The 5 best airline credit cards

Advertiser Disclosure: Content provided by Bankrate.com. Fox Business and its content partners earn compensation from the affiliate companies that appear below. This content does not include all available financial offers, and compensation may impact how and where links appear in the content.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

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.

What are the best airline 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.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for flexibility
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best for luxury airport benefits
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Best for American Airlines
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Best for Delta
• United℠ Explorer Card: Best for United

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Best for flexibility

Rewards:

• Earn 5X points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 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

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 Ultimate Rewards portal. Points also transfer to popular airline programs like British Airways Executive Club, JetBlue TrueBlue, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, and United MileagePlus.

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

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.

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.

This card has a $99 annual fee that’s waived for the first year. 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.

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

There is a $350 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. See rates and fees.

Members can use miles to book flights with Delta or one of its travel partners, including Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM, and Aeromexico.

United℠ Explorer Card: Best for United

Rewards:

• 2X miles per dollar spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases
• 1X miles on all other purchases

If you’re a regular United flyer, the United Explorer Card may be an excellent card to have in your wallet. 

This card comes with a $0 annual fee in the first year and a $95 annual fee after, as well as a lucrative welcome bonus. Key benefits include free checked bags and priority boarding. You can also earn premier qualifying points (PQP) toward elite status, unlocking even more travel benefits.

You can redeem miles for flights with United or one of its Star Alliance partners, including Lufthansa, Air Canada, and ANA.

Are airline credit cards worth it?

Airline credit cards can be worth it, especially for those who fly at least a few times a year. Every time you book a flight with a travel credit card, you'll earn rewards on top of the miles you'll already earn with frequent flyer programs.

While many airline cards have annual fees, they come with perks that can easily offset costs.

Airline cards vs. general travel cards

Airline cards are co-branded with a particular airline, like Delta, United, or American. They typically offer perks and rewards specific to that airline. 

General travel cards, on the other hand, offer rewards that can be used across multiple airlines, hotels, and travel providers. 

The main advantage of airline cards is the airline-specific benefits. These often include perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, in-flight discounts, and even lounge access. If you regularly fly with one airline and value these extras, an airline card can easily be worth it.

However, general travel cards offer greater flexibility. The rewards you earn can usually be redeemed for flights on any airline, as well as hotels, rental cars, and other travel expenses. Some even allow you to transfer points to various airline and hotel partners. 

This includes cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture X card, which allow you to redeem rewards in their travel portals, transfer them to various frequent flyer programs, or cash them in for statement credits, gift cards, or merchandise.

This flexibility is valuable if you don't always fly the same airline or if you want your rewards to cover a broader range of travel costs. 

If you're loyal to one airline and value the VIP treatment, an airline card may be the way to go. But if you prioritize flexibility and want to use rewards across multiple travel brands, a general travel card is often the better bet.

How to get the most out of your airline card

To get the most out of an airline credit card, it's important to understand which spending categories will earn the best rewards and perks. 

• Consider where you spend the most money. Many airline cards offer bonus miles for purchases with the co-branded airline. If you frequently book flights or buy incidentals like seat upgrades or in-flight meals, you can rack up miles quickly. Some airline cards also offer bonus miles on other travel purchases, like hotels or car rentals, or on everyday categories like dining or groceries. 
• Consider the card's perks and how your travel behavior aligns with them. For example, if you usually check bags, a card that offers free checked bags could save you a lot over time. If you often travel with a companion, a card that offers a companion ticket voucher each year could be highly valuable. 
• Be realistic about how often you'll use the card and airline. If you only fly a few times a year, it may be harder to earn enough miles for a reward flight or fully utilize benefits like lounge access. Consider your typical travel frequency when deciding if an airline card makes sense for you.

Redeeming airline rewards

Earning rewards with an airline credit card is one thing — redeeming them for flights is another. The process can vary a bit from card to card.

With most airline cards, the miles you earn will be deposited into your frequent flyer account with that airline. When you're ready to redeem:

• You'll typically log into your account on the airline's website or app and search for award flights. 
• You can usually book award seats online the same way you'd book a cash ticket, just selecting to pay with miles instead of money.

Keep in mind that award seat availability can vary. Just because there are seats available for cash doesn't mean there will be award seats. Airlines often release a limited number of award seats per flight, and popular routes or times can get booked up. 

It helps to be flexible with dates and destinations. Some airline cards also allow you to transfer miles to partner airlines. This can open up more options. For example, if you have an American Airlines credit card, you might be able to transfer miles to British Airways and book a flight to Europe. The transfer process is usually done online through the card issuer's rewards portal. 

Another option with some cards is to redeem miles as a statement credit against travel purchases. In this case, you book your flight as usual with the card, then log into your card account and use miles to offset the cost. This can be a good option if you can't find award availability, though the redemption value per mile is often lower.

Assessing the value of airline perks

Airline credit cards often come with perks beyond just miles, and these benefits can be highly valuable — if you use them. To determine if an airline card's perks are worth it for you, consider your typical travel patterns and habits. 

• Take free checked bags, for example. This is a common airline card perk. If you usually check a bag and your airline charges $30 each way, a card that offers a free checked bag could save you $60 per round trip. If you fly four times a year, that's $240 in savings. 
• Similarly, if you often travel with a companion, a card that offers a companion ticket voucher — essentially a buy-one-get-one deal on flights — could be worth hundreds depending on the fare. 
• If you regularly pay for lounge access, a card that includes it could also justify a high annual fee. 

On the other hand, if you usually travel light with just a carry-on and rarely fly with a companion, those perks may not hold much value for you. Likewise, if you only travel once or twice a year, you might not get enough use out of lounge access to make it worth it. 

To assess the value, total up what you would typically spend on the services or perks the card offers, like checked bags or lounge visits. Then compare that potential savings to the card's annual fee. If you're coming out ahead and earning miles on top of that, the card is likely worthwhile. 

Of course, this calculation can change year to year based on your travel plans. An airline card might be worth it one year when you're traveling a lot and less so the next year. 

Many cards waive the annual fee for the first year, giving you a chance to test out the perks. Just remember to reevaluate each year to ensure the card is still providing more value than it's costing.

The bottom line

The best airline credit cards let users earn rewards and enjoy perks that can make flying more enjoyable. But their benefits and features are not all the same.

Our advice? Compare all the best airline cards on this page and other top credit card offers to find the right fit based on how you travel and how you spend.

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.