SIDE A
A
Chase · Visa
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
VS.
×
SIDE B
B
Chase · Visa
United Explorer Card
FILING
Head-to-Head · Plastic Quarterly
Both cards come from Chase with similar signup bonuses and no foreign transaction fees, but they cater to different travelers. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card focuses on Southwest loyalty with a higher annual fee of $149 but delivers $75 in annual travel credits and valuable perks like free upgraded boardings and Companion Pass earning potential. The United Explorer Card costs less at $95 annually and offers broader earning categories including dining and hotels, plus tangible benefits like free checked bags and United Club passes. Your choice depends entirely on which airline you actually fly and how you spend your money outside of air travel.
THE VERDICT
Our ruling.
“Choose Southwest if you're a loyal Southwest flyer planning to eventually reach Companion Pass status or taking 6+ Southwest flights yearly. Choose United if you fly United occasionally, dine out frequently, or value the free checked bag benefit for yourself and travel companions more than airline-specific credits.”
CHOOSE A
Side A is for you if…
- 01You take multiple Southwest flights annually and want to work toward the valuable Companion Pass, which requires earning 125,000 points within a calendar year
- 02You value the $75 annual Southwest travel credit that essentially reduces your net fee to $74, plus 7,500 anniversary bonus points yearly
- 03You commute via public transit or use local transportation regularly, since the 2x points on transit and commuting is rare among travel cards
- 04You want guaranteed upgraded boarding opportunities through the 4 annual upgrades, which have real monetary value on crowded flights
CHOOSE B
Side B is for you if…
- 01You fly United 3-4 times per year or less and want a lower annual fee ($95 vs $149) without committing to heavy airline spending
- 02You dine out frequently and want to earn 2x miles on restaurants, giving you more earning flexibility beyond airline purchases
- 03You travel with companions and value free checked bags for both yourself and one companion on every United flight, worth $60-70 per round trip
- 04You stay at hotels booked directly with hotel websites and want 2x miles on those bookings, supplementing airline-focused earning categories
THE LEDGER
Side by side.
- ISSUER
- Chase
- Chase
- NETWORK
- Visa
- Visa
- ANNUAL FEE
- $149
- $95
- APR RANGE
- 21.49% – 28.49%
- 22.49% – 29.49%
- INTRO APR (PURCHASES)
- None
- None
- INTRO APR (BALANCE TRANSFERS)
- None
- None
- REWARDS TYPE
- points
- miles
- REWARDS RATE
- 1x points on all purchases
- 1x miles on all purchases
- SIGN-UP BONUS
- 50,000 points
- 50,000 miles
- BONUS VALUE
- $700
- $650
- MIN. CREDIT SCORE
- 700+
- 670+
- FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE
- None
- None
A HIGHLIGHTS
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- —$75 annual Southwest travel credit
- —7,500 anniversary bonus points each year
- —4 upgraded boardings per year when available
- —Earn toward Companion Pass
- —No foreign transaction fees
B HIGHLIGHTS
United Explorer Card
- —Free first checked bag for you and a companion
- —Two United Club one-time passes per year
- —25% back on United in-flight purchases
- —Priority boarding on United flights
- —No foreign transaction fees
QUESTIONS · ANSWERS
Frequently filed.
United Explorer edges ahead because the 2x dining category applies universally regardless of airline loyalty, while Southwest's bonus categories concentrate heavily on Southwest purchases. If you spend $500 monthly on dining ($6,000 yearly), United generates 12,000 miles versus Southwest's 6,000 points from the same spending. The free checked bag on United also delivers value that doesn't depend on reaching spending thresholds.