The Best Airline Credit Cards

After over 15 years of traveling the world, I’ve lost count of how many free flights and upgrades I’ve had. By collecting points and miles, I’ve been able to enjoy free flights, free hotel stays, upgrades, lounge access, and more — all without any extra spending.

One of the main tools that has helped me accomplish this is having a points-earning airline credit card.

While the perks of airline cards aren’t often as impressive as high-end travel cards, you always want to have the card of a few airlines so you have free bags, extra points per dollar spent, lounge access, and more.

Airline credit cards are pretty straightforward: they are co-branded cards meant to incentivize users to stay loyal to one airline. By giving you extra points when you spend with airlines as well as bonuses when you hit certain spending milestones, airlines want you to use their card as often as possible.

There are two rules to know when picking an airline credit card: first, always get the card of the airline you fly the most. You always want the perks that come with it. Second, when looking for a new card, go with the biggest bonus. Once you have the card of your favorite airline, when you want another, find one that has a big bonus since you’re just using it for the points for a free flight not because you’re loyal.

With every airline having more than a few card options to pick from, I laid out my favorite card for each airline below.

Below, you’ll find a detailed review of each card, including the perks and cost, so you can pick the best airline credit card for your travel style and budget.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is best for domestic U.S. travelers, as Southwest does not fly to a ton of international destinations. But the high welcome offer compared to a relatively low spend, great earning categories, and other Southwest perks make this a solid choice if you fly within the U.S. a lot or to Mexico and the Caribbean frequently. It has a $149 annual fee, but the $75 annual Southwest travel credit wipes out a lot of that, effectively bringing the annual fee down to an affordable $74 per year (presuming you use the credit, of course).

This card offers:

• Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• $75 Southwest® travel credit each year
• 3x points on Southwest purchases
• 2x points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
• 2x points on local transit and commuting, including ridesharing
• 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners (includes Best Western, Hyatt, Marriott, Avis, and Hertz, among others)
• 7,500 anniversary points each year
• 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year
• 25% back on in-flight purchases
• 4 upgraded boardings per year (when available)
• Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points towards A-List status for every $5,000 spent annually
• No foreign transaction fees

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While the Priority is the best Southwest card, if you want a cheaper option, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a great card and is just $69.
 

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express

I like this card for the double points earned on Delta purchases. This is a great card for earning free flights (even if you’re not flying all the time like I am). If you’re a casual Delta flier or live near one of their hubs (including ATL, JFK, LAX, SLC, and DTW), this is a great choice for a low-fee Delta card. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (See Rates and Fees).

This card offers:

• Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• 2x points on Delta purchases
• 2x points at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• Free checked bag on Delta flights
• $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year
• 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app (discount not applicable on partner-operated flights or on taxes and fees)
• Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com
• $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles(R) Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
• No foreign transaction fees

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If you want a Delta card that offers unlimited complimentary lounge access (at least until 2/1/25, when you’ll get 15 visits per year), check out the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. It’s $650 a year (See Rates and Fees) but is the top-tier choice for Delta loyalists who want lounge access.

 

 

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

For frequent fliers of American Airlines, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® offers 2x points on American Airlines purchases and includes a lot of perks when you actually fly, such as priority check-in, preferred boarding, free checked bags, and more. A lot of the perks apply to your traveling companions too, making this a good card if you often travel with friends or family. It has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 per year after that.

This card offers:

• 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening
• 2x points on American Airlines purchases
• 2x points on restaurants and gas stations
• First checked bag free on domestic flights (for you and up to 4 companions traveling on the same reservation)
• Priority check-in (where available)
• Preferred boarding (after priority boarding but before economy boarding)
• Earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card
• No fees for authorized users
• No foreign transaction fees

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United^SM Explorer Card

The United^SM Explorer Card is a great all-around card for anyone who regularly flies United. As with all airline-specific cards, there are a variety of benefits to take advantage of when flying United flights. This is a solid option if your home airport is a United hub (there are 8 hubs in the U.S., including Newark, SFO, LAX, O’Hare, and Dulles). $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then it’s just $95.

This card offers:

• Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
• 2x points on United purchases
• 2x points on dining
• 2x points on hotels when booked directly
• Free first checked bag – a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
• Priority boarding
• Visit the United Club^SM with 2 one-time passes each year for your card anniversary
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
• 25% back on United inflight purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• Earn 25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases with your Explorer Card (up to 1,000 PQP in a calendar year)

—> LEARN MORE <—

If you’re looking for a premium United card, the United Quest^SM Card is the upgraded version of the Explorer. While it has a hefty price tag of $250 per year, if you’re a regular United flier the perks more than make up for it. The card comes with an annual $125 United® purchase credit that cuts that fee in half right off the bat (terms apply).
 

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Regardless of which airline you prefer (I’m a Delta guy, myself), don’t leave free flights on the table. Pick up one of these cards and start collecting points and miles today so you can enjoy free flights, perks, and upgrades for your next trip!

For a full list of all my favorite points-earning credit cards, visit this page here.