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If you’re looking for the best airline credit cards for your next trip, we’ve got you covered!
Depending on how often you fly, where you’re living, and to which place you want to spend your laid-back time, you can pick up your airline credit card.
Whether you’re an enthusiastic traveler or a casual one, this curated list could fit the bill for you, making your journey more enjoyable, perkful, rewarding, and, who knows, maybe free!
From early boarding to free checked bags, bonus rewards on flights, and perks on select purchases, travel credit cards offer a wholesome package of benefits designed to upgrade your travel experience.
So, give your eye to this section, enlisting some of the best airline cards with exciting insights!
Ready? Let’s go then!
6 Airline Credit Cards With No Annual Fee
There are many options available but we have selected best 6 Airline credit card with no annual fees for you. They are as below:
- Citi Rewards+ Card: Best for ThankYou Points
- IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
- JetBlue Credit Card
- Discover it Miles Credit Card
- Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card
- American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp
1. Citi Rewards+ Credit Card: Best for ThankYou Points
Ideal for – The Citi Rewards+ Credit Card is one of the best airline credit cards which is known for its no annual fee, redemption options, and great rewards categories.
| Annual Fees: | $0 |
| Balance Transfer Fee: | Intro fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) completed within the first 4 months of account opening; after that, 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum). |
| Credit score Needed: | Excellent, Good (a FICO score of 670 or higher) |
| Foreign Transaction Fee: | 3% on every purchase made in U.S. dollars. |
| Intro APR: | 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers and purchases. |
| Regular APR: | The variable APR will range between 18.74% – 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. |
Rewards:
- Earn 2 ThankYou Points per $1 spent at gas stations and supermarkets for the first $6,000 spent annually.
- Earn 1 ThankYou Point on all other purchases.
- Redeeming ThankYou Points Gift Cards: You can choose from a pool of gift cards, including home stores, departments, and restaurants.
- Shop with Points: Use ThankYou Points for online shopping at BestBuy.com or Amazon.com.
- Pay with Points: Enjoy redeeming points in specific categories to bear your purchases with a statement credit.
- Travel Rewards: You can redeem rewards for cruises, flights, hotels, and more.
Welcome Bonus Offer:
- Get the opportunity to earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 within the first three months of your account opening. These points are redeemable for $200 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
*Special Travel Offer:
- 5X Hotel and Car Rentals: Card members can earn a total of five ThankYou Points per $1 spent on car rentals, hotels, and travel destinations booked on CitiTravel.com till December 31, 2025 (Airfare isn’t included).
Benefits:
- ThankYou Points have no expiry and limitations on the number of points you can earn with this credit card.
- You can earn fast points with this credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points or more on every purchase. For example, a $2 parking meter earns 10 points; a $12 drugstore purchase earns you 20 points. In this way, there’s no cap on purchases that are approximated or rounded up.
- Points Back: Earn 10% Points Back on the card as you can redeem up to the first 100,000 points redeemed per year. Understanding in this manner that if you redeem 15,000 points, you get 1,500 back as simple as that.
Additional Benefit:
- You can earn bonus points on redemptions with the Citi ThankYou Points ecosystem.
- The card offers a 10% bonus on point redemptions when redeeming your ThankYou Points.
- Get a refund on any redemption, up to 100,000 points redeemed per year with the help of ThankYou Points earning cards and combine ThankYou accounts.
What are the Pros and Cons of Citi Rewards+ Credit Card?
| Pros | Cons |
| There’s no limit or expiration date for earning points on this card. | You can’t avail of Bonus ThankYou Points if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Rewards+ account in the past 48 months. |
| No annual fee | A cap of 2x bonus rate on $6,000 purchases per year |
| Good sign-up bonus | Low value for cash back redemptions |
| Decent earning rate on gas station and supermarket purchases | Foreign transaction fees |
| Rounds up on every purchase to the nearest 10 points | |
| Get 10% points back for redemptions | |
| Earn pool points with the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. |
2. IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Ideal for IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is one the best airline credit cards which is best for travel enthusiasts looking to earn IHG points on their purchases without paying any annual fee. What’s more? The card is heaven for those who stay with IHG frequently and are eligible to use the fourth reward night benefit of the card.
| Annual Fees: | $0 |
| Balance Transfer Fee: | Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. |
| Cash Advance Fee | Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater. |
| Credit score Needed: | Excellent, Good (670-850) |
| Foreign Transaction Fee: | None |
| Regular APR: | A variable regular APR of 21.49%–28.49%. |
Rewards:
- 17X points total per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
- Cardholders receive a fourth night free at an IHG hotel or resort after redeeming rewards points for four or more nights. Other benefits include baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, travel accident insurance, extended warranty protection, and purchase protection.
