Any Airline / Anytime Travel Credit Cards Hotel Credit Cards Airline Credit Cards Editors Choice Best Credit Cards of 2008
 

Airline Mile Credit Cards
3 easy steps: 1. Choose an airline. 2. Compare options. 3. Apply with our secure links.

Select an airline from the drop down menu below and you will see our recommendations of the best mile credit cards by airline. These cards earn miles you can use directly in your favorite frequent flyer program. You can apply for the card of your choice using the 'Apply Now' button next to each card and you will be directed by a secure connection to the bank's application site. 

Search by Airline: Frequent flyer mile credit card recommendations 

Single Best Overall Airline Mile Credit Card: 
If you're looking for a quick answer, more often than not the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express is one of the best choices you can make. It's one card that lets you earn miles in over 30 airline programs with a lower annual fee than most airline cards. 

Starwood Preferred Guest American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
No annual fee for the first year and $45 thereafter
Earn up to 25,000 Starpoints ®  — enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 10,000 points with first purchase -- enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 15,000 additional points if you spend $15,000 in the first 6 months.
Earn one Starpoint® for every dollar you spend and double Starpoints® at participating Starwood properties and retail partners
Use Starpoints® for free nights and upgrades at over 860 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in 95 countries including Sheraton, W Hotels, Westin, and more with no blackout dates

Transfer Starpoints® — almost always on a 1:1 basis — to the frequent flyer programs of over 30 major airlines

Express Approval.  Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Starwood Account:
Westin, W, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, Le Meridien, and Luxury Collection
 
VIA Transfer:
Air France, Alaska, Alitalia, ANA, American, Asiana, British, Cathay, Continental, Delta, Emirates, Hawaiian, KLM, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Northwest, Qantas, Singapore, US Airways, Virgin
 
This is our favorite overall mile credit card and works seamlessly with over 30 airline miles programs . We like it becasue you earn points that can be transferred directly online to your airline mile accounts, most at 1 for 1 so there's no dilution. In addition, your points can be used for valuable hotel rewards while it carries an annual fee that is half that of most standalone airline credit cards.

It is also more powerful than a standalone airline card because for every 20,000 points you transfer into an airline miles account you will receive a 5,000 mile bonus so your total transfer is 25,000 miles. No other card offers this benefit and it's one reason why it won the 2008 Freddie Award for Best Affinity Credit Card voted on by frequent flyers for 18 years.

Learn more about how the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card works seamlessly with airline miles programs.


Check your credit score free. Click to get an authentic FICO score at myFICO.com.






Alaska Airlines Credit Cards
You have two primary options for Alaska Airlines miles. See below for reviews of each:

# 1 Recommendation: Starwood Preferred Guest American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
No annual fee for the first year and $45 thereafter
Earn up to 25,000 Starpoints ®  — enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 10,000 points with first purchase -- enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 15,000 additional points if you spend $15,000 in the first 6 months.
Earn one Starpoint® for every dollar you spend and double Starpoints® at participating Starwood properties and retail partners
Use Starpoints® for free nights and upgrades at over 860 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in 95 countries including Sheraton, W Hotels, Westin, and more with no blackout dates

Transfer Starpoints® — almost always on a 1:1 basis — to the frequent flyer programs of over 30 major airlines

Express Approval.  Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Starwood Account:
Westin, W, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, Le Meridien, and Luxury Collection
 
VIA Transfer:
Air France, Alaska, Alitalia, ANA, American, Asiana, British, Cathay, Continental, Delta, Emirates, Hawaiian, KLM, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Northwest, Qantas, Singapore, US Airways, Virgin
 
This is our favorite overall mile credit card and works seamlessly with Alaska Airlines miles . We prefer this card over a standalone Alaska Airlines card because you can also transfer points to over 30 other airline miles programs. In addition, your points can be used for valuable hotel rewards while it carries a lower annual fee than the standalone Alaska Airlines credit card ($45 vs $75, but no fee the first year).

