#I do not want to make it to my layover in Atlanta and get stuck there overnight

[nerdierholler]

Work for a bit today and then I get to cross my fingers that the travel gods smile on me tonight so I can fly home for Christmas. It will be my first Christmas at home in about 6 years and I am ready!

[wkemeup]

I’m With You (1/3)

series summary: When two strangers meet on a layover in the Charlotte Airport, they find that a lifetime can sit in the span of three days and it doesn’t take very long at all to fall in love. pairing: bucky x reader warnings: super soft!bucky, shenanigans, literally no legit warnings its a miracle, rare kas fluff a/n: the first part of this fic was inspired after I got stuck in Atlanta on a layover a few months back and my imagination ran wild lol 🌸series masterlist // series playlist 🌸

T H E   L A Y O V E R

Perhaps you should have known it was coming after the second time the flight got delayed. Nearing on two hours past your departure time and with a monsoon brewing past the windows outside, it was a wonder anyone at the gate was still holding onto hope. That was, until the moment the young gate agents with cheeks burning bright red announced that your flight had been canceled.

In most circumstances, you wouldn’t have been relieved as you were in that moment, standing in a never-ending line extending out into the middle of the walkway with disgruntled, stranded passengers grumbling under their breath and arguing amongst one another.

Most circumstances didn’t involve you flying to Atlanta to attend the wedding of the last and only man to break your heart.

You stood behind a rather tall man in a dark navy business suit, carrying a leather briefcase and tapping his toe incessantly as the single gate agent attempted to address the needs of the completely booked flight currently waiting in line. The man in the suit was barking orders at what seemed to be a poor intern on the other end of the phone as he nudged an elderly woman ahead of him to take a step forward the very second the line moved up.

With a roll of your eyes, you took a sip from the burning hot coffee you’d purchased shortly after the second delay, despite the fact that it had been nearing 11:00pm at the time. You seemed to be the only one who was mildly relieved by the cancelation and threat of spending an overnight stay in the Charlotte airport, though that didn’t surprise you much. Still, you didn’t much mind the possibility that you would have a genuine, no-fault-of-your-own, entirely-mother-nature’s-curse, excuse to avoid your ex’s wedding.

Then, carrying gently between the aggravated conversations around you, the soft humming of someone standing behind you pulled you from your daze.

You didn’t dare turn around, but you listened intently, caught up in the low vibrations of his voice, not entirely in key, but charming, and sweet. It sat in sharp contrast to the chaos surrounding you to hear something so relaxed, at ease, amongst the panic and frustration.

The coffee was still hot on your lips and you winced as it passed on your tongue. The man ahead of you folded his arms over his chest, relentlessly making a show of looking up and around those ahead of him to prove he had better things to do, to show that he was impatient and clearly irritated by his situation as he was the only one with somewhere to be.

Those ahead of him weren’t much better; the lot of them all on the phone with representatives from the airlines and demanding their money back, demanding answers for next available flights, and blaming poor customer service for their troubles as if it was the gate agent’s fault that a monsoon had plundered its way through North Carolina.

“What a bunch of barbarians,” the voice behind you chuckled under his breath, the humming pausing for only a moment. His tone was like honey and you found yourself smiling, suppressing the subtle movement of your shoulders as you laughed quietly to yourself at his comment.  

“Bet the guy at the desk is going to lose his shit in about two minutes,” he said to himself, though you wondered briefly if he was talking to someone next to him or behind him, or maybe even you, though you didn’t dare to turn around. No one else responded to his commentary.

You glanced up ahead to who he seemed to be referring to, to find a middle-aged man in khaki slacks and a light blue polo, gripping a newspaper harshly in one hand and tapping his knuckles against the counter top with the other. His face was beet red, jaw clenching, and starring daggers into the poor gate agent.

It barely took longer than a few seconds before the man slammed his fist down onto the countertop, causing you to flinch in response. The honey-voiced man behind you chuckled under his breath, clearly amused by the aggressive reactions of those around him.

You found yourself wanting to turn over your shoulder, to steal a glance at the man with the sweetest sounding voice, even in off-key humming, who laughed in times of chaos and didn’t seem to be bothered at all to be standing in a seemingly never-ending line nearing midnight in the middle of Charlotte Douglas International.

In your brief moment of distraction, you didn’t notice the man in the suit take a sharp step back in reflex to the person at the front of the line waving their hands about, setting off a chain reaction of passengers flinching away from the scene. His elbow slammed down into the lid of your coffee and it slipped from your fingers with a gasp.

The cup fell to the floor in the kind of slow motion you see in the movies, like maybe if you reached out in time you could have grabbed it mid-air, but instead the cardboard cup slammed to the tile and the coffee spewed from the top as the lid broke away, dousing the pant legs of the man in the suit ahead of you. He yelped, jumping away from you and shoving you back with a harsh thrust.

Unsteady on your feet from the shock of it, you fell back into person behind you, into the man with the honey voice and the amusing observations. He caught you before you hit the ground with his arms hooked under yours, smelling of something like warmth and comfort and flannel and fireplaces, before you even caught sight of his face.

Blue eyed. The damned near bluest eyes you’d ever seen in your life and they were gentle, kind, like they were painted with care with several shades from the Mediterranean Sea and a cloudless sky and the petals of an iris. Bristles of scruff on his cheeks and dark brown hair brushed up in sweeps away from his eyes. He smiled softly at you, reassuringly, as he helped you back to your feet.

“You alright?” he asked softly and you nodded, just about lost in the smooth tone of his voice, up until the moment suit-man let out an aggravated howl.

“Look what you’ve done!” the man shouted, grabbing at the backs of his pant legs in disgust and sending darting glares at you.

Your lips parted to say something, but you were never good under pressure, not with so many wondering eyes looking over in your direction, whispering to one another, pointing and staring. Cheeks burning red and heating all the way down your neck, you felt a pang of embarrassment, of shame. You bent down quickly to retrieve the empty cup, stepping away from the pool of coffee on the floor.

“I’m-- I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t--”

“You didn’t mean to?” he scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically. “Do you have any idea how much this suit costs?! Probably more than a month of your salary, sweetheart!”

“Hey man, back off! It was clearly an accident,” blue-eyes interjected from behind you, carefully side stepping around you to put himself in the cross hairs. “It was your elbow that knocked it out of her hand in the first place.”

The man glared at blue-eyes, studying him up as if he was determining if carrying on this fight was worth it with a man at least a decade younger and a build twice his size. He seemed to only be eager to kick and yell and fight when it was at a target without much of a will for defense, someone like you. You clenched your jaw, hating how easily you fell into that trap.

“Goddamn millennials,” the man in the suit grumbled under his breath, narrowing his eyes on you one last time before he turned his attention back to the front of the line. You let out a heavy sigh, the relief pouring through you almost instantly. You gripped the empty cup in your hand until it bent and crumpled at the center.

“What an asshole,” blue-eyes grumbled next to you, offering you a soft kind of smile that still managed to crinkle up by his eyes. He glanced down at the cup folding under your tight grip. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” you replied slowly, though you kept an extra foot of distance between you and the man in the suit, even as he took a step forward when the line moved. “Thanks for that, by the way. You didn’t have to say anything.”

“Sure, I did. Chivalry still exists, you know,” blue-eyes said, that charmingly smooth tone of his voice running almost in shivers up your spine.

“Not in my experience,” you muttered under your breath, uncertain if he could hear you, though he raised an eyebrow, his smile faltering somewhat. If he heard you, he didn’t say anything.

You waited for what felt like another hour before you made it to the front of the line. The gate agent looked exhausted and practically winced at you stepped up, as if he was preparing himself for another verbal attack, but you were soft spoken and patient with him, a kind of change he wasn’t expecting.

Blue-eyes was on your right, talking with the second agent who had rushed up to the counter to assist. You could feel him glance over at you every few moments as you complimented the agent on his organization and calmness under pressure, getting the young man to laugh nervously in response.

The gate agent smiled a bit as he handed you a tentative flight and instructed you to listen to the overhead monitors for any changes. You nodded as you took the new ticket and grabbed your bag, getting ready to go find a quiet place by yourself to mentally prepare for facing this weekend after the nightmare it was already starting out on.

Attending your ex’s wedding was already a worst case scenario on its own. Now you’d have to show up with less than a few hours night rest, if any at all. You were sure you’d hear comments circulating about the bags under your eyes and the exhaustion plated on your face they’d no doubt attribute to remorse for a relationship that was kinder in your memories than it was in real life.  

You started to make your way out to the walkway when you heard a voice call out behind you.

“Wait, hold up!”

You turned over your shoulder to find blue-eyes finishing up at the counter and swinging his bag over his shoulder, a new ticket in his right hand. He jogged a few paces to catch up with you as you stilled.

“Any chance you’ll let me replace that coffee?” he asked with a warm smiling brimming on his lips.

“What?” you gaped.

You glanced down at your faded leggings, worn sneakers, and flannel hanging loosely over your shoulders. You didn’t consider yourself the type that men approached for that sort of thing, especially men with eyes that blue and a voice like honey.

“I figure it’s going to be a long night and finding sleep in a place like this is almost impossible,” he chuckled nervously, scratching at the back of his neck, “so why not stock up on caffeine? I know a café in Terminal C with a halfway decent blend and its usually pretty empty.”

“Oh,” you muttered anxiously, cheeks heating red because a man that gorgeous couldn't possibly be serious. The suspicion was already creeping up through your stomach, screaming at you that he was like the rest of them, like he was exactly like your ex, that he would hurt you or that he was looking for repayment of some kind. You didn’t have much experience of anything else. “Well, I don’t-- I don’t know--”

“You can say no,” he offered quickly, though he winced as he said it. “Of course, you know you can say no. What I mean is, you can tell me to ‘eff off’ and I’ll leave you alone, but I just thought... I thought that guy was a jerk and he ruined a perfectly good full cup of coffee and if you wanted, I’m happy to get you a new one. I just—I figured that your night is already pretty shitty with the flights being grounded and then that sonuvabitch -- who didn’t even apologize -- yelled at you for no reason and--” he grimaced. “I’m rambling. Sorry.”

You watched him carefully, studied the way he fumbled over his words, his cheeks turning a soft shade of pink, even through the light scratches of his beard. It was almost endearing. You hadn’t seen a man blush like that before. There was a lingering kind of sadness behind the ocean blue of his eyes you couldn’t quite place and it drew you in unlike anything else.

“Terminal C, huh?” you asked, pulling the nerves from your voice the best you could and his smile lit up again instantly.

“Yeah, Terminal C. It’s a bit of a walk, as long as you don’t mind?” he said, lugging his bag over his shoulder and gesturing for you to follow him out into the hall.

“Don’t got much else to do,” you shrugged, surprised that you found yourself smiling as you strolled up next to him.

He had a comforting kind of ease to him and you wondered why he also seemed to be relieved by cancelations. You had your reasons and looking around at the frustrated looks on bystanders faces as you walked by, the arguments amongst family members, the children crying, you couldn’t help but question why blue-eyes didn’t seem to be bothered at all.

“My name’s Bucky, by the way,” he said as he stepped aside at the moving walkway, letting you pass by him to take the first step. He slid onto the walkway behind you with one step.

“Well, it’s nice to be meet you, Bucky,” you replied sincerely, leaning against the right side of the railing as the floor beneath you carried you slowly down the hallway. You had the time to be leisurely and let the walkway move for you.

In the brief moment of silence that followed, Bucky was smiling as he stared at the floor, stealing glances over at you like he was waiting for something. You were about to ask him what he was looking at until he asked, “do I get the pleasure of your name as well, or should we save that for later?”

You laughed, the nervousness offsetting the embarrassment of completely forgetting obvious social cues. Gripping at the edge of the railing, you watched as he stared out into the sea of people as you rode by, smiling softly at the kids who were curled up under their parents’ coats draped over them in blankets and laughing, almost impressed, at the teenagers who had started gathering in a circle, all huddled around their portable games.

Pushing out a kind of confidence you hadn’t known in years, you said, “you buy me that coffee you were talking about and maybe I’ll give you a name.”

Bucky grinned, turning back to face you, clearly amused by your answer. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

Walking at a leisurely pace, it took a half hour before Bucky gestured for you to stop in front of a small café tucked into the corner next to one of the empty gates, lights barely illuminated with a single staff member hunched behind the counter on his cell phone. The tables were empty and it looked like no one had been there all day with the shelves of to-go items fully stocked.

“Welcome to the best coffee in the Charlotte Airport,” Bucky grinned, extending his arm out like he was showing off a new car. You narrowed your eyes on his, pursing you lips and he dropped his hand, chuckling lightly. “I never said it was particularly good, but it’s not terrible. Plus, we’ve got the place to ourselves if you allow me to stick around.”

“You want to?” you asked, cursing yourself for how timid you sounded. Another thing to blame your ex for. The ex whose wedding you’re supposed to be attending tomorrow. Goddamnit.

“Don’t got much else to do,” he shrugged, repeating your words from when he had asked you to come with him in the first place with a teasing kind of smile that made your stomach twist into knots.

You nudged him hard in the side, laughing, and he stumbled away a few paces, grinning wildly until it crinkled up by his eyes. You wondered if you’d ever seen a man more beautiful in your life, though you pushed the thought away quickly.

Bucky jogged up to the front counter, gathering the attention of the teenager on his phone as he slowly glanced up, slipping his phone into his pockets.

“What can I get you?” the kid asked, voice low and slow, like he’d just woken up from a nap.

“Anything fancy for you or keep it simple?” Bucky turned back, asking over his shoulder. You gave him your order and he smiled at it, ordering one of the same. The teenager didn’t seem to be amused by Bucky’s charming smile and huffed an exasperated sigh as he started to make the drinks.

“You sure you don’t mind?” you asked as Bucky handed over his card.

“It’s just a coffee, doll. I don’t mind at all,” he said, the pet name rolling off his tongue as if it didn’t mean much of anything. It left a burning, twisting ache in your stomach and a heat in your cheeks, forcing you to nervously tug and pull your hair behind your ear.

You wondered if it was a name he gave for any woman whose name he hadn’t yet learned; perhaps, the same way older men called waitresses ‘sweetheart’ or the way the man in the suit had so patronizingly taunted it at you earlier, though there wasn’t even a hint of a condescending tone in Bucky’s voice. It was genuine. He was genuine.

You thanked him and followed him to the small table tucked in the corner of the café, away from the hall though with enough of a vantage point to watch for stranded passengers as they walked by. Terminal C seemed to be pretty empty so there wasn’t much chance for that, though he told you he liked to take every opportunity to people watch as he could. There was just something so fascinating about how strangers acted when they weren’t putting on a show, when they were at ease, purely themselves.

You set your new ticket on the table, keeping a watchful eye of the flight number like the attendant had instructed you to in case any changes were made overhead. Bucky did the same and you noticed they put him on a separate flight. The ounce of disappointment didn’t slip your notice but you shoved it aside.

“The departure board’s got more red on it than green,” Bucky said as he settled into his chair, “might be time to seek food and shelter and buckle in for a long night.”

“You sure you’re in Charlotte Douglas and not the Hunger Games?” you laughed, adjusting your bag next to your feet.

“You’ve never endured an overnight in Charlotte, have you?” he countered teasingly.

You shook your head and he let out a heavy sigh, though a smile brimmed on his cheeks, almost like he was excited.

