Here is an update on current airline affinity credit card offers. The following chart details personal cards that earn one mile per dollar spent, except for carriers that use credits or points instead of miles.
Some cards offer double miles for airline and other purchases and this information can be found in the details column. The Annual Percentage Rates (APR) for these cards are variable, since they are based on the fluctuating prime rate plus the airline's set rate. Consumers should verify the following information when applying as it is subject to change.
If you want a no or low annual fee card, you may have to be persistent if you are applying by phone since many banks are pushing their cards with higher annual fees. The more costly cards are definitely worth considering since these cards do typically offer extra perks and bonus miles.
| Airline/Contact | Card | AnnualFee | APR | Sign UpBonus Miles | Maximum MilesPer Year | Details |
| AirTran Airways A-Plus
Visa Juniper Bank (877-523-0989) |
Signature | $39 | 17.74-21.74 | 8 credits | No limit, but credits expire within one year. | Earn 1 credit per dollar spent and 2 credits per dollar on AirTran travel purchases with the Signature card and 1 credit per dollar on AirTran travel and 1 credit per $2 spent on other purchases with the Platinum card. 1,000 points equals 1 credit. Redeem 8 credits for a one-way ticket and 16 credits for a roundtrip. |
| Platinum | No fee | 17.74-21.74 | 2 credits | No limit, but credits expire within one year. | ||
| Alaska Airlines
Visa Bank of America (888-345-2632) |
Classic | $45 | 18.24 | 3,000 | 50,000 | Signature and Platinum cardholders receive a $50 companion ticket now and each year upon renewal, a 2,000 mile anniversary bonus, 2 Board Room passes and 2 miles for Alaska or Horizon purchases. |
| Gold | $45 | 18.24 | 3,000 | 100,000 | ||
| Signature | $75 | 15.24 | 20,000 | No limit | ||
| Platinum | $75 | 15.24 | 5,000 | No limit | ||
| Aloha AirAwards Visa or MasterCard First Hawaiian Bank (643-2273 in Hawaii or 800-215-1475 in continental U.S.) |
Standard | $25 | 16.50 | None | No limit | Earn 1.5 miles for every $1 charged. Gold cardholders earn 500 bonus miles for every one-way flown. Cards allow for pooling of miles with family and friends. |
| Gold | $55 | 15.25 | None | No limit | ||
| American AAdvantage
MasterCard Citibank (800-359-4444) |
Bronze | No fee | 18.24 | 2,500 | 25,000 | AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum and Gold members are excluded from the maximum miles per year limit. Reduced mileage awards available to cardholders on select routes, which vary by quarter. Check www.aa.com/content/AAdvantage/partners/main.jhtml for the latest promotional offers for card sign-up. |
| Gold MasterCard or AAdvantage Amercian Express | $50 | 18.24 | 12,500 | 60,000 | ||
| Platinum MasterCard or Select AAdvantage American Express | $85 | 18.24 | 15,000 | 100,000 | ||
| ATA
Visa Juniper Bank (866-469-5979) |
Signature | $49 | 16.74-20.74 | 3,000 points | No limit | Earn 1 point for every $3 spent. Receive priority boarding and annual companion certificate. |
| British Airways
Visa Chase (800-537-6954) |
Signature | $75 | 17.24 | 15,000 | No limit | Intro APR of 4.9% for first 5 billing cycles. Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on British Airways purchases. Save $20 off tickets purchased at www.britishairways.com/get20 and receive a free companion ticket with the purchase of a full-fare Business or First Class ticket for purchases made by December 31, 2007 for travel through December 31, 2008. |
| Continental Airlines
MasterCard Chase (866-422-6566) |