It is also more powerful than a standalone Alaska card because for every 20,000 points you transfer into an airline miles account (including Alaska) you will receive a 5,000 mile bonus to 25,000 miles. No other card offers this benefit and it's one reason why it won the 2008 Freddie Award for Best Affinity Credit Card voted on by frequent flyers for 18 years.

Learn more about how the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card works seamlessly with airline miles programs.

Also Avaliable: Alaska Airlines Visa
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
$75
20,000 miles
1 mile per $
2 miles per $ on Alaska Air purchases
2 Boardroom Club passes
 
$50 companion ticket
From Alaska Account:
Alaska/Horizon, American, British Air, Cathay, Continental, Delta, Hawaiian, LAN, Norhtwest, Qantas, Amtrak (West Coast)
 
VIA Transfer: None

This is the standard Alaska Airlines credit card. It earns points for your Alaska Airlines account, but doesn't have the flexibility of being able to transfer your points into the programs of other airlines. The card carries a $75 annual fee.





American Airlines Credit Cards
You have two primary options for American Airlines miles. See below for reviews of each:


# 1 Recommendation: Starwood Preferred Guest American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
No annual fee for the first year and $45 thereafter
Earn up to 25,000 Starpoints ®  — enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 10,000 points with first purchase -- enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 15,000 additional points if you spend $15,000 in the first 6 months.
Earn one Starpoint® for every dollar you spend and double Starpoints® at participating Starwood properties and retail partners
Use Starpoints® for free nights and upgrades at over 860 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in 95 countries including Sheraton, W Hotels, Westin, and more with no blackout dates

Transfer Starpoints® — almost always on a 1:1 basis — to the frequent flyer programs of over 30 major airlines

Express Approval.  Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Starwood Account:
Westin, W, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, Le Meridien, and Luxury Collection
 
VIA Transfer:
Air France, Alaska, Alitalia, ANA, American, Asiana, British, Cathay, Continental, Delta, Emirates, Hawaiian, KLM, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Northwest, Qantas, Singapore, US Airways, Virgin
 
This is our favorite overall mile credit card and works seamlessly with American Airlines miles. We prefer this card over a standalone American Airlines card because you can also transfer points directly to your American AAdvantage miles account as well as over 30 other airline miles programs. In addition, your points can be used for valuable hotel rewards while it carries a lower annual fee than the standalone American Airlines credit card ($45 vs $85 with no fee the first year).

It is also more powerful than a standalone American card because for every 20,000 points you transfer into an airline miles account (including American) you will receive a 5,000 mile bonus so your transfer is 25,000 miles, enough for a domestic roundtrip reward. No other card offers this benefit and it's one reason why it won the 2008 Freddie Award for Best Affinity Credit Card voted on by frequent flyers for 18 years.

Learn more about how the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card works seamlessly with airline miles programs.

Other Available Cards: American Airlines Branded
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
Varies
Varies
1 mile per $
Varies
From American Account:
American, OneWorld (Aer Lingus, British, Cathay, Finnair, Iberia, LAN, Qantas), Alaska, Sahara, Air Tahiti, Taca, El Al, Hawaiian, Japan, Mexicana, TAM
 
VIA Transfer ($25/transfer): Hilton, InterContinental, Marriott
Standard American Airlines credit cards earn points directly to your AAdvantage account, but doesn't have the flexibility of being able to transfer your points into the programs of other airlines and hotel redemption rates are unfavorable. Some cards carry an $85 annual fee. There is also a $65 annual fee debit card, though it has a small enrollment bonus.






Continental Airlines Credit Cards
You have two primary options for Continental Airlines miles. See below for reviews of each:

# 1 Recommendation: American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
American Express® Platinum Card



$125 annual fee.
Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points when you spend $500 in 3 months - redeemable for a $100 gift card!
 
The Membership Rewards® program - Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for virtually every dollar you spend and redeem for your choice of travel, shopping, and entertainment rewards.
 
