air miles needed to travel

Air Miles Required for Flights – A Complete Guide with Examples

Air Miles Required for Flights

When you travel anywhere, airfare is often one of the biggest expenses.  With air miles, however, you can cut the cost of your flight and save money to spend on other things during your holidays.  It can seem difficult to save air miles, but that need not be the case. Continue reading to learn more and see how you can maximize the benefits of air miles.

Examples of Air Miles Schemes

Different reward programs operate in different ways, and the number of air miles you can earn often depends on how many miles you actually fly, the date when your flight is booked, and the class in which you travel.  Your departure country and destination can also be factors, so it is difficult to list any hard and fast rules. Each scheme also has a different number of air miles needed for a journey.

For example (updated in April 2014) , with United Airlines, for a standard economy flight between the mainland US, Canada, or Alaska and another point in the mainland US, Canada, or Alaska you will need 25,000 air miles.  A similar flight to Central America will need 37,500, and for Europe 65,000.  The same routes with business class will need 50,000, 70,000, and 150,000 respectively, and for first class flights the amounts would be 70,000, 85,000, and 170,000.  Flights starting in southern South America and finishing in South Asia will need 100,000, 190,000, and 210,000 air miles for standard economy, business, and first class flights.

The figures are for a one-way flight.  For a return journey you should simply double the amounts.  If your flight is with a Star alliance partner, the amounts are different.

American Airlines calculate the air miles needed based on the distance that is traveled.  For example, a journey of up to 1,500 miles will require 30,000 air miles (economy), 60,000 air miles (business class), and 80,000 air miles (first class).  A trip that is between 1,501 and 4,000 miles will need 35,000, 75,000, and 100,000 air miles for economy, business, and first class.

The amounts keep increasing according to defined distances.  A longer flight that is between 14,001 and 20,000 miles will need 100,000, 130,000, and 180,000 air miles for economy, business, and first class flights.  A journey that is between 35,001 and 50,000 miles will need 160,000, 220,000, and 330,000 air miles for the three different classes of travel.

Flying with Delta from Europe will need the following amounts (for flights on or after the 1 st of June 2014 and booked before the 1st of January 2015):

– Economy class Saver within Europe 15,000, economy class Standard within Europe 20,000, economy class Peak within Europe 30,000.

– BusinessElite / First / Business Class Saver within Europe 25,000, Standard within Europe 40,000, Peak within Europe 50,000.

– Air miles can only be used on Saver flights to Africa, so for economy class you would need 35,000 and for BusinessElite / First / Business Class you would need 50,000.

These are just a few examples of different requirements for air miles.

What are Air Miles?

The basic idea behind air miles is that you accrue points that can be redeemed against flying.  So many points equal one mile in the air.  So if you need X amount of points for one mile, and your flight costs Y, when you redeem your points you pay for less miles making your overall flight cheaper.  You can use the air miles as full or part payment towards the base ticket cost.

Can I fly for Free?

Almost!  With enough air miles you can cover the base cost of the ticket.  You will, however, still need to pay taxes.

How do I Accrue Air Miles?

Many airlines offer loyalty programs where customers are rewarded with points to use towards air miles.  The points generally correspond to the distance flown, so a longer flight will give greater rewards.  Several credit and debit cards offer air miles when the card is used to make purchases.  The important thing to remember is that without being a scheme member, you cannot collect points or air miles.  So sign up for the reward schemes with the airlines that you use most often to start collecting, and redeeming, points! However, keep in mind that some frequent flyer programs have expiration dates for air miles, so make sure to use them before you lose them.

What Can I use Air Miles For?

As well as using air miles for discounted flights, you can also often use them for a variety of other products and services.  These may include access to airport lounges, on-board meals, upgraded seats, and priority bookings.

How Can I Redeem Air Miles?

You can use airline air miles when you make your reservation.  If you collect with a specific airline you can only use your rewards with that airline or a partner.  There are some generic schemes though that can be used with a number of airlines – to gain the benefits of your air miles you must make a booking through one of the partner travel agents.

Can I Always Use Air Miles?

Some flights are subject to restrictions whereby you cannot use your air miles.  This is often the case on flights that are already heavily discounted.  You cannot usually use air miles in conjunction with promotions and special deals.  Sometimes, you have a choice – to use air miles and forego other benefits, or save your air miles and take advantage of other deals.  It may be the case that there are some really great savings to be made and deals to be found without using your air miles.  Redeeming air miles is not always the cheapest way to fly.  Comparison is important, therefore, to make sure that you really are getting the best deals.

Must I Use My Air Miles?

Not at all.  You can save your air miles for future flights.  Sometimes it is actually better to do just this.  You can take advantage of other deals and allow your points to continue to build, giving you more savings for future air travel.  In some situations, the taxes form a significant part of the overall ticket cost.  As you cannot use your air miles towards taxes it is better, in such a case, to pay for the ticket in full and save your air miles.  It may also be more cost effective to fly with another airline altogether, as their ticket price may be cheaper even when taking into account any potential savings made with air miles.

How Can I Get the Best Deals on Flights?

Compare flight prices and terms before you book!  This easy comparison form makes it quick and convenient to compare different flights, thus making sure that you are getting the very best prices.  Save yourself money and enjoy having extra to spend on sightseeing, souvenirs, a night in a luxury hotel, a romantic slap up meal, or anything else that tickles your fancy!

In short, collecting air miles is a great idea and can really help you to save money on flights.  They are not, though, always the best way to get cheaper flights.  A quick comparison of flights will set you on the way to making sure that you are not spending money unnecessarily and that you really are getting the very best prices for your trip.

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Everything You Need to Know About Earning and Redeeming Airline Miles

Want to fly for free? Here's everything you need to know about earning and using airline miles.

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If you're thinking about dipping your toe in the airline miles game, don't delay. While points and miles can often feel overwhelming, it's easy to handle the basics — and that's enough to get you free flights and upgrades. Best of all, every frequent flier program is free to join, and you don't even have to be a frequent flier to sign up. We're here to help you understand airline miles so that you can start boosting your travel experience ASAP.

What to Know About Airline Miles

Airline miles — sometimes referred to as airline points, frequent flier miles, or award miles — are a form of currency used in frequent flier programs. Generally speaking, you earn miles for flying with an airline, and you redeem those miles for free flights, upgrades, or other purchases. Some credit cards also have similar points and miles rewards programs, but airline miles are specific to an airline (and sometimes its partners). Airline miles are often valued anywhere from just below one cent to two cents per mile.

How to Earn Airline Miles

There are numerous ways to earn airline miles, and they vary based on the specific frequent flier program. In order to earn airline miles, you must be signed up for an airline's frequent flier program — this is free to do, and you can sign up for multiple airlines' programs.

Flying with an airline (and sometimes its partners) is the primary way most travelers earn airline miles. For each flight you take, you'll receive a certain number of miles; the exact number of miles depends on your airline's policy. Most airlines base the number of miles awarded on either the distance flown or the amount paid for the ticket. Just remember that you must input your frequent flier number on your booking to earn airline miles. (Although you can request miles after your trip if you forget to add your number before). 

Using Airline Credit Cards

If you have a co-branded airline credit card , you will likely be able to earn one to three airline miles for every dollar you spend on that card. Pay attention to earning bonuses for certain categories, which vary per card. In many cases, you'll earn higher bonuses for paying for flights with your credit card directly through the airline — for example, five miles per dollar instead of one mile per dollar.

Transferring Points From Other Credit Cards

If you have a credit card that has its own points system — like Chase Ultimate Rewards, AmEx Membership Rewards , Citi ThankYou Points, and Bank of America Travel Rewards — you may be able to transfer those points into an airline frequent flier program. Airline partnerships vary by credit card issuer.

Shopping and Dining Partnerships

Some airlines have e-shopping portals through which any purchases will earn you miles. Similarly, some airlines also have dining partnerships that reward you for eating at eligible restaurants.

Related: How to Get More Miles With AAdvantage Dining — No Flights Required

Other Partnerships

Many airlines develop partnerships with rental car companies and hotel groups, so if you rent a car or book a room with one of these partners, you can actually earn airline miles. Typically you're not able to "double dip" and earn miles or points for both the airline and the travel partner, so advanced points players will want to be strategic about which account earns the points. Some airlines allow you to link your account to other businesses, too, like Lyft and Starbucks.

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How to Redeem Airline Miles

Many travelers use airline miles to book free flights and pay for upgrades, but there are other ways to spend them.

Once you accumulate enough miles — at least a few thousand, but more realistically a few tens of thousands — you'll be able to spend those miles on flights. Since miles are free, you're essentially getting free flights, but there is a tiny catch. You'll still have to pay taxes and fees on the flight, which usually nets out to less than $100 per ticket. 

To use miles as payment for flights, you'll need to book your flights with the airline directly, not through a third-party booking site. When you search for the flights, simply click the box that says something to the effect of "pay with miles."

You can also use miles to upgrade to a higher class of service or preferred seats within your current cabin, such as an exit row seat. After you've made your booking, check your booking on the airline's website or app to see if upgrades are available. Keep in mind that some airlines price upgrades dynamically, meaning the price will change based on demand. So if you don't like the price you see for an upgrade, you can take your chances to see if it will drop. But beware — the cabin could fill up before you find the price you like, leaving you in economy.

Other Redemptions

Each airline offers miles redemptions outside of flights and upgrades. You can use miles to pay for other aspects of air travel, from lounge memberships to top-shelf drinks in the lounges to in-flight WiFi, depending on the airline. But you can also use miles to pay for other parts of your travel experience too, including hotels, car rentals, and even special events or experiences. 

Airline Miles and Elite Status

While airline miles and elite status are both part of a carrier's frequent flier program, they're two distinct branches with different purposes. Airline miles are simply an airline-specific currency, whereas elite status is a rewards program where you earn perks typically based on how much you spend and how much you fly with an airline. If you're not flying enough to achieve elite status, don't worry — you can still earn airline miles without it. But those with elite status do earn more miles per flight than non-elite members of a frequent flier program.

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Tips for Making the Most of Your Airline Miles

Use award calendars to find the best deals..

The more flexible you are with timing, the more likely you are to score a great miles redemption deal. Most airlines allow you to view award flights on a calendar, showing you the best deals across an entire month. Sometimes bumping your flight earlier or later by a few days can net you huge savings.

Keep expiration dates in mind.

Each airline has a different policy when it comes to expiration dates. Some airlines have no expiration dates for miles, while others set expiration dates based on your most recent account activity. Read the fine print to ensure your hard-earned miles don't expire before you can use them.

Research change fees.

While you can typically change flights booked with miles, there's often a fee associated with any amendments, but this depends on the airline. If you want to cancel your booking made with miles, you can often redeposit those miles back into your account for a fee, with fees varying by airline.

Don't agonize over the redemption value of your miles.

It's natural to want the best bang for your buck — or in this case, redemption for your miles. But there's no reason to agonize over the value of your redemption. The threshold for a "good" redemption is unique to each individual and their circumstances at any given time. At the end of the day, anything you put your miles toward will be (mostly) free, and that's always a good price.

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Sep 26, 2023

A beginner's guide to air miles: how they work and how to earn them.

Karin Svensson

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In today's fast-paced world, air travel is more than just a convenience — it's a lifestyle. Whether you’re a seasoned jet-setter or someone who hops on a plane once in a blue moon, there's an exhilarating sense of possibility every time you hear a plane's engines roar.

But, if you’re catching flights a lot of the time, you might be familiar with the term ‘air miles’. 

If you’re looking to start your air miles journey or simply enhance your flying experience, this Trtl Travel blog covers everything you need to know about air miles, how to earn them and how they can be used. The world of air miles awaits, and the horizon has never looked so rewarding!

What are air miles?

Air miles — sometimes known as frequent flyer miles — are points that passengers can collect with loyalty programs offered by major airlines. 

By flying with airlines or making purchases with its partners, like credit card companies, hotels, and car rental agencies, you can earn miles and redeem them for free or discounted flights, upgrades and other travel-related rewards.

Why are air miles important to frequent flyers?

If you’re a frequent flyer, air miles are a must-have! By accumulating these points, travellers can even get ticket upgrades from economy to premium classes without incurring the usual charge. 

Beyond these savings, frequent flyer programs are laden with perks such as priority boarding, increased baggage allowances, and access to luxurious airport lounges across the globe for those with higher-tier memberships. 

For airlines, these loyalty programs help foster repeated patronage, ensuring their most frequent customers stay loyal. For the frequent traveller, air miles and their programs translate into a blend of financial advantages and an improved travel experience.

What are the benefits of air miles?

Air miles offer a wide range of benefits, not just for flights!

• Free flights — One of the most coveted benefits, air miles can be redeemed to cover either an entire or partial cost of an airline ticket. This allows passengers to utilise significant savings on their journeys, meaning they can spend this on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure!
• Flight upgrades — Air miles can be used to upgrade seating class, meaning passengers can move from economy to business or even first class.
• Priority boarding — Members of frequent flyer programs, especially those who have accumulated a lot of miles, have the opportunity to board the plane ahead of regular passengers.
• Access to airport lounges — Higher tiers in loyalty programs can sometimes grant access to exclusive airport lounges. These spaces provide an environment where passengers can relax, eat, drink, or work away from the hustle and bustle of regular terminals.
• Extra baggage allowance — Travellers with significant air mile totals or certain membership levels may sometimes be given an increased baggage allowance. This perk can either provide a discount on checked baggage fees or allow for additional free checked bags.

How do you earn air miles?

There are a few ways that you can earn air miles:

1. Enrolment

First, you’ll need to sign up for the airline’s frequent flyer program, which is usually free.

Once registered, you’ll receive a unique member number, which you should reference when booking any flights or using services from partnered businesses to ensure your miles are credited to your account.

2. Earn miles

Earning air miles in the UK can be extremely useful for travellers looking to maximise their benefits. You can earn air miles by:

• Joining air loyalty programmes — Many major airlines operating in the UK offer frequent flyer programmes. British Airways, for instance, has its "Executive Club", where members earn "Avios" points for flights. By joining these programmes, every flight you take accumulates points or miles.
• Flying regularly — The most straightforward way to earn miles is by flying. The more you fly, especially on long-haul routes or in premium cabins, the more miles you'll typically accrue.
• Signing up for co-branded credit cards — Several credit card companies in the UK are co-branded with airline loyalty programmes. British Airways American Express Card allows you to earn Avios on everyday spending. These cards will usually come with sign-up bonuses and sometimes even additional benefits like company vouchers or exclusive lounge access.
• Partnerships — Lots of airlines have partnerships with different businesses, like credit card companies, hotels, rental cars and sometimes even restaurants and retailers. Using these services or products can earn you extra miles, which means you’ll be better off in the long run. 
• Special promotions — Airlines frequently run promotions where you can earn bonus miles for certain activities or if you meet specific criteria, such as spending a certain amount when booking tickets to a destination.
• Purchasing miles — Some airlines allow you to buy miles directly, although this usually isn’t the most cost-effective way of acquiring them. However, if you’re only a few miles short of a reward, it can be a great alternative to get you what you need.

How many air miles do you need for a free flight?

The amount of air miles that you need for a free flight will vary depending on who you’re flying with, the distance and the fare class you want to take.

Avios, for example, is used by several different airlines, including:

• British Airways Executive Club
• Iberia Plus
• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club

Avios can be transferred between any of these programs at a 1:1 ratio, which basically means that all points are worth the same amount in each program. However, there are different ways that Avios points can be redeemed in each.

Tier points count toward status, and there are four different status levels:

• Blue — The most basic level that everyone starts.
• Bronze — Achieved after 300 tier points are earned in a membership year.
• Silver — Achieved after 600 tier points are earned in a membership year. 

As of 18 October 2023, you’ll collect Avios on British Airways-marketed flights based on the ticket price instead of the distance you fly. 

The total you spend is then multiplied according to the tier you sit in:

• Executive Club Blue — Collect 6 Avios per pound (GBP) spent. 
• Executive Club Bronze — Collect 7 Avios per pound spent.
• Executive Club Silver — Collect 8 Avios per pound spent.
• Executive Club Gold — Collect 9 Avios per pound spent. 

To travel directly from MAN to JFK on Wednesday, 27 September, with a return flight on Monday, 2 October, would cost £1,543.17, including any charges and fees. This means you’d earn 9,259 Avios on Executive Club Blue and 13,888 points for Executive Club Gold.

Can I transfer my airline miles to another person?

Frequent travellers often end up with a stash of award miles that they might not be able to use before they expire (yes, they have an expiry date!). 

The simple answer is yes, you can transfer your air miles; however, there are usually some limitations to this. Most airlines set a cap on the number of miles that can be transferred between accounts. 

British Airways, for example, allows you to share up to 27,000 Avios with another Executive Club Member each year. United Airlines lets members transfer 500 to 100,000 miles from an account to another member’s MileagePlus account with a processing fee of $30 per transaction.

Prepare yourself for any journey with Trtl Travel

If you’re a seasoned traveller, you’ll know just how important air miles are and how they’re accumulation can be extremely beneficial on any journey. And, you’ll know just how important it is to be comfortable when you’re flying too. That’s why our travel pillows will leave you feeling refreshed at your destination, whether it’s a quick trip of a few hours or a long-haul flight.  

To find out more helpful tips and tricks for all things flying, check out our blog page .

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AIR MILES ® is one of Canada’s most ubiquitous loyalty programs. While the name suggests that it’s a frequent flyer program of some sort, the reality is that AIR MILES®

is more of a multifaceted rewards program with a vast network of in-store and online partners throughout Canada.

While AIR MILES® won’t necessarily fuel your aspirational travel dreams, its flexibility will help you with other expenses, even ones outside of travel. Hence, the program should definitely be on your radar.

Earning AIR MILES®

There are more ways to earn with AIR MILES®  these days than ever before, with some of them introduced only recently. AIR MILES® classifies its means of earning into:

Linked Loyalty

Before delve into the methods of earning AIR MILES®, it’s important to note that there are really two different types of AIR MILES® you can earn: Cash Miles and Dream Miles.  Collectively, they’re also known as Reward Miles.

Cash Miles are easily redeemed at partner retailers or as gift cards at a fixed ratio of 95 Miles = $10 in value , while Dream Miles are redeemed towards other types of rewards, such as merchandise, attraction tickets, and travel.

