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Guest
How do I upgrade my Southwest credit card to a higher-tier version?
Upgrading my Southwest credit card to a higher-tier version wasn’t something I planned at first — it kind of happened by accident, but now it’s one of those travel moves I’m really glad I made.
A couple of years back I had the basic Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card. I liked it well enough — the points helped with free flights, and it came with a free checked bag — but I kept hearing people talk about the perks of the higher-tier cards (especially the Priority card). I wasn’t totally sure it was worth the extra annual fee, so I stuck with the basic card for a long time.
Then last winter I booked a holiday trip to Nashville and, in true me fashion, waited until the last minute. I ended up having to buy “Upgraded Boarding” at the gate, and when the agent noticed my card was Southwest-branded, she mentioned something I hadn’t really paid attention to: some of the higher-tier Southwest cards actually reimburse Upgraded Boarding charges. That was a lightbulb moment for me, because I burn through those upgrades pretty fast on busy flights.
When I got home, I logged into my online banking and pulled up my card details. I saw there was an option to request a product change or upgrade right there in the portal. I clicked through, selected the Priority card, and submitted the request. A few days later, I got a message saying the request was approved and my new card was on the way.
The best part wasn’t just the annual Upgraded Boarding credits — it was all the smaller perks that came along with the Priority tier. The $75 Southwest travel credit every year alone has saved me more than the difference in fees. I also noticed my boarding positions were friendlier because I started stacking things like EarlyBird and credits.
A couple of tips if you’re thinking about doing the same:
- Check your current benefits first. Make sure you’re actually getting more value from the upgrade than the extra fee costs.
- Call customer service if you don’t see the upgrade option online. There were times I just couldn’t find it in the app, and a quick call got me going.
- Watch for targeted offers. Sometimes Southwest or Chase will send bonus offers to entice you to upgrade.
All in all, upgrading my Southwest card was smooth and totally worthwhile for how I travel now — especially since I fly Southwest more often than not.