No pre-set spending limit

Gold Card Events - exclusive access to tickets for select concerts, shows, major sporting events and more in cities nationwide

Express approval. Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Points Account:
Any airline via their travel agency
 
VIA Transfer: Continental, Delta, Southwest, Jet Blue, Airtran, Frontier, Alitalia, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic,  Air Canada, ANA, Aeromexico, El Al, Hawaiian, Singapore, Air Tahiti, Mexicana


We think the American Express Gold and Platinum cards are ideal for Continental Airlines flyers because of the flexibility they provide. Aside from Continental's own cards they are the only cards that offer 1:1 transfer of points to Continental Airlines, with no delays in posting to your Continental OnePass account. The transfer is instant, and better yet your points earned can also be transfered to over a dozen other airlines. In addition, the Platinum Card from American Express offers Continental Presidents Club lounge access, as well as access to the newtorks of 3 other top U.S. airlines. Its annual fee is $450, but that is comparable to a standalone Presidents Club membership, which doesn't have the benefit of 3 club networks.


Other Available Cards
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
NA
NA
NA
See Continental Airlines for details
 
 
From Continental Account:
Continental, SkyTeam (Air France, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Alitalia, CSA, Delta, KLM, Korean, Northwest), Alaska, Copa, TAP, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates.
 
VIA Transfer: Amtrak


Continental Airlines offers a 'World' MasterCard from Chase that offers the standard 1 mile earned per dollar spent. This card carries an annual fee, but does not allow you to transfer miles into other airline programs. The American Express Gold and Platinum cards offer this feature.

Continental also offers a 'Presidential Plus' MasterCard which offers Presidents Club membership as well as limited elite qualifying miles for a substantial annual fee. We feel this card is only worth it if you need the elite qualifying miles to reach a new elite tier. The club access benefit is better served by the Platinum Card from American Express, which offers access to Delta and American Airlines lounges, in addition to Continental.






Delta Airlines Credit Cards
You have several options for Delta Airlines miles. See below for reviews of each:

# 1 Recommendation: Starwood Preferred Guest American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
No annual fee for the first year and $45 thereafter
Earn up to 25,000 Starpoints ®  — enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 10,000 points with first purchase -- enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 15,000 additional points if you spend $15,000 in the first 6 months.
Earn one Starpoint® for every dollar you spend and double Starpoints® at participating Starwood properties and retail partners
Use Starpoints® for free nights and upgrades at over 860 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in 95 countries including Sheraton, W Hotels, Westin, and more with no blackout dates

Transfer Starpoints® — almost always on a 1:1 basis — to the frequent flyer programs of over 30 major airlines

Express Approval.  Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Starwood Account:
Westin, W, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, Le Meridien, and Luxury Collection
 
VIA Transfer:
Air France, Alaska, Alitalia, ANA, American, Asiana, British, Cathay, Continental, Delta, Emirates, Hawaiian, KLM, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Northwest, Qantas, Singapore, US Airways, Virgin
 
This is our favorite overall mile credit card and works seamlessly with Delta Airlines miles. We prefer this card over a standalone Delta Airlines card because you can also transfer points directly to your Delta SkyMiles account at 1 for 1 as well as over 30 other airline miles programs. In addition, your points can be used for valuable hotel rewards while it carries a lower annual fee than the standalone Delta Airlines credit card ($45 vs $95-$150 with no fee the first year).

It is also more powerful than a standalone Delta card because for every 20,000 points you transfer into an airline miles account (including Delta) you will receive a 5,000 mile bonus to 25,000 miles. No other card offers this benefit and it's one reason why it won the 2008 Freddie Award for Best Affinity Credit Card voted on by frequent flyers for 18 years.

Learn more about how the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card works seamlessly with airline miles programs.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
$150 annual fee.
Earn up to 20,000 bonus miles (5,000 Mediallion Qualifying miles + 15,000 SkyMiles).