You can specify your preference between Cash and Dream Miles in your AIR MILES® account, and you can even choose how to split your earnings between the two categories by assigning percentages.

Currently, BMO is the sole issuer of AIR MILES® credit cards. While there used to be an American Express variants of AIR MILES® credit cards, the current lineup is issued exclusively under the Mastercard network.

BMO’s AIR MILES® flagship offering is the  BMO AIR MILES ®† World Elite ®* Mastercard ®* , which comes with a generous welcome bonus of AIR MILES® upon meeting a spend requirement, along with the annual fee waived on the first year.

• Earn 2,000 AIR MILES ® †  upon spending $3,000 in the first three months†
• Earn 1x 3x AIR MILES ® † per $12 spent at AIR MILES ® † partners†
• Earn 1x 2x AIR MILES ® † per $12 spent at grocery stores, wholesale clubs, and alcohol retailers†
• Use AIR MILES ® † for Cash Rewards or Dream Rewards†
• Minimum income: $80,000 personal or $150,000 household†
• Annual fee: $120 (rebated in the first year)†

To further increase the value of this card, it also comes with the following benefits:

• Travel and medical insurance with 15 days out-of-province/country emergency medical protection
• Mastercard Travel Pass by DragonPass membership
• Access to Boingo hotspots, including on flights
• Extended warranty and purchase protection insurance

Note that the card comes with a minimum annual income requirement of $80,000 (CAD) for individuals, or $150,000 (CAD) for households.

BMO also offers the entry-level BMO AIR MILES ®† Mastercard ®* , which is a no-fee card. Its welcome bonus is much more modest than its World Elite counterpart, but with no stated income requirement, the card is easier to attain.

• Earn 800  AIR MILES ® †  upon spending $1,000 in the first three months†
• Plus, earn 1x 3x AIR MILES ® † per $25 spent at AIR MILES ® † partners†
• Use your AIR MILES for Cash Rewards or Dream Rewards
• Annual fee: $0

Aside from elevated AIR MILES® earning on groceries, the card features the following:

• Free additional cardholders
• Extended warranty and purchase protection

AIR MILES® has partnered with retailers and other establishments to allow its users to earn Reward Miles directly in-store. Among the program’s biggest in-store partners and their respective default earn rates are:

• Shell (retail gas stations): 1 Mile per 10/20 litres of gas, depending on grade
• Metro (Ontario grocery stores): 1 Mile per $20 spent
• IHG Hotels and Resorts: 1 Mile per $5 spent
• National and Alamo Car Rental: 1 Mile per $10 spent
• Budget Car Rental: 1 Mile per $15 spent
• Samsung (in-store and online): 1 Mile per $20 spent

In addition to your base Reward Miles earning, you’ll earn Bonus Miles on offers that you’ll find on the AIR MILES® app, wesbite, or in-store. Most of these offers require you to opt in through the AIR MILES® app or website.

You’ll also find bonus offers on the weekly flyer, as well as the mobile app for Metro grocery stores in Ontario.

Lastly, a recent addition to earning in-store is AIR MILES Receipts. This sub-program offers AIR MILES® with purchase of featured grocery products at participating stores. Basically, all you need to do is scan your paper receipt after your purchase.

Online earning of Reward Miles is mainly through AIR MILES® Shops , an online shopping portal rivaling Aeroplan eStore and Rakuten.

To earn AIR MILES® through AIR MILES ® Shops, you’ll need to log into your account, search for the shop you’re intending to make a purchase at, and click “Shop Now”.

With shopping portals, it’s important for you to check-out and finish your shopping in the same window that popped up after clicking the “Shop Now” button. This way, your browser will accurately track your purchase.

Moreover, you’ll want to take note of the terms and conditions, as well as the exclusions applicable to a specific store. For instance, Apple and Amazon.ca usually have a list of excluded products or categories.

For more AIR MILES® Shops offers, be sure to periodically check the AIR MILES ® app, where there might be special promotions or “flash offers” for Bonus Miles.

AIR MILES® Card Linked Offers allows you to earn AIR MILES® by using your registered Mastercard at participating retailers, without having to present your AIR MILES® number. As its name suggests, offers are automatically linked to your credit card, and your miles are awarded based on your card transactions.

To participate, you must register the number of your Canadian-issued Mastercard, along with your AIR MILES® collector number. Keep in mind that supplementary cards must be registered separately, either to your AIR MILES ® account or to another account to qualify for card-linked offers as well. You may link more than one Mastercard per account.

Again, with card-linked offers, you won’t need to quote your AIR MILES® collector number, nor will you be asked for it. Simply pay directly with your registered Mastercard, and your Reward Miles will be issued accordingly.

AIR MILES® recently revamped its travel portal, implementing changes that include how you can earn Reward Miles.

Currently, the earning rates for booking travel through the portal depend on your status tier, and are structured as follows:

• Blue: 1 Reward Mile per $15 spent
• Gold: 1 Reward Mile per $10 spent
• Onyx: 1 Reward Mile per $5 spent

You’ll earn more miles by bundling trip items together under a single booking. An example of a bundle is a flight and a hotel.

The earning multipliers on bundles also depend on your status tier, and are structured as follows:

• Blue: 3x Reward Miles on bundles
• Gold: 4x Reward Miles on bundles
• Onyx: 5x Reward Miles on bundles

Redeeming AIR MILES®

As mentioned, AIR MILES® are subclassified as Cash Miles and Dream Miles. Accordingly, what you can redeem them for are Cash Rewards and Dream Rewards.

Cash Rewards can be in-store rebates or gift cards, while Dream Rewards can be travel, merchandise, events, and attractions.

In-Store Partners

You can use your Cash Miles at Shell gas stations nationwide and at Metro grocery stores in Ontario. With either partner, you can redeem at the rate of 95 Cash Miles = $10 in value, as an instant rebate against your bill.

Make sure to redeem your Cash Miles before finalizing your transaction by informing the cashier that you’d like to redeem your AIR MILES®. At self-checkout, you’ll be offered the option to do so.

Occasionally, Shell and Metro offer promotions on redemptions. For instance, Metro might offer 25 AIR MILES® back when you redeem 95 Cash Miles. These offers can be found on the AIR MILES ® app or other promotional materials, such as flyers.

AIR MILES® lets you redeem your Cash Miles for a wide variety of e-vouchers or gift cards. Unlike other loyalty programs, you won’t lose value redeeming this way — you’ll still get the standard redemption rate of 95 Cash Miles = $10 in value.

Gift cards on offer include Uber Eats, Doordash, Sephora, Lululemon, Cineplex, VIA Rail, and more.

Redemptions may be made on the AIR MILES® website or app. Since you’ll be getting e-vouchers, delivery is digital and instant.

The primary use of Dream Miles is for travel. Through the revamped AIR MILES Travel portal , you can redeem your Dream Miles for flights, accommodations, car rentals, vacation packages, cruises, and extras. The redemption rate you’ll be getting is roughly around 95 Dream Miles = $10 in value.

The new travel portal also now allows you to pay for flights with a sliding amount of Dream Miles, whereas previously, you needed to have the entire amount of Dream Miles available to use the Cash + Miles feature. The minimum Dream Miles required depends on your AIR MILES® tier, and is structured as follows:

• Blue: minimum 50% Dream Miles to use Cash + Miles
• Gold: minimum 25% Dream Miles to use Cash + Miles
• Onyx: no minimum to use Cash + Miles

Merchandise

AIR MILES® has an extensive catalogue of merchandise you can redeem with Dream Miles. Products range from electronics to sports and fitness.

The value you’ll get redeeming merchandise largely varies, though you’ll generally get poor value, compared to other means of redemption. Hence, you should compare the price of the product with another merchant, such as Amazon or Best Buy, and use the standard redemption rate of 95 Reward Miles = $10 in value as a benchmark.

Also, keep an eye on products being offered for fewer Dream Miles. You’ll see them being offered on the AIR MILES® Merchandise landing page.

Events and Attractions

AIR MILES® allows you to redeem your Dream Miles for cinema and attraction tickets. Like merchandise, you should compare the retail value of what you’re redeeming against its value in Dream Miles.

AIR MILES® Status and Benefits

AIR MILES® has three status tiers, namely Blue, Gold, and Onyx. Blue is the starting point for most AIR MILES® “collectors”.

However, holding the BMO AIR MILES ®† World Elite ®* Mastercard ®* propels you to Onyx status, while the no-fee BMO AIR MILES ®† Mastercard ®* automatically qualifies you for Gold status.

Alternatively, without a credit card, you’ll qualify for Gold status upon accumulating 500 Reward Miles in a calendar year, or for Onyx status upon accumulating 5,000 Reward Miles per year.

In terms of benefits, they’re mostly for AIR MILES Travel. For one, you’ll receive more Reward Miles on your travel bookings as a Gold or Onyx member. As mentioned above, the earn rate on travel is structured as follows:

• Blue: 1 Reward Mile per $15 spent or 3x Reward Miles on bundles
• Gold: 1 Reward Mile per $10 spent or 4x Reward Miles on bundles
• Onyx: 1 Reward Mile per $5 spent or 5x Reward Miles on bundles

Likewise, you’ll need fewer Dream Miles to book select flights with AIR MILES® — you’ll get up to a 30% discount as a Gold member, or up to 40% as an Onyx member.

With merchandise, you’ll also need fewer miles to redeem. As a Gold member, you’ll get up to 5% discount, while as an Onyx member, you’ll get up to 10%.

In addition, as an Onyx member, you may, rather uniquely, enlist the help of a personal shopper, who can quote you in Dream Miles for items not in the AIR MILES® catalogue.

A full list of Gold and Onyx benefits can be found on the AIR MILES website .

With BMO’s acquisition of AIR MILES , we’re seeing what seems to be the program’s renaissance. There are more options to earn and redeem Reward Miles now than ever, and even better, AIR MILES® is putting out many lucrative offers these days to attract Canadians back into the program.

Thus, while AIR MILES® won’t necessarily fly you in business class, it can help with other expenses. With the inflation we’re experiencing these days, you just might find the program valuable.

† Terms and conditions apply. Please refer to the BMO Website for the most up to date information.

In the past years I found it much easier to redeem AirMiles for flights. Now in 2024 they have removed the option for multi-city routing ( ie arriving in a different city than departing) even for round trip back to Canada as well as removing the ability to pay for the taxes using AirMiles ( an Onyx card previous benefit). What is more upsetting as these changes were not announced. This represents, at least for me, a significant devaluation in the program.

I used to be able to redeem $0.17 for every airmile points, but that was the good old days 🙂 Air Miles have been undergoing negative changes one after another, we are glad they are still around.

Did a AI/chatgpt write this article ?whats the travel hack? Best value of air mile?Just regurgitating

Airmiles needed to fly within Canada have increased dramatically in the past month. What was costing 2125 airmiles yxe to yow return in may-june is now over 3600. I hate this new system

They aren’t a very good ‘travel agent’. In 2019 I had an AC flight purchased with AM cancelled (airline decision). That means going through AM to get your refund. I was told AC was making in difficult (I don’t know why) and after weeks of back and forth, AM eventually gave up! AC wouldn’t discuss it with me directly and AM wouldn’t spend anymore time on it. I’m an ‘Onyx’ holder which shows you what that distinction is worth.

Shell currently offers 20 air miles for each gift card purchased, for example Playstation. Today I went to my local Shell and the clerk said their system could not process the air mile card. They said they have one computer/cash register for gas and one for everything else. Since the playstation card is rung through the other cash, I’m out luck.

They said I have to find a Shell station with only one cash. I am not sure those exist. I doubt you can find a Shell station that is not attached to a convenience store. This story I am telling you doesn’t make sense but I tried to reason with the local manager to no avail. Any advice on buying gift cards at Shell to get the 20 air miles? I need about 150.00 worth of gift cards so it would be worth 150 air miles which is pretty good. Do you know if the story is true? Do you know how to buy gift cards at Shell and earn those elusive air miles?

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What exactly are airline miles, anyway?

Airline miles. You've certainly heard of them. Maybe you rabidly chase them. Or maybe you view them akin to snake oil, in that they entice you but don't ultimately turn out to be as valuable or useful as you might have hoped.

Or, if your job doesn't require you to travel regularly, and you make most of your purchases with a debit card or non-travel credit card, you might not be familiar with the massive world of airline points and miles.

But no matter which of those buckets applies to you, know that airline miles are a big business.

It has been over 40 years since the modern airline loyalty programs were launched — and plenty has changed in those decades.

Commercial air travel went mainstream, and airline miles underwent a major transformation of their own. Long gone are the days when you earned them just for flying. These days, you can earn them when buying your mom flowers or buying yourself a toaster. With airline-cobranded credit cards , you can earn miles for anything you can charge on a credit card.

Let's cover the basic playbook you need to know to take advantage of airline miles no matter your situation.

New to points and miles? Learn the ropes with the free TPG App !

why were airline miles created?

In the beginning, a mile flown was a mile earned.

The miles were earned mostly by business travelers making the weekly slog from Atlanta to Topeka, Kansas, or a hundred other cities. It didn't take long for that to change.

Today, airline miles come in many shapes, sizes and values and can be earned (and redeemed) without you ever needing to step foot on a plane.

It's been over 40 years since the first airline mileage programs started , first at American Airlines and shortly thereafter at United Airlines. At that time, and for several decades thereafter, any time you boarded a flight you'd earn miles based on how far you flew. Fly a few round-trip flights and you could redeem your miles for a free airline ticket.

Over the years that equation got a lot more complicated (though one surprising benefit of the pandemic was relaxed rules surrounding the use of airline miles ).

In the decades before the creation of frequent flyer programs, U.S. airlines had been regulated by the government, which restricted their ability to compete.

In the new era of deregulation, airlines were eager to keep their customers coming back and to acquire new ones. Airline miles were a way to keep road warriors from having a wandering eye. For a period of time, some airlines were so worried about a customer cashing out their miles and moving to another carrier they would actually deposit some fresh miles in accounts when a customer redeemed their entire balance.

Needless to say, things are a little different these days.

Related: Why loyalty programs are a lifeline for airlines and hotels during COVID-19

What is an airline mile now?

It's been quite some time since a mile was awarded for each mile flown across most programs.

In some cases, airlines aren't even calling them miles anymore. You'll find Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards program issuing "points," just like JetBlue's TrueBlue loyalty program . It might be easier to think of miles (or points) as a form of currency. Just like saving up for a new TV, most people save their points and miles while planning a dream vacation somewhere.

But these points and miles can also come in handy for a quick trip to see grandma, family emergencies or a weekend away.

It used to be much easier to understand how to redeem airline miles, with only two published "prices" for most flights: standard and some sort of less expensive, "saver" pricing.

Back in the early days, 25,000 miles was a "magic" number, because that was the price for a saver award ticket anywhere in the domestic U.S. Going way back, those awards also used to come with a certificate for a hotel and rental car that you could potentially redeem for an entire vacation.

Generally speaking, flights were less full in the early days, which meant you had a reasonable shot of finding that 25,000-mile award for your whole family, whether you wanted to head to Disney World or Hawaii.

When you did need to fly during busier times, the most expensive seat you'd find would require 50,000 miles round-trip for a domestic flight. For the most part, this was "last-seat availability," meaning if there was an empty economy-class seat to Hawaii, 50,000 miles would get you there. These days, the busiest flights can cost you double that 50,000 miles one-way.

Current award flight pricing is much more dynamic, as airlines set the number of points needed much closer to the cash value of each flight. Airline miles are also awarded in many different ways and only rarely based on how far you fly.

Most airlines award miles based on how much you spend, and even that can depend on complicated formulas. Generally, you won't earn miles for any portion of your ticket that's a government tax or fee. Buy the cheapest ticket, and you'll earn significantly fewer miles than if you bought that snazzy first-class seat at the last minute.

These days, travelers earn more airline miles from activities other than hopping on an airplane.

Credit cards are a huge part of earning miles. You can earn miles for shopping through online portals that include hundreds of retailers you already patronize. You can also earn miles for renting cars, staying in hotels, paying your energy bill, filling your car up with gas, and applying for insurance.

For example, instead of just shopping online at Macy's and earning credit card points, if you click through a shopping portal first , you can also earn a multiple of 2 to 4 American Airlines AAdvantage miles per dollar for those purchases. United offers hundreds of bonus miles if you book a rental car through its website (though you want to be careful to check the price versus booking your rental car directly).

You can redeem those miles to buy a blender or steak knives or magazines – but please don't unless that's really what you want. The price, in miles, is generally pretty horrible for merchandise relative to what you could get from travel redemptions.

Related: The complete history of credit cards, from antiquity to today

What are airline miles worth?

Just to make things more complicated, not all airline miles (or points, as the case may be) are created equally.

The least valuable miles or points are generally those where the airline has given them a defined value. Southwest and JetBlue are two airlines that have essentially fixed the price of award tickets to the cost of buying a ticket outright.

Meanwhile, some airlines, such as Delta, moved away from fixed award charts years ago. While there are still plenty of ways to get great value from Delta SkyMiles , they aren't usually worth as much as American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

A few programs that have chosen to maintain some form of published award charts, such as Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan and Air Canada's Aeroplan , have miles that are worth even more.

Part of the reason for the higher valuations from those airlines who maintain award charts is that there's generally a maximum number of miles you need to redeem for an award, whether that's a "saver" award or a more expensive standard award.

Need an example? If a round-trip flight from New York to Los Angeles will set you back 25,000 miles, it's a much better value when the cash price of that same ticket is $800 versus $300. For programs that have a fixed value for their miles, or even dynamic pricing where there's generally no cap on how many miles a ticket costs, it's just hard to get as much value since a dynamically priced program will charge far more points when the cash price is $800 than when it's $300.

All of these factors drive the methodology behind TPG's valuations of various miles and points .

Related: How (and why) to calculate award redemption values

How can I use airline miles?

How much time do we have?

The list of ways to use your airline miles is virtually endless. On top of being able to redeem miles for travel to virtually any airport with commercial service in the world, you can use them to upgrade paid airline tickets to a better class of service .

