Which card has a lower annual fee, Citi Double Cash Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card?

The Citi Double Cash Card has no annual fee, compared to $149 for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card.

Which card earns more cash back, Citi Double Cash Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card?

The Citi Double Cash Card earns 2.0% base cash back, while the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card earns 1.0%. The best choice depends on your spending habits. Use the calculator to see which card earns you more.

Is the Citi Double Cash Card better than the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card?

It depends on your spending. If you spend more on categories where the Citi Double Cash Card offers higher rewards, it may be better. Use our calculator to compare based on your actual monthly spending.

Citi Double Cash® Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Which Card Wins for Your Spending?

Which earns more for you?

Travel ($)

Dining ($)

Groceries ($)

Gas ($)

Special ($)

Other ($)

Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.

Choosing between the Citi Double Cash® Card (no annual fee) and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card ($149/yr) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value. Let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.

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Meet the Contenders

Citi Double Cash Card

Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. Earns a solid 2.0% on everything else.

Annual fee: None Sign-up bonus: $200 after $1,500 spend in 6 months Foreign fees: 3%

Perfect if: You're comfortable booking through the issuer's own site for the best rate.

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Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card

3x on Southwest purchases, 2x on groceries and restaurants up to $8,000/year.

Annual fee: $149 Sign-up bonus: 55,000 points after $1,500 spend in 3 months Foreign fees: 0%

Perfect if: You want a strong rewards rate with no spending caps to worry about.

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Head-to-Head Comparison

Feature	Citi Double Cash Card	Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card
Annual Fee	$0	$149
Sign-Up Bonus	$200 after $1,500 spend in 6 months	55,000 points after $1,500 spend in 3 months
Foreign Transaction Fee	3%	0%
Base Reward Rate	2%	1%
Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above	5% through Citi Travel Earns 5% only on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel, Citi's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 2%.	3% on Southwest Earns 3% only on Southwest purchases. Flights on other airlines, hotels and car rentals earn 1%.
Key Benefits	Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.	3x on Southwest purchases, 2x on groceries and restaurants up to $8,000/year.

The Verdict

Citi Double Cash Card pulls ahead for travel, dining, groceries, gas spending.

The $149/year fee difference means Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.

Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.