“The hotel’s already booked up by now and as soon as these people realize they’re not getting a flight out of here until tomorrow morning, hell is gonna break lose,” he informed you, carefully watching a family of five as they passed by hand in hand out in the walkway. The father had an anxious kind of look on his face every time he glanced at the youngest of the children as if he was expecting for the boy to realize at any second he wasn’t going to be in his bed tonight with his favorite stuffed animals. He was a ticking time bomb.

“We’ve got about an hour left before the food joints start shutting down and then after that, nothing until six-thirty sharp,” Bucky continued, “Plus, you figure you need to secure an outlet or two and a decent place to sleep, if you’re able to do that sort of thing in a place like this.”

“Good lord,” you exhaled, crossing your arms over your chest as you smirked at him, “guess you better get started.”

“Oh, I am,” he replied casually with a shrug. “Step one is securing alliances.”

You narrowed your eyes on him, scouring his face for signs that he was mocking you and searching behind him for a hoard of his buddies hanging over his shoulder snickering to themselves as their friend messed with the sad girl alone at the airport, you came up completely empty.

“You’re actually serious?” you gaped.

He nodded. “Of course. I’ve already got the caffeine and the ally. We’ll need to secure some snacks next. When you’re ready, of course. Though, we do have a time restraint here so don’t be too long with your coffee.”

“Well, for one, I can take this on the go,” you joked, lifting up your coffee with a teasing grin.

“See how well that went last time though? Can’t risk running into any other asshole businessmen in expensive suits worth a month of your salary, sweetheart!” Bucky mimed eccentrically, trying to mock the voice of the man in the suit but failing halfway through in a fit of laughter.

“Okay, fine,” you conceded, removing the lid to your cup and letting the steam loose. You sighed at the fresh smell of coffee as it filled your lungs and warmth spread through you before you could even take a sip. “So, we stay here for a bit and finish our drinks. Then we’ll find snacks. Then what?”

Bucky shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee before he spoke again. The content sigh that followed sent shivers up your spine. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself, doll. It’s a process.”

“Naturally,” you agreed with a smile on your lips so wide it ached in your cheeks.

Bucky sighed, leaning back into his chair, glancing out into the walkway and studying those who passed by. He was so content, so unbothered by the cancellation, as he casually sipped his coffee, stealing glances over in your direction every so often, you couldn’t help the curiosity as it built up.

“So, you were going to Atlanta, too?” you asked before you took another sip of the steaming coffee.

“Trying to. It’s been, uh, it’s been a while since I’ve gone down there,” he replied, though his smile faltered a bit before he could catch it. You narrowed your eyes on him, surprised by his reaction, though you didn’t push it at all. He cleared his throat, pushing it back out though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “How's the coffee?”

“Wonderful now that it’s not covering the back of a furious businessman’s suit,” you responded, taking another sip. Bucky chuckled under his breath and you found yourself missing the soft glimmer behind his eyes. It returned when you asked him about the last time he’d been stranded in Charlotte, as he clearly had experience with it.

He spent the next half hour telling you every ridiculous story you couldn’t have made up if you tried about the bizarre things he’d witnessed at three in the morning walking around the terminals and what kinds of trouble he got in back in his younger days with the airport security for doing cartwheels down the halls.

“Cartwheels?” you laughed, struggling to keep your breath as your eyes watered. “You can’t be serious…”

Bucky was beaming as he nodded, all blue eyes and pink lips and chocolate colored hair raking through his fingers. He pointed over your shoulder to an open space by the escalator.

“I crashed into the railing right over there,” he nodded, then gesturing to his hip bone, “it landed me a bruise for a few months right on my side.”

“How old were you?” you asked, struggling to contain your laughter enough to take another sip of your coffee that was already room temperature.

Bucky scratched the back of his neck, cheeks red, and so incredibly adorable it was simply unfair. “Twenty-one.”

“Of course, you were.” You shook your head, watching as he hid behind his coffee cup as he took a big gulp, evading your eyes and glancing over to the open space like he was caught up in memories.

“So, what about you?” he asked as he set his coffee down again. “You ever been stranded here?”

“Fortunately not,” you shrugged, finishing off your drink with a content sigh. You glanced over at the clock, wondering how so much time had passed without even realizing it. It had been ages since you’d felt that way around someone.

“Sounds like you're in need of some Charlotte layover tradition then, doll,” Bucky grinned, something mischievous brewing in his head as he chugged back the rest of his lukewarm coffee and tossed the cup into the nearest trash with a full layup stance. He did the same with yours. “Come with me.”

He extended his hand to you as he stood, long lifelines extending along his palm and you noticed a sliver of marred scarring peeking out behind the sleeve of his over-shirt. You narrowed your eyes on it, curious, but he pushed down the fabric nervously.

“Please, doll. I promise it’ll be fun,” he urged, not letting his hand drop away even as you eyed him reluctantly.

“How do you know my idea of fun? You still don’t know my name,” you teased, having already decided to take up his offer the moment he extended his hand but it was so incredibly endearing to watch his nerves on display.

“Oh, I know, but I’m confident you’ll tell me soon enough,” he said, grinning wildly as you slipped your hand into his regardless. Firm and rough, with callouses on his hands like he’d spent years in service and labor jobs, but gentle like he was holding something precious as he helped you stand. An enigma.

The teenager behind the counter had been watching you with an irritable look on his face and you nudged Bucky’s side as he picked up both of your bags in his free hand. Bucky followed your gaze and then took a quick glance at the clock before he started to laugh, pulling you towards the hall.

“Think we overstayed our welcome here,” he grimaced, nodding to his watch that read it was past midnight. “Coffee shop was supposed to close ten minutes ago.”

“Oh no,” you pouted, turning back to the cashier with an apologetic smile as you called, “sorry about that!” over your shoulder.

Bucky led you to the center of the hall. Around you were a few stranded passengers from flights heading out west, all looking like they’ve been kicked and dragged through the mud. Meanwhile, Bucky was smiling like he just won the lottery. You didn’t realize his hand was still gripped in yours until he dropped your bags beside him with a heavy thud and he let go.

He took in a deep breath, sending a wink in your direction as he took a single step away from you and pushed his hands out into the sky, swing his momentum around in an acrobatic swing that was admittingly quite awful, with bent legs and wobbling landing, but... a cartwheel.

Holy shit, he was serious.

A few random passengers lying on the floor had propped up to look in his direction before turning over to ignore him. Bucky wiped his hands on his pants as he grimaced at the dirt he’d collected. He nodded at a woman in high heels as she walked past giving him a strange look of both disgust and attraction. She might have been eyeing him before he went and did that ridiculous cartwheel, but a man that handsome had some allowances for odd behavior, didn’t he? She seemed to think so, but Bucky paid her no mind as he turned back to you.

“Your turn.”

“Absolutely not,” you scoffed, laughing nervously as you took a step back.

“Absolutely, yes,” Bucky retorted, grabbing your hands and tugging you to the spot where he was just standing. “This is tradition, doll. You can’t mess with a tradition.”

“Do you realize how insane you sound?” you accused, though you were smiling so wide it started to hurt in your cheeks. His hands were still on yours and his lifted them above your head, nudging your feet with his shoes to get you in starting position.

“You’ve done a cartwheel before, haven’t you?”

“Of course,” you shot back, “back when I was fifteen, Bucky!”

He grinned, stepping back and letting go of your hands. “Then you’ll be perfect. Just like riding a bike.”

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s the same thing,” you mumbled, blushing as a middle-aged couple walked by and rolled their eyes at the two of you. Bucky must have noticed.

“Don’t worry about them, doll,” Bucky said quietly, arms folded over his chest as he planted his feet, waiting patiently. He smiled softly at you, the overly confident and borderline cartoonish character falling away for a moment and you found yourself lost in shades of blue you could have drowned in if he’d let you.

Shit. You shook your head, tearing your eyes away from his. Stop thinking like that.

Do the damn cartwheel.

Bucky rubbed his hands together in anticipation and you closed your eyes. One deep breath in, you held it in your lungs as you propelled yourself onto your hands, touching the ground with the full of your weight for only a second before you were on your feet again.

Guess it was like riding a bike.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Bucky shouted, drawing the attention of the very irritated passengers attempting to sleep in the corner of the hall. It was still midnight, after all. But in the mist of his energy and the way he was smiling at you and rushing towards you to high-five your hands now covered in a thin layer of dirt, you couldn’t bring it in yourself to care about the wondering eyes of the stranded observers.

“We better get those snacks before the shop closes,” he said, turning to you with a massive smile.

How was it possible to so easily get lost in the eyes of a stranger you hardly knew? Blue and grey waves sharper and softer than that of the ocean. Pink in his lips that drew you in and you didn’t realize you were staring until he grabbed your hand, tugging you along.

You started to laugh as he dragged you down the hall, not letting go of your hand as he led you down to a corner store with walls lined with snacks. He grinned like a kid in a candy store and gestured for you to walk in like it was a five-star restaurant. The fact that he waved at the cashier who returned his greeting in a familiar smile didn’t slip your notice.

“Do you know him?” you asked, following Bucky further into the store to the back wall lined with snacks, in past the magazines and novelty t-shirts.

“Charlie and I go way back,” he nodded, strolling carefully through the aisles, hands clasped behind his back as he contemplated his choices and he glanced back up at you, smiling that sweet smile that made your stomach twist. Though he paused as he said, “I used to get trapped here overnight a lot growing up.”

He lost his smile a bit as he spoke and it surprised you, unsure of what kind of memory he was thinking back to that could possibly take even a sliver of his smile away from him. You grabbed a bag of your favorite chips from the wall and tossed it over at him. They hit him straight in the chest and he caught them before they fell, the smile returning quickly as he looked over at you with a feigned look of offense.

He grabbed a few bags off the wall after careful selection and raised them up for your approval. You nodded at every choice, except for the bag of jerky he’d held up teasingly. Once he’d gathered enough to fill his arms, a solid mix of salty chips and sweet chocolates and candies, he made his way up to the cashier.

Charlie’s name tag was long faded and he looked like he had been working here for decades. He took his time scanning through Bucky’s items, though he raised an eyebrow at the bag of Skittles and Bucky nodded, a silent conversation between the two before Charlie slipped the candy into the bag.

True to his word, Bucky pushed aside the cash from your hand as you tried to pay and he handed Charlie his card. You grunted, doing that little dance most couples do on a first date when the bill comes, though you started to blush as soon as the thought made its way into your head.

This wasn’t a date. This was... well, you didn’t know what this was, but it was certainly anything but a date.

An acid trip, maybe? An elaborate dream? One of those cheesy Hallmark movies where an angel or a ghost from your past teaches you how to open up and love again?

Probably.

But definitely not a date. He didn’t even know your name.

By the time Bucky gathered the bags of snacks and you followed him out to the main walkway, stranded passengers had begun lining up at every fast-food join within sight, lines carrying far down into the hallway and grumbled groans as managers came out to inform the crowds they were running out of food.

“What did I tell you?” Bucky grinned, nudging your shoulder and you shook your head, trying to suppress your laughter. “Chaos starts once these tourists realize they’re trapped. Someone’s going to start trying to buy food off of people before they take their first bite. Just you wait.”

He was something from a dream, you were sure of it.

“Okay, fearless leader. What’s next?”

He chuckled at that and your stomach flipped a little, though you did your best to ignore it.

“Outlets and shelter,” he replied matter-of-factly, like he’d done this dozens of times before, as he studied the hallway to the left and right, determining which was the better way to go. He chewed on his lip, clearly caught in thought before he straightened his back and turned to you with a grin. “I’ve got a place in mind. You trust me?”

“I don’t know you and you still don’t know my name,” you responded teasingly, though somehow, you knew the answer was yes.

“Sometimes trust is something you learn over time and sometimes it’s a gut instinct,” he shrugged, offering you his hand. “What’s your gut telling you, doll?”

“That you might be an insane person... or an abirritation,” you laughed, though you grabbed onto his hand and let him lead you out into the hallway, “but clearly, I’m okay with that.”

“That’s all I need,” Bucky beamed, tugging on your hand to get you to walk faster until you were practically jogging.

Lugging your suitcase behind you as Bucky held a firm grip onto the bags of snacks in on hand and you in the other, he led you far away from the crowds of people, past the moving walkways and the food courts, past the gates with attendants behind the counter, until the lights were dimmer and you passed by nearly five gates that were completely empty.

He let go of your hand and gestured to the gate marked A29 with a familiar smile on his face, though it seemed a little sad with a crease forming in his brow and a slight tremble of his hand clenching by his side.

“How did you know this place would be deserted?” you asked in awe as you tossed your bag onto one of the dozens of open chairs, spinning yourself around freely like you were in the meadows on a warm summer day and not currently trapped in an airport with a monsoon outside and stuffy air-conditioning blowing through the vents.

“Had a hunch,” he replied, though when you rolled your eyes playfully at him, he chuckled, conceding, “I saw this terminal had most of its flights out before the storm broke. Figured it would be pretty untouched for the rest of the night.”

“You’ve been out here before,” you observed, catching the way he stared longingly over at a corner by the desk like he was watching an old memory play out in front of him. Though he wore his smile again, it was softer now, sadder. He seemed caught up in his imagination and you took a careful step forward, tapping on his shoulder and smiling enough for the both of you. “Come on. I’ve got first dibs on the Doritos.”

“So,” Bucky started, “you never said why you were going to Atlanta.”

“Neither did you, smart guy. Why would I give that information away to a complete stranger?” you teased, following Bucky as he led you to the series of outlets against the wall. You slid down the window, leaning against it as rain pummeled against the glass from the other side.

Bucky shrugged, smiling encouragingly as he sat down next to you and pulled his phone charger from his bag. “You don’t have to tell me anything, doll, but I noticed the way you smiled when the gate agent announced our flight was cancelled when everyone else was groaning and crying. You were smiling. Just curious, is all.”

You narrowed your eyes at that, watching him silently as he plugged his phone in and the face of a young girl illuminated on the screen. She was smiling, almost mid-laugh, and Bucky was off in the background of the image, racing towards her, perhaps a few years younger judging by the haircut. She looked a little like him.

You wondered then if she had anything to do with why he had lost some of his energy as he came up on this gate, falling into a memory he recognized. He was complex man; you’d give him that.

“I was... um... going to a wedding,” you confessed slowly and Bucky smirked, pleased to get something out of you.

“You sound unsure about that,” he pointed out, ripping open a bag of chips and plopping four into his mouth.

You shrugged, “yeah, well, even if I make it in time tomorrow, I still don’t know if I’ll go.”

“Why’s that? Seems like a long way to travel if you’re not gonna--”

“The groom is my ex.”

“Oh shit,” Bucky coughed on the chips that were about halfway down his throat. He leaned over, heaving into a napkin and you rubbed at his back instinctively, careful circles over the soft fabric of his t-shirt as his whole body shook with each cough. You pulled away with a blush as he smiled at you once the fit subsided. He sat back again the wall, brushing his wrist over his lips as he stole another look over at you. “You’re joking.”

“Afraid not,” you shrugged, pressing your lips into a thin line.

You were embarrassed to even say it aloud, to have to first explain to all of your friends why you agreed to go even as they begged you not to, to have to pack your bag and tell your mother why you won’t be home for Sunday dinner, to have to say it even to this man who was practically a stranger who’s approval and kindness you suddenly found yourself craving. Two years since the break-up and you still struggled to get past the man who broke your heart. Saying no to your ex, to Jack, wasn’t something you were used to and it came as old habit.

