Do airline miles expire?

The answer varies from program to program. Here’s a look at the expiration policies for the major domestic airline programs: Domestic airline program Expiration policy Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles expire after 24 months of no qualifying activity. American Airlines AAdvantage Miles expire after 24 months of no qualifying activity. Miles don’t expire for primary cardholders of an American Airlines credit card or for members under the age of 21. Delta SkyMiles Miles do not expire. Frontier Miles Miles expire after 180 days of no qualifying activity. Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles Miles do not expire. JetBlue TrueBlue Miles do not expire. Southwest Rapid Rewards Points do not expire. Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Miles expire after 12 months of no qualifying activity. United Airlines MileagePlus Miles do not expire.

What are the best airline credit cards with no annual fee?

Airline cards that don’t charge an annual fee have limited features. But if you are more interested in earning miles and welcome offers and don’t care about perks like free checked bags, priority boarding or free lounge visits, a no-annual-fee airline card may be the answer. Top picks for no-annual-fee airline cards include: American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card United Gateway Card (not currently available through Bankrate) Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card JetBlue Card J.D. Power’s most recent credit card customer satisfaction study also included a survey that names the best co-branded airline cards. Winners in 2024 included the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card, which ranked highest in customer satisfaction among airline co-branded credit cards, followed by the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card. There aren’t many co-branded airline cards with no annual fee but a general purpose travel card — such as the Capital One VentureOne ( See Rates & Fees ) — could be a solid option for occasional air travel.

Are airline miles and credit card miles the same thing?

Co-branded airline credit cards earn airline miles that can only be used with that airline’s frequent flyer programs. General travel credit cards, on the other hand, earn flexible miles or points that can be redeemed on multiple airline partners or used for other travel purchases. You can also earn airline miles through a frequent flyer program without the use of a credit card. You can pool these miles with airline credit card rewards to maximize earnings.

Best Airline Credit Cards of September 2025

Compare Bankrate’s top-ranked airline credit cards

Card name	Our pick for	Card Highlights	Bankrate review score
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	Bonus value	5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2X miles on every purchase Flexible miles can be redeemed for statement credits toward eligible recent travel purchases or transferred to 15 airline or three hotel partners	5.0 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	Best flat-rate travel card	10X miles on hotel and rental car purchases booked through Capital One Travel 5X miles on flights through Capital One Travel 2X miles on all other purchases 10,000 bonus miles each year on your account anniversary and $300 Capital One travel credit can help offset the annual fee Flexible miles can be redeemed for statement credits toward eligible recent travel purchases or transferred to 15 airline or three hotel partners	5.0 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card	Overall Southwest card	4X points on Southwest purchases 2X points on hotel and car rental partners, local transit and commuting (including rideshares) along with internet, cable, phone and select streaming services Southwest perks, including a $75 annual travel credit, boost toward Southwest Companion Pass and four upgraded boardings each year	4.7 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card	Delta Air Lines perks	3X miles on Delta flights, Delta Vacations® and direct hotel purchases 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide (including U.S. delivery and takeout) Delta perks, including a renewing companion certificate, potential annual Delta flight credit, priority boarding, and more	4.4 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card	Best Delta starter card	2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, restaurants worldwide (including U.S. delivery and takeout) and on Delta purchases Delta perks, including a potential annual Delta flight credit, priority boarding, free first checked bag, discount on reward-booked Delta flights and more $0 intro annual fee the first year (then $150)	4.1 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card	Southwest starter card	2X points on Southwest purchases, Southwest hotel and car rental partners, local transit and commuting (including rideshares) along with internet, cable, phone and select streaming services 3,000-point annual bonus on your account anniversary, two EarlyBird Check-In boardings each year, a boost toward Companion Pass and other perks $99 annual fee	4.6 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card	Delta Sky Club fans	3X miles on Delta flights and Delta Vacations® Complimentary Delta Sky Club lounge access and four free one-time guest passes annually (then 15 complimentary Delta Sky Club visits per year starting Feb. 1, 2025)	4.2 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card	Alaska Lounge access	3X points for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines dining and foreign purchases 10% rewards bonus on all points earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.	4.5 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Bank of America's secure site
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Credit Card	Low-cost Companion Fare	3X points for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases 2X points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services, and local transit (including rideshare) purchases. 10% rewards bonus on all points earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.	4.4 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Bank of America's secure site

Researching the best airline credit cards

150+

cards rated

50+

rewards programs valued

1800

data points analyzed

40+

perks evaluated

We thoroughly rate and research the best airline cards based on key criteria to help you make confident decisions when choosing your next credit card. Learn more about our methodology below.

