As I wrote remaining yr, main adjustments to the Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card (see charges and costs) satisfied me to cancel my card earlier than the following annual charge got here due in April. But if I known as to cancel, Chase presented me a commentary credit score to hide the following annual charge — necessarily giving me get right of entry to to all of the card’s advantages for any other yr without charge.
I figured why no longer stay the cardboard for any other yr to peer how a lot I finally end up flying Southwest and the way treasured the brand new bank card perks in point of fact are?
That was once a month in the past, and my Precedence card has already come in useful. When United left me striking on a contemporary paintings shuttle, Southwest was once there for me, and the cardboard scored me an extra-legroom seat on a five-and-a-half-hour flight — without spending a dime.
Similar: Southwest Fast Rewards: How you can earn and redeem issues, elite standing and extra
Southwest got here in snatch
Ahead of renewing my card, I had just about stopped flying Southwest. I wasn’t extremely joyful with the service’s sweeping adjustments or its bank card overhaul. And whilst I had persistently flown Southwest to discuss with my oldsters at least one time a yr during the last decade-plus, they lately moved to Asheville, North Carolina, an airport that Southwest does not serve.
After such a lot of years, it gave the impression my courting with Southwest had reached its ultimate vacation spot.
So, after I had to trip from my house base in Denver to Fortress Lauderdale for a piece convention, I booked a nonstop flight on United (my go-to airline since Southwest’s revamp). Then, a couple of weeks earlier than the shuttle, United alerted me that that they had canceled my afternoon flight and moved me to a night flight — which might land at nighttime the night time earlier than my convention.
No longer short of to be a zombie for my paintings tournament, I seemed into different choices. Fortunately, Southwest had an instantaneous flight that departed round the similar time as my unique flight. I gladly rebooked (and were given a complete refund from United as it had brought about the time table alternate).
This was once sufficient to persuade me to check out Southwest once more, and it gave me an opportunity to check out a few of my card’s new perks. I hadn’t flown Southwest because the card replace; I hadn’t even skilled the service’s new assigned seating coverage but.
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It was once time for me to step into the new generation of flying Southwest.
The seat improve procedure
The Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card offers cardholders get right of entry to to “most well-liked” seats (close to the entrance of the airplane) at reserving. This may have got me to my convention resort a couple of mins previous, however in a different way isn’t a perk that is usually price a lot to me.
What in point of fact me was once the opportunity of upgrading to an extra-legroom seat without spending a dime 48 hours earlier than departure, any other perk for cardholders. When Southwest introduced its first-ever extra-legroom seats remaining yr, complimentary upgrades had been touted as probably the most highlights of the Precedence card, however I used to be skeptical that I might in reality have the ability to snag one.
To provide myself the most efficient probability, I logged into my Southwest account a bit of earlier than the 48-hour mark so I might be in a position to improve once conceivable.
Once I checked the improve choices 5 mins earlier than that, the seat map confirmed a handful of extra-legroom seats to be had, ranging in value from $78 to $84.
Once I checked once more precisely 48 hours earlier than departure, the associated fee had dropped to 0. A few the extra-legroom seats had been already long past, suggesting different passengers — most definitely cardholders or A-Checklist participants — had had the similar thought as me.
The improve procedure was once easy. I clicked my seat of selection, an aisle seat within the emergency go out row, then adopted the activates to substantiate the complimentary improve.
What is that this perk price?
At most effective 5’2″, I do not price more legroom up to some passengers. However I nonetheless preferred the additional house in this four-hour flight, which ended up being nearer to 6 hours because of a weather-induced floor forestall in Denver.
Plus, my row had most effective two seats as an alternative of 3. If I were touring with my spouse, I will have used this perk to get us a complete row to ourselves.
That is since the Precedence card’s most well-liked and extra-legroom seat advantages practice to cardholders and as much as 8 partners at the identical reservation. You’ll want to save loads of bucks by way of leveraging this card to get loose upgrades for your entire circle of relatives — in concept.
I say that as a result of, after I upgraded my seat on the 48-hour mark, there were not many extra-legroom seats to be had subsequent to one another. There have been a pair pairs, and the remaining had been lone center seats.
So if you are touring with a gaggle, you might have to make a choice from upgrading your seats and sitting in combination. In the event you incessantly trip with a spouse, then again, your odds of scoring two extra-legroom seats in combination are significantly better.
Similar: How you can earn and use the Southwest Significant other Move
Did this variation my thoughts?
On one hand, I used to be inspired with how simple it was once to improve my seat without spending a dime. However will or not it’s price renewing my Precedence card in 2027, on the new annual charge of $229?
That hinges on how a lot I finally end up flying Southwest this yr.
I’m going to definitely be taking a better take a look at Southwest after I e-book flights at some point. If the service serves my vacation spot — and its community has been ceaselessly rising, with new home routes and a number of other global companions — I’m going to be a lot more susceptible to select Southwest figuring out I’ve a excellent shot at scoring more legroom.
Chase’s be offering turns out to have executed its activity: It satisfied me no longer most effective to stay the cardboard (for now), but in addition to offer Southwest any other glance.
Similar: Easiest Southwest Airways bank cards
Present Southwest bank card provides
If more legroom is tempting you so as to add the Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card in your pockets, you’ll get an increased welcome bonus presently. You’ll earn 90,000 Fast Rewards bonus issues after spending $3,000 throughout the first 3 months from account opening — that is price an outstanding $1,125 by way of TPG’s Might 2026 valuations.
Southwest has two different cobranded playing cards, each providing increased bonuses presently. Those do not supply complimentary extra-legroom upgrades, however they arrive with different perks whilst you fly Southwest, like loose checked luggage, seat variety and precedence boarding:
The guidelines for the Southwest Premier Card has been amassed independently by way of The Issues Man. The cardboard main points in this web page have no longer been reviewed or equipped by way of the cardboard issuer.
Similar: Fly Southwest no less than two times a yr? Here is why the Southwest Plus is sensible for you
Base line
This enjoy jogged my memory that the arena of trip and loyalty is continuously converting. I believed I used to be executed with Southwest after the service’s sweeping adjustments, however a unmarried bank card perk satisfied me to offer it a 2d probability.
It additionally taught me how simple it’s to get a card’s annual charge waived (no less than, for 12 months). If you are feeling not sure about preserving a card, it is price calling the retention division to peer if you’ll get a yr’s price of perks without spending a dime, or any other retention bonus. Possibly you’ll be able to finally end up converting your thoughts, or perhaps no longer — however both method, you’ll probably squeeze any other yr’s price of price out of the cardboard with out paying any other annual charge.
Similar: Without equal information to Southwest bank card eligibility
