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Side-by-side

Mastercard Gold Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority

Both are well-respected travel cards. The Mastercard Gold Card comes from Barclays (Luxury Card) at $1199/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 Gold Card's. Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority first; revisit the Mastercard Gold Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureMastercard Gold CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority
Annual fee$1199$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
  • $300 airline credit
  • $200 dining credit
  • $120 Global Entry credit
  • 2cpp cash back or airfare
  • 7,500 anniversary points
  • $75 annual travel credit
  • 4 upgraded boardings/year
  • 4x on Southwest
Read the full review
Mastercard Gold Card
$1199/yr · No public welcome offer
Read the full review
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
$229/yr · 60,000 points

Editorial take: Mastercard Gold Card

The top tier of Barclays' Luxury Card lineup at $1,199. The $300 airline + $200 dining + $120 Global Entry credits chip away at the AF (about $620 of stated value before lounge access), and the 2cpp redemption on cash back is unusual. Still a status play more than a smart-points play; Amex Platinum or Sapphire Reserve win on credits-to-fee math for most travelers. Authorized-user fee is steep at $349 each.

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 Gold 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 Gold Card.
Is the Mastercard Gold Card's $1199 annual fee worth it compared to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?
Premium cards like the Mastercard Gold Card ($1199/yr) earn their fee through credits, travel, dining, lounge access, statement reimbursements. If you'd actively use $1199+ 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 Gold 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 Gold Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Mastercard Gold 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.