What makes a great airline card?

There are myriad factors to consider when choosing to apply for an airline credit card. Answer the questions below to see if this card is a good fit for you.

Strong flight coverage. Where do you live and where do you travel most? A great airline card for you will offer strong coverage in the areas of the world you travel most frequently. If you live in Atlanta for example, a Delta Air Lines credit card might work best for you, especially since the carrier flies nearly 1,000 flights a day from its hub. If you live in a larger city that isn’t a hub city but has plenty of daily flights, like Las Vegas, you can choose between an airline-branded card or a travel card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, that allows you to transfer points to 11 airline partners, including United Airlines.
A strong point and mile valuation. Bankrate’s valuation charts show how to calculate the value of points and miles. The higher the average airline miles to dollars values, the more valuable the points and miles. For example, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points are valued at 1.5 cents, meaning 50,000 points are valued at $750. Capital One miles are valued at 1.7 cents, making 50,000 miles worth $850. Many hotel programs are valued at under 1 cent per point in comparison, which is a poor valuation.
An airline status boost. While you earn points and miles with every flight, the best airline-branded credit cards let you earn even more miles toward your next elite status level. That leads to elevated earning rates, free lounge access and the chance to upgrade into premium cabins.
Helpful and valuable perks. Great airline credit cards come with additional travel features and perks that make your travel cheaper, easier or more comfortable, including a free checked bag, priority airport screening and early boarding.

Bankrate Insight

You can use comparison tools like CardMatch™ to shop for cards you may qualify for and review issuer offers to find one that works for you.

What airline points are the most valuable?

A Bankrate survey on credit card rewards found that nearly 1 in 4 rewards cardholders didn’t redeem any rewards in 2024. With the summer travel season approaching, now is a good time to ask if it’s worth having an airline-branded credit card in your wallet.

“Rewards points and miles are great, but they don’t get more valuable over time,” says Bankrate senior analyst, Ted Rossman. “Travel rewards can be more lucrative[,] but they’re more work,” Rossman continues. “Not everyone likes to travel or has the flexibility to travel on the optimal dates. It takes more effort to figure out the best travel redemptions.”

While your best travel redemption options change on a regular basis, here’s a breakdown of average travel program value based on Bankrate’s internal data:

Domestic airline program	Bankrate value*	Estimated value of 50,000 points/miles
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan	1.1 cents	$550
American Airlines AAdvantage	1.0 cents	$500
Delta SkyMiles	1.2 cents	$600
Frontier Miles	1.3 cents	$650
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles	0.7 cents	$350
JetBlue TrueBlue	1.3 cents	$650
Southwest Rapid Rewards	1.5 cents	$750
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit	1.0 cents	$500
United Airlines MileagePlus	0.9 cents	$450

*Based on weighted average of median point/mile values across economy and first/business class fares.

Flexible rewards program with airline transfer partners	Bankrate value*	Estimated value of 50,000 points/miles
American Express Membership Rewards	2.0 cents	$1,000
Bilt Rewards	2.1 cents	$1,050
Capital One miles	1.7 cents	$850
Chase Ultimate Rewards (premium cards)	2.0 cents	$1,000
Citi ThankYou Points (premium cards)	1.6 cents	$800
Wells Fargo Rewards	1.0 cents	$500

What is an airline credit card?

An airline credit card is a type of rewards card, often co-branded with a major issuer like American Express or Citi, that offers rewards and perks for people loyal to a specific airline. Typically, these cards earn bonus airline miles for purchases made directly with the airline and sometimes in other categories as well.

Airline credit cards earn travel rewards specific to an airline’s rewards program (such as Delta SkyMiles or Southwest Rapid Rewards points). The best airline rewards cards also routinely include perks such as access to airport lounges, priority boarding, free checked bags and more.

Airline credit cards vs. travel credit cards

Both airline credit cards and travel credit cards typically reward you with points or miles. But there are a few key differences.

Airline credit cards

These co-branded cards are tied to a specific airline and reward your loyalty with exclusive perks you won’t find with general travel cards. Typical benefits include free checked bags, priority boarding, companion tickets and even accelerated elite status. Unfortunately, airline card rewards aren’t as flexible since they can usually only be redeemed for plane tickets with that specific airline and its partners.
General-purpose travel credit cards

General-purpose credit cards are not tied to specific airlines. Although they don’t normally carry airline-specific perks, general travel cards are typically more versatile since they let you earn and redeem rewards with a variety of airlines and on general travel, including hotels, rentals and more. You might also be able to transfer your rewards to airline and hotel programs (sometimes at a higher value) or redeem your points or miles for cash back, gift cards and merchandise (though the value may not be as high as when you redeem for travel). Some premium travel cards also provide perks like complimentary airport lounge access, travel credits and trip protection.

