Have you ever wondered what the best airline credit card for beginners is? We all have. The truth is that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. It depends on your specific needs and how much you’re willing to spend. But we’ve narrowed it down to five cards that are great for beginners, plus a few more that are worth looking into if you want more options.
In this post, we discuss the Best Airline Credit Card For Beginners, best credit card for travel upgrades, best credit card for domestic travel, and best airline credit card for students.
If you want to earn airline rewards without having to worry about things like blackout dates or annual fees, then this is the card for you. You’ll get 1 point per dollar spent on all purchases and 5 points per dollar spent on travel and dining purchases. Plus, if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Preferred cards, you can transfer your points into frequent flyer miles—which means that they’re worth twice as much as regular Ultimate Rewards points when redeemed for flights on American Airlines or British Airways (and other airlines).
Best Airline Credit Card For Beginners
When you first begin using credit cards, the world can seem overwhelming. However, you’re at the proper place if you want to upgrade from your cash-back card (or even a student card). An important step toward adulthood, the proper initial travel card can provide much more gratifying benefits.
How do you know which card to choose when there is so much information and choice? Do you want points that can be transferred? avion miles? Free nights at a chain of hotels?
At first, analysis paralysis and decision fatigue can really slow you down. Establishing your travel objectives is the first step in choosing the best credit card.
These questions don’t have right or wrong answers; it all depends on what matters to you. As you gain knowledge about the world of points and miles, you might even come to a different conclusion. After making a choice, you can begin matching your responses to the appropriate card.
We’ve put up this list of the top starting credit cards to help you avoid receiving incentives that don’t align with your objectives. When creating this list, simplicity was another consideration. All of these cards have the potential to be quite valuable, yet none of them are associated with convoluted, challenging programs or have daunting yearly fees.
And each of them is valuable to maintain in your long-term
Best starter travel rewards credit cards
Comparing the best starter travel rewards credit cards
Here are the key details of the best starter travel rewards cards, including the welcome offers and the key earning features.
Now, here’s a deeper dive into each of these cards.
The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on the card within the first three months of account opening.
Why it’s a great starter card: There’s a good reason why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is our top pick for our list of starter cards. In addition to the lucrative welcome offer, cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase travel portal, along with the following:
The Ultimate Rewards points it earns are easy to use with 11 airline and three hotel loyalty program partners, such as United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt. Your points can also be redeemed for 1.25 cents apiece to book flights on any airline or rooms at any hotel through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
The card also has terrific travel benefits, including primary insurance when renting a car and no foreign transaction fees. You’ll also enjoy $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked through Ultimate Rewards, and each year on your account anniversary, you’ll enjoy a 10% points bonus on your spending from the previous year.
When you add in the sign-up bonus of 60,000 points and an annual fee of only $95, you’ve got a card that offers great value, especially if you’re starting in the world of travel rewards.
For more information, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card with a 60,000-point bonus.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Why it’s a great starter card: Travelers getting started in the points and miles world, or those who aren’t inherently loyal to a single hotel chain or airline, can take full advantage of this card’s flexibility.
First, you earn a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on everything, meaning you don’t have to keep track of different spending categories. However, that earning rate jumps to 5 miles per dollar for hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
While you won’t get airline-specific perks, such as free checked bags, you get two passes a year to the Capital One Lounge (and pay a special rate of $45 per visit after that). This perk was recently extended to Plaza Premium lounges as well. You also get an up-to-$100 credit to cover the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, as well as automatic Five Star status with Hertz.
Use your rewards to jump on the cheapest cash ticket to wherever you’re going while still taking advantage of 14 airline partners in all three major airline alliances (Star Alliance, Oneworld and SkyTeam), along with three hotel partners. This card packs a lot in for a $95 annual fee and even makes the cut as one of our overall best travel credit cards.
For more information, read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards card.
Official application link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card available with 75,000 bonus miles.
