The Best Airline Rewards Credit Cards
Posted byIt’s our last week of vacation and we’ll be heading home this weekend. In Free Money Friday fashion, here’s a vacation themed money saver for you: airline rewards credit cards!
I’m a big fan of frequent flier miles. We used miles for our honeymoon to Hawaii. What better way to travel, than for free?
As with all the credit cards I highlight, I’ll keep the list updated so you can bookmark it and check back in the future.
Airline Rewards Credit Cards
Gold Delta SkyMiles(R) Credit Card from American Express
- Earn 30,000 bonus miles toward Award Travel when you spend $500 on the Card in the first three months from account opening
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
- Check your first bag FREE – for up to 9 people on your reservation – on every Delta flight
- Receive double miles on Delta purchases and 1 mile for all other eligible dollars spent
- Priority Boarding and 20% In-Flight Savings
ALL-NEW United MileagePlus® Explorer Card
- Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles & first year free, a $95 value*
- Check your first bag for free on United and Continental-operated flights, up to a $50 value round trip
- Board your flight before general boarding with priority boarding privileges
- Visit the United Club with two complimentary day passes every year, up to a $100 value
- Earn 2 miles for $1 spent on tickets purchased from United and Continental and 1 mile per $1 everywhere else
- Enjoy exclusive access to once-in-a-lifetime events through Inside Access from Chase
- Your miles don’t expire and there is no limit to the number of miles you can earn
Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard®
- Earn 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $750 in purchases within the first 4 months of cardmembership* – more than enough for a round-trip domestic flight award*
- Earn an additional 10,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases during the first 6 months of cardmembership*
- Receive a one-time $100 statement credit for the first eligible American Airlines purchase you make within the first 12 months of cardmembership*
- $85 annual fee waived for the first 12 months*
Continental Airlines OnePass® Plus Card
- Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles & first year free ($95 value)*
- Now with priority boarding privileges on Continental and United flights
- Check your first bag for free on Continental and United flights, up to a $50 value
- Visit the United Club with two complimentary passes every year, a $100 value
- Earn 2 miles for $1 spent on tickets purchased from Continental and United and 1 mile per $1 everywhere else
- Your miles don’t expire and there is no limit to the number of miles you can earn
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card – FREE FLIGHT
- NOW! Earn a FREE FLIGHT after your first purchase
- Get 3,000 Points every year on your Card member Anniversary – that can be redeemed for a $50 Wanna Get Away® Fare
- Now you can redeem for International Travel, Hotels, Gift Cards and more.
- Earn unlimited FREE FLIGHTS – 2 Points per $1 Spent on Southwest Purchases and 1 Point per $1 Spent on EVERYTHING else
- Your Bags Fly FREE! No Blackout Dates, Points Dont Expire, and Unlimited Reward Seats!
- No Change fees – if you need to change your flight, you won’t be charged a fee
- September 11th Security Fee Applies
Chase Sapphire℠
- Limited Time Offer! – Earn 25,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months – that’s $250 toward a flight or any other reward!
- 2 points per dollar spent on dining & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Points never expire and there are no limits on how many points you can earn
- Redeem points for travel, gift cards, merchandise, cash back and more
- 24/7 direct access to expert service advisors (No voice recording)
- No annual fee!
Chase Sapphire℠
- Limited Time Offer! – Earn 25,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months – that’s $250 toward a flight or any other reward!
- 2 points per dollar spent on dining & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Points never expire and there are no limits on how many points you can earn
- Redeem points for travel, gift cards, merchandise, cash back and more
- 24/7 direct access to expert service advisors (No voice recording)
- No annual fee!
Chase Sapphire℠ Preferred Card
- Limited Time Offer! – Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months- that’s $625 toward travel!
- 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Use 20% fewer points when you redeem for travel. Just book your flight, cruise, or other travel through Ultimate RewardsSM
- No foreign transaction fees
- Earn a 7% annual points dividend – even on points already redeemed
- Transfer points you’ve earned to participating frequent traveler programs at a 1:1 value
- 24/7 direct access to expert service advisors (No voice recording)
- No Annual Fee for your first year – A $95 value
Escape by Discover® Card
- Earn up to $250 in travel rewards–1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first 25 months
- Double Miles on every $1 you spend
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable purchase APR of 10.99% – 16.99%*
- No restrictions on travel–fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- Travel Insurance benefits, including primary car rental, lost or damaged luggage, travel delay, and trip cancellation when you book with your Escape by Discover card
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty–15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
Miles by Discover® Card
- Earn up to $120 in travel rewards–1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first year
- 1 Mile on every $1 you spend – Plus flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% – 16.99%*
- No restrictions on travel–fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Travel benefits include secondary collision damage insurance when you rent a car with your Miles by Discover card
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty–15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
Visa® Black Card™
- Limited Membership
- 24-Hour Concierge Service
- Exclusive Rewards Program
- Luxury Gifts
- Travel Lounge Priority Pass (unlimited visits)
- 1% Cash Back
- Travel with No Blackouts or Restrictions
- Patent Pending Carbon Card
Blue Sky from American Express(R)
- No annual fee
- Travel rewards with no blackout dates or travel restrictions. Redeem with any airline, any car rental, any hotel – anytime
- Pay your bill all at once, or over time. It's up to you.
- Blue Savings Program: big deals on big brands, all the time
- Rated “Best Airline Credit Card” by Card Ratings Consumer's Choice Awards in 2010
- Get approved in 60-seconds
Starwood Preferred Guest(R) Credit Card from American Express
- Starpoints(R) Bonus: 10K with your first purchase and another 15K when you spend $5k within 6 months – enough for up to 6 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel
- Free nights, free flights: Redeem Starpoints with over 350 airlines through SPG Flights and more than 1,000 hotels and resorts worldwide. No blackout dates
- 2011 SmarterTravel(R) Award for “Best Travel Rewards Card”
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
If you're looking for a new credit card, be sure to check out our credit card directory!
- Limited Time Offer: 0% No Fee Balance Transfer
- Hot Free Money Deals: Chase Sapphire $500 | Chase Freedom $200 Bonus
- Free Flights: United | Continental
- Investing Bonuses: Lending Club $100
You just have to be pretty discipined to use these. If not a few slipup will kill you with late fees and interest
Well I am a student and cannot get any of these credit cards. I have however applied for a student credit card with a max of $300. So I am excited to receive that shortly
@ Ryan: I’ll work on putting together a list just for student cards in the future.
So far, Starwood Amex worked best for me, since points can be transferred to any air mile program. I have also had an airline card on the side for bonus miles, which I change every year to get a new bonus. Have you found a good alternative to this? Anything like a free or a low cost card that would be offering you for example anniversary bonus miles instead but you would not have to bother replacing every year?
Thx.
I try to use my credit card on all purchases as much as possible and pay my other bills with it too. This is the way I accumulate points.