Best Airline Credit Cards
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Do you travel often? Whether it's for business or pleasure, are you enjoying your trips as much as you could be? What about the price tag? Are you missing out on deals and discounts that could save money or get you more for your buck? Airline credit cards to the rescue!
- Alaska Airlines: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card
- American Airlines: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review)
- Delta Air Lines: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Review)
- Frontier Airlines: Frontier Airlines World Mastercard (Review)
- Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® (Review)
- JetBlue: JetBlue Plus Card
- Southwest Airlines: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Review)
- United Airlines: United Club℠ Infinite Card (Review)
- Various Airlines: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review)
Credit Card Insider receives compensation from advertisers whose products may be mentioned on this page. Advertiser relationships do not affect card evaluations. Advertising partners do not edit or endorse our editorial content. Content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when it's published. Learn more in our Editorial Guidelines.
The information related to British Airways Visa Signature® Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express have been collected by Credit Card Insider and have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of these products.
- Alaska Airlines: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card
- American Airlines: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review)
- Delta Air Lines: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Review)
- Frontier Airlines: Frontier Airlines World Mastercard (Review)
- Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® (Review)
- JetBlue: JetBlue Plus Card
- Southwest Airlines: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Review)
- United Airlines: United Club℠ Infinite Card (Review)
- Various Airlines: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review)
How We Picked These Cards
- Reasonable annual fee: Most airline cards have annual fees, so you want to make sure you’re getting more out of the card than it costs.
- Good rewards program: The standard is 2X miles per dollar for most cards, although some offer more than that.
- Valuable travel benefits: The best airline credit cards offer credits for travel purchases and other cost-saving benefits that will lighten the load on your wallet.
- Airport lounge access: Some airline cards provide complimentary or limited access to airport lounges, with all the amenities that come with them.
- Free checked bags: You should usually expect to get your first checked bag free, although it’s not always true for airline cards with no annual fee.
- Priority boarding: You can typically board the plane before non-cardholders — but again, not always for cards without annual fees.
- No foreign transaction fees: Airline cards, like other travel cards, shouldn’t charge for purchases in foreign currency.
Is an Airline Card Right for You?
Do you travel by plane every year? Are you planning a big trip?
If so, chances are good that you could save some money and access valuable travel perks with an airline credit card. You’re already planning on spending the money, so why not take advantage of a great card offer?
An airline card, if it’s right for you, should fit neatly into your current or projected spending habits. As long as you use it responsibly, and pay the statement balance in full each month, you can get a variety of benefits without paying a dime of interest.
Many big airlines provide co-branded credit cards, and you can probably find one to suit your needs. They come with perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, discounts on in-flight purchases, and access to airport lounges. You may be able to transfer miles to other loyalty programs.
The more you travel, the more value you’ll get out of an airline card.
In many cases there are no blackout dates when redeeming the frequent flyer miles you earn. This isn’t always true for general travel credit cards.
Ask yourself some questions to help figure out which airline card (or cards) you should apply for:
- What’s my favorite airline?
- Which airline do I use (or plan to use) the most?
- Do I want to build a relationship with a specific airline to gain a higher status?
- Are there any airport hubs nearby that focus on particular airlines?
If you don’t fly with a specific airline somewhat regularly, a co-branded card probably won’t be very valuable for you. Instead, look into a general travel rewards card like those above, which you can use with any airline.
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Other Airline Credit Cards
Best Pick For...
- NEW – 40,000 Bonus Mile + Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ Offer.
- Get 40,000 bonus miles and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare from $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22) with this offer. To qualify, make purchases of $2,000 or more within the first 90 days of opening your account.
- Save with a free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.
- Get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ every year! EACH YEAR on your account anniversary get a companion fare from $121 ($99 plus taxes and fees from $22). Valid on all Alaska flights booked on alaskaair.com.
- Earn 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases and 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Get exclusive access to discounted redemption levels when you redeem miles for hotel stays at over 400,000 properties using Alaska Airlines Hotels.
- Earn unlimited miles and travel with no blackout dates and no foreign transaction fees.
