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- If you fly even just a couple times a year, it's worth having an airline credit card.
- The perks and benefits that come with these cards, such as free checked bags, priority boarding, and lounge passes, that make flying easier and more enjoyable - and can save you money.
- We compared some of the most popular mainstream credit cards from the three big US airlines - American, United, and Delta.
- The Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® and the United Explorer Card currently have the strongest welcome bonuses, and they earn bonus miles on a few different types of purchases.
- However, the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express is gaining some valuable new benefits in early 2020 that could make it the best option.
- Read more personal finance coverage.
One of the best ways to earn a bunch of frequent flyer miles quickly is to open an airline credit card and earn the new card member bonus.
While a card that earns transferable points - like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card - typically has more valuable and flexible rewards than fixed program cards, airline cards win in two respects.
If you generally fly with one preferred airline and earn frequent flyer miles on that program when you travel, it can make sense to earn the same kind of miles from your credit card. Between the mileage earned from both, your miles will add up quicker.
Also, airline credit cards come with various perks specific to that airline that can save you a ton of time and money. Things like complimentary checked bags, priority boarding, and even day passes to airport lounges will have you feeling like you're flying first class even when you're in basic economy.
Each of the three major US airlines (American, Delta, and United) offer a few different credit cards, but among the most popular are the "mainstream" cards. These products have annual fees between $95 and $99 - often waived the first year - and feature benefits that appeal to everyone from casual fliers to road warriors.
While they all have similar features and benefits and all offer a great value to cardholders, we've compared them and found that one stands out above the rest. Read on to see which one it is.
Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.