Best Airline Credit Cards of April 2025

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Comparing the best airline miles credit cards

What are airline credit cards?

Airline credit cards are co-branded with specific airlines and offer rewards tailored to frequent flyers of those airlines. These cards reward you for your loyalty by giving you miles or points on purchases, which can be redeemed for things like airline tickets, in-flight purchases, and special perks such as free checked bags, priority boarding, and airport lounge access. General travel credit cards may offer similar benefits with more flexibility, earning points or miles that can be redeemed with a variety of travel partners, including airlines, hotels, and rental car services.

If you prefer flexibility and the option to shop around for the best travel deals, a general travel credit card could be a good fit. But if you’re loyal to a specific airline, an airline co-branded card might be the best choice to take advantage of perks like priority boarding and free checked bags.

“Airline cards are especially valuable when you’re loyal to a particular carrier,” says Ted Rossman, CreditCards.com’s industry analyst. “The miles you earn through a sign-up bonus and your ongoing spending can quickly earn you a free trip. Plus, airline cards often offer additional perks such as free checked bags and priority boarding. Many of them charge annual fees, but they can be recouped quickly. For example, a $95 annual fee equals roughly three checked bags. A family could come out ahead after just one flight.”

What is the difference between an airline credit card and a general travel credit card?

Though they are both handy for travelers, there are clear differences between an airline card and a general-purpose travel card. For starters, an airline card offers rewards for loyalty to one specific carrier or alliance whereas a general-purpose travel card partners with multiple airline brands. If your closest airport happens to be a designated hub for a particular airline, you might find that airline’s branded credit card to be the most convenient.

With an airline credit card, you can often earn boosted rewards on travel and in-flight purchases. A general-purpose travel credit card tends to reward for a variety of categories, sometimes even offering rewards for all purchases. More recently, airline credit cards have begun to reward for everyday spending in categories such as groceries, although it isn’t nearly as common as with general-purpose cards. General travel cards also offer benefits such as Global Entry or TSA Precheck credits, while airline cards might offer complimentary checked baggage, seating upgrades and lounge access.

Pros and cons of an airline credit card

Who should get an airline credit card?

You should get an airline credit card if:

• You’re a frequent flyer, whether with a specific airline or not.
• You’re loyal to a specific airline you can use co-branded card benefits with.
• You want to earn rewards for flights and travel purchases.

You should get an airline credit card if:

• You usually travel last minute and can’t deal with restrictions.
• You’ll carry a balance on your card.
• You don’t fly often.

How to choose an airline credit card

Start by asking yourself these key questions:

• How often do you fly? If you don’t fly frequently, an airline credit card might not be the best option. While these cards can earn you miles on everyday purchases, they generally offer the best value when you redeem miles for flights. If you only travel a few times a year, you may struggle to recoup the annual fee through rewards or perks. In this case, a general rewards or cash back card might be a better fit.
• Which airline do you fly with most often? If you tend to fly with one specific airline, especially if it’s a major carrier with a large network, an airline credit card tied to that brand can help you earn miles faster and unlock valuable perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and access to exclusive airport lounges. However, if you fly with multiple airlines or prefer to shop for the best deals, a general-purpose travel rewards card might offer more flexibility, as you can earn and redeem rewards across different airlines.
• Do you want to transfer points to other airlines? Some general travel rewards cards allow you to transfer your points to partner airlines, often at a 1:1 ratio, which can help stretch your rewards further. Before choosing an airline card, check if it has partnerships with airlines you frequently fly or plan to fly with. If you don’t want to be tied to one carrier, a card that offers point transfers could give you more flexibility.
  Do you travel with checked luggage? If you often check bags, an airline card that offers free checked luggage can quickly offset the card’s annual fee. Many airline credit cards offer this perk, saving you up to $60 per round-trip flight. Make sure the card you choose includes this benefit if it’s important to you.
  Are you interested in airport lounge access? If you value comfort while traveling, consider an airline card that offers access to airport lounges. Some premium travel cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, offer access to over 1,400 lounges worldwide. However, if you are loyal to a specific airline, check if their card offers lounge access to their network of lounges or partnerships with global lounge programs like Priority Pass.

