If you travel often and spend a lot of money on airfare, the best airline credit cards can help take the sting out of your travel budget. By signing up for the right cards, you can earn airline miles for free travel plus perks that make your travel experience a lot more fun.
Still, knowing which airline credit card is right for your situation and travel style requires some work and research on your part. The right card for your needs not only depends on where you live and which airports you are close to, but also on where you want to travel to – plus, how often.
This guide was created to introduce the top airline credit card offers, plus some of the best ways to use them. If you want to eventually fly for free, keep reading.
Best Airline Credit Cards for 2016
Before we dig into each individual card and how its individual rewards program works, here are the top cards to consider:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred®Card
- Citi ThankYou®Premier Card
- British Airways Visa Signature®Card
- United MileagePlus®Explorer Card
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier®Credit Card
- Citi/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® MasterCard
- Discover it®Miles
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best Option for Flexible Rewards
While the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card isn’t necessarily an airline credit card, it does let you earn points that transfer to some of the most popular airline loyalty programs in the business. After spending just $4,000 on your card within 90 days, you’ll earn 50,000 points worth $625 in travel if you book through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
When you transfer points to an airline program affiliated with Chase, you’ll get an awesome 1:1 transfer ratio. Currently, Chase transfer partners include:
- United Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- British Airways
- Korean Air
- Singapore KrisFlyer
- Virgin Atlantic
- Hyatt
- Marriott
- Ritz-Carlton
- IHG
- Amtrak
If you’re not sure which airline you want to invest in and want plenty of options, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is probably your best bet. Here are some details to consider before you sign up.
- Read here to learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Earn 50,000 points after you spend $3,000 within 90 days of account opening
- Earn 2X points on travel and dining, plus 1X points on all purchases
- $95 annual fee, waived the first year
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free primary auto coverage, plus trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Citi ThankYou® Premier Card: Best for Diverse Transfer Partners
The Citi ThankYou® Premier Card is similar to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card in the fact that there are several ways you can redeem your points. By signing up now, you’ll earn 40,000 points after you spend just $3,000 on the card within 90 days of account opening. In addition, you’ll earn 3X ThankYou points on travel including gas, 2X ThankYou Points on dining out and entertainment, and 1X ThankYou Points on all other purchases. The bonus itself is worth $400 in gift cards or $500 in airfare booked through the Citi travel portal. Plus, you can transfer your points to the following transfer partners
- Hilton HHonors
- Asia Miles
- EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
- Etihad Guest
- Garuda Indonesia Frequent Flyer
- Flying Blue
- Malaysia Airlines Enrich
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Airlines Privilege Club
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
- Virgin America Elevate
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Before you sign up for the Citi ThankYou® Premier Card, here are some of the key features to consider
- Read here to learn more about the Citi ThankYou® Premier Card
- Earn 40,000 points after you spend $3,000 on your new card within 90 days
- Earn 3X ThankYou points on travel including gas, 2X ThankYou Points on dining out and entertainment, and 1X ThankYou Points on all other purchases
- $95 annual fee, waived the first year
- Points never expire and your earnings are unlimited
- No foreign transaction fees
British Airways Visa Signature® Card: A Solid Option for Domestic and Caribbean Itineraries
The current offer on the British Airways Visa Signature® Card lets you earn the signup bonus in phases. At the moment, you’ll earn 50,000 Avios after you spend $2,000 on your card within 90 days, an additional 25,000 Avios after you spend $10,000 on your card, and an additional 25,000 Avios after you spend $20,000 on your card within the first year.
To put things in perspective, flights less than 1,150 miles now cost only 7,500 Avios per leg. This makes this card an exceptionally good value for shorter flights throughout the U.S. and flights to the Caribbean from southern hubs in places like Miami and Dallas.
And since British Airways is a Chase transfer partner, this is an excellent card to pair with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Before you sign up, read these details:
- Read here to learn more about the British Airways Visa Signature®Card
- Earn 50,000 Avios after you spend $2,000 on your card within 90 days, an additional 25,000 Avios after you spend $10,000 on your card, and an additional 25,000 Avios after you spend $20,000 on your card within the first year
- No foreign transaction fees
- Upgraded chip technology
- $95 annual fee
United MileagePlus® Explorer Card: A Great Option for International Fares
Whether you fly domestically or abroad, the United MileagePlus® Explorer Card can offer a ton of value. Flights to Europe, for example, can run as little as 60,000 miles per leg. Plus, one-way saver awards on domestic itineraries can cost just 10,000 miles per leg.