There are the most basic options to redeem miles, such as for a family trip to Disney World . In a world of dynamic pricing for award flights, an off-peak trip to Orlando can be one of the most affordable you'll find due to the sheer volume of flights.

Hawaii has plenty of flights as well but can be incredibly popular during the holidays. For those who live on the East Coast and would prefer not to fly 10-plus hours in economy class, you may need to put in a bit of elbow grease searching for flights .

International travel presents many more options.

For starters, the major U.S. airlines – American , Delta and United – all offer premium economy as an extra class of service on many international flights. Premium economy can, in some cases, be a much better experience than economy without the steep price of a business-class or first-class cabin. The seats resemble a domestic first-class seat, with more legroom and sometimes footrests. Additionally, you'll usually enjoy better food, increased baggage allowances and comfort items like a pillow and blanket.

Where international travel gets incredibly interesting is when you begin to leverage airline alliances. All three major U.S. carriers belong to one of the three biggest worldwide alliances . American Airlines is part of Oneworld , Delta is part of SkyTeam and United is part of the Star Alliance . Each airline in these alliances has its own award charts (or just pricing if it has eliminated charts) and the prices can vary widely.

These alliances can help you in two primary ways. First, they can serve as additional award inventory for a flight from the U.S. to a major international gateway. For example, United Airlines operates flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda International Airport (HND). In addition, its Star Alliance partner ANA operates flights from SFO to both Tokyo airports as well, giving you more award options.

ANA flies to dozens of destinations from Tokyo's airports that can be booked as connecting itineraries along with a United or ANA flight from the U.S. to get you to secondary or tertiary cities all on the same award ticket. So while United doesn't fly to Bangkok, you can still fly there with your United miles by connecting through Tokyo on an ANA flight.

Related: Book this, not that: SkyTeam award tickets

How can I earn airline miles?

You'd think that earning airline miles would be something that you primarily accomplish while flying. Thirty years ago you would have been correct. Today, there's a broad menu of options to earn airline miles. Spoiler alert: Many folks earn very few miles from actually flying.

Pretty much every airline will award you some sort of miles or points when you pay for one of its flights.

That means road warriors can still earn plenty of miles traveling, but only if they're big spenders. Virtually all of the major programs have changed their earning structure to award miles based on how much you spend, not how many times you travel or how far you fly. Alaska Airlines is the lone exception in the U.S., but that could change in the coming months .

For everyone else, you pay to play (or earn miles).

With the larger legacy carriers such as American, Delta and United you can also earn bonus miles for flying in a higher class of service or holding elite status with the airline. Southwest awards points based on which of its four fare classes you purchase and how much your ticket costs. The rest of the low-cost carriers generally award you airline miles or points based solely on the price of your ticket.

Related: How to stack rewards when you book flights with online travel agencies

Credit cards

Credit cards are big, big business for the airlines. Some airlines, such as Delta, lean in heavily on a partnership with one bank.

Delta has a relationship with American Express that includes entry-level credit cards and premium ones that come with benefits like lounge membership. Their relationship extends further to being a major transfer partner with the American Express Membership Rewards program, Amex's proprietary currency.

Other airlines, such as American, have partnerships with more than one bank. That, in theory, gives customers more choices.

That said, you're probably better off without an airline's credit card in your wallet unless you plan to give that airline quite a bit of money. That might sound counterintuitive, but it pays to follow the math. For example, the United Explorer Card earns 2 miles per dollar spent on United flights, hotels and dining.

For the exact same $95 annual fee you can hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card . That card earns 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on all travel purchases (including airfare) and 3 points per dollar on dining, online grocery store purchases and streaming services.

In almost all cases, you'll earn more points on everyday spending on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Not only can you transfer the Ultimate Rewards points you earn instantly to United on a 1:1 basis, you also have the flexibility to transfer to Air Canada, Southwest, Hyatt and other great partners.

Related: How (and why) you should earn transferable points in 2022

Shopping portals

Earning bonus airline miles via shopping portals can be ridiculously easy.

You typically only need a few extra clicks to navigate to your favorite merchant. Those extra clicks through the shopping portal of your choice will earn you bonus miles for the items you already planned to buy, from the exact place you planned to buy it. With the exception of very few online merchants (the biggest being Amazon), you can find hundreds of the most popular online retail sites on a shopping portal.

Use a shopping portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor to determine where to earn the most airline miles for your purchases.

How should I redeem my airline miles?

You'll generally get the most value by redeeming them for award tickets. You can usually find award flights on the airline where you have your miles and on its partners. For example, your American Airlines AAdvantage miles can get you from Washington, D.C., to Miami on American but can also get you from Madrid to Rome on Iberia, one of its Oneworld partners.

While we maintain a full list of valuations of various airline miles and hotel points , there are some basic guidelines. For starters, if you're getting over 2 cents per airline mile you're redeeming, you're in pretty good shape. For example, let's say you want to redeem 25,000 miles for a flight. If that flight costs $500 (2 cents per mile) or more, that's generally a good use of your miles.

However, when money is tight, keeping a stash of airline miles can help with emergencies. If a family member falls ill and you absolutely have to be there, redeeming miles (even at a poor value) can help you preserve cash.

Generally, you won't get as much value when transferring your airline miles to hotel loyalty programs (and vice versa). And buying merchandise through the online retail sites some airlines operate is usually pretty horrible.

Related: From newbie to expert: 6 ways to up your mileage redemption game

Which airline miles program is the best?

Asking which airline miles program is the best is sort of like asking which of Baskin-Robbins' 31 flavors is best.

Some folks like vanilla, others like rocky road. If international travel is your goal, stick with Alaska, American, Delta and United. On the other hand, if you're perfectly fine in North America, Southwest can be an excellent value.

In short, there's no "best" airline miles program. Rather, there's a best fit for each style of travel.

Why you should care about airline miles

If you've made it this far in life without investing time and energy in learning the advantages of airline miles, you might be wondering why you should start caring now.

One of the biggest reasons to care is that it's easier than ever to earn airline miles. Most, if not all, travel credit cards have a sign-up bonus when you get approved for a card and meet the card's spending requirement. These sign-up bonuses are what jump-start your points and miles-earning potential.

Credit cards also have bonus purchase categories that can allow you to earn bonus miles that can far exceed the value of a cash-back credit card or a debit card. For example, the American Express® Gold Card earns 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1 point per dollar) and at restaurants worldwide.

Another major reason to get into the points and miles game is the destinations they can unlock. Even some of the stingiest programs have phenomenal award opportunities from time to time.

Delta is famous for flash sales that can make a trip across the country or to Europe or Asia incredibly affordable. When you reduce the cost of an airline ticket to virtually zero, you have so many options. It opens up your budget so you can splurge on a special dinner on your trip or cut the cost enough to make that dream trip a reality.

You can also use your miles to upgrade to business class or first class, which means you can treat yourself to incredible lie-flat seats, fine wines and dining on your way to your chosen paradise. Also, points and miles are not an all-or-nothing proposition. If you only have enough miles for one airline ticket, you can still cut the cost in half for you and a loved one to head to Hawaii. This is especially key for families, where the price of four airline tickets may literally be the barrier to even being able to plan a vacation.

There are unique opportunities with airline miles as well, like United's Excursionist Perk , which means you may not have to choose between Spain and Italy on a European trip — you may be able to do both for the same amount of miles.

Related: TPG beginners guide: Everything you need to know about points, miles, airlines and credit cards

Bottom line

Would it be a bit cheeky to say that airline miles can make your travel dreams come true? Maybe. But there are reasons airline loyalty programs issue billions (with a "B") of miles every year. Customers with even a tiny bit of strategy can come out miles ahead when they use them — and by default that includes you, because you're here.

Points and miles can change your life, or at least your travel frequency and costs. They can open up the world and allow you to take more trips, visit more far-flung destinations, bring along friends and family or simply enjoy the good seats every once in a while.

With that being said, airline miles don't generally get more valuable over time, so don't hoard them for a retirement trip many years down the road and expect them to still be worth later what they are today. Big sign-up bonuses and lucrative bonus categories make it easy to build up enough points or miles now to redeem them for a flight quickly.

While airline miles aren't what they were in the early 1980s, they are now much easier to earn and easier to use in everyday life — which means even infrequent travelers can unlock an award trip to a destination they never thought possible.

Additional reporting by Ehsan Haque.

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Determining When to Use Points and Miles to Book a Flight

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Table of Contents

What are points and miles valuations, determining the cent per point value of a flight, covering a cheap flight with points, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Using points and miles to book your flights is great. Not only do you save money, but you can use your points to book flights that may not be feasible when paying cash.

Think about flights in Singapore Suites, Emirates first class, and ANA first class; more often than not, these flights cost over $10,000 if you were to pay cash, putting them far out of reach for the majority of us (unless you have a stash of points!).

However, there are still times when you may opt to book a ticket with money over miles. For example, if a paid flight is excessively cheap, you’d actually lose  money if you used your miles to book.

This is because miles are worth real money, and you should only use them when the price is right. In this article, we’ll walk you our method of determining if a flight is worth using miles to book. We’ll start out by discussing points and miles valuations and then dive into determining the cent-per-point value of a flight.

Let’s dive in!

The first thing you should do when deciding whether or not to book an award ticket is to find the cheapest way to book the ticket in question. If you have a stash of transferable points and airline miles, go through your stash and find the best transfer partners and award charts to use.

Hot Tip:  New to points and miles and don’t know where to start? Check out our beginner’s guide for a crash course on earning miles.

Additionally, find the cost of a paid ticket. You can use a website like Google Flights or Orbitz to find the price of a ticket easily — just search as if you were booking any other paid flight.

For example, say you want to book a flight from New York (LGA) to Chicago (ORD) and the average cost of a paid ticket is $175. You also have 100,000 Delta SkyMiles miles, 25,000 United MileagePlus miles, and 50,000 American Express Membership Rewards points.

United and Delta both employ dynamic award pricing, meaning that the price of award tickets varies based on the date of travel, passenger load, and other factors. So, the first thing you’d want to do is search both the Delta and United websites and find the mileage price of the ticket.

In this case, the mileage cost was:

• United MileagePlus:  10,000 miles
• Delta SkyMiles:  8,000 miles

Likewise, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to book the LGA to ORD flight for 9,000 British Airways Avios or  10,000 Avianca LifeMiles. 

Hot Tip: If redemptions are the same cost across multiple mileage programs, use whichever mileage option you value less. We’ll discuss mileage valuations later in the article.

For this example, it would make the most sense to book your flight using Delta SkyMiles as it has the lowest award cost. However, you shouldn’t book just yet.

First, you want to find the cent-per-point value of redeeming your 8,000 hard-earned SkyMiles for this $175 ticket. You can find this by simply diving the cash cost of the ticket by the number of SkyMiles required. The math looks like this:

$175 (cost of a paid ticket) / 8,000 SkyMiles = 2.18 cents per point

To us, this is an excellent use of points as we — per our monthly points and miles valuation — value Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents per point at a minimum. This is almost twice our assigned value, so we think it’s a great deal!

On the other hand, flights between New York and Chicago can be  really cheap — sometimes as low as $50 one-way. This would give you a valuation of only 0.625 cents per point, making it — per our valuations — not a great deal.

So the trick here is to always compare the flight’s cash cost to the number of miles required to book the flight. If it’s below your valuations, you should consider paying cash. On the other hand, you may want to use points if you get a value that’s at or above your assigned valuations.

But how do you determine the value of your points? We’ll discuss in the next section of this article.

Now, there are a couple of ways you can assign values to your miles and points: the easy way and the hard way. Here’s an in-depth look at how you can use both of these valuation methods to assign values to your credit card points, airline miles, and hotel points.

The Easy Way to Valuate Your Points

Here at Upgraded Points, our staff pays constant attention to the happenings of the miles and points world. We meticulously track each new devaluation, change in terms and conditions, and promotion that pops up amongst all of the major airline, credit card, and hotel loyalty programs.

Because of this, we publish a monthly points valuation article that shows our up-to-date valuations of all the major points programs.

We found our initial valuations by making a handful of redemptions — some domestic economy, some business class international, and more — with each points currency and calculated the average value of all points.

Then, each month we adjust our initial valuations to reflect changes in award charts, new routes, general award availability, and other news surrounding the points currency in question. We even outline our reasoning for these changes in the Movers section of the valuations article .

So, the easy way to determine the value of your points is to simply refer to our valuations guide. We think our valuations give a good baseline for determining the value of your points and can help guide you towards getting the best value when you redeem your miles.

The Harder Way to Value Your Points

Alternatively, you can figure your own points and miles valuations.

There are a few ways to do this, but our personal favorite is by finding 3 (or more) types of redemptions you make the most, figuring their cent-per-point value, and then averaging these values together. The more redemptions you add, the more accurate your valuations become.

Here’s a quick example we developed for United MileagePlus miles:

• Domestic short-haul economy ticket: 1.1 cents per point
• International long-haul business class ticket (U.S. to Europe): 3.1 cents per point
• International long-haul economy class ticket (U.S. to Asia): 1.45 cents per point

In this case, you’d have a 1.83 cent per point value assigned to your United MileagePlus miles.

This is relatively easy to do with airline miles and hotel points, but it gets more difficult with transferable points currencies due to their vast number of transfer partners.

To find valuations for transferable points currencies, you can perform the above exercise with all of a program’s transfer partners, or just the partners you think you’ll use the most.

Then, take other factors into account like the cent-per-point valuation for redeeming towards paid flights and cash-back.

Of course, you’re free to modify these valuations to your liking, too. You may want to tweak the calculated value for redemption flexibility, the ease in which you can cancel award tickets, and the ease of booking online. There’s no set valuation for these factors, so you should figure out how much they mean to you.

What happens when you find a flight you want to book, but it’s a bad use of airline points?

Aside from paying for the ticket with cash, you can also use the Chase Travel Portal or Citi ThankYou Travel Portal to book your flight. In short, these travel booking portals let you use your credit cards at a fixed cent-per-point rate to book paid travel.

Chase Travel Portal

Citi ThankYou Travel Portal

As you can see, these portals still offer less value than our points valuations. However, in some cases, they’re a better deal than if you were to book a cheap ticket using transfer partners. Make sure to compare your options before you book to see what booking method offers the best deal.

Since these portals process redemptions as paid tickets, you’ll still earn airline miles when you fly.

Hot Tip: Make sure to add a frequent flyer number to all redemptions made through credit card travel portals to take advantage of earning airline miles.

Using the Chase Travel Portal

Using the Chase Travel Portal is a super-easy way to redeem your Ultimate Rewards points towards paid travel. Here’s a look at how to book an airline ticket using the portal.

•  All flight options will be presented in the middle of the screen. You can view the points cost to the right of the flight’s info alongside the cash cost of the flight. When you find a flight you like, click the  Select button and you’ll be taken through the booking process.

And that’s all there is to it! You’ll be able to use points to cover all or part of your flight in the Chase Travel Portal, so this also makes for a good way to use up small amounts of points if you plan on closing a Chase credit card .

Using the Citi ThankYou Travel Portal

The Citi ThankYou Travel Portal is remarkably similar to the Chase Travel Portal. It’s just as easy to use, and the booking process feels a lot similar. Here’s a look at how to use your ThankYou points to book a paid flight through the portal.

• Now, you can search through available flights. Like on the Chase Travel Portal, all flight options will show their points and cash cost to the right of the flight details. You can book a flight by clicking the blue  Select button beneath the flight’s pricing.

You can use your points to cover some or all of a paid ticket through the Citi ThankYou Travel Portal. Just note that you  must use your Citi card to pay the remainder of the flight ticket if you opt for partial payment with points — other cards are not accepted.

A Word on AmexTravel.com and the Capital One Travel Portal

It’s worth noting that American Express and Capital One have their own travel portals too. However, they’re not usually a great deal .

Unlike Chase and Citi, all Capital One cards can only redeem flights at 1.0 cents per point through the Capital One travel portal . This isn’t a great use of points, so we highly recommend using other points (or cash) to cover low-cost paid tickets. Then, consider using one of Capital One’s awesome transfer partners to get more value from your Capital One miles.

On the Amex side of things, there are only 2 instances in which we’d recommend using Membership Rewards points to cover airfare booked with AmexTravel.com .

The first is if you have The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express . This card has a 35% points rebate on some flights booked through the AmexTravel.com portal, so you effectively get 1.35 cents per point in value through AmexTravel.com. To put this into perspective, a $100 flight would cost 7,407 points with this card.

Something to note about this benefit is that the points (35% of the redemption) are rebated to your account within a few weeks of the redemption. Unfortunately, this means you need to have enough Membership Rewards points in your account to cover the transaction at 1.0 cents per point at the time of booking.

Also, remember how we said “some” flights when explaining the feature? You can only use this benefit on 1 airline of your choosing OR when booking a first or business class ticket. So if your airline of choice is United Airlines and you want to book an economy ticket with American Airlines, you can only redeem at 1.0 cents per point.

You can choose this airline annually in the Airline Benefit  section of your card’s Benefits  screen.

In this article, we showed you how to determine if a flight is worth booking with points.

As a general rule of thumb, always find the cent-per-point value of a redemption of a flight before you book with points. Only book a flight if the value meets or exceeds your mileage valuation — if it doesn’t, consider paying cash or using an alternative method of booking your flight.

Let us know how you determine your personal point valuations in the comments — we’re excited to hear from you!

The information for the Citi Prestige ® Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can i find sample points valuations.

You can view our sample points valuations on our monthly points valuations guide . We keep this guide updated monthly, so you can be sure the valuations are accurate.

What are Citi ThankYou Points worth?

We value Citi ThankYou points at 1.6 cents per point when utilizing transfer partners.

How much are Chase Ultimate Rewards points worth?

We value Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 1.95 cents per point when utilizing various transfer partners.

How much are Amex Membership Rewards points worth?

We value Amex Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents per point when utilizing Amex transfer partners.

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About Andrew Kunesh

Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.

He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.

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Award Travel

Use your miles to travel to 1,000+ destinations around the world with Delta and our partners. You can book Award Travel for yourself or for someone else – even if you’re not flying with them. And there are no blackout dates on any Delta Air Lines flight.

