Cheaper flights
Each time you spend money, you’ll earn points which you can convert into money off flights – often in the form of air miles
Air miles credit cards
Compare our best air miles credit cards
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What is an air miles credit card?
An air miles credit card is a type of credit card that rewards you with airline miles or points for every pound you spend using the card. These points, like Avios or Virgin Points, can be redeemed for a variety of travel-related rewards, including flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and other travel experiences.
Think of the points earned on air miles credit cards as rewards points because they don't always equate to actual miles. When you spend money using the card, you’ll accumulate points in an online account.
How do they work?
Spend on your credit card as normal: Pay for your day-to-day spending as you would with a normal credit card
Earn air miles reward points: Get air miles reward points every time you use your card to make purchases
Exchange points for cheap flights: Once you’ve collected enough points, redeem them for cheaper flights, hotel upgrades, and other perks
What can I exchange my air miles points for?
While it will depend on the specific card you have, you can exchange your air miles points for a variety of different rewards, including:
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Upgrades/priority boarding
With a sufficient balance of points you may be able to secure an upgrade on your flight or priority boarding to ease your travel
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Lounge access
You might qualify for access to airport lounges, with benefits such as complimentary food, drinks, wi-fi, newspapers and magazines
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Companion flights
Some air miles credit cards offer a free companion voucher, so you can take someone with you when you travel
How to select the best air miles credit card
When comparing air miles cards there are a number of factors to consider, such as:
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Where can you use it?
Be confident you’ll be able to spend on your air miles credit card in enough places to earn sufficient points. Not all retailers accept all cards
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Is it the right airline?
Make sure you’re happy to be flying with the network of airlines linked to your air miles card. Most cards are tied to a particular network
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What are the fees?
Consider the annual fee and decide whether you’ll earn enough air miles points each year to make the benefits worthwhile – and also that you’ll make use of the rewards
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Check your credit score
Keep an eye on your credit score. A good credit rating gives you the best chance of being accepted for the top deals on air miles credit cards
What are the pros and cons of air miles credit cards?
There are several advantages to getting an air miles credit card, but there are also a few disadvantages it’s worth considering, such as:
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Advantages
High value rewards If you regularly use your credit card and you're a frequent flyer, an air miles card could provide better rewards than other cards
Variety of perks From cheaper flights to lounge access to companion flights, there are a range of rewards to choose from
Bonus points Most air miles credit cards offer a generous bonus when you sign up and spend a certain amount in the first three months
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Disadvantages
Annual fee You might have to pay a monthly or annual fee for your air miles credit card. Factor this in before deciding whether to apply
High interest rate If you don’t pay your card off in full each month, interest rates may be higher than on other credit cards
Lost benefits Depending on the terms of the card, if you miss or can’t afford a payment you could risk losing your reward points
What are the alternatives to air miles credit cards?
There’s a credit card to suit almost everyone, so if airline rewards and frequent flier miles aren’t quite what you're after, consider one of the following:
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Rewards credit cards
Rewards credit cards earn you store points or vouchers that you can spend with certain retailers
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0% purchase credit cards
Instead of points or vouchers, these cards charge 0% interest on spending for a period
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Travel credit cards
These complement airline cards, and make spending cheaper while you’re overseas
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Balance transfer cards
These are designed to let you consolidate debt and reduce how much interest you pay
Can I borrow money on my air miles credit card?
While you might be able to borrow money on your air miles credit card, it’s usually best avoided because it can be expensive. If you use the card to withdraw cash from ATMs, you will often be faced with significantly higher interest rates than on regular purchases.
In addition, you may be charged a cash advance fee, typically a percentage of the amount borrowed, plus an ATM fee for withdrawing the cash. To make it worse, unlike regular purchases, cash advances start accruing interest from day one.
As well as avoiding cash withdrawals you should also prioritise paying the debt off on time and in full every month. Otherwise, you can face late payment charges and higher interest rates than with other credit cards.
Will interest rate cuts make borrowing cheaper?
