I wrote a lot of this text from Seat 19A of an Icelandair flight from Iceland to Canada. I used the most effective airline bank cards — the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card — to ebook this flight, primarily due to the worth drop safety I get when reserving by way of the Capital One Journey portal.
Nevertheless, there are various kinds of airline bank cards. For instance, cobranded airline playing cards typically provide perks and rewards with a particular airline. In the meantime, many journey rewards playing cards provide helpful advantages equivalent to bonus earnings on flights and different journey, airport lounge entry, and choose kinds of journey insurance coverage.
Cobranded playing cards could be particularly helpful should you primarily fly with one airline. However should you aren’t loyal to only one airline, the most effective airline bank card for you might be a journey rewards card that permits you to earn bonus rewards on flights throughout varied airways. Let’s check out the most effective airline playing cards, together with some cobranded playing cards with well-liked airways and a few playing cards that earn transferable rewards.
The perfect airline playing cards
Evaluating the most effective airline playing cards
Listed here are my high suggestions for the most effective airline bank cards.
| Card | Finest for | Welcome provide | Incomes charges | Annual charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Most popular Card | Incomes Final Rewards factors | Earn 60,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card | Simplicity | Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 |
| The Platinum Card from American Specific | Premium journey perks | Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. |
|
$695 (see charges and costs) |
| United Enterprise Card | United enterprise vacationers | Earn 75,000 miles and a pair of,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. |
|
$0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150 |
| Citi Strata Premier Card | Incomes Citi ThankYou factors | Earn 60,000 factors after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card | Delta loyalists | Earn 70,000 miles after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. |
|
$650 (see charges and costs) |
| Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card | Incomes Capital One miles | Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. |
|
$395 |
| Alaska Airways Visa Signature bank card | Vacationers preferring Oneworld airways | Earn 60,000 miles plus Alaska’s Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and costs from $23) after making $3,000 or extra in purchases throughout the first 90 days from opening your account. Plus, obtain a 30% flight low cost code for a qualifying future flight after opening your new account. |
|
$95 |
| Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard | Lounge entry when flying American Airways | Earn 100,000 miles after spending $10,000 throughout the first three months from account opening. |
|
$595 |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card | Delta flyers | Earn 50,000 miles after spending $2,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. |
|
$0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150 (see charges and costs) |
Chase Sapphire Most popular Card
Welcome provide: Earn 60,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: When you’re solely going to get one airline bank card and are not loyal to a single airline, the Chase Sapphire Most popular is a superb choice.
Cardholders earn 5 Chase Final Rewards factors per greenback spent on flights booked by way of Chase Journey and a pair of factors per greenback spent on flights booked through different strategies. Although I typically ebook my flights with the Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card (see charges and costs) — an excellent different for enterprise house owners — I ceaselessly advocate the Chase Sapphire Most popular to family and friends members searching for a flexible journey rewards card.
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The Chase Sapphire Most popular can be an excellent choice to earn rewards that you could redeem for flights. I normally switch my Final Rewards factors to Hyatt, however you may as well switch to different companions for award flights. You can too redeem factors for journey by way of the Chase Journey portal at a fee of 1.25 cents per level.
For extra particulars, see our full Chase Sapphire Most popular Card assessment.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: The Capital One Enterprise was one among my first bank cards, and it stays a wonderful choice for vacationers preferring simplicity. The Enterprise card provides at the very least 2 miles per greenback spent on each buy, together with flights.
The cardboard additionally makes redemptions straightforward. You possibly can switch your miles to any of Capital One’s 15-plus switch companions or redeem them for a cent every towards latest journey purchases in your card.
For extra data, take a look at our assessment of the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
The Platinum Card from American Specific
Welcome provide: Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.
Annual charge: $695.
Standout advantages: The Amex Platinum Card provides some glorious journey perks, together with Centurion Lounge entry, as much as $199 again in assertion credit per calendar yr for a Clear Plus membership (topic to auto-renewal), journey delay insurance coverage* and an up-to-$200 airline charge assertion credit score every calendar yr. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
However maybe the largest purpose the Amex Platinum is without doubt one of the greatest airline playing cards is that it provides 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked straight with airways or by way of American Specific Journey, on as much as $500,000 on these purchases per calendar yr (then 1 level per greenback).
