The Premium Pick: Capital One Venture X Rewards

Frequent flyers who want premium travel rewards should consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It offers a mountain of perks, including:

• Earn unlimited 2x miles on all purchases
• 10x miles on Capital One hotel and car bookings
• Up to $300 back annually on bookings like Uber, Airbnb and more
• Enjoy access to over 1,300 airport lounges with Priority Pass
• Redeem miles for any travel purchase or transfer to airline partners

The Venture X really shines if you spend a lot on hotels, rental cars and rideshares. With a $395 annual fee, it’s best for frequent travelers who can maximize the statement credits and lounge access.

The All-Around Pick: Chase Sapphire Preferred

For exceptional flexibility and rewards across spending categories, the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns points that can transfer to airline and hotel partners or redeem for 25% more travel booked through Chase. You’ll earn:

• 2x points on all travel and dining purchases
• 1x point per dollar on other purchases
• Valuable trip delay, cancellation and interruption coverage
• No foreign transaction fees

With just a $95 annual fee, the Sapphire Preferred works for all types of travelers. The signup bonus alone currently offers 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

The Airfare Specialist: Delta SkyMiles Gold AmEx

For those loyal to Delta, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers plenty of perks:

• Earn 2x miles at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and Delta purchases
• First checked bag free for you and up to 8 companions
• Main cabin 1 priority boarding
• 20% savings on in-flight purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

There’s a $99 annual fee for this card, but benefits like an annual $100 Delta flight credit help offset the cost. If you check bags and fly Delta frequently, this card can pay for itself easily.

The Hotel Maven: World of Hyatt Credit Card

For hotel stays, the World of Hyatt Credit Card is a top contender, with up to 9 points per dollar on Hyatt purchases:

• 9x points on Hyatt stays and experiences
• 2x points on dining, flights, transit and fitness clubs
• 1 free night every year after cardmember anniversary
• Additional free night with $15k in annual spending
• Elite status tier upgrades, 10% points rebate and more

With a $95 annual fee, this card packs a punch for Hyatt loyalists. The anniversary free night perk alone can outweigh the annual cost.

The No Annual Fee Option: Wells Fargo Propel AmEx

For a no annual fee card, the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card offers strong earning in key categories:

• 3x points on eating out and ordering in, gas, flights, hotels, homestays and car rentals
• Cell phone protection against damage or theft
• $100 annual airline fee credit
• Generous sign-up bonus worth up to $300 cash rewards

As a no annual fee card, the Propel AmEx is fantastic for maximizing rewards on everyday and travel spending alike.

The Family Travel Card: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority

For families, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card provides travel perks like upgraded boardings, inflight discounts, and a $75 annual Southwest travel credit. You’ll earn:

• 3x points on Southwest purchases
• 2x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners
• 7,500 anniversary bonus points each year

With a $149 annual fee, this card’s perks make Southwest travel with kids and family so much smoother.

The Luxury Hotel Card: Hilton Honors AmEx Aspire

If you want luxury hotel perks, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers stellar benefits like:

• 14x points on Hilton purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Diamond status
• $250 Hilton resort statement credit
• $250 airline fee credit
• Priority Pass Select airport lounge access

The $450 annual fee is steep but can pay for itself with credits and free night rewards alone. For pampering and premium treatment at Hilton properties, this card hits the spot.

The Cash Back Approach: Citi Double Cash

For flat-rate cash rewards on all purchases, the Citi Double Cash Card earns easy-to-redeem rewards:

• 2% cash back – 1% when you buy, 1% when you pay it off
• $0 annual fee
• Balance transfer offers with 0% intro APR

As a Mastercard, the Citi Double Cash also has no foreign transaction fees, making it a flexible, fee-free option for frequent jet-setters.

The Rental Car Warrior: United Quest Card

For rental car rewards, the United QuestSM Card packs a punch by letting you earn 2x on not just United purchases but also dining and select streaming services. You’ll also enjoy:

• Up to $125 annual United purchase credit
• Two 5k-mile anniversary award flight credits
• First and second free checked bags for you and one companion
• Premium cabin upgrades and rental car elite status

With a $250 annual fee, this card makes renting cars and flying United exceptionally rewarding.

The Green Card: PenFed Pathfinder Rewards

For an eco-friendly card option, PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers robust travel and dining rewards with a focus on sustainability:

• 4x points on travel and EV charging
• 3x points on dining, streaming and groceries
• TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credits
• Annual $100 travel incidental statement credit

As a Visa with no foreign transaction fees, this card makes for a strong green choice to earn and redeem rewards responsibly.

