Best Airline Credit Cards (2026)

Delta, United, American, Southwest, and JetBlue each have their own credit card, usually several tiers of it, and none of them earn or redeem miles the same way. “What’s the best airline credit card” only becomes an answerable question once you know which airline you actually fly, and which tier of that airline’s lineup is worth its fee.

This page ranks the 12 best airline credit cards of 2026 across five airline loyalty programs: Delta SkyMiles (4 American Express cards), United MileagePlus (1 Chase card), American AAdvantage (2 Citi cards), Southwest Rapid Rewards (3 Chase cards), and JetBlue TrueBlue (2 Barclays cards). A Delta mile and a United mile aren’t the same currency, and neither is worth what an AAdvantage mile is worth, so this page doesn’t force a cross-brand “which program earns you more dollars” comparison. Instead, each card is judged on its own program’s earn rate, what its annual fee buys in lounge access and elite-status perks, and who it actually fits.

One thing to check before you apply for any of these: 4 of the 12 cards here (the United Club Card and all three Southwest Rapid Rewards tiers) are issued by Chase and count against Chase’s unofficial 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened 5 or more personal credit cards, from any issuer, in the last 24 months, Chase will likely deny you for any of them. The other 8, the four Delta Amex cards, both Citi AAdvantage cards, and both Barclays JetBlue cards, aren’t subject to that restriction. Start with the airline you already fly most, find that airline’s card or cards below, and compare the fee against what you’d actually use: a free checked bag, lounge access, or a Companion Certificate.

Quick Picks

Each “Key Rate” is that card’s top program-specific earn rate on its own airline’s miles or points, not a figure you can stack against another row. A Delta mile and a United mile aren’t the same currency, so 3x at Delta and 11x on United flights aren’t a fair head-to-head, even though the numbers sit side by side above.

Card-by-Card Breakdowns

1. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card — Best Overall

The Platinum is Delta’s well-rounded middle tier: a $350 annual fee buys 3x miles on Delta purchases and on hotels booked directly with the hotel, 2x at restaurants worldwide (including U.S. takeout and delivery) and U.S. supermarkets, and 1x on everything else. It also comes with an annual Delta round-trip Companion Certificate (the companion pays $22 to $250 in taxes and fees), a free checked bag worldwide for the cardholder, and a second free bag on domestic Delta flights.

The current sign-up bonus is 90,000 miles plus a $300 statement credit after $4,000 in spend within 6 months. That’s a limited-time offer confirmed to expire November 4, 2026, and it supersedes an earlier version of this bonus that paid out 90,000 miles with no statement credit attached — if you see that older, credit-free figure elsewhere, it’s stale.

Purchase APR runs 19.49% to 28.49% variable, and the recommended credit score is Good, generally 690 or higher, though Amex doesn’t publish an official minimum. It’s issued by American Express, so it isn’t subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

For someone who flies Delta a handful of times a year without needing lounge access or top Medallion-status perks, the Platinum’s combination of a moderate fee, an annual Companion Certificate, and free checked bags is the best all-around fit on this list, and the reason it tops this page.

Full review: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

2. United Club℠ Card — Best for United Loyalists

The United Club Card earns 11x miles on eligible United flights, 5x on all other eligible United purchases and on prepaid stays booked direct through Renowned Hotels & Resorts, 2x on dining and all other travel, and 1x on everything else. The headline benefit is unlimited United Club access for the cardholder and one guest at 45-plus locations worldwide, a membership Chase itself values at $750 or more a year on its own.

The sign-up bonus runs up to 90,000 miles: 80,000 after $5,000 in spend within 3 months, plus 10,000 more for adding an authorized user. Cardholders also get free first and second checked bags for themselves and a companion.

Purchase APR runs 19.74% to 28.24% variable, confirmed directly on chase.com. If you see 29.99% quoted for this card elsewhere, that’s the penalty APR for a missed payment, not the regular purchase rate. The recommended credit score is Excellent, 740 or higher, also confirmed directly on chase.com. It’s a Chase card, so it’s subject to the 5/24 rule.

This is the pick for someone who actually uses United Clubs on a regular travel schedule, not just a card carried for the miles, since the $695 fee is hard to justify on rewards rate alone without the lounge membership behind it.