How to make the most of an airline credit card

• Maximize your sign-up bonus: Many airline credit cards offer large sign-up bonuses that can quickly add up to a free flight or significant miles. To take full advantage of this, plan your spending around the minimum spend requirement to unlock the bonus. For example, if the card offers 50,000 miles for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, try to use the card for large purchases or essential bills during that period to easily hit the target.
• Use your card for all eligible travel purchases: To maximize the miles you earn, use your airline credit card for all travel-related expenses, such as flight bookings, hotel stays, and car rentals. This way, you can quickly rack up miles, especially if your card offers bonus categories like 2X or 3X miles on these purchases.
• Take advantage of travel perks: Many airline cards offer valuable travel perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and lounge access. Make sure you use these benefits whenever you fly to offset the card’s annual fee and improve your travel experience. If you frequently fly with a companion, look for cards that offer companion fare discounts or other family-friendly benefits.
• Stay on top of rewards expiration dates: While many airline cards now have no expiration dates on miles, some programs may still have rules about when rewards expire or how they can be used. Make sure to track your rewards and use them before they expire, especially if you’re planning a big trip.
• Plan redemptions wisely: Airline miles are best used for booking flights, but don’t forget about other redemption options, like upgrades, vacation packages, or even car rentals and hotel stays. Also, keep an eye on frequent promotions that might allow you to stretch your miles further, such as special deals on flights or bonus miles for certain travel purchases.

Alternatives to airline credit cards

If you’re unsure about committing to an airline credit card or want to avoid the annual fee, there are several alternatives that may suit your travel needs:

• Cash back cards with travel perks: If you prefer to earn cash back but still want travel benefits, consider cash-back cards that offer travel-related perks. Cards like the Citi® Double Cash Card provide unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases, which can be used toward any travel expenses. Some cash-back cards even allow you to use your earnings for statement credits toward travel purchases or convert them into travel points for airlines and hotels.
• Frequent flyer programs: If you’re a frequent traveler with a specific airline, but don’t want to commit to a credit card, joining the airline’s frequent flyer program directly can still offer you rewards. These programs often let you earn miles on each flight you take, and you can then redeem them for future flights, upgrades, or other rewards. This option can be useful if you don’t want the extra baggage of an annual fee but still want to benefit from airline loyalty.

How we picked the best airline credit cards

Our editorial team and expert review board analyzed 148 airline credit cards to identify the best offers on the market. The major factors we considered were:

• Rewards rates: The best airline credit cards offer at least 2X points on purchases with their specific carrier. General-purpose travel credit cards might offer between 1.25X to 2X miles on all purchases.
• Rewards value: Not all miles are created equal. We looked at how much each mile was worth when redeemed for airfare. We also considered how much each mile was worth across additional redemption options, when available.
• Ancillary airline perks: The best airline credit cards offer extra benefits, like a free checked bag, priority boarding, automatic elite status, airport lounge access or more. Many offer travel credits for items like Global Entry or TSA Precheck. We weighted cards more heavily if they offered these types of benefits.
• Rates and fees: Many airline credit cards charge annual fees and, as a rewards credit card, they tend to carry higher APRs than low-interest counterparts. However, we still considered if these costs were reasonable relative to the category and the benefits each card carried.

Full criteria used: Rewards rates, rewards categories, airline alliance partners, other transfer partners, sign-up bonus, point values, redemption options, redemption flexibility, elite status, annual fee, travel credits, airport lounge access, miscellaneous travel benefits, rates and fees, customer service, credit needed, upgrade and downgrade options. For more detail on our review scores, see our ratings process for airline cards.

Additional information on airline credit cards

For more information on all things travel cards, continue reading content from our credit card experts:

• How to get reimbursed from a canceled trip
• How to change travel plans booked with rewards
• Best credit cards for travel insurance
• Guide to airline companion passes
• Guide to airport lounges
• Airline credit card reviews

About the Author

Tracy Stewart

Tracy Stewart is a personal finance writer specializing in credit card loyalty programs, travel benefits, and consumer protections. He previously covered travel rewards credit cards, budget travel, and aviation news at SmarterTravel Media. His money-saving tips have appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports, MarketWatch, Vice, People, the Zoe Report and elsewhere.

About the Editor

Jeanine Skowronski

Jeanine Skowronski is a credit card expert, analyst, and multimedia journalist with over 10 years of experience covering business and personal finance. She has previously served as the Head of Content at Policygenius, Executive Editor of Credit.com, Deputy Editor at American Banker, Staff Reporter at TheStreet and a columnist for Inc. Magazine.

About the Editor

Jessica Merritt

Jessica Merritt is a personal finance writer with 8 years of experience covering credit cards, banking, and financial wellness. She specializes in turning complex financial topics into clear, actionable advice, with work featured in U.S. News, CNN Underscored, and DepositAccounts.com.

About the Reviewer

Stephanie Zito

Stephanie Zito is a professional traveler, humanitarian and credit card points collector sharing savvy travel tips she has learned firsthand from more than 20 years of circling the globe as a backpacker, expat and premium traveler in more than 125 countries and all seven continents.