The Bottom Line

Whether you want luxury perks, family benefits, or simple earning potential, selecting the right credit card boosts your frequent flyer experience. Evaluate spending categories, brand loyalty benefits and annual fees to choose a card that optimizes rewards. Any of these top 10 picks will help you make the most of life in the air. I sincerely hope you find this “Top 10 Credit Cards for Frequent Flyers In 2024” article helpful.

Pros

Lucrative Sign-Up Bonuses

One of the biggest pros of airline credit cards is the sign-up bonus you can earn. Many cards offer between 25,000 – 75,000 bonus miles if you meet a minimum spending requirement within the first few months. At the higher end, this could score you a free roundtrip domestic flight or discounted international ticket. Make sure to clear the full balance before the due date.

Free Checked Bags

Most airline credit cards provide at least one free checked bag for the primary cardholder and authorized users. With checked bag fees typically costing $30 per bag, this perk can add up to huge savings for families and frequent travelers. Some cards even reimburse for in-flight food and beverage purchases.

Priority Boarding

You’ll typically receive earlier boarding group access when flying with the affiliated airline if you hold their co-branded card. This allows you to settle in and find coveted overhead bin space. Some cards also give you priority access to upgrades and preferred seating.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

One of the most annoying credit card fees is the foreign transaction fee that’s around 3% of each international purchase. Thankfully, many airline cards do not charge foreign fees making them ideal for travel abroad. Just remember Visa and Mastercard still process the charge conversion.

Cons

High Annual Fees

Annual fees on airline credit cards generally start around $95 per year and can go up to $500+ for premium cards. If you don’t fly often, earn enough rewards, or use the card perks, they might not justify the cost. However, some cards waive the fee the first year or offer statement credits to offset it.

Expiration of Miles

While many airline cards offer generous sign-up bonuses, you do need to pay attention to mileage expiration policies. Most airlines will expire your hard-earned miles if there’s no account activity after 18-24 months. This means you need to earn or redeem miles periodically.

Complex Reward Redemption

Understanding airline reward charts and redemption options can be headache-inducing. Award seat availability is limited on certain routes and dates, and “fuel surcharges” can unexpectedly increase costs. Redeeming points for flights also doesn’t usually provide the best value compared to hotel stays, merchandise etc.

Balance Transfer Restrictions

If you have existing credit card debt, airline cards likely won’t help consolidate it onto a 0% APR balance transfer offer. Most co-branded cards prohibit balance transfers or charge very high fees like 3% per transaction. This diminishes their flexibility compared to general cash back cards.

Foreign Transaction Fees

While it’s becoming more common for airline credit cards to not charge this pesky fee, some still do. Foreign transaction fees apply to any international purchase processed outside the U.S. So if you frequently travel overseas, be sure the card waives foreign transaction fees.

Should You Get an Airline Credit Card?

Airline co-branded credit cards offer valuable perks and rewards for loyal customers of that brand. However, the costs and restrictions may outweigh the benefits depending on your travel habits and financial situation. Airline cards make most sense for frequent travelers on that airline who can maximize the free checked bags, miles earnings, and redemption opportunities. Infrequent and budget travelers often get better value from general cash back or fixed-value point credit cards. As always, be sure to compare cards thoroughly and only spend what you can afford to pay back each month. I sincerely hope you find this “The Pros and Cons of Airline Co-Branded Credit Cards” article helpful.

Chase Sapphire Preferred: Ideal for Flexible Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers a well-rounded rewards program that frequent travelers love for its flexibility. Cardholders earn 2x points on all travel and dining purchases, which can then be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed for cash back. With a 60,000 point sign-up bonus after meeting minimum spend requirements, this card makes it easy to rack up points quickly.

Platinum Card from American Express: Premium Perks

Luxury travelers who want premium travel perks should consider The Platinum Card from American Express. Cardholders enjoy extensive airport lounge access, Uber credits, airline fee credits and elite status with major hotels. While there is a $695 annual fee, the perks can more than make up for it if you travel frequently.

Capital One Venture: Simple Miles Earning

The Capital One Venture Rewards card keeps earning and redeeming incredibly straightforward with 2x miles per dollar spent on all purchases. Miles can be redeemed for any travel purchase or transferred to airline partners. New cardholders can snag a 75,000 mile sign-up bonus.

American Express Gold Card: Rewards for Foodies

The American Express Gold Card was designed with food lovers in mind, offering 4x points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. With up to $240 in annual dining and airline fee credits, this card can pay for itself for those who dine out and travel frequently.

Chase Freedom Unlimited: No Annual Fee Cash Back

For a no-annual-fee card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited packs a punch with 1.5% cash back on every purchase. That adds up quickly, especially if you book travel through Chase to earn additional rewards. 0% intro APR and sign-up bonus make this a winner.

Bilt Mastercard: Rent Payments Yield Rewards

The unique Bilt Mastercard allows renters to turn monthly rent payments into rewards points towards travel with no transaction fees. Cardholders also earn bonus points on dining and travel when meeting minimum transaction requirements per statement.