• Select ' Book ' at delta.com or in the Fly Delta app
• Check the box next to "Shop with Miles" on delta.com or "Show Price in Miles" on the app
• Enter your flight preferences and select ‘Find Flights’
• Our flexible Award calendar shows the lowest price options for the dates you select
• Choose your flight(s), complete your purchase and you’re on your way 

GET THE MOST OUT OF AWARD TRAVEL:

• Earn MQDs toward your next Medallion Status tier with Award Travel on Delta and our partners (excluding Basic Economy fares)
• We've made it easy for you to find the best deals for your miles by compiling all of our latest SkyMiles Deals 
• Follow #SkyMilesLife on Instagram to explore real experiences from your fellow SkyMiles Members and get inspired for your next adventure
• Miles can be redeemed toward travel on Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection carriers and on 30+ partner airlines 
• Book different experiences on the outbound and return flights – Relax in Delta Comfort+® on the way to your destination and fly home in Delta One® to return rested and refreshed
• Earn a Bonus Miles welcome offer with select Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards. Plus, eligible Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes or fees. Terms apply.
• Award Travel flight miles flown (excluding Basic Economy fares) will count toward your total Million Miler balance

See if Award Travel or other fees apply to your ticket. All fees are non-refundable.

*Changes to origin, destination, routing, date and time are permitted except for Basic Economy tickets, and the mileage difference (and any applicable taxes) for the new Award ticket will apply. For travel originating from the United States and Canada to anywhere in the world (including flights operated by joint venture and codeshare partners), Members may change or cancel Award tickets for travel without a redeposit or change fee, excluding Basic Economy fares. For some travel originating outside the United States and Canada, Basic Economy Award ticket restrictions will vary and may be non-cancelable or may be changeable for a fee. For details, visit our Baggage & Travel Fees page .

Mileage difference, taxes and fees apply for any changes. Changes to Pay with Miles tickets are determined by the fare rules of the ticket purchased.

Mileage Upgrade Awards may be surrendered or cancelled any time prior to the scheduled flight departure time. Members may reissue or change a Mileage Upgrade Award prior to departure time. Taxes, fees and any additional collection is based on the rules of the purchased fare.

Not applicable where prohibited by local law.

1 Charges may vary by country. Charges will only apply to tickets issued in select European countries and Members may be eligible for a waiver of the direct ticketing international charge upon request. Charges are waived for all other points of origin.

2 Basic Economy fares are not eligible to make same-day confirmed or same-day standby travel changes, regardless of Medallion or other elite Status. Same-day Standby and Same-Day Confirmed are limited to availability, and only available on domestic flights.

See what other taxes and fees apply to your Award Ticket .

Terms & Conditions:

Your SkyMiles account must have enough miles for the Award Ticket you are purchasing.

All Awards are subject to availability, and additional taxes and fees may apply. See Membership Guide & Program Rules for details.

Awards are subject to capacity controls. Awards may require higher prices depending on routing rules and restrictions. Exceptions to these rules may require additional mileage or taxes and fees. Travel to all destinations within region may not be available at lowest price. Not all countries within region are serviced by Delta and/or partner airlines. Taxes and fees for Award Travel are the responsibility of the passenger and must be paid at the time the ticket is issued. The payment of any taxes, fees, and other government-, airport- or carrier-imposed charges is the responsibility of the passenger. Award redemption requires payment of at least $11.20 in U.S. government taxes and fees for domestic itineraries and may include up to $600 for foreign government taxes and fees and/or carrier-imposed fees for international itineraries.

Award seats may be limited and not available on all Delta Connection flights. Offers and benefits subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply.

Award Tickets issued by Delta Reservation Sales over the phone, in person at a ticket office or airport ticket counter, may be subject to a direct ticketing charge . Charges only apply to tickets issued in select European countries and may be waived upon request. Charges are waived for all other points of sale.

In some cases, seat assignments are made automatically based upon your preference for a window or aisle seat, noted in My Profile . We will request seat assignments when traveling on an airline partner at the time of ticketing. Seat assignments may not always be confirmed at the time of the request. Contact the airline partner directly for seat requests. If your seating preference is not available, "NA" will appear in the "Seat Assignment" column of your itinerary. In this case, you will receive your seat during check-in on the date of departure or you can go to Itineraries to select a seat. We accommodate the seating requirements of customers with certain types of disabilities. This could result in the occasional need to change another individual's pre-assigned seat, with bulkhead seats being particularly subject to reassignment.

Travel with Miles on Partner Airlines

Book Award Travel through delta.com with:

• Aerolineas Argentinas
• China Eastern
• China Airlines
• China Southern
• Garuda Indonesia
• Hawaiian Airlines
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• Mandarin Airlines
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudia Airlines
• Shanghai Airlines
• Tarom Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Xiamen Airlines

Contact Delta Reservations for Award Travel on:

• Air Tahiti Nui
• Czech Airlines
• Kenya Airways

There are no blackout dates on Delta-operated flights. Blackout dates may apply on partner airline-operated flights and are defined by individual carriers .

Partner Airline Redemption for Members Residing in Japan:

Medallion Members or Delta SkyMiles Credit Card (issued in Japan) Members residing in Japan may redeem miles toward Award Travel on Skymark flights throughout Japan.

Routes/Destinations: Haneda, Kobe, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Naha and Ibaraki. Check flight schedule with Skymark Airlines , prior to submitting the request.

SEGMENTS AVAILABLE

• Fukuoka (FUK) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Haneda (HND) - Kobe (UKB)
• Kagoshima (KOJ) - Amami (ASJ)
• Kobe (UKB) - Ibaraki (IBR)
• Kobe (UKB) - Kagoshima (KOJ)
• Kobe (UKB) - Nagasaki (NGS)
• Kobe (UKB) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Kobe (UKB) - Sendai (SDJ)
• Naha (Okinawa, OKA) - Shimojishima(SHI)
• Central Japan International (Nagoya, NGO) - Kagoshima (KOJ)
• Central Japan International (Nagoya, NGO) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Central Japan International (Nagoya, NGO) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Fukuoka (FUK) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Haneda (HND) - Fukuoka (FUK)
• Haneda (HND) - Kagoshima (KOJ)
• Haneda (HND) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Haneda (HND) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Haneda (HND) - Shimojishima(SHI)
• Ibaraki (IBR) - Fukuoka (FUK)
• Ibaraki (IBR) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Ibaraki (IBR) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Kobe (UKB) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Kobe (UKB) - Shimojishima(SHI)

Skymark Terms & Conditions

• SkyMiles Medallion Members or Delta SkyMiles Credit Card (issued in Japan) Members, residing in Japan, may redeem miles toward Award Travel on Skymark flights throughout Japan. SkyMiles Medallion Members or Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Members cannot earn miles on their Skymark Award ticket. Supplemental card holder is not eligible for this offer. New Card Members are eligible to redeem miles for this offer after two months of activity on their card.
• Award Travel on Skymark is available on the segments listed above in Economy/Main Cabin Class in a booking class Skymark determines and currently on sale on the Skymark website. Travel must be booked at least 14 days prior to departure. Award Seats on Skymark are limited and may not be available on all flights or markets.
• Booking is available for travels through October 26, 2024
• February 2, 2024 – February 13, 2024 (for flights between New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS) and Haneda (HND), Ibaraki (IBR), Kobe (UKB), Fukuoka (FUK), and Central Japan International (Nagoya, NGO) )
• February 9, 2024 – February 13, 2024 (for all flights other than HND-CTS,IBR-CTS,UKB-CTS,NGO-CTS,FUK-CTS)
• March 19, 2024 – March 30, 2024
• April 26, 2024 – April 30, 2024
• May 1, 2024 – May 7, 2024
• July 12, 2024 – July 16, 2024
• August 8, 2024 – August 19, 2024
• September 13, 2024 – September 17, 2024
• September 20, 2024 – September 24, 2024
• October 11, 2024 – October 15, 2024
• Once your booking is confirmed, Delta will deduct the required miles from your SkyMiles account usually within 24 hours and a Skymark Confirmation Number with the flight details itinerary will be sent to the e-mail address provided when the booking was requested. If your ticket is not confirmed or additional information is needed, you will be emailed within 72 hours after the request is submitted. 
• You cannot check or view your Award Travel itinerary on Skymark website.
• A request response email of your Skymark award flight will be sent to the email address you provide on the online booking form within 72 hours after your submission of the request form. Skymark tickets are “ticketless” meaning no paper or electronic tickets will be issued after booking is complete. Once you receive the confirmation email, show the email to the Skymark check-in counter, and a boarding pass will be issued at the counter. 
• With your Skymark Confirmation Number, make sure to check in between 2 hours – 20 minutes prior to departure for your Skymark Award Travel at an auto check-in machine. If you do not meet the check-in window, you will not be able to travel on the scheduled flight. 
• Award Travel redemption on Skymark is not combinable with itineraries on any other carrier's flights, including with Delta or any other Airline Partner.
• Adults must enter their age as of the date of flight.
• Infant and children must travel with adult. Infant and children cannot travel alone. Infant is defined as a person of 0-2 years old and does not occupy a seat, and child is defined as a person of 3-11 years old.  The same award redemption level is required for children as adult. No miles are needed for infant not occupying a seat but only one infant is allowed to travel with one adult.
• One (1) infant must travel with at least one (1) adult. Please contact Skymark for more details about infant and child passengers.
• Waitlist is not permitted for Award Travel on Skymark.
• Upgrade is not permitted.
• Open-jaw travel is not permitted.
• One-way travel is permitted. One-way travel requires the same award redemption level as roundtrip.
• Return trips cannot be left open when making reservations. All flights must be confirmed before SkyMiles Award tickets can be issued. 
• Cancellation and changes are not permitted once the booking is confirmed. Redeposit of miles is not permitted. Award Travel has no cash value.
• If you miss a Skymark flight due to a flight delay or cancellation, Skymark will put you on the next flight with seats available only if you show a certificate proving the delay or cancellation of the original itinerary. If you do not use your Skymark flight due to a flight delay or cancellation, mileage will not be redeposited to your SkyMiles account, and Delta or Skymark will not provide a cash refund. 
• The number of seats available for this offer may be limited and are subject to availability.
• Passenger facility charges, fuel surcharge, security fees, any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the user.
• Redemption award level is subject to change without prior notice. Please refer to the Redemption Level for details.
• If you need any special assistance or arrangement, please contact Skymark. Please note that the special assistance or arrangement is subject to availability.
• An ID (Drivers license, Passport, Health insurance card, Student ID card, Basic resident register card, Resident card, Full copy of a person's family register, Abstract of a person's family register, Certificate of alien registration, War injury and sickness certificate, Mentally disabled person's certificate or Pension book) of the traveler is required when the customer checks-in the Skymark flight.
• Skymark terms and conditions apply .
• For luggage requirements and restrictions, please visit Skymark or contact Skymark.  
• Other restrictions may apply.
• Delta has the final authority in the interpretation of these rules.

Additional Terms & Conditions

Award Tickets on partner airlines may require higher rates or a Saturday night stay. Some airline partners impose a surcharge on Award redemptions for travel on their airline. These charges when applicable are the responsibility of the passenger and will be collected at the time of booking. Partner airline benefits are subject to change and subject to terms and conditions of each partner. Skymark operates on a Boeing 737-800.

If a flight is delayed or cancelled, Skymark is not responsible for ground transportation to/from the airport. Please visit Skymark , opens in a new window for details.

Food and beverages are not provided on Skymark flights. You can purchase soft drinks with 100 yen per drink or an alcoholic beverage with 200-300 yen per drink.

Book with Delta Vacations

Go Beyond the Flight with Delta Vacations. Your miles are now worth at least 15% more* to every destination at any time when you use them toward a Delta Vacations package booked through Delta Vacations. Use your miles to pay for just a portion or your entire vacation. With Delta Vacations you can choose from flights, expertly curated stays, rides and activities all over the world all in one place. Plus, you will still earn miles as you redeem them! 

• Visit Delta Vacations to customize your vacation package
• Enter your SkyMiles number
• During the “Review & Purchase” step, choose miles as your payment type. Keep in mind, only one SkyMiles account can be used for redemption
• Enter the amount of miles to redeem. Your mileage discount should appear in the payment overview
• Select ‘Complete Purchase’ 

* As compared to the mileage value with Delta Vacations prior to July 10, 2023.

• You can use your miles for yourself and everyone who is traveling with you, as long as they’re on the same reservation.
• There is no minimum or maximum number of miles, no blackout dates, and you don’t need a promo code. 
• You can use miles on any vacation package type. 
• When booking online, you can redeem up to 999,999 miles on flight and hotel packages to any Delta Vacations destination. To redeem more than 999,999 miles, please contact Delta Vacations at 1-800-800-1504.
• All SkyMiles Program rules apply. To review the rules, please visit delta.com/memberguide . To review rules for Delta Vacations mileage redemption, please visit delta.com/vacations-usemiles .

You can now use your miles to book your next hotel stay or vacation rental when you book with Delta Stays.  

How to Book with Delta Stays  

• Log into your SkyMiles account (either on delta.com or the Delta Stays platform)
• Click the "Book Now" button below to launch Delta Stays
• Select "Pay with miles" when searching for your hotel stay or vacation rental 
• Search the available inventory shown  
• Make your selection(s), complete your booking and enjoy your stay

General Terms and Conditions:

• Delta’s online booking engine for stays is powered and serviced by Expedia and is accessible via delta.com, delta.com/hotels, delta.com/stays or directly at travelextras-delta.com.
• Standard Mileage Offer: SkyMiles® Members will earn two (2) miles per US$1 or equivalent foreign currency spent at travelextras-delta.com on the base hotel or vacation rental rate for a completed stay. Base rate is the cost of the hotel room or vacation rental property, before taxes and fees, charged at the time of booking. Taxes and fees, gratuities, room service, other incidental charges, and insurance costs are excluded from mileage credit. Miles will not be awarded on any portion of the stay paid for using miles.
• Mileage can only be credited to the SkyMiles Member if the name on the booking matches the name of the SkyMiles account provided.
• SkyMiles number should be provided at the time of booking.
• Only one SkyMiles number can be provided per booking.
• Please allow up to 8 weeksn after completion of eligible stay for miles to be deposited in SkyMiles account.
• If mileage credit has not been recorded on your SkyMiles account within 8 weeksafter qualifying activity occurs, please  contact us  and select: Request Refund or Miles > Mileage Credit > Partners
• Requests for mileage credit will be accepted up to 6 months from check out date.
• Stays completed prior to enrollment into SkyMiles will not be eligible for mileage credit.
• Hotel currency or status are subject to each respective Hotel guest program and may not be applicable for bookings made on travelextras-delta.com.
• Miles awarded are bonus miles, and do not count toward Million Miler Status.
• Unless otherwise expressly specified as part of a limited time offer (which is subject to the terms and conditions of such offer), spend on completed stays does not count toward Medallion Qualification Dollars.

Redeeming Miles for Stays:

• For certain pay now hotel and vacation rental properties, SkyMiles Members have the option to pay for all or a portion of their booking using miles earned through the SkyMiles Program.
• There is no minimum number of miles needed to redeem for a stay, but if you would like to book your stay using only miles, your mileage balance must equal or exceed the total of your booking.
• If you do not have enough miles to pay for your entire stay, you can split your transaction using both miles and a credit/debit card for payment. When prompted, enter how many miles you would like to use for that booking; the remaining value (after subtracting the miles used) will be reflected as USD and must be paid using a credit or debit card.
• You must be logged-in to your SkyMiles account to complete a purchase when using miles.
• You may not combine miles from two or more accounts on a single transaction. Miles used may only come from one SkyMiles account.
• Miles will be deducted at the time of purchase from the SkyMiles account provided and will appear as “Delta Stays”.
• If permitted under the terms of your booking, refunds will be made to the original form of payment less any fees and charges, where applicable. If your booking was made using both miles and a credit/debit card, then the portion of your booking made with miles will be refunded as miles to your SkyMiles account and the credit/debit portion will be refunded to the original card used in the booking.
• If you change or alter your booking resulting in additional costs and charges, any charges must be paid using a credit card or debit card.
• Miles will not be awarded on any portion of the stay paid for using miles.
• Resort fees, gratuities, room service, and any third-party fees or charges, including those incurred while traveling, are in addition to the fees and charges of your original reservation and are not eligible to be paid for with miles.
• Delta reserves the right to cancel any stays bookings due to insufficient miles in your account, suspicion of fraud, violation(s) of the SkyMiles Program Rules, or termination of your SkyMiles account.
• Delta may change, suspend, or terminate the redemption program (including but not limited to any benefits and conditions of participation), in whole or in part, at any time with or without notice.

Miles + Cash

Don’t have enough miles for the flight you want? Available on select flights, Miles + Cash gives you the flexibility to pay for a flight using a combination of miles and dollars.

HOW TO USE MILES + CASH:

• Choose your flight
• Change the ‘Show Price In’ setting from “miles” to “Miles + Cash”
• Select your flight(s), complete your purchase and you’re on your way

Miles + Cash is offered worldwide only on flights operated by Delta, Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle. Remember, tickets purchased using Miles + Cash are Award Tickets and are subject to all the limitations of Award Tickets. They are not eligible to earn miles, and mileage purchases in Miles + Cash transactions are nonrefundable. All Award ticket change fees apply. In the event of ticket changes or cancellations, miles, including miles purchased as part of a Miles + Cash transaction, will be redeposited in the Member’s SkyMiles account.

Pay with Miles

Take a shortcut to your next adventure by using Pay with Miles*. Exclusively for Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members, Pay with Miles is a Card benefit that gives you more flexibility by taking dollars off of Delta tickets or allowing you to use miles when you don’t have quite enough to cover the full ticket. Not yet a Card Member and based in the U.S. or its territories? Learn more about The Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards  here . 

HOW TO PAY WITH MILES 

• Log in at delta.com
• Go to Book a Trip
• Select flights marked as “Pay with Miles eligible”
• On the ‘Trip Summary’ page, choose “Pay with Miles” and pay with miles, money or a combination of both
• After you make your selection, continue booking your ticket
• If you choose to pay for a fare with both miles and a credit card, use your Delta SkyMiles American Express Card to pay for the remaining ticket price

Not U.S.-based? You may be eligible to use Pay with Miles internationally if you’re a SkyMiles Credit Card Member in certain countries. Learn more .

