The best credit cards for flight points and airline rewards

If you travel regularly for work or enjoy holidaying abroad, the right credit card could make a big difference. A rewards credit card which offers flight points could mean you cut flight costs – helping you save money on a holiday – or let you upgrade your seat for less.

There are several credit card providers offering airline or flight points as a reward for spending, such as American Express, Virgin Money and Barclays.

But which is the best credit card for flight points, such as Avios or Virgin Points? We break down the different options available right now, comparing what’s on offer, monthly or annual fees and any extra perks like airport lounge access or travel insurance.

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What is an airline miles credit card?

An airline miles credit card is a type of reward credit card that lets you collect points on your everyday spending, which can then be used towards flights.

Once you’ve collected enough points or airline miles, you can typically redeem them – unlocking perks like free or reduced flights, seat upgrades, extra baggage, airport lounge access or even other travel expenses like hotel stays or car hires, depending on the provider.

Different airlines have their own schemes. The most popular ones are Avios, run by British Airways – which can also be used with BA’s partner airlines – and Virgin Atlantic’s Virgin points.

Are airline miles credit cards worth it?

Airline miles credit cards can offer lucrative rewards, particularly if you’re a higher spender or you travel often. They can make your journey more rewarding.

However, there are a few caveats. You can only redeem points with certain airlines or providers, and you will need to be flexible with your travel itinerary, as flights paid for with points tend to have limited availability, especially during peak travel times.

Keep in mind that you will have to repay your credit card bill in full each month, or you will be stung with high interest rates.

The best credit cards for flight points

Below, we round up the top credit cards for airline miles and reward points. We’ve done a breakdown based on annual cost, representative APR, welcome bonus and extra perks you can get.

American Express Rewards Credit Card

This is the most cost-effective travel reward credit card for customers, as it lets you earn points on your spending but has no annual fee. It comes with these perks:

• 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend £2,000 in your first three months. You don’t qualify if you’ve already had an Amex card in the past 24 months.
• Earn 1 point for every £1 spent on purchases.
• Earn 4,000 points for inviting a friend – provided their application is approved.

Membership Rewards points don’t have to be redeemed as flight points, but you have the option to transfer them to an Amex loyalty partner programme such as an airline’s frequent flier scheme.

For instance, 40,000 points could get you a return economy flight to Dubai with Virgin Atlantic. You can also redeem your points on eligible purchases at PayPal, Amazon, Boots, Currys, etc.

British Airways American Express Credit Card

Another cost-effective option is the British Airways American Express Credit Card. It doesn’t have an annual fee, and it lets you collect Avios on any purchases you make. Some of its perks include:

• 5,000 bonus Avios when you spend £2,000 in your first three months
• One Avios for every £1 spent on purchases.
• 1,000 Avios when you add the first Supplementary Card – an extra card issued to a family member or friend – to your account.
• Earn 4,000 points for inviting a friend – provided their application is approved.
• Get a companion voucher when you spend £15,000 each cardmembership year.
• Covered for Travel Accident Insurance of up to £75,000 on public transport.

You can redeem vouchers when booking a British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus Reward flight. We look at Avios-only flights and companion vouchers in a separate guide.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

If you’re a frequent traveller and want more value for your money, the American Express Preferred Rewards Credit Card may be a suitable option. While it comes at a steep cost of £195 (£0 in the first year), it could be offset by the amount of points and rewards on offer. This includes:

• 40,000 bonus Membership Rewards points when you spend £5,000 in the first six months. This reverts to 20,000 points once the offer ends after 26 May 2026. You don’t qualify if you’ve already had an Amex card in the past 24 months.
• Earn three points for every £1 spent on Amex Travel, two points for every £1 spent directly with airlines, and one point for every £1 spent on eligible purchases.
• Four complimentary Priority Pass airport lounge passes a year at up to 1,300 lounges at airports around the world
• Get US $100 hotel credit when you book two or more nights with The Hotel Collection, which can go towards spa purchases, food and beverage, late check-out, room upgrades and more.
• Free Travel Accident Insurance up to £250,000 and Travel Inconvenience Insurance up to £200.
• £10 back per month on Deliveroo, or effectively £120 a year

American Express Nectar Credit Card

If you’re a regular Sainsbury’s shopper, you might find that the American Express Nectar Credit Card offers you the best value for money. It has an annual cost of £30, which comes in the second year, so you can trial the card for a year to see if it’s ideal for you. Here’s what you’ll get:

• 20,000 bonus Nectar points when you spend £2,000 in your first three months. You don’t qualify for this offer if you’ve already had an Amex card in the past 24 months.
• Earn 3 points for every £1 spent at Nectar partners, and 2 points for every £1 on purchases
• Invite a friend and earn 5,000 points if they are approved.