“This monsoon might have just saved you from a weekend in hell,” Bucky exhaled, turning to face you with a smile that lightened the anxiety in your chest. He offered you the bag of chips and you took them gratefully.

“You’re probably right,” you said, tossing a few chips into your mouth, though you knew the universe would find a way to get you to that wedding, whether or not you were ready for it.

“You on good terms with the guy, at least?” Bucky asked and you shook your head, clenching your jaw.

He frowned, though he didn’t press you any further as he must have noticed your cheeks flush, shame seeping in you. Bucky let out a tired exhale, leaning back against the window and slumping further to the floor.

He cared, that much you could tell. He was bothered by the fact that you were going to this wedding, alone, and that even with all that you didn’t even have a good post-breakup relationship with the guy. You wondered how it was possible for someone to learn to care so fast and what your night would have been like if he hadn’t been standing directly behind you in that line, if the monsoon never rolled in and this handsome, incredibly endearing stranger never stormed into your life.

Would you have gone to that wedding, watched the man you once thought was the love of your life devote himself to a woman after he broke your heart over his inability to commit? Would you have cried through the ceremony and drank yourself into obligation because he’d hurt you so bad you hadn’t been able to even date since he left you?

Would you have boarded that flight without a second thought to the stranger with the blue eyes and the infectious smile?

“What about you?” you asked carefully, taking another bite of the chips before handing it to him.

“What? You trying to do a something-personal-for-something-personal kind of thing?” Bucky laughed, though there was a nervous edge to his voice.

“Only if you want,” you offered, smiling gently at him and giving him the out if he wanted it. It hadn’t been very long since he avoided the question the first time when you had been sitting over coffee in the empty café.

He took in a heavy breath, though it was shaken. You narrowed your eyes, watching him carefully as he sat up, straightening his back and brushing his hair back from his eyes.

“Yeah, I’m, supposed to uh, I’m supposed to see...” he sighed, scratching at the back of his neck, his voice falling low suddenly. His lips pursed into a frown and the light faded from the blue of his eyes. Something was clearly bothering him and he couldn’t seem to even string the words together.

“I haven’t seen her since I... and my ma says that I’ve been...” he groaned, clenching his jaw and running his hand over his lips. He wasn’t making much sense, that much was clear to the both of you. His eyes fell to the floor and he was only a whisper of the man who stood laughing at the hoard of passengers at your gate.

He was layered, dimensional; both the man with confidence unlike you’d ever seen and the shy, nervous guy with a heart bigger than most men you knew.

Your stomach hurt just watching him struggle to answer your question.

“Y/n,” you blurted out, catching his attention and he raised an eyebrow. You let out a steady breath. “My name. It’s Y/n. Something personal for something personal, right?”

Bucky nodded, repeating your name back to you and a soft smile came over his lips. It sounded like velvet and honey and all kinds of wonderful coming from his voice. He relaxed a bit, the tension slipping from his shoulders. “It’s a nice name. Y/n. Suits you.”

But his voice was still low, aching, and it made your heart twist.

“Come on,” you urged, grabbing his hand and lugging him back up to his feet, determined to bring back the witty and charismatic man who threw you into this mess to begin with. You didn’t like seeing him upset.

“Thought you wanted to know--”

“Not now,” you replied casually and you could practically feel the weight lift off his shoulders as you dragged him over to the massive checkers set in the corner of the gateway set aside for restless travelers. “I’ve got a preposition for you.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“I get to ask you a question every time I knock one of your pieces off the board,” you proposed, positioning yourself on the side of the board with red chips as big as your shoes, “and if you get one of mine, you get to ask me a question.”

“Do I have to answer?” Bucky teased, folding his arms over his chest and you could already see him coming back into himself.

“Only if you don’t want to be a total loser,” you shrugged kicking your piece out to make the first move. Bucky laughed and squatted down at the board, taking his time to determine his trajectory before he made his move.

It only took three turns before you knocked out one of his pieces.

“Truthfully now,” you started, eyeing him as he crossed his arms over his chest, “in all of your layovers, how many people have you dragged around this airport doing cartwheels and raiding convenience stores?”

A laugh burst from Bucky’s chest and you swore you’d never heard a more beautiful sound in your life, his whole body caught up in the moment. It had been a while since you’d seen someone laugh like that without trying to suppress it. He was unlike anyone you’d ever met, though, you supposed you knew that already.

Then he paused, folding his arms, studying you. “You want to know how many women, don’t you?”

“That’s not what I said,” you retorted, trying to hide your blush, though it was obvious as day.

“Only one before you in all my years,” he responded with a nod, “but she was a frequent flyer with me. Not what you think and certainly not the same.”

“That didn’t make a lot of sense, Bucky,” you accused with a grin, “you’re being cryptic.”

“Maybe you should ask a more specific question next time,” he countered with a sink.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” you grumbled as Bucky started to eye the board for his move.  

“So, you think I’m cute?”

You froze, heat flushing into your cheeks as you realized what you said. Glaring up at Bucky as he watched you amusingly. You rolled your eyes.

“Like you don’t already know,” you huffed, trying to push aside the embarrassment you felt through a playful smile.

“Still, it’s nice to hear,” Bucky grinned, nudging his piece to jump over yours and he discarded the red coin off to the side. “How long were you with this ex?”

Your breath hitched in your lungs and you cleared your throat, taking your time to meet his eye again. “You don’t mess around, do you?”

“Nope,” he replied, popping the ‘p’ on the purse of his lips.

“Three years,” you said quickly, before you could lose your nerve. “He was my college boyfriend. Had plans to move in together and talked about getting married ourselves before he decided he’d rather ‘explore his options’ once graduation came around. Hadn’t heard from him since. Until I got the invite to his wedding. Guess he found a better option.”

“Yikes,” Bucky winced, “what an asshole. Why did you even agree to go to his wedding?”

“Sorry, you already used up your question. Better wait for your next turn.” You winked at him, holding your pointer finger up as you maneuvered your way around the board to find your next move. It was a relief to cut him off. Your relationship with Jack wasn’t an easy one to talk about and you didn’t want him to think of you the way Jack often saw you; small and spineless. So, you pushed out a smile and pretended you were fine.

Bucky shook his head, armed folded over his chest enough to see the prominent outline of the muscles in his biceps, and he laughed at your response. It was a sweet kind of sound that made your chest fell warm, even with the anxiety in your stomach at the very thought of your ex. It was genuine for as often as he did it and it seemed to live permanently etched into his cheeks.

You went back and forth for a few turns, each picking off the other’s pieces on every round. He asked you about your family, about your favorite flavor of ice cream, about your movie preferences and your day job. You asked him about the scars lining his left arm, peeking out as he scratched at his wrist and he told you it was from an accident on the job, though he didn’t elaborate further. You asked about the college shirt he was wearing any why he dared to go to school in Georgia if he was really a New Yorker like he claimed, though he laughed it off and said it wasn’t his alma mater. You asked about his typical coffee order and hair routine and how he got it so fluffy and he laughed so hard, tears welled in his eyes.

It was almost a half hour of the simpler questions before Bucky knocked out another one of your pieces with satisfied hum and took a moment to think of his question. He watched you for a moment, studying you almost, and your stomach lurched a little. Not because he made you uncomfortable, but because you could see the carefulness behind his eyes, the soft smile on his face, and a man like that looking at you like you were something special was an unfamiliar feeling to say the least.

“You don’t really think this woman he’s marrying is ‘the better option,’ do you?”

You bit down so hard on your lip you drew blood. The sincerity of his question threw you and your heart must have skipped about a dozen beats before you could even blink. Bucky must have noticed your sudden distress and he clenched his jaw. A red heat formed in his cheeks you never would have expected.

“Maybe I should say I’m not trying to pry, but I clearly am,” he admitted with a tired laugh. “I’ve only known you for a few hours, Y/n, and I don’t know how anyone could think you’re anything but the best option. And if this guy was with you for years, it shouldn’t even be a question.”

“That’s... that’s really kind, Bucky, but you don’t know me,” you mumbled, unable to meet his eye and losing every ounce of confidence you had clung to around him. Jack had a way of doing that to you, even when he wasn’t around.

But Bucky was determined. He shook his head, crossing the board and grabbing a tender hold of your arms, urging you to look at him. His hands were warm against you, large, a little calloused and rough on the edges but so incredibly gentle.

“I know that you treated that poor gate agent with empathy and patience and got him to laugh after the hell storm of passengers who had just spent their time yellin’ at the guy. I know that you agreed to follow a borderline intrusive stranger through an airport at midnight at the promise of caffeine,” he said, smiling sweetly. “I know that you apologize to teenage employees for staying a few minutes past close without realizing it. I know that you can do a near perfect cartwheel and how you take your coffee.”

“Bucky, I--”

“I know that you’re funny and adventurous and kind. I know that you’re incredibly perceptive and you changed the subject when you caught onto how hard it was for me to tell you why I’m going to Atlanta,” Bucky said casually, sternly almost just to make you believe him, as if his words didn’t make your heart swell so much in your chest it hurt. “Your ex is an asshole, is all I’m saying. He never should have said something like that to you. You’re someone’s best option, you hear me? Don’t settle for some jerk who tells you you’re anything less.”

You swallowed nervously, getting caught in deep oceans of blue and grey as Bucky held onto you. There wasn’t a trace of anything but sincerity in his eyes and you wondered how it was possible he even existed. He rubbed gently at your arms, like he was trying to draw warmth, and the smile on his lips was enough to float butteries in your stomach.

“Thanks, Bucky,” you said softly, sincerely, and he nodded at you encouragingly.

He stepped back to his side of the board and you missed him standing so close to you, missing his hands on you, and you clenched your jaw, trying to push the feelings away.

“Since you didn’t technically answer my question, I’m asking another one,” he said lightly, grinning wildly and it brought back the smile to your face. “You’re from New York, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. Queens. Live there now, too,” you replied, wondering how on earth he was able to deduce that and watching the way he smiled to himself, nodding. “Why?”

“Not your turn to ask questions, Y/n,” Bucky teased, though he seemed pleased with your answer. “Make your move, Queens.”

You laughed, already feeling light again and amazed by how easy it was for him to bring that back out in you. You nudged a piece with your foot and swerved it around of two of his. You kicked two black pieces off the board.

“That’s two questions,” you pointed out and he shrugged, challenging you.

Crossing your arms over your chest, you studied him for a moment. There were a million different questions you could ask. You thought about asking whether he’d been born and raised in the city like you, if he’d ever traveled abroad, what the military tag on his suitcase was for and if he ever served. You wondered if he was single, if this was a one night thing where you’d go your separate ways and never see one another again, if he was really as kind and as charming as he seemed because you still couldn’t believe he was real.

You were about to ask him something trivial because you were too afraid to get an answer that would break your heart when he cleared his throat.

“Or,” he started, nervously, “you could ask one big question?”

You narrowed your eyes, confused, and waiting for him to continue.

He sighed. “You could ask about my sister. If you want?”

You paused, watching the way he swayed in his stance, arms fold tightly across his chest like he was trying to hold himself together. She must be the girl in the picture on his phone, the reason why he started acting strange, upset, when he tried to tell you why he was going to Atlanta.

He nodded at you and you could tell he was ready, that he wanted to talk about it now, and you gestured to the wall adjacent to the game. He followed you silently, sliding down the wall to take a seat on the floor next to you. He folded his legs under him while you tucked your knees up to your chest, waiting patiently. You didn’t know the question to ask, but he let out a heavy sigh and started for you.

“Her name’s Rebecca. Bec. We used to travel alone a lot when we were kids to go see our dad,” Bucky said softly, scratching the back of his neck. “We had layovers here a lot and if the flight got cancelled, we’d just get stuck overnight. I mean, I was old enough to watch out for her okay so it wasn’t a big deal, but she used to get scared. So, I started making it a game. It happened more times than you would think and it managed to make her feel better, got her laughing. We used to spend all our money at that convenience shop on chips and candy and race in these halls and do cartwheels and blast music and play games over by that gate.”

You smiled as Bucky talked. He stared off across the gate to where your bags were, over where the memory he had been reliving earlier was, and avoided your eyes, but you knew this wasn’t the hard part of the story. You let him keep going without interruption.

“We got to know some of the people who worked here over the years, like Charlie,” he continued, though his voice dropped a little as he tried to clear his throat. He took in a heavy breath but he struggled to find his words again.

“That sounds really nice, Bucky,” you said encouragingly and he nodded.

“Yeah, she uh, she used to love it, but we don’t-- she doesn’t talk to me anymore,” he confessed, clenching at his jaw painfully and winging his hands in his lap.

You watched as he yanked and pulled on his fingers, a nervous habit you used to see in your father after he’d been in a near fatal car accident, a symptom of anxiety. Without giving yourself a second to back out, you reached into his lap and placed your hands over his until they stilled.

He froze, staring down at your hands and allowed you to pull his left from his right and carefully grasp it in your own hand, holding it tight and offering him a gentle smile. He exhaled, relieved, and squeezed your hand before he continued.

“I enlisted right out of high school,” Bucky said, pulling your hand to rest on his thigh as he ran his free hand over the back of your palm. “Bec was so pissed at me. Especially when they sent me overseas. But she still wrote, still answered my calls. Until I got hit by an IED and got my whole arm shredded.”

He pulled up part of his sleeve to reveal marred skin under the t-shirt he wore. It was faded, healed over the years, but still ridged, still mutilated by the blast. He sighed, pushing it back down like looking at it was even difficult for him. You squeezed his hand.

“I was home for a bit, just trying to heal,” he continued, “but once I was cleared by the doc’s, I wanted to go back. That was the last straw for my sister. She—she just couldn’t understand why I’d go back after that. She said she’d never speak to me again if I did and I tried to tell her that I had a duty, that I had friends who died in that blast and being over here was hell for me. It was back then. But she didn’t understand. She still doesn’t and she held true to her word. She hasn’t spoken to me since I went back, not since I came home either. I’m out now and I still can’t get her to return my calls. She just cut me off completely.”

“Oh, Bucky,” you sighed, heart breaking as he bit on his lip, clearly trying to suppress a lump in his throat.

“I’m supposed to be going to her college graduation,” he said tensely, sniffling a bit. “She doesn’t know, but Mom’s been on me to fix things for years. I just... I don’t know how and I’m fucking terrified that she’s going to take one look at me and tell me to leave or turn her back to me or, I don’t know, ignore me completely. She’s my little sister and I miss her but I don’t know how to make her understand. I’m not sorry for going back. It’s what I needed to do but, I hate that I lost her because of it.”

It was silent for a moment and you watched as the clock opposite you turned on three in the morning. Bucky’s breaths were uneven beside you as he tried to pull himself together. Each passing moment you spent with him, you only wanted to learn more, wanted to ease him through his pain, to make him smile and laugh.

But there was a truth he needed to hear.

“I’m not sure she’ll ever understand, Bucky,” you said slowly and Bucky clenched his jaw. It was clearly something he’d been thinking about, though he didn’t want to admit it. You sighed, rubbing at his hand in slow circles. “I don’t think anyone but someone who has lived through what you have could understand wanting to go back. She clearly loves you and she was probably terrified for you. Sometimes, when someone you love puts themselves back into the heart of danger like that, it's easier to shut down than deal with the possibility of losing them.”

