Is the Southwest Plus worth keeping?
Renewal verdict for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card — ongoing value only (a one-time welcome bonus doesn't justify year two).
Last updated
The $99 fee is hard to earn back on this card — downgrade or cancel unless you have a specific reason.
- Annual fee
- $99 Verified by source
- Credits you'd realistically use
- $38
Why
- Realistic credit value (~$38) falls well short of the $99 fee, and there’s no lounge access, transferable points, hotel/co-brand perk, or above-2x earn to make up the gap.
- A no-annual-fee card likely returns more for the same spend.
Before you cancel
- Call the issuer and ask for a retention offer — a statement credit or bonus points to keep the card another year.
- Ask whether you can product-change to a no-annual-fee card in the same family — it keeps your account age and avoids a new hard pull.
- Run your real spend through the Find-a-card tool to see what the Southwest Plus actually returns for you.
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Frequently asked
Is the Southwest Plus worth keeping?
Reconsider — downgrade or cancel. The $99 fee is hard to earn back on this card — downgrade or cancel unless you have a specific reason.
What can I do before cancelling the Southwest Plus?
Call the issuer and ask for a retention offer — a statement credit or bonus points to keep the card another year. Ask whether you can product-change to a no-annual-fee card in the same family — it keeps your account age and avoids a new hard pull. Run your real spend through the Find-a-card tool to see what the Southwest Plus actually returns for you.
Does cancelling the Southwest Plus hurt my credit?
Closing a card can lower your average account age and your total available credit, which may dip your score temporarily. Product-changing to a no-annual-fee card in the same family usually avoids that — you keep the account history.