Top Airline Credit Cards: Begin With the Carrier You Use Most

The best airline credit card is usually the one tied to the carrier you already fly most often, because benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding generally apply only on that airline. If you check a bag only a few times a year, a card with an annual fee of $150 or less is often enough. Higher fees make sense only when you will consistently use a benefit such as an annual companion fare or lounge access.

If you want more travel advice like this, sign up to receive tips in your inbox.

Your home airport often determines which airline makes the most sense, since the carrier with the most nonstop routes there is usually the one whose perks you can use most often. If you spread your travel across several airlines, a general travel rewards card may be the better fit because its points are not limited to a single carrier.

How often you fly should also determine how much you pay. Cards with fees around $150 mainly focus on free checked bags. Cards near $350 often include a yearly companion certificate, an extra checked bag, or a small bundle of lounge passes. Cards at $650 or more are aimed at travelers who will use airline lounges on most trips. For Southwest cards, the decision largely comes down to which seat-related perks you would actually use.

Delta

1. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

This is the Delta card that makes sense for a few trips each year. No lower-priced personal Delta card waives checked bags, and this one offers the same first- and second-bag savings found on pricier Delta cards.

• Best for: Travelers who fly Delta a few times a year and check a bag
• What Sets It Apart: Free first checked bag for up to nine travelers on your reservation; free second bag for primary cardholders on domestic flights
• Cost: $0 annual fee the first year, then $150; 19.74% to 28.74% variable interest rate; no fees on purchases abroad
• Features: 2X miles on Delta purchases, at restaurants, and at U.S. supermarkets; Zone 5 priority boarding; at least 15% off award flights on Delta; up to $100 a year back on prepaid Delta Stays bookings; up to $120 a year in rideshare credits from year two; $200 flight credit after $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year
• Pros: Two domestic round trips with a bag can save $180, more than the $150 fee; bag and boarding perks cover companions on your reservation; no fee the first year
• Cons: No lounge access, companion ticket, or Medallion status help; second free bag is domestic and cardholder-only; no free bags on codeshare flights operated by another airline

For more information, read our full Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Review.

2. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

This is Delta’s lowest-fee personal card with a companion certificate, making it a solid choice for couples and families taking one Delta trip together each year. The second traveler pays only taxes and fees on an eligible Delta Main round trip.

• Best for: Delta flyers who will use a yearly companion certificate and want progress toward Medallion status
• What Sets It Apart: Yearly Delta Main companion certificate; $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each year; up to $390 a year in statement credits
• Cost: $350 annual fee; no foreign transaction fees; 19.74% to 28.74% variable interest rate
• Features: 3 miles per dollar on Delta and direct hotel purchases; 2 per dollar at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets; free first checked bag and Zone 5 boarding for up to 9 travelers on your reservation; free second bag for you on domestic trips
• Pros: Certificate can offset the fee in one trip; head start on Medallion status; credits for Delta Stays, Resy, and rideshares
• Cons: First certificate arrives after year one; certificate limited to certain Delta Main fares; miles worth about 1 cent each; no Sky Club access

For more information, read our full Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Review.

3. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

This is the only personal Delta card that includes Sky Club lounge visits, so it is aimed at frequent business travelers. Weekly flyers can burn through its 15 annual visits unless they spend $75,000 in a calendar year on the card.

• Best for: Frequent Delta flyers who will use the Sky Club visits and the companion certificate every year
• What Sets It Apart: 15 Sky Club visits a year; Centurion Lounge access on Delta trips; companion certificate good in first class
• Cost: $650 annual fee; no foreign transaction fees; 19.74% to 28.74% variable APR
• Features: 3X miles on Delta purchases and 1X on everything else; $2,500 in Medallion Qualification Dollars a year plus $1 per $10 spent; up to $240 in Resy, $120 in rideshare, and $200 in Delta Stays credits a year; first checked bag free for up to nine on your reservation
• Pros: Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access; companion certificate works in first class; fastest elite-status earning of Delta’s personal cards
• Cons: $300 a year more than the Delta Platinum; 1X at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets; guests cost $50 a visit after four free passes a year

For more information, read our full Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Review.

United

4. United℠ Explorer Card

This is a practical choice for a few United trips a year, especially if you book on the card. The free first bag covers you and one companion, but a family of four would still pay for two bags each way.

