Is the Southwest Plus still worth $99 a year?
At renewal there's no welcome bonus left, just the fee against what the card earns and the credits you actually use. Here's that renewal year for three spending profiles, compared with switching to a no-fee card. Terms verified Oct 5, 2026.
| Profile | Southwest Plus after fee | Best alternative | Pays | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday spender About $2,000 a month, mostly groceries and errands, one trip a year. | $269 | Freedom Flex | $495 | Cancel or downgrade Keep only if companion perks and free checked bags are worth over $226 a year to you. |
| Balanced About $3,500 a month with a few trips a year and regular dining out. | $521 | Wells Fargo Autograph | $811 | Cancel or downgrade Keep only if companion perks and free checked bags are worth over $290 a year to you. |
| Frequent traveler About $5,000 a month, heavy on flights, hotels and restaurants, some trips abroad. | $803 | Wells Fargo Autograph | $1,370 | Cancel or downgrade Keep only if companion perks and free checked bags are worth over $567 a year to you. |
Profiles use typed totals, so merchant credits (rideshare, delivery, streaming) aren't counted here. They assume you fly mostly Southwest, and count companion fares and checked bags only once you say you use them.Answer a few questions in the calculator below and the verdict updates.
The credits, and what it takes to use them
Up to $280 a year on paper. They only offset the fee to the extent you'd have spent that money anyway.
| Credit | How it works |
|---|---|
| Complimentary DashPass membership for 12 months ($120 value) | 12 months of DashPass (DoorDash and Caviar) the first time you activate it with the card, between 2/1/2025 and 12/31/2027. Then auto-renews at the paid monthly rate. One-time, not yearly. endsOn is the activation deadline. Needs enrollment. Ends Dec 31, 2027. |
| $10 quarterly DoorDash promo on a non-restaurant order | One $10-off promo per calendar quarter on a non-restaurant DoorDash order (subtotal only), for DashPass members who activated DashPass with the card. No rollover. After the free DashPass year it needs a paid DashPass. Needs enrollment. Ends Dec 31, 2027. |
| $10 monthly Instacart credit (with Instacart+) | One $10 credit each month on an Instacart order of $10+ with one retailer, while you have an active Instacart+ membership activated with the card at instacart.com/p/chase-cobrands. The card includes 3 months of Instacart+ free (activate 5/1/2025-12/31/2027); after that Instacart+ costs $99/yr. No rollover. Ends Dec 31, 2027. |
Run it on your own spending
The calculator needs JavaScript. The table above is precomputed.
The calculator needs JavaScript. The table above is precomputed.
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