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Best Airline Credit Cards for 2024

Owl Banking reviewed dozens of credit cards to find the BEST airline credit cards for purchasing flights, earning miles for your next getaway, gaining access to airport lounges, and more!

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority

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Sign-Up Bonus

85,000 pts (+7.5k/yr)

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $1,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$149

Rewards Rate

1x-3x points

Key Features

→  85,000 pts (expires 10/9!) sign-up bonus

→  $7,500 anniversary points and $75 annual Southwest® travel credit each year

→  Earn 3x pts on all Southwest purchases, 2x pts on select hotel and car rental partners, and other services, and 1x pts on all other purchases

→  4 upgraded boardings per year

→  Free checked bags and no change fees

→  No foreign transaction fees

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum
American Express Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

90,000 miles

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $4,000 within 6 months

Annual Fee

$350

Rewards Rate

1x-3x points

Key Features

→  90,000 miles sign-up bonus

→  Earn 3x miles on all Delta purchases,  eligible hotels, restaurants, and U.S Supermarkets and 1x miles on all other purchases

→  Free credit for TSA PreCheck® and Global Entry

→  First Checked Bag Free for you and a companion and Priority Boarding (Main Cabin 1)

→  Receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card

→  $350 Annual Fee

United℠ Explorer Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

50,000 pts

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $3,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$0 (Yr 1 only)

Rewards Rate

1x-2x points

Key Features

→  50,000 miles sign-up bonus + 500 premier qualifying points

→  Earn 2x miles on all United Airlines purchases (airfare or other website bookings, such as dining and hotels) 1x miles on all other purchases

→  Free first checked bag, you and a companion.

→ $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS for 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee

United Quest℠ Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

60,000 pts

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $4,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$250

Rewards Rate

1x-3x points

Key Features

→  60,000 miles sign-up bonus + $500 Premier qualifying points

→  Receive up to $125 as reimbursement for United purchases on your card

→  Up to 10,000 miles credited back to your account each year (5,000 miles each for two flights booked with your MileagePlus® account)

→ Earn 3x miles on all United Airlines purchases, 2x miles for select other travel and streaming services, and 1x miles on all other purchases

→  Free two checked bags, you and a companion (4 bags total).

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

50,000 miles

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $2,500 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$0 (Yr 1 only)

Rewards Rate

1x-2x points

Key Features

→  50,000 miles sign-up bonus

→  Enjoy 2x miles on travel purchased through American Airlines, restaurants, and gas stations, and 1x miles on all other purchases

→  1st checked bag free on domestic flights

→  No foreign transaction fees

→  $0 Annual Fee first year, then $99 thereafter

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business

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Sign-Up Bonus

80,000 pts (+9k/yr)

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $5,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$199

Rewards Rate

1x-4x points

Key Features

→  80,000 pts sign-up bonus and $9,000 anniversary points

→ Earn 4x pts on all Southwest purchases, 3x pts on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rentals partners, 2x points on social media, search engine advertising, phone, internet, cable, rideshare, and other services, and 1x pts on all other purchases

→  4 upgraded boardings per year, up to 365 inflight Wifi credits, and up to $100 for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credits

→  Employee cards at no additional cost

→  Free checked bags and no change fees

→  No foreign transaction fees

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve
American Express Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

100,000 miles

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $6,000 within 6 months

Annual Fee

$650

Rewards Rate

1x-3x points

Key Features

→  100,000 miles sign-up bonus

→  Earn 3x miles on all Delta purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases

→  Delta Sky Club Access, plus two One-Time Guest passes, and Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge access

→  Free credit for TSA PreCheck® and Global Entry

→  First Checked Bag Free for you and a companion, Upgrade Priority, and Priority Boarding (Main Cabin 1)

→  Receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card

→  $650 Annual Fee

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

85,000 pts (+6k/yr)

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $1,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$99

Rewards Rate

1x-3x points

Key Features

→  85,000 pts (expires 10/9!) sign-up bonus and $6,000 anniversary points each year

→  Earn 3x pts on all Southwest purchases, 2x pts on select hotel and car rental partners, and other services, and 1x pts on all other purchases

→  2 EarlyBird Check-in® and 10,000 pts toward Companion Pass® each year

→  Free checked bags and no change fees.

→  No foreign transaction fees.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold
American Express Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

80,000 miles

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $3,000 within 6 months

Annual Fee

$0 (Yr 1 only)

Rewards Rate

1x-2x points

Key Features

→  80,000 miles sign-up bonus

→  Earn 2x miles on all Delta purchases, restaurants, and U.S Supermarkets and 1x miles on all other purchases

→  $200 flight credit after spending $10,000 in eligible purchases

→  First Checked Bag Free for you and a companion and Priority Boarding (Main Cabin 1)

→  $0 introductory Annual Fee, then $150 Annual Fee thereafter

United Gateway℠ Credit Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

20,000 pts

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $1,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

1x-2x points

Key Features

→  20,000 miles sign-up bonus

→  Earn 2x miles on all United Airlines purchases, gas stations, and other local transit, and 1x miles on all other purchases

→  No Annual Fee or foreign transaction fees

→  0% intro APR for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases, variable APR of 21.99%-28.99% after that.

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® Credit Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

10,000 miles

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $500 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

1x-2x points

Key Features

→  10,000 miles sign-up bonus

→  Enjoy 2x miles at grocery stores and elibigble American Airlines purchases, 1x miles on all other purchases

→  25% Savings on Inflight Food and Beverage Purchases

→  No foreign transaction fees

→  No Annual Fee

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

85,000 pts

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $1,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$69

Rewards Rate

1x-2x points

Key Features

→  85,000 pts (expires 10/9!) sign-up bonus

→  Earn 2x pts on all Southwest purchases, 2x pts on select hotel and car rental partners, rideshare, internet, phone, streaming and other services, and 1x pts on all other purchases

→  2 EarlyBird Check-in® and 10,000 pts toward Companion Pass® each year

→  Free checked bags and no change fees.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

70,000 miles

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $7,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$595

Rewards Rate

1x-10x points

Key Features

→  70,000 miles sign-up bonus

→  Enjoy 10x miles eligible hotels, rental cars and other purchases through aa.com/cars, 4x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1x miles on all other purchases

→  Admiral Club® Membership 

→  Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit up to $100 every 4 years

→  No foreign transaction fees and 1st checked bag free on domestic flights

→  $595 Annual Fee

United Club℠ Infinite Card

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Sign-Up Bonus

80,000 pts

Sign-Up Bonus Requirements

Spend $5,000 within 3 months

Annual Fee

$525

Rewards Rate

1x-4x points

Key Features

→  80,000 miles sign-up bonus and United Club℠ membership - up to a $650 value per year

→ Earn 4x miles on all United Airlines purchases, 2x miles for select other travel and streaming services, and 1x miles on all other purchases

→  Earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 you spend on purchases with your United Club℠ Card (up to 8,000 PQP in a calendar year)

→ $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS for 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee

→  Free two checked bags, you and a companion (4 bags total)

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