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card is one of the more popular airline cards thanks to the yearly Companion Fare, which can completely offset the annual fee and make this card basically free to use.
In fact, as long as you avoid interest and other fees, you’re effectively getting paid to use this card if you always take advantage of the Companion Fare.
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- Annual Companion Fare credit: A yearly Companion Fare credit ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22)
- Additional mile-earning opportunities: Use Alaska Airlines’ shopping portal to earn bonus miles at select retailers.
- First checked bag free on Alaska Airlines flights: For you and up to six other travelers on the same reservation
- 20% in-flight purchase discount: 20% back on all Alaska Airlines in-flight purchases
- Alaska Lounge discount: Get 50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $75
Alaska Airlines Visa® Business credit card
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- First checked bag free on Alaska Airlines flights: For you and up to six other travelers on the same reservation
- 20% in-flight purchase discount: 20% back on all Alaska Airlines in-flight purchases
- Alaska Lounge discount: Get 50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $50 for the company and $25 per card
- Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage®bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Admirals Club® membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
- Earn 10,000 AAdvantage® Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
- Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation
- The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 15.99% – 24.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review) is the premier card for flying American Airlines, with a hefty price tag. But if you’re already spending a lot of money and time with the airline, this card’s benefits, particularly the Admirals Club airport lounge membership, could make your life quite a bit more comfortable.
Authorized users of this card have no cost and actually get Admirals Club access as well, a rare feature on premium travel cards like this. Up to ten authorized users can be added.
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- Admirals Club membership: You and up to ten authorized users have access to the Admirals Club airport lounge.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application credit: Get a credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) once every five years.
- Elite Qualifying Miles: Earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after spending $40,000 on purchases in a given year.
- Reduced Mileage Awards: Get discounted travel for round trip (7,500 miles off) and one-way flights (3,750 miles off).
- Enhanced Airport Experience: Including priority check-in, screening, and boarding privileges
- 25% discount on in-flight purchases on AA flights: The 25% discount will be applied to in-flight purchases of food and beverages only.
- First checked bag free on AA flights: For you and up to eight traveling companions
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $450
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
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- Perks: First checked bag free, Preferred Boarding, 25% savings on eligible in-flight purchases
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99, waived for first 12 months
AAdvantage® Aviator™ Red World Elite Mastercard®
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- Perks: First checked bag free, Preferred Boarding, 25% savings on eligible in-flight purchases, $25 annual credit for in-flight WiFi
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card
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- Perks: 25% savings on eligible in-flight purchases
- Foreign transaction fee: 3%
- Annual fee: $0
AAdvantage® Aviator™ Business Mastercard®
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- Perks: First checked bag free, Preferred Boarding, 25% savings on eligible in-flight purchases, 5% AAdvantage mileage bonus
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $95
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
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- Perks: First checked bag free, Preferred Boarding, 25% savings on eligible in-flight purchases
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99, waived for first 12 months
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles and 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer expires 11/10/2021.
- Earn up to 60,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 15,000 MQMs four times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Receive a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card.*Payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Complimentary access into the Delta Sky Club® for you when travelling on a Delta flight.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $550 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Review) is expensive, but it comes with quite a few valuable benefits. You get complimentary Delta Sky Club access and two free one-time Sky Club guest passes (guests are $39 after that), plus complimentary access to Centurion Lounges (where guests will cost $50).
Other perks include an annual Companion Certificate and a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit.
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- Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access: Get complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs, with up to two guests at $39 each, plus complimentary access to Centurion Lounges, with up to two guests at $50 each. Includes two free Delta Sky Club one-time guest passes.
- Annual Companion Certificate: A certificate for a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip flight
- Status Boost: Earn 15,000 MQMs for spending $30,000, up to four times per calendar year.
- First checked bag free on Delta flights: For you and up to eight traveling companions
- Priority Boarding on Delta flights: Get on the plane more quickly with Zone 1 priority boarding.
- Complimentary upgrades: If you don’t have Medallion status you can still get some upgrades for free.
