The 5 best airline credit cards
The best airline cards come with elevated rewards on everyday purchases you can use for free or discounted flights.
Written by
Writer, Fox Money
Holly Johnson has spent more than 10 years covering finance, with bylines at CNN, Forbes Advisor, and Time Magazine.
Updated November 21, 2024, 10:23 AM EST
Written by
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Hanna Horvath is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Red Venture's senior editor of content partnerships.
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Co-branded airline credit cards make it possible to earn miles without actually flying. You can then redeem these miles for free or discounted flights.
Plus, many have perks that make the airport experience considerably more comfortable. This includes early boarding, complimentary upgrades, and free checked bags.
There are also general travel credit cards that may earn more rewards on everyday purchases and more flexible redemption options.
If you’re looking for a new travel companion, here are five of the best airline credit cards.
The best airline credit cards
The best airline credit cards offer high rewards rates on flight purchases, valuable airline-specific perks like free checked bags and priority boarding, and flexible redemption options.
Top picks include the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture X, and co-branded cards from American, Delta, and United.
- Best for flexibility: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Best for luxury airport benefits: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Best for American Airlines: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- Best for Delta: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Best for United: United℠ Explorer Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Best for flexibility
Rewards:
- 5X points on travel through Chase Travel℠
- 5X points on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
- 3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services), online grocery purchases (excluding wholesale clubs), and select streaming services
- 2X points on other travel
- 1X points on other purchases
Annual fee: $95
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also offers an annual hotel credit plus a generous selection of travel insurance benefits.
You can earn 25% more when you redeem points for travel via the Chase travel portal. Points also transfer to popular airline programs like British Airways Executive Club, JetBlue TrueBlue, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, and United MileagePlus.
Pros
- Earns flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points
- Exceptional earning rates for travel and other purchases
- Generous welcome offer
- No foreign transaction fees
- Get 25% more value when redeeming points for travel
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- High APR
- Requires good to excellent credit
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best for luxury airport benefits
Rewards
- 10X miles on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- 5X miles on airfare booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles on other purchases
Annual fee: $395
While this card has a $395 annual fee, the Capital One Venture X credit card comes with Priority Pass Select membership, an annual travel credit, a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and other travel benefits. Together, these fees can easily offset the annual cost.
Capital One miles are also very flexible. You can use them to book airfare and hotels through Capital One or transfer them to Capital One airline and hotel partners. Airline partners vary but include options like Aeromexico, Air Canada, British Airways Executive Club, and Virgin Red.
Pros
- Lucrative welcome offer
- Earns a minimum of 2X miles on all purchases
- Elevated earning rate for travel booked through Capital One Travel
- Annual travel credits
- Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- $395 annual fee
- High APR
- Requires good to excellent credit
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Best for American Airlines
Rewards:
- 2X miles per dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 2X miles on American Airlines purchases
- 1X on other purchases. You’ll also get Loyalty Points for every mile earned
Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee in the first year ($99 after)
Cardholders get added benefits like priority boarding, discounts on in-flight purchases, and free checked bags for you and your companions. You can use miles to book flights with American Airlines and its partners, including British Airways, Alaska Airlines, and Qatar Airways.
Pros
- Generous welcome bonus
- Solid travel perks
- Frequent flyer benefits
- Earns Loyalty Points toward elite status
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- $99 annual fee after the first year
- High APR
- Limited redemption options outside of flights
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Best for Delta
Rewards:
- 3X miles on Delta flights and Delta Vacations® purchases
- 3X miles on direct hotel transactions
- 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants
Annual fee: $350. See rates and fees.
There is a steep annual fee, but this card offers many benefits for Delta enthusiasts, including free checked bags, priority boarding, discounts, and credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership.
Members can use miles to book flights with Delta or one of its travel partners, including Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM, and Aeromexico.
Pros
- Generous welcome bonus and earning rates
- Discounts on Delta award flights