MoneyGeek's Take

Best Airline Credit Cards for No Annual Fee in 2023

Using an airline credit card can bring down the cost of your air travel, and you stand to benefit in other ways as well. These credit card benefits are even better if you can avoid paying an annual fee.

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This article is part of our larger series on Best Airline Credit Cards

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Last Updated: 1/2/2023

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

Most of the top no-annual-fee airline credit cards are co-branded. This means they are associated with the loyalty programs of specific airlines. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is linked to the SkyMiles Loyalty Program run by Delta Air Lines.

If you don’t favor using any one particular airline, you may want to consider getting a non-co-branded airline card such as the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

The leading no-annual-fee airline credit cards tend to do away with foreign transaction fees, which is appealing if you want to travel internationally. Some even offer purchase and travel coverage.

OUR REVIEW AT A GLANCE

Our Top 2 Picks
Summarized List of All Winners
Tips for Comparing Credit Cards

This article is part of our larger series on
Best Airline Credit Cards

MoneyGeek’s Take: Top 2 Airline Credit Cards With No Annual Fee

Quick Summary

When you run a no-annual-fee airline card comparison, one of the first things you notice is that not all offer the same number of miles per dollar spent. Plus, they come with varied introductory bonus offers. We’ve selected the best cards from this category after accounting for these factors as well as APRs, foreign transaction fees and added benefits.

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
A great miles rewards card with no annual fees
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- up to 2 Miles per $1*Rewards Rate
- 2xRewards Rate on Air Travel
- 2xRewards Rate on Dining
We love the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card for more than its no-annual-fee feature. This card lets you earn 2X miles on restaurants worldwide and Delta purchases. All other purchases come with 1X miles.
An welcome offer gives you the ability to earn 10,000 bonus miles. All you need to do is spend at least $1000 on purchases within the first six months.
This card comes with no international transaction fees, which makes it perfect for use when traveling overseas. Other travel benefits include earning 20% as a statement credit when you use your card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases and complimentary car rental loss and damage insurance.
Cardholders also stand to benefit through purchase and fraud protection in different scenarios.
Pros
No annual fees
Earn 10,000 bonus miles if you spend $1000 on purchases in the first six months
Earn 2X miles on Delta purchases and restaurants worldwide
Earn 1X miles on all other purchases
Redeem points for air travel, seat upgrades and Delta gift cards
No blackout dates when redeeming points for Delta flights
20% back on eligible in-flight Delta purchases
Pay no foreign transaction fees
Car rental loss and damage insurance
Purchase protection and extended warranty to safeguard your purchases
Access to American Express Experiences
Get emergency assistance through the Global Assist Hotline
Fraud protection safeguards you from misuse of your card

Cons
Cash advance fee
Penalty APR applies in cases of late and returned payments
$0 annual fee
2X miles on Delta purchases
2X miles on dining at restaurants worldwide and on takeout and deliveries in the U.S.
1X miles on all other purchases
Earn 10,000 bonus miles upon spending $1000 on purchases in the first six months
Redeem your SkyMiles for air travel to more than 1,000 destinations
Redeem for seat upgrades and Delta gift cards
Reduce the cost of your flight by up to $50 for every 5,000 miles you redeem through the Pay with Miles program
No foreign transaction fees
Get complimentary car rental loss and damage insurance
Get purchase protection and an extended warranty
Use the 24/7 Global Assist Hotline for emergency assistance and coordination services
Fraud protection protects you from fraudulent transactions
American Express Experiences gives you access to ticket presales and Card Member-only events.
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
United Gateway℠ Card
A great no-annual-fee rewards card for people who fly United
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 1 Mile per $1Rewards Rate
- 2xRewards Rate on Air Travel
- 2xRewards Rate on Gas
This rewards card is great because it lets you earn one mile per $1 across all categories. Besides, spending across different categories gives you the ability to double the miles you earn.
When you use this card to pay for in-flight purchases on board a United flight, you earn 25% back, which amounts to a 25% discount.
It makes sense to use this card outside of the U.S. because it does not charge international transaction fees. Complimentary travel covers provide additional safety.
Pros
No annual fees
No foreign transaction fees
No blackout dates for redeeming miles
25% cash back on United in-flight purchases
Travel and purchase cover
Use for balance transfers