Earn an additional 2500 miles when you add another card to your account
Earn SkyMiles for every eligible dollar you spend
Use miles to pay for any Delta seat, anytime - - no black out dates and no seat restrictions

Express approval. Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Delta Account:
Delta, SkyTeam (Air France, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Alitalia, Continental, CSA, Delta, KLM, Korean, Northwest), Air Jamaica, Alaska, Avianca, El Al, Emirates, Singapore, South African
 
VIA Transfer: None



This card carries a high annual fee, but if you are looking to earn Medallion 'elite' qualifying miles it may be worth the fee versus buying extra flights to reach the next Mediallion tier, and this makes it one of the few airline specific cards we recommend. A $95 annual fee 'Gold' level card is also available, but lacks the ability to earn Medallion qualifying points. Otherwise we prefer the Starwood Preferred Guest card recommended above for more powerful earning power and flexibility.


Delta Reserve Credit Card from American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
Delta Reserve Credit Card

$450; $395 if you are a qualified American Express Cardmember
10,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles
Earn SkyMiles for every eligible dollar you spend
Use miles to pay for any Delta seat, anytime - - no black out dates and no seat restrictions

Express approval. Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Delta Account:
Delta, SkyTeam (Air France, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Alitalia, Continental, CSA, Delta, KLM, Korean, Northwest), Air Jamaica, Alaska, Avianca, El Al, Emirates, Singapore, South African
 
VIA Transfer: None



This card carries a high annual fee, but if you are looking to earn Medallion 'elite' qualifying miles it is the most powerful way to earn them on Delta without flying. You can earn 40,000 qualifying miles just with the card in your first year (10,000 intro bonus + up to 30,000 with additional spending). This is on top of regular miles earned from spending.

Powerful Medallion Qualifying Mile earning options
Spend $30,000 dollars in a calendar year and you can earn a Miles BoostSM of 15,000 MQMs. Spend $60,000 in that same year and you can earn an additional 15,000 MQMs. Your annual Miles Boosts not only allow you to earn up to 30,000 MQMs for Medallion status, they also allow you to earn 30,000 miles for travel. 

25,000 'MQMs' equals Silver Medallion status, which gets you upgraded to first class on domestic flights if space is available (Gold and Platinum members have priority over you). 50,000 gets you gold, and 75,000 gets you Platinum. Normally you are required to fly the given number of miles (rather than earn with a credit card) to reach the status, but the Reserve card offers the 'Miles Boost' exception.

Help friends and family reach elite Medallion status
As a Delta Reserve Cardmember, you have the unique ability to gift Miles Boost MQMs earned through the use of your Card to friends or family members to help them reach Medallion status, faster

Crown Room Club Access
From Wi-Fi access and satellite TV to fully stocked bars, you and two guests can experience the ultimate in comfort as you wait for your flight in the Crown Room Club.This
 benefit normally costs over $400 on its own.

Companion Certificate
Each year you will receive a free domestic companion certificate, which can be used for a First-Class or Coach- Class ticket, plus taxes and fees.


American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
American Express® Platinum Card



$125 annual fee.
Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points when you spend $500 in 3 months - redeemable for a $100 gift card!
 
The Membership Rewards® program - Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for virtually every dollar you spend and redeem for your choice of travel, shopping, and entertainment rewards.
 
No pre-set spending limit

Gold Card Events - exclusive access to tickets for select concerts, shows, major sporting events and more in cities nationwide

Express approval. Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Points Account:
Any airline via their travel agency
 
VIA Transfer: Continental, Delta, Southwest, Jet Blue, Airtran, Frontier, Alitalia, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic,  Air Canada, ANA, Aeromexico, El Al, Hawaiian, Singapore, Air Tahiti, Mexicana


We think the American Express Gold and Platinum cards are good choices for Delta Airlines flyers because of the flexibility they provide. They offer 1:1 transfer of points to Delta Airlines, with no delays in posting to your Delta SkyMiles account. The transfer is instant, and better yet your points earned can also be transfered to over a dozen other airlines. In addition, the Platinum Card from American Express offers Delta Crown Room Club lounge access, in addition to access to the newtorks of 3 other top U.S. airlines. Its annual fee is $450, but that is comparable to a standalone Crown Room Club membership, which does not have the benefit of 3 club networks.