• Best for: Travelers who fly United a few times a year, check a bag, and often book with a companion
• What Sets It Apart: Free first checked bag for you and a companion; early Group 2 boarding; two United Club lounge passes a year
• Cost: $0 annual fee the first year, then $150; 19.99% to 28.49% variable APR; no foreign transaction fees
• Welcome Offer: Up to 80,000 bonus miles, 70,000 after $3,000 in purchases and 10,000 for adding an authorized user, both in the first 3 months
• Rewards: 3 miles per $1 on United purchases; 2 on dining and on hotels booked directly; 1 on everything else
• Features: Up to $120 every 4 years toward a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee; at least 10% fewer miles on United flights booked with miles
• Pros: Free first bags for two can cover the $150 fee in one round trip; two United Club passes a year, which Chase values at over $100
• Cons: Advertised $500-plus in credits split across specific partners; only 1,000 Premier qualifying points a year toward elite status; no companion ticket

For more information, read our full United℠ Explorer Card Review.

5. United Quest℠ Card

Choose this instead of the Explorer if you or a companion frequently checks a second bag on multiple United trips each year, since it is United’s lowest-fee personal card that waives a second bag.

• Best for: Travelers who fly United several times a year and will use the $200 travel credit
• What Sets It Apart: $200 United travel credit each year; free first and second checked bags for you and a companion; Premier qualifying points from spending, up to 18,000 a year
• Cost: $350 annual fee; no foreign transaction fees; 19.99% to 28.49% variable APR
• Features: 80,000 bonus miles after $4,000 in purchases in 3 months; 4 miles per dollar on United purchases; 2 miles per dollar on other travel, dining, and select streaming; 10,000-mile award discount each anniversary
• Pros: $200 travel credit reduces the $350 fee to an effective $150; two free bags for you and a companion; 1,000 bonus Premier qualifying points a year from the year after opening
• Cons: No United Club access; travel credit only for United flights; partner credits tied to specific merchants

For more information, read our full United Quest℠ Card Review.

6. United Club℠ Card

This card is most valuable for weekly United business travelers who would use a United Club lounge on most trips. If that is not you, the $350 Quest card still offers the same two free checked bags for you and a companion.

• Best for: Frequent United flyers who would pay for a United Club membership anyway
• What Sets It Apart: United Club membership for you and one adult guest; 5 miles per $1 on United purchases; 1 Premier qualifying point per $15 spent
• Cost: $695 annual fee; 19.99% to 28.49% variable APR; no foreign transaction fees
• Features: Up to 100,000 bonus miles; free first and second checked bags for you and a companion; priority check-in, security, and boarding; $875-plus in yearly partner credits
• Pros: $695 fee, $55 a year less than United’s $750 club membership; most miles on United purchases of any United card; best elite-status earning rate of any personal United card
• Cons: Credits tied to a handful of partners; Star Alliance lounges only with Premier Gold status or $50,000 in yearly spending; authorized users need you to enter clubs

For more information, read our full United Club℠ Card Review.

American Airlines

7. Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

This is American Airlines’ lowest-fee personal card with a free checked bag, and it is the right fit for occasional flyers unless they would make regular use of a yearly companion fare.

• Best for: Travelers who check bags on a few American Airlines trips a year
• What Sets It Apart: A free first checked bag for you plus up to four companions on your reservation, on all-domestic American itineraries
• Cost: $99 annual fee after a free first year; no foreign transaction fee; 19.74% to 29.74% variable APR; balance transfer fee 5% (min. $5)
• Features: 80,000 bonus miles after $3,500 in purchases in 4 months; 2X on eligible American Airlines purchases and at restaurants and gas stations; Group 5 boarding; 25% back on inflight food and drinks on domestic flights; $125 flight discount after $20,000 in yearly spending and renewal
• Pros: Bag savings of at least $90 per traveler per domestic round trip; 2X at restaurants and gas stations; no foreign transaction fees
• Cons: No lounge access; no discounted companion ticket; one Loyalty Point per dollar; no bag or boarding perks for extra cardholders

For more information, read our full Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® Review.

8. Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®

This is the only American Airlines card on this list with a companion certificate, so it fits travelers who take one domestic trip a year with a partner.

