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- Best Airline Credit Cards
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Whether you want to go on a trip across Europe or escape to a weekend getaway, an airline credit card can help get you there. Explore our top picks for airline credit cards, some of which are from our partners. These cards offer truly incredible perks, points, or miles on every swipe, and new cardholder bonuses that can get you on the fast-track toward your next vacation.
Great for: Airline booking flexibility
Bottom Line
With a leading sign-up bonus, the sky’s the limit for this top-rated travel rewards card. Plus, the premium points program for travel and dining make it a no brainer for travel enthusiasts everywhere. Read Full Review
Credit Rating Requirement:
Rewards
2x points on travel and dining, 1x points on all other purchases. 25% more points for travel booked through Chase's portal.
Annual Fee
$95
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A, N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A, N/A
Ongoing APR
15.99% - 22.99% Variable
Welcome Bonus
60,000 points after spending $4,000 within 3 months
Highlights
Great for: Travel card with no annual fee
Bottom Line
No-annual-fee travel cards typically skimp on the sign-up bonus, but this card delivers with its market-leading intro bonus offer, unlimited rewards on purchases, and other wallet-friendly perks. Read Full Review
Credit Rating Requirement:
Rewards
Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on purchases, 25%-75% more points for Bank of America Preferred Rewards members
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 12 billing cycles
Balance Transfers: N/A
Ongoing APR
14.99% - 22.99% Variable
Welcome Bonus
25,000 points after making at least $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of account opening
Highlights
Great for: Airline booking flexibility
Bottom Line
The sign-up bonus, premium rewards for travel & dining, and wide array of valuable travel credits make this a compelling offer that will offset the cost of the annual fee for many. The array of limited time offers make it even more compelling. Read Full Review
Credit Rating Requirement:
Rewards
3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point on all other purchases.
Annual Fee
$550
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Ongoing APR
16.99%-23.99% Variable
Welcome Bonus
50,000 points after spending $4,000 within 3 months
Highlights
Great for: Travel card with no annual fee
Bottom Line
A no-nonsense, no-annual-fee travel rewards card built for occasional travelers. The unlimited 1.5 Miles takes the hassle out of tracking categories and all of your miles get matched in the first year. Read Full Review
Credit Rating Requirement:
Rewards
1.5 Miles per dollar on all purchases
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 14 months
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 14 months
Ongoing APR
11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
Welcome Bonus
Mile-for-Mile match of all Miles earned the first year
Highlights
Great for: United flyers
United℠ Explorer Card
What We Like About The Card
With a big sign up bonus and 2 miles per $1 on restaurants and hotel stays, the miles will accumulate quickly if you're a frequent traveler. Read Full Review
Credit Rating Requirement:
Rewards
2 miles per $1 at restaurants and on hotel stays, eligible food delivery services, and United purchases, 1 mile per $1 on all else
Annual Fee
$0 for the first year, $95 after that
Intro APR
Purchases: NA
Balance Transfers: NA
Ongoing APR
16.49% to 23.49%, variable
Welcome Bonus
60,000 miles after spending $3,000 within 3 months, additional 25,000 miles after spending $10,000 within 6 months
Highlights
Great for: Delta frequent flyers
Bottom Line
May be the best card for most Delta travelers, given the balance of a premium rewards program and low annual fee. Read Full Review
Credit Rating Requirement:
Rewards
2X Miles on Delta purchases, restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, 1X Mile on all else, 20% statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases
Annual Fee
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
Foreign Transaction Fee
None
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Ongoing APR
15.74%-24.74% Variable
Welcome Bonus
35,000 miles after spending $1,000 within 3 months
Highlights
Great for: American Airlines frequent flyers
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Bottom Line
The rewards program makes this a compelling card to carry with OK earning opportunities beyond just American Airlines purchases. Read Full Review
Credit Rating Requirement:
Rewards
2 miles per $1 for restaurants, gas, and eligible American Airlines purchases
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Ongoing APR
15.99% - 24.99%, variable
Welcome Bonus
50,000 miles after spending $2,500 within 3 months
Highlights
One of the best ways to travel more cheaply, and sometimes more luxuriously, is by taking advantage of airline miles credit cards. In addition to the miles you’ll earn by putting purchases on the card, these airline miles credit cards also offer generous sign-up bonuses and travel perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and premium airport lounge access. Airline miles can offer high value if you know where to pledge your loyalty, allowing you to book everything from one-way tickets to long-haul flights, business class tickets, and even round-the-world trips for next to nothing. We’ve researched the best airline miles credit cards and come up with this guide to help you maximize your airline perks and win some stellar deals.
Rewards cards are a dime a dozen, and card users can always opt for a simple and easy cash back card instead. So why are airline cards so popular? It really comes down to some big advantages that make airline cards a better choice for those who are frequently on the road.
You’ll notice that both airline-branded miles credit cards and general travel credit cards made our list. The biggest reason airline-branded cards are included is that they can be very valuable for people who use one airline and can benefit from the various VIP perks, such as priority boarding, free checked bags, and travel credits. This is why airline-branded credit cards tend to work best for business travelers or frequent flyers. The downfall is these cards are notorious for devaluing miles, meaning that miles that were once worth $0.01 each have been devalued to $0.007 each, or even less.
General travel credit cards have more established redemption values and tend to be less complicated, making them a fit for people who value an array of redemption options in one card.
While we have many good things to say about airline cards, we recognize they aren’t for everyone. Used wisely, an airline credit card can help you earn rewards that can be used to pay for your next trip to Asia, or your next Uber ride to a ballgame.
There are two things you need to do to make sure that a travel card works for you, rather than against you.
Airline cards typically earn “miles” or “points” based on how much you spend. Some offer a simple rewards program where you earn 1 or 2 points or miles on every $1 you spend, whereas others offer bonuses that give you more points or miles when you spend in certain categories. (Not surprisingly, airline cards often pay bonuses on spending with the associated airline.)
Airline cards can be broken down into categories based on how points or miles you earn are redeemed:
Cards with annual fees typically offer more perks and rewards for every $1 you spend, so whether or not it makes sense to pay an annual fee typically comes down to how much you spend each year.
For example, take a no annual fee card that offers 1.5 miles for every $1 spent, thus rewarding you with $0.015 of travel value per $1 and a card that carries a $95 annual fee, but it rewards cardholders with 2 miles per $1 spent, for a rewards yield of $0.02 in travel value per $1.
We can determine which card is the better choice by dividing the difference in the annual fees by the differences in rewards yields. In this case, we find that the cards break even at $19,000 in annual spending ($95 fee divided by $0.005 = $19,000). If you spend more than $19,000, the annual fee card may net out more positively for you.
Card | Rating | Great For |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Airline booking flexibility |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Travel card with no annual fee |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Airline booking flexibility |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Travel card with no annual fee |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: United flyers |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Delta frequent flyers |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: American Airlines frequent flyers |
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