Three of the largest airlines carriers at Newark Airport (and in the U.S.) are American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. If you’re thinking about opening up a credit card with one of them, you may be wondering which would be best.
Here, our Newark Airport parking company found a helpful article from Business Insider where David Slotnick compares and contrasts AA’s Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, United’s Chase MileagePlus Explorer Card, and Delta’s American Express Gold SkyMiles Card:
“One of the best ways to earn a bunch of frequent flyer miles quickly is to open an airline credit card and earn the new card member bonus.
While a card that earns transferable points — like the Chase Sapphire Preferred — typically has more valuable and flexible rewards than fixed program cards, airline cards win in two respects.
If you generally fly with one preferred airline, and earn frequent flyer miles on that program when you travel, then it can make sense to earn the same kind of miles from your credit card. Between the mileage earning from both, your miles will add up quicker.
Second, airline credit cards come with various perks, specific to that airline, that can save you a ton of time and money. Things like complimentary checked bags, priority boarding, and even day passes to airport lounges will have you feeling like you’re flying first class even when you’re in basic economy.
Each of the three major US airlines (American, Delta, and United) offers a few different credit cards, but among the most popular are the “mainstream” cards. These products have annual fees between $95–$99 — often waived the first year — and feature benefits that appeal to everyone from casual fliers to road warriors.
Obviously, if you typically fly just one airline, or if you live somewhere that serves as a hub for one carrier, that airline’s card is the best for you. However, if you live in an area serviced by several airlines or you have your choice, then you should consider each card before choosing one. While they all have similar features and benefits, and all offer a great value to cardholders, we’ve compared them and found that one stands out above the rest. Read on to see which it is.
Keep in mind that we’re focusing on earning rewards and perks, not things like interest rates and late fees, which can far outweigh the value of any rewards or benefits.
When you’re working to earn credit card rewards or take advantage of travel benefits, it’s important to practice financial discipline, like paying your balances off in full each month, making payments on time, and not spending more than you can afford to pay back — or spending more than you would otherwise. Basically, treat your credit card like a debit card.
First up is American Airlines: the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard.
The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard just announced a few new benefits and positive changes to the card, and to mark that, Citi and American are offering an increased sign-up bonus. For a limited time, you can get a whopping 60,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles when you spend $3,000 in the first three months with the card.
60,000 miles (or at least 63,000, when you factor in the miles you’ll earn for completing the minimum spending requirement) can get you far on American Airlines. Based on American Airlines’ award chart, you can get a round-trip flight to Europe or South America during peak season, a one-way ticket to Europe in business class, or at least two domestic round-trips (or more, depending on the distance).
The card comes with a suite of useful benefits for American Airlines flyers.
You and up to four companions traveling on the same reservation each get a free checked bag on domestic flights (since American Airlines is a full-service carrier, most international flights include the first checked bag for free). Because the first checked bag is usually $25 each way, this benefit can save you $50 on a round-trip itinerary.
In addition, you and everyone on your reservation get preferred boarding — joining an earlier boarding zone. That gives you more time to settle in — and earlier access to the overhead bins, so that you can make sure you’ll have room to store your bag.
The card also offers 25% discount on in-flight purchases, such as food and drinks, and access to discounted mileage award flights. Plus, you’ll get 10% of all redeemed miles back each year up to 10,000 miles.
The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum card earns 2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines purchases. Citi also recently added a few new bonus categories — new card members will earn 2x miles on restaurants and at gas stations, too (existing card members will start earning bonus miles on dining and gas on July 22). You’ll earn 1x mile on everything else.
Another new perk: When you spend $20,000 or more on the card in a card membership year, you’ll get a $100 discount on your next American Airlines flight (that’s in addition to the miles you’ll earn on those purchases).
The card has a $99 annual fee, which is waived for the first 12 months. It has no foreign transaction fees.
Next is the United Mileage Plus Explorer Card.
The United MileagePlus Explorer Card from Chase is a solid option for United flyers. The card is actually being discontinued and replaced with a new product, the United Explorer Credit Card, on June 1, according to Zach Honig at The Points Guy — however, you can still apply for the current version, and you’ll be automatically transferred to the new version with all other existing cardholders.
The United MileagePlus Explorer card offers 40,000 United miles when you spend $2,000 in the first three months. While the card has occasionally offered higher targeted offers, those typically don’t waive the $95 annual fee for the first year — this current public offer does.
Like the other airlines’ sub-$100 cards, the United card — both the current version and the new one — offers a free checked bag for the cardholder. Up to two traveling companions booking at the same time can also get a free checked bag each. Unlike the other airlines’ cards, though, you’ll have to actually buy the tickets with the United card in order to get the free checked bags — simply having the card isn’t enough.
For those who don’t have checked bags, the card offers priority boarding for everyone on your reservation — you’ll get this benefit even if you pay for the tickets with another card. By boarding earlier, you can make sure to snag overhead space for your carry-on.
A unique benefit to the United card — each year, you’ll get two complimentary passes to United Club lounges each year. If you get to the airport early or end up dealing with a delay, you can head to the lounge and enjoy free snacks, drinks, Wi-Fi, and comfortable seating.
