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Best airline credit cards of October 2024

Updated October 06, 2024

Advertiser Disclosure: The listings that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which Bankrate receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Here's an explanation for and how we rate our cards.

Best airline credit cards of October 2024

Updated October 06, 2024

Advertiser Disclosure: The listings that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which Bankrate receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Here's an explanation for and how we rate our cards.

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Showing 8 results

Best for bonus value

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bankrate score

star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
4.9
Bankrate review
Recommended credit score:(670 - 850)
Apply nowLock
on Capital One's secure site
See Rates & Fees

Intro offer

75,000 miles

Rewards rate

2 Miles - 5 Miles

Annual fee

$95

Regular APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Why you'll like this: It offers one of the most valuable sign-up bonuses you can get on a general travel card, a solid flat rewards rate and ultra-flexible miles.

Best flat-rate travel card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Bankrate score

star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
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5.0
Bankrate review
Recommended credit score:(740 - 850)
Apply nowLock
on Capital One's secure site
See Rates & Fees

Intro offer

75,000 miles

Rewards rate

2 Miles - 10 Miles

Annual fee

$395

Regular APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Why you'll like this: It boasts a terrific mix of valuable, practical perks at a much lower cost than other premier travel cards.

Best overall Southwest Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

Bankrate score

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4.5
Bankrate review
Recommended credit score:(670 - 850)
Apply nowLock
on Chase's secure site

Intro offer

Earn 85,000 points.

Rewards rate

1X - 3X

Annual fee

$149

Regular APR

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Why you'll like this: It easily tops other Southwest cards with its annual travel credit and anniversary bonus points.

Best for Delta Air Lines perks

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Bankrate score

star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
4.7
Bankrate review
Recommended credit score:(670 - 850)
Apply nowLock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

Intro offer

Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles

Rewards rate

1X - 3X

Annual fee

$350

APR

20.49%-29.49% Variable

Why you'll like this: Along with Delta perks like a free first checked bag and Zone 5 priority boarding, you’ll score a ton of valuable travel and dining credits.

Best Delta starter card

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

Bankrate score

star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
4.4
Bankrate review
Recommended credit score:(670 - 850)
Apply nowLock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

Intro offer

Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles

Rewards rate

1X - 2X

Annual fee

$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.

APR

20.49%-29.49% Variable

Why you'll like this: Its annual Delta flight credit and everyday bonus categories make it an easy-to-maximize airline rewards card.

Best Southwest starter card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Bankrate score

star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
4.5
Bankrate review
Recommended credit score:(670 - 850)
Apply nowLock
on Chase's secure site

Intro offer

Earn 85,000 points.

Rewards rate

1X - 2X

Annual fee

$69

Regular APR

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Why you'll like this: It offers the same sign-up bonus as higher-tier Southwest cards and annual bonus points at a low cost.

Best companion discount

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card

Bankrate score

star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
4.5
Bankrate review
Recommended credit score:(670 - 850)
Apply nowLock
on Bank of America's secure site

Intro offer

Buy One, Get One + 50,000 Bonus Miles!

Rewards rate

1 mile - 3 miles

Annual fee

$95

Regular APR

20.74% - 28.74% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers

Why you'll like this: The Famous Companion Fare is one of the easiest-to-earn companion fare offers you can get at such a low cost.

Best for Delta Sky Club fans

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Bankrate score

star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
star iconstar iconstar iconstar iconstar icon
4.1
Bankrate review
Recommended credit score:(670 - 850)
Apply nowLock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

Intro offer

Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles

Rewards rate

1X - 3X

Annual fee

$650

APR

20.49%-29.49% Variable

Why you'll like this: It offers the most comprehensive Delta lounge access you can get with a credit card, plus Amex Centurion Lounge access.

compare
Compare

Compare Bankrate’s top-ranked airline credit cards

Card name Our pick for Card Highlights Bankrate review score

Bonus value

5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

2X miles on every purchase

Flexible miles can be redeemed for statement credits toward eligible recent travel purchases

4.9 / 5

Info Icon
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock Icon
on Capital One's secure site

Best flat-rate travel card

 

10X miles on hotel and rental car purchases booked through Capital One Travel

5X miles on flights through Capital One Travel

2X miles on all other purchases

10,000 bonus miles each year on your account anniversary and $300 Capital One travel credit can help offset the annual fee