Full review: United Club℠ Card

3. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® — Best Premium Card for American Airlines Flyers

This card was fully refreshed on August 23, 2026: it was renamed from the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard®, and both the fee and sign-up bonus changed with it. The current annual fee is $695, up from $595, and it earns 10x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through American Airlines’ own travel portal, 4x on eligible American Airlines purchases generally (rising to 5x after $150,000 in purchases in a cardmembership year), and 1x on everything else.

The sign-up bonus is now 125,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after $15,000 in spend within 5 months, up from a pre-refresh 70,000 miles for $7,000 in 3 months. If you’re comparing this card against an older review that still shows the $595 fee or the 70,000-mile bonus, that’s describing a discontinued version of the product; use the figures above instead. The headline perk is complimentary Admirals Club membership for the primary cardmember, worth up to $850 a year per Citi’s own valuation, with access for up to 2 guests per visit, and authorized users get Admirals Club access without paying for their own membership.

Purchase APR runs 19.49% to 29.49% variable, and the recommended credit score is Good, since Citi publishes no official minimum. It’s issued by Citi, so it isn’t subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

The 4x rate on general American Airlines purchases is broader and more useful day to day than the headline 10x, which only applies to portal bookings, but the real draw here is a lounge network on par with the United Club Card above, bundled into an American Airlines card.

Full review: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard®

4. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card — Best for Lounge Access

At $650 a year, the Reserve earns 3x miles on Delta purchases and 1x on everything else, a narrower bonus-category structure than the Platinum above, because most of what you’re paying for here is lounge access rather than a broad earn rate. Cardholders get 15 complimentary Delta Sky Club visits per Medallion Year (unlimited after $75,000 in annual card spend), Centurion Lounge and Escape Lounge access on same-day Delta-marketed flights, an MQD Boost toward Medallion status on top of a $2,500 MQD Headstart, and an annual Companion Certificate.

The sign-up bonus changed structure, not just amount, since an earlier version of this review described it: it’s now two domestic round-trip Delta Comfort Flight Certificates plus 50,000 bonus miles after $10,000 in spend within 6 months, a limited-time offer confirmed to expire November 4, 2026. This is Amex’s first Delta welcome offer built around flight certificates instead of a pure miles number, and it’s worth flagging directly: the guaranteed value here is smaller in raw mile terms than an older “as high as 100,000 bonus miles” framing implied. If you see that 100,000-mile figure anywhere, don’t treat it as this card’s current offer.

Purchase APR runs 19.49% to 28.49% variable, and the recommended credit score is Good to Excellent, generally 700 or higher. It’s issued by American Express, so it isn’t subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

For a Delta flyer who values lounge access and Medallion-status progress over a raw miles total, this is the pick, and it’s the only card on this list built primarily around lounge benefits rather than earn rate.

Full review: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

5. Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card — Best for Southwest Loyalists

The Priority card sits at the top of Chase’s three-tier Southwest lineup, at a $229 annual fee. It earns 4x points on Southwest Airlines purchases, 2x on gas stations and restaurants, and 1x on everything else. The bigger draw for a frequent Southwest flyer is the elite-status track: 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 spent annually, nearly double the Premier tier’s rate below, plus same-day (not 48-hours-before) Preferred and Standard seat selection at booking.

The sign-up bonus is 60,000 points after $2,000 in spend within 3 months.

Purchase APR runs 19.24% to 27.74% variable, confirmed directly on chase.com; 29.99% appearing in raw Chase page text is this card’s penalty APR, not the purchase-APR ceiling. The recommended credit score is Good to Excellent, since Chase publishes no official minimum. It’s a Chase card, so it’s subject to the 5/24 rule.

If reaching Southwest A-List or A-List Preferred status through card spend matters to you, this is the fastest of the three Southwest tiers to get there, and the reason it tops the Southwest options on this page.

Full review: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

6. Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® — Best Value for American Airlines Flyers

The Platinum Select charges $0 in its introductory first year, then $99 annually, and earns 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, restaurants (including takeout), and gas stations, with 1x on everything else. It also comes with a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 4 companions.

The sign-up bonus is 80,000 miles after $3,500 in spend within 4 months. Worth being direct about one thing here: American Airlines’ own baseline landing page currently displays a lower, evergreen 50,000-mile offer for $2,500 in spend, but four independent trackers (Doctor of Credit, FrequentMiler, DansDeals, and Upgraded Points) all confirm 80,000 miles for $3,500 within 4 months is the offer actually showing up in the live application flow as of late August 2026. That’s the figure to expect if you apply today, though Citi can and does rotate this offer without notice.

