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Recommended Credit Cards to Rack Up Airline Miles

In today’s fast-paced world where travel has become an integral part of our lives, savvy globetrotters and jetsetters are increasingly turning to credit cards as a strategic tool to unlock a world of benefits and opportunities. And it is obvious why – when flights are typically the costliest part of any vacation, credit card reward programs solve this problem, providing the potential to make flights free! 
Among the multitude of reasons to explore travel strategy, earning rewards for nearly free flights stands out as the most enticing benefit. Credit card rewards programs have evolved to incorporate methods that allow individuals to accumulate points or miles with every eligible purchase, and many cards provide crazy high sign-up bonuses allowing the consumer the ability to use the rewards almost immediately. Furthermore, many airline specific cards offer exclusive benefits too, making the deal even sweeter, perks such as priority boarding, free checked bags and airport lounge access.
With the right credit card in your wallet, you can transform routine expenses into valuable travel opportunities, making it possible to explore new destinations without breaking your budget. Curious about the airline cards we recommend the most? Look no further! 

Best for Delta SkyMiles: American Express® Gold Card*
Best for foreign airline miles: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Best for businesses: The Blue Cash Preferred Card®from American Express*
Best low-cost option: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

And if you are brand new to using credit card points and miles within your travel strategy, here is a great place to begin! 

Best for Delta SkyMiles
American Express® Gold Card: Learn more here
Love flying with Delta?  It may seem obvious to get a Delta branded card, but given the recent devaluations in the Delta SkyMiles program, opting for a co-branded Delta card may not be the best choice any longer. Alternatively, the American Express® Gold Card offers better rewards and category bonuses for everyday expenses. The Rewards points can then be transferred to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio, and occasional transfer bonuses enhance their value. Terms, Conditions & Disclosures (americanexpress.com)

●Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
●Get the American Express® Gold Card in either Gold or Rose Gold.
●Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
●Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
●Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
●Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
●Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
●$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
●$84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
●$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
●$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
●Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
●No Foreign Transaction Fees.
●Annual Fee is $325.
●Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
●Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Best for international airlines
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Learn more here
The Capital One Venture Card is an excellent travel rewards credit card designed for individuals who prefer the flexibility of not being restricted to a single travel provider. Diverging from the airline-specific cards it rivals, this card offers a generous rewards rate on all purchases, not just travel expenses. Another characteristic that makes it so appealing is that you can use Venture miles to pay for any travel-related charges once they post to your account too, providing flexibility without constraints on travel timing, airline choice, or hotel selection.

●Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
●Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
●Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
●Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
●Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
●Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
●Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
●Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
●Annual fee: $95. See rates and fees.


Best low-cost option
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Learn more here
This card steals the spotlight thanks to its awesome rewards program and travel perks. Perhaps the most attractive feature of this card is for every dollar you spend, you scoop up 1.25 miles. The best part? You’re not tied down to a single airline or hotel chain. Capital One lets you spread your wings and use your miles for flights or cozy hotel stays through their super user-friendly portal. Cardholders can transfer miles to 15 airlines and three hotel loyalty programs. Say goodbye to annual fees, and hello to endless miles without the extra baggage of costs.
Note you may want to weigh the rewards value from the regular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card with this no fee option, as depending on priorities it has some stellar additional perks to offset cost.

●Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
●$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
●Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
●Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
●Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
●Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
●Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Best business card for earning airline miles
The Blue Cash Preferred Card® from American Express*: Learn more here Terms, Conditions & Disclosures (americanexpress.com)

●Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
●Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments with a fixed fee. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors
●6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
●6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
●3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
●1% Cash Back on other purchases.
●Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
●$84 Disney Bundle Credit: With your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card, spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription, to receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.
●Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.


In the end, unlike traditional saving methods, where the process can be slow and tedious, credit card rewards expedite the journey to a dream getaway. With each swipe, cardholders accumulate points or miles that can be redeemed for flight tickets, hotel stays, or other travel-related expenses. This not only adds an extra layer of excitement to everyday spending but also empowers individuals to turn routine transactions into tangible and rewarding travel experiences. As consumers increasingly seek ways to make their money work for them, leveraging credit card rewards for free flights emerges as a practical and appealing avenue to elevate one’s travel aspirations without compromising financial stability.
Interested in a broader list of our favorite cards especially selected for those who may be starting off in the points world? Look no further!

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. 
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Updated: 4/17/2025
Updated: 4/17/2025