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Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.
Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.
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Earning airline miles with a credit card can be a great way to score free flights or boost your frequent flyer miles balance. But what you can do with them varies based on the type of miles you earn.
We'll break down the different types of credit card miles and how they work. We'll also include examples of some of our favorite cards in each category so you can explore some of the options.
You earn miles on credit card purchases with travel cards
A lot of travel credit cards earn purchase rewards called "miles." Whether that refers to airline miles or a more generic rewards currency will depend on the credit card.
If the card is cobranded with an airline -- i.e., it has the name of a specific airline on the front of the card -- then purchases will earn frequent flyer miles for that airline. For instance, Delta cobranded credit cards earn Delta SkyMiles on eligible purchases.
Some travel rewards cards call their points "miles," but they aren't directly tied to one airline. Depending on the card, these miles may still transfer to partner airlines or be directly redeemable to pay for airfare -- as well as other types of travel.
How to earn credit card miles
The number of miles you earn on your purchase will depend on the card and the purchase type. Some cards offer a flat rate, meaning you earn the same number of miles per dollar spent no matter what you buy. Other cards will offer a flat rewards rate, plus bonus miles for purchases that fit into specific bonus categories.
However, not all miles you earn are the same. In fact, every card can earn an entirely different kind of miles. Knowing what kind of miles your card earns is key to figuring out how best to use them.
Learn more about the three types of credit card miles:
Airline frequent flyer miles
Cash-equivalent miles
Transferable miles and points
Airline frequent flyer miles: The most common currency we think of as "miles" are frequent flyer miles earned with airlines. If you have a cobranded airline credit card, it earns frequent flyer miles for that airline. These will automatically show up in your associated airline loyalty account.
Cash-equivalent miles: Some cards earn "miles" that operate like cash back rewards. You can redeem them for statement credit to cover travel purchases made with your credit card. (The Discover it® Miles is a good example.)
Transferable miles and points: Many top travel credit cards earn points or "miles" that can be redeemed in a variety of ways. You can use them for statement credit, or you can transfer them to a partner airline program where they turn into airline frequent flyer miles. (Capital One's Venture cards and Chase Ultimate Rewards cards are good examples.)
What the different types of mile rewards credit cards have in common is that they can all be used to travel for free. Next, we'll talk about how you can use your credit card miles to travel for free.
How to use credit card miles
Each type of miles requires a different method to make the most of them. Let's take a look at how to use each type.
How do miles work on cobranded airline credit cards?
If you have a cobranded airline credit card, you'll earn frequent flyer miles on your purchases. This means you're directly earning airline miles that show up in your airline account. (You can think of them as credit cards with flight miles, since they earn miles that you redeem directly for free flights.)
You can only use these miles with the specific airline, so you'll need to log into your airline account to redeem them.
Each airline's miles program works a little differently -- here's a breakdown.
Using United MileagePlus miles
United Airlines offers a variety of cobranded cards issued by Chase that earn United MileagePlus Miles on purchases. All of their cards earn at least 2X MileagePlus miles per dollar on United purchases, and 1X miles per dollar on other purchases.
United uses dynamic award pricing, which means figuring out the United miles to dollars exchange can be difficult. The number of miles you need for a flight will vary based on the price, distance, and demand. The best way to figure out how many miles you need to travel is to look up your exact itinerary on United's website or mobile app.
Using Delta SkyMiles
Delta Air Lines has a nice variety of cobranded cards offered via its partnership with American Express. These cards earn Delta SkyMiles on purchases that then show up automatically in your Delta account. Cardholders earn at least 2X SkyMiles on Delta purchases and 1X miles on other purchases.
Delta uses dynamic award pricing, which means there is no official Delta SkyMiles redemption chart. Instead, the miles cost of a trip depends on factors like distance and demand. To see how many miles you need for a Delta flight, head to the Delta website (or mobile app) and look up that specific flight.
Using American Airlines AAdvantage miles
American Airlines has cobranded credit cards from two issuers: Citi and Barclays. Regardless of the issuer, these cards all earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles that are deposited into your AAdvantage account. AA's cobranded cards earn a minimum of 2X AAdvantage miles per dollar on AA purchases, and 1X mile per dollar on other purchases.
As with most other airlines, American Airlines now uses dynamic award pricing. This means the miles needed for a free AA flight vary based on demand (and other factors). The best way to plan your redemption is to look up the flight you want to see what it will cost.
Cobranded airline credit cards
Some of our favorite cobranded credit cards for airline miles include:
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
50,000 Bonus Miles
Welcome Offer:
Earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.
$400 statement credit + 40,000 pts.
Welcome Offer:
Limited-time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Earn 60,000 bonus miles
Rewards Program:
Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
1X-2X Miles
Rewards Program:
Receive 7,500 anniversary points, 4 upgraded boardings per year when available, and a $75 Southwest® travel credit each year. Enjoy benefits including 3X points on Southwest purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more.
Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.
