NerdWallet’s Best Airline Credit Cards, Spring 2013

Whether you’re flying economy or first, we’ve got the best airline credit cards for frequent flyers out there! Business travelers and bag-checkers, loyalty flyers and bargain hunters will find a credit card that gets them airborne. A branded airline credit card has its perks – priority boarding, waived bag fees, and so on – while a more general travel credit card offers higher earning potential and greater flexibility. The nerds will break down the pros and cons of various airline cards, and help you find one that suits your needs.

Best overall airline card: the Capital One® Venture^℠ Rewards Credit Card

Use miles on: Any airline or hotel, and more besides – redeem as a statement credit against any travel expense

One of our favorite cards out there, the Capital One® Venture^℠ Rewards Credit Card has a lot to offer any traveler. It earns a flat 2 miles per $1 spent, substantially more lucrative than most airline cards, where the standard is 2 miles only on airline spending and 1 the rest of the time. Plus, it has no foreign transaction fee, which’ll save you a pretty penny if you travel abroad. Finally, there is a $59 annual fee, waived the first year and offset by a 10,000 Capital One No Hassle Miles℠ signup bonus.

More, the card pays out in No Hassle Miles rather than airline-specific miles. No Hassle Miles are redeemed as a statement credit against any travel expense – gas, airfare, baggage fees, hotel stays, you name it. This means you won’t be hit by blackout dates, your miles’ value won’t be diluted by taxes and fees, and you can book on any airline through any service. Unlike airline mile programs, you can also redeem in odd increments, cashing in 19,582 miles for a $195.82 statement credit rather than having to wait to rack up 25,000 each time. No Hassle Miles allow you to book through discount sites like Kayak and to fly on the airline of your choice, rather than grounding you (get it?) to just one carrier. If you fly on a number of different airlines or prefer bargain-hunting, there’s no better airline card.

Capital One® VentureSM Rewards Credit Card
	2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day As seen in Money® Magazine's "Best" issue three years in a row. - Money® Magazine May 2010, 2011, 2012 Earn 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $100 in travel Redeem your miles for any travel expense No limit on the miles you can earn and miles don't expire Fly on any airline, any time with no blackout dates No foreign transaction fees $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after that
Annual Fee	Signup Bonus	APR , Variable*	Intro APR Promotions
$0 intro for first year; $59 after that	Earn 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $100 in travel	13.9% - 20.9% (V)	Purchase: None Transfer: None

Best no-fee airline miles card: the Capital One® Cash Rewards - $100 Cash Back Bonus

Use rewards anywhere – it’s cash!

Liking the flexibility of the Venture, but not liking the $59 annual fee? Thankfully, there’s a no-fee card that has stellar rewards, versatility, and ease of international travel. The Capital One Cash comes with a $100 signup bonus and a full 1.5% cash back on every dollar that you spend. Key for anyone flying overseas, it has no foreign transaction fee; and though it doesn’t earn miles, you can use your cash rewards for pretty much anything, including airline tickets or travel. No matter how far you journey, the best reward program is often cold, hard American cash. It’s worth noting that the Capital One Venture has a no-fee version – the VentureOne – but this offer only gives 1.25 miles on every dollar you spend, so you’re far better off with the Capital One Cash. No fees? No problem.

Capital One® Cash Rewards - $100 Cash Back Bonus
	$100 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months 50% bonus on the cash back you earn every year 1% cash back on all purchases No annual fee Earn unlimited cash back that doesn't expire Redeem cash back anytime for any amount, even set automatic redemptions Personalize your card with an image of your choice 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers until May 2014
Annual Fee	Signup Bonus	APR , Variable*	Intro APR Promotions
$0	$100 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months	12.9% - 20.9% (V)	0% introductory APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers until May 2014.

Best bang for your buck: the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Transfer points to: United MileagePlus, Southwest, British Airways, Korean Air; points worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked through Chase

This isn’t your standard travel credit card: if you use your points for airline travel, you’ll find your rewards stretching even further. First off comes the impressive signup bonus: The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a signup bonus of 40,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.. Then, the ongoing rewards rate: 2 points per $1 spent on travel and dining, and 1 per $1 spent elsewhere. Like the Venture, this puts it ahead of most airline credit cards in that you earn bonus points on more than just one airline. But here’s the kicker: If you redeem your points for travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel tool, your points are worth 25% more. And on top of that, you get a 7% points dividend at the end of the year, so your rewards rate ends up being as high as 1.34% base and 2.68% bonus. The Preferred has no foreign transaction fee, essential for overseas travel, and its $95 annual fee is waived the first year. With a hard-hitting signup bonus and opportunities for greater earning, the Sapphire cements itself as the best short-term airline card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred®
	40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months - that's $500 toward travel rewards! 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases Get 20% off airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem through Ultimate RewardsSM No foreign transaction fees Receive a 7% Annual Points Dividend on all new points earned on purchases - even on points already redeemed 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs - that means 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points equal 1,000 partner miles/points Direct access to expert service advisors anytime Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95
Annual Fee	Signup Bonus	APR , Variable*	Intro APR Promotions
$0 1st year, then $95	Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months	15.24% (Variable)	Purchase: None Transfer: None

Branded airline credit cards and their perks