Most airline credit cards offer valuable benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding, discounts on flight awards or a head start toward achieving elite status. However, some cards charge an annual fee in exchange. While you’ll find the best benefits with airline credit cards that charge an annual fee, there are a few co-branded airline and general travel cards without annual fees that can still help you cut back on travel costs.
The United Gateway℠ Card from Chase is a valuable option for travelers who want to earn miles for United Airlines or other Star Alliance partners. The Star Alliance includes 26 different member airlines and flies to more than 1,200 destinations around the world.
New cardholders can earn 20,000 bonus miles when they spend $1,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. The card itself earns 2x miles on United purchases, gas station spending and on local transit and commuting, plus 1x miles on other purchases. You can even avoid interest charges on an expensive trip while you work to pay it down thanks to its introductory purchase APR. You won’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees, either.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
- Regular APR
- 21.99% – 28.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The United Gateway℠ Card from Chase is a valuable option for travelers who want to earn miles for United Airlines or other Star Alliance partners. The Star Alliance includes 26 different member airlines and flies to more than 1,200 destinations around the world.
New cardholders can earn 20,000 bonus miles when they spend $1,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. The card itself earns 2x miles on United purchases, gas station spending and on local transit and commuting, plus 1x miles on other purchases. You can even avoid interest charges on an expensive trip while you work to pay it down thanks to its introductory purchase APR. You won’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees, either.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
- Regular APR
- 21.99% – 28.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®* card lets members earn miles that work with American Airlines and its oneworld partners, which fly to more than 900 destinations around the world. The card starts new members off with 10,000 miles and a $50 statement credit when they spend $500 on purchases within three months of account opening. In addition to American Airlines rewards, it also earns rewards at grocery stores.
Members also get 25% back on American Airlines in-flight food and beverage purchases made with this card. The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® also earns Loyalty Points that count toward American AAdvantage elite status requirements. American AAdvantage elite status benefits include complimentary upgrades for you and one companion and free checked bags, among others.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.24% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®* card lets members earn miles that work with American Airlines and its oneworld partners, which fly to more than 900 destinations around the world. The card starts new members off with 10,000 miles and a $50 statement credit when they spend $500 on purchases within three months of account opening. In addition to American Airlines rewards, it also earns rewards at grocery stores.
Members also get 25% back on American Airlines in-flight food and beverage purchases made with this card. The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® also earns Loyalty Points that count toward American AAdvantage elite status requirements. American AAdvantage elite status benefits include complimentary upgrades for you and one companion and free checked bags, among others.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.24% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card makes it possible for cardholders to earn miles in the Delta SkyMiles program. Delta is in the SkyTeam alliance, which includes Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic. This means you can earn miles with Delta and redeem them in house or with Delta’s partners to get to more than 1,050 destinations worldwide.
In addition to no annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card earns new cardholders 10,000 miles after they spend $1,000 on purchases within six months of account opening. This Delta card will reward you for eating at restaurants wherever you choose to land, and make your inflight purchases a bit less expensive with a 20% discount (in the form of a statement credit) for eligible in-flight food and beverage purchases.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 20.99%-29.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card makes it possible for cardholders to earn miles in the Delta SkyMiles program. Delta is in the SkyTeam alliance, which includes Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic. This means you can earn miles with Delta and redeem them in house or with Delta’s partners to get to more than 1,050 destinations worldwide.
In addition to no annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card earns new cardholders 10,000 miles after they spend $1,000 on purchases within six months of account opening. This Delta card will reward you for eating at restaurants wherever you choose to land, and make your inflight purchases a bit less expensive with a 20% discount (in the form of a statement credit) for eligible in-flight food and beverage purchases.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 20.99%-29.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card* doesn’t earn miles within a specific program. Instead, you’ll earns miles on everyday purchases that can be used to book travel through Capital One or transferred to Capital One airline and hotel partners. Miles earned with this card can be transferred to Air France / Flying Blue, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, TAP Portugal and other programs. Capital One partners with more international partners than other issuers.
You can finance your trip and avoid interest for a period of time by using the card’s intro APR offer. Its welcome bonus is also slightly better than other cards on this list, with an overall higher payout.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card* doesn’t earn miles within a specific program. Instead, you’ll earns miles on everyday purchases that can be used to book travel through Capital One or transferred to Capital One airline and hotel partners. Miles earned with this card can be transferred to Air France / Flying Blue, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, TAP Portugal and other programs. Capital One partners with more international partners than other issuers.
You can finance your trip and avoid interest for a period of time by using the card’s intro APR offer. Its welcome bonus is also slightly better than other cards on this list, with an overall higher payout.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
What is a no-annual-fee airline credit card?