Pros and cons of airline credit cards

Pros

Earning rewards: You’ll earn miles or points that you can apply to travel expenses or redeem towards future trips.
Extra perks: The best airline credit cards usually come with benefits that make traveling easier, such as lounge access, priority boarding, free checked baggage and more.
Loyalty benefits: With a co-branded card, your loyalty to your favorite airline translates to actual benefits.

Cons

No airline flexibility: If you have a bad experience with your airline of choice and decide to never fly with that carrier again, your co-branded airline card loses value. Your rewards usually won’t translate to other travel programs if your travel plans need to change.
Annual fees: Like travel cards in general, airline card annual fees can range from less than $100 to more than $500.
Fewer intro offers: Not many airline credit cards offer 0 percent intro APR offers for purchases or balance transfers, making them unsuitable for managing debt.

Learn more: Should you get an airline card?

Expert advice for airline credit cards

Airline cards provide the most value when used strategically with other cards and are especially useful for the travel-specific perks they offer, such as priority boarding, upgrades and companion fares. Holding an airline credit card while being a member of the airline's frequent flyer program can also help you get maximum value.

But you can’t set and forget your rewards with these cards. You’ll need a strategy to make the most of your airline card.

Here’s how one Bankrate expert chose their airline card

Senior Bankrate editor Nouri Zarrugh has had the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card for years and says he’s generally seen the annual fee as more than worth it thanks to the card’s valuable perks. But recent changes have him reconsidering.

Bankrate staff insights

The annual fee increase to $229, combined with the $75 annual Southwest credit perk going away at the end of the year, is making me seriously consider downgrading to a lower-tier card. When I add up the perks and rewards potential, the Priority card is probably still worth it. But the fee is getting high enough that it makes me a bit anxious. I’m not sure that I want to put in the effort to offset that cost and maximize the perks anymore, especially since I already have a pricey general travel rewards card.

Nouri Zarrugh, Senior Editor, Credit Cards

Ask the Experts

Which airline or travel credit cards do you have and why?

Ryan Flanigan, CCC

Writer, Credit Cards

Since I'm not loyal to any specific airline, airline cards aren't quite as important to me as co-branded hotel cards. However, I do have cards with United and Delta to get perks like free baggage and award redemption discounts. I prefer focusing on flexible points for my airline needs, but can definitely find value in an airline card when it offers enough perks to justify its value for me.

Andrew Kunesh

Freelance points and miles journalist

I have several travel credit cards in my wallet, but some standout cards are the Amex Gold, Capital One Venture X, and the Amex Platinum. I use the Amex Gold to earn points on my daily spending since it offers 4 points per dollar spent on dining worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. I transfer points earned with this card to Amex’s various transfer partners, like Air Canada Aeroplan and Air France-KLM Flying Blue.

The Venture X is another card I use for spending. It earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, so it’s my catch-all for anything that doesn’t earn bonus points through the Amex Gold. Capital One has some unique transfer partners as well, so it keeps my points portfolio diversified.

The Amex Platinum is a benefits card for me. I use it to access airport lounges worldwide, including the Centurion Lounges in my home airports of JFK and LGA. It also earns 5 points per dollar on flights, which has helped me rack up points over the years.

Maximizing airline rewards

Along with your card’s ongoing rewards rate in its highest-earning categories, a sign-up bonus or welcome offer from a new airline card could be worth several hundred dollars or more in travel costs. Keep track of your progress toward the spending requirement and start thinking about how you might use those bonus miles once you’ve earned them.

Make sure you use your card to book flights with your preferred airline and follow through making the most of those points by taking a look at Bankrate’s points and miles valuations.
Pair flexible travel and airline cards

If a general travel card has the airline you desire as a transfer partner, pairing it with that airline’s co-branded card can help you maximize your earnings. Let’s say you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. Because Southwest is a Chase travel partner, you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio. This way, you can rack up points to use for Southwest flights between both cards, using whatever card has a better earning rate, but you aren’t stuck redeeming with Southwest if you find a better award price for your Ultimate Rewards points elsewhere.
Travel off-peak

Some airlines restrict when you can use miles to book flights during busy traveling periods. On the other hand, they also may heavily discount award flight costs during off-peak travel periods. Keep track of these fluctuations in cost to maximize the value of your miles. Consider flying mid-week or in an off-season to save significant money.