With the current offer on this card, you’ll earn 30,000 miles after you spend just $1,000 on your card within the first 90 days. You’ll also get your first checked bag for free, priority boarding, and no foreign transaction fees when you use your card outside of the United States.
- Read here to learn more about the United MileagePlus®Explorer Card
- Earn 30,000 miles after spending just $1,000 on your card within 90 days
- $95 annual fee, waived the first year
- Get your first checked bag free
- Your miles will never expire as long as your credit card account is open
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier® Credit Card
If you’re looking for a family-friendly airline, look no further than Southwest Airlines and the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier® Credit Card. Not only do they offer your first two checked bags for free on every flight, but they have an awesome rewards program that makes family travel a piece of cake.
With the current offer on this card, you’ll earn 25,000 miles after you spend just $1,000 within 90 days. Plus, you’ll earn 2x points on travel purchases with the airline and 1x points for every dollar you spend elsewhere. The best part about this program, however, is the fact that there are no blackout dates or capacity controls. If there is a seat on the plane and you have the points to book it, it’s yours!
- Read here to learn more about the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier®Credit Card
- Earn 25,000 points after you spend just $1,000 on your card within 90 days
- Earn 2x points on Southwest purchases, plus 1x points for every dollar you spend
- Bags fly free for everyone in your party
- No blackout dates
- $99 annual fee
Citi/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® MasterCard: Best for International Flights
With the Citi/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® MasterCard, you’ll earn 30,000 AAdvantage miles after you spend just $1,000 on your card within the first three months. Plus, you’ll earn 2x points on American Airlines purchases and 1x points for every other dollar you spend.
Fortunately, those points can go fairly far if you know how to use them. For just 25,000 miles, for example, you can book a round-trip flight to the Caribbean. And for just 45,000 American AAdvantage miles after March 21, 2016, you can book a round-trip flight to Europe.
With this card, you’ll also get a first checked bag free for you and four of your travel companions on domestic itineraries, which will save you more than $100. Plus, you’ll get Group 1 boarding on domestic American Airlines flights.
- Read here to learn more about the Citi/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® MasterCard
- Earn 30,000 miles after you spend just $1,000 on your card within 90 days
- Get a free checked bag for you and up to four travel companions on domestic itineraries
- $95 annual fee, waived the first year
Discover it® Miles – Double Your Miles for First Year
The Discover it® Miles offers a unique way to earn free airfare. Instead of earning airline miles, you earn “miles” you can use to book airfare on any airline at any price!
With this card, you’ll earn 1.5 miles for every dollar you spend – plus Discover promises to double all the miles you earn at the end of your first year! If you manage to earn 20,000 miles the first year, for example, Discover will double that amount to 40,000 miles after 12 months. Those 40,000 miles would then be worth $400 in airfare with any airline.
Another perk that comes with this card is the fact that you get a free FICO score on your monthly statement. Plus, it doesn’t charge an annual fee, so you can keep it for the long run.
- Read here to learn more about the Discover it® Miles
- Earn 1.5 miles for every dollar you spend, plus Discover will double your miles after the first year
- No annual fee
- Free FICO score on your monthly statement
- Discover will reimburse you for your in-flight Wi-Fi fees—up to $30 a year—with an automatic statement credit
How to Get the Most Out of Your Airline Credit Card
Unlike the points you earn with cash back credit cards and flexible rewards cards, airline miles come with an added layer of complexity. Here are some tips that can help you get the most out of the miles you earn:
Know your local airlines. Before you sign up for an airline credit card, you should make sure that airline actually operates out of your local airport. While that sounds obvious, you wouldn’t believe how many people go through the trouble of earning airline miles only to find the airline only operates on a limited basis nearby – or doesn’t have a hub at their airport at all!
Understand airline rewards programs before you sign up. Before you sign up for an airline credit card, it helps to have an idea of where you want to travel and when. That way, you can figure out how many miles you need and create a strategy to make it happen before you get started.
Consider flexible cards if you travel mostly during peak travel periods. Since airline miles are notoriously hard to use during peak travel times, you may be better off with a flexible rewards credit card – or even a cash back card – if you only travel over the holidays or during school breaks. Trust us, nothing is worse than having a ton of airline miles you can’t use!
Don’t forget about taxes and fees. Even though airline miles can make your flight “free,” you’ll still be on the hook for government-mandated taxes and fees. For domestic itineraries, this is normally only $5.60 per leg. For international flights, however, these taxes and fees can cost several hundred dollars.
Make sure to check out our other credit card guides for the most up-to-date information and offers!
- Best Credit Card Offers for 2016
- Top 6 Best Cash Back Credit Cards for 2016
- Top Travel Credit Card for 2016
- Best Business Credit Cards
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