Purchase APR runs 19.49% to 29.49% variable, and the recommended credit score is Good, generally 670 or higher. It’s issued by Citi, so it isn’t subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

For an American Airlines flyer who doesn’t want to pay a steep fee for the Executive’s lounge access above, this is the practical entry point into the AAdvantage program, and an 80,000-mile bonus that’s genuinely live right now is hard to beat at this fee.

Full review: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

7. Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card — Best Mid-Tier Southwest Card

The Premier sits in the middle of Chase’s three-tier Southwest lineup at a $149 annual fee, earning 3x points on Southwest Airlines purchases and 2x on grocery stores and restaurants, capped at the first $8,000 in combined purchases per cardmember year, with 1x on everything else. That grocery and restaurant category is broader than the entry-level Plus tier below offers. Cardholders also earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points per $5,000 spent toward A-List status, half the rate of the Priority tier above.

The sign-up bonus is 55,000 points after $1,500 in spend within 3 months.

Purchase APR runs 19.24% to 27.74% variable, and 29.99% here is again this card’s penalty APR, not the purchase-APR ceiling. The recommended credit score is Good to Excellent, since Chase doesn’t publish an official minimum. It’s subject to the 5/24 rule, same as the other two Southwest tiers.

This is the middle ground in Southwest’s lineup: more earning power than the Plus tier’s bare-bones rewards, without paying Priority’s higher fee for a seat-selection perk you may not need.

Full review: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

8. JetBlue Plus Card — Best for JetBlue Flyers

At a $99 annual fee, the JetBlue Plus Card earns 6x points on JetBlue purchases, including flights and JetBlue Vacations packages, plus 2x at restaurants and grocery stores, with 1x on everything else. It comes with a free first checked bag for the cardholder and up to 3 companions, and a fast-track to a year of Mosaic elite status after $50,000 in annual card spend.

The sign-up bonus is 70,000 points after $1,000 in spend plus paying the annual fee in full, both within 90 days. This is a limited-time offer, still current per Upgraded Points as of late August 2026, though it’s worth re-verifying on jetblue.com or barclaycardus.com before you apply, since JetBlue has run this promotion on and off before.

Purchase APR runs 19.49% to 29.49% variable, and the recommended credit score is Good, generally 670 or higher. It’s issued by Barclays, so it isn’t subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

For a JetBlue flyer who wants real travel perks rather than just points, this is the tier where the card starts paying for itself: the free checked bag alone offsets a meaningful chunk of the $99 fee for a family that checks bags on every trip.

Full review: JetBlue Plus Card

9. Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card — Best Low-Fee Southwest Card

The Plus card is the entry point into Chase’s Southwest lineup, at a $99 annual fee. It earns 2x points on Southwest Airlines purchases and 2x on gas stations and grocery stores, capped at the first $5,000 in combined purchases per cardmember year, with 1x on everything else. It comes with a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 8 companions, the most generous companion-bag allowance of any card on this list.

The sign-up bonus is 50,000 points after $1,000 in spend within 3 months, the lowest spend requirement of any Southwest tier here.

Purchase APR runs 19.24% to 27.74% variable, same penalty-versus-purchase-APR distinction as the other two Southwest cards above applies here too: 29.99% is the penalty rate, not the ceiling. The recommended credit score is Good to Excellent. It’s subject to the 5/24 rule, same as Premier and Priority.

For someone who wants a Southwest card in their wallet without committing to Premier’s or Priority’s higher fee, this is the entry point, and its low $1,000 spend requirement makes the bonus easy to reach.

Full review: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

10. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card — Best Entry-Level Delta Card

The Gold card charges $0 in its introductory first year, then $150 annually, and earns 2x miles at Delta, at restaurants worldwide (including U.S. takeout and delivery), and at U.S. supermarkets, with 1x on everything else. It includes a free first checked bag for the cardholder and up to 8 companions.

The sign-up bonus is 80,000 miles plus a $250 statement credit after $3,000 in spend within 6 months, a limited-time offer confirmed to expire November 4, 2026. That current figure, with the statement credit attached, supersedes an older version of this bonus that paid out 80,000 miles alone with no credit; if you see that credit-free figure elsewhere, it’s stale.

Purchase APR runs 19.49% to 28.49% variable, and the recommended credit score is Good, generally 690 or higher, though Amex publishes no official minimum. It’s issued by American Express, so it isn’t subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

This is a low-commitment way into the Delta SkyMiles ecosystem before stepping up to Platinum or Reserve, and the $250 statement credit now layered onto the miles bonus makes it a stronger starting point than it used to be.