Citi Premier Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou points after spending $4,000 on new purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Why it’s a great starter card: The beauty of the Citi Premier Card is its breadth of bonus categories. The card earns 3 ThankYou points per dollar on air travel, hotels, restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets, helping you to rack up lots of points in no time. When it comes to spending those points, you can transfer them to any of Citi’s 14 airline and two hotel partners.
You can also receive $100 off one hotel stay of $500 or more per year when booked through thankyou.com (or by calling 800-THANKYOU). The card has no foreign transaction fees and a $95 annual fee.
For more information, read our full review of the Citi Premier Card.
Official application link: Citi Premier Card with an 80,000-point bonus.
American Express Gold Card
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within six months of account opening. However, be sure to check the CardMatch tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher bonus (offers are subject to change at any time).
Why it’s a great starter card: The Amex Gold Card is fantastic for anyone looking to leverage their everyday spending for excellent rewards — while also enjoying useful statement credits for things like dining and ride-hailing services. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar at restaurants and on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year at U.S. supermarkets (then 1 point per dollar), 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Cardholders also receive up to $120 in annual statement credits ($10 per month) toward dining and up to another $120 per year ($10 per month) in Uber Cash toward U.S. Uber rides and Uber Eats orders. Added together, that brings the out-of-pocket cost of the card’s $250 annual fee closer to a mere $10. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Other perks include access to The Hotel Collection, the Global Assist Hotline, and several shopping and travel protections on the card.
Keep in mind that you could be targeted for a higher offer through the CardMatch tool or referral offers (so check there first). Offers are subject to change at any time.
For more information, read our full review of the Amex Gold Card.
Official application link: American Express Gold Card with a 60,000-point welcome offer.
best credit card for travel upgrades
Nothing beats the luxury of first class. Enjoying a roomy seat while sipping champagne can make even the longest of flights enjoyable. Generally speaking, if you want to fly first class, you can either pay full price for a ticket or hope for an upgrade.
Although first-class upgrades aren’t as common as they used to be, it’s still possible for people with elite airline status to get rewarded for their loyalty with a bump into first class. With a good travel credit card, earning those upgrades becomes even easier—and if you aren’t automatically upgraded, you can always use your credit card rewards to upgrade yourself!
How to improve your chances of an upgrade
If you’re hoping to grab a first-class upgrade on your next flight, here’s what you can do to improve your chances:
Pick an airline and work your way up to elite status
Airlines reward their most loyal customers, so it’s time to choose an airline and become a frequent flyer. Make sure the airline services the airports you’re most likely to fly into; you probably don’t want to pick Alaska Airlines if you’re located in the Midwest, for example. If you’re an international traveler, avoid small, primarily domestic carriers and look for a major airline that can get you across the globe.
Once you’ve chosen your airline, use it for every trip. Yes, you might find a flight that’s a few dollars cheaper on a competing carrier, but building elite status with an airline comes with its own rewards—including occasional first-class upgrades.
Avoid busy flights
To get a free first-class upgrade, you’re going to want to be on a plane that has empty seats in first class. That means skipping busy flights in favor of less popular ones. (How can you tell which flights are the most popular? Look at the price. The cheaper the flight, the less popular it’s likely to be.)
If you can book flights during the middle of the week, you’ll have a better chance of finding an empty seat in first class. Midweek flights are also less popular with business class flyers, which is good for you because business class tickets often get upgraded to first class before coach tickets. The fewer business class passengers on your flight, the more likely you’ll get upgraded.
Pay for your upgrade with points or miles
You’re going to be competing with a lot of other travelers for those first-class upgrades—so the best way to ensure you get one might be to just pay for it. That’s where a good travel credit card can help you. If you have a lot of points or miles on your travel credit card, you can easily upgrade your ticket to first class. Use your credit card rewards for the rewarding experience of first-class travel.
Best credit cards for first-class upgrades
When you’re choosing a travel credit card for first-class upgrades, you have two options. You can choose a high-rewards travel credit card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or you can choose a high-rewards airline credit card, such as the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.
