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Chase Freedom Flex vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- Chase Freedom Flex®: This card is ideal for savvy spenders who want to maximize cash back through rotating quarterly categories, dining, and drugstore purchases without paying an annual fee.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: This card is best for semi-frequent Southwest flyers looking to earn points for award travel and enjoy valuable day-of-travel perks.
Chase Freedom Flex® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why the Chase Freedom Flex® stands out in a crowded field of cash back cards.
- With no annual fee, this card offers a risk-free way to earn valuable rewards on your everyday spending.
- It offers a dynamic rewards structure, combining 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter, then 1%) with steady 3% earnings on dining and at drugstores.
- By maximizing the 5% rotating categories each quarter, you can earn $300 in cash back per year from those purchases alone (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- It comes with valuable consumer protections, such as cell phone protection and extended warranty protection, which are not standard on many cards with no annual fee.
- Cardholders gain access to the powerful Chase Ultimate Rewards® ecosystem, offering flexible redemption options and the ability to pool points with other Chase cards for even greater value.
- You’ll also get useful perks, including a complimentary DashPass subscription for a limited time.
Cons
- The rotating bonus categories require manual activation each quarter and have a spending cap, which can be cumbersome to track.
- It’s not ideal for international travel due to its foreign transaction fee.
- Strict eligibility requirements, including a high credit score and Chase's application rules, can make it difficult to qualify for.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here's a breakdown of why we like the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card.
- Cardholders receive a suite of day-of-travel benefits, including two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year and priority boarding.
- It provides an annual 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost, helping you earn the coveted pass faster.
- The 6,000 anniversary bonus points help offset a majority of the card's $149 annual fee (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Provides a boost toward A-List elite status with qualifying purchases, helping you reach status faster.
- Save on travel costs with a free first checked bag for you and your travel party, plus no foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
- Points can be redeemed for any available seat on any Southwest flight, and the airline's flexible policies allow you to re-book award flights if the price drops.
Cons
- The annual fee is high for a mid-tier airline card, and several key benefits are being discontinued.
- Earning potential is limited due to spending caps on some bonus categories and the lack of a gas rewards category.
- Rewards lack the flexibility of general travel cards, as points are most valuable when redeemed for Southwest flights and cannot be transferred to other partners.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier vs Chase Freedom Flex®
Categories
When deciding which is better, Chase Freedom Flex® or Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier, it's crucial to understand the primary category each card falls into.
- Chase Freedom Flex®: This card is best for no-fee card seekers who want a flexible cash back rewards structure. It combines rotating bonus categories with fixed rewards on popular spending areas.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier: This is a mid-tier airline credit card designed for travelers who frequently fly with Southwest Airlines. It focuses on earning points specifically for flights and other airline-related perks.
Redemption
Chase Freedom Flex®: Rewards are earned as points that can be redeemed for cash back, travel, and gift cards, offering a high degree of flexibility for cardholders.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier: Points earned with this card are primarily redeemed for Southwest flights, but can also be used for other travel-related purchases like hotels, rental cars, and gift cards.
Travel Perks
- Travel Portal: The Chase Freedom Flex® provides access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, where points can be redeemed for flights, hotels, and car rentals. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier card’s points are redeemed primarily for flights on Southwest.com, though their portal also allows for booking international flights, hotels, and rental cars with partner companies.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: The Chase Freedom Flex® charges a fee on purchases made outside the United States. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier, designed for travel, does not have foreign transaction fees.
- Airline-Specific Perks: As a general cash back card, the Chase Freedom Flex® does not offer benefits like priority boarding or free checked bags. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier is built for Southwest loyalists, offering anniversary bonus points and the ability to earn Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List status. Neither card includes airport lounge access.
- Travel Protections: Both cards offer a layer of security for travelers. The Chase Freedom Flex® typically includes trip cancellation/interruption insurance and an auto rental collision damage waiver. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier provides similar protections, often including lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make a truly informed choice, you can use a financial platform like Kudos to evaluate how different cards would perform with your personal spending patterns.
- Test drive a credit card: The platform’s “Test Drive” feature allows you to simulate how much you would earn with a new card by analyzing your actual transaction history, providing a personalized rewards projection before you apply.
- Personalized recommendations: Kudos matches you with cards that will earn the most rewards based on your unique spending habits.
- Approval odds analysis: Get a detailed analysis of your approval odds for different cards based on your credit report.
- Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better public welcome offer within three months of approval through Kudos, the platform will match it.
- Stacked rewards: The platform allows you to stack rewards from your credit card with additional Kudos Boost rewards when shopping at participating stores.
- Autofill at checkout: A browser extension can autofill the best card from your wallet at checkout to ensure you’re always maximizing rewards.
Who Should Choose the Chase Freedom Flex®?
The Chase Freedom Flex® is the ultimate cash back card for savvy spenders who enjoy maximizing rewards by tracking rotating bonus categories. It particularly suits those who frequently spend on dining and at drugstores, and who are diligent about activating the quarterly 5% cash back offers. This no-annual-fee card is also a cornerstone for anyone building a "Chase trifecta" strategy to pool and maximize Ultimate Rewards® points.
Who Should Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is tailored for semi-frequent to regular Southwest Airlines flyers who want to earn points and value the airline's specific travel perks. It's an excellent choice for travelers aiming to earn the Southwest Companion Pass or A-List elite status, as the card provides an annual boost toward both. As detailed in a comprehensive card review, it's a strong mid-tier option for those with a credit score of 670 or higher who can justify the annual fee through their loyalty to the airline.
Alternatives to Consider
So, the Chase Freedom Flex® vs. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier comparison didn't yield a winner for your wallet? That's perfectly fine; the world of credit cards is vast, and there are several other top-tier options that could be a better match for your financial strategy.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score – Most rewards cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
- Review issuer application rules – Many banks have restrictions based on how many cards you've recently opened.
- Have a rewards strategy – Know how you will meet any spending requirements and use the rewards you earn.
Application Strategy
- Know the issuer's rules – Some banks have strict limits on recent card approvals, like the Chase 5/24 rule.
- Check for family restrictions – You may be ineligible for a new card's bonus if you already hold a similar card from that issuer.
- Time your application – Applying before a large planned purchase can help you meet spending requirements naturally.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer points from my Chase Freedom Flex℠ to Southwest?
You cannot transfer points directly from the Chase Freedom Flex℠ to Southwest Airlines. However, if you also hold a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can combine your points and then transfer them to the Southwest Rapid Rewards program.
Which card is better for everyday spending?
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is generally stronger for a wide range of everyday purchases, offering bonus cash back in rotating categories as well as on dining and drugstore purchases. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is optimized for earning points on Southwest flights and with the airline's partners.
Can I earn a Southwest Companion Pass with either card?
Points earned with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, including from its welcome offer, count toward the requirement for the valuable Southwest Companion Pass. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ does not directly contribute points toward earning this pass.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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