Want to get away? Below, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of credit card promotions that will give you a free airline ticket when you apply, and in some cases, reach a certain spend level. The list has been broken into two parts: 1) a subset of cards that earn points that can be easily converted into miles in your favorite frequent flyer program, and 2) a list of cards that are geared towards earning airmiles with specific carriers.
| Credit Card | Bonus Miles | Annual Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
50,000 bonus points (redeemable for up to 2 plane tickets) | $95 (waived first year) |
|
| Citi ThankYou(SM) Premier Card | 50,000 ThankYou Points (redeemable for $500 in gift cards) | $125 (waived first year) |
|
| The New Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPENSM | N/A* | $175 (waived first year) |
|
| Platinum Credit Card from American Express | 25,000 Membership Rewards points | $450 |
|
| Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
|
Up to 25,000 Starpoints | $65 (waived first year) |
|
() – Recommended Card
| Credit Card | Bonus Miles | Annual Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card | 25,000 Mileage Plan Bonus Miles | $75 | 25,000 Bonus Miles valid for a Round Trip Coach Saver award ticket in the continental U.S, Alaska or Canada on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air. |
| Citi® Gold / AAdvantage® World MasterCard® | 30,000 AAdvantage® miles | $50 (waived first year) |
|
| British Airways Visa Signature | Up to 50,000 Avios | $95 |
|
| Continental Airlines OnePass® Plus Card | Up to 40,000 OnePass bonus miles | $95 (first year free) |
|
| Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card
Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card |
Up to 30,000 SkyMiles | $95 (waived first year) |
|
| Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® | Up to 25,000 bonus miles | $0 / $49 |
|
| Miles & More World MasterCard | Up to 35,000 bonus miles | $59 / $79 | 15,000/20,000 miles after first purchase; up to 10,000/15,000 additional bonus miles for initial balance transfer |
| Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card | 25,000 points | $69 |
|
| United MileagePlus® Explorer Card | Up to 40,000 MileagePlus miles | $95 (free first year) | Earn 25,000 MileagePlus miles after first use; 5,000 additional bonus miles after your first Card use and for adding an authorized user within two months of opening your account. Plus, earn 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $25,000 or more on your Card each calendar year. |
| US Airways Visa | 25,000 bonus Dividend Miles | $90 | 25,000 bonus Dividend Miles with first purchase |
| Virgin Atlantic American Express® Card – Black Virgin Atlantic American Express® Card – White |
Up to 40,000 bonus Flying Club Miles | $49 (White) / $90 (Black) | See our post on the Virgin cards for more details |
A caveat
Do keep in mind that a “free flight” isn’t always completely free. Some airlines and programs may charge a fee to issue the ticket, and you’ll still be responsible for any applicable taxes, passenger facility charges, government imposed surcharges and the September 11 security fee.
Our Recommendation
The SPG Amex receives our highest recommendations not only for its generous introductory bonuses, but for the tremendous value and flexibility that it offers every day.
The Starwood Amex is an established favorite, since it offers value both in hotel and flight redemption opportunities. Since Starpoints are transferable to nearly every major carrier’s frequent flyer program at a 1:1 exchange rate and have a bonus of 5,000 Starpoints for every 20,000 transferred, it only takes $20,000 in spending to earn 25,000 miles with your favorite program.
The Starpoints earned from the Starwood Amex also provide an excellent value when redeemed at SPG properties, which include the St. Regis, Westin, W, Sheraton, and Four Points brands, for hotel stays. When you redeem your points for four nights at a category 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 hotel, you’ll get the fifth night free. In addition, there are no blackout dates or extra charges on standard rooms when you redeem your points for a free night award.
To learn more, see our full review of the Starwood Amex.
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July 28th, 2008 at 7:29 am
[...] can find the full list of cards along with details here. Posted in Reward Cards, Signup Bonuses, Travel Cards | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top Of [...]
July 28th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
one more card from AirTran
http://view.ed4.net/v/5ETZVH/2VTKT/PSI67S/32D37G/MAILACTION=1&FORMAT=H
July 28th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Jarek–Thanks for the link, but AirTran (ATA) is out of business now.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:54 am
I got that link last week. AirTran’s website looks pretty operational (www.airtran.com). Although, ATA (www.ata.com) is indeed out of business.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Jarek–Thanks for pointing that out. For some reason I always associated ATA and AirTran together.
May 31st, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Hi Jarek, you seem to be the guy in the know. I saw an ad in the in flight magazine on Southwest Airlines re: earn 2 free tickets for signing up for a credit card. I meant to do it right away, but couldn’t find the offer again. Could you help? I want to bring my grandkids to Buffalo this summer, but can’t really afford all their tickets. I’m not even sure I can find this website again since I’m not very computer savvy. I’d appreciate any help you could give me. Thank you. Sue