Airline Credit Cards
Below is a list of the leading travel related credit cards. With every dollar you spend, an airline credit card will reward your purchases with credits or points redeemable for travel vouchers to anywhere in the world.
- Compare general travel points credit cards versus individual airline
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- Expert and Independent ratings & consumer reviews
- Secure and immediate online application process
- Intro APR 0% until February 2012*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
Highlights:
- 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles, equal to $100 in travel
- Redeem miles for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals and more
- No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire
- Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates
- 0% intro APR on purchases until February 2012
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% until February 2012* | N/A* | 11.90-19.90% (Variable)* | None | Excellent |
- Intro APR 0% for 15 Months
- Intro BT APR 0% for 15 Months
Highlights:
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 12.99% - 22.99% based upon your creditworthiness*
- Earn 1 ThankYou Point for every $1 you spend on purchases.
- Earn an anniversary bonus on points earned from purchases every year*
- Enjoy no limit on the number of points you can earn
- Redeem ThankYou Points for merchandise, travel rewards, gift cards, cash and more
- No annual fee*
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% for 15 Months | 0% for 15 Months | 13.99%-21.99%* (Variable) | None | Excellent |
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
Highlights:
- Money® Magazine's "Most Rewarding Card if you crave free airline flights"
- 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles, equal to $100 in travel
- Redeem your miles for any travel expense
- No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire
- Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after that
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 11.90-19.90% (Variable)* | $0.00 1 year, then $59.00* | Excellent |
- Intro APR 0% for 6 Months*
- Intro BT APR 0% for 6 Months*
Highlights:
- Earn up to $120 in travel rewards--1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first year
- 1 Mile on every $1 you spend - Plus flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 16.99%*
- No restrictions on travel--fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Travel benefits include secondary collision damage insurance when you rent a car with your Miles by Discover card
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% for 6 Months* | 0% for 6 Months* | 10.99-16.99% (Variable)* | None | Excellent |
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
Highlights:
- $150 in gift cards - When you redeem the 15,000 bonus ThankYou® Points received after $1,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening
- 5 ThankYou Points for every $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, supermarkets and drugstores for 12 months and 1 point for every $1 spent thereafter and for all other purchases*
- Enjoy no limit on the number of points you can earn
- Redeem ThankYou Points for merchandise, travel rewards, gift cards, cash and more
- No annual fee*
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 12.99-22.99% (Variable)* | None | Excellent |
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
Highlights:
- Now! Earn a Free Flight after your first purchase
- Get 3,000 Points every year on your Card member Anniversary - that can be redeemed for a $50 Wanna Get Away® Fare
- Now you can redeem for International Travel, Hotels, Gift Cards and more.
- Earn unlimited free flights - 2 Points per $1 Spent on Southwest Purchases and 1 Point per $1 Spent on everything else
- Your Bags Fly Free! No Blackout Dates, Points Don't Expire, and Unlimited Reward Seats!
- No Change fees - if you need to change your flight, you won't be charged a fee.
- September 11th Security Fee Applies
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 15.24% (Fixed)* | $69.00* | Excellent |
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
Highlights:
- Earn 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $750 in purchases within the first 4 months of cardmembership - more than enough for a roundtrip domestic flight award*
- Earn an additional 10,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases during the first 6 months of cardmembership*
- Receive a one-time $100 statement credit for the first eligible American Airlines purchase you make within the first 12 months of cardmembership*
- $85 annual fee waived for the first 12 months*
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 15.24% (Variable)* | $0.00 1 year, then $85.00* | Excellent |
- Intro APR 0% for 6 Months*
- Intro BT APR 0% fir 6 Months*
Highlights:
- Earn up to $250 in travel rewards--1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first 25 months
- Double Miles on every $1 you spend
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 16.99%*
- No restrictions on travel--fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- Travel Insurance benefits, including primary car rental, lost or damaged luggage, travel delay, and trip cancellation when you book with your Escape by Discover card
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% for 6 Months* | 0% fir 6 Months* | 10.99-16.99% (Variable)* | $60.00* | Excellent |
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR 9.99%*
Highlights:
- Earn 30,000 bonus miles toward Award Travel when you spend $500 on the Card in the first three months from account opening
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
- Check your first bag Free - for up to 9 people on your reservation - on every Delta flight
- Receive double miles on Delta purchases and 1 mile for all other eligible dollars spent
- Priority Boarding and 20% In-Flight Savings
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | 9.99%* | 15.24-19.24% (Variable)* | $0.00 1 year, then $95.00* | Excellent |
- Intro APR See Terms*
- Intro BT APR See Terms*
Highlights:
- Earn 20,000 bonus miles with your first purchase and an additional 5,000 bonus miles when you add two Additional Card members to your account - redeem 25,000 miles for a flight
- No mileage earning limit, and miles don't expire
- Check your first bag free on every Delta flight
- Annual complimentary companion ticket
- Rated 4 out of 5 stars in Overall Satisfaction Rating, based on feedback from current Platinum Delta SkyMiles (R) Credit Cardmembers from American Express
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| See Terms* | See Terms* | 14.5% variable | $150 per year | Excellent |
- Intro APR See Terms*
- Intro BT APR See Terms*
Highlights:
- Earn 10,000 Medallion(R) Qualification Miles (MQMs) with your first purchase, and Miles Boosts(SM) of up to 30,000 MQMs when you spend $60,000 in a calendar year
- Annual complimentary First-Class companion ticket with Card renewal
- Delta Sky Club(TM) access for you and your guests
- Check your first bag free on every Delta flight
- Rated 4 out of 5 stars in Overall Satisfaction Rating, based on feedback from current Delta Reserve Credit Cardmembers from American Express
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| See Terms* | See Terms* | 14.5% variable | $450 per year | Excellent |
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
Highlights:
- Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles & first year free ($95 value)*
- Now with priority boarding privileges on Continental and United flights
- Check your first bag for free on Continental and United flights, up to a $50 value
- Visit the United Club with two complimentary passes every year, a $100 value
- Earn 2 miles for $1 spent on tickets purchased from Continental and United and 1 mile per $1 everywhere else
- Your miles don't expire and there is no limit to the number of miles you can earn
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 14.24% (Fixed)* | $0.00 1 year, then $95.00* | Excellent |
Airline Credit Cards
Those who travel by air – plus anyone who would like to be able to fly by getting free or discounted airfares by using their credit cards – are perfect candidates for airline credit cards. These are essentially awards or reward cards that let the cardholder rack up miles, points, or similar value which can then be converted into a free ticket to fly to a favorite destination. Airline credit cards will often also provide special features and amenities that are especially tailored to the needs and preferences of air travelers.
These may include, for example, free tickets for a fellow passenger, preferential rates on hotels and rental cards, double rewards points for dining, entertaining, or travel, and coupons that provide access to airline VIP lounges inside airports.
Most airline cards have interest rates comparable to other credit cards, but many charge an annual fee that might range anywhere from $49-$125. You should examine the pros and cons of each card, comparing their benefits and features against their fees to calculate which one is the best fit and offers the most flexibility at the best price. Be sure to keep in mind that while some airline credit cards let you transfer your points or accumulated rewards to any airline, others restrict you to one or two specific air carriers. So choose a flexible card that lets you apply your awards to any air carrier or one that will help you earn tickets and perks on the airline that you use most of the time for business or personal travel.
