The Costco Anywhere Visa edges out the Southwest Premier for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers no current bonus earns more (up to 5x vs 3x). The Southwest Premier is the better choice if you prioritize a different rewards ecosystem.
Costco Anywhere Visa vs Southwest Premier
Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.
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 Premier 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.
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.
- Gas at Costco 5x
- Eligible Gas and EV Charging 4x
- Restaurants 3x
- Southwest Purchases 3x
- Grocery Stores and Restaurants 2x
- All Other Purchases 1x
- Costco Membership $65
- 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List statusAfter $5,000 spend
Quick summary
A short version of the comparison with the main differences at a glance.
The Costco Anywhere Visa edges out the Southwest Premier for most cardholders — it wins on 3 of 4 comparison categories and offers no current bonus earns more (up to 5x vs 3x). The Southwest Premier is the better choice if you prioritize a different rewards ecosystem. On raw upside, Costco Anywhere Visa tops out at 5x versus 3x for Southwest Premier. Current signup bonus values are roughly $0 for Costco Anywhere Visa and $850 for Southwest Premier. Updated June 4, 2026. Source: https://cardcurator.ai/compare/costco-anywhere-visa-vs-southwest-premier
- Costco Anywhere Visa wins 3 of 4 comparison categories in CardCurator's quick verdict model.
- Top earn rate: Costco Anywhere Visa reaches 5x; Southwest Premier reaches 3x.
- Annual fee: Costco Anywhere Visa is no annual fee; Southwest Premier is $149/yr.
- Current public bonus values are approximately $0 and $850.
Common Questions: Costco Anywhere Visa vs Southwest Premier
Is the Costco Anywhere Visa or Southwest Premier better for dining?
Costco Anywhere Visa earns 3x on dining; Southwest Premier earns 2x on dining. Costco Anywhere Visa wins for dining.
Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?
Costco Anywhere Visa currently offers no current bonus. Southwest Premier offers 85,000 pts signup bonus (spend $2,000 in 3 months). Southwest Premier 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 Premier?
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 Premier 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.