Paying your Southwest Gas bill with a credit card can be a convenient way to earn rewards and manage your expenses. However Southwest Gas does charge a convenience fee for credit card payments. In this guide we’ll walk through the process of paying your Southwest Gas bill with a credit card and outline some tips to make sure you maximize your rewards without extra fees.
Overview of Paying Southwest Gas Bills with a Credit Card
Southwest Gas serves more than 2 million customers in Arizona, Nevada, and some parts of California with natural gas. You can pay your gas bill in a number of ways, such as online, over the phone, through the mail, or at a valid payment location. Southwest Gas doesn’t charge extra for debit cards, checks, or cash, but there is a convenience fee for using a credit card.
The convenience fee for paying your Southwest Gas bill with a credit card is $3.95 per transaction for residential customers. There is no cap on the fee, so whether your bill is $50 or $500, the $3.95 convenience fee would apply. This fee goes directly to the third-party vendor Southwest Gas uses to process credit card transactions.
So, is it still worth it to use a credit card? That depends on your situation and the rewards program for your card. The key is to get the most rewards over time while paying the least amount of fees.
Maximizing Rewards and Minimizing Fees
Here are some tips to consider if you want to pay your Southwest Gas bill with a credit card:
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Use a rewards card with a high earning rate – Make sure to use a credit card that offers robust rewards on everyday purchases, such as 2% or more cashback on all purchases. This helps offset the convenience fee.
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Pay online—Southwest Gas charges a fee for credit card payments made online, over the phone, or through their mobile app. But if you pay online, you don’t have to wait for a check to be processed.
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Pay multiple bills at once – You can pay your Southwest Gas bill as well as any other Southwest Gas Holdings bills (such as another gas utility) in a single transaction for one $3.95 fee.
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Pay once a year or every three months: If you pay your Southwest Gas bill less often but in larger amounts, you can avoid paying as many convenience fees and still get rewards.
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Use bill pay – Many banks offer bill pay services that let you pay bills directly from your bank account with no fee. You can set up Southwest Gas as a payee and avoid the credit card fee while still earning rewards if your card is linked to the bill pay service.
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Use a card with no foreign transaction fee – The vendor Southwest Gas uses to process credit card transactions is considered an international vendor by some card issuers. Certain credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee, so pick a card without this extra fee.
Step-by-Step Guide to Paying Your Bill Online
Paying your Southwest Gas bill with a credit card online is quick and easy. Just follow these steps:
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Sign in to your Southwest Gas account on swgas.com or open the Southwest Gas mobile app.
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Select “Pay Bill” from your account menu.
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Enter your credit card information when prompted. Make sure your billing address matches what your card issuer has on file.
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Review the amount owed and convenience fee amount before submitting.
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You should receive an email confirmation with your payment details.
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Log into your credit card account to verify the payment went through without any additional fees beyond the $3.95 convenience fee charged by Southwest Gas.
And that’s it! By paying with a card that earns robust rewards, you can offset the Southwest Gas convenience fee and even come out ahead. Just be sure to monitor your credit card statements and Southwest Gas account to make sure there aren’t any unexpected fees or issues with your payments.
Tips for Managing Your Southwest Gas Account and Payments
In addition to maximizing your rewards when paying your bill, here are some other tips for managing your Southwest Gas account:
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Sign up for paperless billing and autopay through Southwest Gas to avoid late fees or lapses in payment.
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Monitor your usage via the Southwest Gas online account portal and mobile app to avoid bill surprises. Adjust your usage if necessary to lower costs.
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Consider budget billing or an equal payment plan to have a predictable bill amount each month.
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Take advantage of Southwest Gas customer service if you need help understanding a bill or managing payments. Their team can explain charges and discuss payment plan options.
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Inform Southwest Gas anytime your account information like bank accounts or credit cards on file change to avoid disruptions.
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Leverage Southwest Gas alert notifications for things like high usage alerts or outages in your area so you can stay informed about your gas service.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Paying With Credit
While paying your utility bill with a credit card can be rewarding, it’s not the best option for everyone. Here are a few key pros and cons to consider:
Pros
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Earn cash back, points, or miles that can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, travel, and more
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Enjoy fraud protection and dispute resolution options with credit cards
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Build your credit history by using your card responsibly
Cons
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Credit card interest rates are usually higher than other financing options if you carry a balance
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Rewards don’t always outweigh added fees and interest
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Opening too many cards can negatively impact your credit score
As you can see, paying your Southwest Gas bill with a credit card has definite benefits but also some drawbacks to keep in mind. Evaluate your own financial habits and credit card savvy before deciding if it’s the right option for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cards earn the most rewards on Southwest Gas bill payments?
Cards like the Citi® Double Cash Card, Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, and the Chase Freedom Unlimited often earn among the highest flat-rate rewards on everyday purchases. All earn at least 1.5% back on all purchases.
Can I use a Southwest Gas gift card to pay my bill?
Yes, Southwest Gas allows you to pay your bill with a Southwest Gas gift card by entering the gift card number and PIN when making a payment. Gift card payments are fee-free.
What if I need to dispute a Southwest Gas credit card payment?
If there are any errors or issues with a Southwest Gas payment made by credit card, you can dispute the charges with your credit card issuer according to their dispute process. Southwest Gas can provide documentation like billing statements to help resolve disputes.
Can I pay multiple Southwest Gas accounts with one credit card payment?
Unfortunately, Southwest Gas does not allow combining payments across multiple Southwest Gas accounts into a single credit card payment. You have to pay each account separately.
What is the phone number to pay my Southwest Gas bill with a credit card?
To pay your Southwest Gas bill by phone with a credit card, call 1-877-860-6020 and follow the prompts. The $3.95 convenience fee will apply.