Platinum | $65 | 18.24 | 10,000 | No limit | Save 5% on ticket purchases at continental.com for up to 1 year after the account is opened. Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on Continental tickets and at select retailers. With the World card, each year on your anniversary receive 2 passes to the Presidents Club and 2 travel coupons worth up to $100 off Continental tickets. |
| World | $85 | 18.24 | 20,000 | No limit | ||
| Delta SkyMiles American
Express (800-759-6453) |
Options | No fee | 12.99 | 1,000 | $60,000 of eligible spending | If you have other American Express cards the annual fee may be reduced or waived. Options card offers 1 mile per dollar spent on Delta and 1 mile per $2 spent on other purchases. Other cards offer 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and at select retailers (earn 1 mile per dollar on Delta purchases above annual mile limit). Each year upon renewal Gold members receive $99 companion ticket and Platinum cardholders receive a free Coach Class companion certificate. Cardholders will earn extra miles if they spend a certain amount each year, which varies by card. |
| Classic | $55 | 18.24 | 5,000 | $60,000 of eligible spending | ||
| Gold | $85 (fee for first year waived) | 18.24 | 10,000 | $100,000 of eligible spending | ||
| Platinum | $135 | 18.24 | 15,000 (5,000 of which are Medallion Qualification Miles) | No limit | ||
| Delta SkyPoints American
Express (800-223-2670) |
Standard | $49 | 18.24 | 2,500 SkyPoints | $60,000 of eligible spending | Redeem points for discounts on tickets, thus avoiding capacity controls on award tickets. Redeem 3,000 points for 10% off, 7,500 points for 25% off, 15,000 points for 50% off and 20,000 points for 75% off. The discount applies to the first $500 dollars of a ticket. Cardholders can also trade SkyPoints for Delta SkyMiles if they want to book free award tickets. Earn double points at select retailers and for Delta tickets. Annual fee is waived for the first year and will continue to be waived if you have an AmEx consumer card. |
| Frontier
MasterCard Juniper (866-750-6024) |
World No Annual Fee Card | No fee | 16.74-19.74 | 5,000 | No limit | No fee card offers 1 mile for every $2 spent on most purchases and 1 mile per dollar on Frontier tickets. Fee card offers 1 mile per dollar on most purchases and 2 miles per dollar on Frontier tickets. |
| World Annual Fee Card | $49 | 16.74-19.74 | 12,500 | No limit | ||
| Hawaiian Airlines
Visa Bank of America 800-732-9194) |
Classic | $25 | 18.24 | 5,000 | 50,000 | The introductory APR is 1.9 for the first six billing cycles. Earn 2 miles per dollar on Hawaiian Airlines purchases. Classic cardholders receive 1,000 miles each year upon renewal. Platinum cardholders receive a 50 percent off companion certificate valid off a full fare (qualifying ticket must be $359 peak and $399 off-peak) and 2,000 bonus miles each year. Both cards allow for pooling of miles with family and friends. |
| Platinum | $50 | 15.24 | 10,000 | 100,000 | ||
| JetBlue American Express (877-253-8258) | Standard | $40 | 18.24 | 10,000 Award Dollars (equals 50 TrueBlue Points) | Points expire one year after they are earned. | Earn one Award Dollar per $1 spent and 2 Award Dollars for JetBlue and select retailer purchases. 200 Award Dollars equals 1 TrueBlue Point and 100 points are needed for a roundtrip flight. |
| Midwest Airlines
MasterCard Juniper (866-750-6024) |
World No Annual Fee | No fee | 17.74-20.74 | 5,000 | No limit | No fee card offers 1 mile per dollar spent on Midwest purchases and 1 mile for every $2 spent on other purchases. World card offers 2 miles per dollar spent on Midwest tickets. |
| World Annual Fee | $49 | 17.74-20.74 | 12,500 | No limit | ||
| Northwest WorldPerks
Visa US Bank (800-369-4086) |
Platinum | $55 | 18.00 | 10,000 | $10,000 per billing cycle and $50,000 per year | Signature cardholders earn double miles for Northwest purchases. Receive mileage discounts for award tickets each year. For purchases over $10,000 per billing cycle for Platinum and $80,000 per year for Signature, earn 1 mile for every 2 dollars spent. Elite members and AutoPay customers may be exempt from spending limits. |