HOW DOES IT WORK*?

Pay with Miles is an exclusive benefit for Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members.  This benefit allows Card Members to use their miles, starting at just 5,000 miles, to discount the price of Delta tickets.  Regardless of ticket price, a Card Member can reduce the cost of their ticket by up to $50 for every 5,000 miles. For example, redeeming 10,000 of your miles takes $100 off your fare, 15,000 miles takes $150 off, 20,000 miles takes $200 off, etc.

For example: a Card Member who currently has 22,000 miles in their SkyMiles account selects a round-trip flight from Atlanta, GA to Washington, D.C. for $250 total fare. By using Pay with Miles, the Card Member can redeem 20,000 miles to reduce the ticket cost by $200. The Card Member would then pay $50 and 20,000 miles for the ticket.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no fee for using your Pay with Miles benefit.

As long as you have sufficient miles in your account, there is no limit on the number of times you can use your Pay with Miles benefit—use it as often as you like.

There is no cap on the amount of miles you can use. If you have enough miles, you can pay for your entire ticket price using miles.

Yes, you may use Pay with Miles to book someone else's ticket. You can use Pay with Miles for multiple tickets—you just need to have 5,000 miles per passenger available and they must be on the same itinerary.

If you do not have the minimum 5,000 miles per passenger available in your account, you will not see Pay with Miles as an option to purchase your ticket after selecting your flights. Pay with Miles is only available for Delta Air Lines (not partner airline) flights. You also must log into delta.com to see the Pay with Miles option.

Pay with Miles is a benefit of Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards where you can use miles to pay for all or part of the price of eligible flights. It is always available as a payment option on all Delta operated flights as long as you have 5,000 miles in your SkyMiles account. Pay with Miles always has a value of up to $50 per 5,000 miles for Card Members. Miles + Cash is a redemption option on Award Tickets offered to all SkyMiles members where you can pay for your flight using a combination of miles and dollars.

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The Ultimate Guide to Flying Business Class using Air Miles – with Photos and Examples

• Latest Posts

• Virgin Atlantic vs Air France: Which is Better? - August 21, 2023
• Virgin Red vs Virgin Atlantic: What’s Changed? - August 20, 2023
• Does Southwest Have First Class? Business Select Explained - August 18, 2023

In this guide, I will show you how to fly and to experience Business Class using air miles and without spending the thousands of pounds cash fee to do so.

(This post was originally written and published in November 2019 – but has been updated for Spring 2021)

We all have been a little green-eyed watching the Business Class passengers be leisurely whisked from the Business Class lounge, board straight away in the priority lane, and turn left at the plane door to take to their comfy seat. What many people don’t know is how possible it is to use air miles as either payment or part payment towards a Business Class seat in the plane, or how it’s possible to build up enough air miles for the Business Class cabin without even needing to board a plane.

If you want to exchange that cramped economy class seat and experience the exquisite luxury of flying higher up the cabin, then read on. All airlines are different, but many offer similar opportunities. Here on The Points Guru website, I tend to focus on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic for International flights and British Airways and Lufthansa for European destinations.

Both International airlines call their Business Class offering a different name.

• British Airways is called Club World;
• Virgin Atlantic is called Upper Class;

These are the names of the cabins to look out for when it’s time to book your flight.

Now you know the cabin names to look out for, let’s walk through how to earn the air miles needed and use those air miles to book your flights.

Earning Enough Air Miles for a Business Class Flight

The most obvious place to earn air miles is when you fly. This also tends to be the slowest. The average traveler can take up to 20 years to earn enough air miles for that Business Class experience! Who wants to wait 20 years for that luxury trip when we can reach enough air miles in a fraction of the time? Each airline offers different opportunities to earn and spend those air miles. Here I’ll show you some of the airlines, ways to spend, and how many air miles you need for an average return flight to New York in Business Class:

Earn More Avios with British Airways

An off-peak return flight to New York in March will cost 90,000 BA Avios (plus taxes, fees, and carrier charges). It’s a lot of air miles to earn just taking to the skies, but together with the BA Shopping Portal and other opportunities of earning those BA Avios points, we can get to the goal a lot faster. Here are some of those ways:

• 25,000 BA Avios – for taking out the BA Amex Premium Plus Card (and spending £3,000 in your first three months);
• 8,000 BA Avios – for switching your broadband to SSE;
• 8,400 BA Avios – for subscribing to The Economist magazine;
• 10,000 BA Avios – for subscribing to The Financial Times newspaper;
• Up to 5,000 BA Avios – for filling up your petrol at Tesco petrol pumps and exchanging your Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Avios through your Tesco Clubcard online account (as of January 2021 this is no longer possible. Tesco Clubcard points can no longer be converted to Avios Points)
• Up to 10,000 BA Avios – for doing your weekly shopping at Tesco and exchanging your Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Avios, again through your Tesco Clubcard online account (as of January 2021 this is no longer possible. Tesco Clubcard points can no longer be converted to Avios Points)
• 2,500 BA Avios – for taking out an ISA through Nutmeg;
• 600 BA Avios – for completing your first survey through eRewards;
• 3 BA Avios with every £1 Spent – for booking an Airbnb stay;

The list goes on. This list of just a few options – there are over 300 opportunities in fact – and this list alone can earn you around 55,000 air miles in one year. Often BA has special promotions where BA Avios rewards are doubled for some providers. Keep your eye on the deals, plus check back here or subscribe to our newsletter where we will keep you up to date too!

Sign in to your BA Executive Club and under the ‘Discover’ menu choose ‘Collecting Avios’ to be taken to the Shopping portal for all your BA Avios boosting extras!

Earn More Flying Club Miles with Virgin Atlantic

With Virgin Atlantic you’ll need 95,000 Virgin Flying Club Airmiles for that return flight to New York. Virgin also offers a number of ways to boost your air miles through their own shopping portal and credit card offers. And just like with British Airways you have the option of exchanging your Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Virgin Flying Club airmiles and reach your goals faster.

Here are some of the ways to turbo boost your miles:

• 15,000 air miles  – for taking out the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card (with any spend, even just £1, in the first 90 days);
• Up to 26,000 air miles  – for taking out a life insurance policy with Virgin Money;
• Earn 9 Airmiles with every £1 spent – on Virgin Experience Days;
• Up to 5,000 Airmiles – with a car rental booking through Avis;
• Up to 5,000 air miles  – for filling up your petrol at Tesco petrol pumps and exchanging your Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Avios through your Tesco Clubcard online account;
• Up to 10,000 airmiles – for doing your weekly shopping at Tesco and exchanging your Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Avios, again through your Tesco Clubcard online account;
• 500 airmiles – for completing your first survey through eRewards (within 2 months of joining);
• 3,000 airmiles – for taking out your first 12 bottle order from Virgin Wines (which also includes a £50 discount too);
• 8,000 airmiles – for taking out a Virgin Money Stocks and Shares ISA through Virgin Money;

Again, like BA, Virgin offers a number of ways to earn air miles and these are just a small selection. These offers alone would earn you 72,500 air miles alone in one year and would be over 75% of the way there to your goal. Sign in to your Virgin Flying Club and under the ‘Flying Club’ menu choose ‘How to Earn Miles’ to be taken to the earning page and find out all the latest deals, offers, and airmiles reward opportunities!

Using Your Airmiles to Book a Business Class Flight

Once you have amassed all the airmiles necessary for your Business Class flight, you’ll need to know where to go to book up your trip! Virgin make this very easy to find, whereas within the British Airways website you’ll have to navigate through a couple of pages first.

Not to worry though, I’ll cover the instructions for both here

Use Avios to Book a Business Class Flight on British Airways

You’ll need to know where you’re looking to find the Avios point deals on the British Airways website. Unfortunately, you’re unable to search on the main home page and see both Cash or Avios prices.

Here is the step-by-step guide to finding those Avios Reward flights:

• 1 – You’ll need to log in to your British Airways Executive Club account
• 2 – Next hover over the Discover menu, and choose ‘Spending Avios’
• 3 – Scroll down the page to find the ‘Reward Flight’ section and click on ‘Book a Reward Flight’
• 4 – Here you will find a different booking search form – go ahead and search for a flight you’d like to use your Avios miles for
• 5 – BA will now show you the Avios miles needed for your booking – if you have enough for your journey, go ahead and book your luxury Club World (Business Class) return flight!

Use Flying Club Miles to Book a Business Class Flight on Virgin Atlantic

You’ll be pleased to hear, the search ability for reward flights is easier on the Virgin Atlantic website.

Here is the step-by-step guide to find those Virgin Flying Club reward flights:

• #1 Visit the Virgin Atlantic website, and choose your to and from destinations as well as your preferred outbound and inbound dates

#2 – BUT before you press the Search button you will need to click on the ‘Advanced Search’ option to expand the window and reveal the Miles option

• #3 – Select the ‘Miles’ option, select ‘Upper Class’ and now press the ‘Search’ button.
• #4 – Virgin will now show you the Flying Club miles needed for your booking – if you have enough for your journey, go ahead and book your luxury Upper Class (Business Class) return flight!

Using Miles Plus Cash to purchase your Business Class flight seat instead

If you have decided to take that Business Class trip sooner than you had planned and haven’t quite yet accumulated enough Airmiles for the flight in full, there is the opportunity to use the air miles you have built up as part payment and pay with cash for the remainder. This is known as ‘Book and Upgrade’ by British Airways and ‘Miles plus money’ by Virgin Atlantic.

British Airways – Miles Plus Cash

There can be some great upgrades with Avios deals, even from an Economy flight to Club World, but the deals are sparse. You need to be flexible but if you can be it can be much cheaper taking a ‘Book and Upgrade’ with Avios option than a straight booking with Avios. The Avios only price for a Club World booking in the section above is 90,000 Avios plus £674.29 in taxes and fees – but in this example, if we purchased an Economy ticket and upgrade to Club World with Avios, it would cost just 43,200 Avios plus £816.47 in taxes and fees.

Although it will cost an additional £142.18 in cash, it will save 46,800 Avios! And to put this into perspective, purchasing 46,800 Avios direct with British Airways would set you back £815 (to purchase 50,000 Avios)

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to find this offer:

• #1 – You’ll need to log in to your British Airways Executive Club account
• #2 – Next hover over the Discover menu, and choose ‘Spending Avios’
• #3 – Scroll down the page to find the ‘Upgrade with Avios’ section and click on the ‘Book and Upgrade’ button
• #4 – Under the ‘Book and Upgrade’ option choose your flights and dates BUT make sure you keep the ‘Economy’ class selected (BA will show you upgrade potential to both World Traveller Plus and Club World cabins)
• #5 – BA will now show you the Avios miles and inclusive cash needed for your booking – if you have enough for your journey, go ahead and book your luxury Club World (Business Class) return flight!

Virgin Atlantic – Book Using Miles Plus Money

The number of available upgrade and reward bookings with Virgin generally exceeds the number available by British Airways. There are pros and cons of both membership programs but for now, we will focus on the job at hand – and paying for a Business Class flight using air miles plus money.

In order to see which Upper Class seats are available on a Miles plus money booking, and the latest prices, follow the below step-by-step instructions:

#1 – visit the virgin atlantic website, and choose your to and from destinations as well as your preferred outbound and inbound dates, #3 – select the ‘miles plus money’ option, select ‘upper class’ and now press the ‘search’ button.

Virgin will now show you the cash and Flying Club miles needed for your booking – if you have enough for your journey, go ahead and book your luxury Upper Class (Business Class) return flight!

Flying Business Class Using Air Miles: In Conclusion

There are a number of ways to achieve your business class seat. As we saw in the British Airways example, the cheapest and most efficient way of grabbing your business class seat isn’t always the most obvious. I’d much rather pay the additional £142 and save the 46,800 Avios! It’s a no-brainer! This number of Avios would come in handy for another adventure or used towards your hotel costs for your trip.

Search all options. It takes minutes. Look at the cash price and compare this to the miles-only price – then take both examples and compare them to the miles plus cash price. The end results can be poles apart!

Always look out for special promotions, deals, and flash sales. Those air miles you have collected can be stretched even further for some amazing experiences. Sign up for the airline’s newsletter plus sign up for The Points Guru newsletter where we’ll show you all those hidden ways to try and achieve your goals that are not always very well publicized.

Enjoy your Business Class experience!

About The Author

The Points Insider Team

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Table of Contents

American Airlines award travel

Partner airlines and oneworld award charts, earn miles with american airlines credit cards, american airlines miles chart, recapped.

When it’s time to cash in your AAdvantage miles for an award flight, you’ll want to understand how to make your rewards go further. Here's everything you need to know about American Airlines' miles chart to get the most out of all those hard-earned miles.

Before we dig into the details, one important caveat: The trend in U.S. airlines over the past few years has been to eliminate award charts entirely, opting for dynamic award rates that respond to demand. Sure enough, that time has come for American Airlines as well.

American has published a new "award chart" to give flyers an idea of where rates might start for certain routes and fare classes, but there are no guarantees:

Upgrade awards

For flights on American Airlines and American Eagle, you can also use miles to upgrade your cabin by one service class using a combination of miles and cash. Upgrade costs range from 5,000 miles to 25,000 miles plus $550, depending on where you’re flying and what class of ticket you’re upgrading from.

Note that upgrading from a full-fare ticket doesn’t cost in cash, only miles.

American Airlines award chart tips

When booking award travel on American Airlines, award prices are shown in one-way segments. There will also be taxes and fees imposed when you book award travel. These start at $5.60 for each one-way flight.

Expect to pay extra if the first/business class flight you book in the U.S. or Canada happens to be on an aircraft with lie-flat seats. We suggest checking the aircraft you’ll fly on before you book.

Since American Airlines is a member of Oneworld and has independent partnerships with various airlines, AAdvantage miles can be used to fly on American and more than 20 different airlines, which include:

Alaska Airlines.

American Airlines.

British Airways.

Cathay Pacific.

Japan Airlines.

Malaysia Airlines.

Qatar Airways.

Royal Air Maroc.

Royal Jordanian.

Sri Lankan Airlines.

Air Tahiti Nui.

China Southern Airlines.

Etihad Airways.

Fiji Airways.

GOL Airlines.

Hawaiian Airlines.

JetBlue Airways.

Silver Airways.

The chart below shows American’s award chart for Oneworld and partner airlines:

The prices of flights in miles are largely in line between the American and the Oneworld and partner airlines award charts. The partner chart also includes flights to the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Africa. Since American doesn't fly to these regions, it's nice to know that you can still use your AAdvantage miles to get you there.

Upgrade awards on British Airways and Iberia

You can also use AAdvantage miles to upgrade American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia Airlines award tickets, according to this chart.

Upgrades are only available on paid flights to the next cabin of service and will require a payment of any additional taxes and carrier surcharges. In the case of British Airways and Iberia, these surcharges can be quite expensive.

Whether you’re redeeming for an award flight or an upgrade, many of these tickets are within reach because American makes it easy to earn miles. A welcome bonus on a credit card offer can provide a nice boost toward earning miles for that award flight.

American Airlines partner/Oneworld award chart tips

When flying with partners, make sure your AAdvantage number is on your reservation and visible on your boarding pass. If needed, you can request missing AAdvantage credit retroactively .

Premium cabin award availability can be more limited; plan your redemptions far in advance to improve your odds of scoring a good deal.

» Learn more: The NerdWallet guide to AA transfer partners

American Airlines offers several credit cards to help you earn miles faster. Here are the annual fees and sign-up bonuses.

AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® (annual fee: $99 ): Earn 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $99 ): Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (annual fee: $595 ): Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® (annual fee: $0 ): Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® (annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $99 ): Earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.

Note that the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes with membership to American's Admirals Club lounges.

All these cards except the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® also offer a free checked bag on domestic itineraries with American Airlines, making them beneficial to loyal frequent flyers. Read our guide on how to choose between American credit cards .

» Learn more: Find the best airline credit card for you

American Airlines is just the latest domestic carrier to do away with a traditional award chart in favor of dynamic pricing.

Deals are out there if you're flexible, but more rigid travel plans mean you’ll likely have to cash in more miles.

The information related to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

on Citibank's application

1x Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.

70,000 Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Personal Finance

Best no annual fee travel credit cards for june 2024.

Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we may earn a commission from our partners’ links. This content is created independently from TIME’s editorial staff. Learn more about it.

Travelers are back in the skies and on the roads, airplanes are taking off full, and there is likely a good chance you’re planning to travel this year or thinking about it. Whether you’re heading off on a much-deserved vacation or just getting away for a weekend, you may be looking to earn rewards on your travel spending.

But most travel credit cards come with an annual fee. That might make sense for road-warrior business travelers who are on a first-name basis with the airport check-in agent, but what if you don’t travel as often? If you’re an occasional traveler, paying an annual fee might not make sense .

In this article, we’ll cover the best travel credit cards with no annual fee.

Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards: Summary

Best for thankyou points: citi rewards+® card, best for cash back on travel: card_name, best for hilton stays: card_name, best for united miles: card_name.

• Best for American miles: American Airlines AAdvantage® Mile Up® Mastercard®

Best for Delta miles: card_name

Our recommendations.

Citi Rewards+® Card

(Rates & Fees)

The Citi Rewards+® Card wouldn’t normally make a list of great travel cards, but it currently offers bonus points on some travel. Cardmembers can earn a total of five ThankYou Points on hotel, car rentals, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal through December 31, 2025.

If you’re invested in the Citi ThankYou Points ecosystem, the card is a must-have, not for its travel benefits, but for its point bonus on redemptions. The card offers a 10% rebate on point redemptions when you redeem your ThankYou Points. If you hold multiple ThankYou Point-earning cards and combine your ThankYou Points accounts, you get this rebate on any redemption, up to 100,000 points redeemed per year.

Here are the details of the Citi Rewards+® Card :

• Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
• Special offer: Earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025 (airfare is not included).
• 2 ThankYou Points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent per year at supermarkets and gas stations for first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter.
• 1 ThankYou Point per dollar on all other purchases.
• ‌ foreign_transaction_fee foreign transaction fee.
• ‌ $0 (Rates & Fees) annual fee.

