There are lots of perks and benefits that comes with joining a frequent flyer program. This include the ability to earn miles redeemable for rewards such as free flights along with the benefits of extra perks when flying with that particular airline such as seat upgrades. While every airline offers there own special set of different perks, most of the common ones consist of:
- Complimentary Seat Upgrades
- More Airline Miles Per Flight and/or $1 Spent With The Airline
- Waived and Reduced Fees on Itinerary Changes
- Complimentary or Reduced Food/Beverage Costs During Flights
- Access To Airline Lounges
- The Ability To Choose Special Seats (e.g. Emergency Exit Rows)
And that's just a few of the benefits that comes with being loyal to a specific airline. I recommend checking out the benefits of a few airlines to see if what they offer appeals to you. If you like a specific airline, but don't fly enough to earn elite status, many airlines offer credit cards that grant perks and benefits that closely mirror having status. It's like a shortcut for those who don't find themselves on a plane several times per month. You can also choose to book airline travel through an online travel agency like Expedia, Priceline, or Orbitz. You will usually still earn airline miles with these bookings while also earning rewards points the online travel agency.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines offers two credit cards held by Bank of America. Both credit cards are identical and offer 3x miles on Alaska purchases as well as an annual companion pass and more.
Alaska Airlines Card Calculator
Alaska Airlines Business Card Calculator
Allegiant Airlines
Allegiant has one credit card offered by Bank of America. You'll need the Allegiant Mastercard in order to earn miles in the myAllegiant program. It earns triple miles on Allegiant purchases, offers priority boarding, buy one get one on airfare, and more.
| myAllegiant |
|---|
|
Allegiant Air Miles Calculators
|
| Credit Cards |
Allegiant Mastercard Calculator
|
American Airlines
American Airlines has a total of six credit cards consisting of two cards offered by Barclays and 4 cards offered by Citibank. Each card comes with it's own set of benefits. Some of these benefits include 2x miles on AA spending, free checked bags, and priority boarding. You can also acquire lounge access with the Citi Executive Card if you enjoy AA's lounges.
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Card Calculator
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business Card Calculator
Citi AAdvantage Executive Card Calculator
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card Calculator
Citi AAdvantage MileUp Card Calculator
CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select Card Calculator
Delta Airlines
Delta airlines has a total of 7 credit cards which consists of four tiers labeled blue, gold, platinum, and reserve. Each tier has a personal and business card version except for the blue. The Gold cards are great for those looking to save on baggage fees, while the Platinum and Reserve versions are great for those who primarily fly Delta and want a bunch of great additional benefits. The Blue card is great for those who want to earn SkyMiles without paying an annual fee though it doesn't feature all the bells and whistles of the other cards.
Delta SkyMiles Blue AMEX Card Calculator
Delta SkyMiles Gold AMEX Card Calculator
Delta SkyMiles Platinum AMEX Card Calculator
Delta SkyMiles Reserve AMEX Card Calculator
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business AMEX Card Calculator
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business AMEX Card Calculator
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business AMEX Card Calculator
Frontier Airlines
Frontier offers the Barclays Frontier Mastercard for those who want to easily build up their Frontier Miles balance. Along with earning miles, you can also earn Qualifying Miles towards elite status when running spend through the card. The Frontier Mastercard offers a whopping 5x on Frontier spend along with a bunch of other useful benefits for those who enjoy flying the airline.
| Frontier Rewards |
|---|
|
Frontier Miles Calculators
|
|
Frontier Miles Value
|
|
Frontier Airlines Partners
|
| Credit Cards |
Frontier Mastercard Calculator
|
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines has both a personal and business card offered by Bank of America. Both cards offer triple miles on Hawaiian Airlines purchases along with several other benefits such as a companion discount, free checked bag, and bonus miles with spend.
| Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles |
|---|
|
HawaiianMiles Calculators
|
|
HawaiianMiles Value
|
|
Transferring Rewards To HawaiianMiles
|
|
Hawaiian Airlines Partners
|
| Credit Cards |
Hawaiian Mastercard Calculator
|
Hawaiian Business Mastercard Calculator
|
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue offers three Barclays credit cards consisting of two personal cards and one business card. The JetBlue Plus and JetBlue Business Card are the best options for those who enjoy flying JetBlue and wants to maximize their earnings on JetBlue spend while also receiving a bunch of useful benefits such as free checked bags, point rebates, and the ability to spend your way to JetBlue Mosaic Status.
