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If you want to use travel rewards to save money on flights, an airline credit card is a must. You can choose between credit cards that earn airline miles, or cards that earn more flexible rewards points that you can transfer to various frequent flyer programs.
Best Airline Credit Cards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best card if you're not loyal to one airline
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Best card for American Airlines flyers
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Best card for Delta flyers
- United℠ Explorer Card: Best card for United flyers
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Best card for Southwest flyers
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Best premium airline card
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for luxury travel benefits and bonus rewards on flights
You can find the best airline credit card for you by zeroing in on the benefits you want. Here are our top picks.
Compare Airline Credit Cards
See our picks for the best credit cards »
Airline Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions
If you're loyal to a particular airline, it could be worth it to get one of its co-branded cards. For instance, United offers the United℠ Explorer Card, which gets you benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding on United.
If you aren't loyal to a particular airline and you simply book with whichever carrier is offering the cheapest airfare, an airline co-branded card may not be the best option. You could consider a travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or The Platinum Card® from American Express instead. This way, you'll earn points that can be used to book airfare through Chase and Amex, respectively, as well as through specific airline transfer partners affiliated with the two programs.
Airline credit cards work by earning miles in a particular frequent flyer program and require you to add your frequent flyer number to your card account. You're usually asked to do this during the credit card application process. Then, you'll earn miles on all your eligible credit card spending, and those earnings will be reflected in your frequent flyer account. You'll be able to access the miles you earned from your credit card directly through your frequent flyer account and use them to book award flights.
Airline credit cards earn you miles in a specific frequent flyer program, such as Southwest Rapid Rewards or United MileagePlus. Travel rewards cards, on the other hand, earn transferable points — rewards that you can transfer to a variety of airline and/or hotel partners. With travel rewards cards, you aren't locked into using your points with only one airline, but you also won't get airline-specific benefits like a free checked bag or priority boarding.
Airline miles usually expire, but there are some notable exceptions. Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United miles never expire, but with other programs like American Airlines AAdvantage, miles do expire if you don't have any qualifying activity within a certain period (24 months, in the AAdvantage program). Keep in mind that earning miles from using a co-branded airline credit card counts as a qualifying activity and can prevent your miles from expiring.
You should consider getting an airline credit card if you're loyal to a particular airline and fly often enough to get value from perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and airport lounge access. Even folks who travel the same airline a couple of times a year can save money and get benefits from having an airline credit card.
Airline Credit Card Reviews
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points that you can use to book travel directly through the Chase Travel Portal, which gives you access to virtually every airline. You can also transfer Chase points to various airline and hotel partners, including United, British Airways, JetBlue, and Hyatt.
This card offers a very strong lineup of perks and rewards in exchange for a relatively moderate annual fee. You'll earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 2x points on all other travel purchases. The card also offers 3x points on dining.
Travel includes everything from airfare to parking to hotels, while dining includes restaurants, delivery services, and even some bars. The card also offers one of the best welcome bonuses among consumer credit cards, and you get some valuable travel insurance as well, including trip delay insurance, primary car rental insurance, and purchase protection.
If you apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and find that you're a fan of earning and redeeming travel points, remember that you can always upgrade to its higher-end sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, after your first year.
The Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but it also offers up to $300 in annual travel credits that apply to virtually any travel purchase and earns 5x total points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (after earning the $300 travel credit). You'll earn 3x points on other travel and dining purchases with the Reserve.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is currently offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® gets you a free checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries, along with preferred boarding and discounts on inflight purchases. It's currently offering an a welcome bonus of 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. That's worth around $700 in flights, based on our valuation of American Airlines miles.
It also earns 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and on restaurant and gas station spending (and 1 mile per dollar on everything else). We also like that the annual fee is $99, waived for first 12 months. If you spend $20,000 on the card in an account year and then renew your card, you'll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount.
Qualifying for elite status with American Airlines AAdvantage is now based on earning Loyalty Points. Along with earning Loyalty Points from flying and partner spending, you can earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent on co-branded American Airlines cards, including the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card Review
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers the best balance between a moderate $0 intro for the first year, then $99 annual fee and elite-like perks that can save you cash and improve your travel experience.
This Delta credit card is offering a welcome bonus of 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in the first six months from account opening. Insider pegs Delta miles value at 1.1 cents apiece, on average, making this bonus worth about $440 in flights.
The card earns 2x miles on eligible Delta purchases, 2x miles at US supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases. This makes the card a valuable option for everyday spending, not just for earning bonus miles on your Delta purchases.
Other Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card benefits that make it a standout pick for Delta loyalists are a first checked bag for free and priority boarding on Delta flights, a $100 flight credit when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year, 15% off Delta award flights, and 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit.