| Signature | $90 | 18.00 | 15,000 | $80,000 | ||
| Southwest Rapid Rewards
Visa Chase (800-792-0001) |
Classic | $39 | 16.90 | 4 credits | Up to 58,000 Reward Dollars | For Signature card, earn two Reward Dollars for each dollar spent on Southwest and 2 credits each year on your anniversary. Earn 1 reward credit for each $1,200 spent. A one-way ticket is 8 credits and a roundtrip ticket is 16 credits. Credits expire 24 months from the date of transfer. |
| Signature | $59 | 16.90 | 8 credits | No limit | ||
| Spirit Free Spirit World MasterCard Juniper Bank (866-419-1027) |
World | $69 | 18.24-21.24 | 15,000 | No limit | World Cardholders entitled to first level of Elite frequent flyer status as long as account has activity each month, will earn 3 miles per dollar spent on Spirit and 2 miles per dollar spent at select merchants, will receive free membership into $9 Fare Club and annual fee waived for first year. |
| United Mileage Plus
Visa Chase (800-537-7783) |
Signature | $60 | 18.24 | 21,000 | 60,000 | Miles may be used in the traditional manner, or they can be redeemed in the Choices program for any seat on flights, hotels, etc. For example, a ticket costing $300 would require 30,000 miles in the Choices program and would not be subject to capacity controls, but you can still redeem 25,000 miles for a free domestic roundtrip. Gold and Platinum cards earn double miles on United ticket purchases. Platinum also earns double miles at select retailers. Mileage Plus Premier, Premier Executive, or Premier Executive 1K members are excluded from the maximum Choices per year limits. These cards also offer 2,500 anniversary miles, a free one-way, 1,000-mile upgrade and $25 discount certificate. Platinum card offers a roundtrip companion certificate on the anniversary date. Annual fee waived for first year on Signature and Gold cards. |
| Gold Class | $85 | 18.24 | 20,000 | 100,000 | ||
| Platinum | $140 | 18.24 | 20,000 | No limit | ||
| US Airways Dividend Miles MasterCard Juniper (866-419-6437) |
World No Annual Fee | No fee | 18.24-20.24 | 5,000 | No limit | Premier card offers double miles for US Airways and US Airways Vacations purchases, a free visit to a US Airways Club, one certificate valid for two $99 companion tickets each year, a free visit to a US Airways Club and $75 discount off of a new membership and preferred check-in and boarding. World fee cardholders will receive an annual certificate for a $149 companion ticket. Companion tickets are valid for travel within the U.S. with a qualifying ticket of $250 or higher. No fee card offers 1 mile per dollar spent on US Airways and 1 mile per $2 spent on other purchases. |
| World Annual Fee | $49 | 18.24-20.24 | 10,000 | No limit | ||
| Premier World | $79 | 18.24-20.24 | 15,000 | No limit | ||
| US Airways Dividend Miles
Visa Bank of America (800-241-6295) |
Classic | $50 | 18.24 | 5,000 | 50,000 | Intro APR of 0% for Signature and Platinum and 1.9 for Classic for first 6 billing cycles. Platinum and Signature cards offer double miles for US Airways purchases, a free visit to a US Airways Club, one certificate valid for two $99 companion tickets each year and a $75 discount off of a new US Airways Club membership. Signature card offers preferred check-in and boarding and unlimited space available upgrades for purchase. Classic card offers annual $149 companion ticket. Companion tickets are valid for travel within the U.S. with a qualifying ticket of $250 or higher. Platinum companion tickets valid with a qualifying ticket of $350 or higher. |
| Signature | $90 | 18.24 | 20,000 | No limit | ||
| Platinum | $90 | 18.24 | 10,000 | No limit |
