Airline credit playing cards may be cobranded with a particular airline or supply transferable journey rewards that can be utilized with numerous carriers.
The proper card for you’ll depend upon a number of components, comparable to your most well-liked airline, loyalty program, credit rating and spending degree — plus the advantages you worth probably the most.
With that in thoughts, here is what you want to take into account when selecting an airline credit card.
Comparing the very best airline credit playing cards
Here are our prime picks for the very best airline credit playing cards.
| Credit card | Best for | Welcome supply | Earning charges | Annual payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Simple rewards incomes | Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening. |
|
$95 |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Luxury advantages | Find out your supply and see if you’re eligible to earn as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents fluctuate, and also you is probably not eligible for an supply. |
|
$695 (see charges and charges) |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards factors | For a restricted time, earn 100,000 bonus factors plus a $500 Chase Travel℠ credit after spending $5,000 within the first three months. |
|
$795 (see charges and charges |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Beginner vacationers | Earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 (see charges and charges) |
| United℠ Business Card | United enterprise vacationers | Earn 75,000 bonus miles and a pair of,000 PQP after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. |
|
$0 introductory annual payment for the primary yr, then $150 (see charges and charges |
| Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | Starter journey | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. |
|
$95 (see charges and charges) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | Sky Club entry | Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in your card within the first six months of card membership. Offer ends July 16. |
|
$650 (see charges and charges) |
| American Express® Gold Card | Dining | Earn 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. |
|
$325 (see charges and charges) |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Premium journey | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. |
|
$395 |
| Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card | Loyal Southwest enterprise vacationers | Earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. |
|
$199 (see charges and charges) |
| Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card | Earning Alaska Airlines miles | Earn 50,000 bonus miles plus purchase one ticket, get one for simply the taxes and charges ($0 fare plus taxes and charges from $23) after spending $3,000 or extra on purchases inside the first 90 days from account opening. |
|
$95 |
How to choose the fitting airline credit card
To discover the airline card that most closely fits your journey way of life, begin by asking your self the next questions.
Do you could have a most well-liked airline?
Airline credit playing cards supply the very best incomes charges and advantages for particular airways and typically their companions. However, not everybody can stick to one explicit airline when reserving their flights.
Look at your flights over the previous yr to see which airline you fly with most frequently, or slender it down to your prime three. If the airways fluctuate and also you’re extra involved with getting the most affordable fare whatever the airline, it’s your decision to bypass the airline card and take into account a journey credit card with extra versatile rewards choices as a substitute.
Some of our favourite choices right here embody the Venture Rewards, the Amex Platinum and Citi Strata Premier.
However, if you happen to all the time fly with the identical airline since you reside in a hub metropolis or are working towards elite standing (otherwise you similar to the airline), then you’ll profit from an airline credit card. You simply want to discover the fitting card for that airline.
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What’s your credit rating?
Airline credit playing cards fall inside the journey credit card class. Travel credit playing cards require a superb to glorious credit rating — usually, anyplace from 690 or larger. You could also be accepted for an airline credit card with a decrease rating, however know that your choices could also be extra restricted.
Do you verify luggage?
One of the very best perks airline credit playing cards supply is the flexibility to verify one or two luggage free of charge, relying on the airline credit card. This profit applies to the cardholder flying and typically their companions booked below the identical reservation.
U.S. carriers cost for checked luggage once you fly economic system on home and choose worldwide flights. In reality, a number of main U.S. airways have elevated their checked bag charges since 2023. So, having an airline credit card that may prevent up to $40 per bag, per flight is a significant win for frequent flyers who verify luggage typically.
Related: These 26 credit playing cards can get you free checked luggage
How a lot will you spend on the card?
Understanding your spending habits may also help you choose the fitting airline credit card. All airline credit playing cards enable you to earn factors or miles for his or her frequent flyer program.
For occasion, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex rewards these with excessive spending. You’ll earn a lift of 1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for each $10 you spend in a calendar yr, which is able to assist you to obtain Delta elite standing quicker.
What are the card advantages?
You ought to take into account the opposite advantages a card presents as well as to factors or miles. If you are glad with primary advantages comparable to a free checked bag and precedence boarding, purpose for an airline card with a low annual payment.
However, in order for you to earn bonus factors or miles towards elite standing, assertion credit, airport lounge entry and complimentary upgrades, then go for the airline credit card with larger annual charges. They have a tendency to supply these extra perks.
Should I exploit an airline card for on a regular basis spending?
If you are loyal to an airline, striving for elite standing or trying to enhance your factors or miles stability with a particular airline, it is smart to use an airline card for on a regular basis spending. However, many airline credit playing cards lack the advantages which are geared towards on a regular basis spending.
For instance, not all airline credit playing cards supply buy protections or an prolonged guarantee. So, though you might be incomes airline factors or miles in your purchases, chances are you’ll be out of luck if you happen to’ve bought a big-ticket merchandise (like a TV or laptop computer) and wish to file a declare.
You additionally might want to keep away from utilizing an airline credit card for on a regular basis spending if the incomes charges are low.
The United Business Card earns 2 miles per greenback spent on eating at eating places (price 1.35 cents per mile, in accordance to TPG’s June 2025 valuations), whereas the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3 factors per greenback spent on eating (price 2.05 cents per level, per the identical valuations).
In this situation, placing eating purchases on the Sapphire Preferred would profit you as you earn extra per greenback spent than with the United Business. Plus, you earn transferable factors, which might present worth far past Chase’s and TPG’s valuation if you happen to switch factors to associate airways.
Related: How (and why) you need to earn transferable credit card factors
Bottom line
Airline credit playing cards are your finest guess for incomes factors or miles with a particular airline, not to point out the extra perks you possibly can take pleasure in each time you fly. Picking the fitting airline credit card comes down to your skill to stick to one airline, your journey wants and your spending habits.
It’s all the time price the additional time to analysis which airline and its credit card will profit you, in addition to how one can leverage the factors or miles, perks and advantages to improve your journey expertise.
Related: Airline credit playing cards vs. journey credit playing cards: Which are finest?
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta Reserve Amex, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold, click on right here.
