Quick look: Best credit cards for excellent credit
- LATAM Visa® Secured Card: Best for airline discount
- Discover it® Secured: Best for general rewards
- Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card: Best for business
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While it’s easier to get an airline or travel card if you have good credit, a few airlines offer secured cards you can qualify for if your credit isn’t great.
You’ll also find bad-credit products that — while not airline or travel products specifically — can help you earn rewards on all purchases.
What’s changed in 2022?
The Discover it® Secured continues to be one of the best secured cards on the market, with rewards, a reasonable minimum security deposit, a signup bonus and monthly access to your FICO score.
Quick look: Best credit cards for excellent credit
Welcome Offer | 5,000 points |
---|---|
Rewards | 1x points |
Annual Fee | $25 ongoing |
Minimum Credit Score | 300 |
Finder rating 4.4 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | Other |
---|---|
Rewards | 2% cash back |
Annual Fee | $0 |
Minimum Credit Score | 300 |
Finder rating 4.1 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | n/a |
---|---|
Rewards | 1.5% cash back |
Annual Fee | $0 |
Minimum Credit Score | 300 |
While not impossible, it can be very difficult to get an airline or travel card if you have bad credit. That’s because these cards often come with the best rewards and perks, which providers usually want to give to highly qualified applicants.
So while that means you have options, you could consider narrowing your choices.
If you have less-than-stellar credit, you’ll have the best odds with secured credit cards. There are currently a few secured airline cards on the market.
To get a secured card, you must first put down a security deposit — usually $200 to $300. If you don’t repay your card debt, your provider can take this deposit. With this collateral, banks are more willing to issue secured cards to those with bad credit.
If you’re willing to forego a travel card, you’ll find several secured cards that offer rewards on all purchases. This means you can earn cash back or points on travel purchases such as flights, hotels and car rentals.
Best for… | Card | Annual fee | Minimum deposit |
---|---|---|---|
Companion certificate | AeroMexico Visa® Secured Card | $25 | $300 |
Airline discount | LATAM Visa® Secured Card | $0 first-year intro annual fee, then $25 after that | $300 |
Bonus airline miles | SKYPASS Visa® Secured Card | $50 | $300 |
General rewards | Discover it® Secured | None | $200 |
Business | Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card | $0 | $500 |
Unsecured card | Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit | $0 to $99 | N/A |
Airline credit cards — such as those listed below — often come with carrier-specific benefits.
They also offer flexible rewards. LATAM, for example, is part of Oneworld Alliance, so you can redeem LATAM Pass points for flights with other carriers in the alliance. The same concept applies to Aeroméxico and Korean Air, which are part of SkyTeam.
You can also check out cards that offer general rewards. These products can be useful even when you’re not traveling.
After earning rewards with certain airline credit cards, you can use your points or miles to book flights with alliance carriers. This makes these cards more flexible than they may seem.
The choices for airline and travel credit cards for bad credit are limited compared to similar cards for good credit or higher. Despite that, there are certain factors you can take into account before choosing the right card for your situation. Consider the following:
You don’t have to limit yourself to airline or travel cards for bad credit. As an alternative, you could consider:
While travel cards are usually aimed at those with good credit, there are a few secured airline cards you may qualify for.
If airline cards aren’t your style, compare other secured card with rewards to find something that suits your needs.
Ascend through its ranks and Delta Medallion Status pays off with additional perks and benefits for SkyMiles members.
Here are our picks for the top travel cards on the market.
Earn rewards and up to three free nights with this Radisson card.
Earn rewards on your Wyndham purchases and get complimentary elite status.
Earn Emirates miles on your purchases without paying a high annual fee.
Earn Emirates miles on your purchases and enjoy premium benefits with this airline credit card.
You’ll need a doctor’s confirmation to use your travel insurance.
Your Visa coverage depends on your credit card provider.
Mastercard offers car rental insurance depending on the issuer.
Cashback cards are among your best options.