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Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier vs Capital One SavorOne: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: This card is ideal for frequent Southwest flyers looking to earn points and enjoy travel benefits on the airline.
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card is great for earning cash back on everyday spending like dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Breakdown
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Why We Like It
With a rewards structure tailored for Southwest loyalists and perks that streamline the travel experience, this card is a compelling option worth a closer look.
- The card enhances your travel day with benefits like complimentary checked bags and priority boarding.
- It provides a clear path to earning A-List elite status and the coveted Companion Pass faster.
- Cardholders receive annual bonus points and flight discounts that add consistent value year after year.
Pros
- Earns bonus points on Southwest flights, as well as on select everyday spending categories like groceries and dining.
- Points can be redeemed for any available seat with no blackout dates, and award flights can be changed or canceled without fees.
- Cardholders enjoy perks like complimentary EarlyBird Check-Ins and discounts on in-flight purchases.
Cons
- The rewards program is less flexible than general travel cards, as points cannot be transferred to other airline or hotel partners.
- It lacks premium travel benefits like airport lounge access, which are often available on cards with a similar annual fee.
- Bonus rewards on some everyday spending categories are capped, and several other bonus categories are being discontinued.
Capital One SavorOne Rewards Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at what makes the Capital One SavorOne Rewards (See Rates & Fees) card a standout choice, particularly for its generous rewards on dining and entertainment.
- You’ll earn unlimited, enhanced cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores.
- Your cash back rewards are simple to redeem and won't expire for the life of the account.
- The card offers access to exclusive events and dining experiences through Capital One's entertainment and dining portals.
Pros
- Generous cash back rewards on popular spending categories like dining, entertainment, streaming services, and at grocery stores.
- Flexible redemption options with no minimums, plus no foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad.
- Access to exclusive entertainment and dining experiences through Capital One's dedicated portals.
Cons
- An annual fee applies, and there is no welcome bonus for new cardholders.
- Lacks an introductory APR offer on new purchases.
- Fewer perks are offered compared to the SavorOne card designed for those with good-to-excellent credit.
Capital One SavorOne Rewards vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier
Categories
Deciding which is better, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier or Capital One SavorOne, depends entirely on your spending habits. Each card offers distinct advantages in different spending categories.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: This card is best for those who frequently fly with Southwest Airlines, as it offers the highest rewards on purchases made directly with the airline.
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card is ideal for everyday spending, providing bonus rewards on common purchases like dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores.
Redemption
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Rewards earned with this card are redeemed as points within the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. These points are primarily used for booking flights with the airline but can also be applied to other travel-related purchases through their portal.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card offers flexible redemption options for the cash back you earn. You can receive your rewards as a statement credit or a check, and you can also redeem them for gift cards or other options through Capital One's platform.
Travel Perks
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: The travel ecosystem for this card is exclusively tied to Southwest Airlines. Miles are redeemed for flights on the airline, and cardholders receive anniversary miles each year. While it lacks airport lounge access, it offers perks to enhance the travel day and provides a way to earn miles toward elite status. It does not charge foreign transaction fees.
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card taps into the flexible Capital One travel platform. Cardholders can use the Capital One Travel portal for bookings and can convert their rewards into miles with multiple airline transfer partners. A significant perk for travelers is that the card has no foreign transaction fees.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To eliminate the guesswork and find the card that truly matches your spending, a tool like Kudos can help you compare top-rated credit cards with personalized data.
- The ability to “test drive” a credit card using your actual spending data to see projected earnings before you apply.
- Receive a detailed analysis of your approval odds for different cards based on your credit report.
- A welcome offer guarantee that promises to match any better offer you find within three months of approval.
- Track your progress toward sign-up bonuses and monitor your transactions, spending, and credit score all in one place.
- Earn additional Kudos Boost rewards when shopping at your favorite stores.
Who Should Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is designed for semi-frequent Southwest Airlines flyers who want to earn points and value airline-specific perks without committing to a top-tier annual fee. These travelers fly Southwest enough to benefit from the two annual EarlyBird Check-Ins and the 6,000-point anniversary bonus. It is also an ideal tool for those strategically working to earn the Southwest Companion Pass or A-List status, thanks to an annual 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost and the ability to earn tier qualifying points through spending.
Who Should Choose the Capital One SavorOne Rewards?
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a strong contender for individuals with fair credit who want to earn rewards while building or rebuilding their credit history. It's particularly well-suited for people whose everyday spending includes a significant amount on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores. Ultimately, this card is ideal for someone who can leverage the generous cash-back categories to offset the annual fee and doesn't need an introductory APR offer.
Alternatives to Consider
If this Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier vs Capital One SavorOne comparison has left you undecided, other cards might be a better fit. Let's explore a few alternatives that could better align with your spending habits and rewards goals.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score - Different cards require different credit levels, from fair to excellent.
- Know the rules - Issuers often have application restrictions, like the Chase 5/24 rule.
- Plan your spending - Make sure you can naturally meet any minimum spending requirements for a welcome offer.
Application Strategy
- Use pre-approval tools - Check your odds with issuers like Capital One without a hard credit check.
- Time your application - Align your application with a large purchase to help meet spending goals.
- Mind the family rules - Be aware of restrictions on earning a bonus for cards in the same family, like with Southwest cards.
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
How do I choose between a travel-specific card and a general cash-back card?
Your choice should depend on your spending habits and goals. If you frequently fly with a specific airline, a co-branded card offers tailored perks, while a cash-back card provides more flexibility for everyday purchases.
Which card is better for someone who doesn't travel often?
Infrequent travelers will likely get more value from a card that rewards everyday spending categories like dining and entertainment. A travel-focused card's benefits are often tied to flying and may go unused.
What's more valuable, airline points or flexible cash back?
The value depends entirely on how you redeem your rewards. Airline points can offer high value when redeemed for flights, but cash back provides straightforward, versatile value that can be used for anything.
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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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