Paying your Southwest Gas utility bill with a credit card can simplify your finances while earning valuable rewards and perks. Just make sure to choose the right card for your needs and spend responsibly. Follow the tips in this guide to maximize your rewards potential on every tank of gas.
Residential Customer Items That Will Not Change
| Account Related | |
|---|---|
| California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) | CARE provides reduced energy rates for qualifying California residents. Youll continue to receive the CARE discount as long as you continue meeting program requirements. |
| Low Income Ratepayer Assistance (LIRA) | LIRA provides a reduction in the monthly basic service charge and a per-therm discount to qualifying Arizona residents. If youre currently enrolled and meeting program requirements, youll continue to receive the discount. |
| Billing history | Your billing history shows your bill date, due date and amount due. All that information will remain available for you to see on your account. |
| Usage history | Your usage history provides you with a snapshot of how much gas you used each month and will continue to be available for your reference. |
| Privacy options | Any requests made pertaining to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) or the Nevada Privacy Act (NPA) will remain on your account as requested. |
| Medical notification | If you informed us of a medical condition, that notification will transfer to your new account. |
| Payment Related | |
|---|---|
| Automatic Payment Plan (APP) | APP allows you to pay your bill by automatic withdrawal from your checking or savings account. If you are currently enrolled, your payments will continue to be drafted from your account. |
| Equal Payment Plan (EPP) | EPP allows you to pay your bill in equal monthly payments. Your enrollment in the program will not change and will continue as scheduled according to program guidelines. |
| Current payment arrangements | If you’re on a deferred payment agreement, it will continue for the duration of the agreement, but when you get your bills beginning in May, you’ll see it identified as an Installment Plan. |
| Payment history | Your payment history shows your payment date, amount, how it was paid and the status of the payment. Youll continue to be able to see the payment history on your account. |
| Digital | |
|---|---|
| Multiple MyAccount/mobile logins | Your MyAccount and mobile app login credentials will stay the same unless you have multiple log ins. If you do, only the one you most recently used will remain active. Youll have the ability to add up to five guest users who you can assign different levels of access to help you manage your account. Upon your first login, you’ll be prompted to complete our new two-factor authentication for added security. |
| Text notifications | If youre enrolled in text alerts for outages and/or, billing and payment reminders, youll continue to receive alerts based your current settings. |
| Paperless statements | If you are currently receiving your monthly bill electronically, you will continue to receive it that way. The only way this will change is if you change your billing preferences to receive a paper copy. If you’re not already receiving electronic bills, make managing your account even easier by going paperless. Log into MyAccount and select Paperless Billing to make the switch today. |
| New online portal: MyPledge | MyPledge is an all-new online portal that allows authorized utility assistance agencies access to obtain and manage customer account information and make pledges/guarantees. For agencies interested in using our new MyPledge portal you can access a quick training course on your desktop or smartphone here |
| Logins and profiles | MyPledge will have one admin user with full portal access and will be responsible for their users’ access. Agency Manager: Formerly the “General” role, the Agency Manager will have access to search Southwest Gas customer accounts, make pledges, perform address verification and request a quote letter. Agency Viewer: Formerly the “Inquiry” role, the Agency Viewer will have access to search Southwest Gas customer accounts, perform address verification and request a quote letter. |
| Search features | MyPledge provides additional security by not storing customer Social Security numbers. Instead, customers can be searched by last name and date of birth. |
| Pledge changes/updates | Pledges in our old system could only be changed by contacting a Southwest Gas employee. With MyPledge, agency users will be able to edit or cancel any of their pending pledges. |
| California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Low Income Ratepayer Assistance (LIRA) | Agencies were previously unable to identify customers enrolled in CARE or LIRA programs. These customers can now be visibly identified in MyPledge. |
| Account Related | |
|---|---|
| Account number | You’re going to get a new account number, but you’ll still be able to access your account with your old account number on swgas.com, in our automated phone system and with an agent. If making payments through your bank’s bill pay service, we recommend promptly updating them with your new account number. |
| Contacting us by phone | To save you time, we’re providing a brand-new toll-free number to speak directly to a commercial account customer representative. When our new system launches on May 3, 2021, you can give us a call at 877-757-1193 |
| Linking different account types | If you have a residential and commercial account, you can now link them together under one MyAccount login. You’ll also receive one monthly bill, reflecting charges for all accounts. |
| Billing Related | |
|---|---|
| Joint invoicing | Customers with both metered and unmetered accounts at the same service address can request both be added to one bill (Example: gas lamps). |
| Payment Related | |
|---|---|
| Recurring debit/credit card payments | We’re no longer accepting recurring debit/credit card payments. However, you can still make one-time debit/credit card payments through MyAccount on swgas.com, via our mobile app and our automated phone system. Save time by having payments drafted automatically from your checking account with an Automatic Payment Plan (APP) — sign up today by logging into MyAccount and selecting APP. |
| Transaction fees | The transaction fee for one-time payments through a debit/credit card will change from $2.00 for every $300 to a flat 1.5% transaction fee with no cap. As always, there is no fee to make payments using a checking account. |
| Digital | |
|---|---|
| MyAccount/mobile app logins | If you manage multiple accounts with more than one MyAccount login, you’ll be prompted to re-register your MyAccount. If you only have one MyAccount and mobile app login, it will remain the same. |
| Multiple accounts | Once you re-register your MyAccount, all associated accounts will automatically link together under a single login. |
| Multiple users | Once you re-register your MyAccount, you can easily add or remove users at any time and control what type of access they have. |
| Text notifications | If you were required to re-register your MyAccount, you will need to re-enroll in text message alerts for outages and/or billing and payment reminders. |
| Paperless statements | If you were required to re-register your MyAccount, you will need to re-enroll in paperless statements. |
