If you’re a frequent flyer, or anyone who just likes to travel on the cheap, you may be wondering, “What’s the best credit card for airline miles?” Identifying this can deliver some serious benefits in the long run. These cards provide the opportunity to fly around the world for little to no money, with perks like priority boarding, airport lounge access, free checked baggage, and in-flight wifi.
Air miles work just like rewards points on other credit cards: points accumulate by making purchases, and the points can be redeemed for free or discounted products and services. In this case, your points go toward travel rewards like free flights and hotel stays. Read on for our picks for some of the best credit cards for airline miles on the market today. We’ll also offer some tips on how to rack up those miles.
Best Credit Cards with Airline Miles
We reviewed some of the best air miles and travel credit cards currently available and chose our top picks based on the rewards earning potential, APR, annual fees, and overall benefits to you.
- Earn 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months from account opening, or still earn 50,000 miles if you spend $3000 on purchases in the first 3 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔®
- Redeem on travel—from vacation rentals to car rentals and more. Plus transfer your miles to over 10+ travel loyalty programs
- No foreign transaction fees
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 17.24% - 24.49% (Variable) | $95 | Excellent, Good |
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022. That's 3X points in addition to the 2X points you already earn on travel.
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 15.99% - 22.99% Variable | $95 | Good/Excellent |
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates and fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Transfer your miles to over 10+ travel loyalty programs
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 12 months | N/A | 15.49% - 25.49% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent, Good |
- New Offer! Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
- Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases - with no limit to the amount you can earn
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Redeem points for travel, cash back, gift cards and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- No foreign transaction fees
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 15.99%-20.99% Variable | $95 | Good/Excellent |
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, 1.5X points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more (that's an extra half point per dollar, up to 1 million additional points per calendar year, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases
- Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of card membership
- Select one qualifying airline and get up to $200 in statement credits each calendar year for baggage fees and other incidentals charged by the airline to your Business Platinum Card
- Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including 1,200 airport lounges across 130 countries and counting
- Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points for all or part of an eligible fare and get 35% of those points back, up to 500,000 points back per calendar year
- $595 annual fee
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | N/A (Charge Card) | $595 | Excellent |
3 Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles
Once you’ve found your preferred credit card for airline miles, it’s important to know how to use the card to get the most out of those high-flying benefits. There are a few ways consumers can really maximize perks and fly off into the sunset sooner than later.
1. Take Advantage of Bonuses
Cards with big sign-up bonuses are an easy way to accumulate a lot of points quickly. By spending a certain amount within an allotted time frame — usually 3 months or so — you can earn as many as 50,000 bonus miles.
2. Look for Special Offers
Sometimes issuers offer extra miles for using your card at certain times like holidays or for making purchases at places like gas stations or supermarkets. Some issuers even offer air mile bonuses for adding an authorized user to the account. Opt in to the credit company’s newsletter so you’ll know about the offers when to take advantage of them.
3. Utilize Partnership Deals
Many issuers have partnerships with companies and will reward you with points if you utilize their services. This includes insurance quotes, car rentals, hotel stays, monthly subscriptions like magazines, newspapers, and even Netflix. Check with your issuer to see which companies they partner with so you can earn bonus miles on things you may already be paying for or need.
The perks of each card vary, so choosing the best credit card for airline miles is really up to you. Evaluate the rewards and match them to your spending and travel habits. You can then choose the right card for your needs.
The Bottom Line
Airline miles credit cards — and really any type of rewards cards — are best for consumers who are able to pay their bill in full each month and not carry a balance. Otherwise, the interest you’re paying can make it so that the earned rewards might as well have been paid for.
Other than that, it’s easy: use the card, pay the bill, earn rewards, and enjoy the free ride.
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Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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