Full review: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

11. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card — Best No Annual Fee Overall

The Blue card is the only $0-annual-fee option in the entire Delta SkyMiles lineup. It earns 2x miles on Delta purchases and 2x at restaurants worldwide, with 1x on everything else, and no checked-bag benefit or Companion Certificate comes with it.

The sign-up bonus is 10,000 miles after $1,000 in spend within 6 months, modest compared to the paid Delta tiers above, but this card isn’t charging you anything to hold it.

Purchase APR runs 19.49% to 28.49% variable, and the recommended credit score is Good, with no numeric minimum published. It’s issued by American Express, so it isn’t subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Worth being direct about one thing: a flat 2% cash-back card can out-earn this one for spend concentrated outside its two bonus categories. This card makes sense specifically for someone who wants to start earning Delta miles without paying for a checked-bag benefit or Companion Certificate they wouldn’t use enough to justify a fee.

Full review: Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card

12. JetBlue Card — Best No Annual Fee for JetBlue Flyers

The base JetBlue Card charges no annual fee and still earns 3x points on eligible JetBlue purchases and 2x at restaurants and eligible grocery stores, with 1x on everything else.

The sign-up bonus is 10,000 points after $1,000 in spend within 90 days.

Purchase APR runs 19.49% to 29.49% variable, and the recommended credit score is Good, generally 670 or higher. It’s issued by Barclays, so it isn’t subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

This card has no blackout dates on award redemptions and points that never expire when you redeem for JetBlue flights, which makes it JetBlue’s true no-fee entry point. What it skips, compared to the Plus tier above, is the free checked bag, anniversary bonus points, and elite-status fast-track that only start once you’re paying an annual fee.

Full review: JetBlue Card

How We Picked These Cards

This lineup spans five distinct, non-interchangeable airline miles and points currencies: Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, Southwest Rapid Rewards, and JetBlue TrueBlue. Because a mile in one program isn’t worth what a mile is worth in another, we didn’t build a cross-brand “dollar earned per dollar spent” table the way a single-currency category page might; instead, each card is judged on its own program’s earn rate, what its fee buys in lounge access or elite-status progress, and who it realistically fits. Chase’s unofficial 5/24 rule shapes a third of this list: the United Club Card and all three Southwest Rapid Rewards tiers are Chase-issued, so a reader who’s opened 5 or more personal cards in the last 24 months will likely be denied for any of them, while the four Delta Amex cards, both Citi AAdvantage cards, and both Barclays JetBlue cards fall outside that restriction entirely. We also weighted time-bound offers carefully: three of the four Delta Amex cards’ sign-up bonuses, and the newly refreshed Citi AAdvantage Executive’s bonus, reflect the current live figures rather than older, since-changed offers, and we’ve flagged every one of those changes directly in each card’s section above.

Bottom Line

If you want one answer, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the strongest overall pick on this page: a moderate $350 fee that buys an annual Companion Certificate, free checked bags, and a well-rounded 3x rate on Delta and hotel bookings, without requiring the higher spend or fee of Delta’s Reserve tier.

The other eleven earn their spots for narrower reasons. United Club Card is the pick if you actually use United Club lounges on a regular travel schedule. Citi AAdvantage Executive World Legend Mastercard is for an American Airlines flyer who wants Admirals Club access on par with United’s lounge network. Delta SkyMiles Reserve is built around Sky Club visits and Medallion-status progress rather than a broad earn rate. Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority is the fastest path to A-List status in Chase’s three-tier Southwest lineup, with Premier and Plus below it covering the middle and entry price points. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select is the practical, lower-fee way into the AAdvantage program. JetBlue Plus and the no-fee JetBlue Card split JetBlue’s lineup between someone who wants real travel perks and someone who wants a $0 way to start earning TrueBlue points. Delta SkyMiles Gold and Delta SkyMiles Blue round out the Delta side for readers who want in at a lower fee, or no fee at all. None of these twelve is filler; the right one depends entirely on which airline you actually fly, not which card has the biggest bonus attached to it.

One practical note across all twelve: if you’re planning to open more than one of the four Chase-issued cards here, check your own 5/24 status before applying for the second one, since an application leaves a hard inquiry on your credit report whether Chase approves you or not. The eight non-Chase cards don’t carry that risk, which is worth factoring in if you’re already close to the 5/24 threshold and still want an airline card in your wallet.

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