The best airline credit card depends on your travel habits, where you live, and how frequently you fly. Whether you’re devoted to a specific airline or just an occasional traveler, the right card can make your trips more rewarding and enjoyable.
Lone Travellers’ Rating | 4.5 |
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
$695
Pay Over Time APR
670-850 (Good/Excellent)
The Amex Amercian Express Platinum Card stands out for its unparalleled travel perks and benefits. With access to exclusive lounges, automatic hotel elite status, and valuable annual statement credits, this card is a top choice for travelers who prioritize luxury and convenience, making it worth the higher annual fee.
The Amex American Express Platinum Card offers incredible value, starting with a lucrative welcome offer valued at $1,600.
Key Benefits:
With its extensive benefits, the Amex American Express Platinum Card is perfect for travelers seeking luxury and convenience.
The Amex Platinum Card’s $695 annual fee is best suited for frequent travelers who can fully utilize its benefits.
Considerations:
Make sure the card’s benefits align with your spending habits and travel frequency before committing to the annual fee.
The American Express Platinum Card offers an extensive array of benefits and credits designed for travelers and luxury lifestyle enthusiasts. Here’s a breakdown:
With these perks, the card is ideal for frequent travelers and those who can maximize the credits. However, the $695 annual fee makes it best suited for those who value and actively use its premium benefits. Terms apply.
Lone Travellers’ Rating | 4.5 |
10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
5 Miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
$395
19.99% – 29.24% Variable
740-850 (Excellent)
If you fully utilize the $300 credit for Capital One Travel, the Venture X’s annual fee effectively drops to $95, matching the fee of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Additionally, you’ll earn a 10,000-mile bonus each account anniversary (valued at $185 by Lone Travellers) and enjoy lounge access. These benefits make the Venture X an exceptional choice for many travelers seeking value and premium perks.
Lone Travellers’ Rating | 4.5 |
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases – with no limit to the amount you can earn
Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$95
20.49% – 26.49% Variable
670-850 (Good/Excellent)
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a great choice for business owners, offering a generous sign-up bonus and rewards on popular business spending categories like travel, shipping, advertising, and telecommunications. It also includes valuable benefits such as travel protections, shopping protections, and primary rental car coverage for business use, which extends to your employees. This card provides excellent value for businesses looking to maximize their spending.
Lone Travellers’ Rating | 4.3 |
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries.
2x on all other travel purchases.
1x on all other purchases.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$95
20.74% – 27.74% Variable
670-850 (Good/Excellent)
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a top choice for travel rewards enthusiasts. With a $95 annual fee, it offers great value through excellent rewards on travel and dining purchases. Cardholders can redeem points at 1.25 cents each for travel booked through Chase or transfer them to one of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners for even more flexibility.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers impressive earning potential:
Highlights:
This card is a fantastic option for frequent travelers looking for value and peace of mind.
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Lone Travellers’ Rating | 4 |
Get unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases.
Get unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases.
Get unlimited 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Earn 70,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
$95
20.24% – 28.24% Variable
670-850 (Good/Excellent)
This card stands out thanks to the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, a highly valuable loyalty program. It’s a great option whether you’re a frequent Alaska Airlines traveler or someone looking to diversify your rewards.
One of the highlights is Alaska’s Famous Companion Pass, available each year for $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees starting at $23) after spending $6,000 in the previous anniversary year. Cardholders also enjoy free checked bags for themselves and up to six guests on their itinerary, 20% savings on in-flight purchases, and more.
With Alaska now part of the oneworld alliance, you’ll have access to a wide range of redemption options.
Lone Travellers’ Rating | 4.2 |
2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
Get 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
$0
19.99% – 28.99% Variable
670-850 (Good/Excellent)
The reason why we choose this is that with the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, you can earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
Get 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases and a 20% discount on eligible in-flight purchases.
Lone Travellers’ Rating | 3.9 |
Get 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
Get 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
$0
20.49% – 29.49% Variable
670-850 (Good/Excellent)
The reason why we choose this American Airlines credit card is that with the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, you’ll get 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after you spent $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Get 2 miles for grocery purchases and eligible American Airline purchases and 1 mile on all other eligible purchases, all while paying no annual fee. Plus, you’ll save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights when you use your card, and there’s no limit to the miles you can earn.
