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Airline Credit Cards

Airline Credit Cards

Personalize your search for a Credit Card with Airline Miles

Airline credit cards give you miles in exchange for every dollar you spend, which can be redeemed not only for free flights, but also for other perks associated with travel, including hotel stays and car rentals. In general, there are two types of airline miles credit cards, those that are tied to a specific air carrier and those offering generic miles rewards, which can be redeemed for any flight on any date. Though the former may offer more lucrative rewards, they have a significant limitation in that you only get full value when redeeming for travel with affiliated airlines, which may be subject to blackout dates and limited seat availability. For this reason, unless you travel 30,000 miles with the same airline on an annual basis, we recommend getting a card offering generic airline rewards miles. In addition, though some airline credit cards allow the practice, we must caution you against exchanging your miles for things like cash back or merchandise because you risk losing a lot of value in the process. If you are interested in either, you can find better options in our cash back credit cards section.

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    4.5

    Capital One® VentureSM Rewards Credit Card

    capital one venture rewards credit card
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases Not Offered
    • 0% on Transfers Not Offered
    • Regular Rate 13.9% - 20.9% (V)
    Annual Fee $0 for 1st yr, $59 after
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 10,000 miles
    Base Earn 2 miles / $1
    Max Earn 2 miles / $1
    • 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
    • As seen in Money® Magazine’s “Best” issue three years in a row. - Money® Magazine May 2010, 2011, 2012.
    • Earn 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $100 in travel.
    • Redeem your miles for any travel expense.
    • No limit on the miles you can earn and miles don’t expire.
    • Fly on any airline, any time with no blackout dates.
    • No foreign transaction fees.

     
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    4.5

    China Airlines Credit Card

    china airlines credit card
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases Not Offered
    • 0% on Transfers 15 months ;   Fee.....3%
    • Regular Rate 15.99% - 24.99% (V)
    Annual Fee None
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 2,500 miles
    Base Earn 0.5 miles / $1
    Max Earn 1 mile / $1
    • Earn 2,500 Bonus miles on first use.
    • Earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on China Airlines travel.
    • Earn 1 mile for every $2 spent anywhere else.
    • Earn up to 5,000 Bonus miles for Balance Transfers.

     
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    3.5

    Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

    AMEX Gold Delta Skymiles Credit Card
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases Not Offered
    • 0% on Transfers Not Offered
    • Regular Rate 15.24% - 19.24% (V)
    Annual Fee None 1st yr, $95 after
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 30,000 miles
    Base Earn 1 mile / $1
    Max Earn 2 miles / $1
    • Bonus Miles: Earn 30,000 bonus miles toward Award Travel after you spend $500 on the Card within the first three months of Cardmembership.
    • Earn As You Spend: Get 2X miles on Delta purchases and 1X miles for all other eligible dollars spent.
    • Check your first bag free on every Delta flight - that's a savings of up to $200 per round trip for a family of four.
    • Premium Travel Perks: Settle in sooner with Priority Boarding, and enjoy the skies with 20% in-flight savings to use toward meals, beverages, and movies awarded as a statement credit.

     
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    4

    Barclaycard Arrival™ World MasterCard Credit Card with No Annual Fee

    barclaycard arrival world mastercard credit card with no annual fee
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases 12 months
    • 0% on Transfers Not Offered
    • Regular Rate 14.99% - 18.99% (V)
    Annual Fee None
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 20,000 miles
    Base Earn 1 mile/$1
    Max Earn 2 miles/$1
    • For a limited time - Earn 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days (that equates to $200 off your next trip!)
    • Earn 2X miles per $1 on travel and dining purchases.
    • Earn 1X mile per $1 everywhere else.
    • Exclusive Carry-on Miles - earn 10% of your miles back when you redeem for travel.
    • Use miles for a statement credit toward any airline purchase to any destination with no seat restrictions.
    • No blackout dates and no limit on the points you can earn.

     
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    5

    Barclaycard Arrival™ World MasterCard Credit Card

    barclaycard arrival world mastercard credit card
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases 12 months
    • 0% on Transfers Not Offered
    • Regular Rate 14.99% - 18.99% (V)
    Annual Fee None 1st yr, $89 after
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 40,000 miles
    Base Earn 2 miles/$1
    Max Earn 2 miles/$1
    • Now, for a limited time, earn 40,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days (that equates to $400 off your next trip!)
    • Earn 2 miles per $1 on all purchases.
    • Exclusive Carry-on Miles - earn 10% of your miles back when you redeem for travel.
    • Use miles for a statement credit toward any airline purchase to any destination with no seat restrictions.
    • No blackout dates, no limit on the points you can earn.
    • Complimentary TripIt® Pro subscription - the mobile travel organizer that helps make traveling easier ($49 value).