Rewards Program:
2x miles on United® purchases, dining, and hotel stays. 1x mile on all other purchases
N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: n/a
Balance Transfers: n/a
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR:
19.99%-28.99% Variable
Regular APR:
20.74% - 27.74% Variable
Regular APR:
21.24% - 28.24% Variable
Annual Fee:
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
Annual Fee:
$149
Annual Fee:
$0, First Year
$95
Highlights:
Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
$200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
$100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.
Highlights:
Earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.
7,500 anniversary points each year.
Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases.
Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
$75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
No foreign transaction fees.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
Limited-time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
2x miles on United® purchases, dining, and hotel stays
Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club℠ with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary
Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit
25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card
• 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 warranty, baggage insurance plan, and car rental loss & damage insurance underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
How do miles work for statement credit redemption?
Some cards earn miles that can also be -- or only be -- redeemed for statement credit. Depending on the card, this may mean:
Miles are redeemed for general statement credit to your credit card or bank account; or
Miles can only be redeemed as statement credit to cover eligible travel purchases made with your card.
Some cards offer both options, but one may be less valuable than the other. An example of this is Capital One miles. These rewards can be redeemed for statement credit to "erase" travel purchases at a rate of $0.01 per mile. However, if you redeem for just general statement credit, you only earn $0.005 per mile -- half the value.
Most points and miles cards will have multiple redemption options. It's always a good idea to know what value each option will provide, so you can maximize your return.
How do miles work on transferable points and miles credit cards?
Travel rewards cards with transferable points and miles are often the most complicated travel cards to use. That's because there are a lot of different ways to use your rewards. That said, the best value will usually come from transferring your rewards to a partner airline or hotel brand.
The exact method you use to transfer your rewards will depend on the rewards program. For more details on the four most popular rewards programs, check out our detailed guides:
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points
Welcome Offer:
For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
75,000 ThankYou® Points
Welcome Offer:
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
Welcome Offer:
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
25,000 points
Rewards Program:
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases
Rewards Program:
10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking. Travel insurance protection: Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption (Common Carrier), Trip Delay, Lost or Damaged Luggage, MasterRental Coverage (Car Rental).
1x - 10x points
Rewards Program:
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points
Rewards Program:
Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
1.5 points per dollar
Intro APR:
N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: n/a
Balance Transfers: n/a
Intro APR:
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Regular APR:
20.74% - 27.74% Variable
Regular APR:
20.24% - 28.24% (Variable)
APR:
See Pay Over Time APR
Regular APR:
18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Annual Fee:
$95
Annual Fee:
N/A
$95
Annual Fee:
$695
Annual Fee:
$0
Highlights:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Highlights:
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
$199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
$695 annual fee.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.
Highlights:
Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.49% - 28.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
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How to choose the best credit cards for airline miles
With so many different mile rewards credit cards, it can be hard to pick just one. Here are some factors to consider when comparing your options:
Type of miles
Welcome bonus
Extra perks
Annual fee
Do you want a cobranded airline card or a card with transferable rewards? Airline cards can be easier to use, but transferable rewards can offer more flexibility. Avoid choosing a card that earns a type of miles you can't or won't use.
New cardholders are often eligible to earn awelcome bonus once approved that can be worth tens of thousands of miles. Make sure you can meet the spending requirement without making unnecessary purchases.
A lot of the best airline cards come with valuable perks, such as priority boarding, free checked bags, or lounge access.
The more perks and features a travel card offers, the more it costs. But a card with a big fee can be worth it if you'll actually use what it has to offer.
The plus side to so many options is that most travelers can find a miles card that works for them. If you travel frequently, you may even benefit from multiple cards, such as one airline cobranded card and one transferable rewards card. Explore your options for the best way to maximize your rewards.
Are airline credit cards worth it?
Whether an airline credit card is worth it for you will depend a lot on how -- and how often -- you travel. For instance, if you frequently travel and always use the same airline, an airline credit card can be worth getting for the extra perks, like free checked bags and priority boarding.
However, if you don't travel often, or if you simply choose whichever airline has the least expensive tickets for your trip, then the airline-specific perks will be of limited use to you. In this case, you may be better off with a card that earns transferable points or miles.
Choosing a credit card
Don't you wish you could take a peek inside a credit card expert's wallet sometimes? Just to see the cards they carry? Well, you can't look in anybody's wallet, but you can check out our experts' favorite credit cards. Get started here:
The value of credit card miles depend on how you redeem them. As a general rule of thumb, consider credit card miles to be worth a baseline of $0.01 per mile.
Miles that are redeemed for statement credit are typically valued at $0.006 to $0.01 per mile.
Airline miles with dynamic pricing tend to be worth $0.01 to $0.0125 per mile. However, they can be worth more than twice as much on some awards, especially for international business class.
The number of credit card miles you need will vary depending on the program and redemption type.
If you pay the cash fare for your flight and redeem miles as statement credit to cover that purchase, you will typically need 100 miles per $1.
If you're using transferable or frequent flyer miles, then the number you need will usually vary based on the specific route and time of year. In general, most domestic airlines charge 5,000 to 10,000 miles for a short-haul award flight.
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