5.0 / 5

Info Icon
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock Icon
on Capital One's secure site

Overall Southwest card

3X points on Southwest purchases

2X points on hotel and car rental partners, local transit and commuting (including rideshares) along with internet, cable, phone and select streaming services

Southwest perks, including a $75 annual travel credit, boost toward Southwest Companion Pass and four upgraded boardings each year

4.5 / 5

Info Icon
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock Icon
on Chase's secure site

Delta Air Lines perks

3X miles on Delta flights, Delta Vacations® and direct hotel purchases

2X miles at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide (including U.S. delivery and takeout)

Delta perks, including a renewing companion certificate, potential annual Delta flight credit, priority boarding, and more

4.7 / 5

Info Icon
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock Icon
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply

Best Delta starter card

2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, restaurants worldwide (including U.S. delivery and takeout) and on Delta purchases

Delta perks, including a potential annual Delta flight credit, priority boarding, free first checked bag, discount on reward-booked Delta flights and more

$0 intro annual fee the first year (then $150)

4.4 / 5

Info Icon
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock Icon
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply

Southwest starter card

2X points on Southwest purchases, Southwest hotel and car rental partners, local transit and commuting (including rideshares) along with internet, cable, phone and select streaming services

3,000-point annual bonus on your account anniversary, two EarlyBird Check-In boardings each year, a boost toward Companion Pass and other perks

$69 annual fee

 

4.5 / 5

Info Icon
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock Icon
on Chase's secure site

Best companion discount

3X miles on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases

2X miles on eligible gas, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share purchases)

$99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after $6,000 in purchases the prior year

4.5 / 5

Info Icon
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock Icon
on Bank of America's secure site

Delta Sky Club fans

3X miles on Delta flights and Delta Vacations®

Complimentary Delta Sky Club lounge access and two free one-time guest passes annually (then 15 complimentary Delta Sky Club visits per year starting Feb. 1, 2025)

4.1 / 5

Info Icon
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock Icon
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply

What is an airline credit card?

An airline credit card is a type of rewards card, often co-branded with a major issuer like American Express or Citi, that offers rewards and perks for people loyal to a specific airline. Typically, these cards earn airline miles for purchases made directly with the airline, but they can sometimes earn rewards in other categories as well.

You can use airline credit cards just like any credit card. There are defined credit limits and interest rates that apply to your purchases. However, with airline credit cards, you earn travel rewards specific to an airline and can participate in that airline’s rewards program. For example, Delta SkyMiles cards earn miles you only can redeem for Delta flights, while Southwest card rewards can only be redeemed for flights with Southwest.

Most airline cards have higher rewards rates for purchases you make directly with the airline, but that doesn't mean you can't use them elsewhere. Many cards earn miles on everyday purchases, including groceries, gas, dining and other categories.

You might even think of an airline credit card as a sort of VIP airport pass. The best airline rewards cards routinely include perks such as access to airport lounges, priority boarding, free checked bags and more.

Airline credit cards vs. travel credit cards

Both airline credit cards and travel credit cards typically reward you with points or miles. But there are a few key differences.

  • Travel Icon

    Airline credit cards

    These co-branded cards are tied to a specific airline — like American Airlines, Delta, Southwest or United — and reward your loyalty with exclusive perks you won’t find with general travel cards. Typical benefits include free checked bags, priority boarding, companion tickets and even accelerated elite status. Unfortunately, airline card rewards aren’t as flexible since they can usually only be redeemed for plane tickets with that specific airline.

  • Credit Card Icon

    General-purpose travel credit cards

    General-purpose credit cards are not tied to specific airlines. Although they don’t normally carry airline-specific perks, general travel cards are typically more versatile since they let you earn and redeem rewards with a variety of airlines and on general travel, including hotels, rentals and more. You might also be able to transfer your rewards to airline and hotel programs (sometimes at a higher value) or redeem your points or miles for cash back, gift cards and merchandise (though the value may not be as high as when you redeem for travel). Some premium travel cards also provide complimentary access to airline-branded airport lounges.

Comparing top credit card and airline rewards programs

Rewards Program Bankrate value* Estimated value of 50,000 points/miles
American Express Membership Rewards 2.0 cents $1,000
Capital One miles 1.7 cents $850
Delta SkyMiles 1.2 cents $600
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan 1.1 cents $550
Southwest Rapid Rewards 1.5 cents $750

*Based on weighted average of median point/mile values across economy and first/business class fares.