With an airline credit card, you’ll have a smooth path towards first-class upgrades as well as several other airline-specific perks such as free checked bags, lounge access, and companion tickets. Airline credit cards also give you higher rewards when you book through the airline, which is one more incentive to help you become a frequent flyer and earn that elite status.
If you’re looking for a travel credit card that isn’t focused on a specific airline, make sure the card lets you transfer your rewards to various airline loyalty programs. That way, you can redeem those rewards for first-class upgrades through the airline. The Discover it® Miles, for example, redeems miles by crediting your travel purchases directly to your account. You can fly any airline you want, when you want. You can also book your travel yourself and use your miles to pay for everyday expenses, such as public transportation and taxis.
For more information about airline and travel credit cards, read our guide to the best travel cards of 2022. We’ve also listed some of the best travel and airline credit cards below.
Recap and best cards breakdown:
Rewards: Earn unlimited 3X miles for spending on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases and 1X miles on all other purchases
New cardmember offer: Limited Time Online Offer — Buy one ticket, get one for just the taxes and fees ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from $22) and receive 40,000 bonus miles with this offer if you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
Rewards: 2X miles on purchases made directly with Delta, 2X miles on U.S. restaurants, 1X miles on other eligible purchases
New cardmember offer: 10,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases on your new Card in your first three months of card membership
Rewards: 2 miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases
New cardmember offer: Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months.
Annual fee: $0 intro fee for the first year, then $99
Rewards: 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining and 2X points on all other travel purchases, 1X points on all other purchases (points are worth 25 percent more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards).
New cardmember offer: 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 in the first three months. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards
best credit card for domestic travel
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with a 3x bonus points for a broad array of dining and travel purchases including rental cards and home shares — not just flights. You’ll get extensive travel and trip delay protection, as well as a $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit once every four years.
You’re able to redeem for travel at an increased rate of 1.5 cents per point directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal or transfer to a variety of travel partners. Even better, you can use Chase’s new Pay Yourself Back feature to redeem for everyday purchases at groceries, dining and more.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening (valued by TPG at $1,200).
Why we like it: If you want to keep things easy and maximize cash back on domestic trips, you can’t go wrong with the Citi Double Cash. You’ll get 2% cash-back earnings on all purchases — 1% when you buy and another 1% as you pay.
Plus, you now have the option to convert your cash-back rewards to ThankYou points if you have a Thank You-point earning card.
Why we like it: With solid bonus categories including travel, the Ink Business Preferred is a fantastic option for small business owners. Plus, it gives you access to the Ultimate Rewards program and Chase’s valuable airline and hotel transfer partners.
Earn 3x on the first $150,000 spent each cardmember year on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines.
If you’re looking to rack up travel rewards on business expenses, you can’t go wrong with this card or any of our best business credit cards.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.
Why we like it: If premium perks like hotel and car rental elite status interest you, take a closer look at the Amex Platinum.
You’ll also have access to things such as the American Express Global Lounge Collection (which includes Centurion Lounges), Priority Pass, Airspace and Escape lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta). However, note that most lounges are currently closed — and ones that are open have limited service. Enrollment required for select benefits.
The Platinum is the king of luxury travel benefits. You’ll get up to $200 in annual airline fee credits, up to $200 in Uber credits, and up to $100 in credit at Saks Fifth Avenue — just to name a few perks. Additionally, due to the ongoing pandemic, you’ll also receive up to $40 in combined credit per month through December 2020 for select streaming and wireless services. Enrollment required.
Earn 5x points on airfare purchased directly with the airlines or through Amex Travel, and 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. (valued by TPG at $1,600).
American Express Green Card
Why we like it: The Amex Green earns 3x Membership Rewards points on travel, restaurants and transit, so that is a broad swath of spending that earns bonus points. From car rentals to hotels (and even flights), this card will have you covered with 3x points.
The Amex Green also offers annual up to $100 Clear and up to $100 LoungeBuddy statement credits, for when you’re comfortable once again taking to the skies.
