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Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority vs Wells Fargo Autograph: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: This card is ideal for frequent Southwest flyers looking to earn points on travel, groceries, and dining while enjoying airline-specific perks.
- Wells Fargo Autograph® Card: This card is great for everyday spending, offering high rewards on travel, transit, gas, dining, streaming, and phone plans without an annual fee.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority card stands out in a crowded field of travel cards.
- It's packed with valuable travel perks for Southwest flyers, including four upgraded boardings per year and a 25% rebate on inflight purchases.
- While it carries an annual fee, it offers a strong rewards-earning structure on Southwest purchases, as well as at restaurants and grocery stores.
- The card's annual fee is largely offset by the combination of the annual Southwest travel credit and the anniversary bonus points you receive each year (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- All points earned help you qualify for the valuable Southwest Companion Pass® and work toward A-List elite status.
- Cardholders receive numerous perks when flying Southwest, including opportunities for upgraded boarding and statement credits on inflight purchases.
- It eliminates foreign transaction fees on international purchases and includes a variety of travel insurance protections.
Cons
- The card’s annual fee can be steep for those who don't fly Southwest often enough to maximize its benefits.
- Reward redemption options are limited, with points delivering the most value only when used for Southwest flights.
- It lacks premium perks common to other high-end travel cards, most notably airport lounge access.
Wells Fargo Autograph Breakdown
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Why We Like It
This section breaks down why we like the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card.
- The card offers unlimited 3X points on a wide range of everyday categories like restaurants, travel, gas, and streaming services.
- This card has no annual fee or foreign transaction fees, though other fees for services like balance transfers may apply.
- With no annual fee to offset, there is no break-even spending required to get value from this card (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Offers generous, unlimited rewards across several practical categories including travel, dining, and gas.
- Cardholders pay no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, making it a great option for both everyday spending and travel abroad.
- Includes valuable perks like cell phone protection and the ability to transfer points to travel partners, features not often found on a no-annual-fee card.
Cons
- It lacks premium travel benefits, such as airport lounge access, annual travel credits, or complimentary checked bags on airlines.
- The rewards program has some limitations, including a list of travel transfer partners that is less extensive than competitors and bonus categories that must be tracked to maximize value.
Wells Fargo Autograph vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
Categories
Deciding which is better, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority or the Wells Fargo Autograph, depends entirely on your travel and spending habits.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: This card is designed for Southwest loyalists who fly the airline frequently and want to maximize airline-specific benefits.
- Wells Fargo Autograph® Card: This is a versatile travel rewards card that is also great for everyday spending due to its wide-ranging bonus categories.
Redemption
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Points are redeemed through the Southwest Rapid Rewards program, primarily for flights on the airline, though they can also be used for other travel, merchandise, and gift cards.
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card: Rewards points are highly flexible and can be redeemed for travel, cash back, and gift cards, or transferred to a number of airline and hotel partners.
Travel Perks
- Travel Portal and Partners: The Southwest Priority card keeps you within the airline’s ecosystem, with points redeemable through the Rapid Rewards program primarily for flights. In contrast, the Autograph card offers more freedom; its points can be used on the Wells Fargo travel portal or transferred to a diverse set of airline and hotel partners.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: Both cards are excellent companions for international travel, as neither charges a foreign transaction fee.
- Airline-Specific Perks: The Southwest Priority card is packed with benefits for the carrier’s loyal customers, including an annual Southwest travel credit, several upgraded boardings each year, and a percentage back on in-flight purchases. The Autograph card, being a generalist, doesn't offer perks tied to a single airline.
- Airport Lounge Access: If airport lounge access is a must-have, you’ll need to look elsewhere, as neither of these cards offers it as a complimentary benefit.
- Travel and Other Protections: Both cards come with a suite of protections. The Southwest Priority card includes benefits like baggage delay reimbursement and lost luggage reimbursement. The Wells Fargo Autograph card offers its own valuable protections, including an auto rental collision damage waiver and cell phone protection when you pay your monthly bill with the card.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
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Who Should Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is tailor-made for frequent flyers who are loyal to the airline and can take full advantage of its premium perks. This includes travelers aiming to earn A-List status or the highly sought-after Companion Pass®, as the card's spending contributes to both. Ultimately, its value is most apparent for domestic travelers and families who fly Southwest multiple times a year, making the annual travel credit and upgraded boardings especially worthwhile.
Who Should Choose the Wells Fargo Autograph?
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card is an excellent choice for consumers seeking a powerful rewards card without the burden of an annual fee. It's particularly well-suited for individuals whose spending is concentrated in everyday categories like dining, travel, gas, transit, and popular streaming services, as it offers an unlimited 3x points on these purchases. Those who value straightforward perks like cell phone protection and no foreign transaction fees will also find this card to be a compelling option, according to a NerdWallet review.
Alternatives to Consider
If our Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority vs Wells Fargo Autograph comparison has you feeling like neither card is the right fit, don't worry. There are plenty of other great travel and cash-back cards on the market to consider.
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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score - Most rewards cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
- Plan your spending - Make sure you can comfortably meet the welcome offer's spending requirement without overspending.
- Know your rewards strategy - Research the card’s transfer partners or redemption options to ensure they align with your goals.
Application Strategy
- Time your application - Coincide your application with large planned purchases or specific loyalty program goals.
- Know the issuer's rules - Be aware of policies that might affect your approval or welcome offer eligibility.
- Explore upgrade options - Check if you can upgrade an existing card instead of submitting a new application.
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
Which card is better if I don't fly Southwest exclusively?
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers more flexibility, as its points can be used for various travel redemptions beyond a single airline. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card's benefits are almost entirely tied to flying with Southwest.
Can I transfer Wells Fargo Rewards points to Southwest Airlines?
No, you cannot directly transfer points from the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card to the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. Wells Fargo has its own set of transfer partners, which does not include Southwest Airlines.
What are the annual fees for these cards?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card comes with a $149 annual fee. In contrast, the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card has no annual fee.
Do the rewards earned on these cards expire?
Southwest Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as your account remains open. Similarly, Wells Fargo Rewards points do not expire as long as your account is open and in good standing.
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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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