Co-branded airline credit cards are great for frequent flyers because they include benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding. It’s important to remember, though, the miles they earn can’t be transferred like flexible points.
Still, if you fly with a particular airline regularly or you want to add to your airline loyalty account balance for a particular redemption, an airline-specific credit card could be the right choice for you.
Best Airline Credit Cards
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus
Current Welcome Bonus: Earn 40k Southwest Rapid Rewards Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on Southwest purchases, Rapid Rewards hotels, and car rental partner bookings; 1x on all other purchases
- Earn 3k Rapid Rewards Points each year on your card anniversary
Annual Fee: $69
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier
Current Welcome Bonus: Earn 40k Southwest Rapid Rewards Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on Southwest purchases, Rapid Rewards hotels, and car rental partner bookings; 1x on all other purchases
- No foreign exchange fees
- Earn 6k Rapid Rewards Points each year on your card anniversary
Annual Fee: $99
I love having Southwest points in my loyalty account! They’re easy to redeem domestically and for Southwest’s more tropical destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. Their Wanna Get Away fares can be as little as a few thousand points!
Southwest is such a user-friendly loyalty program, too. Award flights are easily canceled with no penalty. And, when you earn 125k Southwest Rapid Rewards Points in a calendar year, you’ll get the companion pass that allows you to bring a guest on your adventures for free for up to 2 years! That’s how I “treated” my sister to an all-girls Costa Rica trip! 😉
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
Current Welcome Bonus: Earn 40k Southwest Rapid Rewards Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on Southwest purchases, Rapid Rewards hotels, and car rental partner bookings; 1x on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- $75 Southwest travel credit
- Up to 4 upgraded boarding positions every year
- Earn 7.5k Rapid Rewards Points each year on your card anniversary
Annual Fee: $149
British Airways Visa Signature
Current Welcome Bonus: Earn 50,000 British Airways Avios after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening. Plus, earn another 50,000 Avios when you spend $20,000 in the first year you have the card.
Favorite Card Features:
- 3x for purchases on British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL
- 1x on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Save 10% on British Airways airfare for flights originating in the U.S.
Annual Fee: $95
Earning Avios is just as important as earning miles with any of the 3 legacy carriers, United, American, Delta. Luckily, British Airways is a transfer partner with several travel rewards programs. But, the co-branded British Airways credit card can help you earn even more Avios.
Wondering why all the excitement? Avios can be used to book flights on British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. But, even better, is that British Airways is a Oneworld partner of American Airlines. Using Avios, you can book American Airlines domestic flights for less than what American Airlines would charge! They’re also great for short-haul flights in Europe, too. 😉
United Explorer Card
Current Welcome Bonus: 40,000 United miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on United purchases, restaurants, and hotels; 1x on all other purchases
- Get 25% off United inflight purchases for things like drinks and wifi
- No foreign exchange fees
- A free checked bag and priority boarding when you fly with United
- 2 United Club passes each year
Annual Fee: $0 the first year, then $95 thereafter
United miles are easy to earn with credit cards like this, as well as by transferring Ultimate Rewards points from an Ink Preferred or Sapphire to United.
One of my favorite ways to use United miles is to take advantage of the Excursionist Perk! United allows you to add a free segment to round trip award flights so you can see another city or country for no extra miles before moving on to your destination. Yes, you can fly from the U.S. to Paris and then to Rome for the same number of miles had you just flown directly to Rome!
United Club Infinite Card
Current Welcome Bonus: $0 for the first year, then $525 thereafter
Favorite Card Features:
- 4x on United purchases
- 2x on travel and dining; 1x on all other purchases
- Get 25% off United inflight purchases for things like drinks and wifi
- United Club Membership for access to United and Star Alliance lounges around the world
- No foreign exchange fees
- 2 free checked bags when you fly with United
- Priority boarding and security screening
Annual Fee: $0 for the first year, then $525 thereafter
Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card
Current Welcome Bonus: 35,000 Delta SkyMiles after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on Delta purchases, restaurants, and U.S. grocery stores; 1x on all other purchases
- A free checked bag and priority boarding when you fly with Delta
- No foreign exchange fees
- Earn $100 Delta flight credit when you spend $10k on the card in a calendar year
Annual Fee: $0 the first year, then $99 thereafter
Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card
Current Welcome Bonus: 40,000 Delta SkyMiles and 5,000 Delta Medallion Qualification Miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening. Plus, earn a $100 statement credit when you make a Delta purchase in the first 3 months of being a cardholder.
Favorite Card Features:
- 3x on Delta purchases and hotels
- 2x on restaurants U.S. grocery stores; 1x on all other purchases
- A free checked bag and priority boarding when you fly with Delta
- $85-$100 statement credit for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry
- No foreign exchange fees
- Domestic main cabin Companion Certificate when you renew your card
Annual Fee: $250
Delta SkyMiles can come in handy, especially when Delta releases its flash sales! This is when award flights to destinations all over the world are heavily discounted. In addition to using your SkyMiles to score a great deal, these cards give you free checked bags and other perks to enhance your travel experience.
And despite not having a fixed price award chart, you can still find reasonable award pricing. I’ve found 30k mile one-way flights to Europe and 40k mile one-way flights from Australia back to the U.S. This award pricing is comparable to what you’d also find with competitors, United and American.
