Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, deta...
A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little ca...
Juan has been involved in credit cards, loyalty, travel, and personal finance for more than 10 years. He has worked for several outlets including The Points Guy and Forbes and was previously Editor-in...
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.
One question we’re asked consistently is, “Which credit card is the best for airline purchases?” Fortunately, it’s a simple question to answer as so many travel rewards cards are designed for frequent travelers who purchase airline tickets, as well as other travel, on a regular basis.
If you spend a lot on airline flights or on change fees, inflight purchases, or other airline incidentals, you’ll want a card that offers elevated earnings on those purchases.
And while earning rewards is important, trip protections can add value to a travel rewards card. Finding a balance between the highest level of rewards earnings for airline purchases and useful trip protection can determine the right card match for you.
Here’s a look at some of the most popular travel rewards cards to see how they stack up for earning on airline purchases and providing trip benefits.
Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.
Annual fee of $95
3x points on travel purchases including flights
No travel protections
U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
Earn 50,000 points after spending $4,500 in the first 3 months
4x points on 2 highest bonus category expenses each statement period, which includes airfare purchased directly from the airline
Secondary car rental insurance with access to purchase Premium Protection
Lost, damaged, or stolen baggage insurance
Trip protection descriptions have been abbreviated and are not inclusive of all benefits and protections that come with each card. You will need to access the guide to benefits for each card to view complete coverage information.
Bottom Line: Finding the right travel card comes down to a bonus category mix that matches the majority of your travel spending and a collection of travel protections that can save you money or provide peace of mind.
Best 7 Personal Cards for Airline Purchases
The best travel rewards cards come with more than elevated earnings on airline purchases. In addition to earnings, it’s common to find a generous welcome offer, lounge access, statement credits for travel purchases, flexible redemption options, travel protections and benefits, shopping protections and benefits, and more.
Let’s look at some of the additional benefits that come with our featured personal travel rewards cards.
Redeem points for travel or transfer to hotel and airline partners
No additional fee to add up to 5 authorized users to the card (rates and fees)
The Amex Gold card balances its dual identity well. It offers the redemption and earning options of a travel rewards card and the versatility of an everyday spending card. This allows you to get great benefits from the Amex Gold card.
If you want a premium travel rewards card with strong earnings, flexible redemptions, travel credits and perks, and valuable trip protections, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card checks all those boxes.
You’ll earn 5x Ultimate Rewards points on flights via the Chase travel portal and 2x Ultimate Rewards points on all other travel purchases, including airline purchases.
Why We Like the Card
Earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Earn 3x points on dining
Earn 2x points on all other travel purchases
Welcome bonus worth hundreds of dollars toward travel
The card earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed at 1.25 cents per point for travel
Bottom Line: While earnings can be strong for airline purchases on the Amex Platinum card and Amex Gold card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has elevated earnings on the broader travel category that includes airline purchases.
Earn 3x ThankYou Points on travel, including airline purchases.
Why We Like the Card
Welcome bonus worth hundreds of dollars in travel
3x earnings on all travel purchases, not just airline purchases
3x earnings at restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations
The Citi Premier card is a great first Citi card to have if you’re spending a lot on travel as you’ll earn 3x flexible ThankYou Points on your travel purchases.
7. U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Card (Best for Points on Travel & Priority Pass)
Earning on Flight Purchases
Earn 3x points on travel, including airline purchases.
Why We Like the Card
A generous welcome bonus worth hundreds of dollars in travel
Points are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel
For the traveler on the go, earning 3x points for every dollar spent on travel and on mobile wallet purchases creates a perfect match. Add in an annual travel statement credit, Wi-Fi while you’re in the air, and a nice comfy lounge to relax in, and you’ve got a package a traveler can appreciate.
Running a business involves paying a lot of expenses. Without the right business credit card, that outgoing cash flow can go unrewarded.
If you’re spending a lot with airlines, or on travel in general, you’re missing out on travel rewards that could be used to offset your business travel expenses or even used to fund your family vacations. Once again, higher earnings alone won’t determine the best card for airline purchases if you value trip protection.
Here are 3 business travel cards to consider that offer elevated earnings on airline purchases or travel.
Bottom Line: If your business involves travel, rewards cards that earn well on flights and other travel purchases can add value to your bottom line by offsetting the cost of business travel. Travel protections can save you money and provide assistance if something goes wrong during your travels.
Earn 1.5x on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year)
Earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on all travel purchases, including airline purchases.