Bucky nodded, taking in your words. You gave him the time he needed, letting him sit with the silence and the thoughts in his head until he was ready. You watched the gears turning, watched as he squeezed your hand in even intervals, and let out a steady breath.

“Sorry I’m such a bummer,” he said after a while, a tired laugh in his voice and he shook his head as you started to object. “I hate that I was relieved when our flight got canceled but I know I’ll have to find a way there regardless. I thought I’d spend tonight in this airport just sitting in my anxiety and thinking about all the ways I’ll disappoint her again, but then you spilled your coffee all over that pretentious asshole and you... you caught me by surprise, Y/n.”

He turned to you, his free hand snaking up to slide along your cheek, cupping the side of your face as his fingers danced in your hair. The way he was looking at you, with startling shades of blue and a sincerity you hadn’t known in a man in years, your stomach twisted and turned on itself in the best possible way. His eyes flickered down to your lips.

“It’s your turn,” you whispered, eyes drifting over to the game.

“Will you let me see you again?” he asked quietly without skipping a beat, not even bothering with the pieces on the board and you didn't mind, not as he was leaning closer to you, his breath against your skin.

His lips touched yours and it was sweet and short so impossibly brief because suddenly the overhead speakers let out a sharp, high-pitched chime as the transmitter turned on. You jumped at the shock of it and Bucky pulled away, the spell broken and the ghost of his lips aching on your own.

“Attention passengers flying from Charlotte to Atlanta on flight 937,” the voice called in muffled tone, “Please see an agent at Gate B9. Your flight is now scheduled to depart at 3:50am.”

You sunk against the wall and Bucky fiddled nervously with his hands.

“That’s your flight, isn’t it?” he asked, disappointed and you nodded. He sighed, hulling himself back up to his feet and offering you his hand. “We better get you over there in time, then.”

You looked up at him for a moment and contemplated just skipping the flight to spend a few more hours with him. Was it insane? Naïve? Maybe. But he was unlike anyone else you’d ever met and you didn’t think you could stand this being the last time you saw him.

“Come on,” he smiled sweetly, though it didn’t reach his eyes, “I’ll walk you to your gate and everything, be a proper gentleman since you’d been so gracious tonight before I send you off--”

“Attention passengers flying from Charlotte to Atlanta on flight 1176,” the voice spoke again and Bucky froze, “please see an agent at Gate C2. Your new flight is now scheduled to depart at 3:30am.”

“Shit,” he cursed, glancing down at his watch to find it was already nearing 3:20. He clenched his jaw, looking down at you apologetically. “I... I have to go.”

You took his hand and he helped you back up to your feet, though he didn’t let go right away. He stared at you for a moment, longingly, like leaving right now was the last thing he wanted to do. It was the last thing you wanted, too.

You walked with him, hand in hand, to the side of the gateway with your bags. He stuffed the snacks into the plastic bag and handed them to you, though you tried to resist, but he shoved them into your backpack with a smile anyway.

“Take the skittles, at least,” you tried to persuade him, “you picked those out.”

“I can’t stand ‘em, actually,” he chuckled sadly, shaking his head. “I always got them for Bec. Guess I was a little stuck in routine.”

“So, take them with you,” you encouraged, kneeling down next to him and pulling the red bag from your luggage and placing it in his hands. He stared down at it for a moment, tensely. He didn’t meet your eye but you carefully rubbed at his shoulder until the tension drained. “Bring them for her. Call it a peace offering.”

Bucky smiled sadly, but he nodded, the appreciation clear in his eyes as he rose back to his feet and offered you his hand, which you took effortlessly.

“How did I manage to find you?” he asked so quietly so you almost didn’t hear it. He was watching you with a kind of bewilderment in his eye and your cheeks began to flush, until you noticed the clock affixed to the wall over his shoulder. Your heart sank.

“You should get going, Bucky. You’ll miss it,” you said, trying to mask the sadness in your voice though it did little use.

“Yeah,” he replied. He didn’t move.

The two of you stood there for a few moments, just staring at one another, wishing the night didn’t have to end. But you had a wedding to attend. And he had a graduation.

“Bucky,” you urged again, squeezing his hand.

He nodded, detangling your fingers with a new kind of determination. He reached into his bag and dug around for a pen and paper. Scribbling messy handwriting on the notepad, he ripped off a page and handed it to you.

“Take this, please,” he said, and you grasped the crumpled paper in your hand. A series of numbers listed on one side in thick black ink. “You don’t have to do anything with it if you don’t want, but I hope you do. I hope you call.”

You nodded, running your thumb along the dried ink before you met his eye again; blue unlike even the clearest morning sky.

“I have to run,” Bucky said sadly as he started to back away. “Thanks for putting up with me for a while.”

“Thanks for asking me to,” you called back, watching as he walked backwards as long as he could until he checked his watch again and grimaced at the time.

He wanted to say more, that much you could tell, but there wasn’t time. He gave you one last wave and turned on his heels, sprinting down the terminal and taking a sharp left. You watched until he disappeared from view and you were alone in the gateway, surrounded by his memories and a new one of your own.

The crumpled paper stayed firm in your grasp the entire walk to your newly assigned gate, your mind caught on Bucky with every step. Even as you boarded, as you sat in your seat and closed the window shade, leaning against the wall in an attempt to find rest, the paper never left the grip of your hand.

A crumpled paper with a number of a stranger. A friend. Maybe something more if you let yourself believe it.

It was exciting and terrifying and magical at once.

You slipped the paper into your pocket as the plane left the runway and lifted into the air, whirring sounds of the engines and cabin pressure lulling you to sleep.

You thought only of Bucky; of blue eyes and nervous laughs, of cartwheels and potato chips, of painful questions and reassurance unlike you’d had in years, of rosy cheeks and soft pink lips.

You weren’t sure you’d ever think of anyone else again.

--

How does it start? And when does it end? Only been here for a moment, but I know I want you But is it too soon? To know that I’m with you There’s nothing I can do [I’m With You - Vance Joy]

feedback is so so appreciated 💖(apologies if you got tagged twice - the whole post deleted itself for a hot second lol)

tags 🌸@sweetheartbarnes / @musiclover1263​ / @pies-wands-and-more​ / @buckygrantbarnes / @mywinterwolf​ / @breatheeagainnnn​ / @jewelofwinter​ / @panic-naran​ / @fairislesheets​ / @kaliforniacoastalteens​ / @captain-hammer-of-asgard​ / @daydreamsquad​ / @deanssweetheart​ / @maybesomedaytho​ / @montypythonsholysnail​ / @saharzek​ / @imsoft-barnes​ / @galaxkay​ / @vitamingrant​ / @alohafromhell1​ / @happyeyesandsunshine​ / @hillface89 / @searchingforbucky​ / @20coldhearts​ / @past-perfect-future-tense​ / @bucknasty-barnes​ / @clarysthing​ / @denimandcabernet​ / @ohthedevilsanus​ / @sarcasm-ing​ / @yknott81​

[revisionaryhistory]

Three Days ~ 63

~*~Sebastian~*~

Sightseeing was not code for strip club. I have nothing against strip clubs. Having a new girlfriend and going to a strip club is a hard pass. We did go to a bar. I drank, but not enough to get drunk. I didn’t want to be hungover on a plane tomorrow. I also did not want to be dehydrated or tired. None fit with my plans.

I was up at the ass crack of dawn to make my flight. Part of the time was spent with the hotel's florist getting instructions and supplies to get my roses home with me. Sweet talking the flight attendant got them and my carry on an overhead bin of their own. I flew into the small airport near Beacon. The pain in the ass layover was more than made up for by the ease of customs and baggage claim.

My mom picked me up. The half-hour drive was filled with conversation, but it still felt like it took forever. Since I knew the key code to her CRV I threw my shit in the back and pulled the roses out of their travel box. I wrapped them in the white paper the florist gave me, stuck one side of the headband ears into my back pocket, and headed into the school. The office staff must have thought I was a delivery man because they buzzed me right in. One woman sat at the counter and another at a desk set back several feet. The one at the counter smiled, "Can I help you?"

I leaned onto one elbow, my flowers in the other arm. "I hope so. I'm here to see Emma Marcum." I whispered, "She doesn't know I’m coming." I returned to my normal voice. "Any way, you can direct me to her or take me without telling her?"

Desk lady spoke up, "Are you the boyfriend who sends flowers and cookies?"

Counter lady added, "Those were good cookies."

I smiled, "Oh good. I was hoping." I looked at the desk lady, "She liked the flowers?"

"You did good. They just got back from lunch. Emma went to her room." She pointed down the office hall. "Go out the door, turn left, and keep walking. She's the last room on the right. Her name's above the door."

I gave them my best smile. It was real. "Thank you." I headed down the hallway. "I'll send more cookies for just you two."

It had been a long time since I was in an elementary school. There was no work on the walls, but the backgrounds were still there. I looked in the rooms as I walked. Lots of little chairs on tables, carpeted areas, and bookshelves. I was excited to see Emma's room. A little nervous to see Emma. I hoped she liked surprises.

Right outside her room, I could hear music. I shoved the polka dot ears on my head and quietly walked just far enough in to find Emma. She had on black shorts, a Pearl Jam tour shirt, and her hair was hanging long down her back. I couldn’t wait to get my fingers there. Everywhere. “Cake by the Ocean" was playing and Emma was dancing and singing as she pulled laminated words off the wall. I crept a little closer, "You know this song is about sex on the beach, right?"

Emma spun around and her surprised smile lit up my world. It felt like I'd been hit in the chest with Thor's hammer. She held a hand, palm up, toward me, "And here you are."

"Were you trying to manifest a provider?" I’d be more than happy to provide any and all sex she needed.

"You're a lot more than that."

We closed the distance and I put the flowers on the nearest flat surface to get both hands on her. I don't know if it was the touch of her lips, her hand on my waist, or the one on the back of my neck, but I took another shot to the middle of my chest. When her hand moved up to my chest I covered it with mine. "You're beautiful." I smiled, shaking my head. "Fuck... I love you."

I hadn't expected that to happen.

Emma bit her lip, "Te iubesc, Sebasti-an."

To say we kissed would be an understatement. We melted into each other, a slow-motion wrapping around and holding on. Emma sighed against my mouth as our tongues touched. I pulled her in as close as possible, enjoying the feel of her in my arms, and her fingers back in my hair. I missed her touch. When we parted she ran her fingers over my beard and looked at me like I was the only person on earth.

Emma's eyes shifted to the flowers on the table, "Did you plan this?"

I blew a raspberry, "You know better. Those are the ones you sent. If I'd planned this it would have taken three days and you would have had to rescue me." She laughed with me. "But you did. When did you learn te iubesc?"

"After we hung up the morning I signed the NDA. Because I fell asleep on the plane to Atlanta before I could look it up."

I went to kiss her, stopping a breath away to say it again. "I love you, Emma."

"I love you, too."

While we kissed I heard a commotion behind us, like a group of fans coming down a hall. Then a chorus of "Ooops", "Oh shit.", and a lone "Fuck."

I back away from her mouth, "I don't think we're alone."

Emma smiled and turned her head to see them, "Longer than I expected."

A pretty blond at the front shrugged, "I tried to hold them back."

A redhead shoved her shoulder, "While leading the pack."

Emma unwrapped from around me and took my hand, "Come say hello."

The redhead gasped, "Fuck me."

I chuckled, "Elementary teachers cuss a lot more than I expected."

The four women spread out as they came closer. Emma started at the end with blonde, pointing with her free hand. "This is Mallory, Nia, Dawn, and Cindy." I shook their hands ending with the redhead, "Lunch crew, this is Sebastian."

Lunch crew tapped into a memory. I looked at Emma, "You sent me a picture of them with the cookies." She nodded. "Nice to meet you all. Glad you liked the cookies." I squeezed Emma’s hand. "Remind me to send some to the office ladies for letting me sneak back here.”

"You didn't know he was coming?" Nia looked from Emma to me.

Emma shook her head, moving a step closer and putting her free hand on my forearm. "He was supposed to be back tomorrow and I was going to him."

Looking at Emma I said, "I had Emily move tonight’s dinner to Sunday. That's why I left earlier." I looked at her friends and shrugged, "I wanted to surprise her." I let go of her hand to put my arm around her. I pulled her in and kissed her head. Not that I wasn't happy to meet her friends, but I'd just unexpectedly told her I loved her, and I was not done with the kissing. "How was lunch?"

They started telling me and talking to each other. Lunch with them would be full of laughter.

Dawn asked Emma, "You still playing tonight?"

I answered for her, "Part of why I came back early." I pointed at myself, "Head cheerleader and beer bitch." They laughed. “We do need to go shopping. All I have are work clothes. Is there a Target nearby?”

Emma nodded, “We can do that.” She looked around, “Where’s your suitcase? And how did you get here?”

“Threw my stuff in your CRV. I had my mother pick me up at the airport.” I rolled my eyes and looked at Cindy because she was the most star-struck, “Extra glamorous.”

Cindy smiled, “Life of an actor.”

Mallory reached out and touched Emma’s arm, “We’ve interrupted your reunion long enough. Pretty sure we won’t be the last.” She looked at me, “Word of a boyfriend in the building travels fast.”

“The nice office ladies outed me?”

Everyone nodded and headed out the door. Mallory was last and pulled the door closed behind her, “See you later tonight.” She gave Emma a thumbs up. No idea what that’s about.

I yelled, “Thank you,” as the door closed. I sighed, “She’s my favorite person.” I folded my arm in, bringing Emma against my chest, “Besides you.”

I laid my cheek on her head and savored the feel and smell of her. It had been a long since I’d been in love. Feels really good. It’s felt really good for weeks. Now it feels extra good. Like I want to explode good. Or pull her in to take up as little space as possible.

Emma’s hands let go of my back and I let her go. Her hands went to my face and she pulled me in for a kiss. A very long, slow, and deep kiss. I felt that kiss all over my body and everywhere inside. When she backed away I licked the taste of her from my lips. All I could do was stare at her. All I wanted to was look at her and say I love you over and over. Well, not all I want to do.

“You have a decision to make.”

“I do?”

She nodded, “I have to have the room packed before Friday. Do we stay and get part of it done now or power through tomorrow?”

“I’m a procrastinator. Option two. How far away is shopping?”

“Ten minutes. I like to get things done then relax.”

“Are you saying you want to stay here?”

Laughter filled the space between us, “Oh hell, no. Shop, go home for a couple of hours, then go play volleyball.”

“Sounds kinda boring. What are we going to do at home for a couple of hours?”

“Your laundry. Wash your new clothes before the game.”

“Have you met us?” She looked at me strangely. “We don’t have a good record of doing things, like laundry, when we see each other again.” I’m sure she understood what I meant. Our clothes don’t stay on long enough to do anything besides each other. That won’t be changing today.

Emma folded her arms around my neck, “Wouldn’t want to break our streak.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you. I have tan lines to lick.” I pressed my lips into a tight line and shook my head. She kissed me again and I slid my hands down to her ass. I mumbled against her mouth, “The sooner we leave the sooner we get home.”

The speed with which she leaped away was alarming. “Let’s go.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. “Shit, I need my purse.”

“Flowers. A lot of trouble to get them here. They need water. Do you have a vase?”

