Airline miles credit cards have emerged as a highly advantageous inclusion in your wallet, particularly if you are a frequent flyer with a specific airline or desire the versatility to travel with any carrier. In addition to providing enticing bonus rewards for flight bookings, numerous airlines go the extra mile by offering value-added perks that can effectively reduce your overall expenses or enhance your travel experience. Read on to learn about the best airline miles credit cards and the top airline miles credit cards with no annual fee.
What are Airline miles Credit Cards?
Airline miles credit cards are a type of reward card that gives benefits and incentives to customers who are loyal to a single airline. They are usually co-branded with a big issuer like American Express or Citi. These cards often earn miles for sales made directly with the airline; however, occasionally other categories are eligible as well. You can purchase award flights on that airline using the accumulated miles.
Using airline miles credit cards in the same way as any other rewards credit card may not yield the most valuable benefits. When used in conjunction with other cards, airline miles credit cards provide the highest value due to the unique benefits they provide to cardholders, such as priority boarding, ticket upgrades, and companion pricing. Having both a frequent flyer membership and a credit card issued by the airline can also help you maximize your benefits.
How Do Airline Miles Credit Cards Work?
Airline miles credit cards function similarly to regular credit cards, as they have specific credit limits and apply interest rates to your purchases. By using airline miles credit cards, you can earn travel rewards that are specifically tailored to a particular airline. Additionally, you can become a member of that airline’s rewards program. For instance, Delta SkyMiles cards enable you to earn miles that you can only redeem for Delta flights, whereas the Southwest Priority Rewards card allows you to use the rewards specifically for Southwest airfare.
Most airline miles credit cards offer greater reward rates for purchases made directly with the airline, but it’s important to note that you can still use them for other purchases as well. There are several cards that allow you to earn miles on your everyday purchases, such as fuel, food, dining, and other categories. You can as well liken an airline miles credit card to a VIP airport pass. The top airline rewards cards often offer a range of benefits, including access to airport lounges, early boarding, and complimentary checked bags, among others.
Best Airline Miles Credit Cards
The best airline miles credit cards include the following:
#1. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Premium perks, such as airport lounge access and cell phone insurance, are available to the whole family with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and its complimentary authorized user cards. The premium card has a lower annual fee, but it offers a $100 annual travel bonus and up to $300 in yearly travel statement credits when you book through Capital One Travel.
#2. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card functions similarly to and, in some ways, even surpasses branded airline credit cards, despite not being issued by a specific airline. We increase bonuses in various high-demand areas of spending, such as eating out and taking trips. You can use the points in a wider variety of ways than frequent flyer miles from numerous airlines, and they are also more valuable.
#3. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
If you frequently travel for work and want to upgrade your travel experience, the American Express Work Platinum Card is the perfect choice. Although the card has a hefty annual fee, the many perks it offers more than makeup for it. Among these perks are annual travel credits as well as entry to exclusive lounges such as the Amex Centurion Lounges.
#4. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
A fantastic perk for cardholders is the chance to obtain free upgrades on Delta flights. If you don’t have Delta Medallion elite status, getting an upgrade may be tough on certain flights because you’ll have to wait in line behind other frequent fliers who do. You cannot upgrade standard economy tickets for free. You could, of course, pay your way to the front of the line. Each year after your account anniversary, you’ll receive a companion voucher good for one free ticket on the high-end airline card. This benefit allows you to upgrade a guest from any cabin to first class for the cost of no more than $80 in taxes and fees when flying. However, you’ll need to weigh the card’s many features against the $550 annual fee before applying.
#5. Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card
If you frequently fly with this West Coast airline, the $95 yearly charge is well worth it. Highlights include an annual chance for a subsidized companion fare, a free checked bag, savings on onboard purchases, and day passes to Alaska Airlines lounges.
#6. United Explorer Card
United fans may try out the United Explorer Card for free for the first year before being charged $95 annually. This gives you plenty of time to see if the card suits your spending and travel needs before committing to it.
Furthermore, with the United Explorer Card, you can earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on United, restaurants (including qualified delivery services), hotels when you reserve directly with the hotel, and 1 mile for every dollar spent somewhere else. That’s not terrible, but with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can transfer your points to United and receive three points per dollar on dining and two points per dollar on all travel. That’s why the bonuses you get when traveling on United are the main attraction of the United Explorer Card. When flying with United, you may check your first bag for free (and your companion’s first bag, too), plus you’ll get 25% back on in-flight purchases.