Gold Delta SkyMiles Amex Card Review
United℠ Explorer Card
The United℠ Explorer Card offers the perks you'd expect from an airline credit card — a free checked bag (you need to pay for the United flight with your Explorer card to get this perk), priority boarding, discounts on inflight purchases, and bonus miles for purchases with the airline — but also some very valuable extras.
If you have this card (or any other United credit card), you get expanded access to United's lowest-priced "saver" awards, which could help you save miles on an upcoming flight booking. The United℠ Explorer Card also offers two one-time United Club passes each anniversary year, and an application fee credit of up to $100 for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS.
For a limited time, new cardholders can earn an elevated welcome bonus offer of 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open. United miles are worth 1.3 cents each, on average, so you can expect to get around $780 in flights with this bonus.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is another example where a higher annual fee is warranted due to the value you get. Thanks to annual benefits like $75 in statement credits for travel on Southwest and four upgraded boardings where available, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card could be well worth it if you're a regular Southwest flyer.
The statement credit for $75 toward Southwest purchases each year effectively lowers the annual fee to $74 — lower than the annual fee for the next-cheapest Southwest consumer card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card ($99).
The Priority card offers a bonus of 7,500 Southwest Rapid Rewards points each year after your account anniversary (you can use these points to book award flights). That's worth about $105 in airfare, based on our valuation of Southwest points. Additionally, you'll get 25% off inflight purchases. If you fly Southwest more than once or twice a year, this card can easily be worth the annual fee.
The points you earn from any of the Southwest credit cards can help you qualify for the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, which allows a designated companion to fly with you for next to free (just pay taxes and fees) on paid and award flights.
Southwest is a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, so you can move points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card to Southwest instantly at a 1:1 ratio if you need to boost your balance.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card Review
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the most rewardsing premium credit card from any of the three major legacy US airlines — American Airlines, Delta, and United — and if you're a Delta loyalist, it could end up saving you a lot of money.
Although most other premium airline cards come with airport lounge membership, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is unique in that when you fly Delta, it not only offers Delta Sky Club access, but also entry to Centurion Lounges when you've used your Amex card to pay for your ticket.
There's a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in the first six months from account opening (worth around $660 in flights based on Insider's valuations). You'll receive a free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, an annual Delta companion certificate, and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit after you apply through any authorized enrollment provider. Cardholders can also take advantage of 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after they spend $30,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year (up to four times) and access to complimentary upgrades and upgrade priority.
This card charges a $550 annual fee, but it can be more than worthwhile if you fly Delta often and travel through airports with eligible airport lounges.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express likely won't make sense if you only travel once or twice a year, as it has a $695 annual fee. However, if you're on the road frequently, the card's many premium benefits — from airport lounge access to up to $200 in airline fee credits each year** — make it a useful pick.
The Platinum Card® from American Express earns a spot on our list of the top airline rewards cards because it earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (starting January 1, 2021, the 5x points will apply up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). That's one of the highest earning rates available on flight purchases. The Amex Membership Rewards points you earn let you book flights directly through Amex Travel, or you can transfer them to more than a dozen airline partners to book flight awards.
Even if you're not traveling right now, the Amex Platinum Card is still worth considering, as it's offering a lucrative welcome bonus offer and comes with Uber (including Uber Eats) Cash credits**, Saks credits**, digital subscription credits**, Equinox credits**, Walmart+ membership credits**, and SoulCycle At-Home Bike credit you can still use if you're staying close to home.
American Express Platinum Card Review
Popular Airline Credit Cards That Just Missed the Cut
To keep things simple, we limited our list of the best airline credit cards to one definitive pick per airline, plus a few top options that aren't affiliated with a particular airline. However, if you're open to doing some deeper comparison shopping, these cards are also worth a look.
- United Quest℠ Card — This card is a great pick if you fly United often because it comes with a first and second free checked bag and up to $125 annually in credits for United purchases.
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — While the Venture card is another solid option for earning miles that you can redeem with a variety of airline partners, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card outshines the card in terms of overall value.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card— This card has a higher $250 annual fee than the Gold Delta Amex, but comes with more benefits that are suited to more frequent Delta flyers (read our Platinum Delta Amex card review)
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® — The AAdvantage Aviator stands out for offering a generous welcome bonus offer that only requires making one purchase in the first three months. It falls short of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard when it comes to bonus categories for earning miles, though.
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® — With a $595 annual fee, it doesn't necessarily make sense for all American Airlines flyers, but if you want access to American's Admirals Club airport lounges, this card fits the bill, offering Admirals Club membership along with the usual perks like a free checked bag and priority boarding.
