Editorial take: Bank of America Travel Rewards
The no-fee version of Premium Rewards. Only shines with BoA's Preferred Rewards boost, otherwise the Capital One VentureOne or Wells Fargo Autograph beat it.
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Side-by-side
Bank of America Travel Rewards vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
Both are well-respected travel cards. The Bank of America Travel Rewards comes from Bank of America at $0/yr; the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority from Chase at $229/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($590 more in estimated value) than the Bank of America Travel Rewards's. Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority first; revisit the Bank of America Travel Rewards after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Bank of America Travel Rewards | Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $229 |
| Sign-up bonus | 25,000 points | 60,000 points |
| Bonus value (est.) | $250 | $840 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $1,000 in 3 mo | $2,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | Bank of America | Chase |
| Card category | travel | airline |
| Best earning category (All_purchases) | 1.5x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | None | None |
| Headline benefits |
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Read the full review
Bank of America Travel Rewards
$0/yr · 25,000 points
Read the full review
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
$229/yr · 60,000 points
Editorial take: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
If Southwest is your airline, this is the card to have. The anniversary points and $75 travel credit help offset the annual fee, and the 4x earning on Southwest is class-leading among airline cards.
Common questions
- Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Bank of America Travel Rewards or Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority has the bigger bonus, 60,000 points, worth roughly $840, versus 25,000 points (~$250) on the Bank of America Travel Rewards.
- Is the Bank of America Travel Rewards's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
- The Bank of America Travel Rewards has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority's $229 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority's benefits to clear $229 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the Bank of America Travel Rewards.
- Can I have both the Bank of America Travel Rewards and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
- Yes, since they're from different issuers (Bank of America and Chase) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
- Should I get the Bank of America Travel Rewards or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority first?
- Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bank of America Travel Rewards: $1,000 spend in 3 months. Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority: $2,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.
Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.