by Daniel | Last Updated January 16th, 2022
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If you travel frequently in the US then you have most likely traveled with either Delta, United, or American Airlines.
These are 3 of the largest airlines in the US when it comes to fleet size.
Now it’s not surprising that each of these airlines has a variety of dedicated credit cards that can be used to receive more value when flying with them.
In this article, I am going to review and compare 3 of the Best Airline Credit Cards that are associated with each airline.
Who Are These Cards Good For?
All of these cards are directly targeted towards frequent flyers with either Delta, United, or American Airlines.
Each card offers a decent sign-up bonus and all of them come with some form of airport lounge access.
And depending on where you fly and which airline you prefer could be the deciding factor on which card is best suited to you.
APR
Now when it comes to choosing a credit card, it’s worth looking into what the APR is as it can affect how much you have to repay if you happen to carry over your balance.
And with all of the cards on this list, the APR is variable and will vary with the market depending on what the Prime Rate is.
So starting with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card you will have a variable APR of 15.74% to 24.74% on purchases.
The APR for cash advances is 25.24%.
And finally, it’s worth noting that there is a ‘Penalty APR’ of 29.99% that can come into effect for a minimum of 6 months if you make a late payment, your payment is returned by your bank, or if your creditworthiness does not meet the requirements set out by Amex.
Next up, the United Club Infinite Card has a variable APR of 16.49%–23.49% on purchases.
The APR for cash advances is 24.99%.
And similar to the Delta Skymiles Reserve Card, there is a Penalty APR of up to 29.99%, and this will be put into effect if you fail to make the minimum payment due on time or if you make a payment that is returned unpaid.
Chase also reports that this can remain on your account indefinitely.
And finally, with the Citi Aadvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, you will have a Variable APR of 15.99% to 24.99% on purchases.
The APR for cash advances is 25.24%.
And as with the previous two cards its Penalty APR is up to 29.99% and has the same rules.
So in terms of the APR for each of these cards, they are all pretty similar.
Annual Fee
Next up, let’s take a look at what these cards cost on an annual basis, and whilst they are all relatively expensive, it’s worth remembering that they do come with quite a lot of benefits and user perks (something that I’ll cover later in this article)
And starting with the most expensive card on this list, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card has an annual fee of $550, which is a fair bit.
Next up the United Club Infinite Card has an annual fee of $525, which makes it the second most expensive card on this list.
And finally, the cheapest card on this list is the Citi Aadvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard which has an annual fee of $450.
Sign-up Bonus
So now let’s look at one of the most interesting parts of these cards which is the sign-up bonus, and how much it’s worth
And starting with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card there are a few different bonuses.
First of all, you will earn 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of card ownership.
Along with this, you will also get $100 in statement credits that can be used at eligible US restaurants within the first 3 months of opening the account.
And with SkyMiles being worth about 1 cent per mile, the bonus miles are worth approximately $500.
So if you can make use of the $100 restaurant credit, the sign-up bonus is worth around $600, which is pretty good.
Now with the United Club Infinite Card, you can earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months.
And with miles being valued at around 1.2 cents per mile, this sign-up bonus is worth approximately $1,200, which is by far the best value in terms of a sign-up bonus between these 3 cards.
So finally, the Citi Aadvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is offering 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 within the first 3 months of card ownership.
And these miles are valued at approximately 1.2 cents per mile, which means that this sign-up bonus is worth about $600.
Essentially, it’s the same value as the more expensive Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card.
So interestingly enough, the United Club infinite card offers twice as much value as the other two cards.
Earning Miles
Now let’s take a look at how each card stacks up in terms of earning miles, and this is another important thing to take note of when choosing a good credit card as it can really make a big difference over time.
So the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card has a very simple and straightforward miles earning structure.
For any purchases that are made directly with Delta, you will receive 3x miles.
And then all other purchases that are on goods and services will receive 1 mile per dollar spent.
So clearly this card is most beneficial when used through Delta.
Next up, the United Club Infinite Card has a few more options and a bit more flexibility when it comes to where you can earn points.
First of all, you will receive 4x miles for purchases made with United, which include tickets and inflight food and beverages.
You will then earn 2x miles on all other travel purchases which includes flights, cruise lines, local transit, car rentals, and taxi.
Then you will also earn 2x miles at restaurants which includes some food delivery services.
And finally, all other purchases will receive 1 mile per dollar spent.
So there is a pretty good ability to earn a fair amount of miles, and best of all it’s not as limited as the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card.
Finally, with the Citi Aadvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, you will earn 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases.
And then all other purchases will earn 1 mile per dollar spent.
So in terms of points earning potential, the United Club Infinite Card is clearly the most rewarding.
Benefits and User Perks
Next up, let’s take a closer look at the benefits and user perks of each card and see exactly what you get for the high annual fee.