An airline credit card with no annual fee is typically a co-branded credit card offered through an airline or credit card issuer, without charging a yearly fee. No-annual-fee airline cards tend to offer fewer benefits as a result. There are also general travel credit cards that aren’t tied to a specific airline brand but provide rewards for purchasing airfare.
Airline credit cards that charge annual fees tend to offer higher earning rates for spending and more perks like annual travel credits and airport lounge access. If you can take advantage of these benefits or travel frequently, an airline card with an annual fee might better fit your spending habits.
Pros and cons of an airline credit card without an annual fee
Before you pick up an airline credit card with no annual fee, you should compare it to its annual fee counterpart to determine if saving on the yearly price tag is worth fewer rewards and perks. Here are some benefits and drawbacks to weigh:
Pros
Avoid paying a yearly fee
No pressure to use your card to offset an annual fee
Earn miles with your preferred airline
Cons
Fewer perks and rewards than airline cards with an annual fee
Lower welcome offers
How to choose an airline credit card
Choosing between airline credit cards comes down to more than just their annual fees. Consider the following as you choose a credit card that earns airline miles.
Rewards
Make sure the airline card you select makes sense for your home airport and where you typically fly. This is important regardless of where you live but may be crucial if you live in an airline’s hub city and have scarce options from other airlines and alliances.
For example, people who live in Delta hub cities like Atlanta and Minneapolis may have an overwhelming number of flight choices with Delta and SkyTeam partners and fewer options from other airlines to choose from.
Redemption options
You should also know how a card’s rewards program works and how easily you’ll be able to use your miles. You can do this by playing around with various airline’s websites and searching for flights you may want to book in the future. This can help you get an overview of typical availability and how many miles you’ll need for specific destinations.
If you’re planning to transfer points or miles to airline partners, like with the VentureOne card, check to see which airlines are partnered with the card you’re looking into. Reward transfers could increase the value of your rewards.
Perks
Airline cards with no annual fees have very few perks compared with their more expensive counterparts. If an annual fee fits into your travel budget, you can get an airline credit card with benefits like free checked bags, elite status points, early boarding on the plane, travel credits and airport lounge access.
How to maximize your airline credit card
Once you find the right airline credit card, consider these tips:
- Be flexible with travel dates. Many frequent flyer programs limit award availability throughout the year, particularly over peak travel dates like holidays. To get more value for your miles, consider several sets of travel dates and even destinations for each trip.
- Look for additional ways to rack up miles. Airline mile shopping portals and dining clubs may help you earn additional miles when you make eligible purchases. Just avoid overspending for the sake of earning more rewards.
- Never carry a balance. Airline credit cards tend to have high APRs, and paying interest can typically wipe out the value of the miles you earn. You should charge only purchases you can afford to pay off quickly.
- Take advantage of frequent flyer perks. Make sure you use any card perks, such as free checked bags and early boarding, to get the full benefit of your card. You can do this by adding your frequent flyer account number to your flight reservation each time you travel.
Alternatives to airline credit cards with no annual fee
If an annual fee of $95 to $550 fits into your travel budget, consider an airline card with an annual fee. Those at the lower end of the scale can still come with lucrative benefits like free checked bags and discounts on award flights. Some credit cards might waive their annual fees for the first 12 months.
You can also look at general travel credit cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards points, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards points or points in the Citi ThankYou program. Cards in all of these programs let you book airfare through a travel portal, and some let you transfer rewards to an array of airline and hotel partners.
If you don’t travel often enough to warrant an annual fee, a general cash-back card might work better for you.
How to apply for a credit card
Follow these steps to apply for an airline credit card:
- Find out if you have a frequent flyer account: If you belong to a frequent flyer program already, you’ll have a frequent flyer number you can list on your credit card application. If not, you’ll be assigned a frequent flyer number when you apply for your card and get approved.
- Apply for a card: Airline card applications ask for information like your full name, address, phone number, frequent flyer number, monthly housing payment, household income and Social Security number.
- Get your card: Earn the welcome offer if you can through your normal spending and remember to pay your card bill in full and on time each month.
FAQs
A co-branded credit card is a type of card that is offered through a credit card issuer and a third-party company, such as a travel brand. For example, airline credit cards are offered by issuers like American Express and Chase partnered with brands like Delta Air Lines, Southwest Rapid Rewards and United MileagePlus.
Annual fees may make sense if the benefits you get are worth more than the annual fee. For example, an airline credit card that charges a $95 annual fee can be a good value if you fly a few times per year and save $30 on a checked bag for you and a travel companion for each trip you take.
CNET’s pick for the best airline credit card with no annual fee is the United Gateway℠ Card. We like the card’s competitive ongoing rewards rate and welcome offer, as well as its discounts on in-flight purchases and intro APR offer.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card, click here.
*All information about the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and hasn’t been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