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card — If you want to earn Delta miles on your spending without paying an annual fee, give this card a look. It earns 2x miles at worldwide restaurants and offers 20% off inflight Delta purchases.
- United Gateway℠ Card — This no-annual-fee card isn't loaded with perks, but it's a winner for one little-known benefit — expanded access to United Saver awards. This can be a lifesaver if you're having trouble finding award availability.
- British Airways Visa Signature® Card — Earning miles (called Avios in the British Airways program) from a European airline might seem odd if you don't plan to fly to Europe, but Avios are incredibly valuable for booking partner awards on airlines like American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines.
- Aeroplan® Credit Card — This relatively new card could be a good option if you're looking to earn miles to fly on Air Canada or one of its many Star Alliance airline partners such as United, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines.
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — If you want a premium rewards card that isn't tied to a specific airline with a lower annual fee than the Amex Platinum, this card is worth considering. You get up to $300 in annual credits towards flights, hotels, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, among other high-end perks.
What Credit Card Offers the Best Airline Miles?
There isn't one "best" airline credit card or one type of airline mile that's categorically better than the others, because it depends on which airline is most convenient for you.
For example, if your home airport is small, you could have limited options when it comes to which airline you fly, so you'll likely want to earn whatever miles you need to fly from your hometown.
If you live near a large airport where your airline choices are plentiful and you have more options for loyalty, you may want to investigate how much different airline miles are worth. We recommend checking out Insider's updated guide to points and miles valuations, which attach a value (in cents) to the major airline currencies based on the types of award flights you can book through each.
You'll see that Delta miles are generally worth less than Alaska miles, but keep in mind all points and miles are only valuable if you can use them — so if you don't travel to destinations served by Alaska or its airline partners, earning its miles probably isn't your best bet.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Airline Credit Cards
Personal Finance Insider chose the top airline cards based on the value each card offers in relation to its annual fee. To make sure we were considering the best airline credit cards from every perspective, we also researched the recommendations and methodology of top airline card lists from other websites.
In many cases, each publication had a different pick for the best credit card for a given airline — and in that situation, we arrived at our selection by returning to the question of which card offers the most value in return for its annual fee, excluding benefits that require spending extra money to unlock.
Note that we focused on credit card options for flying with major US airlines — including the "big three" of American, Delta, and United, as well as smaller popular carriers like Alaska, JetBlue, and Southwest. If you frequently fly with another airline like Frontier or Hawaiian, you may want to look into its co-branded credit card options.
With an airline credit card, not only will you earn miles on every purchase you make, but you can also earn a welcome bonus offer that will jump-start your frequent flyer account balance. Depending on the card you choose, you can also get benefits like a free checked bag, priority boarding, or an airline companion ticket.
There isn't simply one best airline credit card; the right option for you depends on what airline you fly, whether you're a loyalist or want flexibility, how you want to use your miles, how much of an annual fee you're comfortable paying, and several other factors.
You'll also want to consider airline partnerships — for example, it could make sense to get an American Airlines credit card if you want to redeem miles for award flights on Oneworld partners like Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Alternately, a card like the Aeroplan® Credit Card can make sense even if you don't fly Air Canada, because you can redeem Aeroplan points for flights on Star Alliance airlines including United and Lufthansa.
Here's more about how we rate credit cards at Insider.
Read More About Airline Rewards Programs
Using points and miles to book flights is one of the most valuable ways to redeem your rewards, but it requires some familiarity with the ins and outs of each loyalty program. Luckily, we have you covered with in-depth guides — click through to learn more.
- How to earn, redeem, and maximize American Airlines AAdvantage miles
- How to earn, redeem, and maximize Delta SkyMiles
- How to earn, redeem, and maximize Southwest Airlines points
- How to earn, redeem, and maximize United miles
If you're not loyal to a specific airline but want to use credit card points to book award flights, check out our guides to the major credit card points programs, which let you redeem rewards by transferring to select airline partners or by booking directly through the credit card issuer's travel portal.
- How to earn and use American Express Membership Rewards points
- How to earn and use Capital One miles
- How to earn and use Chase Ultimate Rewards points
- How to earn and use Citi ThankYou points
Regional or Smaller Airline Credit Cards
Our list of the best airline credit cards focusses on major American carriers that generally offer the most routes and partner options. But if you're looking to use rewards on smaller airlines that generally serve a more limited region, we have you covered as well.
| Credit Card | Review |
| Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card | Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card Review |
| JetBlue Card | JetBlue Credit Card Review |
| JetBlue Plus Card | JetBlue Plus Credit Card Review |
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply