Smart Points' Best Airline Cards

Smart Points's Top Picks

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Our rating:4.1

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Recommended credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

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Rewards rate

5 Miles: 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
1.25 Miles: 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

Intro offer: 20,000 miles Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel

Annual fee: $0

Regular APR: 19.49% - 29.49% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Highlights

$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.49% - 29.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $0
Intro Purchase APR: 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
Regular APR: 19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Intro Balance Transfers APR: 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Our rating:4.5

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Recommended credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

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Rewards rate

4X: Earn 4x AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
1X: 1 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on other purchases

Intro offer: 70,000 miles Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Annual fee: $595

Regular APR: 20.49% - 29.49% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Highlights

Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
Admirals Club® membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases
First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $595
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 20.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

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Recommended credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Apply now

Rewards rate

3X: Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
2X: Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets
1X: Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Annual fee: $350

Regular APR: 20.24% - 29.24% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Highlights

Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Receive a Companion Certificate on a Main Cabin round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
$120 Resy Credit: When you use your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $10 back each month in statement credits.
$120 Rideshare Credit: earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that's a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
$350 Annual Fee.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $350
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Our rating:4.7

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Rewards rate

2X: Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
2X: Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2X: Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
2X: Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
1X: Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

Intro offer: $400 statement credit + 40,000 pts. Earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.

Annual fee: $69

Regular APR: 20.74% - 27.74% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Highlights

Earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.
3,000 anniversary points each year.
Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Member FDIC

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $69
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 20.74% - 27.74% Variable
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Our rating:4.8

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Rewards rate

5x: 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
3x: 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries.
2x: 2x on all other travel purchases.
1x: 1x on all other purchases.

Intro offer: 60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Annual fee: $95

Regular APR: 20.74% - 27.74% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Highlights

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Member FDIC

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $95
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 20.74% - 27.74% Variable
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Smart Points' Recommended Airline Cards

How we Choose

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Rewards rate

Highlights

Rates & Fees

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Rewards rate

Highlights

Rates & Fees

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Rewards rate

Highlights

Rates & Fees

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Rewards rate

Highlights

Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Rewards rate

Highlights

Rates & Fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Rewards rate

At A Glance