#7. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
If you are looking for the best Southwest Airlines credit card, look no further than the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. Despite charging an annual fee of $149, it nevertheless managed to top all other personal Southwest credit card options. You can make up for it with the incentives and perks you get by using it. If you open an account and spend $1,000 within the first three months, you’ll get 50,000 bonus points to jumpstart your savings. The Southwest Priority Card offers a yearly $75 Southwest credit in addition to the 7,500-anniversary points.
Additionally, they offer cardholders up to four annual seat upgrades and provide them with 25% cash back on in-flight refreshments and Wi-Fi.
Airline Miles Credit Cards With No Annual Fee
Airline miles credit cards with no annual fee provide rewards without any cost for owning the card on a yearly basis. This option may be attractive to individuals who are budget-conscious or do not travel frequently. Meanwhile, note that these cards do not offer the same level of rewards and benefits as cards that have annual fees. Some travelers find it worthwhile to pay an annual fee due to the incentives they receive. These incentives can range from travel credits and bonus rewards to airport lounge access, free checked bags, priority boarding, hotel status, and more. The benefits provided by such perks can outweigh the cost of an annual fee. However, for individuals who strongly oppose paying an annual fee, we have compiled a list of our top airline miles credit cards with no annual fee. Thus, they include the following:
#1. Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card
This is one of the airline miles credit cards with no annual fee available, and offers a competitive rewards rate on all purchases, with points that can be redeemed for any travel transaction, unlike branded airline and hotel cards. Bank of America® allows you greater leeway in how you spend your rewards because of the broad scope of their “travel” program.
#2. Chase Freedom FlexSM
The Chase Freedom FlexSM may be the perfect card for you if you’re looking for a cash-back credit card but also want the flexibility to redeem points for travel. You can get a solid base rate of rewards for every dollar you spend with this card, and you can redeem those points for everything from cash back to statement credits to gift cards to goods to travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal.
#3. Discover it® Miles
If you’re looking for a credit card that rewards you for all of your purchases with a consistent number of miles, consider the Discover it® Miles card. Earn 1.5 miles for every dollar spent with the Discover It® Miles travel rewards credit card. Many no-annual-charge travel credit cards, on the other hand, only offer a bonus multiplier on certain areas of spending, such as three points per dollar on gas.
All the miles you racked up in your first year as a cardholder will be doubled by Discover at the conclusion of that time. With the Discover It® Miles card, you can earn points without keeping tabs on your spending or, even worse, changing your behaviors.
#4. Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card
Similar to the Discover It card above, the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card provides an unlimited 1.5X rate. In general, cardholders receive 1.5 points for every dollar spent.
Even though its sign-up bonus isn’t as lucrative as Discover’s — hence our second-place ranking — new users can still benefit from signing up and using the card. Spend at least $1,000 on purchases during the first 90 days of account opening and receive 25,000 bonus points. It’s worth $250 toward travel expenditures that meet certain criteria. The number of points you can earn and keep on this card is infinite, and they never expire. In addition to not having to worry about any additional costs associated with making purchases in a foreign country, cardholders can cash in their rewards at any time and for any sum.
#5. Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students Credit Card
If you plan to study abroad or take extended trips during semester breaks, the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students credit card is a fantastic option. The travel-focused rewards program awards 1.5 points per dollar for all purchases. You can use your earnings as a statement credit toward future travel purchases, such as a trip or plane ticket, making it easier to afford. It’s great for students studying abroad because there are no fees for purchases made outside of the country.
Amazon is one of the many places where cardholders can cash in their rewards for any sum at any time. The promotional financing period for this card is greater than average: 15 billing cycles with no interest (then 15.49% to 25.49% variable APR). With a whole year of no interest, you can spread out the payments on new goods without worrying about fees.
What Are 50 000 Air Miles Worth?
American miles, totaling an impressive 50,000, hold a significant value of approximately $750.
How Much Is 60000 Air Miles Worth?
According to data from WalletHub, it has been determined that an impressive sum of 60,000 United miles holds an average value of $714.
How Much Is 20000 Miles on a Credit Card?
Credit card miles are earned based on a percentage of your credit card spending. Most substantial travel rewards cards typically earn a minimum of one mile for every dollar spent. If one mile is equal to one cent, then you would need 20,000 miles to cover the cost of a $200 roundtrip flight.
How Much Is 60000 Credit Card Miles?
According to the latest data from WalletHub, it has been determined that the average value of 60,000 United miles is estimated to be approximately $714.
How Much Is 100K United Miles Worth?
The value of 100,000 United miles is estimated to be approximately $1,200.
References
- thepointsguy.com
- bankrate.com
- forbes.com
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