JetBlue Credit Cards
You have two primary options for JetBlue miles. See below for reviews of each:


# Recommendation: American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
American Express® Platinum Card



$125 annual fee.
Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points when you spend $500 in 3 months - redeemable for a $100 gift card!
 
The Membership Rewards® program - Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for virtually every dollar you spend and redeem for your choice of travel, shopping, and entertainment rewards.
 
No pre-set spending limit

Gold Card Events - exclusive access to tickets for select concerts, shows, major sporting events and more in cities nationwide

Express approval. Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Points Account:
Any airline via their travel agency
 
VIA Transfer: Continental, Delta, Southwest, Jet Blue, Airtran, Frontier, Alitalia, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic,  Air Canada, ANA, Aeromexico, El Al, Hawaiian, Singapore, Air Tahiti, Mexicana


We don't know many JetBlue flyers who exclusively fly JetBlue because their route network and partners are limited. We think the American Express Gold and Platinum cards are good choices for JetBlue flyers because of the flexibility they provide. They offer reasonable transfer of points to JetBlue, and better yet your points earned can also be transfered to over a dozen other airlines. You do sacrifice a bit in point efficiency for JetBlue: you need to rack up 25,000 points to get a free ticket versus 20,000 if you earn using the standalone JetBlue card. But you gain by being able to use your points in many more places.


Also Available: JetBlue Card from American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
$40 annual fee
Get 50 TrueBlue(R) points after your first purchase - that's half way to an award flight!
Earn one Award Dollar for virtually every dollar you spend

Earn Double Award Dollars on entertainment, leisure, travel and dining

200 Award Dollars= 1 TrueBlue point and 100 TrueBlue points= one round trip flight 
Express Approval.  Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From JetBlue Account:
JetBlue
 
VIA Transfer: None

This is the only card that allows collection of JetBlue points besides American Express Membership Rewards (via the Gold and Platinum cards recommended above), but is somewhat more efficient than Membership Rewards (20,000 dollars of purchases for a free ticket versus 25,000 for Membership Rewards). However there are no
options besides JetBlue redemption.  People who like to fly JetBlue domestically, but not often may be better off earning hotel points with a different card, as hotel rewards are generally more valuable than domestic JetBlue flights in terms of the number of dollars you need to spend to get a valuable award.







Northwest Airlines Credit Cards
You have two primary options for Northwest Airlines miles. See below for reviews of each:


# 1 Recommendation: Starwood Preferred Guest American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
No annual fee for the first year and $45 thereafter
Earn up to 25,000 Starpoints ®  — enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 10,000 points with first purchase -- enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 15,000 additional points if you spend $15,000 in the first 6 months.
Earn one Starpoint® for every dollar you spend and double Starpoints® at participating Starwood properties and retail partners
Use Starpoints® for free nights and upgrades at over 860 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in 95 countries including Sheraton, W Hotels, Westin, and more with no blackout dates

Transfer Starpoints® — almost always on a 1:1 basis — to the frequent flyer programs of over 30 major airlines

Express Approval.  Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Starwood Account:
Westin, W, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, Le Meridien, and Luxury Collection
 
VIA Transfer:
Air France, Alaska, Alitalia, ANA, American, Asiana, British, Cathay, Continental, Delta, Emirates, Hawaiian, KLM, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Northwest, Qantas, Singapore, US Airways, Virgin
 
This is our favorite overall mile credit card and works seamlessly with Northwest Airlines miles. We prefer this card over a standalone Northwest Airlines card because you can transfer points directly to your Northwest miles account as well as over 30 other airline miles programs. In addition, your points can be used for valuable hotel rewards while it carries a lower annual fee than the standalone Northwest Airlines credit card ($45 vs $90 with no fee the first year).

