The Best Airline Miles Credit Cards

Tweet

If you tend to fly on one favorite airline, using an airline miles credit card for the specific carrier can be a great way to maximize your airline spending. Finding the best airline miles credit card to match your favorite airline can net you free tickets to fly, miles that can be used towards car rentals and hotels, upgrades, free bag checking, preferential check-in, and more!

Keep in mind you need to responsibly spend and pay off your credit card bill monthly in order to truly make the most of your airline miles.  Keep in mind too, most airline miles cards have an annual fee (some waive the fee the first year).  You will find that if you take advantage of the benefits of the card, the fee is well made up for.

Done right, you can turn your everyday spending into airline miles and reduce the cost of your flying and possibly take advantage of special perks as well.

Take a look at the following airline miles cards and see which airline mile credit card best fits your needs.

United MileagePlus® Explorer Card

You can earn up to 40,000 bonus miles with the United MileagePlus Explorer card.  You earn 25,000 bonus miles for the first use (when you make a purchase, balance transfer, or checks that are used for your account).  If you add an authorized user to your account (and after your first purchase or balance transfer) you can get a bonus 5,000 miles (must be done within first 2 months of having card).

Also, each year you make $25,000 in purchases, you get 10,000 bonus miles.

You earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on tickets purchased from United and 1 mile per $1 spent everywhere else.  You miles won’t expire and there is no limit to the number of miles you earn.

When you use your card to purchase United tickets, you and your companion will be able to check their first bag free (that can add up to a $50 savings round-trip).

You will also enjoy priority boarding privileges where you get to board your flight before general boarding.

Every year you get 2 passes to the United Club(SM) where you can relax before your flight and enjoy complimentary snacks, beverages, and WiFi.

The annual fee is free for the first year on this card ($95 thereafter).

See our review of the United MileagePlus Explorer Card.

Delta Airlines – Gold Delta Skymiles® Credit Card

To start you off on miles, the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card credit card offers you 30,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 in the first 3 months of being a card member.

That’s already enough to redeem for a free flight!

You can earn an additional 5,000 miles signing up for two additional cards (think spouse and child in college).

You can use your SkyMiles to pay for any Delta seat without blackout dates or restrictions. You’ll earn one mile for every dollar you spend. Earn two miles for every eligible dollar spent on qualifying Delta, Northwest, and Delta Vacations purchases.

The first bag you check will be free on every Delta flight (this is good for up to 9 people on your reservation).

You also get Zone 2 Priority Boarding on Delta flights (nice for when you want to get on a flight and make sure you have room in the overhead compartment for your stuff).

And you 20% in-flight savings on food and entertainment.

The first year’s annual fee is waived for new cardholders ($95/year afterward).

Click through for Platinum Delta SkyMiles and Delta Reserve details.

Blue Sky(SM) Preferred from American Express

This isn’t an airline miles card, as the points you earn aren’t for any one particular airline. In fact the points are good for any airline.

The benefits are well-worth checking out. You can say the Blue Sky (SM) card is an airline miles card for any carrier, which is great if you fly but don’t stick with any particular airline. You get 7,500 bonus points which can be redeemed for a $100 statement credit, applied towards airline tickets or hotel stays, and more. The card carries a $100 Airline Allowance which you get to apply towards incidental airline charges like baggage fees, flight meals, flight entertainment, and such. You’ll earn double points (2x) on eligible hotel, dining, and car rental purchases. Points are 1 for every $1 spent on everything else. As I mentioned above, the points are good for any airline, hotel, cruise, or car rental. Point redemption has no blackout dates, expiration, or cap limits. There is a $75 annual fee for this card (remember though, you can use the points on any airline).

Click through for the Blue Sky(SM) Preferred from American Express and the Blue Sky from American Express(R).

JetBlue TrueBlue Credit Card from American Express

You’ll earn 10,000 points after your first purchase.  Spend just $500 in the first three months and you will get another 10,000 bonus points.  Keep in mind that OneWay Award Flights start at just 5,000 points!  You earn 6 points for every $1 spent on JetBlue flights at jetblue.com.  When you use your card you earn an additional 2 points (that’s 8 points when you use your card).  There are no blackout dates when you redeem your points, the points don’t expire, and you can redeem for any available seat.  TrueBlue also offers up a number of additional ways to earn bonus points as well as benefits.  The annual fee for this card is $40.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

You know what’s cool?  Free Flights!  The recent promotion from Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus has you earning a free flight after your first purchase.  When you make your first purchase you get 25,000 bonus points which is over $400 in Wanna Get Away® Fares that can be redeemed for a free round trip flight.

Also, every year on your card anniversary you receive 3,000 point, which is like $50 towards a Wanna Get Away Fare.  Their points program is good for more than just domestic flights - use their points for international travel, hotels, gift cards, car rentals, theme parks, and more.  You an earn unlimited free flights.  You earn 2 points for every $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point for every $1 spent everywhere else.

When you fly, your bags fly free (1st and 2nd bags).  Your points don’t expire and there are no blackout dates.  Another nice benefit is if you need to change your flight you won’t be charged a fee (though you will have to pay the fare difference).

The annual fee for the card is $69/year.

See our review of the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus Card.

Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® Visa Signature® Card

Sign up as a new account holder for this card and enjoy 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles when you make $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.  You get double AAdvantage miles on eligible American Airlines purchases.

Also, earn up to 10% of your redeemed miles back, up to 10,000 miles every year.

There’s never any mileage cap and miles never expire.

Traveling is easier with this card as your first eligible bag is checked free.

Take advantage of Priority Boarding as well as 25% off eligible in-flight purchases.

Every cardmember year you can earn a $100 American Airlines Flight Discount with qualifying purchases and card-membership renewal.

The annual fee is waived for the first year ($95 after).

British Airways Visa Signature® Card

Earn 50,000 bonus points after your first purchase.  If you make $10,000 in purchases in your first calendar year you get 25,000 bonus points.  Make another $10,000 in purchases and you earn 25,000 points again, giving you the possibility to earn 100,000 bonus points in your first year.

You earn 2.5 points for every $1 spent on British Airways and 1.25 points for all other purchases.

There are no foreign transaction fees when you use your card abroad.

Every year you spend $30,000 on your card you earn a Travel Together Ticket which allows you to bring a companion along when you redeem your points for a flight.

Smart-chip technology allows you to make chip-based purchases and Europe and other countries.

The annual fee for this card is $95.

Remember

The best way to take advantage of these offers is to use your credit card responsibly.  If you are carrying credit card debt with a high APR then you may end up paying more in interest than you would get in mile/point benefits.

If you want more of a general travel rewards card then check out The Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards.

What do you think is the best airline miles credit card?

*As you always should, make sure you read through the card details to make sure this card fits your needs and you understand the terms and conditions. Be aware that the terms may change after this article’s publication.

“Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.”

The Best Airline Miles Credit Cards, 3.8 out of 5 based on 19 ratings

Tweet