TPG’s Could 2025 valuations peg the worth of Amex factors at 2 cents every, which suggests you will get a return of 10% on as much as $500,000 of flight purchases every calendar yr. This nice return is why my husband and I typically forgo the baggage delay safety supplied by different journey rewards playing cards and use his Amex Platinum to buy expensive flights.
You possibly can redeem Amex factors for flights by way of the issuer’s journey portal, however I normally leverage the Amex switch companions for my redemptions. For extra data, take a look at our assessment of The Platinum Card from American Specific.
*Eligibility and Profit stage varies by Card. Phrases, Circumstances and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Specific
United Enterprise Card
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 miles and a pair of,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150.
Standout advantages: United Airways provides two cobranded enterprise playing cards. However until you are striving for United elite standing or want United Membership entry, the United Enterprise Card — or its private counterpart, the United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and costs) — is probably going the most effective airline bank card in order for you strong perks when flying United.
United Enterprise cardmembers get entry to advantages that may assist when flying United, together with two United Membership one-time passes per yr, precedence boarding, a free first checked bag, two continental U.S. Financial system Plus seat upgrades every year (after spending $25,000 every calendar yr) and as much as $25 in credit on United FareLock purchases every account anniversary yr (after buying FareLock along with your United Enterprise card and utilizing it on a qualifying flight).
Even should you solely fly United just a few instances every year, these advantages could present extra worth than the cardboard’s $150 annual charge.
For extra data, take a look at our assessment of the United Enterprise Card.
Apply right here: United Enterprise Card
Citi Strata Premier Card
Welcome provide: Earn 60,000 factors after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: The Citi Strata Premier Card earns 3 factors per greenback spent on air journey purchases. Particularly contemplating the cardboard provides journey delay safety, journey cancellation and interruption safety, and misplaced or broken baggage advantages, it is a compelling card for flight purchases.
I normally use my Citi Strata Premier card primarily for purchases at EV charging stations and supermarkets, however I might think about using it for flight purchases if I wanted to spice up my Citi ThankYou Rewards factors stability. In any case, the Citi switch companions embrace some helpful airline and resort loyalty packages, together with Selection Privileges, Avianca LifeMiles, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership.
For extra data, take a look at our Citi Strata Premier Card assessment.
Apply right here: Citi Strata Premier Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
Welcome provide: Earn 70,000 miles after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.
Annual charge: $650.
Standout advantages: If you’re a frequent Delta traveler who can profit from further Medallion Qualification {Dollars} or Delta Sky Membership entry, the Delta Reserve Amex is likely to be simply what you want.
Though Delta Sky Membership entry for Delta Reserve cardmembers is now restricted to fifteen visits every Medallion yr, you possibly can unlock limitless entry after spending $75,000 on purchases in your card throughout a calendar yr. In fact, you will need to fly on a flight operated or marketed by Delta that is not in fundamental economic system to get complimentary Delta Sky Membership entry.
The MQD enhance and head begin accessible to Delta Reserve cardmembers could be extraordinarily useful should you try for a particular Delta Medallion standing tier. Delta Reserve cardmembers get 2,500 MQDs as a head begin every qualification yr, plus earn 1 MQD per $10 of eligible purchases made with their Delta Reserve card every qualification yr.
You may earn 3 miles per greenback spent on purchases made straight with Delta and 1 mile per greenback on different purchases. You may get the most effective worth once you redeem Delta miles for flights, and it can save you 15% on Delta-operated award flights with the cardboard’s TakeOff 15 perk.
For extra data, take a look at our assessment of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $395.
Standout advantages: I signed up for the Capital One Enterprise X shortly after it opened to new candidates in 2021. Regardless of its $395 annual charge, I count on to maintain it long-term because it provides two advantages that may present extra worth than its annual charge: a $300 annual credit score for bookings by way of Capital One Journey and 10,000 bonus miles yearly in your account anniversary.
These two advantages successfully offset the cardboard’s annual charge for me. However I additionally get incremental worth from a number of different card perks, together with incomes 5 miles per greenback spent on flights and trip leases booked by way of Capital One Journey. Plus, I’ve obtained a reimbursement on a number of flights as a result of worth match and worth drop advantages you get when reserving eligible flights by way of Capital One Journey.
As a Enterprise X cardmember, I additionally get pleasure from complimentary entry to Capital One Lounges and Precedence Cross lounges. I’ve remained impressed by the Capital One Lounge in Dallas, which continues to supply high-quality meals and cozy seating.