JetBlue Plus Card Calculator
JetBlue Card Calculator
JetBlue Business Card Calculator
Southwest Airlines
Southwest has four available credit cards which consists of three personal cards and one business card all offered by Chase Bank. These cards offer 2x to 3x Southwest Points on purchases along with other benefits such as anniversary points and the ability to earn Tier Qualifying Points on spend which can help you earn elite status and the Southwest Companion Pass was ease.
Southwest Priority Card Calculator
Southwest Premier Card Calculator
Southwest Plus Card Calculator
Southwest Performance Business Card Calculator
Southwest Premier Business Card Calculator
Spirit Airlines
Spirit's only credit card is the Bank of America Spirit Mastercard. This is the secret weapon to unlocking the true value of Spirit Miles for those who enjoy flying Spirit Airlines. With this card you'll earn double Spirit Miles on all purchases, be able to spend your way to elite status, and redeem miles for more than 1 cent each for short-medium haul trips on Spirit. I don't recommend flying Spirit or building miles with Spirit without having this card.
| FREE SPIRIT |
|---|
|
FREE SPIRIT Miles Calculators
|
|
FREE SPIRIT Miles Value
|
|
Spirit Airlines Partners
|
| Credit Cards |
Spirit Mastercard Calculator
|
United Airlines
Chase offers four United credit cards consisting of two personal cards and two business cards. The standard personal/business card is great for those who want free checked bags, savings on in-flight purchases, priority boarding and more. Those who want access to United Club can get the Club personal or business card which also comes with more benefits when flying United.
United Explorer Card Calculator
United Club Infinite Card Calculator
United Business Card Calculator
United Business Club Card Calculator
Aer Lingus
Chase Bank holds the only Aer Lingus credit card available to those in the United States. The card earns triple Avios on Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Ibera purchases, offers a companion ticket after running heavy spend through the card, and comes with priority boarding. While the card itself doesn't offer much long-term, the card offers a fantastic 100,000 Avios sign up bonus with heavy spend.
| Aer Lingus Avios |
|---|
| Avios Points Calculators |
| Avios Points Value |
| Transferring Rewards To Avios |
| Aer Lingus & Avios Partners |
| Buying Avios |
| Credit Cards |
Aer Lingus Card Calculator
|
Aeromexico Airlines
Both of Aeromexico's U.S. credit cards were discontinued in early 2020. This means that you'll need to use Aeromexico's transfer partners if you want to build up your miles in the Aeromexico Club Premier program. Luckily, AMEX Membership Rewards transfers to Aeromexico at a 1:1 ratio making it very easy to build miles in the program.
| Aeromexico Miles |
|---|
| Aeromexico Miles Calculators |
| Transferring Rewards To Aeromexico |
| Best Credit Cards For Aeromexico |
Aeroplan (Air Canada)
The Aeroplan program discontinued the only U.S. credit card in early 2020. The card didn't offer much anyway and the best option for those based in the U.S. looking to build Aeroplan Miles with Air Canada has always been through transfer partners. AMEX Membership Rewards along with several other programs can be used to earn Aeroplan Miles with ease.