As you can see, American Express Membership Rewards are some of the most valuable points out there. Although it’s not solely an airline rewards program, Amex Membership Rewards points can be transferred to many airline and hotel partners for a redemption value of over 1 cent per point (the base value you’d get by redeeming for travel with Amex).

If you want to look exclusively at the best airline rewards programs, Delta SkyMiles, Alaska Airlines AAdvantage points and Southwest Rapid Rewards points carry some of the best redemption value. These values bolster the rewards rates and perks offered on each airline’s co-branded credit cards.

According to Bankrate’s points and mile valuations, Southwest Rapid Rewards are about 36 percent more valuable than Alaska Airlines miles, but only 25 percent more valuable than Delta SkyMiles. However, Delta may be determined to be more valuable as it offers more routes than both Southwest and Alaska Airlines.

To choose the right card or rewards program for you, consider which airlines you fly with most and how much flexibility you need with how you can use your rewards.

Pros and cons of airline credit cards

Pros

  • Checkmark Icon

    Earning rewards: You’ll earn miles or points that you can apply to travel expenses or redeem towards future trips.

  • Checkmark Icon

    Extra perks: The best airline credit cards usually come with benefits that make traveling easier, such as lounge access, priority boarding, free checked baggage and more.

  • Checkmark Icon

    Loyalty benefits: With a co-branded card, your loyalty to your favorite airline translates to actual monetary benefits.

Cons

  • No airline flexibility: If you have a bad experience with your airline of choice and decide to never fly with that carrier again, your co-branded airline card loses value. Likewise, your rewards usually won’t translate to other travel programs if your travel plans need to change.

  • Annual fees: Like travel cards in general, airline card annual fees can range from less than $100 to more than $500.

  • Fewer intro offers: Not many airline credit cards offer 0 percent intro APR offers for purchases or balance transfers, making them unsuitable for managing debt.

Who should get an airline card?

Not everyone can benefit from an airline credit card, but those who can are likely to make it the most valuable addition to their wallet. Here are some types of cardholders who would and would not benefit from airline cards.

What people are saying about airline rewards cards

As people gear up for peak travel season, potential travel card applicants are taking to the internet for advice to prepare, resurfacing the question: Is an airline-branded credit card worth it for me?

This is the big question users on Reddit, YouTube and other forums are focusing on. One Reddit user sums up airline rewards cards up nicely: co-branded airline cards’ main value comes from the perks that save you time, money and sanity when you travel with that airline, and general-purpose cards are better for racking up more flexible rewards and broad travel credits.

Other users in the thread agree, and the airline perks that are the most useful in their experience are airport lounge access, baggage delay insurance, lost baggage reimbursement and — most popularly, like this Reddit user reports — free checked baggage.

“If you have two kids and a [significant other], and you all have to check bags for the family vacation, then the [discounted] baggage fees alone make the card worth it.”

Like users in this myFICO forum attest, determining which of these two cards is the best fit for you depends on factors like where you travel, how often and where you travel, as well as what perks you value (like savings, airport lounge access, priority boarding and etc.).

For general-purpose travel, the Chase Ultimate Rewards cards (mainly the Sapphire Preferred and Reserve) are often recommended by users, but the Capital One Venture X and the Wells Fargo Autograph are also popular recommendations. On the flip side, the Delta SkyMiles Gold, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority and United Club℠ Infinite Card were popular co-branded airline choices.

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate. Please see the issuer’s website for updated terms and conditions.

Tips on choosing the best airline credit card for you

Getting an airline credit card can be exciting, but it’s important to make sure you can make the most of it. Here are some tips:

Check your credit score

Any type of travel card typically requires a good-to-excellent credit score (a FICO score of 670 to 850, or a VantageScore of 661 to 850). If your credit score isn’t quite there yet, work on building your credit before you begin your search for an airline credit card.

Keep these factors in mind when searching for the best airline credit card to add to your financial arsenal. You can also use comparison tools like CardMatch™ to shop for cards you may qualify for and review issuer offers to find one that works for you.