Why We Like the Card
A sign-up bonus worth $1,000 in travel
Earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on common business categories such as shipping, internet, cable, phone, and advertising with social media or search engines
Flexibility to transfer points to hotel and airline partners or redeem for travel at 1.25 cents per point
Earn 4x Membership Rewards points on airfare purchased directly from the airlines when it is one of your top 2 bonus category expenses during the billing period.
Why We Like the Card
A welcome bonus worth hundreds of dollars in travel
Your business earns 4x points on the top 2 highest bonus category expenses each billing cycle up to $150,000 each calendar year
Use the Pay With Points option for first and business-class flights and receive a rebate of 25% of your points
Transfer points to hotel and airline partners or redeem them for travel
Hot Tip: You need to be a business owner to qualify for a business credit card, but you may be surprised by what qualifies as a business. Check out our guide to applying for a small business credit card. It has all the information you need to know.
The Best 3 No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards for Airline Purchases
The best travel rewards credit cards come with annual fees, but you can earn plenty on airline purchases with these no-annual-fee cards.
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card — 3x points on travel purchases
Chase Freedom Unlimited® — 5% cash-back on travel purchased via the Chase travel portal, including flights, and 1.5% cash-back on all other purchases
Chase Freedom Flex℠ — 5% cash-back on travel purchased via the Chase travel portal, including flights
Bottom Line: You don’t need to pay an annual fee to earn rewards on airline purchases, but the best credit cards for airline purchases come with annual fees. The elevated earnings, travel benefits, statement credits, and welcome bonus value you receive can potentially outweigh any annual fee.
Final Thoughts
It’s a simple process to determine which travel rewards card earns the most on airline purchases. However, the card that earns the most may not have a useful mix of associated trip benefits or protections.
The Amex Platinum card, for example, earns well with 5x Membership Rewards points on flights via Amex Travel and comes with trip interruption, delay, or cancellation insurance. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points and offers these coverages, plus more. You’ll need to determine which is more important to you when selecting a card.
Another factor to consider is whether you spend a lot on travel in general or your greatest expense is on airfare. Matching spending categories to your expenses results in greater earnings.
Finally, many travel rewards cards come with annual statement credits for travel or flight-associated purchases. These credits can help offset travel costs.
Pair those earnings with a selection of benefits you can use and you’ll have made a wise travel rewards card decision.
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.
Enrollment required through Capital One website or mobile app. Upon enrollment, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance and trip delay insurance benefits of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the American Express® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefits of the American Express® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the American Express® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit of the American Express® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the American Express® Business Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the American Express® Business Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit of the American Express® Business Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. The information regarding the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Chase Freedom Unlimited® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here. For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here. For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here. For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.
Featured Image Credit: Free-Photos via Pixabay
Frequently Asked Questions
The best card for airline purchases is one that has elevated earnings on airline or travel expenses and has travel protections that you deem valuable.
For example, the best card for airline purchases may offer 5x earnings but have no trip interruption, cancellation, or trip delay coverage.
If you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy, card travel protections might not be important to you. You might select a card with elevated earnings alone and few or no travel protections.
If you’ve utilized travel protections in the past and find a lot of value in having that peace of mind, you may select a card that earns slightly less but has strong travel benefits.
Each travel rewards-earning credit card has its own rewards currency that you earn by making purchases with that card.
Most of the cards we’ve highlighted in this article earn points that can be redeemed for flights through the credit card issuer’s online travel website or by calling the affiliated travel program.
Points such as Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, ThankYou Points, and Ultimate Rewards points can also be transferred to airline frequent flyer programs and redeemed for award tickets.
When you log in to your credit card’s online account, you’ll find a section designed for redeeming your rewards.
The travel protections that come with credit cards can save you money. Plus, the coverage is complimentary.
Trip cancellation, delay, and interruption insurance can reimburse you for buying incidentals, hotel expenses, and other financial outlays you incur due to trip disruption.
Premium roadside assistance can provide complimentary service calls should you break down during a road trip.
Luggage insurance can cover damaged, lost, or stolen baggage.
Car rental coverage can allow you to decline the rental car agency’s coverage and save you the cost of that daily added-on expense.
Premium travel rewards cards come with annual fees, but plenty of no-annual-fee credit cards earn 1.5% to 3% on airline purchases. This article mentions a few high-earning no-annual-fee cards.
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
0 comments
Any thoughts or questions? Comment below!
Email needed if you'd like comment updates. It will NOT be published.
![The 13 Best Personal and Business Credit Cards for Airline Purchases [2023]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/airplane-credit-card.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
0 comments
Any thoughts or questions? Comment below!
Email needed if you'd like comment updates. It will NOT be published.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.