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

If you want a no-annual-fee card that offers cash back on travel and are a Costco member, the card_name simply can’t be beat. The Costco Anywhere Visa offers 3% cash back on travel categories including airfare, hotels, car rentals, travel agencies, cruise lines and Costco Travel. You must be a Costco member to get this card, but if you’re looking for cash back on travel, few other cards offer as much cash back on as many travel categories as the Costco Anywhere Visa.

The one quirk of the rewards earned by the Costco Anywhere Visa Credit Card is that you earn your rewards as Costco Cash. Costco Cash rewards get distributed once your February billing statement closes in the form of a credit card reward certificate. This certificate must be redeemed at Costco for merchandise or cash.

Here are the details of the Costco Anywhere Visa Card:

• 4% cash back on the first $7,000 spent each year on eligible gas and EV charging purchases worldwide and then 1% thereafter.
• 3% cash back at restaurants worldwide.
• 3% cash back on eligible travel purchases.
• 2% cash back on all other purchases at Costco and at Costco.com.
• 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• ‌ annual_fees annual fee.

Hilton Honors Card from American Express

If your travel plans have you staying within Hilton’s family of hotel brands, consider picking up the card_name . The card earns seven Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar spent at hotel properties within the Hilton portfolio. And you’ll get Hilton points for your everyday purchases like gas and groceries. The card earns five Hilton Honors bonus points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations as well. The card is also a great choice if you’re planning to travel abroad as it does not charge foreign transaction fees.

Here are the details of the Hilton Honors American Express Card:

• 7 Hilton Honors bonus points per dollar spent at any participating hotel within the Hilton portfolio.
• 5 Hilton Honors bonus points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
• 3 Hilton Honors bonus points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
• foreign_transaction_fee foreign transaction fee ( Rates & Fees ).
• annual_fees annual fee ( Rates & Fees ).

United Gateway℠ Card

Why we like it:.

United MileagePlus aficionados wanting to pad their mileage balances without paying an annual fee should take a look at the card_name . The card earns two United miles per dollar spent on United Airlines purchases, at gas stations, and on local transit and commuting.

The benefits of the card_name don’t stop with earning miles. The card also offers 25% back on United inflight and United Club premium drink purchases. And the card offers essential travel insurance coverage such as auto rental collision damage waiver, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and purchase protection.

Here are the details of the United Gateway Card:

• 2 United miles per dollar spent on United purchases.
• 2 United miles per dollar spent at gas stations.
• 2 United miles per dollar spent on local transit and commuting.
• 1 United mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.
• foreign_transaction_fee foreign transaction fees.
• annual_fees annual fee.
• Member FDIC.

Best for American miles: card_name

Citibusiness® / aadvantage® platinum select® mastercard®.

If you want to earn American Airlines miles on your purchases with the airline, there may be no better card than the American Airlines AAdvantage® Mile Up® Mastercard® . The card earns two miles per dollar spent with American Airlines—an earning rate that matches even the airline’s most premium card_name , which carries a annual_fees annual fee. In addition to miles on American Airlines purchases, the card earns two miles per dollar spent at grocery stores.

The card_name has a unique feature among airline cards with no annual fee: The card can help you earn elite status with American Airlines. You earn one loyalty point for every one dollar you spend on purchases. Earning just 15,000 loyalty points in a year gets you Group 5 boarding privileges and a handful of preferred seat coupons. Once you earn 40,000 loyalty points in a year, you get AAdvantage Gold status, giving you access to complimentary upgrades.

Here are the details of the card_name :

• 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
• 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services.
• 1 AAdvantage mile per dollar spent everywhere else.
• Earn 1 loyalty point for every AAdvantage mile earned from purchases.

Delta SkyMilesR Blue American Express Card

Delta Air Lines flyers can earn SkyMiles without paying an annual fee if they hold the card_name . The card_name offers two SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases and at restaurants, plus a 20% rebate on in-flight purchases. The card does not levy a foreign transaction fee ( Rates & Fees ), making it a solid option for international travelers who prefer SkyTeam.

Here are the details of the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card:

• 2 Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases.
• 2 Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent at restaurants.
• 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards Comparison Chart

Our methodology.

To find the best travel credit cards with no annual fee, we looked at the offerings from banks, U.S.-based airlines, and the major hotel chains. To be included in our list, cash back cards had to earn greater than 2% cash rewards on travel. Co-branded hotel and airline cards needed to earn at least two points per dollar on purchases with the brand. In most cases, we found that holding the no-annual-fee card that aligns with your travel brand preferences will earn you the most miles and points.

TIME Stamp: Brand loyalty can be rewarding

If you are a Costco member, the card_name offers the best travel rewards across a variety of travel purchases. If you’re not a Costco member and want a travel credit card that offers the best rewards with no annual fee, go with the entry-level card of your most used travel brand.

The information presented here is created independently from the TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About page.

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Find the best credit card for you

Best family travel credit cards of 2024, unlock award flights, hotel stays and airport lounge access with the top family travel credit cards..

Family travel is a rewarding but complicated endeavor, and every family member you add to the trip increases the cost. However, planning ahead and using the right travel credit card can save you money and make your trips more comfortable.

The best family travel credit cards earn valuable points, miles or cash-back and offer benefits like airport lounge access that the whole family can enjoy. Here are CNBC Select's top picks for families looking to upgrade their next vacation. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best travel credit cards for families.)

Best family travel credit cards

• Best for no annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
• Best for domestic flights: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
• Best for lodging:   Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best for airport lounge access: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees )
• Best for fair credit: Citi Double Cash® Card

Best for no annual fee

Wells fargo autograph℠ card.

Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.

$0 annual fee

0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases

Regular APR

20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR

Balance transfer fee

Up to 5%, min: $5 

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Excellent/Good

See rates and fees , terms apply.

• No annual fee
• Solid rewards on broad spending categories
• 0% intro APR offer
• Get up to $600 cell phone protection (subject to a $25 deductible)
• Valuable welcome offer
• Access to My Wells Fargo Deals to earn cash back in the form of an account credit when shopping, dining
• No balance transfer offer

Who's this for?  The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card stands out for those seeking a no-annual-fee travel credit card as it has a long list of 3X bonus categories and earns transferrable points.

Standout benefits: The points earned with this card can be transferred to a growing list of airline and hotel partner programs, including British Airways Executive Club, Avianca LifeMiles and Air France/KLM Flying Blue. Having these various redemption options increases the value of your points as it allows you to take advantage of sweet spots with different programs.

[ Jump to more details ]

Best for domestic flights

Southwest rapid rewards® priority credit card.

Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming. 1X points on all other purchases

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

21.49% - 28.49% variable

5%, minimum $5

Foreign transaction fees

Terms apply.

• Southwest upgraded boarding on up to 4 tickets per year
• 7,500 bonus points on each account anniversary
• $75 Southwest annual travel credit
• 4 upgraded boardings per year when available
• $149 annual fee
• No special financing offers

Who's this for?  With free checked bags for all passengers and a family-friendly seating policy, Southwest is great for families, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card can help you save on your trips.

Standout benefits: This card can help families earn the Southwest Companion Pass more easily as the points from its welcome bonus count toward the 135,000-point threshold. Cardholders also receive a 10,000-qualifying-point boost every calendar year. The Southwest Companion Pass is valuable for families as it allows you to bring along a guest on any Southwest flight for the cost of taxes and fees.

Best for lodging

Chase sapphire preferred® card.

Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review .

• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠
• Transfer points to leading frequent travel programs at a 1:1 rate, including: IHG® Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy™ and World of Hyatt®
• Travel protections include: auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement
• No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
• $95 annual fee
• No introductory 0% APR

Who's this for?  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an amazing all-around travel card, but can be especially valuable for booking your hotel stays and other lodgings.

Standout benefits: The points earned with this card can help you book everything from an Airbnb to a suite in a luxury hotel. At a minimum, Chase Ultimate® Rewards points are worth one cent for statement credits and gift cards. However, your points are automatically worth 25% more when redeemed through the Chase Travel SM portal and potentially more when transferred to one of Chase's airline or hotel partners.

Best for airport lounge access

Capital one venture x rewards credit card.

Unlimited 2X miles on all eligible purchases, and 5 Miles per dollar on flights and 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booked via Capital One Travel portal

Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening

19.99% - 29.99% variable APR

$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review.

• Large welcome bonus
• No foreign transaction fees
• Up to $100 statement credits for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• High annual fee
• No introductory 0% APR period

Who's this for? The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is great if you're looking for a premium credit card with easy-to-use benefits.

Standout benefits:  This card offers generous airport lounge access, including unlimited access to Capital One Lounges , Priority Pass Lounges and Plaza Premium lounges. You can bring up to two guests to Capital One and Plaza Premium lounges and unlimited guests to Priority Pass Lounges. Better yet, airport lounge access benefits extend to authorized u sers on your card, and you can add up to four for no additional fee.

Best for fair credit

Citi double cash® card.

Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24

Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

0% for the first 18 months on balance transfers; N/A for purchases

19.24% - 29.24% variable

For balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening, an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies; after that, a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies

Fair/Good/Excellent

Read our Citi Double Cash® Card review.

• 2% cash back on all eligible purchases
• Simple cash-back program that doesn't require activation or spending caps
• One of the longest intro periods for balance transfers at 18 months
• 3% fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
• Estimated rewards earned after 1 year:  $443
• Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,213

Who's this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is perfect for families with less-than-perfect credit who don't want to bother with a complicated rewards program.

Standout benefits: Most cash-back credit cards and rewards credit cards earn 1% back or 1X points on purchases that fall outside of special bonus categories. With the Citi Double Cash , you get double the return: 1% cash back when you buy and 1% cash back when you pay. Over time this adds up and there is no limit to how much cash back you can earn.

More on our top credit cards for family travel

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is a rare no-annual-fee card that earns transferrable travel rewards.

• 3X points at restaurants
• 3X points on travel
• 3X points on gas
• 3X points on transit
• 3X points on popular streaming services
• 3X points on phone plans
• 1X points on all other purchases

Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases with the card in the first three months of account opening.

Notable perks

One of the best features of this card is its ability to transfer points to travel partners. You can transfer Wells Fargo rewards to these airline and hotel programs:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Iberia Plus
• Choice Hotels

If you prefer simplicity, you can still redeem your points for one cent each for statement credits, gift cards and travel booked through the Wells Fargo rewards site.

When you pay your monthly phone bill with the card, you'll not only earn 3X points but also qualify for cell phone protection . This coverage will reimburse you for up to $600 per claim with a $25 deductible (up to two claims per 12 months). It also has no foreign transaction fee, roadside dispatch, travel and emergency assistance and rental car collision coverage (secondary in the U.S.).

New cardholders also receive an intro 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months, then a variable 20.24%, 25.24% or 29.99% applies.

[ Return to card summary ]

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is a family-friendly airline card with more than enough benefits to justify its annual fee.

• 3X points on Southwest purchases
• 2X points on hotel and rental cars booked through Southwest
• 2X points on local transit
• 2X points on internet, cable and phone services

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

The points you earn from this card's welcome offer and spending on the card can help you earn a Southwest Companion Pass. On top of that, you also receive a 10,000-qualifying-point boost every calendar year. Anyone pursuing Southwest elite status will appreciate the opportunity to earn 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $5,000 you spend annually with no cap on the number of TQPs you can earn.

Every year, you'll receive two benefits that can offset the annual fee alone: A $75 Southwest travel credit and 7,500 bonus points. Experts value Southwest points at around 1.3 cents per point , which makes the annual bonus points worth roughly $97.50 in Southwest flights.

Every Southwest ticket comes with two free checked bags , no cancellation fees and no change fees, and with this card, you'll get reimbursed for up to four upgraded boardings per year. Southwest doesn't have assigned seats, so upgraded boarding becomes more valuable, especially for families that need to sit together. If you don't want to pack snacks for the trip, you'll receive 25% back on inflight purchases when you use this card.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a popular travel rewards card with useful benefits and a lucrative welcome bonus, all for an annual fee under $100 .

• 5X points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 5X points per dollar on Lyft rides through Mar. 31, 2025
• 5X points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025; max of 25,000 total points)
• 3X points per dollar on dining
• 3X points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
• 3X points per dollar on select streaming services
• 2X points per dollar on all other travel purchases
• 1X points per dollar on all other purchases

Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with many valuable protections, including  primary rental car insurance , trip cancellation and interruption insurance, purchase protection , extended warranty protection and baggage and trip delay insurance. On top of that, you pay no foreign transaction fee and for every card anniversary you'll receive a 10% points bonus based on how many points you earned the previous year.

You'll also have access to several statement credits, including up to $50 hotel credit for bookings you make through Chase's travel site. Cardholders can also register to receive six months of free Instacart+ membership (activate by July 31, 2024) and up to $15 back each quarter for Instacart purchases (through July 2024). You can also enroll to receive a complimentary DashPass membership for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.

Perhaps the best feature of this card is that it unlocks the ability to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to 14 airline and hotel partners. Chase has a long list of valuable partners including United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, Air Canada Aeroplan, World of Hyatt Hyatt and more. You'll also receive a 25% bonus when you pay for travel you book through the Ultimate Rewards site, which means you'll get a value of 1.25 cents per point. Occasionally, Chase offers discounts on gift card redemptions and you may be able to pick up Airbnb gift cards for 1.1 cents per point.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a top-rated travel credit card offering premium perks for a significantly lower annual fee than luxury cards with similar benefits. 

• 10X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel portal
• 5X miles per dollar on flights booked via the Capital One Travel portal
• 2X miles on all other eligible purchases

Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

$395 (see rates and fees )

The Venture X's annual fee is one of the easiest premium credit card fees to justify thanks to its straightforward benefits. Every year cardholders receive up to $300 in Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, which are worth at least $100 in travel.

On top of that, when you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® you'll receive an application fee credit of up to $100. Once through security, enjoy unlimited access to Priority Pass airport lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges and Capital One Lounges. You can add up to four authorized users for no additional fee and each authorized user receives the same airport lounge access for themselves and guests.

Eligible purchases are covered by the following travel and purchase protections:

• Rental car damage and theft insurance (primary)
• Cell phone protection
• Purchase security
• Return protection
• Extended warranty protection
• Trip delay reimbursement
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Travel accident insurance
• Travel and emergency assistance services

You can transfer the Capital One miles you earn with this card to partners like Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, Wyndham Rewards, Emirates Skywards and many more.

Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

The Citi Double Cash® Card is a no annual fee cash-back credit card with a straightforward rewards structure and useful intro APR offer for balance transfers.

• 5% total cash back on hotels, rental cars and attractions you book through Citi Travel (through Dec. 31, 2024)
• 2% cash back on all other purchases (1% cash back when you buy and 1% cash back when you pay)

Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. 

The Citi Double Cash is an excellent option for balance transfers because new card members receive an intro 0% APR on eligible balance transfers for the first 18 months, then a variable 19.24% - 29.24% APR applies. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer ($5 minimum) for the first four months, after that the balance transfer fee is 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum).

While this is technically a cash-back card, it earns cash back in the form of Citi ThankYou points . You can redeem these points at a value of one cent each for statement credits, gift cards, travel and more. You also have access to a limited number of Citi's travel partners and can transfer the points you earn with this card to Wyndham Rewards, Choice Hotels or JetBlue TrueBlue.

How do I choose the best travel credit card for my family?

The best travel credit card for your family depends heavily on where you want to go and what you want to use credit card rewards and benefits for. Some cards are great for airline redemptions, while others are better for hotel stays or cash-back rewards. Knowing your travel goals can help you hone in on the right choice for your situation.

Can you add family members to a credit card?

You can add family members to your credit cards as authorized users. However, it's important to understand the fine print because there can be an additional fee for adding authorized users and authorized user card benefits may be limited.

Is it better to use Visa or Mastercard in Europe?

Visa and Mastercard are both widely accepted in Europe and beyond. Both of these payment networks tend to be more universally accepted in Europe than Discover or American Express.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best travel credit cards for families.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Our methodology

To determine which cards offer the best value for family travel, CNBC Select analyzed over 250 major credit cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.  

We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back).    We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.  

For the cards that offered a rewards program, we considered consumer spending data f orecasts from location intelligence firm Esri to determine where U.S. consumers are spending the most money, like on dining and travel. We used this to help determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers. Since the value of a point or mile varies based on what they can be redeemed for, we also considered things like transferability and the ability to redeem for cash-back. 

When choosing the best family travel credit cards, we focused on cards that offer perks or rewards that make sense for families. 

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

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Best Airline Credit Cards of June 2024

May 16, 2024

How we Choose

There are plenty of factors to consider when deciding which airline card is best for you. First things first, you want to choose a card that is co-branded or at least partners with an airline that offers frequent service to your nearest (or preferred) airport. You should also have a sense of what you’re looking for in terms of card perks and realistically assess whether those perks align with both your spending and travel habits.

Best Airline Credit Cards of 2024

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best general airline credit card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for luxury travel perks
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best for unlimited miles on purchases
• Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card : Best for no annual fee
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for rewards value
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card : Best for Southwest Airlines
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card : Best for less frequent travelers
• American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® : Best for American Airlines
• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card : Best for Alaska Airlines
• Discover it® Miles : Best for airline miles flexibility

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Rewards rate

At a glance, overall rating, why we like this card.

The Capital One Venture card is one of the most flexible travel cards on the market. Not only do you earn a simple 2 miles per dollar on every purchase (no need to keep track of bonus categories), but the miles you earn are also extremely versatile.

Whether you prefer to book your trips through Capital One or any third-party provider, you can use your miles to cover the cost – and they’ll have the same value either way. Looking for even more options? You can also transfer miles to 15+ travel partner programs.

• Get a statement credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
• Use your miles to cover any eligible travel purchase from the recent past.
• The card’s $95 annual fee is not waived in the first year.
• The list of travel partners does not include most major domestic airlines.

Bottom Line

The Capital One Venture makes it extremely easy to earn and spend miles – and enjoy some travel perks along the way.

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Rates & Fees

The platinum card® from american express.

See if you’re pre-approved for this card using our CardMatch tool .