It is also more powerful than a standalone Northwest card because for every 20,000 points you transfer into an airline miles account (including Northwest) you will receive a 5,000 mile bonus to 25,000 miles. No other card offers this benefit and it's one reason why it won the 2008 Freddie Award for Best Affinity Credit Card voted on by frequent flyers for 18 years.

Learn more about how the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card works seamlessly with airline miles programs.

Also Available: Northwest WorldPerks Visa
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
$90 (Signature, for higher credit line) / $55 (Platinum, up to $15K line)
20,000 miles signature, 10,000 platinum
1 mile per $
2 miles per $ for Northwest Airlines purchases
Reduced 19,000 mile award travel discount annually (Signature), 21,000 Platinum. Normally 25,000 miles.
From Northwest Account:
Northwest, SkyTeam(Air France, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Alitalia, Continental, CSA, Delta, KLM, Korean), Alaska, Malaysia, Malev, JetAirways, Midwest
 
VIA Transfer: None
Best for
The Northwest WorldPerks Visa offers earning for your Northwest Airlines account, but carries a high annual fee and doesn't offer the airline transfer options of the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express recommended above.




Southwest Airlines Credit Cards
You have two primary options for Southwest miles. See below for reviews of each:


# 1 Recommendation: American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
American Express® Platinum Card



$125 annual fee.
Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points when you spend $500 in 3 months - redeemable for a $100 gift card!
 
The Membership Rewards® program - Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for virtually every dollar you spend and redeem for your choice of travel, shopping, and entertainment rewards.
 
No pre-set spending limit

Gold Card Events - exclusive access to tickets for select concerts, shows, major sporting events and more in cities nationwide

Express approval. Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Points Account:
Any airline via their travel agency
 
VIA Transfer: Continental, Delta, Southwest, Jet Blue, Airtran, Frontier, Alitalia, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic,  Air Canada, ANA, Aeromexico, El Al, Hawaiian, Singapore, Air Tahiti, Mexicana


If your flying is not exclusively on Southwest Airlines we think the American Express Gold and Platinum cards are good choices for Southwest flyers because of the flexibility they provide. They offer reasonable transfer of points to Southwest, and better yet your points earned can also be transfered to over a dozen other airlines. You do sacrifice a bit in point efficiency for Southwest: you need to rack up 24,000 points to get a free ticket versus 19,500 if you earn using the standalone Southwest card. But you gain by being able to use your points in many more places.


Also Available: Southwest RapidRewards Visa 
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
$59
8 RapidRewards credits

1 reward dollar per $

2 reward dollars per $ on Southwest and preferred hotel/car rental purchases

(1200 reward dollars = 1 RapidRewards credit, 16 credits = roundtrip ticket)
2 RapidRewards bonus credits each year on your card anniversary
From Southwest Account:
Southwest
 
VIA Transfer: None

Most efficient way to earn RapidRewards credits through purchases (19500 dollars purchased for one roundtrip, versus 24,000 for Amex Membership Rewards), however it lacks flexibility -- as your points cannot be used in other frequent flyer programs.






United Airlines Credit Cards


 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
NA
NA
NA
NA

From United Account:
United, StarAlliance (Air Canada Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, bmi, LOT, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore, South African, TAP, Thai, US Airways,), Emirates, Air China, Aloha, Qatar, TACA
 
VIA Transfer: None

United is among the more limited programs for earning miles with credit cards. Unlike most programs, it dilutes miles earned from flexible multi-airline cards like the Starwood Amex at 2:1. United flyers can consider using a US Airways account and using their options listed below, as US Airways miles can be redeemed fully on United, although it has to be from a US Airways account, so you can't mix and match points.

If you're interested in earning free United flights, you can do that without a United miles account. Just use an 'any airline' rewards card like the Citi PremierPass or Capital One No Hassle Miles cards. They don't let you earn upgrade rewards, but are generally better choices for standard domestic tickets, with fewer restrictions than flights booked with United miles.