• Best for: American flyers who take a companion at least once a year and want a few lounge visits
• What Sets It Apart: A companion certificate after each renewal for a domestic economy round trip at $99 plus taxes; four Admirals Club passes a year
• Cost: $350 annual fee; 19.74% to 29.74% variable APR; no foreign transaction fees
• Features: 60,000 bonus miles after $4,000 in purchases in 3 months; 6 miles per $1 on AAdvantage Hotels bookings, 3 on eligible American Airlines purchases, 2 at restaurants and on rides and transit, 1 elsewhere; free first checked bag and Group 5 boarding for you and as many as eight companions on one domestic reservation; up to $100 a year back on inflight purchases; up to $100 a year back at up to two of four merchants you pick, such as Live Nation; up to $240 a year in Turo credits; Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit of up to $120 once every four years
• Pros: Companion fare for $99 plus taxes each year from the second; lounge passes worth $316 at American’s $79 day-pass price; free first bags for up to nine travelers on one domestic reservation
• Cons: No certificate until after the first renewal; certificate limited to select economy seats within the lower 48 states, or from home for residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; 1 mile per $1 on most everyday spending

For more information, read our full Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® Review.

9. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard®

This card is geared toward weekly American Airlines business travelers. If you would only visit an Admirals Club lounge a few times a year, the Globe card gives you four annual passes for a $350 fee, which is about half the cost of this card’s $695 annual fee.

• Best for: Frequent American Airlines flyers who would pay for an Admirals Club membership anyway
• What Sets It Apart: The only card with a full Admirals Club membership; club access for up to three authorized users; first checked bag free for up to eight companions
• Cost: $695 annual fee; $175 a year for up to three authorized users; 19.74% to 29.74% variable interest rate; no foreign transaction fees
• Features: 125,000 bonus miles for $15,000 spent in 5 months; 4x on American Airlines purchases; 12x on AAdvantage Hotels and Cars bookings; as many as 40,000 bonus Loyalty Points a year toward elite status; a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit of up to $120 every 4 years
• Pros: $695 fee, below the $1,200 to $1,400 the same membership costs on its own; priority boarding for up to eight companions; credits for American Airlines Vacations, Lyft, Avis or Budget, and inflight and Admirals Club purchases
• Cons: 1 mile per $1 on most purchases; $15,000 spend for the bonus; no companion certificate; no free bag or priority boarding for authorized users

For more information, read our full Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® Review.

Southwest

10. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

This is the Southwest card for frequent flyers who care where they sit. Southwest’s lower-fee cards waive the same first checked bag, so the seat-related perks are the main reason to pay the $229 annual fee.

• Best for: Frequent Southwest flyers who want Preferred seats at booking and Extra Legroom upgrades for themselves and up to eight companions
• What Sets It Apart: The only Southwest personal card with seat choice at booking and Extra Legroom upgrades; 7,500 anniversary points, the most of any Southwest personal card
• Cost: $229 annual fee; 19.49% to 27.99% variable APR; no foreign transaction fees
• Features: 60,000 bonus points after $2,000 in purchases in the first 3 months; 4X points on Southwest and 2X at gas stations and restaurants; first checked bag free and Group 5 boarding for up to 9 travelers
• Pros: Seat perks cover up to 8 companions; 7,500 anniversary points a year; no cap on 2X points
• Cons: No travel credit or lounge access; seats and upgrades only when available; no edge in earning elite status over cheaper cards from 2027

For more information, read our full Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card Review.

Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines

11. Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Credit Card

This card has the lowest ongoing fee on this list, at $95, and is a strong option for Alaska and Hawaiian flyers who check bags. Spending $6,000 a year on the card also unlocks a companion fare for the following year.

• Best for: West Coast and Hawaii travelers who check bags on Alaska or Hawaiian flights
• What Sets It Apart: Free first checked bags for up to seven travelers on one booking when the card pays for the airfare; a yearly companion fare from $122 after $6,000 in spending
• Cost: $95 annual fee; no foreign transaction fee; 19.74% to 27.74% variable APR; 5% balance transfer fee
• Features: 50,000 bonus points and a companion fare after $1,500 in purchases within 90 days; 3x points on Alaska and Hawaiian purchases; 2x on gas, EV charging, local transit, cable, and select streaming; preferred boarding; 20% back on inflight food and drinks
• Pros: At $45 a bag each way, two travelers save $180 in bag fees on one round trip, against a $95 fee; first companion fare after just $1,500 in spending; no blackout dates on award flights
• Cons: Yearly companion fare needs $6,000 in spending; no lounge passes; slow path to elite status; no intro APR

For more information, read our full Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Credit Card Review.

12. Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card

This card is designed for Alaska and Hawaiian flyers several times a year. Its $395 fee, which is $300 more than the Ascent card, adds eight annual lounge passes and a companion award that can also be used on partner airlines.

• Best for: Alaska and Hawaiian flyers who’d use lounge passes and book award trips with a companion
• What Sets It Apart: Eight Alaska Lounge passes a year; a 25,000-point companion award each anniversary, good in any cabin on Alaska, Hawaiian, or partner flights
• Cost: $395 annual fee; no foreign transaction fee; 19.74% to 27.74% variable APR
• Features: 3 points per $1 on Alaska and Hawaiian purchases, dining, and purchases abroad; free first checked bag and preferred boarding for up to seven travelers on one reservation; 100,000 bonus points plus a 25,000-point companion award after $6,000 in 90 days
• Pros: Eight lounge passes worth $520 a year at Alaska’s $65 day-pass price; companion award needs no spending; 1 status point per $2 plus 10,000 each anniversary; points never expire
• Cons: Lounge passes expire each quarter; the companion award works only on new two-traveler award bookings on Alaska’s website; taxes and fees on the companion’s ticket still due

For more information, read our full Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card Review.

JetBlue

13. JetBlue Plus Card

This is the lowest-fee personal JetBlue card with a free checked bag, and it is a good fit for occasional flyers. On a ticket charged to the card, a group of four can each check a bag for free.

• Best for: JetBlue flyers who check bags a few times a year, especially anyone booking for family or friends
• What Sets It Apart: First checked bag free for you and up to 3 companions on the same reservation; 10% of redeemed points back after JetBlue award flights; 5,000 points each card anniversary
• Cost: $99 annual fee; 19.74% to 29.74% variable interest rate; no foreign transaction fee
• Features: 70,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases and the annual fee paid within 90 days; 6x points on JetBlue purchases; 2x at restaurants and grocery stores; 1x on everything else
• Pros: $180 in bag fees saved on two round trips with one bag at JetBlue’s $45 fee; half off inflight food and drinks
• Cons: No boarding perk, companion perk, or lounge access; Mosaic takes $50,000 a year in card spending alone; free bags only on tickets bought with the card

For more information, read our full JetBlue Plus Card Review.

Frontier

14. Frontier Airlines World Mastercard®

This is the lowest-fee card on this list that offers two free checked bags, making it useful for Frontier regulars, although the free bags apply only to the primary cardmember.

• Best for: Frontier flyers who check a bag on at least one round trip a year
• What Sets It Apart: Two free checked bags for the cardmember on Frontier flights bought with the card; Elite Gold status after the first purchase
• Cost: $99 annual fee; 0% foreign transaction fee; 19.74% to 29.74% variable interest rate
• Features: Up to 60,000 bonus miles; 5X miles on Frontier purchases; 3X at restaurants; 1X on everything else; 1 Elite Status Point per $1; $100 flight voucher after $2,500 in yearly purchases; Group 4 boarding
• Pros: Two free checked bags on every eligible flight; free carry-on and Group 1 boarding with Elite Gold
• Cons: Free bags for the primary cardmember only; companion travel requires Elite Platinum; 1 mile per $1 on most spending; no lounge access

For more information, read our full Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® Review.

Knowing which airline you fly most helps narrow the choice to that airline’s cards, and how often you travel decides which one is worth getting. Occasional travelers usually need only the cheapest card from their preferred airline that waives a checked bag, while a fee of $350 or more is only worth it if you will regularly use a companion fare, a second bag, or lounge access.

Editorial & Advertiser Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser. Opinions expressed here are ours alone, not those of any advertiser. The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. That compensation may influence which products we cover and where and how they appear on a page – including the order in which they appear – but it does not influence our evaluations, ratings, or opinions. We do not include every company or offer available in the marketplace.