If you’re loyal to one particular airline when you fly, then there’s no doubt you need to own an airline miles credit card. Credit card issuers have teamed up with the heaviest trafficked airlines in order to provide customers a rewards program specific to their needs. Whether you fly American, Continental, Southwest, etc., an airline miles credit card can make your flight a more enjoyable experience while saving you hundreds if not thousands of dollars each and every year.
We’ve compiled the best airline miles credit cards below based on the offers that credit card issuers are willing to provide and if you own a card you feel deserves to be mentioned, leave a comment and we’ll be happy to add it on our list.
Best Airline Miles Credit Cards
United MileagePlus® Explorer Card – The United MileagePlus® Explorer Card offers new cardholders 40,000 bonus miles & first year and waives the $95 annual fee for the first year. In addition to the bonus points, cardholders can earn 2 points for each $1 spent on tickets purchased from Continental and United, and 1 mile per $1 spent everywhere else. Cardholders also enjoy a free checked bag, up to a $50 value, priority boarding privileges on Continental and United flights, and two complimentary passes every year to the United Club, up to a $100 value. There are no caps on how many points you can earn, and your points never expire.
Continental Airlines OnePass® Plus Card – The Chase Continental Airlines OnePass® Plus Card offers cardholders up to 40,000 bonus miles in their first year, and waives the annual $95 fee for first year members. That’s more than enough points to qualify for a round-trip reward ticket. Every time you fly Continental or United, you get your first checked bag free – up to a $50 value. Cardmembers receive 2 points per $1 spent on Continental and United, and 1 point for each $1 spent elsewhere. In addition, members receive priority boarding privileges on Continental and United flights, two complimentary passes every year to the United Club, up to a $100 value, and there is no limit or expiration on points.
Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard® – The Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard® rewards cardholders with 30,000 bonus miles after spending $750 within the first four months of card ownership. Those miles can be redeemed for a round-trip domestic ticket anywhere American flies. Cardmembers can also earn an additional 10,000 AAdvantage bonus miles when they spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of ownership. To top it off, you can earn a one-time $100 statement credit when you make your first eligible American Airlines purchase within 12 monts of opening your account. All cardmembers will receive one rewards point for every dollar spent AAdvantage miles never expire. The annual fee of $85 on the Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard® is waived for all first year cardholders.
Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express – Cardholders will earn 30,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 on the Card in the first three months from account opening- good for a free flight. In addition, up to 8 members of your party (including yourself) can check their first bag in for free on every Delta flight, meaning you can save up to $400 each and every flight ($25 check bag fee x round-trip x 8 people). Cardmembers earn 2 rewards points for every $1 spent on Delta flights and 1 rewards point for every other $1 spent. Other perks include priority boarding and a 20% discount on in-flight purchases. The annual fee for the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express is $95, which is waived during the first year.
Virgin Atlantic American Express® Card from Bank of America – The least known airline on our list, Virgin Atlantic and Bank of America have team up to offer 20,000 bonus miles after making just one purchase on the Virgin Atlantic American Express® Card from Bank of America. Every year you renew your card, you’ll also receive 15,000 more bonus miles giving you the opportunity to earn travel rewards each and every year without even using your card! Cardmembers will earn 3 points for every dollar spent on Virgin Atlantic flights and 1.5 points for every other dollar spent and the Virgin Atlantic American Express® Card from Bank of America includes a $90 annual fee.
JetBlue Card from American Express – 10,000 TrueBlue® points are earned after making your first purchase with the JetBlue Card from American Express, and with one-way flights starting at 5,000 points, you might have enough to book a round-trip ticket right away. Cardholders will earn up to 8 TrueBlue® points for every eligible dollar spent on JetBlue.com, which translates to 6 points when you purchase a flight and an additional 2 points when you use your JetBlue Card. All other purchases will earn 1 point for every dollar spent and the JetBlue Card from American Express has a $40 annual fee.
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card – Cardholders of the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card will receive a free flight after making their first purchase, which gives instant value to this airline miles credit card. Cardholders will earn 2 Points for every dollar spent on Southwest flights and 1 Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases. The annual fee on the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card from Chase is $69, but cardholders also receive 3,000 Points every year on their Card member Anniversary – which is equal to $50 toward a Wanna Get Away® Fare – making the annual fee more or less a wash. No blackout dates, no fee for changing flight dates, and free bag checks make this card a great option for frequent fliers of Southwest Airlines.
“Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.”
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I normally use my United card , but I added the Continental card because it will become United in the near future. I earned a quick 60,000 miles for 2 cards.