The best airline miles credit cards enable you to earn frequent flyer miles with every purchase. And many of the credit card offers listed below come with bonus points that allow you to earn a free plane ticket very quickly. The offers are organized into two categories.
First, we list those all-purpose travel cards that offer excellent rewards. With these cards, you can use points or miles on any airline. Then will list airline specific cards. These are ideal if you frequently fly on the same airline.
Best All-Purpose Miles Cards
Editor’s Pick: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns top honors for an all-purpose travel rewards card. Its 2x points for every $1 spent and $50,000 bonus points for new cardmembers lead the pack in the travel category.
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
- One-time Bonus: Earn 50,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $500 in travel
- Earn 2X miles on every purchase, every day.
- Earn 10X miles on thousands of hotels; learn more at hotels.com/venture
- Receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®
- Miles aren’t specific to any airline or hotel, so they can be used antwhere
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Receive 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 50k points are worth $625 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- $0 foreign transaction fees
- 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs at full value
- Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
- Welcome Offer: Earn 50K bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit
- 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit.
- 3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- $0 foreign transaction fees.
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™
- Select Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®
Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express
- Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
- Rewards: Earn 6 points for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG® and Marriott Rewards® hotels and 2 points on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 points) at a participating hotel.
- Unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi on up to four devices at more than 1,000,000 Boingo hotspots worldwide.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Terms Apply.
Best Airline Specific Miles Cards
Editor’s Pick: My favorite airline card is the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card. It gets my vote for two reasons. It offers an excellent signup bonus of 50,000 miles. And it’s a great airline to fly.
Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
- Welcome Offer: Earn 10,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
- 2 Miles Rewards: Earn 2 miles per dollar at US restaurants and on purchases made directly with Delta.
- 1 Mile Rewards: Earn 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- Receive a 20% In-Flight Savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
- No Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply
Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
- Welcome Offer: Earn 30,000 Bonus Miles after you make $1,000 in purchases on your new card within your first 4 months. Offer expires on 9/19/2018.
- Earn a $50 statement credit once you make your first Delta purchase within the first three months.
- Earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta.
- Earn 1 mile for every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- Check your first bag free on Delta flights
- Priority Boarding.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Terms Apply
British Airways Visa Signature
- Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 100,000 bonus points. Here’s how–
- Earn 50,000 bonus Avios after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening;
- Earn 25,000 bonus Avios after you spend $10,000 total on purchases within your first year from account opening; and
- Earn 25,000 bonus Avios after you spend $20,000 total on purchases within your first year from account opening.
- Each year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
- Earn 3 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways purchases
- Earn 1 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- Earn the Companion Pass and 30,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months. Offer ends 2/11/19. Companion Pass is promotional and will end 12/31/19.
- 6,000 bonus points after you’ve had the card for one year
- 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental Partner purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Earn unlimited points
- No foreign transaction fees
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions
- Bags fly free
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- Earn the Companion Pass and 30,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months. Offer ends 2/11/19. Companion Pass is promotional and will end 12/31/19.
- Earn 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- $75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
- Four Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
- 20% back on in-flight drinks, WiFi, messaging, and movies.
- 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Welcome Offer: Earn the Companion Pass and 30,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months. Offer ends 2/11/19. Companion Pass is promotional and will end 12/31/19
- Anniversary Bonus: 3,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary
- 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® Hotel and Car Rental Partner purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions
- Bags fly free and no change fees
- Redeem your points for flights, hotel stays, gift cards, access to events and more
United Explorer Card
- Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 within the first 3 months your account is open
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on purchases from United, and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants and on hotel stays
- Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Pre?® Fee Credit
- 25% back on United inflight purchases
- Check your first bag for free when you use your card to purchase your ticket
- Priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club? with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95