Lone Travellers’ Rating | 3.5 |
3X points on Southwest® purchases.
2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
Earn 1X points on all other purchases.
Get 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
$149
20.74% – 27.74% Variable
670-850 (Good/Excellent)
The reason why we choose this Southwest Airlines credit card is that while other top airline credit cards have annual fees over $500 per year, the Southwest Airlines credit card comes with just a $149 annual fees per year.
If you’re a loyal Southwest traveler, you’ll get a number of perks every year: a $75 Southwest travel credit and 7,500 points on anniversary of your card membership. These perks alone make up the annual fee for frequent Southwest flyers. Every $5,000 that you spent on this card, you’ll earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points, fast-tracking your way to A-List Status.
Using a credit card for purchases can help you rack up points or miles that can be redeemed for free flights or other travel-related costs.
Spending on categories like airfare, hotel stays, and rental cars often earns you bonus rewards. Many airline cards even make your points more valuable when redeemed for flights.
Many airline credit cards offer at least two points or miles for every dollar spent on airline purchases.
These rewards can typically be redeemed for cash back, travel bookings, or transferred to airline or hotel partners. Some cards also let you use points with a variety of airlines through their alliances or partnerships, giving you more flexibility.
One can apply for a credit card online, by mail, or over the phone, with online applications being the easiest option. During the process, you’ll need to provide personal and financial details, such as your name, contact information, annual income, and Social Security number. You’ll be asked to read the terms and conditions of the card’s benefits, interest rates and applicable fees.
Once you apply, many issuers will give you a decision in just a few seconds, but you could end up having to wait for up to two weeks for an answer.
When it comes to how to select an airline credit card that is best for you, it’s important to identify the particular features that are most important to you. For example, if you want a credit card that has travel perks, then the cards that provide dining rewards, points on miles or airline rewards are the best choice for you.
Here are three important things to think about:
1. Sign-Up Bonuses
A welcome bonus can be one of the most valuable features of a credit card. These bonuses are often much larger than the rewards you’d earn through regular spending. If you’re confident you can meet the spending requirement, signing up for a card with a strong bonus could be a smart move.
2. Reward Categories
Many credit cards offer extra rewards for spending in specific categories, like dining, travel, or groceries. To make the most of your spending, look for a card that aligns with your lifestyle and maximizes the rewards you’ll earn in the areas where you spend the most.
3. Annual fee
Many cards on the best cards list feature a premium annual fee, but that means they also come with premium benefits. Choose the best credit card for you by selecting cards that have benefits that would be worth more than the card’s annual fee.
A decent airline credit card is worth it as long as the rewards you earn outweigh the annual fees.
Your airline miles are valuable, but unfortunately, they don’t always last forever. Whether your miles expire depends on the airline.
The good news is that several major U.S. airlines, including Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United, don’t have expiration dates for their miles or points. Which means you won’t lose any miles even after account inactivity.
On the otherhand American Airlines miles expire after 24 months of inactivity, and Alaska Airlines will lock your account after 24 months of inactivity.
To avoid losing your miles, try to earn or use them periodically with airlines that have expiration policies.
Here’s a tip: spending on a cobranded airline credit card often counts as activity. For airlines like American Airlines, this can help you keep your miles from expiring effortlessly.
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The number of miles you can earn with an airline credit card depends on the specific card. Generally, cards with higher annual fees tend to offer better earning rates. However, it’s important to pick a card that aligns with your budget and travel preferences.
Using an airline credit card is a smart way to earn miles for your next trip through purchases you’re already making. I hope this answers your question.
Credit cards provide excellent benefits and strong fraud protection, making them a top payment choice. However, they’re not ideal for everyone. If you tend to overspend, it’s wiser to use a debit card until you’re confident in managing credit responsibly.
Getting a credit card generally takes anywhere from 5 to 14 days after approval. Some issuers offer instant approval right after completing online applications, and many provide virtual card numbers so you can start using the card right away while waiting for the physical card to arrive.
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At Lone Travellers, we believe credit cards can open up incredible opportunities for travelers, turning everyday expenses into cash back or unforgettable trips. That’s why we share helpful guides and honest comparisons to help you pick the right card for your adventures.
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