“I do.” She opened a cabinet under the kid-sized sink and water fountain.

“Get a lot of flowers at work?” I hoped she could hear the humor in my question.

“Yep.” She pointed out the window. “First and fifth have a flower garden.”

While she filled the vase, I unwrapped the flowers. I showed her the little plastic thing filled with water attached to the bottom of each stem. “These had to be empty going through security. So I was in the men’s room pulling off the little rubber top, filling it with water, putting the little rubber top back on, then shoving the stem through the little opening.” I pulled one off while I talked and demonstrated shoving it back on.

She smiled, her tongue between her teeth, “Did you wear the ears on the plane too?”

“Oh shit!” I started laughing and patted the top of my head. “I forgot I put these on.” I pulled them off and looked at them. “Shit.” I opened my eyes wide then rubbed my hand across my face before letting out a groan. “I told you I loved you for the first time while wearing Minnie Mouse ears. Met your friends. And made out a little bit.” I closed my eyes, “This is so typically me.”

“Good thing I love typically you.” She stretched up and barely brushed her lips against mine. Then she yelled, “Mallory.”

The door opened, “Yep.”

I looked between them and started laughing, “How’d you know she was there? You’ve been guarding the door?”

“I got your back.” Mallory walked into the room, “What’s up?”

Emma picked her phone up off the desk, holding it out to Mallory, “Picture, please.” She took the ears from my hand and put them back on my head.

I started to protest, but quickly realized I wanted a picture of this moment too. I moved in behind her, wrapping my arm across her chest. Emma grabbed my arm and turned to smile at me before we looked at Mallory. She took the picture and walked to us to give Emma back her phone. She looked at me with a smile, “It’s ridiculous how cute you are.”

Emma hugged her, “Pick you up about five.”

We finished putting the roses in the vase, and since we were going shopping first, decided to leave them at school overnight. We’d take them home tomorrow. She gathered her purse and we headed out the door by her room, walking across the grass to the parking behind the other side of the building. It was like a U, with Emma’s room at one end.

Emma pointed to the other end of the U, “That’s Mallory’s room, where I’m moving.”

“Really is the same view from the other side.”

When we got close to the car she looked over, “You wanna drive.”

“Nope. I wanna look at you.” I opened her door and kissed her before closing it. I spoke while I buckled my seat belt, “You know I have to wear these ears to the game now.”

“Why?”

“So it looks like I meant to have them on.”

Emma backed out of her parking place and paused before putting the CRV in drive, “Are you really embarrassed?”

“Not at all.”

“I didn’t think so.”

“Can I get your phone to look at the picture Mallory took?” She handed me her purse and I pulled her phone out of the side pocket. Mallory had been taking pictures the entire time she had Emma’s phone. The last one, with us looking at the camera was good, but a few pictures back was one when Emma turned to look at me. We both had the slightest smile like we had a secret no one else knew. Except anyone who saw the picture would know. The way we were looking at each was obvious. Mallory had caught a moment.

The ears made it perfect.

Target wasn’t far and I waited until we’d parked to show her the picture. “Check this out.”

Emma looked, her face instantly softening to a slight smile, “She’s my second favorite person today too.” She kissed me then her focus shifted up, “You going to wear them into Target?”

“Shit, I forgot they were there again.”

Target wasn’t my go-to clothier, but for some shorts, t-shirts, a pair of swim trunks, and some flip flops we were good. I tossed things into a cart. “Mom wants us to come over. Lay by the pool and have a barbeque.” I looked at her, “By the way, you are much more tan and much more blonde than last time I saw you.”

“Thank you?”

“Definitely.” I raised my eyebrows and smirked, nodding my head. “Tan lines.”

“I want to take something to your mom’s. Food for the barbeque.”

“Potato salad.” I started salivating at the thought. That was delicious.

“That’s what you want. What would your mom like?”

I pulled my shoulders up and spoke in a high voice, “Something lemon?”

“Lemon cupcakes or a lemon berry cake?”

My eyes lit up, “Cupcakes. Much more barbeque than a cake cake. Plus they’re fun.” She nodded and we headed toward the food aisles. “You’re gonna make me some potato salad too, right?”

[victorianoir]

The Detective and the Embezzler, Part 2

Here’s the second part to the chapter I put out last week, dear readers!! 

If you want to read part 1, or any other parts of The Detective and the Tech Guy, you can do so by hopping on over to the tumblr MASTER POST for the story. Or you can read it on the fanfiction.net site: HERE. 

Enjoy, my friends!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Ugh, this is bumming me out.”

“What?”

“This timeline I’m being given is so shitty. And I feel like I have a lot to do. And they’re actually doing a pretty good job keeping their affair quiet, in spite of how chatty they were with us at Sir Sensei’s the other day.”

“Well, they’re bound to slip up, right?”

“I don’t know. Penny sort of seems like the brains. She must be handling details. She’s the smart one in this whole situation.”

Penny Havert didn’t have much of a criminal record, Sarah’d discovered, which either meant this was her first offense, or she was good at not getting caught. Whether she actually cared for Pendleton or not, Sarah had no idea. Nor did she care. Penny was orchestrating most of this, but they were both going down. Hopefully. If she did her damn job.

“Sarah, what if—and hear me out—neither of them are the smart one in this whole situation?”

“Oh. Yeah. Good point.”

Her boyfriend chuckled as he lowered half of a four egg omelet onto her plate with a spatula, heading over to his own place at the coffee table and sliding the rest of the egg out of the pan onto his plate.

“I still think it’s rad how you figured out who his mistress is, you know,” he said, heading back towards the kitchen, putting the pan in the sink and grabbing the plate of bacon, before tugging his apron off and tossing it on the counter on his way back to the couch.

She smirked. “It’s scarily easy to get a hold of someone’s credit card if you hang around a restaurant. Wear a white button up, black slacks, and an apron, walk over and grab the check with their card, and bam.”

He shook his head as he plopped down next to her on the couch, setting the bacon down between their plates. “I bet it looked so cool and spy-ish, though.”

She snorted, shaking her head.

“So what d’ya got?” he asked. “You said you’re bummed out. Gimme the deets. Maybe I can help.”

Maybe a few years ago, she might’ve been miffed if one of the men she dated had plopped down wanting to “help” with a case—if she ever told them anything about her cases, which she never did. But Chuck had proven he wasn’t just a nerd who’d seen a lot of noir movies with detectives and hardboiled lawmen. He was actually incredibly good at thinking outside of the box, and she’d learned over the past few days especially that he could be a massive asset. Even if sometimes his ideas were absolutely wild and out of left field, it got her mind going.

“Right. So I’ve been tailing both of them for a few days now—I know how that sounds, like I’ve duplicated myself, but I just mean I followed him one day and her the next.”

“Hm? Oh. Sorry, I’m just a little fixated on the idea of there being two of you. Is it too stereotypical dude-ish of me to say that’s hot?”

“Yes.”

“Noted.”

“Back to my investigation,” she said pointedly, aware of the fact that she was doing a poor job of ignoring his flirtation. She took a large bite out of her breakfast, leaning forward to keep the long string of melted cheese from getting stuck on her chin. “She went to the bank that day, and she withdrew a lot. I don’t know how much, but it was enough that it took the teller a while. I’m sure it’s an account he’s been transferring money into for her, but I need to prove that somehow.”

Chuck huffed. “I’ll think on that.”

She clicked around on her laptop and turned it towards him on her lap. “In the meantime… So, look at this email Mestik sent me. He forwarded Pendleton’s travel itinerary for a business trip, like I asked him to. This says he’s going to Atlanta. As in Georgia. That’s not Miami. See? LAX to Atlanta with a layover in Chicago.”

“Why did they tell us Miami, then?”

“Maybe they’re just lying sacks of shit.” He chuckled at that. “She gave him an annoyed look about it. I dunno if you saw that. Maybe that’s where she wanted to go and instead she’s stuck going to Atlanta because of his work so she’s pissed.” She shrugged.

“Atlanta doesn’t sound so bad.”

“If she was looking forward to beach time, it’s probably not preferable.”

“Good point.”

Sarah nibbled on her lip, turning the laptop back to her. “I’m going to ask Mestik if Thomas has charged anything else as an expense yet. And I need to know if Penny is going to be on the flight with him, even if her portion isn’t being charged to Mestik Insurance. Nobody’s that stupid.” She huffed. “But I need to do it quick. I’ve only got a week and a half to solve the case.”

“What? Why only a week and a half?”

“Because if I don’t solve it by then, I’m going to have to go to Atlanta to tail these assholes, and I really don’t want to do that.”

“Why? Might be an interesting place to go.”

“Atlanta is fine, but that’s an expense I’d be charging to Mestik, add on top of that whatever expenses Thomas and Penny charge to the company while they’re on their romantic getaway. If I figure this all out before the trip, I save Mestik a lot of unnecessary expense, not to mention his niece’s husband doesn’t get to go off to some other city to knock knees with his mistress on his uncle-in-law’s dime. It’s the principle of the thing.”

She felt Chuck reach over to tenderly stroke his fingers over her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear and she smiled a little at him.

“For the record, I love that you’re a P.I. who’s on the up-and-up. Like, not a hardboiled P.I. who’s kind of in this murky grey area of morality, but a genuinely good detective trying to help her client.”

She gave him a look as she sipped her coffee. “What makes you think I’d ever be hardboiled? Seriously, baby, you watch way too many of those movies.”

“Maybe, but you love that I’m such a dweeb fanboy about your career choice. Don’t deny it.”

“Oh, I have no intention of denying it. You’re the cutest person on the planet when you geek out about the dumb letters on my office door. But still…I’m serious about this, Chuck. A week and a half. I need to do this right.”

He swiped a hand in front of his face, sobering up completely. “Yes. Absolutely. I’m with you.”

Sarah froze then, an idea hitting her.

“I just need to figure out where Penny is going. Duh. Wherever Penny goes, Thomas goes. As far as they know, nobody knows about Penny Havert and wherever she ends up, we’re going to find him there, too. But how do I know where she’s going?” She nibbled on her lip.

“Well, how do you even go about finding that out? Gonna steal her computer or something?”

She shook her head, and then a slow, mischievous smile stretched over her face. “No. But you’ve given me an idea…”

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Chuck looked up from his desktop screen as his assistant poked his head in after a quick knock. “Yeah?”

“Sarah’s here.”

“Oh, good. Thanks. Send ‘er in.”

Sarah smiled at the bespectacled man as she swept past him with a thank you and some weird handshake they’d concocted over the last couple of months and stepped inside, not saying anything until the door was shut and they were alone. And then she pulled a smartphone he’d never seen before out of her pocket.

“What’s that?”

“Thomas Pendleton’s phone,” she said with a nonchalant shrug.

Chuck’s eyes practically bugged right out of their sockets as he sat up straighter and spun his chair towards her. “What? How’d you get his phone?”

“I stole it. The guy kept setting it down everywhere he went and looking away. It was so easy. I don’t even know if he even realizes now, an hour later, that it’s been stolen.”

She rolled her eyes, but he was still stuck on the fact that his girlfriend had just stolen someone’s phone.

“And now you’re bringing stolen property into my place of work. Wonderful, great, thank you so much.” He gave her a teasing grin as she scoffed, walking around his desk and plopping down on the edge of it. “So what’s on it?” he asked, reaching up to take the phone.

She held it away from him. “You aren’t officially my partner or even my assistant, and I’m not sure I should even be sharing this info with you, Chuck Bartowski, heir of Bartowski Electronics Corporation.” He liked how flirty she was being. In fact, he’d go so far as to say he loved it. But it made him wonder if doing things like this made her a little cocky…or, as Morgan would say, randy. He couldn’t blame her, exactly…

“You could always make me your partner.”

“No.”

“Assistant sounds good.”

“You’re my big-brained boyfriend and that’s it.” She cocked an eyebrow.

“You share info about your cases with all your boyfriends?”

“Mmm, no. Just you. You’re the smartest boyfriend I’ve got at the moment.”

“Out of how many?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“You bad girl,” he teased, biting his lip, narrowing his eyes, and grinning.

When she got a certain glint in her eye, he felt like his prior thought about her being cocky wasn’t all that much of a reach. “If you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll let you help me call the phone numbers on here.”

Chuck sat back, away from her, and glared. “Ohhhh okay I get it now. I thought you were being all sexy and flirtatious with me because—never mind what I thought,” he said quickly. “But you’re just trying to get me to help you call a bajillion phone numbers to find out who his contacts are.”

“No, most of his contacts in his phone have labels and names. But he’s made over fifty recent calls to numbers that aren’t labeled and I do need help with that.” She sighed and put Pendleton’s phone on his desk. “This sucks. Back when I was at Pinkerton, I’d send it into our analysts and they’d come back with a list within a day. Ugh, it was so easy. Now I have to go all old school and actually call the numbers.”

Chuck shook his head with an amused huff. And then he stopped, an idea coming to him. “What if you didn’t have to do that? Even though you aren’t with Pinkerton anymore?” She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

Chuck held up a finger and spun back to his computer, clicking around until he got onto the Google document where he kept a list of projects his employees were working on. He scrolled through as he felt Sarah sidle up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders, leaning over him and dropping her lips to the top of his head.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“A top secret list of all of B.E.C.’s current projects, or at least…potential projects.” He tilted his head back and raised his eyebrow up at her. “This is super secret stuff. Feel special, Sarah.”

She giggled. “Oh, trust me. Not a day goes by when I’m with you that I don’t feel special.”

A slow grin grew on his face as he looked up at her. “That was pretty damn sappy and I dug it.”

Sarah leaned down to kiss his lips with another soft giggle, and she stood up again, squeezing his shoulders. “I figured you might. But why is this list going to help me?”

“Oh. Right.” He sat up again and kept scrolling. “These are the things my employees are working on outside of the everyday tasks their job requires of them. Things they pitch to me and my team…Well, mostly my team. I have a lot of employees and I can’t be one on one with all of ‘em that often. I see the prototypes when they seem viable enough to maybe implement them under our brand. But I seem to rememberrrr…hmmmm…” He found it. “Ha!”

He spun to his phone and picked it up, paging his assistant.

“Yeah, Boss…”

“Would you please get, um…” He glanced at his screen. “Phoebe Butler on the phone for me? I have no idea if she even works in this building. Does she work in this building?”

“Uh…I’ll find out, Chuck.”

“You’re the best. Thanks.”

He hung up the phone and turned his chair to look up at Sarah. “While we wait, how are you planning on getting the phone back to Pendleton?”

Sarah shrugged. “I’m meeting Mestik for coffee tomorrow morning, hopefully with some more info than I had for him last night,” she huffed. “I’ll just give it to him and let him slip it back in the jerk’s desk or something.”

“Good pl—”

Bzzzzzz!!!

Chuck gasped theatrically for Sarah’s benefit, earning a chuckle, and he smacked the speaker button. “Did you find her?”

“Her desk is on the third floor of this building, and I’ve got her on the line right now. Um…she sounds…nervous. So maybe let her know she isn’t fired. Wait…she isn’t fired is she?” his assistant asked.

Chuck laughed. “She isn’t fired. But thanks for the head’s up. Transfer her over.”

“On it.”

He grabbed the phone receiver and held it to his ear.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

She heard Chuck come in the door, the rustle of whatever he was carrying, and then the slam of him kicking the door shut as she poured over the notes she’d taken from tailing Thomas Pendleton and Penny Havert for the last few days.

