Starter journey rewards playing cards are available in all styles and sizes. In case you’re searching for a method to earn frequent flyer miles along with your favourite airline, quite a few choices can be found.
No-annual-fee airline bank cards are additionally implausible choices for skilled award vacationers who already personal a number of playing cards of their wallets. These playing cards can assist you prime off your mileage stability in your subsequent journey with out breaking the financial institution.
Associated: The very best airline bank cards
The only option for you’ll rely in your favourite airline, however we just like the United Gateway Card out of the bunch for its inclusive incomes charges and sign-up bonus.
The very best no-annual-fee airline bank cards
The knowledge for the American Airways AAdvantage MileUp and JetBlue playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Evaluating the most effective no-annual-fee airline bank cards
| Card | Rewards fee | Signal-up bonus/welcome supply |
|---|---|---|
| American Airways AAdvantage MileUp | 2 miles per greenback on eligible American Airways purchases and at grocery shops (together with supply), 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases | Earn 10,000 AAdvantage miles and a $50 assertion credit score after you spend $500 in purchases throughout the first three months of account opening |
| Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Categorical Card | 2 miles per greenback on eligible Delta purchases and eating at eating places, 1 mile per greenback on different purchases | Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases throughout the first six months of account opening |
| JetBlue Card | 3 miles per greenback on JetBlue purchases, 2 miles per greenback at eating places and grocery shops and 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases | Earn 10,000 bonus factors after you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening |
| United Gateway Card | 2 miles per greenback on United purchases, gasoline stations and native transit and commuting, and 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases | Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card | 1.25 miles per greenback on all purchases | Earn 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 throughout the first three months from account opening |
Full particulars on the most effective no-annual-fee airline bank cards
American Airways AAdvantage MileUp: Greatest card for American Airways
Present sign-up bonus: Earn 10,000 AAdvantage miles and a $50 assertion credit score after you spend $500 in purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Rewards fee: Earn 2 miles per greenback on American Airways purchases and at grocery shops (together with supply), 1 mile per greenback on different purchases.
Different advantages: Apart from the power to earn bonus miles, the one extra profit you will get with this card is a 25% low cost on inflight purchases. If you wish to add an licensed person to this card, you are able to do so with out tacking on a further price. Remember that this card does cost a 3% overseas transaction price, so you will wish to keep away from utilizing it overseas.
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Evaluation: The MileUp card at the moment provides a sign-up bonus of $227 in worth, together with the $50 assertion credit score supply (based mostly on TPG’s valuations). In 2022, American Airways revamped its loyalty program by changing all incomes metrics with Loyalty Factors. You earn Loyalty Factors whenever you spend on a cobranded bank card, so spending $1,000 on a cobranded bank card would earn 1,000 Loyalty Factors.
Be taught extra: AAdvantage MileUp assessment
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Categorical Card: Greatest card for Delta Air Strains
Present welcome supply: Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases throughout the first six months of account opening.
Rewards fee: Earn 2 miles per greenback on eligible Delta purchases and eating at eating places, 1 mile per greenback on different purchases.
Different advantages: The Delta Blue Amex is one of the simplest ways to earn SkyMiles with out incurring an annual price. You will additionally get pleasure from advantages similar to 20% financial savings on inflight purchases (within the type of an announcement credit score), no overseas transaction charges (see charges and costs) and quite a few buying and journey protections.
Evaluation: In response to TPG valuations, Delta SkyMiles are price 1.41 cents every — making this welcome supply price $141. This card provides a singular incentive whenever you pay for flights utilizing your SkyMiles, supplying you with a $50 low cost off the flight value for each 5,000 miles you redeem with Delta’s Pay with Miles characteristic.
Be taught extra: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Categorical Card assessment
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Categorical Card
JetBlue Card: Greatest card for JetBlue Airways
Present sign-up bonus: Earn 10,000 bonus factors after you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Rewards fee: Earn 3 miles per greenback on JetBlue purchases, 2 miles per greenback at eating places and grocery shops and 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases.
Different advantages: The JetBlue Card’s incomes fee is best than most playing cards on this listing, as you will not solely earn 3 factors per greenback on JetBlue purchases however 2 factors per greenback on each eating places and groceries. Plus, you will get a pleasant 50% low cost on inflight purchases and luxuriate in no overseas transaction charges.
Evaluation: This sign-up bonus is price $130, based mostly on TPG’s valuations. Whereas not essentially distinctive to the cardboard, JetBlue permits for factors pooling, which implies you’ll be able to mix your reward balances with as much as seven family and friends members. In case you and a number of other family and friends open this no-annual-fee card, you’ll be able to gather an honest quantity of TrueBlue factors.
Be taught extra: JetBlue Card assessment
Associated: Greatest bank cards for JetBlue flyers
United Gateway Card: Greatest card for United Airways
Present sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open.
Rewards fee: Earn 2 miles per greenback on United purchases, gasoline stations and native transit and commuting, and 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases.
Different advantages: The United Gateway provides double miles on a powerful variety of classes past United purchases, catering to these continuously on the go. You will additionally earn 25% again in your inflight purchases and forgo overseas transaction charges. This card is issued by Chase, who, by far, provides probably the most buying and journey coverages, together with secondary automobile rental protection, journey cancellation and interruption insurance coverage, buy safety and prolonged guarantee safety.
Evaluation: Since United MileagePlus miles are price 1.1 cents every in line with TPG’s valuations, you are taking a look at $220 in worth from the sign-up bonus alone. As a United cardmember, you will have entry to United-exclusive occasions by the airline and Chase, in addition to the power to guide motels by Chase’s Luxurious Lodge & Resort Assortment for elitelike perks.
Be taught extra: United Gateway assessment
Apply right here: United Gateway Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card: Greatest card for airline switch companions
Present sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 throughout the first three months from account opening.
Rewards fee: Earn 1.25 miles per greenback on all purchases.
Different advantages: The power to earn an infinite 1.25 miles per greenback on all purchases could also be compelling for newcomers who do not wish to hold monitor of bonus classes. In that case, chances are you’ll wish to go for this journey card as a substitute of an airline card to realize probably the most reward flexibility.
Together with your Capital One miles, you’ll be able to redeem at a fastened fee of 1 cent every for any airline, resort or journey reserving. Or, you’ll be able to switch your miles to Capital One’s 18 airline and resort companions for doubtlessly even higher worth.
The cardboard additionally comes with no overseas transaction charges (see charges and costs), automobile rental protection, and prolonged guarantee safety.
Evaluation: This sign-up bonus is price $370 when transferring your miles to airline and resort loyalty applications (based mostly on TPG’s month-to-month calculations).
Be taught extra: Capital One VentureOne assessment
Apply right here: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card
Backside line
Nothing feels higher than redeeming your airline miles for a free flight, and that is completely doable by making use of for any of the no-annual-fee playing cards on this listing. These airline playing cards are all glorious introductions into the world of factors and miles, as you will solely have to fret about redeeming by a loyalty program you are already snug with.
For charges and costs of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Categorical Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card, click on right here.
For Capital One merchandise listed on this web page, a few of the above advantages are offered by Visa® or Mastercard® and will differ by product. See the respective Information to Advantages for particulars, as phrases and exclusions apply
Extra reporting by Danyal Ahmed.