Welcome offer: The current welcome bonus is 45,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first six months (although you can sometimes do better with targeted offers or referrals). Based on TPG’s valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, the welcome offer points are worth about $900.
The information for the Amex Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Honorable mentions
While no airline cards are mentioned here, that is certainly another option if you have an affinity to a specific airline. The best perk of a cobranded airline card in the U.S. is the free checked bag privilege. If that’s something you can take advantage of, it’s well worth a card’s annual fee. For instance, a checked bag with American Airlines when flying domestically costs $30. By flying just twice, round-trip with one checked bag, you can more than make up for the $99 annual fee (waived for the first year) on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.
best airline credit card for students
Here are our top picks for the best student credit cards
Chase Freedom® Student Credit Card
Are you interested in earning a sign-up bonus and 1% cash back for each $1 spent? If so, consider the Chase Freedom Student Card.
This card offers 5,000 points after spending $1 in the first 3 months. You can also earn $20 each year for five years if your account is open and not in default. Additionally, you could qualify for a credit limit increase if you make five monthly on-time payments within the first 10 months of account opening.
Because this card has a $0 annual fee, an automatic credit limit increase, and free access to your credit score through Credit Journey — it’s likely a good fit for any student who wants to earn simple cashback rewards while building their credit hassle-free.
It also doesn’t hurt that it includes coverages like purchase protection, extended warranty protection, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
If you make a list of some of the largest expenses for students, what would you write down? It’s likely that food and entertainment will come to mind as a few of those expenses. If this sounds about right for you, consider the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Card.
This card has a $0 annual fee and focuses on providing bonus rewards for popular spending categories. It offers 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment; 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 3% on dining, entertainment, streaming services, and grocery stores (excluding superstores such as Walmart® and Target®); and 1% on all other purchases.
If you’re into concerts, sports, or theater events, cardholders can also earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment.
Students who travel or will study abroad might also find additional benefits helpful, such as no foreign transaction fees and receiving automatic travel accident insurance when using your card to purchase your trip.
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Quicksilver is well known among Capital One credit cards because it’s the name of one of the company’s popular everyday cashback cards. And now there’s a student version.
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is simple, easy, and straightforward, and it’s an excellent option for students who want to earn a flat rate of cash back on all their purchases. The Quicksilver Student offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; plus unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
This means no bonus categories to worry about — simply use your card on any purchase and you’ll earn the same 1.5% cashback rate. In addition, you’ll enjoy a $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, as well as get access to travel accident insurance.
For students who want to build credit with an easy-to-understand cashback card, this could be a good fit.
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
If you’re looking for a great starter credit card to responsibly build your credit, the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One card is worth a look. It has a $0 annual fee and pays a flat cashback reward rate on all purchases, with no rotating categories to worry about. But, it gets better.
As you’re getting accustomed to paying a monthly credit card bill, the Journey Student Rewards card has a great incentive to help you remember to pay on time. You will earn 1% cash back on all purchases and 1.25% cash back each month you make an on-time monthly payment; plus 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through capital one travel.
You can get your cash back put right back onto your card as a statement credit, or you can request a check. Capital One even allows you to choose a specific threshold ($50, $100, $150, etc.) and they’ll automatically mail you a check once you hit that amount in cash back.
Discover it® Student Cash Back
This card is gunning to be the valedictorian of the student credit card category. The Discover it Student Cash Back boasts an incredible cashback reward rate of up to 5% cash back, a lucrative first-year rewards match, and even an incentive for good grades.
Each quarter the Discover it Student Cash Back card features different categories that earn 5% cash back. These rotating can categories include gas stations, restaurants, and even Amazon.com. The Discover bonus category calendar is released far in advance, so it’s easy to plan for. And here’s the kicker: you’ll also automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you’ve earned at the end of the first year. That means you’ll double all the rewards you earn on the bonus categories for the first year you have this card!