     
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    4

    British Airways Credit Card

    british airways credit card
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases Not Offered
    • 0% on Transfers Not Offered
    • Regular Rate 15.24% (V)
    Annual Fee $95
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 50,000 miles
    Base Earn 1.25 miles / $1
    Max Earn 2.5 miles / $1
    • You will get 50,000 bonus Avios after you make $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
    • Plus pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
    • You will also get 2.5 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways purchases and 1.25 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
    • Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you'll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.

     
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    3.5

    Capital One® VentureOneSM Rewards Credit Card

    capital one ventureone rewards credit card
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases until May 2014
    • 0% on Transfers Not Offered
    • Regular Rate 11.9% - 19.9% (V)
    Annual Fee None
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 10,000 miles
    Base Earn 1.25 miles / $1
    Max Earn 1.25 miles / $1
    • 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and no annual fee.
    • One-time bonus of 10,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $100 in travel.
    • Redeem miles for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and more.
    • No limit on the miles you can earn and miles don't expire.
    • Fly on any airline, any time with no blackout dates.
    • No foreign transaction fees.

     
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    3

    Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® Visa Signature® Credit Card

    aadvantage visa credit card
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases Not Offered
    • 0% on Transfers Not Offered
    • Regular Rate 15.24% (V)
    Annual Fee $95, waived for first 12 months*
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 30,000 miles
    Base Earn 1 mile / $1
    Max Earn 2 miles / $1
    • Earn 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of cardmembership*
    • Your first eligible checked bag is free*
    • Earn a $100 American Airlines Flight Discount every cardmembership year with qualifying purchases and cardmembership renewal*
    • Double AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases*
    • Priority Boarding with Group 1 privileges* and 25% savings on eligible in-flight purchases*
    • Earn 10% of your redeemed AAdvantage® miles back – up to 10,000 AAdvantage® miles each calendar year*

     
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    3

    LANPASS Visa Signature® Credit Card

    lanpass visa signature credit card
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases Not Offered
    • 0% on Transfers Not Offered
    • Regular Rate 12.99% - 19.99% (V)
    Annual Fee None 1st yr, $75 after
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 20,000 miles
    Base Earn 1 mile / $1
    Max Earn 2 mile / $1
    • Earn one LANPASS Mile for every $1 you spend.
    • Double Miles on LAN ticket purchases.
    • 20,000 Bonus Miles with your first card use.
    • 4,000 Bonus Miles with your annual credit card renewal.
    • 20% discount on LAN purchase (up to $1,000) 1 time per year.
    • 25% flight miles bonus.
    • 3 one-way upgrade coupons per year.
    • No Cap on Miles Earned.

     
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    4

    Frontier Credit Card

    frontier world mastercard with no annual fee
    Rates:
    • 0% on Purchases Not Offered
    • 0% on Transfers 15 months ;   Fee.....3%
    • Regular Rate 15.99% - 24.99% (V)
    Annual Fee None
    Rewards Miles
    Initial Bonus 5,000 miles
    Base Earn 0.5 miles / $1
    Max Earn 1 mile / $1
    • Earn 5,000 Bonus Miles after your first purchase.
    • Earn 1 mile for every $1 on Frontier purchases.
    • Earn 1 Mile for every $2 spent on all other purchases.
    • Earn Up To 10,000 Bonus Miles with initial balance transfers in the first 90 days.

     
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    We work hard to present you with the most accurate credit card information, however, this information does not originate from us and thus, we do not guarantee the accuracy of the information. Certain offers originate from paying advertisers, and this will be noted on a card’s details page, when applicable.

    Before you apply for a credit card we recommend that you review and verify the credit card terms and conditions on the credit card company's web site. Please let us know if you find any differences related to the Airline Credit Cards shown on this page.


     
    Learn more about Airline Credit Cards

    Do I have to be a frequent flyer to get an airline miles credit card? While frequent flyers will certainly benefit more from a miles credit card than others, as long as you travel at least once a year, you can extract significant value from such a card. This is especially true given the attractive initial rewards bonuses that many airline rewards credit cards now offer, which often equate to one or more free flights. However, no matter how attractive these initial bonuses are, if commercial travel isn’t your cup of tea, you will inevitably redeem miles for non-travel goods of services and would therefore have been better off applying for a points or cash back credit card from the get go.

