Quick Fact
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card comes with travel insurance and priority boarding perks as of 2026. You’ll get trip interruption coverage up to $3,000 per person, baggage delay reimbursement up to $100 per day for three days max, and travel accident insurance worth $500,000. Priority boarding lets you snag positions A1–A15 for a fee, or for free if you upgrade to an eligible card tier.
Where does this card actually come in handy?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is issued by Chase Bank and targets frequent flyers on Southwest Airlines, a major U.S. carrier that runs over 4,000 daily flights to more than 120 destinations across the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. You won’t get much use out of these insurance perks if you’re mostly flying to Europe or Asia. As of 2026, Southwest serves about 140 million passengers a year, which explains why it’s a go-to for domestic travelers who want straightforward, no-frills service without the hassle of traditional hub connections.
What exactly is covered under the travel insurance?
Here’s the breakdown of what you get:
| Benefit | Coverage Amount | Activation Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Trip Interruption Insurance | $3,000 per person, $6,000 per trip | Must charge full trip cost to card |
| Trip Delay Insurance | $100 per day, up to 3 days | Delay > 6 hours due to covered reason |
| Baggage Delay Insurance | $100 per day, up to $500 total | Delay > 6 hours; requires receipts |
| Travel Accident Insurance | $500,000 per passenger | Ticket purchased with card |
| Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver | Primary coverage, up to actual cash value | Rental charged to card; decline rental company’s insurance |
| Upgraded Boarding | Positions A1–A15 (first 15 onboard) | $30–$50 per flight (waived with Priority Card upgrade) |
| EarlyBird Check-In | 2 free uses per year | Applies to Plus, Performance, and Priority cards |
How did this card and its benefits come about?
Southwest launched its Rapid Rewards program in 1987 and shook up airline loyalty by ditching fare classes in favor of a simple point system based on flight distance. The credit card program arrived in the early 2000s and has since evolved into a full-featured travel rewards tool. By 2026, the card runs on the Visa network and stands out with no foreign transaction fees—a rarity among U.S. airline cards—which makes it a favorite for international travelers. Southwest also made headlines in 2020 by scrapping change fees, and its Rapid Rewards program now lets you redeem points for any available seat, anytime, with no blackout dates. That flexibility only boosts the value of card-linked benefits like travel insurance.
What’s the annual fee, and are there any catches?
Right now, the card carries a $69 annual fee. If you’ve opened five or more new credit card accounts in the past 24 months, you’ll likely run into the Chase 5/24 rule and won’t qualify. Filing insurance claims isn’t complicated, but you’ll need to act fast—notify them within 60 days of the incident and gather documents like receipts or police reports for theft or accidents. There’s a nice bonus, though: cardholders get a 15% rebate on in-flight purchases when redeemed for flight credits, which sweetens the deal for frequent flyers. For international trips, coverage applies worldwide, but medical evacuation benefits may need pre-approval. Always double-check the latest cardholder agreement, because terms can shift every year.
