The 10 Best Airline Credit Cards Available Now
Whether you’re a frequent flyer or just want to open up an airline credit card for the sign-up bonus miles, there are plenty of options for airline credit cards that can give you what you’re looking for. And if you’re part of the 53% of Americans that use credit cards to pay for travel — as a recent GOBankingRates survey found — opening an airline credit card may be worth your while. But how do you find the best card for you, especially if you’re not loyal to a specific airline?
GOBankingRates has done the research for you and identified the best airline credit cards based on rewards earn rate, foreign transaction fees, annual fees, regular APR for purchases, sign-up bonuses, travel benefits and more. Here are the Best Airline Credit Cards available now.
Our Top Airline Card
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
Why we like it: The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card scored No. 1 among GOBankingRates’ Best Airline Credit Cards of 2021 for more than one reason. It offers a variety of ways to earn rewards, with its top rewards tier offering 3x miles per $1 spent. It also offers valuable benefits for Delta travelers, such as priority boarding and your first bag checked for free.
Benefits
Earn 3x miles on Delta purchases and hotels and 2x miles on restaurants and supermarkets
No foreign transaction fees
A host of other perks including fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, first checked bag free, priority boarding and more
Fly to 300 destinations with Delta
Drawbacks
This card has a $250 annual fee
Key Features
3x miles per dollar on Delta purchases
3x miles per dollar at hotels
2x miles per dollar at restaurants
2x miles at US supermarkets
1x miles on all other eligible purchases
$250 | 15.74% to 24.74% |
0.00% | 204,000,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Delta’s application page).
Read our full review of Delta Skymiles Platinum to find out why it topped the list.
Best Airline Credit Cards 2021
Keep reading to see the rest of the Best Airline Credit Cards of 2021.
Chase United QuestSM Card
Key Benefits
3x miles per dollar spent on United purchases
2x miles per dollar spent on all other travel
2x miles per dollar spent on dining
2x miles per dollar spent on select streaming services
1x miles on all other purchases
$250 | 16.495% to 23.49% |
0.00% | 162,443,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Chase’s application page).
Get full details about this card and its travel benefits.
Chase UnitedSM Explorer Card
Key Benefits
2x miles per dollar spent on United purchases
2x miles per dollar spent on dining
2x miles per dollar spent on hotel stays when booked with the hotel
1x miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
$95 | 16.49% to 23.49% |
0.00% | 162,443,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Chase’s application page).
This card comes with a number of additional travel benefits. Get the details.
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
Key Benefits
2x miles per dollar at restaurants
2x miles per dollar at US supermarkets
2x miles on Delta purchases
1x miles on all other eligible purchases
$99 | 15.74% to 24.74% |
0.00% | 204,000,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Delta’s application page).
Learn more about its airline benefits and sign-up bonus.
First Bankcard Sun Country Airlines® Visa Signature® Card
Key Benefits
3x miles per dollar spent on Sun Country purchases
2x miles per dollar spent on gas
2x miles per dollar spent on groceries
1x miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
$69 | 14.99% to 22.99% |
0.00% | 2,089,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Sun Country’s application page).
Get full details about the card and if it’s right for your needs.
Chase United ClubSM Infinite Card
Key Benefits
4x miles per dollar spent on United purchases
2x miles per dollar spent on all other travel
2x miles per dollar spent on dining
1x miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
$525 | 16.49% to 23.49% |
0.00% | 162,443,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Chase’s application page).
Discover all the features of the Chase United Club Infinite Card.
Chase United GatewaySM Card
Key Benefits
2x miles per dollar spent on United purchases
2x miles per dollar spent at gas stations
2x miles per dollar spent on local transit and commuting
1x miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
$0 | 16.49% to 23.49% |
0.00% | 162,443,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Chase’s application page).
Is this the card for you? Find out more about its features and benefits.
Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
Key Benefits
2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines purchases
1x miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
$99 | 15.99% to 24.99% |
0.00% | 215,182,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Barclays’ application page).
Learn more about its sign-up bonus and travel benefits.
Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Key Benefits
3x miles per dollar on dining (first year only)
2x miles per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
1x miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
$149 | 15.99% to 22.99% |
0.00% | 134,100,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Chase’s application page).
Get all the details of the card including its additional travel perks.
Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Key Benefits
3x miles per dollar on dining (first year only)
2x miles per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
1x miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
$99 | 15.99% to 22.99% |
0.00% | 134,100,000 |
How To Get This Card
You can apply for the card online here with just some basic personal and financial information (clicking the link will take you to Chase’s application page).
Explore Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier’s full benefits.
FAQs About Airline Credit Cards
Here are the answers to questions you might have while you’re on the lookout for an airline credit card.
Can you transfer miles between airlines?
Unlike many generic travel rewards cards, airline cards are tied to specific airlines. As a result, you can’t transfer miles between airlines. However, there’s one workaround: You can often use one airline’s miles to book reward flights on another carrier in the same airline alliance. For example, you can use United Airlines miles to book reward flights with fellow Star Alliance member Lufthansa.
Which card provides the best perks?
Airline credit cards can award impressive bonuses in different areas. The JetBlue Plus Card from Barclays, for example, grants six points per $1 spent on JetBlue purchases, which is an outstanding earnings rate. When it comes to sign-up bonuses, the Chase United Quest Card provides $1,000 in value. The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers a high number of different travel perks, with a total of nine benefits.
Explore more answers to your top questions about airline credit cards.
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John Csiszar contributed to the reporting for this article.
Last updated: Oct. 19, 2021
Methodology: GOBankingRates identified the best airline credit cards by analyzing the following factors: (1) rewards earn rate; (2) any foreign transaction fees; (3) annual fees; (4) regular APR for purchases; (5) sign up bonuses; (6) airline destinations totals; (7) 2019 enplaned passengers total; (8) total destination locations; (9) 2019 number of enplaned passengers; and (10) miscellaneous travel benefits. Miscellaneous travel benefits include free checked bags, access to airport lounges, priority boarding, any flight discounts, discounted companion fares, access to free Wi-Fi on flights and TSA PreCheck access. All fees and rates are subject to change at the credit card issuers’ discretion. Some offers might no longer be available on the credit card issuers’ websites, depending on how you access the web page. All data was sourced from each financial institution’s or airline’s website or promotional material and is accurate as of Aug. 2, 2021. Please verify terms and conditions before opening an account.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The 10 Best Airline Credit Cards Available Now