- 20% in-flight discount on Delta flights: A 20% discount, in the form of a statement credit, on eligible in-flight purchases, like food, beverages, movies, and audio headsets
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $550
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
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- Perks: Annual Companion Certificate; Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit; First checked bag free, Main Cabin 1 Priority boarding, and 20% in-flight discount on Delta flights; Delta Sky Club access for $39 per person; Status Boost
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $250
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
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- Perks: First checked bag free on Delta flights; Main Cabin 1 priority boarding; 20% back on in-flight purchases; $100 Delta flight credit for spending $10,000; ShopRunner membership
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
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- Perks: 20% in-flight discount on Delta flights; Amex Offers; ShopRunner membership
- Shopping and travel protections: Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Global Assist Hotline
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $0
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
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- Perks: Delta Sky Club an Centurion Lounge access; Annual Companion Certificate; First checked bag free, Priority Boarding, 20% in-flight discount on Delta flights; Complimentary upgrades; Status Boost; Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit
- Shopping and travel protections: Purchase Protection; Extended Warranty; Return Protection; Baggage Insurance Plan; Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance; Trip Delay Insurance; Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $550
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
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- Perks: Annual Companion Certificate; First checked bag free, Main Cabin 1 Priority boarding, 20% in-flight discount on Delta flights; Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit; Status Boost
- Shopping and travel protections: Baggage Insurance Plan, Trip Delay Insurance, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $250
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
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- Perks: First checked bag free, Main Cabin 1 priority boarding, 20% back on in-flight purchases on Delta flights; $100 Delta flight credit for spending $10,000 in a calendar year
- Shopping and travel protections: Baggage Insurance Plan, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
- 5X miles per dollar spent on purchases from Frontier Airlines
- 3X miles per dollar spent at restaurants
- 40,000 bonus miles for spending $500 and paying the annual fee, both within the first 90 days; an additional 20,000 bonus miles for spending $2,000 within the first 6 months
- No award redemption fee when you book an award ticket using your Frontier Airlines World Mastercard to pay the related taxes and fees, starting from $5.60 for a one-way ticket
- $100 Frontier Airlines flight discount voucher after your account anniversary, after spending $2,500 on purchases in a given year
- Use your Frontier Airlines Mastercard for at least one purchase every six months to keep your miles from expiring
- 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles (for transfers completed within 45 days of account opening) on balance transfers, and then your rate will be 18.24%, 22.24% or 27.24% Variable
- View your FICO® Score online – with no charge and no hidden fees
- No foreign transaction fees
- Annual fee: $79
The Frontier Airlines World Mastercard (Review) is one of the less expensive cards on this list, but it offers miles at a relatively high rate and has a good signup bonus, too. Frontier miles usually aren’t valued very highly, however, typically coming in around 1 cent each.
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Take note that your Frontier miles will expire unless there is some activity in your Frontier Miles account at least once every six months. Any purchase will qualify as account activity, so you can just buy a pack of gum to keep your miles active.
- Award redemption fee waiver: A fee waiver when you pay for flights using Frontier miles, starting at $5.60 for one-way tickets
- $100 Frontier Flight Voucher: Get a $100 Flight Voucher after your account anniversary for every year that you spend at least $2,500.
- Fast track to Elite Status: Earn 1 Qualifying Mile for every $1 spent on purchases.
- Priority Boarding on Frontier flights: Zone 2 priority boarding privileges
- Purchase APR: 15.99%, 19.99% or 24.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 15 billing cycles (for transfers completed within 45 days of account opening), then 18.24%, 22.24% or 27.24% Variable
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $79
- Limited Time Offer: 60,000 bonus miles for spending $2,000 in the first 90 days; 20,000 bonus miles for spending a total of $4,000 in the first 6 months
- First checked bag free on eligible bags for the primary cardmember when you use your card to purchase eligible tickets directly from Hawaiian Airlines
- One-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and North America on Hawaiian Airlines
- Earn 3X miles on eligible Hawaiian Airlines purchases
- Earn 2x miles on gas, dining and grocery store purchases
- Earn 1X miles on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees means you don’t pay additional transaction fees on international purchases
- Receive an annual $100 companion discount for roundtrip travel between Hawaii and North America on Hawaiian Airlines after each account anniversary
- Share Miles allows you to send and receive miles from family and friends through HawaiianAirlines.com, without a fee
- No blackout dates
The Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® (Review) is your only consumer card option for flying Hawaiian Airlines.