Welcome Bonus Offer:
- You can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of your account opening.
- You’ll get bonus points at IHG properties: Cardholders can earn up to a total of 17 points per $1 spent when staying at an IHG hotel & resort.
Benefits:
With the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, cardholders can enjoy a great pool of travel and protection benefits. These include:
- An auto rental collision damage waiver
- Emergency and travel assistance services
- Interruption services and trip cancellation insurance
- Baggage delay insurance, extended warranty protection, and travel accident insurance.
- Purchase protection.
What are the Pros and Cons of the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?
| Pros | Cons |
| No annual fee | Redemption options are there outside of IHG properties offering low-value |
| Fourth-night-free perk | The transfer rates are poor that are given to airline partners |
| Great earnings rate at 5 points per dollar on IHG purchases |
3. JetBlue Card
Ideal for – The JetBlue Card is amongst the best airline credit cards for frequent flyers of JetBlue that offers plenty of benefits and rewards. The card is issued by Barclays and has the potential to earn TrueBlue points on purchases. You can redeem points for flights on JetBlue or Hawaiian Airlines, along with JetBlue Vacations packages.
Annual Fees: $0
Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Credit Score Needed: Excellent, Good (690-850).
Foreign Transaction Fee: There’s a 0% fee on each transaction made in U.S. dollars.
Intro APR: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 12 billing cycles.
Regular APR: 21.24%-29.99%, Variable APR.
Rewards:
- Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
- Get 3X points on eligible JetBlue purchases
- Earn 2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores
- 1X points on all other purchases
- TrueBlue points earned in your account don’t expire
- 50% in-flight savings on cocktails and food purchases
Welcome Bonus Offer:
You can earn up to 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening.
Benefits:
- It includes travel perks, such as 50% in-flight savings on cocktails and food purchases.
- You get the first free checked bag and up to three companions on the same reservation.
- You get mosaic benefits after spending $50,000 annually.
- You get a $100 annual statement credit after buying a JetBlue Vacations package worth $100 or more.
What are the Pros and Cons of the JetBlue Card?
| Pros | Cons |
| High reward rates in particular categories | Low rewards rate on most spending |
| Intro APR period | No travel credits |
| No annual fee | No redemption bonus (unlike other JetBlue cards) |
| No foreign transaction fees | No anniversary bonus (unlike other JetBlue cards) |
| You get decent discounts on select in-flight purchases |
4. Discover it Miles
Ideal for Discover it Miles is perfect for a welcome bonus offer. It’s one the best airline credit cards with no annual fee where you earn miles and can redeem these miles for travel on every $1 spent on purchases with no limit. The card specializes in automatically matching all the miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Annual Fee: $0
Balance Transfer Fee:
Credit Score Needed: (700 – 749) Good, Excellent
Foreign Transaction Fee: None
Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases.
Regular APR: 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards:
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.
How to Redeem?
You can redeem your rewards, miles, or points as a statement credit for your travel purchases, such as airfare, gas stations, restaurants, hotels, rideshares, and more.
Welcome Bonus Offer:
Earn 3 miles per dollar on every purchase for your first year.
Benefits:
- You automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.
- You get an unlimited bonus in the form of a Mile-for-Mile match for all new card members—only from Discover.
- Discover offers you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
- Get an opportunity to turn 35,000 Miles into 70,000 Miles.
- You require no sign-up, no minimum spending, or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
Additional Benefits:
You have an amazing opportunity to turn your Miles into cash.
