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Card Comparison

American Express Gold Card vs Southwest Premier

Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.

American Express Gold Card card art
American Express Membership Rewards
American Express Gold Card
American Express
More Info
Southwest Premier card art
Southwest Rapid Rewards
Southwest Premier
Chase
More Info
Annual Fee
$325/yr
$149/yr
Foreign Fees
None
None
Signup Bonus
90,000 points
Spend $6,000 in 6 months
85,000 points
Spend $3,000 in 3 months
Top Earn Rates
  • Restaurants (Worldwide) 4x
  • U.S. Supermarkets 4x
  • Flights (Direct or Amex Travel) 3x
  • Southwest Purchases 3x
  • Grocery Stores and Restaurants 2x
  • All Other Purchases 1x
Reward Type
miles
miles
Key Credits
  • Uber Cash $10
  • Dining Credit $10
  • Resy Credit $100
  • +1 more
None
Card Perks
  • The Hotel Collection Access
  • Baggage Insurance Plan
  • Trip Delay Insurance
None listed
Spend Milestones
No milestones
  • 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List status
    After $5,000 spend
Transfer Partners
  • Flying Blue
  • Delta SkyMiles
  • True Blue
  • Qatar Avios
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • +13 more
No transfer partners

Common Questions: American Express Gold Card vs Southwest Premier

Is the American Express Gold Card or Southwest Premier better for dining?

American Express Gold Card earns 4x on dining; Southwest Premier earns 2x on dining. American Express Gold Card wins for dining.

Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?

American Express Gold Card currently offers 90,000 pts signup bonus (spend $6,000 in 6 months). Southwest Premier offers 85,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). American Express Gold Card has the larger bonus.

Which card is better for international travel?

Both cards charge no foreign transaction fees, making either a solid choice for international travel.

Can I hold both the American Express Gold Card and the Southwest Premier?

In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. American Express Gold Card is from American Express and Southwest Premier is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.