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Airline credit cards earn miles with a specific carrier, offer elite-status-boosting perks, and often include complimentary checked bags that alone can justify the annual fee. Whether you’re loyal to Delta, United, American, or Southwest, there’s a co-branded card built for your travel style. Here are the best for 2025.
Best Airline Credit Cards at a Glance
1. Chase Sapphire Preferred — Best Flexible Miles (Not Tied to One Airline)
- Annual Fee: $95
- Rewards: 3x on dining; 3x on select streaming; 2x on other travel; 5x on Chase Travel bookings; 1x elsewhere
- Sign-Up Bonus: 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in first 3 months (~$750 in travel)
- Transfers: United, Southwest, British Airways, Singapore, Air France, and more at 1:1
Not technically an airline card, but the ability to transfer to 14+ airline partners makes it more flexible than any single co-branded card. If you don’t have rigid airline loyalty, this is the better choice.
2. Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card — Best Everyday Delta Card
- Annual Fee: $0 first year, then $150
- Rewards: 2x on Delta purchases, restaurants, and supermarkets; 1x elsewhere
- Sign-Up Bonus: 80,000 miles after $3,000 spend in first 6 months
- Perks: First checked bag free on Delta flights (saves $35/bag each way); 20% savings on in-flight food and beverages; priority boarding
The free first bag saves $70 on a round trip. For a family of four, that’s $280 in bag savings on a single trip — nearly doubling the annual fee’s worth before counting miles.
3. United Explorer Card — Best for United Flyers
- Annual Fee: $0 first year, then $95
- Rewards: 2x on United purchases, restaurants, and hotel stays; 1x elsewhere
- Sign-Up Bonus: 60,000 miles after $3,000 spend in first 3 months
- Perks: First checked bag free; 2 United Club one-time passes annually; expanded seat availability for award redemptions; 25% savings on in-flight purchases; priority boarding
The two United Club passes per year (normally $59 each) offset a meaningful portion of the $95 fee. First bag free adds up quickly for regular United travelers.
4. Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card — Best for Companion Pass Seekers
- Annual Fee: $149
- Rewards: 3x on Southwest purchases; 2x on hotel partners, Rapid Rewards car rental partners, and local transit; 1x elsewhere
- Sign-Up Bonus: 50,000 points after $1,000 spend in first 3 months
- Perks: 7,500 bonus points annually; $75 Southwest travel credit; 4 upgraded boardings per year; 25% back on in-flight purchases
- Companion Pass: Earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year for the Companion Pass (lets one person fly free on every trip for up to 2 years)
The Southwest Companion Pass is arguably the best deal in domestic travel. The Priority card’s annual bonus points count toward it, making the pass more attainable. For domestic leisure travelers, this combination is powerful.
5. American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card — Best No-Annual-Fee Airline Card
- Annual Fee: $0
- Rewards: 2x AAdvantage miles on American Airlines purchases and grocery stores; 1x elsewhere
- Sign-Up Bonus: 10,000 miles + $50 statement credit after $500 spend in first 3 months
- Perks: 25% savings on in-flight food and beverages
No annual fee, grocery miles, and a quick sign-up bonus make this the starter card for American loyalists. No free bag benefit at this tier, but upgrading to the AAdvantage Platinum Select ($99/year) adds it.
6. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature — Best for West Coast Travelers
- Annual Fee: $95
- Rewards: 3x on Alaska Airlines purchases; 2x on gas, EV charging, local transit; 1x elsewhere
- Sign-Up Bonus: 60,000 miles after $3,000 spend in first 90 days
- Perks: Companion fare from $122 annually (buy one ticket, companion flies for $122 + taxes); free checked bag; 20% back on in-flight purchases
Alaska has one of the most partner-rich frequent flyer programs — you can redeem Alaska miles on American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, and Qantas. The annual companion fare is exceptional for regular routes.
How to Choose the Right Airline Card
- Identify your primary airline: If you fly one carrier 80%+ of the time, a co-branded card makes sense for the perks
- Calculate the bag savings: Most $95 annual fee airline cards pay for themselves with 2 checked bag round trips
- Consider a flexible card first: Chase Sapphire or Capital One Venture cards let you transfer to multiple airlines, offering more flexibility
- Watch for transfer partners: Alaska and United miles have particularly strong redemption partnerships
When Airline Cards Don’t Make Sense
- You fly 2 or fewer times per year (a flexible card likely outperforms)
- You always fly Spirit, Frontier, or other ultra-low-cost carriers (checked bags are already expensive; co-branded perks differ significantly)
- You never check bags (one of the primary fee-offsetting perks evaporates)