The Best Airline Credit Cards

Have you been looking for an airline credit card but aren’t sure which one to get?  We have compiled a list of best airline credit card offers currently available so you have everything in one place.  Before you get started, take a look at which airlines you fly most frequently, then see which of the following cards will provide you with the most benefits that are most useful to you.

Airline credit cards are some of the best travel cards you can have in your wallet.  In fact, I always carry the co-banded card for the airline I always fly most frequently.  Having their card has saved me a lot of money on checked bag fees and I get other great benefits like discounts on in-flight purchases and lounge access.  They also offer some great welcome bonuses that will help you get a lot closer to your next vacation.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

While the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card isn’t co-branded with a specific airline, you can transfer the points earned with this card to several airlines.  With the flexibility this card provides, it’s my top choice for the best airline credit card.  You can read why this is the card I recommend most often here.

Welcome Bonus – Right now, new card members will earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of their account being opened.

Highlights – The 60,0000 point welcome bonus is worth a whopping $750 worth of travel if you book through the Chase travel portal.  You can also transfer the points to one of several airlines and take advantage of some of the redemption sweet spots like this for flying to Hawaii.  This card also offers great travel insurance that covers a lot of those unexpected events that come up while traveling.

Annual Fee – $95 (not waived during the first year)

Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance business card is a new card on the market that is a great option if you fly Southwest Airlines frequently.

Bonus – New card holders will receive an 70,000 point welcome bonus after spending $5,000 within 3 months of opening your account.  Plus, you’ll earn an additional 30,000 points after spending a total of $25,000 within the first 6 months.  If you meet the total spending threshold, you’ll earn enough points to earn the coveted Companion Pass.

Highlights – Earn 3 points for every dollar spent with Southwest Airlines as well as 2 points per dollar on select business categories.  Each year you’ll receive 4 upgraded boarding passes to positions A1-A15 that can be used on any available flight.  Plus, you can receive up to 365 $8 in-flight WiFi credits (an all day pass costs $8) when you use the card to pay for WiFi on your flight annually.  Each card anniversary year you will receive 9,000 additional Rapid Rewards points.  Every 4 years you can receive up to a $100 statement credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees.

Annual Fee – $199 (not waived during the first year)

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

Welcome Bonus – New Capital One Venture card members can earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months of opening an account.

Highlights – These points can be redeemed for $500 worth of travel.  Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, these points can also be transferred to one of several transfer partner airlines.  No foreign transaction fees are incurred on purchases made with this card.  You will receive up to a $100 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck frees every 4 years.

Annual Fee – $0 introductory annual fee during the first year and then $95 each year after that.

Final Thoughts

These offers are constantly changing, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back regularly as new offers become available.  If you’re looking for other types of cards, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best overall credit card offers as well as the best business credit card offers.

If you still have questions after reviewing our list, you can always reach out to us and we’d be happy to help.