Airline Cards guides

An airline credit card is co-branded with one airline and earns that airline's miles, and it is for you if you fly one carrier often enough to use its perks. Common benefits include a free checked bag, priority boarding and progress toward elite status, and they tend to be worth the most if you live near an airport where that airline has many routes.

Compare the annual fee against the perks you would use each year; if you fly often, checked bag savings alone can cover a modest fee. Check how much the miles are worth when you redeem them, whether the card charges foreign transaction fees, and whether a flexible travel card that transfers to several airlines would suit you better if you do not stick to one carrier.

Read are co-branded airline cards worth it and how much a point or mile is worth. Examples include the United Explorer Card in the US and the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite in Canada.