In December 2025 the Bank of England cut the base rate from 4% to 3.75%, the fourth cut of the year. While credit card interest rates aren't directly tied to the base rate, they often track it to some extent.
A lower base rate can encourage lenders to reduce the interest rates they charge on credit cards, making borrowing more affordable. You may therefore see interest start to come down for air miles credit cards in the coming months, particularly if more rate cuts are announced.
However, it is still worth noting that interest rates, and therefore borrowing costs, are still high compared to recent times, with the base rate being as low as 0.1% just 3 years ago.
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Our expert says…
Air miles credit cards can be really handy, especially if you fly frequently, and they can give you a range of travel discounts such as airport lounge access, discounted flights, or free upgrades. But as with any type of credit card, they are only worth it if you’ll use the benefits on offer. You’ll also need to pay attention to the smaller print such as annual fees and factor these in when working out how much you’ll save overall.
Kara Gammell Personal Finance & Insurance Expert
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How much does an airmiles credit card cost?
That depends on the card and the lender. While it’s possible to find no-fee cards that offer airmiles-related benefits, some cards charge monthly maintenance fees as high as £200 per year.
It’s also worth noting that the APR on airmiles credit cards tends to be fairly high – especially compared with low-rate credit cards. That means they can be an expensive way to borrow, if you don't pay off your balance in full each month.
According to Nimblefins, the average APR on an airmiles card as of March 2024 was 23.8%. That compares to just 10.9% on the average low-rate credit card,
To see if an airmiles credit card will suit you, you need to consider whether you’ll really make use of the travel-related benefits they offer and whether the cost of maintaining the account outweighs any travel savings you’d make.
How to compare air miles credit cards with MoneySuperMarket
If you feel that an airline credit card could be right for you, the next step is to use the MoneySuperMarket Eligibility Checker to see what cards are available – and which are most likely to approve you:
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Tell us about yourself
We’ll ask you a handful of simple questions about you and your financial circumstances, and what you need from a credit card
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We browse the market
We’ll sift through dozens of credit card offers from across the market, and then show you the cards we think will suit you best
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Pick the card you want
You’ll be shown a range of credit cards, which you’ll then be able to sort according to APR, features and your chances of being approved
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Compare more than just air miles credit cards
What do air miles credit cards offer?
Air miles credit cards allow you to earn points when you spend on the card, which you can then use towards the cost of future trips - and other travel-related rewards.
They can often be used to get free flights, reduce the cost of flights or get free access to airport lounges. Better still, air miles credit cards can get you money off the price of hotels and car hire.
Aimed at frequent travellers, the more you spend on the card, the more points you’ll earn. There are many cards on the market and they’re usually tied to particular airline networks.
Air miles credit cards come with different levels of rewards and often have high annual fees, which can make it confusing to know which one to choose. MoneySuperMarket can help you compare and find the right air miles credit card for you.
Is a cashback or air miles credit card best?
This will depend on your lifestyle and spending habits. If you are a frequent flyer and have a high annual spend on your credit card – over £10,000, for example – then an air miles credit card could work in your favour. But often air miles credit cards come with higher fees than cashback cards, so the latter might be a better option if you typically spend less and don’t travel as much.
Which credit cards give you air miles?
Air miles are provided on specialist credit cards where you might have to pick between your chosen airline schemes, such as Avios from British Airways or Virgin Atlantic. Some air miles credit cards such as those from American Express also let you earn rewards you can use on both schemes. Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club cards are also popular and powered by Mastercard
Always check the terms and conditions of a card before signing up to see what air miles you might receive depending on how often you travel and how much you spend.
What does Avios offer with air miles credit cards?
Avios offers a range of benefits through air miles credit cards, making it easier for travelers to earn and redeem points for various rewards.
By using an Avios-linked credit card for everyday purchases, cardholders accumulate Avios points, which can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, or car rentals. Additionally, many Avios credit cards offer bonus Avios as a welcome gift, significantly boosting a member's point balance right from the start.
