Southwest Plus vs Priority card, and whether a better seat is worth $130

Trek Guide Both give the same free first bag to up to nine people. The Priority adds a Preferred seat, Extra Legroom upgrades and 4,500 more anniversary points. By Bishnu Adhikari · Sep 27, 2026 Read the full story

Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus if you want the free checked bag and fly Southwest a few times a year; choose the Priority if you fly Southwest often enough to care about better seats. Both give a free first bag to you and up to eight passengers on… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

Side by side

Every figure below was read on Chase's card pages and terms on 27 September 2026. Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

The bag is the same on both

If the free checked bag is the reason you want a Southwest card, the Plus gives you exactly the same benefit for $130 less. Your Rapid Rewards number must be on the reservation, the benefit can take up to 14 days after approval to switch on, and authorized… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

What the extra $130 buys

The Priority's extras are a better seat, 4,500 more anniversary points and double the points on Southwest purchases. The seat is the part most people notice: a Preferred seat chosen when you book, instead of a Standard seat chosen in the last 48 hours, and… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

The Companion Pass boost, explained

Neither card gives a companion ticket. Each adds 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points a year, which helps you reach the Companion Pass sooner but does not earn it on its own. The welcome offer points on either card may also count; check Southwest's current… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

The verdict

For occasional Southwest flyers and families, the Plus is the better card: the same free bags and boarding for $99. Choose the Priority if you fly Southwest often and value a Preferred seat and Extra Legroom on most trips, because those are what the extra… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

Keep reading

The free bag maths for five airlines. When the companion ticket pays. Who gets the bonus, and what spend counts. The cards that cost nothing abroad. Sources: Chase, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus and Priority card pages and terms, read on 27 September 2026 for… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

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