The Platinum Card® from American Express is an excellent choice for experienced travelers thanks to its earning potential and wealth of updated premium travel perks. While the issuer recently upped the annual fee to $695, the card now comes with a host of ways to recoup that value at home or around the globe. In addition, cardholders can receive 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in the first six months of membership. The Platinum Card offers up to $400 in travel credits annually (up to $200 in statement credits on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel – two night minimum stay required, and up to $200 in statement credits for airline fees at one qualifying airline – enrollment required), Uber cash credits, and credits for CLEAR® Plus, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Also attractive are status benefits for hotels, car rental, cruises, airport lounges and more, adding up to over $1,400 in potential value.

• This card comes with an extensive list of travel credits and premium perks.
• You can transfer points to a host of airline partners, including Delta Airlines.
• There is a limited amount of bonus categories.
• The $695 annual fee is steep for many.

For experienced travelers or those looking to make their dream vacation a reality, the Amex Platinum checks every box and provides generous travel credits and premium perks to help offset its high annual fee.

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Frequent travelers who want to experience premium travel perks will find it hard to pass up this travel rewards credit card. You’ll get unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights – all when you book through Capital One Travel. All other purchases earn an unlimited 2X miles. Plus, cardholders will earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The $395 annual fee is a bargain compared to other premium credit cards. And that price can be offset by the $300 annual credit for travel booked through Capital One Travel, as well as the generous 10,000 bonus miles you’ll get every year, starting on your first anniversary.

• Earn unlimited miles in all purchase categories
• No blackout dates, and miles won’t expire as long as your account stays open
• You’ll need to spend $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening to earn the 75,000 bonus miles
• Requires excellent credit

Frequent travelers will be drawn to the big sign-up bonus, premium travel rewards, and travel credits packed in this travel rewards credit card.

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card doesn’t charge an annual fee, but it still offers a competitive rewards rate in spite of that. The card offers 1.5 points per dollar on every purchase, and they’re super flexible.

You can book your travel on any website – whether Bank of America or a third-party – and then redeem your points as a statement credit to cover the cost. Eligible purchases include travel and dining bought in the last 12 months, which is a particularly long period for this kind of offer.

• There is no annual fee and no bonus categories to track, so this card is easy to manage.
• You can redeem points for any travel purchase made in the last 12 months on any site.
• Your points are worth less when you redeem for non-travel options like cash back.
• You can’t transfer points to any partner travel programs.

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card is super flexible for bargain-hunters, allowing you to book travel on any site of your choosing and still cover the cost with points.

• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 19.24% - 29.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

A classic pick for first-time travel cardholders, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers outstanding opportunities to rack up points. Most notably, the card currently has an 75,000-point sign-up bonus after you spend $4,000 in your first three months of card ownership.

Even better, your points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel in the Chase Travel℠  portal. That means your introductory bonus alone is worth a little over $900 in travel purchases. Add that to a solid rewards rate on travel and dining, and you’ll be globetrotting on rewards alone in no time.

• When you redeem your points for travel in the Chase Travel℠ portal, your sign-up bonus is worth a little over $900 towards travel.
• You can transfer points to a variety of travel partners at a 1:1 rate.
• This card does not offer some of the perks you get with other travel cards like a statement credit towards TSA PreCheck/Global Entry.

Frequent travelers will love the potential value of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Its lucrative sign-up bonus and points boost on travel redemptions make it a top choice.

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

If you’re loyal to flying Southwest, you can’t go wrong with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card. Its lucrative sign up bonus lets you earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months.

At $69, the Plus card also has the lowest annual fee of Southwest’s credit card offerings, accelerating your Rapid Rewards earning without breaking the bank.

• Each account anniversary, you’ll earn a nice 3,000-point bonus.
• All points earned with your card count toward Southwest Companion Pass qualifications.
• The earning rate is low compared to other airline cards.
• Southwest doesn’t fly to many international destinations.

Any Rapid Rewards member chasing the Southwest Companion Pass should definitely add a Southwest credit card to their wallet – and the Plus card is a great choice.

• Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 3,000 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
• Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
• 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

While the rewards rate on the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is not the most eye-catching, the card makes up for it by charging no annual fee and keeping rewards earning and spending simple.

You’ll only earn 1.25 miles per dollar on each purchase, but that means you don’t have to worry about keeping track of bonus categories or juggling which card to use for which purchase. And, you can redeem miles for any travel purchase on any site without sacrificing value.

• You can earn 20,000 miles (worth $200 in travel) after you spend $500 in the first three months – a really easy spend requirement to meet.
• Miles can be redeemed for any eligible travel purchase made in the last 90 days on any website.
• Other cards with no annual fee offer a higher flat rate of rewards on all purchases.
• Travel partners are limited, and there are no major U.S. airlines on the list.

The Capital One VentureOne is a solid no-fuss travel card, thanks to its straightforward flat earning rate and flexible redemption options.

• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card

While the base rewards are good, it’s the ancillary perks that make this co-branded Bank of America card a standout airline credit card – most notably, the free checked bag for you and up to six guests on the same Alaska Airlines reservation and the Alaska Airlines companion fare from $122 ($99 companion fare, plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year.

• The card touts a generous sign-up bonus offer.
• Alaska Airlines has a wide network of domestic and international partners.
• There is a $95 annual fee to hold this card, not waived the first year.
• You’ll need to at least semi-frequently fly Alaska Airlines to reap the benefits associated with this card.

There are a few easy ways to help recoup this card’s annual fee, namely, cashing in on the Alaska Airlines companion fare certificate anniversary offer (after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year) or taking advantage of multiple baggage fee waivers, so frequent Alaska Airlines flyers might find it’s a worthy addition to their wallet.

• Limited Time Online Offer—60,000 Bonus Miles!
• Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
• Get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
• Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases. Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases. And earn unlimited 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don’t expire on active accounts.
• Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.
• Free checked bag and enjoy priority boarding for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation, when you pay for your flight with your card — Also available for authorized users when they book a reservation too!
• With oneworld® Alliance member airlines and Alaska’s Global Partners, Alaska has expanded their global reach to over 1,000 destinations worldwide bringing more airline partners and more ways to earn and redeem miles.
• Plus, no foreign transaction fees and a low $95 annual fee.
• This online only offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Discover it® Miles

The Discover it ® Miles offers a decent rewards rate for a travel card with no annual fee, but its biggest draw is a unique introductory offer that teases incredible value for heavy spenders. At the end of your first year of card ownership, Discover will match all the miles you earned on the card.

After that, you’ll earn a more modest 1.5X miles on all purchases. But there’s no annual fee to eat into your rewards, and you don’t have to keep track of any bonus categories to maximize earnings.

• You earn the same 1.5 miles per dollar on every purchase you make.
• All rewards you earn will be matched by Discover at the end of your first year, effectively doubling your earnings.
• Discover does not have any hotel or airline program partners you can transfer miles to.
• You might not earn as much in rewards without any bonus categories.

The Discover it ® Miles can be a lucrative no-annual-fee card, especially in the first year. But after the intro offer ends, it’s harder to take as much value from the card.

• Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
• Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
• No annual fee
• Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
• 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% - 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
• Terms and conditions apply.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Comparing the best airline miles credit cards

Editor’s picks: airline rewards credit card details, best general airline credit card: capital one venture rewards credit card.

• Best features : You can really rack up travel rewards with this popular travel credit card from Capital One . The Venture Rewards Credit Card offers unlimited 2X miles on every purchase and 5X miles on hotel stays and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal (miles are currently valued at 2 cents per mile*). That means you can earn rewards from everyday purchases that you can use toward flights with a wide range of airlines, including over 15 partners that allow you to transfer points 1:1. You can also use your rewards for statement credits for other travel purchases.
• Biggest drawbacks : The current list of airline travel partners doesn’t include other large U.S. carriers. There’s a $95 annual fee not waived the first year ( See Rates and Fees ).
• Alternatives : The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card   offers a higher rewards rate in several spending categories, including restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets, at 3X points. Plus, you can earn a total of 10X points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal. While general purchases only earn 1X points, those who spend more in higher-rate rewards categories could do well.
• Bottom line : If you travel frequently but don’t always fly the same carrier, this general-purpose travel credit card might give you the most bang for your buck. That said, airline loyalists may prefer to go with a co-branded airline card.

Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for luxury travel perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

• Best features : The popular premium card from American Express comes fully loaded with luxury travel benefits, including top-tier travel insurance, perhaps the most comprehensive airport lounge access available and elite hotel perks like complimentary hotel loyalty status with Marriott and Hilton. However, the Amex Platinum card’s features stand out because they include one of the most valuable lists of annual statement credits on the market.
• Biggest drawbacks : The $695 annual fee is a big commitment, so carefully consider whether you travel enough to justify the price. You must redeem travel rewards through American Express Travel – and, unlike with many Chase credit cards, you won’t get a bonus for doing so. Some of the travel credits come with caveats that make them a bit tricky to track or maximize. For instance, the Platinum comes with up to a $200 Airline Fee Credit per calendar year but the credit can only be used at one select qualifying airline.
• Alternatives : The American Express® Gold Card comes with similar perks but at a lower annual fee.
• Bottom line : This card ticks off all the boxes for big spenders and frequent travelers looking for luxury travel perks, particularly complimentary airport lounge access. But the sky-high annual fee is tough to justify if you only fly a handful of times a year, rarely dine out and hardly ever stay at hotels.

Read our The Platinum Card® from American Express review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for unlimited miles on purchases: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

• Best features : This premium rewards card offers the best way to earn unlimited travel miles from Capital One, including an impressive 10X miles on hotel stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on Capital One Travel flights and a flat-rate 2X miles on all other purchases. Beyond rewards, the Venture X adds extra value to your wallet with high-end benefits like a $300 annual travel credit, complimentary airport lounge access and a credit worth up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
• Biggest drawbacks : The $395 annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ) is a bargain compared to other premium credit cards, but it might still be too much for some.
• Alternatives : While the Chase Sapphire Reserve® does have a higher annual fee than the Venture X, it also offers more in terms of redemption value. You’ll get 50% more value from your points when you redeem for travel with Chase (1.5 cents per point).
• Bottom line : This card is a great fit for travel enthusiasts with excellent credit who plan to take advantage of enough premium benefits to make the annual fee worth it but prefer streamlined travel miles.

Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for no annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

• Best features : There’s a lot going for this travel card, including considerable rewards and few restrictions – and that’s with no annual fee. For example, earn 1.5X points on all purchases. No annual fee means that you don’t have to track your earnings to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
• Biggest drawbacks : You won’t get a boost by redeeming points for travel through the Bank of America Travel center. If you redeem points for cash, your points are only worth 0.6 cents each.
• Alternatives : The Discover it® Miles card carries a similar 1.5X miles rewards rate on all purchases for no annual fee. However, less frequent travelers will also be able to redeem their miles for cash back without losing rewards value.
• Bottom line : If you’re committed to avoiding an annual fee, this general-purpose travel card is one of your best options so long as you’re all right forgoing fancy travel perks.

Read our Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for rewards value: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• Best features : Frequent fliers can rack up rewards pretty quickly with this solid general-purpose travel credit card from Chase. It offers 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 2X points on other travel purchases and 3X points on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs). Plus, you’ll receive 10% of your total purchases last year back as annual bonus points. All of these points can then be redeemed for 25% more value toward Chase Travel℠, or they could even be worth 2 cents apiece on average* with the right Chase transfer partner .
• Biggest drawbacks : The card’s $95 annual fee might price this card out of a frugal flier’s budget.
• Alternatives : If you have a tendency to spend heavily on travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a higher-end version of the Sapphire Preferred. Cardmembers receive a $300 travel credit that can be applied to airfares, baggage fees, and more. Yes, its $550 annual fee is steep but the perks could be worth it for some.
• Bottom line : If you travel frequently but don’t often fly with a specific carrier, this general-purpose travel rewards credit card will net you a nice return on flights  – and then some! But despite its broad appeal, travelers on tighter budgets may still prefer a no-annual-fee card. Everyday spenders may want to consider pairing no-annual-fee Chase cards with the Sapphire Preferred to squeeze more value from their rewards.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for Southwest airlines: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

• Best features : It not only earns 2X points on Southwest purchases (plus partner hotel and rental car bookings), but it also offers the same rewards rates for a few popular everyday purchases, including local transit (including rideshares), select streaming services and cable, phone and internet services. Luckily, yearly perks such as 3,000 bonus points and two EarlyBird Check-Ins can more than make up for the card’s $69 annual fee.
• Biggest drawbacks : Southwest doesn’t have airline partners, so the only rewards flights you can book are with Southwest.
• Alternatives : The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers a similar rewards value, and Delta’s expansive flight network may be a more attractive option to some travelers.
• Bottom line : The Rapid Rewards Plus is an excellent starter Southwest card if you’re not sure you’ll be able to take advantage of the higher-tier Southwest credit cards . But if you don’t fly Southwest often, don’t live near a Southwest hub, or mostly travel internationally, this card isn’t a match for you.

Read our Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for less frequent travelers: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

• Best features : This straightforward travel rewards credit card lets you earn 1.25X miles on general purchases without paying an annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ). Cardholders also earn 20,000 miles if they spend $500 in your first three months, which is equal to $200 in travel rewards. There’s no minimum to start redeeming rewards.
• Biggest drawbacks : Capital One is thin on major U.S. airline partners. You could conceivably earn more with the Venture Rewards Credit Card, even though it charges a $95 annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ). (Learn how to decide between the Capital One Venture cards .)
• Alternatives : Big spenders may find the Discover it® Miles to be a better short-term value. It matches miles earned at the end of your first year, and there’s no cap on how much you can potentially earn. When it comes to long-term value, you can redeem Discover miles for cash back at an equal 1 cent per mile if you don’t travel often.
• Bottom line : If you like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, but can’t stomach its annual fee or aren’t quite sure if you’ll travel enough to justify the charge, consider this card a solid alternative. That said, frequent travelers may be better off with a higher flat-rate rewards card or one with bonus categories that allows them to maximize earnings.

Read our Capital One VentureOne review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for American Airlines: American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®

• Best features : For no annual fee, you can earn 2X miles on both American Airlines and grocery store purchases. Plus, American Airlines offers one of the largest travel networks in the world, and AAdvantage miles (valued at 1 cent*) can be transferred to dozens of airline, hotel and car rental partners.
• Biggest drawbacks : Redeeming AAdvantage miles can be complicated; you’ll have to navigate blackout dates and award seats are limited.
• Alternatives : The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card also has no annual fee and doesn’t limit you to just one airline. Cardmembers earn 1.5X points on all purchases, which can add up quickly.
• Bottom line : While this is a great starter airline credit card for people who fly American Airlines, those who do not fly American or even live near an American hub may want to keep looking.

Read our American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for Alaska Airlines: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card

• Best features : There’s a rewarding limited-time online bonus that lets you earn 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days. You’ll also receive a companion fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each year on your account anniversary, (after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year).
• Biggest drawbacks : The card carries a $95 annual fee, so be sure you fly Alaska Airlines enough for the long haul to justify adding it to your wallet.
• Alternatives : With a slightly lower annual fee ($69 versus $95), the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card can help you earn a Companion Pass if you aren’t able to fly with Alaska Airlines often. However, it’ll take much more work since you’ll need to earn 135,000 qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights with Southwest per calendar year to be eligible for the airline’s Companion Pass offer (beginning Jan. 1, 2023). You’ll earn a 10,000 qualifying point head start each year as a Southwest cardholder.
• Bottom line : If you fly Alaska Airlines with a companion even once or twice a year, you’re likely to appreciate this card’s benefits.

Read our full Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for airline miles flexibility: Discover it® Miles

• Best features : You’ll enjoy a wide range of travel redemption options, including airfare, hotels, car rentals, travel packages, taxis and public transportation – and can even redeem miles for cash back (Discover it® Miles are worth 1 cent each*).
• Biggest drawbacks : On the flip side, you can’t transfer your miles to airline partners. This means the card’s value drops significantly after the first-year match compared to cards with transfer partners.
• Alternatives : Those who travel less frequently may prefer the no-annual-fee Capital One VentureOne card ( See Rates and Fees ) which earns 1.25X miles on general purchases and can redeem rewards through Capital One transfer partners .
• Bottom line : Anyone on the hunt for a straightforward, general-purpose travel rewards credit card should enjoy the Discover it® Miles card. But frequent travelers may get less mileage since miles cannot be transferred to airline frequent flier programs.

Read our Discover it ® Miles review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

What are airline credit cards and how do they work?

Airline credit cards are typically aligned with airlines to bring you rewards specific to that brand, although there has been a movement in the last year to offer boosted general rewards as well. Called co-branded cards, these products reward you for loyalty to that brand through in-flight purchases and tickets, as well as brand-specific benefits.

Keep in mind that you’ll want to pick a card partnering with an airline you’ll actually use, or there’s no point in earning all those miles. For example, American Airlines has a hub in Charlotte, while United has a hub in Houston, and Delta is based out of Atlanta. Where you live and go should factor into your decision.

“Airline cards are especially valuable when you’re loyal to a particular carrier,” says Ted Rossman, CreditCards.com’s industry analyst. “The miles you earn through a sign-up bonus and your ongoing spending can quickly earn you a free trip. Plus, airline cards often offer additional perks such as free checked bags and priority boarding. Many of them charge annual fees, but they can be recouped quickly. For example, a $95 annual fee equals roughly three checked bags. A family could come out ahead after just one flight.”

In addition to co-branded cards, there are general-purpose travel credit cards that partner with airlines for redeeming points or miles, such as Capital One Venture Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.

What is the difference between an airline credit card and a general travel credit card?

Though they are both handy for travelers, there are clear differences between an airline card and a general-purpose travel card. For starters, an airline card offers rewards for loyalty to one specific carrier or alliance whereas a general-purpose travel card partners with multiple airline brands. If your closest airport happens to be a designated hub for a particular airline, you might find that airline’s branded credit card to be the most convenient.

With an airline credit card, you can often earn boosted rewards on travel and in-flight purchases. A general-purpose travel credit card tends to reward for a variety of categories, sometimes even offering rewards for all purchases. More recently, airline credit cards have begun to reward for everyday spending in categories such as groceries, although it isn’t nearly as common as with general-purpose cards. General travel cards also offer benefits such as Global Entry or TSA Precheck credits, while airline cards might offer complimentary checked baggage, seating upgrades and lounge access.

