific perks, including priority boarding and the opportunity to earn Elite Status through qualifying spending.
Value the $100 Flight Voucher: Choose the Frontier card if you place high value on the $100 annual flight voucher, a unique benefit not offered by the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card.
0% Intro APR: if you need 0% intro APR and an airline miles credit card, this may be a perfect fit
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:
The JetBlue Plus Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite | |
Annual Fee | $99 | $99 | $99 (waived for the first 12 months)
|
Rewards | 1X – 6X
6X points on JetBlue purchases, 2X points at restaurants and grocery stores and 1X points on all other 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.
|
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.
|
Welcome bonus | 50,000 points
50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days
| 50,000 Points
50,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
|
50,000 Miles
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
|
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Purchase APR | 21.24% – 29.99% variable | 21.49%–28.49% variable
| 21.24% – 29.99% (Variable) |
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