Airline Credit Cards

I’ve searched for the BEST airline credit card bonus offers and listed them below because you usually can get the sign-on bonus once per card type.  The card offers are listed alphabetically by airline.

I keep the information on this page updated, but please double check the credit card applications for details about terms and conditions of the offers.  Please let me know if you find a better offer so that I can list it here!

Here are 40+ ways to complete the minimum spending on credit cards if you are concerned about completing the minimum spending requirements.

Disclosure: I get a referral if you apply for some of these cards, but I always list the highest available bonus below.  For example, the links to the 50,000 mile American Airlines cards are better than my affiliate offers.  Emily & I are very grateful if you apply for cards using our links!

If you find something better, I want to know about it!

1.  Air Tran

Chase AIRTRAN AIRWAYS

My thoughts on the Air Tran card:

Sign-Up Bonus:   32 Air Tran credits after spending $2,000 within 3 months with the Chase Air Tran credit card; 2 Air Tran business class upgrades after 1st purchase

Fees:   $69 annual fee NOT waived for the first year;  3% foreign transaction fee

Anniversary Bonus:   2 Air Tran credits bonus on card anniversary

Daraius’ Tip:  The regular offer is for 16 credits and this card will disappear once the Southwest and Air Tran merger is complete.

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2.  Alaska Airlines

Bank of America Alaska Air

• 25,000 miles AND a $100 statement credit after spending $1,000 within 3 months
• Up to 30,000 miles after your 1st purchase
• The regular offer for 25,000 miles after approval on the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Personal card
• $75 annual fee NOT waived for the first year; 3% foreign transaction fee
• $99 companion certificate valid only in coach
• Alaska Air miles can be used on partner airlines such as American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Air France, LAN, etc.
• 25,000 miles with the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Business card
• Warning:  Bank of America may issue you a lower platinum plus or preferred card, if you don’t qualify for the Signature card, which offers only 6,000 or 4,000 miles!

3.  American Airlines 

Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard® 

• For a limited time, earn 40,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of cardmembership on the Citi American Airlines MasterCard
  
• $95 annual fee is waived for the first year; 3% foreign transaction fee
• 1 free checked bag, priority boarding, and get 10% of miles redeemed back (up to 10,000 miles per year)

CITI® GOLD / AADVANTAGE® VISA® 

• 25,000 AAdvantage miles  after spending $750 within 4 months on the Citi Gold Visa via this link from FlyerTalk
  
• $50 annual fee is waived for the first year; 3% foreign transaction fee

Citi Executive AAdvantage Card – 30,000 Miles

• 30,000 AAdvantage miles after  spending $1,000 on the Citi AAdvantage Executive within 3 months.  
• Free Admiral’s club lounge membership, NO foreign transaction fee, 1 free checked bag for domestic travel, and priority AAccess
• Earn 10,000 elite qualifying miles after spending $40,000 in a calendar year
• $450 annual fee NOT waived; No foreign transaction fee
• High fee makes card less attractive unless you otherwise purchase Admiral’s Club access ($350 to $500).  Sign-on bonus could be better too

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4.  British Airways

Chase British Airways

My thoughts on the British Airways card:

Sign-Up Bonus:    50,000 Avios points after spending $1,000 within 3 months on the Chase British Airways card

Fees:   $95 fee NOT waived for first year; NO foreign transaction fee

Other Perks:   Free companion ticket valid on award tickets after spending $30,000 within a calendar year

Daraius’ Tip:   My review of the British Airways card and my post on how to use British Airways Avios points

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5.  Delta

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

• Bonus Miles: Earn 30,000 bonus miles toward Award Travel after you spend $500 on the Card within the first three months of Cardmembership. 
• Earn As You Spend: Get 2X miles on Delta purchases and 1X miles for all other eligible dollars spent.
• Check your first bag free on every Delta flight – that’s a savings of up to $200 per round trip for a family of four.
• Premium Travel Perks: Settle in sooner with Priority Boarding, and enjoy the skies with 20% in-flight savings to use toward meals, beverages, and movies awarded as a statement credit.
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
• Terms and Restrictions Apply.

Daraius’ Tips

• Up to 45,000 miles after spending $5,000 within 6 months via the cardmatch tool from creditcards.com
• Log in to see how many miles you are offered. I was offered 40,000 miles after spending $500 within 3 months (Your offer will be different)
• 30,000 miles after spending $500 within 3 months+ $50 statement credit after a purchase from Delta. Take a few screenshots if you apply (just in case) since this isn’t my referral link.

American Express Delta Platinum  – Up to 35,000 Delta Miles

• 25,000 bonus miles (5,000 are elite qualifying miles) after 1st purchase and an additional 10,000 miles (5,000 are elite qualifying miles) after spending $2,000 within 3 months on the American Express Delta Platinum
• First checked bag is free
• $150 fee NOT waived for first year; 2.7% foreign transaction fee
• Earn 2 Delta miles per $1 spent on Delta & 1 mile for  everything else
• Earn 10,000 elite miles after spending $25,000 and an additional 10,000 after spending $50,000 in a calendar year
• Tip: I would not apply for a card with less than a 40,000 mile sign-up bonus in the current environment of large sign-on bonuses.  The high annual fee also does not make this an attractive card unless you are a big spender in search of elite qualifying miles.