“Hey, how was the store?” she asked, looking up from where she was draped across his couch.

“Okay, I can’t do Trader Joe’s anymore. I just can’t. Or, like, maybe I can take a Lyft there next time? Because parking is like… And I’m not trying to go to Disneyland on a Saturday, here. I’m not trying to wait in line for five hours. I just want to get some groceries on a Saturday. They need to fix their shit.”

He dropped the reusable bags on the counter and huffed.

Sarah giggled to herself and sat up with a soft groan, putting her paperwork down and going around into his kitchen to help him unload the groceries. “My poor guy, braving the weekend health food crowd so that I can have delicious lamb ribs for dinner tonight.”

His arm wrapped around her from behind as she took a bag of lettuce out, and he kissed the side of her face with a “muah”, before shifting his lips to her neck. “I’m going to bake the hell out of those ribs and I’m going to enjoy them, too, damn it.”

She giggled again.

They unloaded the groceries in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Chuck looked up from where he was sticking a few things in the fridge. “Still trying to connect the dots on that case?” he asked.

“Mhm. Well, I mean…Phoebe’s number tracking program helped a lot. Now that I know Thomas has been in contact with both Penny and that travel agency, I at least have a bit of a lead.”

“Who uses a travel agency, though? I know I said this before,” he said, shutting the fridge, “but, like, really. A travel agency? You can easily do everything through your computer and talk to zero other humans. How is that not the best choice?”

Sarah laughed. “That’s just it. I thought the same thing, but I did a bunch of research today while you were out running errands. Guess who owns that travel agency…”

Chuck stopped halfway through folding the now empty bag and looked up at her. “Oh, do you mean the cleverly named travel agency, ‘Go There’? That one?” He made a pfft sound and shook his head.

She laughed again. “Yeah. That one.”

“Who owns it?”

“Brett Smith.”

Chuck made a face, then grabbed another bag to fold it up. “Am I supposed to know who this is?”

“No, I mostly just paused for dramatic effect.”

“Oh, cool.”

“Brett Smith attended Texas Tech the same four years that Thomas Pendleton was there. They were both business majors and they were both a part of the Sigma Delta Alpha Nu Epsilon whatever-the-fuck fraternity there. I don’t remember the name, but it’s the same one. And I found a picture of them on the alumni website at their ten year reunion that happened a few years ago.”

“Great work, gumshooooe,” Chuck drawled, pointing. “No, seriously. That’s legit. So his frat buddy owns ‘Go There’. God, it’s so bad.”

“It’s terrible,” she agreed.

“And, what, he probably thinks that’s a pretty safe way to go, right? When you’re booking a vacation with your mistress, go with your bro. Don’t tell my wife, right, brah? Bro Code.” Chuck grabbed her hand and did a lame excuse for a high five with her. “Dope.”

“Okay, you’re a doofus. But that aside, you’re right. Those are my exact thoughts. Uh…in not so many words,” she said, giving him an amused side-eye. “There’s no paper trail—well, the online version. The travel agency has the paperwork but he trusts his frat bro to keep all of that safe. My only problem now is how do I get in there to get the itinerary for Thomas and Penny’s real vacation?”

Chuck shrugged, leaning back against the counter and popping a grape into his mouth. “Easy. Wait for ‘Go There’,” he rolled his eyes, “to close for the night, break in through the air conditioning system, crawl through the ducts, lower yourself Mission:Impossible style into the room where they keep their records, and take pictures of it with your ballpoint pen that’s actually a camera. Boom. Done.”

Sarah just looked at him for a moment, almost impressed. “Wow. I was really expecting a legitimate idea that would actually be helpful…the whole body stance and your delivery was that good.”

He smiled around the grape and shrugged again. “You’re welcome.”

“Do you have anything else to add?”

“Um…I’ll think on it.”

She sniffed in amusement and wadded up a produce bag, throwing it at his face as he laughed and batted it away. She left the kitchen and walked back to the couch, plopping down. He sat beside her and swung his legs around to drape them over her lap, laying his head against the armrest. She began rubbing his leg muscles in that way he liked and he sighed, his eyelids fluttering.

She’d been to that same store on the weekend before and she knew he wasn’t just being melodramatic. It was a damn trial getting through there. But the food was amazing and so was the price.

“I mean, is there a way to get them to give you the itinerary? So you don’t have to break in and steal it?” he asked.

“There must be. I just haven’t thought of it yet—Wait.” He sat up quickly, staring at her and waiting patiently for her to continue as her mind went a mile a minute. “I might’ve just thought of it. I’d need a really good cover. And I’d have to sell it.”

“A cover? Like…incognito?” He gasped and it was so boyish and adorable. “Like a disguise?!”

“Maybe not that intense. But I am going to need to figure out how to forge an ID and business cards so that I have some way of proving who I am.”

He blinked. “Who are you?” He shook his head. “I mean, I know who you are. I just mean…who are you supposed to be?”

“Mr. Thomas Pendleton’s assistant, of course. Just need to make a few changes to the business trip itinerary for the boss man.” She smirked flirtatiously.

“Okay wait. Are you flirting with me, or are you going to try to seduce Brett Smith?”

She smacked his shoulder hard as he laughed. “I’m flirting with you, you ass!” She laughed with him and shook her head. “I just don’t know how I’m going to make business cards and forge an ID in such short notice. I could use my own ID, but it’s still a Chicago driver’s license and I’m not sure I want my real name anywhere near this.”

“Uh, yeah. I don’t really want the name Sarah Walker to be in their minds for when all of the shit hits the fan for their buddy Tommy,” he said, and he put his hand on her thigh and squeezed. She thought it was a bit of protectiveness, something she hadn’t necessarily seen from him before. And, to her surprise, she liked it.

“Know any forgers?”

“I might. And he has access to an ID card printer.”

Sarah gaped at him. “Wait, seriously? I was joking. You really do?”

He shrugged. “You want an ID and some business cards or no?”

A slow smile grew on her face and she had the urge to kiss him. Alas, it would take some acrobatics to do so and she didn’t have time to waste, so she just winked instead. “Take me to him.”

XOXOXOXOXOXO

“Don’t ever stop surprising me, Tech Guy.”

She heard the wonder in her own voice as she watched Chuck fiddle with the ID card software on the system. He was meticulously building a California driver’s license for her, even superimposing the shiny golden gate bridge decal into the background of the card. He had his own license propped on the keyboard so that he could copy it as best he could.

“I’ll do my best, Sarah Walker, P.I.,” he muttered distractedly.

“Seriously. When I asked if you know any forgers, I had no idea the forger you knew was…you. What, did you do this for a little side cash when you were in college?” She snorted, but then his hands stopped what they were doing and he snuck a look at her over his shoulder, his features pinched.

“What if I said yes?”

She stepped around his chair and looked down at him. “Did you really?”

“Listen, those Beverly Hills brats had a lot of money and they coughed up big bucks for fake IDs so they could buy brewskies for their dumb parties. My dad was struggling and it was a help.”

To say she was shocked was an understatement. “You forged IDs for kids to buy beer? Also, did you just say brewskies unironically?? That feels like the more important question. Strangely.”

Chuck laughed, but there was a thread of nervousness in it. “Oh, I said it with complete and utter irony, trust me. And um…to that first question…yes…I did.” He winced. “It was easy, fast cash. And erm…I don’t do it anymore. Except, well…right now. I’m doing it for you right now. In the belly of Bartowski Electronics Corporation on a Saturday afternoon when it’s completely abandoned. Because I am not stupid.”

Sarah gaped at him. “Oh my God.”

She read nervousness in his face then as he swallowed, and she quickly dove in to put her hands on his shoulders. “Wait, wait…What d’you think, I’m gonna turn you in to the LAPD or something?” She giggled as he gave her a bit of a dark look. “Chuck, come on. It’s not like you’re a serial killer. You maybe contributed to a few alcohol poisonings, but teenagers eventually find a way to get alcohol anyway, so whatever.”

Chuck grumbled and went back to work, the dark look fading a bit at least.

“This is actually kind of amazing, if you think about it,” she said, still completely gobsmacked to have learned this pretty important tidbit about the man she’d thought was such a saint before today—well, in all the ways it mattered, at least. She stepped back behind him and slid her arms around his neck, cuddling him and pressing her cheek against his. “I’m in a very serious romantic relationship with a criminal. Maybe I am a little bit of a hardboiled detective. And you, my good man…You’re my nerd-fatale.”

He burst into laughter and shook his head, shifting in the chair to face her a little better. “I’ll take it, and gladly, but I also promise that in spite of my…checkered past…” he said with a smolder, and she snorted, “I would never lead you down any dark paths, or use you for my selfish whims…”

She growled, sliding her fingers into his mess of curls and tightening her grip, tugging his head back teasingly and meeting his laughing brown eyes with her blue ones. “That’s what they all say…in the beginning…”

Their lips met then, and she tangled her fingers of one hand in his hair, sliding the other around his neck, deepening the kiss. When she felt him sweep his tongue against hers, she pulled back quickly, even going so far as to put a good two feet between them, leaving him sitting there with a put out look on his face.

“Wha—why?” he whined.

“We have work to do.”

“No. But—No, why?”

She giggled. “Listen, buster, I’d like nothing more than to utilize this strange little illegal forgery den as a setting for a seriously hot private eye and nerd-fatale encounter, but first I need that driver’s license and those business cards.”

Sarah couldn’t help but feel a little guilty as his shoulders slumped and he turned back to the computer. She leaned in and hugged him from the side, kissing his temple. “I mean…there’s always…after…”

Chuck’s head snapped up as he gave her a wide-eyed look. A crooked smile tilted his handsome mouth for just a split second, before he dove back into his work with a vengeance. “One driver’s license for Jennifer Burton, coming up.”

XOXOXOXOXO

Sarah heard the door to the outer office open, then the shuffling of feet, and finally… “Miss Walker?”

Letting herself half a moment to take a deep breath, Sarah stood from her desk upon which she’d set up all of her materials, and walked to stand in the doorway of her personal office. “Mr. Mestik, good afternoon.”

He clapped his hands together upon seeing her. “Afternoon, Miss Walker. My assistant said you needed to see me as soon as I was able to come.”

“Yes. Thank you for coming so soon, sir. Come into my office.”

“Yes, uh…Of course. Thank you.”

He followed her into her office and took a seat in the chair across from her, on the other side of her desk. “I gotta hand it to ya, Miss Walker, you’re always prompt. This looks like…well, it looks like evidence.”

“Yes, well…My time is valuable, and yours is even more valuable.”

He nodded.

“Can I get you some coffee or…?”

“I don’t drink the stuff,” he said, waving his hand. “Trudy has weaned me off of it with tea.” Greg Mestik smacked his lips with a disgusted face. “But it’s better for my heart. I guess. So they say.”

“Understood. Well, let’s get down to business, then, Mr. Mestik. There’s a lot.”

“By all means.” And then he paused, his dark brow turning down, a frown on his face. “Is it worse than the news you gave me the other night?”

She’d told him about Penny Havert the Mistress the other night, and he’d wanted to see the proof, so she’d been forced to give him the photographs she’d taken. His response was… Well, angry would’ve been an understatement.

“I’m not sure.”

He sighed. “Just give it to me straight. Am I being swindled?”

“In no uncertain terms, sir, yes. You are. Now, I couldn’t tell you that for sure before because I had to collect evidence sufficient enough for you to go to the authorities. I planned on making sure you got that before the business trip to Atlanta, because…Well, there is no business trip to Atlanta.” She grabbed the folder in the corner of her desk, then turned it towards him, putting it between them and pushing it closer to him.

“No business trip? There’s a conference on insurance and marketing there. He practically begged me to let him be the one I sent, said he needed to brush up on…What’s this?” Mestik asked as she flipped the folder open and showed him a travel itinerary that looked very different from the one he’d emailed her a few days earlier.

“Thomas Pendleton purchased two plane tickets to Miami through a travel agency.”

“Miami? What the shit? And he used a travel agency? What is this, nineteen-seventy-five?” He shook his head, then scratched the back of his neck. “I’m very confused. What is all of this?”

“I used a very precise, rather genius computer program that a, um, friend created to figure out whom all of the unlisted phone numbers in Thomas’ phone belong to.” She took the suspect’s phone out of her bag and slid it across to Mestik. “There’s that for you.” His eyes popped. She probably should’ve warned him that she’d stolen his niece’s husband’s phone, but oh well.

“It’s supposed to be used as sort of a telemarketer deterrent, but it gave me a list of individuals and businesses he’s called in the last few months. A month and a half ago, he contacted a travel agency called ‘Go There’—I know, it’s a really great name, right?” When Mestik didn’t respond, she cleared her throat and continued. “Anyway, he used this particular agency because an old frat buddy from college owns it. He thought it’d be a lot safer and leave less of a paper trail doing it through someone he trusted rather than online. That whole Bro Code thing, I’m assuming. But it’s really easy to get around the Bro Code, I’ve found. I just pretended I was Thomas’ assistant and I needed them to change part of the trip. I had them email the itinerary to an address I created for this purpose exactly, and then I called them back and had them change a small enough detail in the plans that neither Thomas nor Penny would notice. I have the flight information, the hotel information—a suite overlooking the Miami bay, cocktails on the terrace every afternoon at the same time…which is…strangely precise, but whatever…uh, the rental car information. There’s also a reservation for a boat tour of the Florida Keys. A reservation for two. The dates coincide with the exact dates of the seven day trip to Atlanta he told you he was going on.”

She sat back and took a deep breath, letting Mestik look through all of it himself. The frown on his face grew deeper and deeper as he flipped through all of it.

“Swimming with the dolphins, is he?” He chuckled mirthlessly and then sat back, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Well, you got evidence that he’s a lying cheating son of a bitch, but what about the money he’s stealing from me?”

She slid another file towards him. “Thomas Pendleton’s income doesn’t match the amount of money he’s been putting into three different banks systematically for a while. He then transfers the money into a fourth account, slowly but surely, and Penny withdraws. She’s the one whose name and money went towards air fare, the hotel suite, the reservations, the rental car, everything. Although it isn’t her money, it is your money, Mr. Mestik. Open that file. Inside is the concrete evidence they’ve been embezzling from Mestik Insurance. Redirecting client payments to their own pockets. Once you get the LAPD involved, they’ll have much more freedom as far as being able to go through private files to bring Mr. Pendleton down.

“Yes, of course you’re right.” He looked haunted.

“For what it’s worth, Mr. Mestik, I’m sorry. It’s hard enough to see actions like this from a valued employee, but I can’t imagine how much worse it is with family.”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass about him. I just didn’t want Irma hurt. This is awful.” He let out a long sigh and then shook his head. “You did exemplary work, Miss Walker. Thank you. I’m passing your name on to colleagues, you can be sure of that.”

“That’s kind of you, Mr. Mestik. Thank you.”

Sarah waited for almost a minute, as he sat there buried in his thoughts, looking very troubled. And then she quietly gathered the evidence into a neat stack, and eased them into a carrying case. Eventually, he lifted his gaze to hers and she continued. “Here’s all of the evidence I’ve found and notes I’ve taken. It should be more than enough to convince the LAPD to continue my investigation and make an arrest.”