Cons
Penalty APR may apply if you make a late payment
High balance transfer and cash advance fees
Earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months
Pay no annual or international transaction fees
Earn two miles per $1 on United purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting
Earn one mile per $1 on all other purchases
Earn 25% back in the form of a statement credit when you pay for food, beverages or Wi-Fi on board a United flight
Redeem points for flight tickets via United or on any other Star Alliance network member airlines
You may redeem your points to shop at MileagePlusAwards.com
Use your miles to book any United flight without worrying about blackout dates
Safeguard your travels through auto rental collision damage waiver and trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance
Safeguard your purchases via purchase protection and extended warranty protection
Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles each year by referring friends
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply

Summary of the Best Airline Cards for No Annual Fee

Use the corresponding table to take a quick look at reward rates, foreign transaction fees and welcome offers of other good no-annual-fee airline credit cards.

Credit Card
Best For
Avg. Reward Rate
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
A great miles rewards card with no annual fees
up to 2 Miles per $1*
$0
United Gateway℠ Card
A great no-annual-fee rewards card for people who fly United
1 Mile per $1
$0
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
A great travel card with no annual fee for frequent flyers on American Airlines
1–2 Miles per $1
$0
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
The best travel rewards card with no annual or foreign transaction fees
1.25 Miles per $1
$0

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

If you're not traveling much, but still want to earn airline miles on your purchases, a no-fee airline card is a great idea. Once you start flying more, you can decide if upgrading to another card to get other benefits makes sense. -- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com.

How to Compare Airline Credit Cards & Intro Offers

There is no single best airline credit card with no annual fee because these cards come with different features and benefits that serve distinct purposes. As a result, various aspects require your consideration.

The airline

Narrowing down on a suitable card becomes fairly easy if you favor using any one airline over others. If not, you may consider getting a travel rewards card that does not limit your reward-earning potential to any particular airline.

Rewards rate

The number of miles you stand to earn may vary based on the card you get as well as on category-based spending. For instance, the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card offers 2x miles on purchases made directly with Delta and on dining at restaurants, including takeout and delivery, whereas all other purchases earn 1x miles. The VentureOne Rewards Card from Capital One offers 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 1.25x miles on all other purchases.

Ways to redeem

If you get a co-branded airline card, chances are that you’ll need to redeem the miles you earn through its linked airline loyalty program. This is the case with the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card and the United Gateway Card Credit Card. If you want more freedom surrounding how you may redeem your miles, consider getting a non-co-branded travel card.

Foreign transaction fees

Using your card outside of the U.S. might require that you pay foreign transaction fees. While the Delta SkyMiles Blue Card and the United Gateway Credit Card do not charge this fee, the AAdvantage MileUp Card by Citi comes with a 3% foreign transaction fee.

Welcome offer

The best airline credit cards with no annual fee give cardholders the ability to earn bonus miles through time- and spend-based welcome offers. For example, the Amex Delta SkyMiles Blue Card has a welcome offer through which you can earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.

APR

Airline cards usually come with higher APRs when compared to cards with no rewards. If you intend to carry your balances over from month to month, you might be better off getting a credit card that comes with a low APR.

Added perks

Some of the best airline cards without annual fees offer statement credit or discounts when you use them to make in-flight purchases onboard specific carriers. Other card-specific features might include purchase protection, extended warranty, car/auto rental loss and damage insurance, trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, and access to a concierge service. If you get a non-co-branded airline card, transferring your miles to popular frequent flyer programs might be an option.