For extra data, take a look at our assessment of the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Alaska Airways Visa Signature bank card
Welcome provide: Earn 60,000 miles plus Alaska’s Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and costs from $23) after making $3,000 or extra in purchases throughout the first 90 days from opening your account. Plus, obtain a 30% flight low cost code for a qualifying future flight after opening your new account.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: Alaska Mileage Plan miles are critically underrated. So, whereas frequent Alaska Airways flyers ought to take into account the Alaska Airways Visa Signature card for its perks on Alaska flights, it could possibly be useful even should you by no means step on board an Alaska Airways flight.
You may earn 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Alaska Airways purchases and get precedence boarding once you pay for Alaska flights along with your card. Cardmembers who pay for his or her flight with their Alaska card will even obtain a free first checked bag for themselves and as much as six companions on the identical Alaska Airways flight reservation.
I hardly ever fly Alaska Airways, but I’ve the Alaska Airways Visa Signature card. That is as a result of I can get glorious worth when redeeming Alaska miles for flights on Alaska accomplice airways. Alaska is a part of the Oneworld alliance however has many different nonalliance companions like Aer Lingus, Air Tahiti Nui, Condor and Starlux Airways.
Take a look at our Alaska Airways Visa Signature bank card assessment for extra data.
Apply right here: Alaska Airways Visa Signature bank card
Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard
Welcome provide: Earn 100,000 miles after spending $10,000 throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $595.
Standout advantages: The highest advantage of the Citi / AAdvantage Govt card is an Admirals Membership membership. With this membership, you and your fast household (or as much as two visitors) can get pleasure from Admirals Membership entry when touring on an eligible departing or arriving flight that’s marketed or operated by American Airways, or marketed and operated by any Oneworld service.
For some vacationers, the Admirals Membership membership alone will justify paying the cardboard’s $595 annual charge. Plus, you possibly can add as much as three licensed customers to your card (for $175 yearly), giving them Admirals Membership entry even when touring with out you. You can too add further licensed customers for $175 per individual after the primary three.
The Citi / AAdvantage Govt card may also be helpful should you try for a particular American Airways elite standing or Loyalty Level Rewards tier. You may earn 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent, plus a bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Factors after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Factors in a standing qualification yr and one other 10,000 Loyalty Factors after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Factors in the identical standing qualification yr.
The Citi / AAdvantage Govt card additionally comes with advantages on American Airways flights. However an AAdvantage card with a decrease annual charge is probably going higher should you’re solely fascinated about earlier boarding and getting your first checked bag free on home itineraries.
For extra data, take a look at our Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard assessment.
Apply right here: Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card
Welcome provide: Earn 50,000 miles after spending $2,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.
Annual charge: $0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150.
Standout advantages: The Delta Gold Amex is a good choice should you do not fly Delta and its companions ceaselessly sufficient to earn elite standing, however ceaselessly sufficient to understand the cardboard’s Delta-focused advantages.
You may earn 2 miles per greenback spent on purchases made straight with Delta, get Zone 5 precedence boarding on Delta flights and luxuriate in a primary checked bag free for you and as much as eight companions in your similar reservation on Delta flights. Plus, you will save 15% when redeeming miles for Delta flights and stand up to $100 per yr in assertion credit once you use your Delta Gold Amex to ebook pay as you go motels or trip leases by way of Delta Stays.
The Delta Gold Amex was one among my first cobranded airline bank cards since I grew up in Atlanta, a Delta hub. It may well shortly pay for itself should you make the most of its first-checked-bag-free and TakeOff 15 advantages.
For extra data, take a look at our Delta Gold Amex assessment.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card
What to contemplate when selecting the most effective airline card
Contemplate your priorities and what you wish to get out of your card when selecting an airline bank card.
Rewards
One essential side to contemplate when selecting the most effective airline card is the kind of rewards you wish to earn. For instance, do you wish to get a Delta card to earn extra Delta miles? Or would you like to earn a transferable rewards forex? When you select to earn transferable rewards, are you keen to switch your rewards to switch companions after which redeem them, or do you wish to redeem your rewards for journey at a hard and fast fee?
Rigorously take into account methods to redeem the rewards you will earn along with your card. For instance, Delta miles are greatest for flights on Delta and different SkyTeam airways. However transferable factors have many extra choices, and could be value considerably extra should you make the most of high-value switch companions when redeeming.
Associated: Airline bank cards vs. journey bank cards: That are greatest?