“Thank you, Miss Walker.” He stood again. “Especially considering in just a few days, I would’ve been sending that little shit on an all-expense-paid getaway with someone who isn’t his wife.”

“I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen. I also, erm, didn’t want to have to go to Atlanta or Miami. That would’ve been expensive for you as well.”

“Yes. Thank you. I…hope I can also count on you…” He cleared his throat. “…keeping things under your hat about this. It is already going to be difficult enough for Irma without extra…attention.”

“I have a strict policy of complete secrecy. I used to work with Pinkerton, Mr. Mestik, and they taught me how best to stay out of the way of the press. I assure you, I won’t be talking to anyone.”

“Good.” He nodded. “Good good. Oh! Yes. Payment.” He went into his blazer jacket and pulled out a checkbook, leaning over on his desk and writing it out. “I take it the amount is still the same as the one you gave me before…?”

“I’m not charging you for any extra expenses. Same amount. Thank you, Sir.”

He looked pleasantly surprised and relieved as he looked up at her, and then he bent to his task again, finally tearing the check out of the book and handing it to her. “You do excellent work. And you’re kind. I’m grateful.”

“Thank you, Mr. Mestik. And I hope everything turns out okay.”

“Me, too.”

They shook hands again and the man smiled, picking up the carrying case with all of the evidence the LAPD might use to arrest his niece’s husband. He walked to the door and pushed it open, moving into the outer office. Sarah slid into the doorway and watched him as he opened her outer office door. His shoulders were slumped and he was moving so much slower.

And for the first time since she began this case, she was starting to come to terms with the emotional and mental toll her findings would have on an entire family. Her chest throbbed a bit as he shut the door behind him and she let out a long breath.

She lifted the check Mestik had written her and she eyed the zeros, letting herself have just a moment of celebration, before she composed herself again and grabbed her jacket and bag. She had work to do.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Chuck had just finished arranging the gardenias in the vase he’d purchased at a corner store when he heard the door to Sarah’s agency open. “Oooh! You’re back already!” He lunged for the doorway to her personal office. “I have a surprise for y—You’re not Sarah. Hi.” He cleared his throat and stood up straighter, running his hands down the front of his T-shirt.

He eyed the man standing at the entrance to Sarah’s private investigative agency. He was even taller than Chuck, which was…something. And he was built like a tank, his hair cut close to his head, his features twisted in what seemed like a permanent state of distrust or disgust…maybe both?

And then he went into his pocket, looking around the place and letting go of the door so that he could step inside. “No, I’m not Sarah. She ain’t here?”

“Uh, she ain’t—isn’t. Can…Can I help you?”

“You her assistant or secretary or somethin’?”

Chuck pulled his lips between his teeth and winced, then made a popping sound. “Um, no. No, no. I am her boyfriend. Heh. She just solved a case and I snuck in here to put flowers on her desk. Sort of a congra—”

“I don’t care. You know when she’s gonna be back?”

Chuck frowned a bit. “No. I mean…soon maybe?”

“Not a very good secretary, are ya? Hope she doesn’t pay you a lot.”

“She doesn’t pay me anything, because I’m not her secretary. I’m her boyfriend. Are you just not listening to me?”

“Guess not.” He finally pulled his hand out of the blue windbreaker he wore and Chuck was sure for a second that it would be a gun and he was about to be shot in his girlfriend’s P.I. agency. But instead it was a badge. And Chuck noticed there was a gun in a shoulder holster, before the man pulled his jacket over it with a grunt.

“Detective Casey, LAPD. I need to talk to your boss as soon as possible, kid.”

“She’s not my boss—You know what? Never mind. I give up.” He went to the nearby desk and grabbed a notepad and pen from the drawer. “You have a number where she can reach you, or—”

“Move.” He was easily shifted out of the way by one hand on his shoulder. The detective scrawled a number down on the notepad. “Have her call me there the moment she comes in. Tell her to ask for Detective John Casey. Got it? Can you handle that much?”

Chuck had to force himself to remember the man had a pair of handcuffs somewhere and a gun, and his bail could easily be what Sarah spent her Mestik case paycheck on instead of building up her business like she planned to. And instead of reacting, he just nodded, keeping his annoyance from his face. “Yep. Got it. Will do. Uh…Sir? Detective, ahem…Detective Sir.”

“Casey.”

“Yes. Sorry. Detective Casey. Is Sarah…Is she in trouble for something?”

The man let out an amused grunt and ran his eyes down his tall, lanky frame, very blatantly surveying him. “She ain’t in trouble. Just need some information about a case. Filling in some holes, that’s all. Why?” He grunted again, humor in his face. As much humor as the man was capable of, at least. “You got a crush on ‘er?”

Chuck narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “Mmmmm. Again, she’s my girlfriend.”

“Heh. Whatever you say, big-britches.”

Well, at least this time he acknowledged the words that had come out of Chuck’s mouth, even if he apparently didn’t believe them.

“Just make sure she calls. I don’t wanna hafta come back here.” The man flicked the pen in his hand at the desk, apparently not caring that it rolled right off the desk and onto the floor, and then he was gone, leaving the agency door slamming hard enough to rattle the frame.

“Okay bye,” Chuck said to no one in particular.

[andrewdburton]

The best airline credit cards in 2020

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default miles rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this gets you a lot closer.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and car rental partners.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

The only thing this card is missing is priority boarding.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions. Be warned though, this only includes domestic flights on American Airlines.

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags on domestic American Airlines flights for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you’re trying to get status with American Airlines.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for the points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card. But the fee is increasing on 1/30/2020 to $250 per year. Even with the increase, it’s still a great deal.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airline cards. Only regional airlines cards come close.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

  The best airline credit cards in 2020 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/best-airline-credit-cards/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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The best airline credit cards in 2020

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default miles rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this gets you a lot closer.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and car rental partners.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

The only thing this card is missing is priority boarding.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions. Be warned though, this only includes domestic flights on American Airlines.

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags on domestic American Airlines flights for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you’re trying to get status with American Airlines.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for the points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card. But the fee is increasing on 1/30/2020 to $250 per year. Even with the increase, it’s still a great deal.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airline cards. Only regional airlines cards come close.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

  The best airline credit cards in 2020 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/best-airline-credit-cards/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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The best airline credit cards in 2020

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default miles rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this gets you a lot closer.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and car rental partners.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

The only thing this card is missing is priority boarding.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions. Be warned though, this only includes domestic flights on American Airlines.

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags on domestic American Airlines flights for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you’re trying to get status with American Airlines.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for the points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card. But the fee is increasing on 1/30/2020 to $250 per year. Even with the increase, it’s still a great deal.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airline cards. Only regional airlines cards come close.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

  The best airline credit cards in 2020 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Money https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/best-airline-credit-cards/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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The best airline credit cards in 2020

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default miles rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this gets you a lot closer.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and car rental partners.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

The only thing this card is missing is priority boarding.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions. Be warned though, this only includes domestic flights on American Airlines.

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags on domestic American Airlines flights for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you’re trying to get status with American Airlines.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for the points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card. But the fee is increasing on 1/30/2020 to $250 per year. Even with the increase, it’s still a great deal.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airline cards. Only regional airlines cards come close.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

  The best airline credit cards in 2020 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

The best airline credit cards in 2020 published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

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The best airline credit cards in 2019

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default mailes rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this does take the edge off.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases, hotel and car rental partners too.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you fly on American Airlines a lot.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for this points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airlines. Only regional airlines cards come close but have a much more limited flight selection.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

  The best airline credit cards in 2019 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/best-airline-credit-cards/

[the2travel]

* World Travel Tips : How To Prepare For Crazy Travel Delays

Travel Tips -

With a week of stormy weather again hitting the east coast of the United States and backing up airline operations nationwide as a result, tens of thousands of weary passengers are left stranded at airports across the country waiting for an empty seat on another flight to become available. In times like these ― and this past week has been particularly bad ― we hear stories of angry travelers yelling at gate agents, sleeping in airports, and venting about it all on social media.

But this series of storms, which seems to have been more disruptive than usual, should serve to remind travelers that it is not only a good idea, but also their responsibility, to have a reasonable backup plan prepared before embarking on itineraries that may intersect with inclement weather.

The storms that hit the southeastern U.S. this week were reported days in advance. National weather services issued alerts and warnings and diligent travelers checking weather forecasts not only in destinations but in layover cities as well could have easily predicted the disruptions to come and either altered travel plans or requested a re-routing through an unaffected connection airport.

The importance of such pro-activity in travel planning becomes self-evident when we see how many transiting passengers were caught off guard by the well publicized approaching storms. Most became frustrated with the ensuing delays and cancellations, and understandably so. But some decided to lash out and blame their air carriers and airline staff for their misfortunes, even going so far as to demand meals and accommodations during weather delays.

Some airlines did improvise to provide food to standard passengers, such as when Delta ordered several enormous pizza deliveries and passed out slices to stranded passengers in airports like Norfolk and Atlanta and even on planes that were stuck out on runways. But this example was just a generous gesture on Delta’s part. The airline was by no means obligated to dip into its own pockets to feed passengers in airports while waiting for bad weather to pass.

In fact, there’s little that airlines are required to do in cases of delays caused by weather or even air traffic control issues. These are situations beyond the airline’s control, and such delays are commonly disclosed risks about which passengers should be well-informed and adequately prepared.

So what can one do to prepare if you’re stuck transiting through a region that may get hit with weather delays? Other than the initial options mentioned above ― change dates or request re-routing ― you can also research alternate forms of transportation and make backup reservations to use in case the worst comes to pass.

As planes finally got clearance to return to the air in parts of the southeast on Thursday and passengers on canceled flights realized that they would have to be accommodated on a space-available basis as regularly scheduled flights began departing again, some started getting the idea to rent cars and drive to their final destinations. A few passengers in Atlanta took to social media to declare that they were securing one-way rentals for under $100 to make 5-10 hour drives and get home in the same day, while many more who caught wind of this strategy later were out of luck after car rental agencies quickly sold out.

But a prepared passenger, knowing bad weather was highly probable this week, could have made a refundable rental car reservation in advance just in case it might be needed. The same could be done for a hotel room, just in case you’re stuck overnight. Most hotels have a refundable reservation option, even if it costs slightly more than the standard rate. By the time a late flight is canceled and a frustrated passenger realizes that the airline cannot provide accommodation because the cancellation was due to weather, hotel room capacity in major hub cities will disappear very quickly as other passengers rush to book from their smart phones before even leaving the gate.

Right now I am sitting in the SkyClub at Reagan National Airport in our nation’s capital and listening to countless stories of passengers around me who have been trying to get home for days. In a city like Washington, DC, here is what I would have done knowing that severe weather warnings had been issued for the area to or through which I was flying.

First, I would have checked my itinerary to make sure I was not flying into the chaos. In this past week’s case, Atlanta seems to have been hit the worse. Unfortunately that’s the largest hub for Delta, which is a major carrier out of the national capital region. But Charlotte, an American Airlines hub, was also predictably affected, as well as other cities up and down the east coast.

If I could not alter my travel dates or re-route through the northeast or midwest, I would have made a hotel reservation with free cancellation near the airport in case I ended up being stuck here overnight. I would have also booked a one-way car rental reservation if my destination was within reasonable driving distance, but I would have made sure not to use a pre-paid option. That option may offer a small five or ten percent discount off of the rate, but it would not have been refundable had I decided not to use the reservation in the end.

I would have also considered booking a backup train ticket on Amtrak too, which usually allows refunds with only a very small fee deducted. This would have been ideal had I been traveling to or transiting somewhere in the northeast like New York City or Boston, and just adds another level of preparedness and options that my fellow passengers may not have if our flight were severely delayed or canceled.

As I sit for hours and hours in this crowded airport today, I watch as my weekend jet-setting plans fade farther and farther into the realm of fantasy. Good thing I thought to make a weekend car rental reservation just in case. So instead of jetting off to the Caribbean to escape the returning cool weather as I had planned, I have decided instead to bundle up and embark on a weekend road trip out to a dog-friendly northern Virginia winery.

I have never been to a winery anywhere, so now I will be able to check that off my must-do travel list. But one experience I will not be checking off my list today, thanks to some foresight and pre-planning, is camping out in an airport.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

World Travel Tips : Find cheap flights, hotels and car rentals. Plan your trip with travel guides, personalized recommendations, articles, deals and more. When you travel, you want your bags to travel with you. Follow these tips from travel professionals on how not to lose your luggage.

[samuelfields]

The best airline credit cards in 2019

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default mailes rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this does take the edge off.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases, hotel and car rental partners too.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you fly on American Airlines a lot.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for this points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airlines. Only regional airlines cards come close but have a much more limited flight selection.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

  The best airline credit cards in 2019 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/best-airline-credit-cards/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[andrewdburton]

The best airline credit cards in 2019

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default mailes rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this does take the edge off.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases, hotel and car rental partners too.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you fly on American Airlines a lot.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for this points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airlines. Only regional airlines cards come close but have a much more limited flight selection.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

  The best airline credit cards in 2019 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/best-airline-credit-cards/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[kennethherrerablog]

The best airline credit cards in 2019

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default mailes rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this does take the edge off.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases, hotel and car rental partners too.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you fly on American Airlines a lot.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for this points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airlines. Only regional airlines cards come close but have a much more limited flight selection.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

  The best airline credit cards in 2019 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

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The best airline credit cards in 2019

If you fly often, you should consider getting an airline card.

Don’t do it for the miles, do it for the perks.

Priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access, companion fares. You’ll fly like a VIP with these cards.

And the annual fees can be quite reasonable.

If you’re looking to up your travel game, get an airline card.

The Top 4 Airline Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred (Best Overall)

United Explorer Card (Best for United Airlines)

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard (Best for American Airlines)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express (Best for Delta Airlines)

Jump ahead to

The Best Airline Credit Card

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

United Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Alaska Airline Credit Card Reviews

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

Delta Credit Card Reviews

The Best Airline Credit Card

This might come as a surprise.

But my favorite airline card… is not an airline card.

It’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which is also the most popular card on the market right now for good reason.

You’ll earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants and there’s no foreign transaction fees.

The best part is you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s one of the top points programs across all credit cards. These points can easily transfer into a bunch of different airline programs for free flights.

Instead of a dedicated airlines card, I prefer the Chase Sapphire Preferred for two reasons:

I earn a lot more points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns more points on categories that I spend money on. This means a lot more points for me compared to an airline card.

I get a lot more flexibility. With an airline card, you’re locked into that airline and their direct partners. With Chase Ultimate Points, I can do a 1:1 points transfer into more than a dozen airline mileage programs to get flights with those airlines and their partners too. I end up with a lot more options on flights to choose from.

More points means more free flights. And plenty of transfer partners means tons of options for picking the exact flight that I want.

To really push your points into high gear, there’s an upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred called the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll earn 3X points instead of 2X, get a few extra perks, and have an annual fee of $450. It’s definitely worth it if you have a higher income and want to earn as many free flights as possible.

So before getting a dedicated airlines card, get a solid travel points card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

How to Choose The Right Airline Credit Card

First, should we ever consider a dedicated airline card?

Yes. If you fly a few times a year, you should consider it. Even if you already have a great travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s worth considering an airline card too.

Every major airline has a credit card that instantly gives you perks that can be easily worth their annual fees.

