Credit cards with miles are a way of accumulating points that you earn with each purchase. For airlines, each purchase adds more miles and, with this, you can access benefits related to travel.

These cards are ideal for those who seek to travel more through the accumulation of those points or air miles that can be exchanged for simple, round, national and international flights on various airlines. Some of these cards provide other benefits, such as luggage insurance and personalised or preferential attention in waiting rooms.

The travel cards, on the other hand, offer specific discounts. Usually, discounts on the purchase of flights on these airlines are from 10% to 15% and add advantages such as transferring extra baggage without cost or discount in the airport parking lot.

Top Picks of Credit Cards for Collecting Airlines Miles

Who can apply for a credit card with miles and travel?

The minimum income of the client is a requirement to process one of these cards with miles. Both travel cards and those that add miles require a minimum credit history of 6 months as a condition.

Whichever be the airlines, one can avail Air Canada Miles, Delta Miles, Aeromexico mile points, American Airlines reward miles, and may more, experiencing great deals and discounts on the cards on your Air Travel.

How much does it cost to keep a card of this type?

The annual fee of the cards that add air miles is expressed in dollars or euros, depending on the issuing bank or the type of card.

The cards such as American Express can charge an annual fee of 120 to 350 dollars.

What is the best option for you?

The best credit card option to travel is one that covers the specific needs of each user and does not generate a higher cost than what you can use.

The experts recommend that one should usually look for a card that does not charge an annual fee, or that this charge is deferred several months to reduce the blow of the payment. The worst thing you can do is pay a yearly fee that offers you benefits that you do not take advantage of.

Following are some of the cards and programs that you can utilise to collect airline miles:

1.Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Card

For every dollar, you spend, earn a point in theSouthwest AirlinesRapid Rewards program.Each point is worth approximately 1.5 cents in its “Wanna Get Away”rate class, and points can be redeemed for any unsold seat, and are fully refundable. Besides, if you earn 110,000 points in a calendar year, you will automatically receive a “Passenger Pass” that allows you to add a designated person to any reservation, including prizes.

Annual fee of the card is$ 99, and you receive a bonus of 6,000 points each year.

In conclusion, without baggage fees, no exchange fees and fully refundable bookings, this card offers rewards that are immune to many of the worst air charges.

2. Delta SkyMiles

Delta is one of the airlines with the highest presence in the United States and has hubs in 7 of the main airports, which makes it an excellent company to travel in and out of the United States. Its reward program has been criticised for its complexity, so it is worth analysing its characteristics before using it.

If you want to use the miles on international flights, it is worth knowing thatDeltahas several allies including AirFrance, Aeroflot, Southern China, Air Europa, Malaysian Airline and others. With this program, the traveller gets two miles for every dollar spent on Delta services, without annual fee during the first year and 95 dollars from the second year.

3. British Airways

The British Airways Avios program is famous for international travel, but many people will be surprised to learn that with Avios, you can also redeem miles for domestic flights in the United States.The British airline is part of the Oneworld alliance that include US airlines, American and US Airways.

Acquiring a domestic flight in the United States with the Avios program costs around 7,500points,plus a $6 fee. For every dollar spent on British Airways purchases, you get an equivalent of 3Avios points.

4. American Airlines

The AAdvantage program is one of the largest and most popular in the world, with more than a thousand destinations around the world through the Oneworld alliance.

American’s frequent flyer program uses a table to determine the number of miles needed to redeem points for flights.

5. United Airline Club Credit Card

Earn 1.5 miles for every dollar spent and two miles per dollar for purchases at United. You will also receive a membership in the United Club rooms, which generally costs $ 500 per year.

When travelling, you are entitled to priority privileges at check-in, security inspection, boarding and baggage handling, as well as two free travel bags for you and another travel companion. Finally, it is upgraded to elite status with Hyatt hotels and Avis vehicle rentals.

One of the advantages of the United Airlines loyalty program is that its miles can be used with international partners such as Thai Airlines, Lufthansa, ANA and Asiana.

On average domestic flights can be exchanged for around 10 thousand miles for every single flight, and with 30 thousand miles for single flights to Europe.

6. Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

An innovative model is that of Chase Bank, which with its Sapphire Preferred credit card can transfer miles with airlines such as British Airways, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

You get a bonus of 50 thousand points in purchases of 4 thousand dollars during the first three months of the card, which equals $ 625 to redeem them.

7. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card from Bank of America

This card offers you three miles for every dollar spent on purchases from Alaska Airlines or Virgin America, and one mile for every dollar spent elsewhere.

You will also receive a companion fee of $ 99 (plus taxes) each year on the anniversary of your account.You can also get a suitcase or package as checked baggage free of charge for you, and up to six more people on the same reservation, in case you fly with Alaska or Virgin America.

8. JetBlue Plus card from Barclaycard

This card offers 6 points in JetBlue purchases, double points in restaurants and supermarkets, and one point for every dollar spent elsewhere. Other benefits include a bag delivered free of charge, with 50 per cent savings on in-flight purchases and 10 per cent of your miles redeemed. You can also get the elite status of TrueBlue Mosaic after spending $ 50,000 in a year.

9. American Express Aeromexico Card

This card offers a welcome Bonus of 9,600 Premier Points if you are billed USD 250 in the first 3 months. You can get a bonus of 6,400 Premier Points when billed 1,500 USD in the first 3 months. It is necessary to request the card online and make it your first American Express card.

There is no annual fee for the first year. The annual fees for the second year is $120 USD and covers up to 5 additional cards.

The Last Say

Finally, we can say that credit cards can offer you several benefits, as they have agreements with airlines, hotels, miles or kilometres redeemable for air tickets, documentation and priority approach, access to VIP lounges, additional luggage at no cost, traveller insurance, personalised services among others.

While these are attractive benefits, before choosing one of them you should consider that a good portion of these cards is designed for frequent travellers, that is users who regularly travel within the country and have several international flights per year.

You should also know that, in general, these cards are expensive and also require a high ability to pay, since many cards ask you to spend a certain amount of money to make the rewards valid. Therefore, you should know if the payment of the annual fee is worth the benefits, and if you spend a lot, to be able to redeem the rewards.