Pros and cons of an airline credit card

• Travel value. The points and miles you earn can be put towards future travel, and they’re especially valuable when used to book business class seats. However, you’ll still be on the hook for applicable taxes and fees.
• Travel perks. Airline credit cards come loaded with valuable perks such as complimentary checked baggage, lounge access and priority boarding, as well as coverage for lost luggage and trip cancellation.
• Rewards are easy to earn. Depending on your spending habits, it’s relatively easy to rack up rewards. Plus, generous welcome bonuses give cardmembers a leg up on accumulating miles and earning status.
• Points can be difficult to redeem. Airlines sometimes restrict the number of seats available per flight for those booking with rewards. Blackout dates also restrict exactly when travelers can redeem points for travel, particularly during peak travel periods.
• Loyalty can be limiting. If you have an airline-branded card, you’re limited to that particular carrier and its network of partner airlines. That’s why it’s so important to choose an airline that is convenient for you to fly.
• Perks often include caveats. While benefits like trip protection and lounge access can be helpful when plans go awry, some of these benefits come with a lot of fine print you need to be familiar with in case there’s a hitch in your travel plans.

Delta SkyMiles

While the SkyMiles program is forever moving the finish line with fluctuating point values and rules, its range of redemption options and lack of blackout dates make it a crowd-pleaser. The average point value is 1.2 cents, according to Bankrate*, and rewards don’t expire. There are more than 20 airline partners, so you can go pretty much anywhere in the world on Delta and its SkyTeam partners. Loyal Delta flyers and international travelers will certainly find a lot to love about this program.

United MileagePlus

The United program award tickets are one-way, which opens up your options in terms of how you choose to redeem. You can select seats in a different class in each direction; or you can travel out with a lesser Saver ticket when your plans are flexible, and with an Everyday ticket on the return with firmed-up plans.

You can use miles to request upgrades to a premium cabin, which allows you to benefit from free alcoholic beverages, as well as priority check-in, security line access, boarding, and baggage handling. The average point value is 1.1 cents each*.

Southwest Rapid Rewards

With this loyalty program of Southwest Airlines , flight options are primarily limited to domestic destinations which now include service to Hawaii. It’s also worth noting that its short-haul international service is rapidly expanding. Families with a tendency towards overpacking will appreciate the complimentary additional checked baggage.

Booking is flexible and there aren’t a ton of hidden fees. Southwest Rapid Rewards are, on average, worth 1.5 cents a piece*. While there are no blackout dates and one-way trips are permitted, it’s not the largest of airlines. Southwest currently serves about 120 destinations, and only 11 countries.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

OneWorld member Alaska Airlines offers travelers excellent value across the board, particularly in terms of earning potential, average airfares, and general service. Alaska is the fifth largest airline in the U.S. with a focus on West Coast service, underserved markets in the Pacific Northwest, as well as Canada, Mexico, and Central America.

By Alaska’s math, Mileage Plan members earn 30% more miles than with other domestic loyalty programs. While Alaska’s fees are on par with other domestic carriers, its flexibility around ticket changes and rebookings makes it a favorite among flyers. The average point value is 1.1 cents each*.

American Airlines AAdvantage

With about 350 destinations to more than 50 countries, American Airlines , with regional carrier American Eagle, is one of the largest airlines in the world. Its network of OneWorld partners makes it a strong choice for world travelers. The airline partners with OneWorld Alliance carriers as well as other partners.

While there’s the MileSAAver awards, which means you can book award flights at a low number of miles, there are downsides, such as some quirky rules and the need for flexibility when booking. American Advantage points are worth 1 cent each* on average.

British Airways Executive Club

OneWorld partner British Airways can eat up your miles, called Avios, but the experience is superior. There is a feature called Reward Flight Savers, advertised as the best value reward flights, which is available on return flights in Europe and southern Africa. Like other loyalty programs, you can use Avios to upgrade, for a hotel stay or getting a rental car. Avios points are worth 0.7 cents each* on average.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Flying to roughly a dozen countries, Virgin Atlantic is a 35-year-old British airline with a number of stops in the U.S. Flying Club, Virgin Atlantic’s loyalty program, offers dozens of partners, including Delta. You can redeem as few as 7,500 Virgin Points for a one-way flight through Delta. Other partners include KLM, Air France and other international airlines, as well as hotels such as Hilton and IHG.

The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Virgin Points are worth a whopping 2.6 cents on average*. You can also convert rewards into Virgin Points through some of the top card issuer programs, such as Citi ThankYou and Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Do airline miles expire?

When it comes to airline rewards, few things are more frustrating than seeing your hard-earned points and miles expire before you’ve had a chance to use them. Unfortunately, only a few airline rewards programs offer miles that never expire, with the vast majority requiring you to either earn or redeem miles within one or two years or risk forfeiting the miles in your account. In some cases, you can have expired miles restored to your account, but don’t be surprised if you’re asked to pay a reinstatement fee.

Here’s how airline point and mile expiration breaks down with some of the most popular airline rewards programs:

Who should get an airline credit card

• Airline loyalists . If you often use a specific airline, an airline card can deliver boosted rewards and superior redemptions.
• Frequent flyers . Want to earn lots of points or miles? You’ll earn more if you’re often traveling with your favorite airline.
• Big shoppers . Many airline cards have an annual fee, so you’ll need to plan on using your card enough to recoup the cost of that fee.
• Fine print readers . The rules of an airline rewards program can be tough to navigate, so make sure you are prepared to follow them.

Who should skip an airline credit card

• Last-minute travelers . Airline rewards programs often have blackout dates and seating restrictions, so airline cards may not suit the procrastinator.
• Balance carriers . If you carry a balance to the next month, you will incur interest charges, negating the benefits of rewards. If you are prone to carrying a balance, consider a top low interest credit card instead.
• Those who live far from an airline hub . If you live in a midsize city, the airline of your choice may not fly there, making it more difficult to earn rewards.
• Infrequent travelers. If there are only airline reward offered, it may be difficult to earn enough rewards to make the card worth your while.

How to make the most of an airline credit card

Consider how frequently you fly.

Simply put, if you don’t fly more than a couple of times a year, you probably don’t need an airline credit card. While some airline credit cards let you earn miles on everyday purchases, like gas or groceries, you generally get the most bang for your buck by redeeming for free flights. And while many cards have moved away from blackout or expiration dates on miles, you’re not likely to recoup the annual fee associated with most of these cards if you’re not cashing in your rewards each year or taking advantage of the ancillary perks a card entitles you to.

If your spending tends to vary, consider a general rewards credit card or a cash back credit card instead.

Identify your carrier of choice

If you do fly frequently, consider next whether you tend to do so on the same carrier. (That’s generally dictated by whether you live near an airline hub or a major airport serviced by carriers with a large flight network.) If so, that brand’s airline credit card could help you earn award flights more quickly, qualify for elite status and receive perks that let you travel in style.

If you’re more likely to fly on a variety of carriers throughout the year or you like to comparison-shop for deals across travel providers, consider a general-purpose travel credit card. We’re partial to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which offers 2X miles on general purchases and lets you redeem rewards as statement credits for a wide variety of travel expenses.

Account for a card’s transfer partners

Many general-purpose travel credit cards let you transfer your points to partnering airlines. Review their list of current partners to see if they’re in line with your travel habits. Transferring points is often a great way to get a bit more bang for your buck. Learn other ways to maximize credit card rewards .

Ask yourself if you check a bag

Most airline’s charge $30 for a first checked bag and $40 for a second, so if you frequently travel with a suitcase, an airline credit card that lets you skip that charge can save you money or, at least, cover a card’s annual fee before you factor in the rewards.

Decide if you’re looking for lounge access

Some premium travel rewards credit cards offer access to a large number of airport lounges, irrespective of brand. The Platinum Card from American Express, for example, grants cardholders access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, which includes more than 1,400 airport lounges around the world. The Chase Sapphire Reserve, meanwhile, comes with complimentary access to Priority Pass lounges in more than 1,300 locations around the world.

Are airline credit cards worth it in 2024?

If you travel frequently and tend to fly the same carrier each time, a good airline credit card could help you earn loyalty points (and, by extension, award flights) faster. They could also entitle you to benefits that make flying more enjoyable or cost-effective, like priority boarding, a free checked bag, elite status and upgrades, when available.

Although travel restrictions have relaxed compared to the past few years, it’s important to carefully consider how often you plan to fly in the future before deciding on whether to get an airline credit card.

Of course, if the card has no annual fee , we say it’s a no-brainer. While you’re waiting around for your next trip to roll around, you may as well be accumulating points or miles to fund future getaways. If the card has an annual fee, you should make sure that your estimated yearly rewards and perk value makes up for the annual fee .

When assessing whether or not an airline credit card is a good option for you, here are five things to consider:

• You plan to regularly fly with the same airline – If you live near a hub of the airline partnering with the card you are eyeing, that might be a good card for you. Also, if you find yourself often turning to a specific airline for your travel needs, this card might be the right choice.
• You will use the card’s perks – You’ll want to look at the travel features beyond just the miles offered. TSA PreCheck, free first checked bags, lounge access, cancellation insurance: These are a few of the features strong airline cards may offer.
• The perks outweigh the annual fee – There’s often an annual fee with airline cards, so you’ll need to assess whether the rewards and the perks make the card worthwhile once the annual fee has been charged.
• You have the credit score for the card – Airline cards typically require good or excellent credit (a FICO score of at least 670). There’s no point in applying for a card if you don’t have the required credit score, because applying will temporarily impact your score even if you don’t get the card.
• You can pay the full balance each month – If you get any type of rewards card, airline cards included, it’s important to make sure you can pay your balance in full each month. Otherwise, any earned points or miles are basically eaten by the interest you’d owe.

How we picked the best airline credit cards

Research methodology : We analyzed 148 airline credit cards to identify the best ones currently on the market. The major factors we considered in making our Editor’s picks include:

• Rewards rates : The best airline credit cards offer at least 2X points on purchases with their specific carrier. General-purpose travel credit cards might offer between 1.25X to 2X miles on all purchases.
• Rewards value : Not all miles are created equal. We looked at how much each mile was worth when redeemed for airfare. We also considered how much each mile was worth across additional redemption options, when available.
• Ancillary airline perks : The best airline credit cards offer extra benefits, like a free checked bag, priority boarding, automatic elite status, airport lounge access or more. Many offer travel credits for items like Global Entry or TSA Precheck . We weighted cards more heavily if they offered these types of benefits.
• Rates and fees : Many airline credit cards charge annual fees and, as a rewards credit card, they tend to carry higher APRs than low-interest counterparts. However, we still considered if these costs were reasonable relative to the category and the benefits each card carried.

Full criteria used : Rewards rates, rewards categories, airline alliance partners, other transfer partners, sign-up bonus, point values, redemption options, redemption flexibility, elite status, annual fee, travel credits, airport lounge access, miscellaneous travel benefits, rates and fees, customer service, credit needed, upgrade and downgrade options. For more detail on our review scores, see our ratings process for airline cards.

More information on airline credit cards

For more information on all things travel cards, continue reading content from our credit card experts:

• How do airline credit cards work?
• How to earn frequent flyer miles without flying
• How to get reimbursed from a canceled trip
• How to change travel plans booked with rewards
• Best credit cards for travel insurance
• Guide to airline companion passes
• Guide to airport lounges
• A guide to flying for people with disabilities
• Airline credit card reviews

* All values are based on Bankrate’s latest point and mile valuations .

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get an airline credit card with bad credit + –.

Typically a travel card requires good to excellent credit, and that includes airline and hotel credit cards.

If you have your eye on an airline card, but don’t have the needed credit score, look into getting a card that’s designed for your credit level and build your score. Although it’s hard to find an airline card available for a low credit score, there are several secured rewards cards that you can use until your score improves. At that point, you may qualify for a general-purpose travel card for fair credit, such as the Capital One VentureOne or the Credit One Bank Wander® Card .

How long does it take to receive my miles? + –

Once you’ve earned your miles, you would think you could access them quickly, but that isn’t always the case. The length of time for rewards to post to your account varies depending on the issuer:

• American Express. Within 72 hours of receiving the payment (or, up to eight to 12 weeks after qualifying for the welcome offer)
• Bank of America.  Rewards post right away, but may take until after the billing statement closes to be redeemable (or, up to eight to 12 weeks after qualifying for the welcome offer)
• Capital One. Rewards post within 10 days, but may take up to two billing cycles to be redeemable (or, within one to two billing cycles after qualifying for the welcome offer)
• Chase. Rewards quickly appear as “pending,” but may take until after the billing statement closes to be redeemable (or, within six to eight weeks after qualifying for the welcome offer)
• Citi. Rewards post within a few days (or, within eight to ten billing weeks after qualifying for the welcome offer)
• Discover. Rewards post within two billing cycles, but may take up to two billing cycles to be redeemable (or, within two billing cycles after qualifying for the first-year offer)

How do you earn airline miles? + –

Like other rewards cards, you can earn airline points or miles through airline credit card spending. You’ll typically earn rewards through airline or other travel purchases, although many airline cards also offer everyday categories so you can earn miles without flying . Some airlines also allow you to earn additional miles through airline loyalty and partner merchant programs connected to your account.

Check out our guides for the following airlines:

• Earning American Airlines miles
• Earning Delta Airlines miles
• Earning Southwest Airlines points
• Earning United Airlines miles

How do you redeem airline miles? + –

Airline miles can be redeemed through your credit card issuer or directly through an airline. When logged in to the airline’s website with your loyalty account, you’ll find that flights are generally listed both by their dollar amount and by amount in miles, or sometimes you may have to toggle between the two.

Miles redeemed through your issuer’s rewards portal can be booked for flights or hotels as well as other rewards such as cash back, gift cards, statement credits, or donations.

Can you transfer miles between airlines? + –

You can’t transfer points between frequent flyer programs in most cases, even if the airlines are partners. Partnerships such as OneWorld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam typically allow you to earn miles when you fly on one airline, and redeem those miles you earn for flights on a carrier within the same network. However, most of those airlines won’t allow you to transfer miles directly from one carrier to another, because there is no financial benefit to them for doing so.

But there are some exceptions to the rule. British Airways and Iberia share the Avios frequent flyer program. So while your points in each program remain separate and distinct, you can transfer them freely between the two.

Just because you can’t transfer points back and forth, however, doesn’t mean that you are stuck with a single carrier for life. Most airlines within the major alliances will allow you to use your mileage stash with that brand to book award flights on partner airlines. For example, an American Airlines frequent flyer can use AAdvantage miles to book a flight on British Airways, and the cost of that ticket will be based on the American Airlines mileage award chart.

About the Author

Tracy Stewart

Tracy Stewart is a personal finance writer specializing in credit card loyalty programs, travel benefits, and consumer protections. He previously covered travel rewards credit cards, budget travel, and aviation news at SmarterTravel Media. His money-saving tips have appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports, MarketWatch, Vice, People, the Zoe Report and elsewhere.

About the Editor

Jeanine Skowronski

Jeanine Skowronski is a credit card expert, analyst, and multimedia journalist with over 10 years of experience covering business and personal finance. She has previously served as the Head of Content at Policygenius, Executive Editor of Credit.com, Deputy Editor at American Banker, Staff Reporter at TheStreet and a columnist for Inc. Magazine.

About the Reviewer

Stephanie Zito

Stephanie Zito is a professional traveler, humanitarian and credit card points collector sharing savvy travel tips she has learned firsthand from more than 20 years of circling the globe as a backpacker, expat and premium traveler in more than 125 countries and all seven continents.

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American Airlines Backtracks, Will Allow Travel Agency Customers to Keep Earning Miles

Dennis Schaal , Skift

May 29th, 2024 at 3:23 PM EDT

American Airlines tried to drag an entrenched industry toward the airline's vision of a more productive distribution future. But the financial hit stung.

Dennis Schaal

Online and offline travel agencies had faced a July 11 deadline: That’s when flyers buying American Airlines tickets on certain booking sites would have no longer been able to earn AAdvantage Miles.

But American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said Wednesday that the airline has dropped the idea. It was part of an overall retreat in American’s direct-booking strategy as it faces softness in close-in bookings and a weaker financial outlook.

“Next month, we were going to differentiate who earned AAdvantage Miles and who didn’t, based on where they booked. That’s off,” Isom told investors and analysts at a Bernstein conference. “We’re not doing that because it would create confusion and disruption for our end customer, and we’re going to make sure that we take care. We’re listening to feedback.”

The plan had been that the airline would designate “preferred agencies” — who were required to book at least 30% of their flights through American’s New Distribution Capability — and customers of these online and offline travel agencies would have been able to continue to earn AAdvantage miles when buying tickets on these third-party sites.

Travel agencies that didn’t get the airline’s stamp of approval faced the prospect of losing lots of customers who would have had to book American flights on AA.com or a preferred agency.

The airline initially said it would designate preferred agencies by May 1, and later moved that deadline to July 11.

Travel Agency Reaction

Many agencies had no clue if they were going to make the cut.

Zane Kerby, president and CEO of the American Society of Travel Advisors, had fought the airline’s distribution policies, and applauded the airline’s reversal.

“I’m grateful for American Airlines’ renewed recognition of the essential role that travel advisors play in facilitating air travel for our shared customers,” Kerby said. “I want to extend my thanks to American Airlines CEO Robert Isom for acknowledging its previous approach was flawed. Reversing the decision to withhold AAdvantage points and miles for agency bookings is a testament to the firm position that travel agencies hold in the airline distribution channel.”

Kerby said he welcomed the opportunity to work with American Airlines on a “responsible implementation of its NDC program.”

When the news came, ASTA was coincidentally conducting it annual national conference in Dallas, in the airline’s Fort Worth headquarters back yard.

American hasn’t definitively given up on direct distribution, however.

“We’re learning and adapting,” Isom said. “We know that NDC, modern retailing provides a better experience for the end customer. And we know that we will get there over time, but we have to go about it differently. We’re going to make it easier, we’re going to execute better and we’re going to do a lot more to try to bring people along with us.”

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Tags: aadvantage , american airlines , asta , business travel , distribution , loyalty , ndc , new distribution capability , online travel newsletter , per diem

Photo credit: The tail of an American Airlines aircraft. Airbus / Airbus