If you rarely travel, don’t worry about this. But if the thought of getting priority boarding, free companion passes, and free checked bags gets you interested, definitely consider it.

Step 1: Pick Your Primary Airline

I recommend picking the airline that has the most flights at your home airport.

So if you’re in Chicago, make United your primary airline. For Atlanta, go for Delta.

Whichever airline is biggest, go with that one.

Once you pick a primary airline, you’ll want to fly on that airline as often as possible. This will keep your miles concentrated and help you earn elite status tiers that unlock even more perks on that airline. And when you get an airline credit card, you’ll want the perks from your credit card to apply to as many of your flights as possible.

The more flights that an airline has at your airport, the more often you’ll be able to get a good nonstop flight on your primary airline. Then all your perks will apply.

Even if you don’t like a particular airline, I’d still pick that airline if it’s the dominant airline at your airport. I don’t like American Airlines myself, I hate their seats. But I’d switch to them if I lived in Philadelphia.

And if a few of the major airlines are about equal, pick the one that you like the most.

Two other rules of thumb to keep in mind:

If you mainly fly to major cities or internationally, pick one of the “big three” which includes United, Delta, and American Airlines. With their hub-and-spoke flights, they have a lot of flights between major cities. They also have a lot of international flight partners.

If you mainly fly domestically between smaller, regional airports, consider Southwest. They have a lot more flights between smaller airports which means you’ll get more nonstop flights than if you go with the bigger airlines.

Once you pick an airline, you’ll try to use that airline as often as possible.

Step 2: Review the Perks for that Airline’s Credit Cards

Now it’s time to review the credit cards themselves.

We have the most popular cards from each airline below. Go through them take a close look at the perks like:

Free baggage check

Priority boarding

Companion fares

Discounts on in-flight purchases

Club passes and discounts

Keep a note of all the perks that matter to you.

On most airline cards, the miles-earning power isn’t nearly as good as other travel points cards. You’ll usually get some bonus miles for purchases made with that specific airline. You’ll get a lot more free flights by using a credit card that gets you 2X or 3X points across larger spending categories.

In other words, the benefit of airline cards doesn’t come from their ability to earn you miles. The value comes from perks which is why you want to focus on them.

Step 3: Decide if the Perks are Worth the Annual Fee to You

Deciding whether or not to get an airline card is a personal decision.

For me, paying a $95 annual fee to United gets me a few perks that I love:

My United miles never expire so it’s one thing I don’t have to think about.

I get priority boarding on every United flight so I don’t have to worry about running out of overhead space for my carry-on luggage.

I get 2 United Club passes per year. I know I can get into a United lounge if I’m stranded or get stuck with a horrible layover somewhere.

Even though there’s a few other perks on the card, the perks above are easily worth the annual fee to me. So I have the card.

For other folks, priority boarding might not matter. Or they don’t care about the mile experiations and club passes. The annual fee might not be worth it to them even if they fly United primarily. In that case, I’d recommend that they should skip the card.

Once you have the full list of perks from the card, ask yourself: “Are these perks worth the annual fee to me?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll know whether or not you should get the card.

What if the perks aren’t worth the annual fee to you?

Then don’t get any of the credit cards for your primary airline. It’s still a good idea to have a primary airline to consolidate miles from flying but don’t worry about the credit card. Stick with your primary credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

United Credit Card Reviews

United Explorer Card

If you fly United somewhat regularly, I highly recommend getting the United Explorer card.

You’ll get some nice perks on every United flight from here on out:

First checked bag free as long as you use the United Explorer card to book the ticket

Priority boarding

I have to say, not having to worry about the checked bag fees or if there will be enough overhead space has been amazing. My stress level from flying has dropped enough to make these easily worth the annual fee of $95.

There’s one more perk that makes this card a standout from other airline cards. Each year, you get 2 one-time passes to the United Club. Most airline cards only give discounts, these passes are completely free.

I don’t spend much time in airline lounges, I mostly fly nonstop and keep my connections fairly short. But I also know how one bad delay can turn into an entire day at the airport. When I get caught next time, I know I’ll be able to seek refuge in the United Club.

The miles earning isn’t too bad either. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, and on hotel stays. The hotel miles only applies when booking directly with hotels though. And one mile on all other spending. It’s not quite as high as other cards but it’s decent.

You’ll also get up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee credit and a 25% cash back on all United in-flight purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees either.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

United Explorer Business Card

The United Explorer Business card is pretty similar to the personal version with a few tweaks for businesses.

This card earns 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, at restaurants, gas stations, and office supply stores. The office supply spending category is a nice addition for businesses.

Employee cards are also free, helping you earn miles across your entire business.

Otherwise, all of these perks are the same:

Free checked bag as long as you use your United Explorer Business card to purchase the flight

Two one-time United Club passes each year

No foreign transaction fees

1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

If you fly United often and need an airline card for your business, this is a great option.

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Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Reviews

Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard

Virgin Atlantic has an extremely compelling card if you fly with them regularly.

As long as you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you get a companion reward ticket in the same cabin. On reward flights, this effectively doubles your miles by getting you two reward tickets for the price of one. That’s an incredible deal.

So how do we get to $25,000 in annual spending without giving up a ton of points that other cards could be earning us?

Well, the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard has a very special default mailes rate: 1.5 miles per dollar. Most cards only give one mile or point per dollar. Since the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard gives 1.5 miles, it makes an excellent “default spending” card.

Use all your other cards for spending categories that earn bonus points, then use the Virgin Atlantic Elite MasterCard for all other expenses. As long as you average $2,100/month in default spending, you’ll hit the spending requirement for the campion fare. You’ll also be earning 50% more miles along the way compared to other cards.

And you get another 15,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 a year.

In other words, you get a ton of miles and a companion reward ticket if you average $2,100/month in spending.

You’ll also get 3 miles per dollar on all Virgin Atlantic purchases.

The real downside from this card comes from the limited reach of Virgin Atlantic. You’ll get the most use out of them if you fly between the US and the UK frequently.

Luckily, Virgin Atlantic does have partnerships with plenty of great airlines that you’ll be able to redeem miles with:

Delta

Singapore

Air New Zealand.

Virgin Australia.

South African Airways.

ANA

Air China

Hawaiian Airlines

There’s also partnerships with SAS and Air France/KLM but you can only earn Virgin Atlantic miles on those airlines, you can’t use Virgin Atlantic miles for flights.

While you won’t automatically get free checked bags and priority boarding like other airline cards, you do earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (with a maximum of 50 per month). These tier points will accelerate earning status levels at Virgin Atlantic. Depending on your status level, you could get perks like lounge access, free seat upgrades, priority boarding and check-in, discounts on in-flight purchases, and bonus miles when flying. If you’re trying to get Virgin Atlantic status, I’d consider this card indispensable since it’ll accelerate everything for you.

The card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $90.

If you fly regularly between the US and the UK and average $2,100/month in spending, I strongly recommend getting this card. The companion reward ticket and default 1.5 miles on all purchases makes it a fantastic deal.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Credit Card Reviews

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

If you fly Southwest often, get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. The benefits easily make up for the annual free.

You’ll get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary. These are free points in your pocket.

You’ll also get $75 credit for Southwest travel purchases each year.

The main perk on this card compared to the other Southwest cards is the 4 upgrades each year. Upgrade before your flight and the purchase will be reimbursed on your card after the fact.

For those of you chasing Southwest status, this card will be essential. You’ll earn up to 15,000 tier qualifying points per year by getting 1,500 Tier Qualifying points for every $10,000 you spend. This caps out at 15,000 tier qualifying points. The first status tier for Southwest requires 35,000 qualifying points so you’ll still need another 20,000 points after you max out this benefit. Still, this does take the edge off.

There’s also the fabled Southwest companion pass. This thing is ridiculous. Once you earn the pass, a designated companion of your choice can fly with you for free on every flight that you purchase or redeem with miles for an entire year. And you can change the companion up to 3 times per year. But you’ll need 110,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights within a year to get it.

Both the points that you earn with this card and the signup bonus (usually 40,000 to 60,000 points with qualified spending) count towards the companion pass.

If I was going for the Southwest companion pass, I’d absolutely get this card. It’ll help a lot.

As for points earning, you get 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases along with hotel and rental car partner purchases. That doesn’t include all hotel and car rentals, just the ones that you use through the partner portal. There’s also 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The points earning is just okay, not great. So I’d only use this card for regular spending if you were committed to getting the companion pass or status with Southwest.

It also comes with a 20% discount on in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.

All for an annual fee of $149.

Regular Southwest flyers should seriously consider this card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card is really similar to the Rapid Rewards Priority. In exchange for a lower annual fee of $99, you’ll be missing a few perks:

There’s no annual upgrades.

No annual Southwest travel credit.

No in-flight discount.

You do get 6,000 bonus points every year.

And the miles earning is the same. 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and purchases made with hotel and car rental partners. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

Honestly, these perks aren’t great for the $99 annual fee. All you get is 6,000 bonus points per year and a lackluster points program. If you fly Southwest often, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card instead.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card is the entry level Southwest card with even fewer perks.

You do get 3,000 bonus points every year.

And the points earning program is the same as the other Southwest cards:

2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases, hotel and car rental partners too.

1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

But points on this card don’t count towards Southwest A-List status. They do count towards the companion pass though.

There aren’t any other perks, that’s it.

The annual fee is only $69 but I consider it too high for what you’re getting. Again, I’d skip this card and get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority instead.

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Alaska Airlines Cards Reviews

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

This is easily one of the most valuable airline credit cards.

You’ll get a companion fare every year. Alaska Airlines calls it the “Famous Companion Fare” and for good reason. Add a companion to your coach ticket for $121. Depending on the flight, this can be a massive discount. While this only works for coach, you can upgrade normally on your tickets. So you’ll save hundreds of dollars on a trip of your choice once per year. There’s no hoops or weird restrictions to worry about either.

The rest of the perks are pretty good too:

A free checked bag for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation.

50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.

20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

No foreign transaction fees.

You’ll also earn 3 miles for dollar spent with Alaska Airlines. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.

While the Alaska Airlines is one of the most valuable airline cards out there, it’s difficult to make Alaska Airlines your primary airline unless you live in Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, or the surrounding areas. If you do, they have an excellent list of international airlines that you can transfer your Alaska miles to.

All for a low annual fee of $75. That’s a fantastic deal if you can fly Alaska Airlines regularly.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

American Airlines Credit Card Reviews

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

This is the main credit card that most American Airlines flyers should consider.

Of course, it comes with some nice perks when flying American Airlines:

First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions

Priority boarding

25% discount on in-flight purchases when using this card

If I flew American Airlines regularly, I’d absolutely get this card just for these benefits.

The miles-earning is decent. You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchases. 1 mile per dollar on everything else.

It does include one unique benefit. You’ll get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during the year and renew your card. $20,000 in annual spending is a lot, that’s almost $1700/month. Most folks would need to make this their primary spending card to hit that amount. With the double points on restaurants and gas, it’s not a horrible idea for heavy American Airlines flyers. So only factor in this benefit if you plan to run the majority of your spending through this card.

There’s no foreign transaction fees.

And the annual fee is $99. If priority boarding and free checked bags on American Airlines are worth $99/year to you, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard

This is the VIP American Airlines card.

It comes with many of the same perks as the other American Airlines card like free checked bags and priority boarding. In addition to getting priority boarding, you also get priority check-in and security. And you’ll get free first checked bags for up to 8 companions instead of just 4.

The 25% discount on in-flight purchases is the same, no changes there.

You do get fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check.

The standout perk on this card is the Admirals Club access. You get full access to the American Airlines lounges by having this card. Focus on this perk if you’re considering this card, the bulk of the card value comes from here.

Oddly, the miles-earning is worse on this card. You’ll only get 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases, no other purchase categories count. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. So don’t use this for any regular spending, only American Airlines purchases.

The lack of miles-earning power really handicaps another perk on the card: you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year. Since you’ll only be earning 1 mile per dollar on that $40,000 worth of spending, it’s not a great perk. I’d only consider going after this perk if you fly on American Airlines a lot.

As expected, there’s no foreign transaction fees.

It all comes down to the lounge access. If an Admirals Club membership is worth the annual fee of $450, get the card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

JetBlue Credit Card Reviews

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus card earns a monumental 6 points on JetBlue purchases. If you’re spending money with JetBlue regularly, get the card for this points bonus.

You also get these points:

2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores

1 point per dollar on all other purchases

As the kicker, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points every year on your account anniversary.

The points earning is strong enough that for heavy JetBlue flyers, you could make this your primary card.

But there’s an even bigger benefit for serious JetBlue flyers.

If you’re trying to get JetBlue status, this card is essential.

When you spend $50,000 or more on your card each year, you’ll get Mosaic status with JetBlue. That averages to about $4,200 in spending per month. If you fly JetBlue often and already spend this much every month, I’d seriously consider making this your primary spending card. The Mosaic status perks are extensive:

Free flight changes and cancellations

Priority check-in, security, and boarding

Complimentary alcoholic drinks

Dedicated customer service line

3 extra bonus points on every dollar spent on JetBlue flights

15,000 bonus points the first time you qualify for Mosaic

Two free checked bags

More rewards space available

Of course, the biggest downside is the same as all regional airlines: you need to live near a hub for that airline. In JetBlue’s case, you really should live near Boston or NYC. If Boston or JFK aren’t your primary airports, you’ll have a really hard time flying JetBlue regularly.

It also comes with a 50% discount on in-flight food and cocktail purchases. And a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions when you purchase the tickets with your JetBlue card.

It does have a $99 annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

Delta Credit Card Reviews

Platinum Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

Most Delta flyers will want this card, the perks are outstanding.

I’m going to warn you, the annual fee is a bit higher than other airline cards. You’ll pay $195 per year for this card.

But you’ll get perks that you can’t find on the other major airlines. Only regional airlines cards come close but have a much more limited flight selection.

The companion certificate is the main benefit. Each time you renew your card, you’ll get a certificate for a free domestic main cabin round-trip companion ticket. That’s one free domestic ticket every year. Considering cross-country tickets can easily hit $500-700, you’ll make back the annual fee on this perk alone.

There have been mileage boosts on this card in the past but that ends in early 2020 so I wouldn’t factor that into your decision to get this card.

It also comes with a free checked bag and priority boarding. Plus a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases.

The miles earning power is limited though. You’ll get 2 miles per dollar on purchases with Delta and 1 mile on everything else. I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

So it all comes down to the annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta regularly, you’ll easily be able to take advantage of it and get your annual fee back. And you get free first checked bags and priority boarding on top of that.

That’s a great deal for Delta flyers.

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Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express

This is the basic credit card for Delta.

At a $95 annual free, you’ll get a few nice perks every time you fly on Delta:

Your first checked bag fee.

Priority boarding

The Delta miles aren’t as nice as other cards out there. You will earn 2 miles on all Delta purchases along with 1 mile on everything else. You won’t be able to earn nearly as many miles as other cards so I wouldn’t make this your primary spending card.

There aren’t any foreign transaction fees.

It basically comes down to whether priority boarding and a free checked bag are worth the $95 annual fee to you. If it is, get the card. Otherwise skip it. And for serious Delta flyers, I’d recommend getting the Platinum Delta Skymiles instead of the Gold Delta Skymiles card. The perks are much better.

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  The best airline credit cards in 2019 is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

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