Avios points can also be used for upgrades on flights, allowing cardholders to enjoy more comfortable and luxurious travel.
What does Amex offer with air miles credit cards?
Depending on the card you get, with Amex you can get access to a host of travel benefits, including complimentary lounge visits, cashback on Deliveroo orders, and access to exclusive experiences.
American Express offer one point per £1 spent, and you can redeem your points for flight tickets or hotels.
What does Virgin Atlantic offer with air miles credit cards?
Depending on the card, you can get 0.75 or 1.5 points per £1 spent – and double the points if you spend with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays. And with the Virgin Money Back scheme, you can also earn up to 15% cashback from some top UK retailers.
If you spend £20,000 in a year, you can unlock exclusive rewards, such as a free companion flight, upgrade, or Virgin Clubhouse pass.
Can I get any British Airways rewards with my air miles card?
Whether you can get British Airways rewards depends on what type of air miles card you choose.
Look for Avios, which is the reward currency of British Airways and partners with many credit card providers such as American Express and Capital One.
What to consider before getting an air miles credit card
There are a number of things to think about before you get an air miles card.
Are you a high spender? Air miles credit cards tend to work best for those who spend £10,000 or more on their credit card every year.
You should factor in any annual charges applied on the card too – and be sure the points and miles you’ll earn will be more than enough to cover the fee.
It's also a good idea to think about whether you’ll be able to pay off your card balance in full every month. Air miles credit cards typically charge a higher APR than standard credit cards, so your debt can quickly mount up if you're not careful.
Air miles cards tend to work best if you use them for all your regular day to day spending – building up a big points balance.
But if you’re concerned it might tempt you into overspending, or there’s a risk you’ll get into debt, they’re probably best avoided. You really need to be paying off the balance in full each month to be getting the maximum rewards.
Can I get any other travel rewards with my credit card?
Yes, many credit cards offer various travel rewards beyond air miles. These rewards can include hotel stays, car rentals, travel insurance, airport lounge access, and even cashback on travel-related expenses.
To maximise travel rewards, research and choose a credit card that aligns with your travel preferences and spending habits, and make sure to understand its specific rewards program and terms.
Are air miles credit cards worth it?
Air miles credit cards have lots of attractive features, such as cheaper flights, companion flights, lounge access and priority boarding, but they won’t be right for everyone. It will depend on several factors, including how much you spend on your card and how often you travel with the airlines where you can redeem your points.
Typically, air miles cards are most suitable for frequent flyers who spend a lot on their credit card. Air miles cards often charge an annual usage fee – so if you aren’t going to build up a big tally of points the value of any rewards could soon be outweighed by the charges – making it not worthwhile.
Like all credit cards, it’s important to pay off your card balance in full every month or high interest rates will be applied. You should also never use the air miles credit card to withdraw cash as the fees and rates for this can be high.
How does APR work for air miles credit cards?
The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on air miles credit cards determines the interest charged on any unpaid balances from month to month. By paying the full balance each month, you can avoid these interest charges.
Many cards also feature introductory APR offers, which provide lower rates for a limited time. It’s important to manage APR carefully because carrying a balance with high interest can offset the rewards gained from earning air miles, reducing their value.
Credit card deals comparison
If you’re applying for a credit card, you might be able to find a better deal if you look through offers from different providers before taking one out. With MoneySuperMarket you’ll be able to search through multiple credit card deals and compare them by a range of factors, including their interest rates and any benefits and rewards they come with.
All you need to do is answer a few questions about yourself and your financial situation, and our Eligibility Checker will show your chances of being accepted for different credit cards. This won’t affect your credit score, so you can run a check without any worries.
Once you know which card you want, you can normally apply by phone, online, or in person if the provider has a high street branch. However, when you do apply, the provider will usually run a hard credit check – which will show up on your credit report – to confirm whether they’ll give you the card. If you’re accepted they’ll tell you your credit limit and interest rate, and soon you’ll be ready to start using your credit card.
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Reviewed on 22 Dec 2025 by
