Southwest Credit Card for Families: 80,000–90,000 Points and a Free Bag for Everyone on Your Reservation
Southwest now charges for checked bags unless you hold status or a Rapid Rewards credit card. For a family that flies 4 or more at a time, the card's bag benefit alone can cover its annual fee on one trip.
Apply through our referral link →Personal card offers of up to 90,000 points run through December 7, 2026. Checked November 4, 2026.
Three things that matter when 4+ people fly
Free first checked bag for up to 9 people
Chase's card terms give the primary cardmember and up to eight passengers on the same reservation a free first standard checked bag. Put your Rapid Rewards number on the booking and the whole family is covered.
80,000–90,000 points up front
The welcome bonus posts after you meet the spend in the first 3 months. Rapid Rewards flights are priced by fare, so points go furthest on the cheap mid-week, off-peak dates families can usually take.
A head start on Companion Pass
The 2026 rule is 135,000 qualifying points or 100 one-way flights in a calendar year. The card bonus counts, and cardmembers get a 10,000-point boost each year. With the pass, a named companion flies with you for taxes and fees only.
The three personal cards, side by side
All three include the free first checked bag. The difference is the fee and how big the bonus is.
| Card | Annual fee | Welcome bonus | Spend needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus | $99 | 80,000 points | $1,000 in 3 months |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier | $149 | 85,000 points | $2,000 in 3 months |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority | $229 | 90,000 points | $3,000 in 3 months |
Business owners: the Premier Business and Performance Business cards currently offer up to 80,000 points. Offers, fees and spend requirements are set by Chase and can change; the application page shows the current terms.
Which card for which family
You fly Southwest once or twice a year
Plus ($99). Four people checking a bag each way on a single round trip already costs more than the fee at Southwest's standard bag price, and the $1,000 spend is the easiest to hit.
You are chasing Companion Pass for a big trip year
Priority ($229). The 90,000 bonus plus the 10,000 cardmember boost is 100,000 of the 135,000 needed in 2026; the rest has to come from card spend and paid Southwest flights in the same calendar year. Southwest has signalled changes to the pass for 2027, so confirm the current rule on Southwest.com before you plan around it.
You already have a trip booked for the holidays
Apply before you pay for the trip. Putting the flights and hotel on the new card covers most of the spend requirement, and the bag benefit applies once your Rapid Rewards number is on the reservation.
When a travel card is the wrong move
- If you carry a balance, the interest will cost more than the points are worth. Only do this if you pay in full every month.
- The spend requirement is spending you were already going to do. Buying things to hit it is a loss.
- The annual fee is charged on the first statement, before the bonus posts.
- Chase decides approvals. Applying through a referral link does not change the credit decision.
Disclosure: the button above is Peter Ewan's Chase Refer-A-Friend link. If you apply through it and are approved, Chase awards him Rapid Rewards points. It costs you nothing and the offer you receive is the same one Chase shows on its site; you can also apply directly at chase.com. FamTravelClub is not a credit card issuer and does not give financial advice.
Flying with little ones? Read our tips for flying with toddlers, or check whether driving beats flying for your trip.