The spending rewards are about average for an airline card, but it has a valuable annual companion discount that can completely offset the annual fee.
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- $100 annual companion ticket discount: Each year you’ll get a $100 discount on a companion ticket for roundtrip travel between Hawaii and North America.
- One-time 50% companion ticket discount: Eligible for roundtrip travel between Hawaii and North America
- Free first checked bag on Hawaiian Airlines flights: For the primary cardholder only
- Discounted award prices for Hawaiian Airlines flights
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99
Hawaiian Airlines® Business Mastercard®
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- Perks: One time 50% off companion discount, up to 40,000 annual bonus miles, discounted award flights
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99
- 70,000 bonus points for paying the annual fee and spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
- Earn 6X points per $1 on JetBlue purchases, 2X points per $1 at restaurants and grocery stores, and 1X point per $1 on all other purchases.
- Earn 5,000 bonus points every year automatically after your account anniversary.
- Get 10% of your points back every time you redeem.
- No blackout dates on JetBlue-operated flights & redeem for any seat, any time on JetBlue-operated flights.
- Free first checked bag for you and up to three traveling companions.
- 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases like cocktails and food.
- Enjoy TrueBlue Mosaic benefits after you spend $50,000 or more on purchases each calendar year with your card.
- Enjoy a $100 statement credit after purchasing a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more with your JetBlue Plus Card.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- $99 annual fee.
The JetBlue Plus Card is one of three rewards cards available through JetBlue. It offers more points than your average airline card, along with an excellent discount rate on in-flight purchases.
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- 10% point redemption bonus
- 5,000 annual bonus points: Get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.
- First checked bag is free on JetBlue flights: For you and up to three traveling companions
- 50% discount on in-flight purchases on JetBlue flights: 50% off eligible in-flight purchases, like food and cocktails
- Fast track to TrueBlue Mosaic status: Spend $50,000 on purchases in a given year to get TrueBlue Mosaic status for a year.
- $100 vacation package credit: Get a $100 statement credit every year that you buy a vacation package of $100 or more.
- Purchase APR: 18.24%, 22.24%, or 27.24% Variable
- Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 12 months (for balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening), then 18.24%, 22.24%, or 27.24% Variable
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99
JetBlue Card
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- Perk: 50% discount on in-flight purchases
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $0
JetBlue Business Mastercard®
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- Perks: 50% discount on in-flight purchases, free first checked bags, TrueBlue Mosaic boost, vacation package benefits
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99
- Our best points offer ever! Earn up to 100,000 bonus points. Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open, plus 50,000 more bonus points after spending $12,000 total on purchases in the first 12 months.
- 7,500 anniversary points each year.
- Now enjoy more benefits and more ways to earn.
- NEW! Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases.
- NEW! Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
- NEW! Earn 2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming.
- $75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Review) is the newest entry in Southwest’s line of credit cards, offering an annual flight credit to help offset the annual fee.
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Read more about how you can fly for free with Southwest Airlines credit cards.
- 7,500 annual bonus points: You’ll receive 7,500 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.
- $75 annual Southwest travel credit: An automatic statement credit every year for Southwest purchases, excluding upgraded boardings and in-flight purchases
- Upgraded Boardings: Get four upgraded boardings per year (reimbursed as a statement credit at the end of the year).
- Tier Qualifying Points: Every $10,000 spent earns 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List status, up to $100,000 spent.
