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Updated
The best airline credit cards of 2021 provide the biggest mileage earnings on purchases along with the most valuable travel perks for the price. Finder’s credit card experts spend more than 200 hours comparing and rating nearly 100 airline cards based on must-have features including mileage earning rates, rewards amendments in the face of the pandemic, redemption values and additional travel benefits. We’ve placed the top performing card into 8 categories to help you best fly in style.
★★★★★Best for travel credits
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Min. credit score
Annual fee
Points welcome offer
Points
Annual fee
$550
Purchase APR
16.99% to 23.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
10x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining and travel after earning your $300 travel credit and 1x points on all other purchases
★★★★★Best for Delta
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Min. credit score
Annual fee
Miles welcome offer
Miles
Annual fee
$250
Purchase APR
15.74% to 24.74% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
40,000 miles and 5,000 MQMs after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months, plus $100 after making a Delta purchase in the same timeframe
Rewards
3x miles on Delta and direct hotel purchases, 2x miles at restaurants and US supermarkets and 1x miles for all other purchases
★★★★★Best for lounge access
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Min. credit score
Annual fee
Points welcome offer
Points
Annual fee
$550
Purchase APR
See pay over time APR
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
75,000 points after spending $5,000 in your first 6 months, plus 10x points at US gas stations and US supermarkets on up to $15,000 in combined purchases in the same timeframe
Rewards
10x points at US gas stations and US supermarkets on up to $15,000 combined in the first 6 months, 5x points on directly-booked flights or on flights and hotels on Amex Travel. 1x points on all other purchases. Starting January 1, 2021, your 5x points on flights will be capped on up to $500,000 annually (then 1x points).
★★★★★Best for United
United℠ Explorer Card
Min. credit score
Annual fee
Miles welcome offer
Miles
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)
Purchase APR
16.49% to 23.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
40,000 miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
2x miles at restaurants, hotels and United and 1.5x miles on all other purchases
★★★★★Best for Southwest
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Min. credit score
Annual fee
Points welcome offer
Points
Annual fee
$149
Purchase APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
50,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months, plus 30,000 after spending $10,000 in the first 9 months
Rewards
5x points on Southwest between 12/1/2020 and 3/31/2021 on up to $2,000 spent per month, then 2x points on Southwest and Rapid Rewards hotel and car rentals and 1x points on all other purchases
★★★★★
Annual fee | $550 |
---|---|
Purchase APR | 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
Foreign transaction fee | None |
Welcome offer | 40,000 miles and 10,000 MQMs after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months |
Rewards | 3x miles on direct Delta purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases |
Best for earning points from airlines
Citi Prestige® Credit Card
Min. credit score
Annual fee
Points welcome offer
Points
Annual fee
$495
Purchase APR
16.99% to 23.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
Now, through December 2021, supermarket and restaurant packages will also count towards the $250 Travel Credit
Rewards
5x points on flights and dining, 3x points on hotels and cruises and 1x points on all other purchases
Given safety concerns related to travel in 2020, our favorite airline picks remained relatively unchanged. Though the cards themselves received some small tweaks to help consumers continue to find value. We expect we’ll have some new favorite picks when travel becomes safer.Best for American Airlines
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®
Min. credit score
Annual fee
Miles welcome offer
Miles
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($99 thereafter)
Purchase APR
15.99% to 24.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
50,000 miles after spending $2,500 in the first 3 months
Rewards
2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, at gas stations and restaurants and 1x miles on all other purchases
What’s changed in 2021
Aside from the card’s APR, here are a few important features to compare when selecting an airline credit card:
The best card for you will depend on your credit score, spending habits and how often you fly. If none of these cards quite hit the mark, compare more airline credit cards to find the right fit.
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.