    What to look for when evaluating airline rewards programs: It’s often difficult to evaluate airline credit cards because you not only have the typical credit card concerns to worry about (e.g. credit standing, fee structure, etc.), but you must also tackle issues unique to airline rewards programs (e.g. whether there’s an airline affiliation, relative differences in value between miles in each program, etc.). Credit card disclosures are by no means short either, so to make things easier on yourself not only use Card Hub’s credit card comparison tool (we’re obviously biased in this regard), but also be on the lookout for the following key pieces of information:

    1. Airline Affiliation: Some airline cards offer generic miles that can be redeemed for flights on any airline. Others are tied to particular airlines and provide miles usable only for flights with affiliated carriers. The former are good for both the infrequent traveler and those who travel a lot, but on different airlines. The latter are only good for brand-loyal frequent flyers.
    2. Initial Rewards Bonus: The initial bonus that you can earn during the first few months of card use is an extremely important consideration. The reason for that is bonus miles on certain cards may even exceed the number of miles attainable from a full year of card use.
    3. Earning Rate: You need to figure out how quickly you’ll be accruing miles, as this dictates how lucrative each card you consider will be. Just be aware of cards that require you to sign up on a quarterly basis in order to be eligible for the highest rewards earning rates.
    4. Earning Tiers: Airline miles credit cards sometimes distribute miles at a particular rate up to a designated spending threshold, at which time the rewards earning rate changes. Depending on your spending habits, this could significantly alter the net earning rate a given card provides.
    5. Expiration: If your airline miles will expire at some point, you clearly need to know about it. When present, expiration is typically linked to either account inactivity or the amount of time elapsed since miles were earned.
    6. Redemption Policy: You must know the number of miles it takes to get free flights and other perks because this will clue you in to how much these miles are actually worth and how long it will take for you to see tangible benefits. In addition, you need to figure out whether any redemption limitations, such as blackout dates or limited seat availability, apply in order to make sure that the miles you earn can actually be put to use.
    7. Status Miles: For frequent flyers choosing between multiple airline miles cards tied to the same airline or deciding which airline to cast their allegiances with, the inclusion of status miles and the rate at which they can be earned is key.

    What’s the difference between airline miles and airline status miles? As is the case with hotel credit cards, airline rewards cards offer two types of miles: those redeemable for free flights, upgrades, etc. and those that allow you to climb the loyalty status ladder. All credit cards with airline miles offer the former; however, only those affiliated with a particular airline offer the latter. Garnering airline status miles should not be a priority unless you fly often and exclusively with a given airline, as you may have to pay a higher annual fee to get an airline card offering them.

    Which airline has the most rewarding credit card? There is no overall “best airline credit card,” as how rewarding each airline credit card is depends on the individual and how he or she uses it. In other words, the best airline credit card is whichever meshes best with your lifestyle. After all, a credit card offering 15 miles per dollar spent on a certain airline might seem good, but it wouldn’t have much practical value if you never fly with that carrier. This also means that the best airline credit card for many people is actually none at all. In fact, you shouldn’t make rewards of any kind a priority unless you pay your monthly credit card bills in full AND have good or excellent credit.

    Airline credit cards vs. Cash back credit cards Though they don’t have the branding, cash back credit cards can actually be the best airline credit cards. While this might seem confusing at first, cash back rewards obviously cannot be devalued and can be redeemed for anything, unlike airline miles. This is especially important for people who don’t fly or use their credit cards very often. Just think: If you aren't a heavy credit card spender, it might take you a couple of years to get enough miles for a free flight. By that time, your interests, financial situation, or even the airline’s rewards program may have changed, making those miles much less useful than when you first started accumulating them. In this scenario, wouldn't you be better off using cash back to subsidize travel expenses once a month or every year, rather than waiting two years to see any benefit?

    Should I have more than one rewards credit card? No matter how good a particular airline credit card is, there are going to be other rewards cards out there that are better in certain areas, and adding a couple of them to your rewards card arsenal can help you strategically maximize the free money you get. More specifically, rewards credit cards can benefit you in two ways: 1) Initial Bonuses: Free flights, gift cards, or cash for opening a new card or spending a certain amount within the first few months; 2) Ongoing Use: According to the Island Approach, you should have 2-3 rewards credit cards that complement each other and mirror your biggest expense categories. For example, if you are using the Delta Airline Miles Credit Card for most of your purchases, you may be able to find a cash back card that offers 5% cash back on gas stations and department stores and will therefore save you more money on these specific types of purchases than the Delta Card.