This can also be a very forgiving card if you’re learning how to pay your monthly bills responsibly. Discover won’t charge you a late fee for your first late payment or hit you with a penalty APR (this is an interest rate that is higher from your regular APR, meant to penalize a habit of making late payments).
Plus, you’ll get a $20 statement credit for each year your GPA is above 3.0. You’ll go right to the head of the class with this card in your wallet. So, whether you already have a few credit cards or are looking for your very first card, the $0 annual fee Discover it Student Cash Back card could be a good choice.
Discover it® Student Chrome
Does most of your monthly spending on a card go toward gas and restaurants? If the answer is yes, the Discover it Chrome for Students may be the perfect card for you.
This card is similar to the Discover it Student Cash Back card because it has a $0 annual fee, earns a generous cashback match for the first full year, and even earns the $20 Good Grade Reward for a GPA over 3.0.
But there’s one key difference to consider when deciding which Discover it Student card is right for you. The Discover it Chrome for Students earns a straightforward 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations, up to $1000 per quarter; and 1% automatic cash back on all other purchases. You don’t have to worry about rotating categories each quarter.
Why it’s important to build credit as a student
Having good credit can impact several areas of your life, including your employment status (some employers will check your credit score); the price you pay for services, such as your phone bill; your likelihood to be approved for a mortgage; and more.
Here are a few things having a great credit score can help you accomplish:
While it’s tempting to wait until after college to start building credit, you may want to begin as soon as possible. Length of credit history is an important factor in your credit score. Length of credit history takes into account how long you’ve had credit and the average age of all your accounts. Establishing a credit history early can help you ace this part of your credit score.
Opening your first credit card as a student is a great way to establish your credit early, as long as you can commit to making your monthly payments on time and in full. (Payment history is another important factor in your credit score.) Credit card companies know that many students want to work toward financial security, so many of them offer credit cards tailored to those students.
Can a student apply for a credit card?
The short answer is yes. There are plenty of credit card options geared toward students’ needs. These student credit cards can be great financial tools to when it comes to how young adults can build credit history. Some even come with financial education tools and resources that aid in the development of positive financial habits. Some cards also come with rewards programs, good-grade incentives, protection options, and other perks customized for students.
But, since many students are just beginning their credit journey, each card may have its own set of qualifications in order to apply. These can include age restrictions, proof of income, or a cosigner requirement. Additionally, some credit card companies may require all applicants to be enrolled in a qualifying higher education institution, while others may not have such strict conditions.
How to compare student credit cards
Comparing credit cards is a bit of a challenge. With all of the options available, how do you find a suitable credit card for your needs? We’ve broken down some of the important factors to consider when deciding which card is right for you.
Annual fee
Some credit cards come with an annual fee. Credit cards typically charge this fee in exchange for extra rewards and perks or because the borrower has bad credit. This fee is added to your bill and may gather interest if it isn’t paid in full each month. While many credit card annual fees are under $100, some can range higher.
If you’re considering a card with a fee, decide if the extra benefits outweigh the costs. Or, if you have poor credit and can’t get approved for another card, the fee may be worth it in order to build credit.
Foreign transaction fees
A foreign transaction fee is what your credit card issuer charges for foreign currency purchases made with your card. To process these foreign transactions, your credit card company might charge a percentage of the purchase, usually between 1 to 3%. If you plan to remain in the U.S. for the duration of your studies, this may not be an issue. However, if you plan to travel or study abroad, then you should note whether or not your credit card charges you foreign transaction fees.
Reports to all 3 credit bureaus
There are three primary credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — that store and gather your financial data. Lenders use this information to determine if they’re willing to lend you money for a house or car — or for you to open a credit account.
Almost all major credit cards report to all three bureaus on at least a monthly basis. Still, it’s a good idea to check your credit score regularly to make sure your card and payments are being reported correctly. Since the purpose of a student credit card is to establish and build credit, you want to ensure your good credit history is properly documented. You can easily check your credit score for free through a service like Credit Karma.