United Explorer Card: Perks for United Flyers

United Airlines flyers can maximize rewards and perks by carrying the United Explorer Card, with 2x miles on United purchases and priority benefits. Free checked bag, priority boarding, two annual United Club lounge passes and sign-up bonus make this worthwhile for loyal United customers.

World of Hyatt Credit Card: Ideal for Frequent Stays

Frequent guests at Hyatt hotels can get the most bang for their buck with the World of Hyatt Credit Card. Along with up to 9 points per dollar spent at Hyatt, cardholders get valuable perks like free nights, elite status and a sign-up bonus to unlock rewards faster.

Ink Business Preferred: Business Travel Rewards

With 3x points on travel and other common business expenses, the Ink Business Preferred Card optimizes rewards for work trips. The substantial sign-up bonus also makes this card worthwhile for small business owners who regularly travel for work.

PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa: Premium Perks, Low Fee

Last but not least, the PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa stands out for providing premium travel perks and rewards for only a $95 annual fee (waived for some). Cardholders earn 4x points on travel expenses and get a $100 annual travel credit plus airport lounge access.

Choosing the right travel credit card depends on your travel habits, spending patterns and the type of rewards and benefits you value most. Whether you prioritize luxury perks, flexible rewards, or no annual fees, there’s a travel credit card tailored to meet your needs in 2024. I sincerely hope you find this “Top Credit Cards for Travel Enthusiasts in 2024” article helpful.

Cell Phone & Cable

This one is obvious, but autopay your phone and cable bills from your Ink card.

Office Supply Stores

This is less obvious, but office supply stores such as Staples and Office Depot sell gift cards to many other stores, both in-store and online. Staples, for example, sells gift cards to Amazon, Target, Home Depot, Shell, and Southwest Airlines, among many, many others. I can’t list them all here, so visit their stores and websites to see what is available.

Keep in mind that if you are buying gift cards, you might also consider purchasing them secondhand from a reseller. When I do this, I check Gift Card Wiki for the best prices. Depending on the retailer, you can often get a higher discount than 5%. You might prefer this to 5x points, though purchasing gift cards secondhand comes with some risks that buying them directly yourself does not.

Ebay (Gift cards)

For some reason, when you purchase gift cards from the seller PayPal Digital Gifts on ebay and pay with PayPal using your Ink card, you earn 5x points. This is the same play as buying gift cards from office supply stores, but this method provides many more options. Last I checked, PPDG sells over 500 types of gift cards.

Occasionally, PPDG will also sell select gift cards at significant discounts. When this happens, instead of buying gift cards to spend, you can buy them to turn around and sell to a gift card reseller. You might even walk away with a small profit on top the points you earn. When good deals for reselling present themselves, I’ll post them on the blog.

Verizon (Gift cards)

If you are a Verizon subscriber, the Verizon Message+ app has an option to purchase and send eGift cards. The trick is that you can charge them to your Verizon bill, allowing you to earn 5x UR per dollar spent. This is a small play, however, because you are limited to charging $100 per month to your bill.

Some merchants of note are Amazon, Best Buy, ebay, Home Depot, Sears, and Whole Foods. You can find the others listed in the app after you click Send an eGift Card Now!

For those of you who aren’t new to this game, I’ve also included a reference toward the bottom called Which Miles Should I Use? to show you the best miles to use for different regions of the world in economy, business, and first class.

And, lastly, a new page I’ve added today is called How To Save Miles By Knowing Your Geography. Many mileage programs just don’t agree what part of the world certain countries are in. American places the Canary Islands in their Europe region, even though they’re off the coast of Africa, where United considers them to be. This makes awards there considerably cheaper with American than with United. On that page, I list the discrepancies I’ve found so far, and I’ll continue to update it as I add more mileage programs to this website.

And although some banks do not require it, I prefer canceling my old cards and waiting a few months before reapplying. I also don’t like to cancel new cards immediately after getting my bonus and normally hold them for a total of 6 to 11 months. Remember that just because a card is churnable does not mean that you’ll get approved again. Try to stay somewhat on the bank’s good side.

American Express

American Express credit cards cannot be churned.

In practice, some people have had luck reapplying for a card after ~7 years. You can check if you are eligible to receive the bonus on a particular card by asking a representative via online chat.

Bank of America

Necessary to Cancel Old Card: Yes if Alaska Airlines (personal) or Premium Rewards cards; otherwise no.
Waiting Period: See below

Bank of America will approve you for at most 2 cards per rolling 2 months, 3 cards per rolling 12 months, and 4 cards per rolling 24 months. It is unconfirmed whether this rule applies to only personal cards or both personal and business cards.