Delta Reserve Credit Card
Current Welcome Bonus: 40,000 Delta SkyMiles and 10,000 Delta Medallion Qualification Miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.Â
Favorite Card Features:
- 3x on Delta purchasesÂ
- 1x on all other purchases
- Free Delta SkyClub Access + 2 one-time guest passes
- Centurion Lounge Access when you use the card to buy a Delta flight
- A free checked bag when you fly with Delta
- Domestic Companion Certificate when you renew your card
- No foreign exchange fees
Annual Fee: $550
AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard
Current Welcome Bonus: 60,000 American Airlines miles after paying the $99 annual fee and making a purchase within the first 90 days after approval
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on American Airlines purchases; 1x on all other purchases
- No foreign exchange fees
- 1 free checked bag on all domestic flights & preferred boarding privileges
- Get up to $25 in statement credits for inflight Wifi & 25% back in statement credits for inflight food and drink purchases on AA flights
- Earn a $99 AA companion certificate after spending $20k on your card in the first year and continuing card membership into the 2nd year.
Annual Fee: $99Â
American Airlines miles can be used to book award flights on American Airlines and their Oneworld Alliance partners. These miles are particularly valuable because American Airlines is only a transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy, making them harder to earn than United or Delta miles.
I’ve booked American Airlines web specials for as little as 5k miles and taken advantage of premium class seats on flights operated by partners like Qatar and Cathay Pacific.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
Current Welcome Bonus: 50,000 American Airlines miles after spending $2,500 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on American Airlines purchases, restaurants, and gas stations
- No foreign exchange fees
- 1 free checked bag on all domestic flights
- $125 discount on an American Airlines flight after spending $20k on your card in the first year and continuing card membership into the 2nd year.
Annual Fee: $0 in the first year, $99 in the second year
Best Business Airline Credit Cards
If you’re a business traveler or you’d like to earn airline miles and benefits when you pay your business expenses, consider a co-branded business credit card. Designed especially for small businesses, these cards offer bonus categories to target business spending. The miles you earn can help you take that bucket list trip!
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business
Current Welcome Bonus: 60,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on Southwest purchases, as well as on rental cars and hotels booked through Southwest's partners
- No foreign exchange fees
- Each year on your card anniversary, earn 6,000 Rapid Rewards points.
- Use Rapid Rewards points to fly anywhere Southwest flys including Hawaii, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Annual Fee: $99
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business
Current Welcome Bonus: Earn up to 100,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points; 70,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening and another 30,000 Southwest points when you spend $25k during the first 6 months of card membership.
Favorite Card Features:
- 3x on Southwest purchases
- 2x on internet, cable, and cell phone costs, as well as advertising purchases for social media and search engines
- Perks include a Global Entry fee credit and 4 upgraded boarding positions
- Get 9k Rapid Rewards points each year you renew your card
Annual Fee: $199
United Business Card
Current Welcome Bonus: 100,000 United miles after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on United purchases, restaurants, gas stations, office supply stores, local transit & commuting (including things like tolls, taxis, and ride share costs)
- 5k United miles each year on your account anniversary if you have a United business and personal credit card
- $100 United travel credit after making 7 United flight purchases > $100
- Get 25% off United inflight purchases for things like drinks and wifi
- No foreign exchange fees
- A free checked bag when you fly with United
- 2 United Club passes each year
Annual Fee: $99
Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card
Current Welcome Bonus: 40,000 Delta SkyMiles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on Delta purchases, restaurants, U.S. shipping purchases, and some U.S. Advertising buys
- 1x on all other purchases
- A free checked bag and priority boarding when you fly with Delta
- 20% statement credit on some in-flight purchases
- No foreign exchange fees
- Earn $100 Delta flight credit when you spend $10k on the card in a calendar year
Annual Fee: $0 the first year, then $99 thereafter
Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card
Current Welcome Bonus: 45,000 Delta SkyMiles and 5,000 Delta Medallion Qualification Miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening. Plus, get a $100 statement credit when you make a Delta purchase in the first 3 months as a cardholder.
Favorite Card Features:
- 3x on Delta purchases and hotels
- 1.5x on single purchases over $5k up to $50k a year
- 1x on all other purchases
- A free checked bag and priority boarding when you fly with Delta
- $85-$100 statement credit for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry
- Domestic main cabin Companion Certificate when you renew your card
- 20% statement credit on most in-flight purchases
- No foreign exchange fees
Annual Fee: $250
Delta Reserve for Business
Current Welcome Bonus: 45,000 Delta SkyMiles and 10,000 Delta Medallion Qualification Miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months from your account opening.Â
Favorite Card Features:
- 3x on Delta purchasesÂ
- 1x on all other purchases until spending $150k in a calendar year, then 1.5x thereafter
- Free Delta SkyClub Access + 2 one-time guest passes
- Centurion Lounge Access when you use the card to buy a Delta flight
- $85-$100 statement credit for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry
- A free checked bag when you fly with Delta
- Domestic Companion Certificate when you renew your card
- No foreign exchange fees
Annual Fee: $550
Citi Business AAdvantage Platinum Select
Current Welcome Bonus: 65,000 American Airlines miles after spending $4,000 in the first 4 months from your account opening.
Favorite Card Features:
- 2x on American Airlines purchases, cell phone, internet, cable, and satellite services, as well as on gas and rental car costs.
- No foreign exchange fees
- 1 free checked bag on all domestic flights
Annual Fee: $0 in the first year, $99 in the second year
Important Things to Know About Airline Credit Cards and Miles
1. Airline miles must be used to book flights through that specific airline’s website. Airline miles are not like flexible points. They can’t be transferred or converted to another airline.
2. If you fly as a family or several times a year with a particular airline, the money you save from the free checked bag perks will easily offset the annual fee.
3. Earn and burn. Airlines change their loyalty programs all the time, and sometimes without much notice! You’re better off booking award travel sooner rather than risk having the miles sit in your account for too long and devalue.
Disclosure:
The Globetrotting Teacher has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Globetrotting Teacher and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
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