Airline credit cards are ideal for people who probably make about 5-10 trips a year at least.  If you don’t make this many then I would say that you shouldn’t waste your energy applying for one unless you want to sign up to take advantage of the free airline ticket.  If you do take more than five trips years then you’re already a perfect candidate for this type of card.  The next step you’re going to want to take is to start researching.

A credit card that based on airline rewards is a very simple concept.  You can either apply for a card that focuses on one airline, which I would highly recommend.  The reason I would recommend a credit card that focuses on one airliner is because when you tend to travel with one airliner a lot, they will start to notice and apply to certain statuses.  The higher you work your way up the ladder, the more perks you’ll get like complimentary upgrades, tickets, food, etc.

Airline credit card offers

Simmons First Visa® Platinum Rewards
Rates			Fees
Intro Rate	APR	Cash Adv. Rate	Cash Adv. Fee	Late Fee	Annual Fee
–	7.25%	11.25%	3% (min $4, max $50)	up to $25	$0
Travel rewards – cardholders who enroll in the program receive one point per net dollar spent Excellent credit required – applicants that do not have excellent credit will not be approved Low 7.25% variable standard purchase APR and platinum benefits Choose any U.S. based airline or ticket class. No blackout dates or seating restrictions Other travel related options are hotels, cruises, vacation packages, car rental, and restaurants

Delta Reserve Credit Card
Rates			Fees
Intro Rate	APR	Cash Adv. Rate	Cash Adv. Fee	Late Fee	Annual Fee
n/a	14.50%	25.24%	$5 / 3%	up to $35	$450
Earn 10,000 Medallion(R) Qualification Miles (MQMs) with your first purchase, and Miles Boosts(SM) of up to 30,000 MQMs when you spend $60,000 in a calendar year Annual complimentary First-Class companion ticket with Card renewal Delta Sky Club(TM) access for you and your guests Check your first bag free on every Delta flight Rated 4 out of 5 stars in Overall Satisfaction Rating, based on feedback from current Delta Reserve Credit Cardmembers from American Express

Miles by Discover® Card
Rates			Fees
Intro Rate	APR	Cash Adv. Rate	Cash Adv. Fee	Late Fee	Annual Fee
0%* (6 months)	10.99%-16.99%	23.99%	see terms	see terms	$0
Earn up to $120 in travel rewards–1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first year 1 Mile on every $1 you spend 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable purchase APR of 10.99% – 16.99%* No restrictions on travel–fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates Flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash Travel benefits include secondary collision damage insurance when you rent a car with your Miles by Discover card Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty–15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report) Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee

Escape by Discover® Card
Rates			Fees
Intro Rate	APR	Cash Adv. Rate	Cash Adv. Fee	Late Fee	Annual Fee
0%* (6 months)	10.99%-16.99%	23.99%	see terms	see terms	$60
Earn up to $250 in travel rewards–1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first 25 months Double Miles on every $1 you spend 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable purchase APR of 10.99% – 16.99%* No restrictions on travel–fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates Flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash Travel Insurance benefits, including primary car rental, lost or damaged luggage, travel delay, and trip cancellation when you book with your Escape by Discover card Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty–15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)

If you don’t want to apply for a credit card that focuses on one airline then you can focus on a travel credit card. These credit cards are more the traveler that wants to save on hotels, airlines, and the whole package. They don’t necessarily work like an airline credit card but they give you points for every dollar you spend that is related to travel. When these points reach a certain point, you’ll be able to cash them in for items, free tickets, hotel rooms, and more.

The difference with an airline credit card that focuses on an airline such as Delta is that you’ll receive a mile for every dollar you spend. This is usually how the industry works but every carrier varies when it comes to dollars to mile rations, what you can redeem, etc. When you rack up enough airlines with the airliner, you’ll be able to redeem them for future flights. The thing you should look out for when you do apply for a card is for a credit card that never lets the frequent flier miles expire. You won’t want get a lot of points and find out they’re all gone when you go to redeem them.

Like any credit card you apply for, make sure that you do your research when applying for a card. Make sure that the airliner you’re applying for is near your home. You won’t want to apply for a card and come to find out that airliner doesn’t even leave your airport. Watch out for the terms, annual fee, and any other terms and conditions. Once you find the right card, apply for it and start saving on your mileage!