US Airways Credit Cards
You have two primary options for US Airways miles. See below for reviews of each:


# 1 Recommendation: Starwood Preferred Guest American Express
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
No annual fee for the first year and $45 thereafter
Earn up to 25,000 Starpoints ®  — enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 10,000 points with first purchase -- enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel.

Earn 15,000 additional points if you spend $15,000 in the first 6 months.
Earn one Starpoint® for every dollar you spend and double Starpoints® at participating Starwood properties and retail partners
Use Starpoints® for free nights and upgrades at over 860 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in 95 countries including Sheraton, W Hotels, Westin, and more with no blackout dates

Transfer Starpoints® — almost always on a 1:1 basis — to the frequent flyer programs of over 30 major airlines

Express Approval.  Get a decision in less than 60 seconds.
From Starwood Account:
Westin, W, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, Le Meridien, and Luxury Collection
 
VIA Transfer:
Air France, Alaska, Alitalia, ANA, American, Asiana, British, Cathay, Continental, Delta, Emirates, Hawaiian, KLM, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Northwest, Qantas, Singapore, US Airways, Virgin
 
This is our favorite overall mile credit card and works seamlessly with US Airways miles. We prefer this card over a standalone US Airways card because you can transfer points directly to your US Airways account as well as over 30 other airline miles programs. In addition, your points can be used for valuable hotel rewards while it carries a lower annual fee than the standalone US Airways credit card ($45 vs $90, with no fee the first year).

It is also more powerful than a standalone US Airways card because for every 20,000 points you transfer into an airline miles account (including US Airways) you will receive a 5,000 mile bonus to 25,000 miles. No other card offers this benefit and it's one reason why it won the 2008 Freddie Award for Best Affinity Credit Card voted on by frequent flyers for 18 years.

Learn more about how the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card works seamlessly with airline miles programs.

Also Available: US Airways Dividend Miles Visa
 
Annual Fee
Intro. Bonus
Earning
Features
Redemption Opportunities
$90
25,000 miles (Signature)
1 mile/point per $
(2 miles/points per $ on US Air purchases for Signature)
Preferred checkin/boarding

US Airways Club pass

$75 off Club membership

$99 companion ticket
From US Airwways Account:
US Airways/America West, StarAlliance (Air Canada Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, bmi, LOT, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore, South African, TAP, Thai, United,), Virgin Atlantic, Hawaiian
 
VIA Transfer: None
 

If you are a relatively frequent US Airways flyer, the priority boarding and check-in benefit may be worth the annual fee, along with options to earn Preferred status qualifying miles. Otherwise we recommend the Starwood American Express as it lets you earn miles in US Airways as well as over 30 other airline programs as recommended above. In addition, the Starwood Amex offers a special mileage bonus: for every 20,000 poins you transfer to US Airways miles, you will receive a 5,000 mile bonus.



Home | Best Mile Credit Cards of 2008 | Airline Credit Cards | Hotel Credit Cards | Travel Reward Credit Cards | How to Choose a Miles Credit Card


About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions

Site Content Copyright 2006-2008 Aerin Media LLC


 
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from
American Express

Best Mile Credit Card - Starwood Amex

Read our review

 

Miles by Discover® Card
Miles by Discover Credit Card 
0% intro APR
Read our review

 
Citi® PremierPass(SM) Elite Level
Citi PremierPass Elite Level MasterCard
$200 gift card
(20,000 points)
Read our review

Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Starwood American Express Credit Card 
Up to 25,000 point bonus
Read our review


TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express
TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express

Read our review


Other Non-Mile Credit Cards from our Partner CreditCards.com

Low Interest Credit Cards

Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Cash Back Credit Cards

Gas Reward Credit Cards

Bad Credit History Credit Cards

Student Credit Cards

Business Credit
Cards



Your Authentic FICO® Credit Score - Essential

Check your free score at myFICO.com



null