Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier vs Amex Green: Which Is Better In 2025?

American Express® Green Card Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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Here’s a breakdown of why the American Express® Green Card (See Rates & Fees) is a compelling option for many travelers.

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• Cardholders earn generous rewards on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases.
• The card offers excellent redemption flexibility, with the ability to transfer points to many different airline and hotel loyalty programs.
• Travelers can take advantage of annual statement credits and travel protections that add significant value.

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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.}

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Pros

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• Generous rewards categories: The card earns bonus points on a wide range of purchases, including an expansive definition of travel, transit, and dining worldwide.
• Flexible redemption options: Points can be transferred to a large number of airline and hotel partners, offering the potential for high-value redemptions.
• Valuable travel perks: Cardholders get annual statement credits for airport services, trip delay insurance, and pay no foreign transaction fees.

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Cons

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• The card has an annual fee that may not be justifiable for travelers who don’t take full advantage of its specific credits and transfer partners, according to a NerdWallet review.
• Maximizing the card’s value requires some effort, as the best redemptions come from transferring points to travel partners, while other options can be low-value.
• Some travel credits are for niche services that may not appeal to all cardholders, and a key lounge access benefit is being discontinued.

American Express® Green Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier

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Categories

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Deciding which is better, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier or Amex Green, depends entirely on your travel and spending habits. One card is tailored for loyalists of a specific airline, while the other offers broader flexibility for general travel and dining.

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• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is best for semi-frequent Southwest Airlines flyers who want to earn points and enjoy day-of-travel benefits to work toward elite status.
• American Express® Green Card is ideal for travelers who spend across a wide range of travel and dining categories and want the flexibility to transfer points to various airline and hotel partners.

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Redemption

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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Points are redeemed through the Southwest Rapid Rewards program, primarily for flights on the airline. This straightforward system is ideal for travelers loyal to Southwest.

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American Express® Green Card: Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for travel through the Amex portal or transferred to a wide network of airline and hotel partners. This provides significant flexibility for travelers who aren't tied to a single brand.

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Travel Perks

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• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
  • The travel ecosystem is built exclusively around the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards program.
  • Cardholders benefit from no foreign transaction fees.
  • It does not include general airport lounge access but offers other day-of-travel benefits with the airline.
• American Express® Green Card
  • The ecosystem is broad, offering access to the American Express travel portal and a wide network of airline and hotel transfer partners.
  • This card also has no foreign transaction fees.
  • It provides statement credits for CLEAR Plus and for airport lounge access purchased through LoungeBuddy. Terms apply.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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To make the right choice, a tool like Kudos can help you compare top-rated cards based on your actual spending.

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• The ability to ‘test drive’ any credit card using your real transaction history to see personalized earnings projections before you apply, without a hard credit pull.
• A welcome offer guarantee that matches any better public offer you find within three months of approval.
• Detailed analysis of your approval odds based on your credit report.
• An autofill feature that selects the best card at checkout to maximize rewards on every purchase.
• Access to a comparison database of nearly 3,000 credit cards, with recommendations based on your spending rather than commissions.

Who Should Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier?

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The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is an excellent mid-tier option for semifrequent Southwest flyers who want valuable perks without the high price tag of a premium card. Cardholders can easily offset the $149 annual fee by taking advantage of benefits like two annual EarlyBird Check-Ins, a free first checked bag, and 6,000 anniversary bonus points. It's also a strategic choice for those looking to earn points toward A-List status or the highly sought-after Companion Pass through their spending.

Who Should Choose the American Express® Green Card?

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The American Express® Green Card is designed for travelers who spend significantly on dining and transit and want to earn flexible rewards. It's an ideal match for those willing to put in the effort to transfer points to airline and hotel partners to maximize their value. Potential cardholders should be able to offset the $150 annual fee by using the card's travel credits, such as the statement credit for a CLEAR® Plus membership (Terms apply).

Alternatives to Consider

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So, you've weighed the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier vs Amex Green comparison and neither card feels like a winner? Not to worry—plenty of other travel rewards cards might be a better fit for your spending and travel style.

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Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score to ensure it meets the card's recommended range.
• Plan your spending to meet the welcome offer requirements without overspending.
• Review application rules, as issuers may have restrictions based on your card history.

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Application Strategy

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• Know the issuer's rules, as some, like Chase's 5/24 rule, can impact your approval odds.
• Confirm your bonus eligibility, since you may be ineligible if you've recently had a card from the same issuer.
• Find the best application channel, which could be directly with the bank or through a trusted partner platform.

Our Methodology

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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.

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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

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Which card offers more flexible travel rewards?

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The American Express® Green Card generally provides more flexibility, as its Membership Rewards points can be transferred to various airline and hotel partners (Terms Apply). The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card earns points primarily redeemable for flights with Southwest Airlines.

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Can I use points from the Amex Green Card for Southwest flights?

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You cannot directly transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. However, it is possible to book Southwest flights using your card through the AmexTravel.com portal.

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Which card is better for someone who only flies Southwest?

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If you are a loyal Southwest Airlines flyer, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card is specifically designed to maximize rewards and benefits within that ecosystem. The American Express® Green Card offers broader travel credits and rewards that are not tied to a single airline.

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