Best Airline Credit Card Bonuses With a Free Ticket

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We may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. We may not cover every available offer. Our relationship with advertisers may impact how an offer is presented on our site but our editorial selection of products is made independently. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. We calculate a typical annual reward for each card, assuming $36,000 spent annually and less any annual fee. Interest rates, fees, rewards and other terms listed in this article are subject to change. Before you apply for a credit card, check its current terms and conditions with the issuer.

It's prime time for holiday vacation planning, so we’ve gathered the best airline credit card bonuses and companion fare offers to help get you started. These two travel rewards cards provide solid benefits and value relative to their annual fees.

If you already have an airline rewards card, you’re not alone. One in four U.S. households has one, according to a recent polling study by Airlines for America. Their research also found that in 2022, a whopping 63% of all frequent flyer points or miles earned by consumers came from airline credit cards.

What are the best airline credit card bonuses?

Here is a summary of two cards that will give new cardholders a solid boost in frequent flyer points or miles. Each card also comes with a free or discounted companion fare and other perks.

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Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card

This mid-tier card has an annual fee of $350, but the intro offer is a generous 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026.

You also receive a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit. 19.74%-28.74% Variable. See rates and fees. Terms apply.

The rate of earning rewards is strong. You'll rack up three miles per dollar on Delta purchases, two miles per dollar on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and one mile per dollar on all other qualified purchases. Terms apply.

Read our article on all three Delta SkyMiles credit cards from American Express.

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How do the cards' perks and fees compare?

Both cards offer solid miles bonuses to new cardholders. Your decision to sign up for one card over another may be based on which airline you use most frequently and whether you need access to a wide variety of partner airlines.

Hot tip: if you already hold a Bank of America or American Express Card, it's worth considering an airline card by the same issuer. In some cases, you may be able to share or transfer the points or miles from one card to another.

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Bonuses and Perks Comparison
Perk	Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express	Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
Number of bonus miles	80,000	50,000
Estimated cash value of bonus according to Bankrate.com subtracting the annual fee	$960	$550
Free or near-free companion fare?	Yes	Yes
Issuer	American Express	Bank of America
Black-out dates	None on Delta	None on Alaska Airlines
Airline partner alliance	Yes, though no major US carriers	Yes, extensive, including American Airlines. Partners with One World Alliance.
At least one free bag check per flight	Yes	Yes
Priority boarding	Yes	Yes

What additional perks do the cards offer?

Both cards provide a companion fare for every card anniversary.

Hot tip: Check out our reviews of the other airline credit card tiers offered by the Delta SkyMiles cards. You may find a card with annual fees and perks that are better for you than the cards profiled here.

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Additional perks
Header Cell - Column 0	Delta SkyMiles Platinum	Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
Benefit 1	15% discount on award travel on Delta flights	Get $100 off an annual Lounge+ Membership when you pay with your card
Benefit 2	$100 discount on Delta Stays, up to $120 rideshare credit for U.S. rideshare purchases (enrollment required) and up to $120 Resy credit at U.S. Resy restaurants	Bank of America customers get a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned by the card
Benefit 3	$50 discount on flights for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com	Get 20% back on Alaska in-flight purchases

What are the card rates and fees?

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Rates and Fees
Row 0 - Cell 0	Delta SkyMiles Platinum	Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
Annual Fee*	$350	$95
Interest Rates*	19.49% to 28.49% variable APR for purchases; see rates and fees*	20.74% to 28.74% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers
Foreign Transaction Fee	None	None

*Delta SkyMiles Platinum rates and fees.

Airline cards dos and don'ts

As with any rewards credit card, be sure to weigh these benefits against fees and make sure you understand how to use the card effectively. That said, the top annual fee of $350 should be offset if you travel enough to benefit from card perks.

Reward credit cards are great if you use them wisely. However, always pay them off in full and on time each month to avoid interest, which can dwarf the gain. And don't spend any more than usual to meet the required spending amount for a given offer.

If this is your first foray into credit cards, or you just want a refresher, make sure you know how to choose a credit card. And ensure you are familiar with what counts as a good credit score.

Other travel cards to consider

Disclaimer

As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view of the best deals and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities.

Sean is a veteran personal finance writer, with over 10 years of experience. He's written finance guides on insurance, savings, travel and more for CNET, Bankrate and GOBankingRates.

With contributions from

Ellen B. KennedyRetirement Editor, Kiplinger.com