- 20% discount on in-flight purchases on Southwest flights: 20% off eligible in-flight purchases, like food, drinks, and WiFi
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $149
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
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- No foreign transaction fee
- Perks: Anniversary bonus points, earn tier qualifying points
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
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- Foreign transaction fee: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
- Annual fee: $69
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
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- Perks: Four upgraded boardings per year, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, in-flight WiFi credits, anniversary bonus points
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $199
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
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- Perks: Earn tier qualifying points, anniversary bonus points
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $99
The information related to Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
- Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles.
- Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United purchases including tickets, Economy Plus, inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, and other United charges.
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining at restaurants and eligible delivery services
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee credit
- Free first and second checked bags – a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip. Terms Apply
- 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights when you pay with your Club Card.
Compared to the other United co-branded credit cards available, the United Club℠ Infinite Card (Review) is expensive, but it comes with several perks to help make your time spent at airports and hotels more enjoyable.
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- United Club membership: Complimentary membership to the United Club airport lounge, with free access for you and two guests
- Premier Access airport travel services: Includes priority check-in and security screening, and boarding/baggage handling privileges
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: Get a $100 credit for the application fee of Global Entry, or $85 for TSA PreCheck, once every four years.
- Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: Hotel perks like daily breakfast for two, complimentary WiFi, and room upgrades when available
- World of Hyatt Discoverist status: A 10% point bonus, room upgrades, and other benefits at Hyatt properties
- Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle Elite Status: Get a 25% point bonus, upgrades, and exclusive offers at Hertz.
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades on United award flights: MileagePlus Premier members can get award ticket upgrades when available.
- Free first and second checked bags: For you and one traveling companion
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $525
United℠ Explorer Card
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- Perks: Two United Club passes, priority boarding, first checked bag free, 25% in-flight discount, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $95
United Gateway℠ Card
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- Perk: 25% in-flight discount
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $0
United Club℠ Business Card
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- Perks: United Club membership, Premier Access travel services, first and second checked bags free, 25% in-flight discount
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $450
United℠ Business Card
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- Perk: Two United Club passes, priority boarding, first checked bag free, 25% in-flight discount, $100 credit after seven United flights over $100
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
- Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Plus, earn 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
- American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Now there are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $25 back each month on select Equinox memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
- $179 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $179 back per year on your CLEAR® membership.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Maybe you don’t have a favorite airline, or you tend to take whatever flight will work best for you. If that’s the case, a general travel rewards card will probably be more useful than a co-branded airline card.
General travel cards can be used to earn points anywhere, no matter which airline you’re taking. And they provide points for other travel purchases as well, like hotels, car rentals, and taxis.
The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review) is a great example, with a 5X point category for airlines and some great transfer partners.
Airline and hotel transfer partners give you a way to move your points to your favorite loyalty programs, where they’ll often be worth more. So, if you’re planning a trip and you’ve got a bunch of points ready and waiting, you can transfer them to the airline you’re booking and look for a great redemption value.
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- Global Lounge Collection: Enroll for complimentary access to Priority Pass, Centurion, American Express International, Delta Sky Club, Escape, Airspace, Lufthansa, and Plaza Premium Lounges.
- Up to $200 in annual Uber Cash: Add your Platinum card to the Uber App to get up to $15 in Uber Cash per month, plus a bonus $20 in December; U.S. Eats orders and rides only.
- $200 hotel credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits each year for prepaid hotels booked through The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels & Resorts; must pay with the Platinum card.
- $300 Equinox credit: Pay with your Platinum card to get up to $300 in statement credits annually with Equinox (up to $25 per month), for Equinox All Access, Destination, E by Equinox, or Equinox+ membership fees.
- $240 digital entertainment credit: Pay with your Platinum card to get up to $240 in statement credits annually for digital entertainment (up to $20 per month), only for eligible purchases from Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York Times.
- CLEAR credit: Up to $179 in statement credits annually for CLEAR biometric security, enough for a membership.
- Uber Eats Pass: Get unlimited $0 delivery fees and 5% off orders at eligible restaurants for 12 months; must enroll by 12/31/21. Taxes and service fees may apply and do not count toward the order minimum. Eats Pass will start auto-billing 12 months from enrollment, at then-current monthly rate. Learn more.