| Aeroplan Miles |
|---|
| Aeroplan Miles Calculators |
| Transferring Rewards To Aeroplan |
| Aeroplan Partners |
| Best Credit Cards For Aeroplan Miles |
Air France-KLM
The Air France-KLM Flying Blue program offers one Bank of America credit card called the Flying Blue Mastercard. This hidden gem earns triple Flying Blue Miles on all SkyTeam airlines as well as bonus XP towards Flying Blue elite status and bonus miles when running spend through the card.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue Mastercard Calculator
Asiana Airlines
Asiana offers two Bank of America credit cards consisting of one personal card and one business card. The personal card offers triple miles on Asiana purchases along with annual lounge passes, bonus miles, and $100 rebate. The business card offers double miles on Asiana purchases along with two annual $100 rebates. Asiana does have any major transfer partners outside of Marriott, so these credit cards are your best options for earning miles on everyday spend in the Asiana Club program.
| Asiana Club |
|---|
| Asiana Miles Calculators |
| Transferring Rewards To Asiana Club |
| Asiana Airlines Partners |
| Credit Cards |
Asiana Airlines Card Calculator
|
Asiana Airlines Business Card Calculator
|
British Airways
Chase offers the British Airways Credit Card for those looking to earn British Airways Avios. The card offers triple miles across British Airways, Aer Lingus, and Iberia along with a companion pass after running heavy spend through the card. Like the Aer Lingus and Ibera credit cards they offer, the British Airways credit card is most known for it's 100,000 Avios sign up bonus with heavy spend.
British Airways Credit Card Calculator
Cathay Pacific
Synchrony Bank offers the only Cathay Pacific credit card for those based in the United States. The card earns Asia Miles at a decent rate while also offering complimentary elite status along with savings and discounts within the program. You can earn Asia Miles faster using transfer partners like AMEX Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards, but the card is great if you're looking to earn a quick sign up bonus or earn on non-category, foreign purchases.
| Asia Miles |
|---|
| Asia Miles Calculators |
| Asia Miles Value |
| Transferring Rewards To Cathay Pacific |
| Cathay Pacific Partners |
| Best Credit Cards For Asia Miles |
| Credit Cards |
Cathay Pacific Credit Card Calculator
|
Emirates
There are no Emirates credit cards available to those based in the United States, but that's not a problem since AMEX, Chase, Capital One, Citi, and HSBC are all direct transfer partners of the Emirates Skywards program. Building miles with the program is a breeze and Emirates offers great, top-notch flight products.
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard Calculator
Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard Calculator
Etihad Airways
There are no Etihad credit cards available for those in the United States, but earning miles is still a breeze thanks to AMEX Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards being two of several direct transfer partners of the program.
| Etihad Guest |
|---|
| Etihad Guest Miles Calculators |
| Etihad Guest Miles Value |
| Transferring Rewards To Etihad Guest |
| Etihad Guest Partners |
| Buying Etihad Guest Miles |
| Best Credit Cards For Etihad Guest Miles |
Iberia
Chase offers the Iberia Credit Card for those looking to earn Avios in the Iberia Plus program. It offers triple Avios per $1 spent with Iberia, British Airways, and Aer Lingu and also offers several other benefits. Like the other Chase Avios credit cards, it's better known for it's 100,000 Avios sign up bonus.
| Avios |
|---|
| Avios Points Calculators |
| Avios Points Value |
| Transferring Rewards To Avios |
| Iberia & Avios Partners |
| Buying Avios |
| Credit Cards |
Iberia Credit Card Calculator
|
Korean Air
Korean Air offers five U.S. Bank SKYPASS earning credit cards which consists of four personal cards and one business card. With Korean Air not having any major partners, these will be your best options for earning SKYPASS miles on everyday spend. The SKYPASS Select Visa Signature and SKYPASS Visa Signature aren't bad options if you frequently fly Korean Air and want to earn SKYPASS Miles directly.