Starting with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, one of the most notable benefits you will get is the Annual Companion Certificate, and with this, you will basically receive a free round trip on either First class, Delta Comfort+ or main cabin booking each year upon card renewal.
(and this benefit may include government-imposed taxes and fees of up to a maximum of $75)
Next up you will get access to both the Delta Sky Club and the Centurion Lounges.
Along with this, you will also receive Two Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes that are worth up to a total of $78.
You will receive a $100 credit that can be used for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
As a Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholder, you will get your first checked bag free (on Delta flights), and this is worth up to $60 for a round trip.
You will also receive 20% back for inflight purchases on Delta flights, and this includes food, beverages, and audio headsets.
If you can spend $30,000 within a calendar year you will receive 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) which can be used towards earning Medallion Status, and this can be received up to 4 times per year.
Now along with all of these benefits you will also get quite a lot of insurance-related coverage, some of which include:
Trip Delay insurance, which covers up to $500 per trip if it is delayed for more than 6 hours.
There is also trip cancellation insurance of up to $10,000 per trip and a total of $20,000 per year.
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance of up to $75,000 in the event of any damage or the theft of a rental vehicle.
And finally, there is Return Protection, Purchase Protection, and Extended Warranty.
So as you can see, this card offers a lot of benefits and coverage, which helps to justify the high annual fee.
Next up, with the United Club Infinite Card, you will also get quite a lot of benefits.
First of all, you will get a complimentary United Club Membership that is valued at up to $650.
And this gives you and 2 friends that are traveling with you, access to over 45 United Club lounges and Star Alliance affiliated lounges worldwide.
There is a $100 credit for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
You will receive a $70 discount when you apply for a CLEAR membership (which usually costs $180 a year).
And if you sign-up before June 30th, 2022 you will earn 10,000 bonus miles which is worth about $120.
A new perk that has been added to this card for 2022 is the ability to get free IHG Rewards Platinum Elite Status, and this comes with a few nice perks when staying at an IHG hotel or resort such as room-up grades when available and extended checkout.
You will also get a $75 IHG credit reimbursement when you use your card at an IHG Hotel or Resort.
As part of the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, you will receive complimentary room upgrades, breakfast for two, early check-in, and late checkout.
You will get Premier Access travel services which is preferential treatment at the airport and includes priority check-in, security screening if available, boarding and baggage handling privileges.
When traveling with a companion you will both get your 1st and 2nd bags checked for free, and this is worth up to $320 if taken advantage of on a return trip for 2.
You will receive 25% back on purchases that are made on United flights, and this includes food, beverages, and inflight WiFi.
For every $12,000 you spend on the card you will receive 500 premier qualifying points (PQP), up to a maximum of 4,000 PQPs a year, and this gives you the ability to earn MileagePlus Premier status sooner.
And when using your miles to book a United Economy Saver Award flight within the US, you will get a 10% Saver Award discount.
Now along with all of these benefits you will also get quite a lot of insurance coverage which includes, Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance of up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.
Baggage Delay Insurance of up to $300 for flights that are delayed for more than 6 hours.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement for up to $3,000 per passenger.
Trip Delay Reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
Purchase Protection of up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year.
Return Protection and finally Extended Warranty Protection.
And finally, let’s take look at what the Citi Aadvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard has to offer.
First of all, you will receive a complimentary Admirals Club Membership which provides access to over 50 airport lounges worldwide for you and two guests.
On domestic American Airlines, you and up to 8 people traveling with you will get your first checked bags free.
You will receive a $100 credit for use on either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
When flying with American Airlines, you will receive 25% off food and beverage purchases when using the card.
You will also get Enhanced Airport Experience, which provides you and up to 8 traveling companions with priority check-in, priority airport screening, and priority boarding.
If you have a qualifying Citigold account, you will receive a $145 statement credit each year.
And as for insurance coverage, you will be covered by $0 Liability, which means that if there are any unauthorized charges made to your account, you won’t be held responsible.
So when it comes to benefits, you can see that the more expensive cards offer more benefits and insurance coverage.
Final Thoughts
So what are my thoughts about each of these cards?
The first thing to account for is which airline you prefer to travel with, as this will have a pretty good chance of determining your choice.
In terms of all-out value, I believe the United Club Infinite Card comes out on top.
First of all, Its sign-up bonus is worth twice as much as the other cards, with a value of $1,200.
When it comes to earning miles, It has a wider range of options and the ability to earn more than both of the other cards.
Now when it comes to the benefits and user perks it has a lot to offer, but the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex Card has the potential to save you a lot of money with its Annual Companion Certificate, and this may be the deciding factor for many people on which card is most suitable to them.
Anyway, that’s pretty much it.
But I’d love to know what you think of these credit cards, and which card would you prefer?