Southwest has become a fan favorite for domestic airlines in the U.S. Its cheap fares, regular promos, and valuable credit cards are just some of the reasons why.
And of all the consumer and business cards the airline has to offer, we particularly love the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card.
So no matter if you’re just entering retirement or have enjoyed that lifestyle for years, the Southwest Plus card is your best option for cheap, easy, and domestic getaways.
Below, you’ll find our list of the seven best reasons why the Southwest Plus is the best option for retirees.
The Welcome Offer
The Southwest Plus’ current welcome offer is: Our best points offer this year: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 5 months from account opening.
To put this simply — that’s a generous amount of points.
For example, if you live in Denver but the grandkids live in Boston, you could book a non-stop flight there for a few as 10,000 points 👇
That’s a lot of nearly free trips to visit the kiddos!
Companion Pass Boost
One of the big-hitters of this card is the boost toward Southwest’s incredible Companion Pass.
And if you aren’t aware, the Companion Pass allows you to designate a second traveler to fly with you for almost free (you’ll still need to pay for the minuscule taxes and fees).
Current requirements include either:
Flying 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year
Or earning 135,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year.
With the current bonus points being offered, you can clearly see how much closer you’ll get toward that tier points requirement!
This is an amazing travel feature to have, no matter if you and your spouse are traveling together to visit family or jet-setting off to a blissful vacation.
Speaking of vacation-worthy destinations…
Best for Domestic Travel
Let’s face it. International travel can be stressful and is often exhausting.
Some of us still love it, but some of us don’t.
Fortunately, Southwest is the best budget airline for domestic travel in the U.S. — and that’s for both cash and point redemptions.
When we have destinations like Hawaii, Palm Springs, Sedona, and Key West, it’s hard to imagine wanting to leave the country!
Want to skip the rain and get some sun? Here’s an example route from Seattle to Palm Springs for just over 6,000 points. 🎉
The Low Annual Fee
For many people, even though a card might have a stellar welcome offer, a high annual fee could still be quite off-putting.
And we get it, being retired also means sticking to a defined budget.
Fortunately, the Southwest Plus comes in pretty darn low at just $99 a year.
The amount of Southwest points you’re getting and the amount of money saved by booking flights with those points will FAR outweigh the cost of the annual fee.
Solid Earning Rates
To be clear, this isn’t a premium card. So you won’t find any crazy 4x or 5x points-per-dollar earning rates with the Southwest Plus.
However, you will still find these solid earning rates:
2x per $1 on Southwest purchases
2x points per $1 on the first $5,000 in combined spend at gas stations and grocery stores each anniversary year
2x per $1 on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners (through December 31, 2025)
2x per $1 on local transit and commuting, including rideshare (through December 31, 2025)
2x per $1 on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming (through December 31, 2025)
1x per $1 on all other purchases
If you’re getting this card to fly more on Southwest, then boom, that first bullet point is a given. Additionally, earning double the points on common spending categories is a surefire way to accelerate your earnings over time.
Card Anniversary Perks
Southwest truly loves its customers.
By holding the Southwest Plus, you’ll receive 3,000 points and 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points every year on your cardmember anniversary
That’s quite generous, considering this is the airline’s lowest-tier card.
Additional Travel Benefits
Who doesn’t love a little something extra, eh? Each year you hold the Southwest Plus, you’ll also receive:
2 EarlyBird check-ins (for flights operating in 2025)
Free first checked bag at no additional cost for up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation. For a group of four, this would be a savings of up to $280 round-trip ($35 per bag per trip).
Standard seat selection within 48 hours prior to departure, when available, for the cardmember and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation (for flights starting in 2026).
Earlier boarding — the cardmember, and up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation, can board in Group 5
One promotional code for a 10% flight discount each anniversary year (except Basic fare)
25% back on inflight purchases
Bottom Line
This may not be a premium travel card, but it certainly has plenty to offer! Getting on board (literally) with Southwest and one of its credit cards is an excellent option if you’re looking for easy and affordable travel within the U.S.
And as a retiree, you certainly deserve to sit back, relax, and enjoy time spent with family (or on a beach!).
