The Costco Anywhere Visa edges out the Southwest Plus for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers no current bonus earns more (up to 5x vs 2x). The Southwest Plus is the better choice if you prioritize a different rewards ecosystem.
Costco Anywhere Visa vs Southwest Plus
Get the clearer winner first, see the specific exception case, and only personalize further if the decision is genuinely close.
Costco Anywhere Visa is the better choice for most people.
Costco Anywhere Visa wins the measurable comparison on this page. Choose Southwest Plus only if best if your main priority is the larger current welcome offer..
Best if you care most about stronger category earning on everyday spend.
Review Costco Anywhere VisaBest if your main priority is the larger current welcome offer.
Review Southwest PlusWhy we picked this winner
- Costco Anywhere Visa wins 3 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: Costco Anywhere Visa reaches 5x; Southwest Plus reaches 2x.
- Annual fee: Costco Anywhere Visa is no annual fee; Southwest Plus is $99/yr.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $0 and $800.
High-confidence recommendation
The winner has a clear edge in multiple measurable categories, so most readers do not need a deeper personalization step before acting.
Which Card Comes Out Ahead?
Costco Anywhere Visa is the stronger all-around option for most people in this matchup because it wins more measurable categories in our scoring model. Southwest Plus still makes sense if your spending pattern lines up better with its fee profile, issuer rules, or rewards ecosystem.
Best if you care most about stronger category earning on everyday spend.
Best if your main priority is the larger current welcome offer.
Why you can trust this answer
CardCurator compares measurable card economics first, then uses deeper rewards intelligence from program data, transfer partners, award charts, and live bonuses when a decision depends on the ecosystem behind the card rather than the card headline alone.
Personalize this answer without sharing sensitive data
Start with a few signals that usually decide close matchups: rough monthly spend, your top category, annual-fee tolerance, and whether you already hold either card.
This step is meant to break close ties without asking for uploads, account creation, or exact spending data.
Costco Anywhere Visa
Assumptions: default assumptions
Costco Anywhere Visa still comes out ahead after a light personalization pass, which suggests the recommendation is fairly robust.
- Gas at Costco 5x
- Eligible Gas and EV Charging 4x
- Restaurants 3x
- Southwest Purchases 2x
- Gas Stations and Grocery Stores 2x
- All Other Purchases 1x
- Costco Membership $65
Quick summary
A short version of the comparison with the main differences at a glance.
The Costco Anywhere Visa edges out the Southwest Plus for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers no current bonus earns more (up to 5x vs 2x). The Southwest Plus is the better choice if you prioritize a different rewards ecosystem. On raw upside, Costco Anywhere Visa tops out at 5x versus 2x for Southwest Plus. Current signup bonus values are roughly $0 for Costco Anywhere Visa and $800 for Southwest Plus. Summary generated July 26, 2026. Source: https://cardcurator.ai/compare/costco-anywhere-visa-vs-southwest-plus
- Costco Anywhere Visa wins 3 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: Costco Anywhere Visa reaches 5x; Southwest Plus reaches 2x.
- Annual fee: Costco Anywhere Visa is no annual fee; Southwest Plus is $99/yr.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $0 and $800.
Common Questions: Costco Anywhere Visa vs Southwest Plus
Is the Costco Anywhere Visa or Southwest Plus better for dining?
Costco Anywhere Visa earns 3x on dining; Southwest Plus has no dining bonus.
Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?
Costco Anywhere Visa currently offers no current bonus. Southwest Plus offers 80,000 pts signup bonus (spend $1,000 in 3 months). Southwest Plus 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 Costco Anywhere Visa 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. Costco Anywhere Visa is from Citi and Southwest Plus is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.
Keep Researching
If this matchup is close, the stronger next step is usually to read the full card reviews or use a broader ranking page instead of comparing random pairs one by one.