Rewards & next steps

How to Apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card

★Here's how to get the most from this card. Follow the steps below, then apply on the issuer's official site.

Applying for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card is done directly through Chase, either on Chase's website or via a linked offer on Southwest's own site. Before you start, it helps to know roughly where your credit stands and to have your income and housing-cost information on hand, since the online application asks for both.

Approval decisions are sometimes instant and sometimes require additional review, and Chase's own account-opening patterns (not just your credit score) can influence the outcome. The steps below walk through the general process — always complete the actual application on Chase's official site, not a third-party page.

Step by step

1. Check your credit profile first: Pull your credit score and review your recent history for new account openings. Chase typically wants good to excellent credit (roughly 670+) for this card, and a pattern of many recently opened cards can hurt your odds regardless of score.
2. Gather your application information: Have your Social Security number, annual income, employment status, and monthly housing payment ready — Chase's online application asks for all of this to evaluate your application.
3. Apply on Chase's official page: Go directly to Chase's Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card page (or a current linked offer on Southwest's site) and complete the application there. Confirm the annual fee, current welcome offer, and APR shown at the time you apply, since these can differ from older articles or promotions.
4. Wait for a decision: Some applicants receive an instant decision online; others are placed under review and hear back by mail or online account status within a few business days to a couple of weeks.
5. Activate the card and link your Rapid Rewards account: Once approved, activate the card and make sure it's linked to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account so that spending, the welcome bonus, and anniversary points post correctly.

Tips & mistakes to avoid

• Know your recent new-account history: Chase's approval process is known to weigh how many new credit cards (from any issuer) you've opened in roughly the prior two years, so spacing out applications can help.
• Pay down existing revolving balances before applying — a lower overall credit utilization tends to help approval odds and the credit limit you're offered.
• Watch for the current welcome offer rather than assuming a number from an older article — Chase runs standard and elevated promotional bonuses at different times, and hitting the required spending threshold within the intro window is what actually triggers the bonus.
• If your primary goal is the Southwest Companion Pass, plan your spending and any linked promotional offer around hitting the 135,000-qualifying-point threshold within a single calendar year, since points don't carry over for Companion Pass purposes the way regular Rapid Rewards points do.

FAQ

Does the Chase '5/24' rule affect approval for this card?

Chase is widely known to factor in how many new credit card accounts (across issuers) an applicant has opened in roughly the prior 24 months, which can affect approval odds for this and other Chase cards independent of your credit score. It's not an official published policy from Chase, but it's a well-documented pattern applicants should be aware of.

Will applying hurt my credit score?

Applying triggers a hard inquiry on your credit report, which can cause a small, typically temporary dip in your score. The impact is usually modest compared to factors like payment history and utilization, but multiple applications in a short window can compound the effect.

Can I hold more than one Southwest credit card at a time?

Chase places limits on how many personal Southwest-branded cards an individual can hold or be approved for, and has run rules restricting new-account bonuses if you've received a Southwest welcome offer recently. Check Chase's current terms on the application page for the specific restriction in effect when you apply.

Advertiser disclosure: general information only, not financial advice. We are an independent publisher, not a card issuer or lender. Confirm current terms on the issuer's official site.