Learn more: How I saved thousands of dollars on a trip to Australia with credit card points and miles

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

Frequently asked questions about airline credit cards

The answer varies from program to program. Here’s a look at the expiration policies for the major domestic airline programs:

Domestic airline program	Expiration policy
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan	Miles expire after 24 months of no qualifying activity.
American Airlines AAdvantage	Miles expire after 24 months of no qualifying activity. Miles don’t expire for primary cardholders of an American Airlines credit card or for members under the age of 21.
Delta SkyMiles	Miles do not expire.
Frontier Miles	Miles expire after 180 days of no qualifying activity.
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles	Miles do not expire.
JetBlue TrueBlue	Miles do not expire.
Southwest Rapid Rewards	Points do not expire.
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit	Miles expire after 12 months of no qualifying activity.
United Airlines MileagePlus	Miles do not expire.

Airline cards that don’t charge an annual fee have limited features. But if you are more interested in earning miles and welcome offers and don’t care about perks like free checked bags, priority boarding or free lounge visits, a no-annual-fee airline card may be the answer. Top picks for no-annual-fee airline cards include:
J.D. Power’s most recent credit card customer satisfaction study also included a survey that names the best co-branded airline cards. Winners in 2024 included the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card, which ranked highest in customer satisfaction among airline co-branded credit cards, followed by the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card.

There aren’t many co-branded airline cards with no annual fee but a general purpose travel card — such as the Capital One VentureOne (See Rates & Fees) — could be a solid option for occasional air travel.
Co-branded airline credit cards earn airline miles that can only be used with that airline’s frequent flyer programs. General travel credit cards, on the other hand, earn flexible miles or points that can be redeemed on multiple airline partners or used for other travel purchases.

You can also earn airline miles through a frequent flyer program without the use of a credit card. You can pool these miles with airline credit card rewards to maximize earnings.

How we assess the best airline credit cards

When evaluating the best airline cards, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards in popular categories to scoring a large sign-up bonus or high-value perks. Whenever possible, we also feature cards that are available at various credit levels and price points.

We analyzed more than 150 of the most popular cards and scored each based on its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup of the best airline cards.

While we primarily focus on co-branded airline cards, assuming many cardholders are interested in earning rewards in a specific airline loyalty program or scoring airline-specific perks, we also include some general travel cards that offer solid rewards rates and redemption value on airline bookings. Ideally, they also give you the flexibility to transfer points or miles directly to airline loyalty programs.

How we rate rewards cards

Nearly all airline cards fall into our “Rewards” scoring category. Our rating methodology for these cards focuses heavily on rewards value — what kind of return we’d expect based on the average person’s spending and a card’s added bonuses and annual fee.

Here’s how overall scoring breaks down for rewards cards.

Value 65.00%
Flexibility 15.00%
Perks 15.00%
Customer experience 5.00%

The primary criteria for a rewards-earning card’s rating is its rewards value. This includes the card’s average rewards rate, estimated annual rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value and reward redemption value.

To estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings, we first calculate its average rewards rate based on how much it earns in different bonus categories and how closely its categories align with the average person’s spending habits. In other words, we assess whether the card earns rewards at a high rate in the most popular spending categories.

We use consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to get a reliable third-party measure of people’s spending habits. The most recent BLS data estimates average total spending in 2021 was $66,928 per consumer. From here, we determine a “chargeable” spend (which purchases are likely to be put on a credit card and earn rewards). After subtracting expenditures like housing, vehicle purchases, education and healthcare, we get a total “chargeable” annual spend of around $22,500.

This includes the following spending by category:
- Groceries: $5,200
- Dining out: $3,000
- Entertainment: $2,500
- Gas: $2,100
- Apparel and services: $1,700
Using this data, we are able to assign a weighting to each of a card’s bonus categories. For example, a card’s grocery rewards rate receives a 23 percent weighting based on how much of the average person’s budget is spent on groceries.

We also estimate the redemption value of points or miles from various rewards programs.

This weighting and rewards valuation allows us to estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings — how many points or miles you’d earn with a given card if your spending was about average and you used the card for all of your purchases — as well as what those points are worth. We also use point valuations to determine a card’s sign-up bonus value

With these calculations complete, we assign each card a score based on how its average rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value, rewards rate and redemption value stack up against other rewards cards.