SKYPASS Select Visa Signature Card Calculator
SKYPASS Visa Signature Card Calculator
SKYPASS SkyBlue Card Calculator
LATAM
LATAM has two U.S. bank credit cards that earn LATAM Pass Miles on everyday purchases. Both cards offer a discount on the first LATAM Airline ticket purchase of the calendar year which gives both cards some great value if you fly LATAM. Depending on the version you have, bonus points on spend, flight upgrade coupons, and annual bonuses are also some of the additional card benefits.
| LATAM Pass |
|---|
| LATAM Pass Points Calculators |
| Credit Cards |
LATAM Visa Signature Card Calculator
|
LATAM Visa Card Calculator
|
Miles and More (Lufthansa)
The Miles and More program offers one credit card which is the Barclays Miles and More Mastercard. It offers double Miles and More Award Miles across all Miles and More integrated airline partners along with lounge vouchers, a companion ticket, and 15% off hotel and car awards. It's a solid card to have if you frequently fly Miles and More partners.
| Miles and More |
|---|
| Miles and More Award Miles Calculators |
| Miles and More Award Miles Value |
| Transferring Rewards To Miles and More |
| Miles and More Partners |
| Credit Cards |
Miles and More Mastercard Calculator
|
Qantas
There are no Qantas credit cards available for those based in the United States, but you can still easily earn Qantas Points using transfer partners like AMEX Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards thanks to the 1:1 transfer ratio.
| Qantas Frequent Flyer |
|---|
| Qantas Points Calculators |
| Qantas Points Value |
| Transferring Rewards To Qantas |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer Partners |
| Best Credit Cards For Qantas Points |
Qatar Airways
Qatar does not have any credit cards for those based in the United States. If you're looking to earn Qatar Qmiles, you'll want to consider the Citi ThankYou Rewards program which transfers to Qatar at a 1:1 ratio and is the best option for earning lots of miles.
| Qatar Privileges Club |
|---|
| Qatar Qmiles Calculators |
| Qatar Qmiles Value |
| Transferring Rewards To Qatar |
| Qatar Airways Partners |
Singapore Airlines
Singapore does not have any U.S.-based credit cards, but since AMEX, Chase, Citi, Capital One, and HSBC are all direct transfer partners, this isn't a problem. You should easily be able to build your KrisFlyer balance using credit cards from these major programs. Out of these partners, AMEX Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards will usually be the best options.
| Singapore KrisFlyer |
|---|
| KrisFlyer Miles Calculators |
| KrisFlyer Miles Value |
| Transferring Rewards To KrisFlyer |
| Singapore KrisFlyer Partners |
| Best Credit Cards For KrisFlyer Miles |
Virgin Atlantic Airlines
Virgin Airlines has one credit card for the U.S. offered by Bank of America. The Virgin Atlantic Mastercard earns triple points on Virgin Atlantic along with bonus points and a 50% off second reward ticket based on spend. Virgin Atlantic Miles can also be earned using AMEX, Chase, and Citi's rewards programs which makes it easy to build your points.
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club |
|---|
| Virgin Atlantic Points Calculators |
| Virgin Atlantic Points Value |
| Transfer Rewards To Virgin Atlantic |
| Virgin Atlantic Partners |
| Credit Cards |
Virgin Atlantic Mastercard Calculator
|
FAQ
How do I calculate airline miles?
How airline miles are calculate varies by program. For the most part, you'll earn a certain amount of miles per $1 spent or mile flown with most programs.
How many miles does it take to get a free flight?
Depends on the airline. The low side of redemptions are usually between 2,500 and 12,500 airline miles.
Are airline credit cards worth it?
Airline credit cards are typically the best option for those looking for perks/benefits with a specific airline such as priority boarding, lounge access, and free checked bags.
Are airline credit cards the best option for earning airline miles?
Major bank rewards programs with transferable points are usually the best options for building airline miles and will generally give you more rewards per $1 spent than airline cards. They also offer better flexibility.
Should I get a co-branded airline card or a credit card with a bank rewards program with transferable points?
It depends on your needs. If you're looking to maximize your rewards, you'll want to probably consider the bank rewards program. If the co-branded airline credit card offers benefits or perks you want, you may consider the co-branded airline card. You can also grab up both as well.
How do I know which card offers me the most miles?
You can use the calculators on this site to find out which credit cards give you the most miles with any program covered based on your spend across hundreds of different categories.