What are the Pros and Cons of the Discover it Miles?
| Pros | Cons |
| Earn 1.5 miles per $1 on purchases. | It doesn’t come with beneficial travel perks, such as travel insurance or lounge access. |
| Automatically matches the miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. | A few other travel cards earn more miles per $1. |
| No annual fees or foreign transaction fees. |
5. Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card
Ideal for – The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card is best known for cashback rewards and has no annual fee as of July 2024. It’s one of the best airline credit cards that offers a minimum credit limit of $3,000 and cash back rewards on various eligible purchases.
Annual Fee: $0
Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the transfer amount, whichever is greater.
Credit Score Needed: A FICO score of 670-850 is recommended.
Foreign Transaction Fee: A 3% foreign transaction fee is charged for all transactions made in U.S. dollars.
Intro APR: 0% introductory APR (intro APR) on purchases for the first 12 months from the date the account is opened.
Regular APR: The card has a variable APR of 18.49% to 24.49% for balance transfers along with purchases.
Rewards:
You can earn great rewards with Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card on eligible purchases, including:
- Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants each year
- Get 1% cash back on other purchases
- Enjoy earning 5% cash back on Lyft rides till March 2025
- You get good returns on office expenses, including cable, internet, supplies, and phone services.
- Being a Chase card member, you automatically get checked for a credit line increase every six months or sooner.
How to Redeem?
- You can redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel, and a lot more via Chase Ultimate Rewards.
- You can redeem points for hotel stays, fly any class of your choice, rent cars, and get maximum redeem points on most major airlines with no blackout dates or restrictions on airfare.
Welcome Bonus Offer:
Earn $350 after spending $3,000 in the first three months and an additional bonus of $400 after spending $6,000 in the first six months.
Benefits:
- The card offers a 10% Business Relationship bonus if you open the card between March and November 2024. The card also tells you to have a Chase Business Checking account by the time of your first card anniversary to avail of more offers.
- This bonus applies to all eligible cash back you earn by the end of the first year, so if you earn $2,500 cash back, you’ll get a bonus of $250.
- Purchase Protection: Get purchase protection of up to $10,000 per claim for any item you lose or get damaged within 120 days of its purchase.
- Extended Warranty: An extra one-year warranty protection for items is available with a three-year or less warranty.
- Assistant Services: Get emergency and travel assistance services.
- Rental Car Insurance: You get primary insurance coverage that doesn’t need to initially file a claim with your personal insurance policy.
What are the Pros and Cons of the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card?
| Pros | Cons |
| No annual fee | Requires good/excellent credit |
| 24/7 monitoring for unusual purchases | Low rate outside bonus categories |
| Intro APR period | Expenditure caps on bonus rewards |
| New cardholder bonus offer |
6. American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp
Ideal for – American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp is great for airline rewards with no annual fee. Whether you’re a first-time flier or a frequent passenger, American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp helps in meeting your travel needs.
Annual Fee: $0
Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Credit Score Needed: A FICO score of 670-810 is recommended.
Foreign Transaction Fee: 3%
Intro APR: N/A
Regular APR: 21.24% – 29.99% variable
Cash Advance APR: 29.99%* Variable
Cash Advance Fee: 5%, Min: $10
Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% Variable
Rewards:
- Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for each dollar spent at grocery stores, encompassing grocery delivery services
- Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Get one AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on other purchases
- Earn one Loyalty Point for everyone eligible for AAdvantage mile earned from purchases.
How to Redeem?
You can redeem miles for travel with American Airlines and its partners, such as flights, car rentals, seat upgrades, hotels, vacation packages, and Admirals Club access.
Welcome Bonus Offer:
Enjoy earning 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after making $500 on purchases within the first three months of your account opening.
Benefits:
- Save 25% on inflight beverages and food purchases using your card on American Airlines flights.
- Get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries.
What are the Pros and Cons of the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card?
| Pros | Cons |
| Cardholders can earn unlimited miles. | Reward redemption is restricted to American Airlines and its partners. |
| No annual fee | No airline perks for cardholders beyond the in-flight discount. |
The Final Saying
Choosing a card shouldn’t be a casual decision. Thus, to assist you in making a wise financial decision, we present you with the list that offers you the best overall options and help you choose the right one for you!
Not just this list of airline credit cards packed with benefits, cash backs, and rewards, but also to make the most of your airline credit card; all you need to do is to ensure linking your airline credit card with your frequent-flier account and that’s how a few airlines figure out whether or not you qualify for free checked bags.
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