Nectar points can be converted into Avios – 400 Nectar points equal 250 Avios. This means the welcome bonus is worth 12,500 Avios.

Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card

If you fly with Virgin or are a banking customer of theirs, you may want to consider getting the Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card. It has no annual fee. The perks that come with this card include:

• 3,000 welcome bonus points when you make a purchase in the first 90 days.
• Until 18 May, earn another 3,000 Virgin Points if you spend £1,000 within 90 days of taking out the card. Make sure you link your Flying Club number to your credit card by 16 August to be eligible for the bonus.
• 0.75 Virgin Points for every £1 spent on everyday purchases, and 1.5 points for every £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays.
• Get a flight upgrade or a companion ticket when you spend over £20,000 in a year.

We take a look at how Virgin Flying Club works in a separate guide.

Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card

For higher spenders and frequent flyers, it’s worth checking out the Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card, a premium version of the above reward credit card. The annual fee is £160, but this may be offset using Virgin Points. Here’s how you can earn them:

• 18,000 welcome bonus points when you make a purchase in the first 90 days.
• Until 18 May, earn another 18,000 Virgin Points if you spend £3,000 within 90 days of taking out the card. Make sure you link your Flying Club number to your credit card by 16 August to be eligible for the bonus.
• 1.5 Virgin Points for every £1 spent on everyday purchases, and 3 points for every £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays.
• Get a flight upgrade or a companion ticket when you spend over £10,000 in a year.

Barclaycard Avios

If you fly British Airways and want to collect Avios, Barclaycard Avios may be a good place to start, considering it comes with no annual fee. Here are the perks you can get:

• Collect 5,000 Avios if you spend £1,000 in the first three months
• 1 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases.
• When you hit £20,000 spent on your card within 12 months, you can choose between a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher to use on an Avios Reward Flight booking, or opt for 7,000 bonus Avios.

If you change from an existing Barclaycard to this one, you can still get 1,000 Avios when you spend at least £1,000 within three months.

For example, if you have collected 19,500 Avios points, by spending just £1, you can get a peak-time, economy return flight from London to Milan.

Barclaycard Avios Plus

For premium flyers and avid points collectors, the Barclaycard Avios Plus can mean you get more points and rewards on your travel. This is the most expensive card on the market, costing £20 monthly, or £240 annually. Here are perks that come with the premium card:

• Collect 25,000 Avios if you spend £3,000 in the first three months
• 1.5 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases.
• When you spend £10,000 on your card within 12 months, you can choose between a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher to use on an Avios Reward Flight booking, or opt for 7,000 bonus Avios.
• Access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide at a discounted rate of £20.50 per lounge pass per person.

If you change from an existing Barclaycard to this one, you can still get 5,000 Avios when you spend at least £3,000 within three months.

For example, if you use 43,000 Avios points and pay £33, you can get a peak, Club Europe business-class return flight from London to Venice, Lisbon or Madrid.

Which is the best credit card for flight points?

If you’re new to credit cards and still want to make the most of your travel, you might want to trial a credit card with a £0 annual fee – or opt for an Amex Preferred Rewards Gold card, which is free for a year, to determine if the rewards are worth it.

If you’re keen on a companion voucher or flight upgrade without having to fork out hundreds, you can trial the Barclaycard Avios or the British Airways Amex card. We look at the best credit cards for airport lounge access in a separate guide.

According to Head for Points, the Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card is “clearly the best deal” in the first year, given the boosted bonus. “36,000 Virgin Points easily offsets the £160 annual fee for the first year. More importantly, once you have the Reward Plus card, you are earning the superior 1.5 points per £1 whenever you shop. You also trigger the annual voucher more quickly.”

However, consider if you’re likely to use Virgin points before you apply. If you typically fly with British Airways instead, collecting Virgin points might not be right for you.

As per Which?, the Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card is the most competitive, but its free version is more cost-friendly. The American Express Rewards Credit Card is a ‘best buy’ due to its zero annual fee and flexibility.

However, it’s worth remembering that based on your needs and preferences, one card could be more suitable than the other – so if you value premium services, you might be comfortable paying more to get value for money.