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Side-by-side

Citi Diamond Preferred Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority

Both are well-respected travel cards. The Citi Diamond Preferred Card comes from Citi 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 ($840 more in estimated value) than the Citi Diamond Preferred Card's. Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority first; revisit the Citi Diamond Preferred Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureCiti Diamond Preferred CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority
Annual fee$0$229
Sign-up bonusNo welcome bonus; product is a 0% intro APR balance-transfer card with no rewards program60,000 points
Bonus value (est.)-$840
Min spend to unlock bonus-$2,000 in 3 mo
IssuerCitiChase
Card categoryairline
Transfer partnersNoneNone
Headline benefits
    • 7,500 anniversary points
    • $75 annual travel credit
    • 4 upgraded boardings/year
    • 4x on Southwest
    Read the full review
    Citi Diamond Preferred Card
    $0/yr · No welcome bonus; product is a 0% intro APR balance-transfer card with no rewards program
    Read the full review
    Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
    $229/yr · 60,000 points

    Editorial take: Citi Diamond Preferred Card

    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, Citi Diamond Preferred Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
    The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority has a public bonus (60,000 points, worth roughly $840), while the Citi Diamond Preferred Card doesn't advertise one right now.
    Is the Citi Diamond Preferred Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
    The Citi Diamond Preferred Card 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 Citi Diamond Preferred Card.
    Can I have both the Citi Diamond Preferred Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
    Yes, since they're from different issuers (Citi 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 Citi Diamond Preferred Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority first?
    Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Citi Diamond Preferred Card: no published min spend. 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.