American Express Delta Reserve – Up to 30,000 Delta Miles

• 10,000 medallion (elite) miles after 1st purchase with the American Express Delta Reserve card
• First checked bag is free; free Delta lounge access
• $450 fee NOT waived for first year; 2.7% foreign transaction fee
• Earn 2 Delta miles per $1 spent on Delta & 1 mile for everything else
• Earn 15,000 regular & elite miles after spending $30,000 and an additional 15,000 regular & elite miles after spending another $30,000 in a calendar year
• Tip: This card could be worth the high fee if you’re looking for Delta club access and medallion (elite) qualifying miles.  Otherwise, skip it.

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6.  Frontier Airlines

Barclays Frontier Airlines

• 40,000 miles after spending $500 within 3 months with the Frontier card
• The regular offer for 25,000 bonus Frontier Airlines miles after 1st purchase with Barclays Frontier Airlines card.  10,000 bonus Frontier Airlines miles after spending $750 within 90 days
• $59 fee NOT waived for first year; 3% foreign transaction fee
• Warning:  Barclays may issue you a lower Platinum card, if you don’t qualify for the World MasterCard, which offers only 5,000 miles!

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7.  Hawaiian Airlines

Bank of America Hawaiian Airlines

• The personal card is not longer available, but you can get 35,000 miles after your 1st purchase with the business card
  
• Hawaiian Airline points transfer to Hilton in 1:2 ratio, so 35,000 Hawaiian Airline miles becomes 70,000 Hilton Honors points
• $50 fee for the company and $25 fee per card NOT waived for first year; 3% foreign transaction fee

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8.   Lufthansa

Barclays lufthansa

• 20,000 miles after 1st purchase with the Barclays Lufthansa card & 30,000 extra miles after spending $5,000 within 3 months
•  $79 annual fee NOT waived for the first year; 1% foreign transaction fee
• Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on Lufthansa; 1 mile per $1 spent elsewhere

Daraius’ Tip:  You can use 50,000 Lufthansa miles for 2 domestic round-trip flights on United or US Air or for 3 1-way segments in business class.  See these 18 ways to use Lufthansa miles.

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9.   Southwest Airlines

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus

My thoughts on the Southwest Plus card:

Sign-Up Bonus:   50,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 within 3 months with the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus (Personal) & Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus (Business)

Fees:   $69 annual fee NOT waived for the first year;  3% foreign transaction fee

Anniversary Bonus:   3,000 point bonus on card anniversary

Daraius’ Tip:   The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best travel perks available!

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards PRemier

My thoughts on the Southwest Premier Card:

Sign-Up Bonus:   25,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within 3 months with the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier (Personal) &  Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier (Business) credit card.

Fees:   $99 annual fee NOT waived for the first year; NO foreign transaction fee

Anniversary Bonus:   6,000 point bonus on card anniversary

Daraius’ Tip:   The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best travel perks available!

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10.   United Airlines

Chase United Explorer

My thoughts on the United Explorer Card:

Sign-Up Bonus:   30,000 United miles with the Chase United MileagePlus Explorer card after spending $1,000 within 3 months

Fees:   $95 annual fee waived for the first year; NO foreign transaction fee

Anniversary Bonus:   2 free United club passes a year (~2 months after opening card)

Spending Bonus:    10,000 additional United miles after spending $25,000 within a calendar year

Other Perks:   1 free checked bag ($50 value) & priority boarding

Daraius’ Tip:   A possible targeted offer for 50,000 United miles + $50 statement credit after spending $1,000 within 3 months if you have a few United miles in your account!  A business United Explorer is also available with some offers of 50,000 miles.

Chase United Club

My thoughts on the United Club Card:

Sign-Up Bonus:   Free United Club lounge access, 1.5 United miles per $1 spent, & 2 free checked bags with the United Club Personal or United Club Business card

Card Holder Perks:   Free Premier Access (priority boarding, security, etc.) & Free Hyatt Platinum status (free internet)

Fees:   $395 annual fee + $95 statement credit; NO foreign transaction fee

Daraius’ Tip:  If you are a United elite member, log into the United website for an offer with a lower annual fee for the 1st year.  A possible targeted offer with the 1st year fee waived if you have a few United miles in your account!

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11.   US Airways

Barclay’s US Airways

• The links to the 35,000 mile offer on FlyerTalk (click the 2nd or 3rd link) with the 1st year’s annual fee waived are the better deal because the $89 annual fee is waived AND the terms and conditions do not suggest getting a lower sign-up bonus if you’re approved for a lesser card version
• The regular offer of 30,000 US Air miles after 1st purchase
• $89 annual fee NOT waived for the first year; 3% foreign transaction fee
• 5,000 mile discount when you redeem for US Air award travel
• 25,000 miles with the Barclays US Air Business card
• Warning: You may get approved for the lower which offers only 15,000 miles with an annual fee of $49

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13.   Virgin Atlantic

Bank of America Virgin Atlantic American Express – 50,000 miles or 100,000 Hilton Points

• 20,000 bonus Flying Club  miles after 1st purchase with Bank of America Virgin Atlantic card
• 25,000 extra miles after spending $2,500 within 3 months.
• 5,000 additional miles for adding 2 authorized users to your account
• Virgin Atlantic points transfer to Hilton in 1:2 ratio, so 50,000 Virgin Airline miles becomes 100,000 Hilton Honors points
•  $90 annual fee NOT waived for the first year; 1% foreign transaction fee
• My review of the Virgin Atlantic credit card

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14.   Other Airline Card Offers

Check out FreeFrequentFlyerMiles.com for other airline credit cards which I have not listed here.

Missing your favorite offer?  Please let me know!