What cc do you use for airfare

[MrDisco99]

From my current lineup... I'd probably book using my CSP on the Chase portal for 5x points and travel protection.

[Catbird_Seat]

Hopper recently annouced an extension to their long-term strategic partnership with Capital One Travel. They're planning to further elevate the travel booking experience for card holders. Could be interesting to see how this plays out since Hopper is fueled by fintech & currently they're the #3 largest OTA in the US.  

[OmarGB9]

Amex Platinum. 5x MR on airfare, and those MRs can be transferred to partners such as Delta.

[805orbust]

Yup... +1 on the Amex Platinum. Flying so much (well, pre-pandemic) you could never tell which airline I'd use. Mostly United, then AA, sometimes JetBlue, and even Spirit at times. 5x MR is easy, PLUS you rack up the miles with the airlines rewards program at the same time. Easy peasy. I'd go insane trying to keep up any other way, and I've got free flights/rooms/parking spaces all over the place.

[5KRunner]

Here are the cards I'll use for airfare in order of preference:

1) AmEx Delta SkyMiles Platinum: 3x SkyMiles per dollar on flights booked directly with Delta, plus first checked bag free; my home airport is a major Delta hub

2) BoA Air France KLM WEMC: 3x Flying Blue miles per dollar on flights booked with Air France, KLM and other SkyTeam airlines; the SUB on this card gave me Silver elite status with airlines participating in the Flying Blue program

3) AmEx Gold: 3x MR per dollar on flights; will use whenever I'm not flying with SkyTeam

4) Wells Fargo Autograph: 3% cash back on flights; will only use as a backup to the 3 payment methods listed above in case they fail for any reason

[dacv01]

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@markhs777 wrote:

The one with the miles or credit that allows me to fly without any cash outlay. In other words there are so many variables when it comes to choosing what card to use for airfare.

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Well said- OP I have a variety of cards that I use for Travel, but yes it depends on the situation. Anything work related I was using my Amex Gold, for my personal travel I have recently used AA Advantage as well as my Platinum and Marriot Bonvoy card. What you should do is determine the most "bang for your buck" and if you fly a preffered airline- I will say from one HORRIBLE experience I will never use a travel portal again, I always book direct. Good luck! 

[TheRedHat]

For airfare? AMEX Platinum! 5x points per dollar spent (or 3 percent cashback for transaction redemptions at 0.6 cents per point) can't be beat! 

[wasCB14]

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@TheRedHat wrote:

For airfare? AMEX Platinum! 5x points per dollar spent (or 3 percent cashback for transaction redemptions at 0.6 cents per point) can't be beat! 

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5x MRs is great when used for travel, but there are ways to beat 3% cash back on airline spend.

1. Schwab Platinum cobrand Schwab deposits: 5.5% I think

2. BofA Premium Rewards Platinum Honors: 3.5%

3. I think there are some options with Altitude Reserve

[Anonymous]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

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@TheRedHat wrote:

For airfare? AMEX Platinum! 5x points per dollar spent (or 3 percent cashback for transaction redemptions at 0.6 cents per point) can't be beat! 

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5x MRs is great when used for travel, but there are ways to beat 3% cash back on airline spend.

1. Schwab Platinum cobrand Schwab deposits: 5.5% I think

2. BofA Premium Rewards Platinum Honors: 3.5%

3. I think there are some options with Altitude Reserve

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Yes, Altitude Reserve will give you 4.5% cashback using Real Time Rewards (or redeeming through the portal, but then you lose points for the purchase plus the other problems with not booking directly)    But... unlike Amex Plat, you cannot transfer the points to an airline, so only good for cashback.

[simplynoir]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@wasCB14 wrote:

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@TheRedHat wrote:

For airfare? AMEX Platinum! 5x points per dollar spent (or 3 percent cashback for transaction redemptions at 0.6 cents per point) can't be beat! 

---

5x MRs is great when used for travel, but there are ways to beat 3% cash back on airline spend.

1. Schwab Platinum cobrand Schwab deposits: 5.5% I think

2. BofA Premium Rewards Platinum Honors: 3.5%

3. I think there are some options with Altitude Reserve

---

Yes, Altitude Reserve will give you 4.5% cashback using Real Time Rewards (or redeeming through the portal, but then you lose points for the purchase plus the other problems with not booking directly)    But... unlike Amex Plat, you cannot transfer the points to an airline, so only good for cashback.

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Yeah, the good news with using US Bank's RTRs for redemptions is the ease of use and flat rate you get which is pretty nice. Using an AMEX Platinum for airfare purchases is my go to just for options of whether to use them for transfers to other partners or redeem through Schwab Platinum for easy cash. But atm I have a glute of AR points so paying 4.5% for a flight as soon as the text comes in is good enough for me once you meet the minimum redemptions