Additionally, there is a waiting period of 24 months for the Alaska Airlines (personal) and Premium Rewards cards. There is also a waiting period of 24 months on the Cash and Travel Rewards cards, but only if you currently hold them. Oddly, there is no waiting period if they have been canceled.

Bank of America will often deny applications for their personal credit cards if you have opened three or more credit cards (with any bank) in the past 12 months.

If you are a current Bank of America deposit customer, the threshold at which you may be denied is increased to seven or more credit cards (with any bank) in the past 12 months.

Barclaycard

Necessary to Cancel Old Card: Yes
Waiting Period: None

Barclaycard has been enforcing some restrictions for the Arrival+ card recently, though the specific details are not known.

Chase

Necessary to Cancel Old Card: Yes
Waiting Period: 24 months after receiving the sign up bonus previously (48 months for Sapphire family cards)

For the purposes of signup bonus eligibility, all cards in the Sapphire family (Reserve, Premier, regular Sapphire) and the Southwest family (Premier, Plus) are treated as the same card. To earn the signup bonus on the Sapphire Reserve, for example, you must not have any Sapphire card open, and you must not have earned the signup bonus from any Sapphire card within the past 48 months.

Chase will deny applications for their credit cards if you have opened five or more credit cards (with any bank) in the past 24 months.

Citibank

Necessary to Cancel Old Card: No
Waiting Period: 24 months after opening or closing any similar card within the same brand (e.g. American Airlines, Citi ThankYou)

In practice, Citibank’s churn-worthy credit cards all have annual fees, so you’ll want to cancel them in

Example: SFO to MXP on Star Alliance

1. Download and install Airline Route Mapper (Optional: Download the updated routes.dat file and place it in the folder where you extracted the Airline Route Mapper zip file.)
2. Filter by airline or alliance (e.g. Star Alliance) and select your destination on the map.
3. Place your cursor over your origin and make note of which cities connect between your origin and destination. This will show you all possible itineraries with one stop.
   In the above example, the most obvious connection cities are EWR and YYZ; however, you will see that connecting in CPH, FRA, MUC, and ZRH are also possible.
4. Make note of which airlines fly the routes you are interested in. If you place your cursor over any of the routes, the mouseover tooltip will show you which airline flies that particular route. In this example:SFO-EWR (United) + EWR-MXP (United)
   SFO-YYZ (Air Canada) + YYZ-MXP (Air Canada)
   SFO-CPH (Scandinavian) + CPH-MXP (Scandinavian)
   SFO-FRA (United/Lufthansa) + FRA-MXP (Lufthansa)
   SFO-MUC (Lufthansa) + MUC-MXP (Lufthansa)
   SFO-ZRH (Swiss) + ZRH-MXP (Swiss)
5. If necessary, repeat steps #3 and #4 to find options with two stops or more.
6. Use this information to search for awards segment by segment. If you find availability, you can combine all the flights into a single award.

Plastiq (Codes as Travel for Chase Ultimate Rewards or Citi ThankYou Points)

Volume: Your rent or mortgage payment
Fees: 2.5%
Limits: Monthly, or however often you pay your rent or mortgage

Plastiq is a billpay service that allows you to pay virtually any business with a credit card. There is a 2.5% fee, though, which means that in most cases, the service is too expensive. An exception to this is using a credit card that earns greater than 2.5% cash back or its equivalent in points (BankAmericard Travel Rewards Card w/ Platinum Honors, Alliant Visa Signature Credit Card – first year only, Discover it Miles Credit Card – first year only).

Another exception, which is the main point of this section, is that rent and mortgage payments have been triggering category bonus points for many cards, usually due to being coded as travel. While not quite manufactured spending due to the need for legitimate billers to send payments to, this is still a useful strategy for racking up Ultimate Rewards or ThankYou Points if you use one of the cards below:

3x: Chase Sapphire Reserve (Ultimate Rewards) 3x: Chase Ink Preferred (Ultimate Rewards) 3x: Citi AT&T Access More (ThankYou Points)

2x: Chase Sapphire Preferred (Ultimate Rewards)

“Reminder: You must enroll and select your airline before making your reimbursable purchase.”

Link to select your airline for the Platinum Card
Link to select your airline for the Premier Rewards Gold Card

Buy Airline Gift Cards

“Although gift cards are specifically excluded by the terms and conditions, many people have had success buying gift cards and being reimbursed. Because things can change at any time, I recommend checking the Wiki and any recent posts in the following Flyertalk threads before proceeding:”

Platinum Airline Fee Reimbursements – American Airlines
Platinum Airline Fee Reimbursements – Southwest Airlines
Platinum Airline Fee Reimbursements – United Airlines

“Pay special attention to that last one if you’re using United – you can’t buy gift cards from them directly but rather have to create a gift registry that you contribute money to.”