When you spend $25,000 in a calendar year, you’ll also get a PQD waiver — PQDs, or “Premier Qualifying Dollars,” count toward earning elite status with the airline. When that requirement is waived, you’ll earn status just based on how much you’ve flown, rather than how much you’ve flown and how much you’ve spent that year.
The card earns 2x miles per dollar spent on all United purchases, and when the card is rebranded in June, it will also earn 2x miles on all dining and hotel spending. It will continue earning 1x mile on everything else. There are no foreign transaction fees.
Other new features being added to the card include a fee credit to cover the cost of enrolling in Global Entry/TSA PreCheck, and a 25% discount on all in-flight United purchases.
One unique — but unpublished — perk of the card is that having it helps you access additional United award space. That means that you’ll have an easier time finding the flights you want when it’s time to actually use your miles. This benefit will remain when the card is changed to the new version.
Finally, there’s the Gold Delta SkyMiles Card from American Express.
The Gold Delta Amex is currently offering up to 30,000 bonus Delta SkyMiles when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months.
The card also offers a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with the card within those first three months. That purchase can be airfare, an onboard drink, a discounted day pass to a Delta Sky Club lounge, or, if you don’t have plans to fly anytime soon, a gift card from Delta’s website (although you’ll have to make sure to use a computer, not a mobile device).
In addition to the welcome offer, the card comes with a handful of incredibly useful (and valuable) perks.
If you have the card open, you get a free checked bag on Delta flights, as does each other person on your reservation. Delta normally charges $25 for the first checked bag on each flight — so $50 for a round-trip — meaning that for a family of four, the free checked bag benefit would save $200.
The card also offers priority boarding to everyone on the cardholder’s reservation. If you aren’t checking a bag, that can come in useful — by boarding a little earlier, you’ll get better access to the overhead compartments and won’t have to worry about space running out.
For those who travel periodically, but not often enough to justify investing in a lounge membership (or getting access to Delta Sky Club lounges through the Amex Platinum Card), the Gold Delta SkyMiles card also offers discounted day passes to Delta’s lounges — $29 per person, instead of the usual $59. That can be a useful backup to have in case you ever find yourself with a long layover or a delay.
Other benefits include a 20% discount on in-flight purchases (in the form of a statement credit), such as food or drinks, and no foreign transaction fees.
The card earns 2x Delta SkyMiles on every dollar spent with Delta, and one SkyMile per dollar spent on everything else. The card has an annual fee of $95, which is waived the first year.
How do the cards stack up?
Each card has strengths and weaknesses. Let’s look at each:
American Airlines: the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select
Pros:
- 2x points on dining and gas — not just on airline purchases
- Currently offers one of its highest-ever, publicly available sign-up bonuses
- Free first checked bag for you and up to four traveling companions, regardless of whether or not you use the card to buy your tickets
- Priority boarding
- $100 discount on an American Airlines flight if you spend $20,000 in a year
- Discount on in-flight purchases, 10% of redeemed miles refunded (up to 10,000 miles per year)
Cons:
- No lounge passes or discounts
United Airlines: the MileagePlus Explorer Card from Chase
Pros:
- 2x miles on dining and hotels (beginning June 1), as well as on United purchases
- Two complimentary United Club lounge passes each year
- Priority boarding for you and your travel companions
- Discount on in-flight purchases (beginning June 1), Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit (also beginning June 1)
- Access to additional saver-level award seats
Cons:
- To get the first checked bag free, you’ll have to use the card to buy your tickets
- The free checked bag is only extended to up to two traveling companions — that’s not helpful if you’re traveling with a family of four
Delta: the Gold Delta SkyMiles card from American Express
Pros:
- Free first checked bag for you and any traveling companions, regardless of whether or not you use the card to buy your tickets
- Priority boarding
- Discounted day passes for Delta Sky Club lounges
- Discounts on in-flight purchases
- Offers a statement credit in addition to the regular new cardmember offer
Cons:
- No bonus earning categories (besides Delta purchases)
- No extras (like a discount, extra points, or help toward elite status) if you spend a lot on the card in a year
- There’s usually a higher welcome offer once or twice a year, so unless you need the other benefits soon, it may be worth waiting
So, which is best?
The best card is the one for whichever airline you find the most useful. Although there are some differences between them, each of these cards comes with a version of free checked bags and priority boarding, which are the most valuable reasons to have the cards. Plus, they help you earn more miles — and quickly.
However, if you’re ambivalent about your choice of airline, the Citi/AAdvantage card for American Airlines is probably the most appealing card right now.
Between the new benefits, including 2x points at several new categories, and the high sign-up bonus — which is only available for a limited time — this card represents a great value.
As benefits continue to be added and removed — and, crucially, as sign-up bonuses and welcome offers fluctuate — this evaluation could always change. One way or another, an airline card is a must-have and represents significant value for anyone who flies even just a few times a year.”
Do you have any of these cards? If so, what do you like or not like about them? Let our Newark Airport parking company know!