Credit Cards / Airline

Best Chase Airline Credit Cards

Best Chase Credit Cards for AirTravel
Overall Value
Low Cost
Luxury Travel
Everyday Use
Budget Travelers

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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available or the benefits and terms have changed. View the issuer’s site for current information.

Airline credit card rewards make flying less expensive and more convenient. As America’s largest bank, Chase has plenty of airline cards to choose from, and it offers its best in partnership with United or Southwest airlines. You can use any of the cards included in this roundup for all your travel — without paying foreign transaction fees. However, you’ll earn the best rewards on travel and purchases made with the airline named on the card.

5 Best Chase Credit Cards for Airline Travel

Here’s a handy guide to help you learn more about the features of the best Chase credit cards for air travel.

Card	Features
Chase United Quest Credit Card	Best for: Overall Value -16.49% to 23.49% variable APR -3x miles on United purchases after earning $125 statement credit -2x other travel and dining and select streaming -1x on any other purchases -$125 annual statement credit for United purchases -Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit -25% back on United inflight purchases -80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months -Two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits per year -500 Premier qualifying points for every $12,000 you spend on purchases, up to 3,000 per calendar year -Free first and second checked bags for you and a travel companion -Priority boarding -One year DoorDash DashPass -$250 annual fee
Chase United Explorer Credit Card	Best for: Low-Cost Generous Perks -16.49% to 23.49% variable APR -2x miles on United purchases -2x miles on dining and hotel stays booked with card -1x miles on all other purchases -Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit -25% back on United inflight purchases -40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months -500 Premier qualifying points for every $12,000 you spend on purchases, up to 1,000 per calendar year -2 one-time United Club passes per year, worth over $100 -Free first checked bag -Priority boarding -One year DoorDash DashPass -$95 annual fee, $0 for the first year
Chase United Club Infinite Credit Card	Best for: Luxury Travel Benefits -16.49% to 23.49% variable APR -4x miles on United purchases -2x other travel and dining -1x all other purchases -Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit -25% back on United inflight purchases -75,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months -500 Premier qualifying points for every $12,000 you spend on purchases, up to 3,000 per calendar year -United Club membership worth up to $650 per year -One year DoorDash DashPass -$525 annual fee
Chase United Gateway Credit Card	Best for: Everyday Use -16.49% to 23.49% variable APR -2x miles on United purchases -2x miles per dollar spent at gas stations, local transit and commuting -1x miles on all other purchases -25% back on inflight purchases onboard United -15,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months -Additionally, a promotional 3x miles on grocery store purchases for the first year -Additional benefits for cardholders at luxury hotels and resorts -Events exclusively for cardholders -One year DoorDash DashPass -$0 annual fee
Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card	Best for: Budget Travelers -15.99% to 22.99% variable APR -2x points on Southwest Airlines purchases -1x points for all other purchases -$75 Southwest annual travel credit -40,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months, as well as 3x points on dining for the first 12 months -3x points earned for restaurants, takeout or delivery services for the first 12 months -7,500 anniversary points each year –4 upgraded boardings per year when available -$149 annual fee

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Chase United Quest Card

Best for: Overall Value

The number one card on this list gives you three miles per dollar spent on United Airlines, plus 25% back on inflight purchases. Add an 80,000-mile new cardmember bonus and anniversary mile credits, and the savings add up.

Pros

Generous three miles earned per dollar on United purchases
Several ways to earn cash back
Generous 80,000 bonus-mile offer plus anniversary flight credits
Can earn up to 3,000 Premier qualifying points per year
Use of United Club
Money-saving travel benefits
One year DoorDash DashPass

Cons

Steep $250 annual fee
High purchase requirement to earn bonus miles

Who would benefit from this card? Frequent flyers who expect a lot of perks from their card.

Chase United Explorer Card

Best for: Low-Cost, Generous Perks

The United Explorer card from Chase is a good choice for those who don’t travel enough to justify a $295 annual fee but still need a robust reward and bonus program.