Welcome bonus
Lots of the greatest airline playing cards provide welcome bonuses to new candidates who open an account. It is sensible to contemplate these welcome provides when choosing a card. Particularly, I like to recommend ready till a card provides an elevated welcome provide. This is a have a look at the provide historical past for playing cards from a number of the main issuers:
Associated: Playing cards at the moment providing welcome bonuses of 100,000 factors or extra
Perks
Typically, you might primarily get or preserve an airline bank card for its perks. For instance, the Admirals Membership membership as a perk of the Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard would be the main purpose some vacationers get and preserve that card. Likewise, the first-checked-bag-free profit on choose airline playing cards will be the main purpose you retain a card in your pockets.
Perks on airline playing cards can nonetheless provide a lot worth even should you aren’t loyal to at least one airline. For instance, I really like the Centurion Lounge entry I get with The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific, and I get pleasure from Capital One Lounge entry as a advantage of my Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card. Particularly should you ceaselessly use an airport with one among these lounges, you might get substantial worth from bank card lounge entry.
Associated: The perfect bank cards for reserving flights
Annual charge
Lastly, it is also value contemplating the annual charge when choosing an airline bank card. Because of the welcome provide, you will typically get extra worth out of your card than the annual charge in your first yr. However in subsequent years, it is sensible to make sure the advantages and financial savings you get out of your card present extra worth than the price of the cardboard’s annual charge.
Associated: Find out how to resolve if a bank card’s annual charge is value paying
How we selected the most effective airline playing cards
We thought of a number of elements when deciding what playing cards to incorporate on this listing of the most effective airline playing cards. These elements embrace incomes charges, perks, welcome provides and the general worth a shopper may get from the cardboard.
Take a look at our assessment methodology to be taught extra about how TPG evaluates and chooses playing cards for our roundups.
Associated: Find out how to decide the proper journey bank card for you
Redemption choices for the most effective airline playing cards
Thus far, we have mentioned two kinds of airline bank cards: those who earn miles with a particular airline and those who earn transferable rewards.
When you have a card incomes miles with a particular airline, you will probably get different airline-specific perks, equivalent to earlier boarding, a free first checked bag or lounge entry. However you will need to redeem your miles inside that particular airline’s loyalty program.
For instance, I earn American miles on my AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard® and Citi® / AAdvantage Enterprise™ World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and costs), and Alaska miles on my Alaska Airways Visa Signature bank card.
The data for the AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Silver Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Earlier this month, I redeemed 7,500 Alaska miles plus $34 in taxes and costs per individual to fly in Finnair economic system from Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Keflavik Airport (KEF).
And though I really like redeeming American miles for premium-cabin long-haul award flights (equivalent to my award this summer time from Hong Kong to the U.S. for 70,000 miles plus $67 per individual), I additionally redeem a large chunk of American miles on economic system flights inside North America. For instance, I just lately booked an AAdvantage award from Atlanta to Toronto through Dallas after Christmas for simply 6,500 miles plus $5.60 per individual.
Associated: Finest methods to earn airline miles
You have got extra redemption choices in case your card earns transferable rewards. On this case, it is essential to contemplate your redemption choices rigorously. Transferable rewards packages normally provide many redemption choices, however some, equivalent to present playing cards, will present low worth.
As such, we advocate transferring rewards in these packages to high-value switch companions when you’re able to ebook a visit.
I ceaselessly switch Chase Final Rewards factors to Hyatt and have just lately transferred Amex Membership Rewards factors to Alaska through Hawaiian. Earlier than you redeem, calculate your redemption worth and evaluate it to TPG’s valuations to make sure you’re getting good worth.
Associated: 10 errors to keep away from when redeeming airline factors and miles
Backside line
There is not one greatest airline bank card, because it relies on your journey and spending preferences. Nevertheless, airline bank cards sometimes fall into two classes: these you get for journey perks equivalent to lounge entry or precedence boarding, and people you get for the rewards. So, take into account what kind of card you like and whether or not you need any particular airline advantages out of your card.
For instance, in order for you an Admirals Membership membership, just one card (the Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard) provides this profit. However if you wish to earn bonus factors or miles when shopping for flights, many playing cards provide this profit. When you’re searching for a flexible journey rewards card for flights and different journey bills, I like to recommend the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card, Citi Strata Premier Card or Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card.
For charges and costs of the American Specific Platinum card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Delta Reserve card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Delta Gold card, click on right here.
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