- Uber VIP status: Add your Platinum card to the Uber App to get Uber VIP status where available.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A statement credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 once every four and a half years)
- Complimentary elite hotel statuses: Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- The Hotel Collection: A $100 hotel credit and room upgrades when available for every eligible two-night stay
- Fine Hotels & Resorts Program: Daily breakfast for two, room upgrades when available, amenities valued at $100, and more at eligible properties
- $100 annual Saks credit: Up to $100 in statement credits each year for Saks Fifth Avenue: $50 from January through June, and $50 from July through December
- Global Dining Access by Resy: Resy provides access to exclusive reservations and dining experiences.
- Point transfer: To a selection of airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Shopping and travel protections: Purchase Protection; Extended Warranty; Return Protection; Baggage Insurance Plan; Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance; Trip Delay Insurance; Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $695
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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- Perks: $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass Select membership, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, Lyft Pink membership, DoorDash membership and credits, point transfer partners
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $550
Citi Prestige® Card
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- Perks: 4th night free on hotel stays, Priority Pass Select membership, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, point transfer partners, $250 travel credit
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $495
American Express® Gold Card
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- Perks: Up to $120 annual dining credit; Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash; Uber Eats Pass; The Hotel Collection; Amex Offers; ShopRunner membership; Point transfer
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $250
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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- Perks: 25% redemption bonus, DoorDash membership, Shop through Chase/Chase Offers, primary auto rental collision damage waiver, point transfer partners
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $95
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
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- Perks: Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, Visa Concierge, point transfer partners
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $95
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
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- Perks: Global Lounge Collection airport lounge access; Up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits; Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit; Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status; Up to $400 in annual Dell statement credits; Up to $360 in annual statement credits for Indeed; Up to $150 in annual statement credits for Adobe; Up to $120 in annual statement credits for monthly wireless services; The Hotel Collection; Fine Hotels & Resorts program; Point transfer
- Shopping and travel protections: Baggage Insurance Plan, Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, Return Protection
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $595 ($695 if application is received on or after 1/13/2022)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Other Airline Credit Cards
| Best for | Card & Rewards | Annual Fee |
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| Allegiant Air | Allegiant World Mastercard®
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$59 |
| British Airways | British Airways Visa Signature® Card (Review)
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$95 |
| Cathay Pacific | Cathay Pacific Visa Signature® Card
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$79, $0 first year |
| Korean Air | SKYPASS Visa Signature Credit Card
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$95 |
| LATAM Airlines | LATAM Visa Signature® Card
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$75, $0 first year |
| Lufthansa | Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® (Review)
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$89 (waived for Senator and HON Circle Members) |
| Spirit Airlines | Free Spirit® Travel More World Elite Mastercard®
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$79, $0 first year |
How Do Airline Credit Cards Work?
Airline credit cards provide miles or points for the purchases you make. You can usually book flights with those rewards, shopping around until you find a good deal.
Some cards are designed to be used with various airlines — they provide rewards no matter what airline you’re booking. And you can typically transfer those rewards to a selection of airline partners, where you can use them as you see fit.
Other cards are co-branded with specific airlines. You’ll find cards dedicated to flying United, Southwest, American Airlines, Delta, and more.
What’s the Best Airline Credit Card?
There are a handful of top-notch airline cards. The right one for you will depend on your favorite airline:
- Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review) (for American Airlines)
- JetBlue Plus Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Review)
- United Club℠ Infinite Card (Review)
- The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review) (for various airlines)
How Much Are Airline Miles Worth?
The value of airline miles will vary depending on how you use them.
Say you have 10,000 miles, and you use them to book a flight worth $200 — that would mean your miles are worth 2 cents each. $200 divided by 10,000 miles equals $0.02 per mile.
Different airlines, routes, and fare classes may all lead to different values for miles. The same is true for certain times of year, and how far in advance you book.
Whether you’re flying with United, Southwest, Delta, or any other airline, it can pay to look for a good deal. It’s often wise to wait until you can get a high value per mile; until then, pay with your air miles credit card and keep stacking those rewards.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
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