Pros

Earn two miles per dollar on United purchases, two miles per dollar on dining and hotel stays booked with the card and one mile per dollar on all other purchases
Two ways to earn cash back
Generous bonus mile offer
Can earn up to up to 1,000 Premier qualifying points per calendar year
Money-saving travel benefits
One year DoorDash DashPass
$0 introductory annual fee in the first year

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Cons

$95 annual fee after the first year

Who would benefit from this card? Those who’d like to earn rewards when using the card but don’t travel as often.

Chase United Club Infinite Card

Best for: Luxury Travel Benefits

Although the Chase United Club Infinite card’s annual fee is high at $525 per year, the free United Club membership alone more than makes up for it.

Pros

Earn four miles per dollar on United purchases, two miles per dollar on other travel and dining, and one mile per dollar for all other purchases
Generous bonus mile reward offer
High Premier qualifying point eligibility
Free United Club membership worth up to $650 per year
Valuable travel benefits
Premier Access travel services where available
One year DoorDash DashPass

Cons

Steep $525 annual fee
Fewer bonus miles than with Chase United Quest card

Who would benefit from this card? Current United Club members and travelers who plan to join.

Chase United Gateway Card

Best for: Everyday Use

The Chase United Gateway card could be the right choice for travelers who don’t travel as frequently but need a solid airline rewards card that doesn’t make you jump through hoops to get rewards.

Pros

Earn two miles per dollar on United purchases, two miles per dollar spent at gas stations, local transit and commuting, and one mile per dollar on all other purchases
Earn cash back on United purchases
Miles bonus offer also gives three miles per dollar on grocery store purchases
One year DoorDash DashPass
No annual fee

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Cons

Fewer perks than other cards

Who would benefit from this card? Casual travelers.

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Best for: Budget Travelers

The Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card helps you accumulate bonus miles and points quickly.

Pros

Earn two points per dollar on Southwest Airlines purchases and one point per dollar for all other purchases
Solid, easy-to-earn bonus point offer plus promotional three points per dollar on dining for the first 12 months
$75 yearly travel credit on Southwest Airlines
Opportunity for upgraded boardings, as much as 4 per year, depending on availability
Anniversary points

Cons

$149 annual fee

Who would benefit from this card? Budget travelers who already fly Southwest

Which Is the Best Chase Airline Card for Me?

If you’re shopping for an airline card, the first thing to consider is which airline you’ll fly most. From there, selecting the right card is a matter of comparing the benefits against the annual fees to find the card that provides the most value on flights to the destinations you want to visit.

Methodology: GOBankingRates identified the best airline credit cards by analyzing the following factors: (1) rewards earn rate; (2) any foreign transaction fees; (3) annual fees; (4) regular APR for purchases; (5) sign-up bonuses; (6) total airline destinations; (7) total number of enplaned passengers in 2019; and (8) miscellaneous travel benefits. Miscellaneous travel benefits include free checked bags, access to airport lounges, priority boarding, any flight discounts, discounted companion fares, and TSA PreCheck access. All fees and rates are subject to change at the credit card issuers’ discretion. Some offers might no longer be available on the credit card issuers’ websites, depending on how you access the webpage. Data was sourced from each financial institution’s or airline’s website or promotional material between Aug. 2, 2021, and Sept. 27, 2021. Please verify terms and conditions before opening an account.

Our in-house research team and on-site financial experts work together to create content that’s accurate, impartial, and up to date. We fact-check every single statistic, quote and fact using trusted primary resources to make sure the information we provide is correct. You can learn more about GOBankingRates’ processes and standards in our editorial policy.

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About the Author

Daria Uhlig is a personal finance, real estate and travel writer and editor with over 25 years of editorial experience. Her work has been featured on The Motley Fool, MSN, AOL, Yahoo! Finance, CNBC and USA Today. Daria studied journalism at the County College of Morris and earned a degree in communications at Centenary University, both in New Jersey.