The best credit cards for flight points and airline rewards

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

Several credit card providers offer airline or flight points as a reward on your spending, including American Express, Virgin Money and Barclays.

But which is the best credit card for collecting flight points such as Avios or Virgin Points? We compare the options available right now, including fees, welcome bonuses and additional perks such as airport lounge access or travel insurance.

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What is an airline points credit card?

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

Once you’ve collected enough points, you can typically redeem them for benefits such as discounted flights, seat upgrades, extra baggage or other travel expenses, including hotel stays or car hire, depending on the provider.

Different airlines have their own loyalty schemes. Two of the most popular are Avios, used by British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic’s Virgin Points.

Are airline points credit cards worth it?

Airline points credit cards can offer lucrative rewards, particularly if you’re a higher spender or 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 may need to be flexible with your travel plans, as there may be limited availability on flights which you can book with points, particularly during peak travel periods.

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 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 a cost-effective travel rewards credit card, allowing you to earn points on your spending without any annual charge.

Fee: No annual fee

Benefits include:

• 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.
• One point for every £1 spent on purchases.
• 4,000 points for referring 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 has no annual fee and lets you collect Avios on purchases.

Fee: No annual fee

Benefits 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.
• 4,000 points for referring a friend – provided their application is approved.
• A companion voucher when you spend £15,000 during each cardmembership year.
• Travel Accident Insurance of up to £75,000 when travelling on public transport.

You can redeem vouchers when booking a British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus Reward flight.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

If you travel frequently and want more value from your spending, the American Express Preferred Rewards Credit Card may be a suitable option. Although it carries an annual fee of £195 (£0 in the first year), the points and rewards on offer could help offset the cost.

Fee: £195 per year (£0 in the first year)

Benefits include:

• 20,000 bonus Membership Rewards points when you spend £3,000 in the first three months. You don’t qualify if you’ve already had an Amex card in the past 24 months.
• 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
• A 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 regularly shop at Sainsbury’s, the American Express Nectar Credit Card could offer good value. It has an annual fee of £30, payable from the second year, so you can trial the card for a year before deciding whether it suits your needs.

Fee: £30 per year (£0 in the first year)

Benefits include:

• 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.
• Three points for every £1 spent at Nectar partners, and 2 points for every £1 on purchases
• 5,000 points for referring a friend if they are approved.

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

Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card

If you fly with Virgin or bank with Virgin Money, you may want to consider getting the Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card.

Fee: No annual fee.

Benefits include:

• 3,000 welcome bonus points when you make a purchase in the first 90 days with no minimum spend.
• 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.
• 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, the Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card offers a premium alternative to the standard card. The annual fee is £160, which may be offset using Virgin Points.

Fee: £160 per year

Benefits include:

• 18,000 welcome bonus points when you make a purchase in the first 90 days with no minimum spend.
• 1.5 Virgin Points for every £1 spent on everyday purchases, and 3 points for every £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays.
• A flight upgrade or a companion ticket when you spend over £10,000 in a year.

Barclaycard Avios

If you fly with British Airways and want to collect Avios, Barclays Avios may be a good place to start.

Fee: No annual fee.

Benefits include:

• 5,000 Avios if you spend £1,000 in the first three months
• One 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 switch from an existing Barclaycard to this card, 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.

Fee: £20 per month (equivalent to £240 per year)

Benefits include:

• 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 want to maximise your travel rewards, you might want to consider starting with a credit card that has no annual fee. Alternatively, you could try the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold card, which is free for a year, to determine if the rewards are worth it.

If you want 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 Rob Burgess at Head for Points, the Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card is “one of the top two airline or hotel Visa or Mastercards on the market. The only direct competitor for the title of ‘best non-Amex card’ is the Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard”.

Burgess adds: “18,000 Virgin Points is a strong sign-up bonus and there is no spending target to hit. You receive the points after making your first purchase on the card. The real strength is the on-going earning rate. 1.5 Virgin Points for every £1 you spend is an excellent return.”

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.

According to 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, the best card depends on your spending habits, preferred airline and how often you travel, so you might be comfortable paying a higher fee to get more points.