The better these values, the higher its score will be, making it more worthy of inclusion in our list and increasing its potential ranking.

Here’s a deeper look at the factors considered as part of a rewards card’s “Value” rating:
5
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Overall Score
- Ongoing rewards value 30%
- Sign-up bonus value 25%
- Annual fee & average APR 20%
- Rewards rate 15%
- Annual bonus value 10%
We also score cards based on how much it costs to keep them in your wallet or carry a balance.

To start, each card is scored based on whether it offers an intro APR and how its ongoing APR compares to the rates available on other rewards cards. However, the latter rating only has a slight influence on the card’s score and whether the card is included in our list, since rewards card users generally try to avoid carrying a balance.

More important to both a card’s score and its inclusion in our list is how its annual fee influences its overall value. We consider a card’s annual fee in two ways — how it ranks relative to the fees you’ll find on other cards in the category and how it impacts a card’s overall rewards value.

Cards with an annual fee will always be at a slight disadvantage in our scoring system since annual fees inherently cut into your rewards value. However, if a card offers terrific value via its ongoing rewards and perks, it can earn a high score and a spot in our list even if it carries a high annual fee. After all, the highest rewards rates and most valuable perks are often found on cards with annual fees.

With this in mind, we rate a card based primarily on how its ongoing rewards value and ongoing perk value (such as annual credits or bonuses) stack up against those of other cards in the category when you subtract annual fees.

That said, we strive to include as many no-annual-fee options in our list as possible since many people would rather not worry about offsetting fees, even if a card carries impressive rewards and perks.
Rewards cards may make it easy to earn a lot of points, miles or cash back, but how easy is it to use those rewards? After all, if it takes a ton of effort to redeem rewards or you can only redeem rewards in a couple of ways, a card may be more trouble than it’s worth.

As such, we rate each card’s flexibility based on the restrictions it imposes on earning and redeeming rewards. We factor this rating into a card’s overall score and consider it when deciding on a card’s inclusion in our list.

Flexibility factors include whether a card only allows you to earn a high rewards rate on only a small amount of spending or requires you to meet a certain earning threshold before you can redeem rewards. We also examine whether your points are worth less when you opt for some redemption options over others and whether a card gives you the flexibility to transfer rewards to travel partners.
We also score each card’s set of features – its perks and benefits — against five tiers of features to provide a rating.

We break down these tiers as follows:
- Tier 1 includes fewer features than even standard credit cards (for example, an ultra-streamlined card that offers basic utility and next to nothing in the way of ancillary benefits).
- Tier 2 includes the benefits you’d expect on standard Visa or Mastercard credit cards, such as free access to your credit score, car rental insurance and $0 liability for fraudulent charges.
- Tier 3 includes “prime card” or better-than-average card features like cellphone insurance, lost luggage insurance, concierge services and purchase protection.
- Tier 4 includes luxury features such as airport lounge access, elite status with an airline or hotel and credits for expedited security screening membership programs.
- Tier 5 includes the sort of exemplary benefits you’ll find on top-tier luxury cards, such as high-value travel credits, cardholder memberships and other unique and valuable perks.
In evaluating the best cards, we tend to favor cards that offer at least Tier 3 benefits, unless they include other unique features that could make up for less-impressive perks.

We use primary sources to support our work. Bankrate’s authors, reporters and editors are subject-matter experts who thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate, timely and relevant.
1. “Show Me the Money! Cashback and Value Credit Cards Grow in Popularity as Financial Health of Cardholders Declines, J.D. Power Finds” 2024 J.D. Power U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study. Accessed March 13, 2025.

Best airline credit cards of September 2025

+ Show Summary

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card

Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Credit Card

Compare Bankrate’s top-ranked airline credit cards

Researching the best airline credit cards

What makes a great airline card?

What airline points are the most valuable?

What is an airline credit card?

Airline credit cards vs. travel credit cards

Airline credit cards

General-purpose travel credit cards

Pros and cons of airline credit cards

Pros

Cons

Expert advice for airline credit cards

Here’s how one Bankrate expert chose their airline card

Bankrate staff insights

Which airline or travel credit cards do you have and why?

Maximizing airline rewards

Pair flexible travel and airline cards

Travel off-peak

Frequently asked questions about airline credit cards

Do airline miles expire?

What are the best airline credit cards with no annual fee?

Are airline miles and credit card miles the same thing?

How we assess the best airline credit cards

Great rewards value

Reasonable rates and fees

Redemption flexibility

Valuable perks

Article sources