Expert advice for airline credit cards

Airline cards provide the most value when used strategically with other cards and are especially useful for the travel-specific perks they offer, such as priority boarding, seating upgrades and companion fares. Holding an airline credit card while being a member of the airline's frequent flyer program can also help you get maximum value. 

But you can’t set and forget your rewards with these cards. You’ll need a strategy to make the most of your airline card.

Here’s how one Bankrate expert chose their airline card

Senior Bankrate editor and credit card reviewer Nouri Zarrugh initially chose a lower-tier Southwest card, but he compared the value to the annual fee and eventually upgraded to a higher-tier airline rewards card for its stronger features.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card was one of the first cards I got after I’d built credit history. At the time, I wasn’t thinking much about long-term value and I couldn’t have told you the difference between a general travel card and a co-branded airline card. I just wanted to get a big sign-up bonus and earn rewards on my Southwest flights.

And the card got the job done there. I’d use it for most purchases, and every so often I’d find I’d earned enough points for a free ticket.

But as the years passed and I learned more about credit card rewards, I started to wonder if the card was the best fit for me. I’d added a few everyday rewards cards to my wallet and so was only using the Rapid Rewards Plus for Southwest purchases, limiting my earnings. I also wasn’t flying enough to be sure I could offset the annual fee with rewards, so I considered closing the account altogether.

But then I compared the Rapid Rewards Plus card’s features and annual fee with those of the higher-tier Southwest cards. I was surprised to find that the higher-fee cards could actually be more lucrative for me.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card stood out. It offered a pair of annual bonuses that were valuable enough to offset its annual fee entirely: 7,500 bonus points each year on your account anniversary and a $75 annual Southwest travel credit. Assuming a 1.5-cent-per-point valuation, 7,500 points would be worth around $112; combined with the $75 credit, that’s a total annual value of around $187. So as I saw it, as long as I took one Southwest flight a year, I’d at least break even.

I couldn’t say the same for the Rapid Rewards Plus card. It charged a $69 annual fee but only offered 3,000 anniversary bonus points, with no travel credit. Even if I assumed a 1.5-cent-per-point value, that bonus would only be worth around $45.

I ended up switching to the Rapid Rewards Priority card and I’ve been happy with it since. While the $149 annual fee sounds intimidating, I know that it can essentially be made up for by those annual perks. It’s just on me to take one trip a year via Southwest – and I could use the nudge!

— Nouri Zarrugh, Senior Credit Card Editor at Bankrate
  • Travel Icon

    Maximizing airline rewards

    Along with your card’s ongoing rewards rate in its highest-earning categories, a sign-up bonus or welcome offer from a new airline card could be worth several hundred dollars or more in travel costs. Keep track of your progress toward the spending requirement and start thinking about how you might use those bonus miles once you’ve earned them.

    Make sure you use your card to book flights with your preferred airline and follow through making the most of those points by taking a look at Bankrate’s points and miles valuations.

  • Stars Icon

    Pair travel and airline cards

    Let’s say you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. Because Southwest is a Chase travel partner, you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio. This way, you can rack up points to use for Southwest flights between both cards, but you aren’t stuck redeeming with Southwest if you find a better award price for your Ultimate Rewards points elsewhere.

  • Location Icon

    Travel off-peak

    Some airlines restrict when you can use miles to book flights during busy traveling periods. On the other hand, they also may heavily discount award flight costs during off-peak travel periods. Keep track of these fluctuations in cost to maximize the value of your miles.

How we assess the best airline credit cards

Document Icon
150+
cards rated
Congrats Icon
50+
rewards programs valued
Search Icon
1800
data points analyzed
Credit Card Reviews Icon
40+
perks evaluated

When evaluating the best airline cards, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards in popular categories to scoring a large sign-up bonus or high-value perks. Whenever possible, we also feature cards that are available at various credit levels and price points. 

We analyzed over 150 of the most popular cards and scored each based on its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup of the best airline cards.

While we primarily focus on co-branded airline cards, assuming many cardholders are interested in earning rewards in a specific airline loyalty program or scoring airline-specific perks, we also include some general travel cards that offer solid rewards rates and redemption value on airline bookings. Ideally, they also give you the flexibility to transfer points or miles directly to airline loyalty programs.

How we rate rewards cards
  • Value 65.00%
  • Flexibility 15.00%
  • Perks 15.00%
  • Customer experience 5.00%

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Frequently asked questions about airline credit cards