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Side-by-side

Mastercard Black Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority

Both are well-respected travel cards. The Mastercard Black Card comes from Barclays (Luxury Card) at $699/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 Mastercard Black Card's. Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority first; revisit the Mastercard Black Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureMastercard Black CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority
Annual fee$699$229
Sign-up bonusNo public welcome offer60,000 points
Bonus value (est.)$0$840
Min spend to unlock bonus$0 in 0 mo$2,000 in 3 mo
IssuerBarclays (Luxury Card)Chase
Card categorytravelairline
Best earning category (Luxury_card_travel)2x1x
Transfer partnersNoneNone
Headline benefits
  • $200 airline credit
  • $100 dining credit
  • Priority Pass Select
  • 1.5cpp cash back, 2cpp airfare
  • 7,500 anniversary points
  • $75 annual travel credit
  • 4 upgraded boardings/year
  • 4x on Southwest
Read the full review
Mastercard Black Card
$699/yr · No public welcome offer
Read the full review
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
$229/yr · 60,000 points

Editorial take: Mastercard Black Card

The mid tier of the Barclays Luxury Card lineup. The $200 airline + $100 dining credits offset $300 of the $699 AF before lounge value, and the 1.5cpp cash-back rate is the best of the Luxury Card tiers. Still hard to beat Sapphire Reserve or Venture X on transferable-points flexibility, but the all-stainless body and concierge appeal to some.

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, Mastercard Black Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority has the bigger bonus, 60,000 points, worth roughly $840, versus No public welcome offer (~$0) on the Mastercard Black Card.
Is the Mastercard Black Card's $699 annual fee worth it compared to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
Premium cards like the Mastercard Black Card ($699/yr) earn their fee through credits, travel, dining, lounge access, statement reimbursements. If you'd actively use $699+ of those credits, the math works. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority at $229/yr trades some perks for a lower commitment.
Can I have both the Mastercard Black Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (Barclays (Luxury Card) 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 Mastercard Black Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Mastercard Black Card: $0 spend in 0 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.