The Bilt Palladium Card edges out the Southwest Plus for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers 50,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 6x vs 2x). The Southwest Plus is the better choice if you want no or lower annual fee.
Bilt Palladium Card vs Southwest Plus
Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.
Comparison Method
CardCurator compares measurable differences first: annual fee, current welcome offer, top-end earning, and recurring credits. If the cards are close, the right answer depends on spending pattern and perk usage rather than headline prestige.
- Dining 6x
- Travel 3x
- Rent 2x
- Southwest Purchases 2x
- Gas Stations and Grocery Stores 2x
- All Other Purchases 1x
- Bilt Travel Hotel Credit $200
- $200 Bilt Cash $200
- Priority Pass $469
- Priority Pass Select
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status
- IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
- +2 more
- Atmos Rewards
- Avianca LifeMiles
- United MileagePlus
- Flying Blue
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- +19 more
Quick summary
A short version of the comparison with the main differences at a glance.
The Bilt Palladium Card edges out the Southwest Plus for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers 50,000 pts signup bonus earns more (up to 6x vs 2x). The Southwest Plus is the better choice if you want no or lower annual fee. On raw upside, Bilt Palladium Card tops out at 6x versus 2x for Southwest Plus. Current signup bonus values are roughly $1003 for Bilt Palladium Card and $800 for Southwest Plus. Updated May 30, 2026. Source: https://cardcurator.ai/compare/bilt-palladium-card-vs-southwest-plus
- Bilt Palladium Card wins 3 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: Bilt Palladium Card reaches 6x; Southwest Plus reaches 2x.
- Annual fee: Bilt Palladium Card is $495/yr; Southwest Plus is $99/yr.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $1003 and $800.
Common Questions: Bilt Palladium Card vs Southwest Plus
Is the Bilt Palladium Card or Southwest Plus better for dining?
Bilt Palladium Card earns 6x on dining; Southwest Plus has no dining bonus.
Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?
Bilt Palladium Card currently offers 50,000 pts signup bonus (spend $4,000 in 3 months). Southwest Plus offers 80,000 pts signup bonus (spend $1,000 in 3 months). Bilt Palladium 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 Bilt Palladium Card and the Southwest Plus?
In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. Bilt Palladium Card is from Cardless and Southwest Plus is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.