Best Airline Credit Cards of 2025

---

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings.com for our coverage of credit card products. Money and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers.

If you frequently fly with the same airline, an airline credit card can help you maximize the miles you earn and provide benefits to enhance your travel experience.

Airlines credit cards can earn between two to five miles (or points) per dollar spent and include benefits such as no foreign transaction fees, free checked bags, annual bonus miles credits and more. They can also help you save money with statement credits and in-flight discounts on food, beverages and Wi-Fi plans.

Read on to check out Money's picks for the best airline credit cards of 2025.

Our Top Picks for the Best Airline Credit Cards of 2025

• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card - Best Overall
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card - Best for Dining and Flight Perks
• United℠ Explorer Card - Best for Free Checked Bags and Lounge Access
• JetBlue Plus Card - Best for Budget and Family Travel
• Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® - Best for Domestic Airline Rewards

Best Airline Credit Cards Reviews

Why we chose it: The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card stands out for its generous Companion Fare benefit, which allows cardholders to bring a travel companion for as little as $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees). This benefit alone can easily offset the card's annual fee for frequent Alaska Airlines travelers.

The card also offers valuable travel protections, including baggage delay insurance and lost luggage reimbursement. Additionally, it includes auto rental collision damage waiver and purchase protection.

You and up to six companions traveling on the same reservation can check your first bags for free, which can add up to significant savings for families and groups traveling together. You’ll not only earn 3 miles on Alaska Airlines purchases but also 2 miles on everyday types of purchases like gas, EV charging station, select streaming services purchases (which is rare for an airline credit card) and 1x miles on other eligible purchases, helping members build up their Mileage Plan balances faster.

While the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card is most beneficial for loyal Alaska Airlines flyers, its Companion Fare and free checked bag benefits make it a top choice.

Terms apply. See here for rates and fees.

Why we chose it: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card’s free checked bags and priority boarding for yourself and up to eight companions is a valuable benefit, especially if you’re traveling with friends and family.

The card also offers plenty of other benefits, including:

• 15% off flights booked with miles through Delta.com or Delta's app
• 20% discount (in the form of a statement credit) on eligible in-flight purchases
• $200 yearly flight credit (after spending $10,000 with your card on eligible purchases)
• Up to $100 back yearly (in the form of a statement credit) when booking prepaid hotels or vacations through Delta Stays

However, it isn’t without its drawbacks. The SkyMiles Gold card only includes secondary rental car insurance, while cards with similar fees cover baggage or trip cancellations. Also, its in-flight discount is also around 5% less than similar cards. Still, the card’s benefits mostly offset the annual fee.

Why we chose it: The United℠ Explorer Card provides several valuable benefits that make the annual fee worthwhile, including miles you can use for flights to more than a hundred international destinations.

One of the main benefits is that earned miles can be used for United Airlines flights and partners like Avianca, Lufthansa and Air Canada. You can also redeem miles for seat upgrades, inflight Wi-Fi passes and more — although United miles are usually more valuable when used for flight bookings.

The United℠ Explorer Card’s $95 annual fee is waived for the first year. Once it kicks in, however, benefits like the free checked bag for the cardholder and a companion, (usually costs around $30 per person each way) help make up for it. Priority boarding for you and your companions and two one-time passes to the United Club each year (worth around $100 or more) also add value.

The card offers 25% back as a statement credit on in-flight purchases like food, beverages and Wi-Fi. Additionally, you'll get another statement credit of up to $120 every four years to cover the cost of TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or NEXUS.

Why we chose it: The JetBlue Plus Card offers excellent travel benefits like free checked bags and yearly bonus points. You can also earn elite status with the airline faster and easier, unlocking even more perks to enhance your travel experience.

One of the card's best features is that it can help you unlock elite perks faster by counting your everyday spending as qualifying points. Other airlines, on the other hand, only award the money spent on flights.

With the JetBlue Plus Card, you’ll typically need to spend $50,000 on your card to reach the first Mosaic level. However, every $100 spent on JetBlue airfare, vacation packages and other qualifying purchases counts more and can be combined with your card spending. For example, if you spend $2,000 on flights, you only need to spend $30,000 on your card instead of $50,000 to reach Mosaic status.

The card includes a free first checked bag for you and up to three companions, and 50% off eligible in-flight food and drink purchases, one of the highest discounts of this type we’ve seen.

You also get 5,000 bonus points yearly and an annual $100 statement credit if you book a JetBlue Vacations package of $100, and a 10% point rebate each time you book a flight using accumulated points.

All information about the JetBlue Plus Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

Why we chose it: Among cards from ultra-low-cost carriers, the FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard®’s high reward rate stands out.

The card’s $99 annual fee includes Instant Elite Gold status after the first purchase with your card in the first 90 days after account opening. This status will be valid for just 90 days after your account opening date, but you can extend it for a full 12 months by spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.

While the FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard® has a great reward rate and simplifies earning elite status, it doesn't offer as many benefits as similarly priced cards from legacy airlines. This card can be a good fit if you don't mind having fewer cardholder perks in exchange for saving money on ticket prices.

All information about the FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard® has been collected independently by Money.com.

How We Chose the Best Airline Credit Cards

To determine the best airline credit cards, we weighed airline rewards value, sign-up bonuses, fees, travel benefits like free checked bags and the ability to earn and redeem miles with partner airlines.

• Airline Rewards: Points or miles earned on airline-specific spending, including bonus miles for flights and partner redemptions.
• Sign-Up Bonus: Value of the sign-up bonus, including how easy it is to meet spending requirements.
• Fees: Preference for cards with low or no annual fees, no foreign transaction fees and valuable benefits relative to the fee.
• Other Benefits: Other valuable perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, travel insurance, lounge access and companion tickets. Plus, flexibility with partner airlines to earn or redeem points with other airlines or travel partners can add value to your cardmembership.

Read our full methodology here.

Summary of Money’s Best Airline Credit Cards of 2025

• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card - Best Overall
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card - Best for Dining and Flight Perks
• United℠ Explorer Card - Best for Free Checked Bags and Lounge Access
• JetBlue Plus Card - Best for Budget and Family Travel
• Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® - Best for Domestic Airline Rewards

To see rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please visit this link. Terms apply.

* Insurance disclosures for American Express Cards on this page:

Trip Delay Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Global Assist Hotline: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, Baggage Insurance Plan: 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.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance: 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.