Best airline credit card for August 2021 – CNET [CNET]

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the best overall travel card for nonloyalty flyers, while The Platinum Card from American Express is our pick for first class travelers.

Airline credit cards reward users with points or miles from an airline’s frequent flyer program, which can be redeemed for flights with that airline. Sometimes you can transfer those points to one of the airline’s travel partners, though this option varies from airline to airline. 

Airline credit cards operate like loyalty programs in that you stay in a closed-loop rewards system. You earn rewards when you purchase flights on the airline, and you can use those points for future bookings. Some airline credit cards also reward card holders for making purchases at restaurants, grocery stores or other categories, but given the average reward rate of airline credit cards for those categories, we generally advise paying for those purchases with a cash-back credit card or general travel rewards credit card. 

Airline reward cards are best for those who are already loyal to one airline — and thus don’t mind the inflexibility of the rewards — as well as those who value perks like airline lounge access and waived baggage fees. Despite their rigidity, however, there are lots of situations that make airline cards worthwhile, especially because some of them offer card reward standbys like balance transfer, a sign-up bonus or welcome bonus for new card holders and other membership reward perks.

If you rarely check a bag and bargain-hunt for most flights, an airline credit card might not be the best choice for you. Instead, consider a travel credit card (two of which are listed below), a cash-back credit card or even a business credit card. If you check a bag every time you fly though, those waived baggage fees that come with card membership can add up to hundreds of dollars in annual savings. Plus, early boarding often guarantees overhead bin space, giving you more legroom and less stress.

Some common benefits of an airline credit card include:

• Waived checked baggage fees
• Priority boarding
• Lounge access (during some, not all, itineraries) 
• Accelerated airline status qualification
• Complimentary or reduced companion fares
• No foreign transaction fee
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credits
• Generous sign-on bonuses

While airline credit cards offer rewards in the form of an airline’s miles or points, general travel rewards credit cards have their own systems, like American Express’ Membership Rewards points or Chase’s Ultimate Rewards points. General travel credit card points can either be used to redeem travel (with any available airline) through the card issuer’s travel portal, or for maximum value, transferred to an airline partner. You also earn extra points on any travel purchase, regardless of the airline.

Though they charge higher annual fees, the general travel rewards credit cards tend to offer superior return rates and, since they cover a much greater range of purchases, they are often the better option. American Express Membership Rewards points and Chase Ultimate Rewards points are also worth more cents per point when transferred strategically, making the return even greater.

Even the best airline credit card is typically less flexible than general travel cards, since you only earn the bonus reward rate when making purchases with an airline, and your options for redemption are much more limited. Given their relative inflexibility, airline credit cards are best for travelers who want to take advantage of airline-specific perks. If you often spend on upgraded boardings or checked bags and you always fly with the same airline, these cards can save you money. 

If you’re not loyal to one airline, rarely check bags and don’t care about your frequent flyer status, a general travel credit card is a better choice.

While airline credit cards are usually best for travelers who are loyal to one airline, they can also be used as valuable “secondary” cards, in conjunction with a general travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card or The Platinum Card from American Express. 

This works by taking advantage of the generous intro bonuses, which range in value between $500 and $1,000. You’ll need to satisfy the spending threshold to earn those bonuses, but if you can identify an opportunity, like holiday flights, business-related trips or a family vacation, the strategy works. In those cases, you can apply for the credit card in advance, use it to book your trips, then reassess in a year to see if this card still holds value for you.

That said, I’m generally not a fan of the “super user” strategy of signing up for lots of different cards to take advantage of bonuses, as it usually ends up taking more time and energy than it’s worth. Trying to keep track of several accounts is not a prudent financial strategy. And from an overall returns rate perspective, you’ll usually be better off simply using a general travel rewards card for all those purchases from different airlines.

Each major airline generally offers three to four tiers of credit cards with a range of annual fees, rewards structures and available perks. The lower-tier cards have annual fees under $100, while the highest-tier cards have annual fees that can reach $450-$550. Most of the airline credit cards we recommend fall in the middle of that range. This is because there are excellent no-annual-fee or low-fee cash-back credit cards available that offer better rewards rates than most airline cards. Once you reach the travel spending threshold required to make a $500 annual fee airline card worth it, you would see more value return from a high-end travel rewards card such as the Platinum Card from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, listed above. 

To determine the best airline credit card, we researched all the available cards for seven major airlines and selected those that offer the best potential financial value. Given that the value of airline credit cards can fluctuate considerably based on factors like how many bags you check with your preferred airline in a given year, it’s harder to calculate the specific spending thresholds at which a card makes sense. That being said, we emphasize the rewards and perks that matter the most with each card so you can find the best airline credit card given your situation.