Best Cards For International Flights

United is one of those airlines that takes you places that you need to get vaccines ... and we mean that in a good way. Places that are super exotic and exciting. We like to call them the A’s ... Africa, Asia, Australia, Athens. You can even get non-stop routes to some of these places, which is why we love the United Explorer card. You can build up your points fairly quickly with the sign-up bonus. And booking flights is super simple through the United website. If your flight has a lay-over, you can take advantage of your free checked bag, priority boarding and complimentary lounge club passes to make your long-haul flights a lot more comfortable. So think about where you want to go next. And if United goes there, then it’s time to start thinking seriously about getting your vaccinations and this card.

The Sapphire cards are fantastic for a couple of reasons. The sign-up bonus is big and easy to transfer to a number of different airlines that travel internationally. Airlines like United, British Airways, Air France, Iberia and more. Something super cool about these cards is that when you book your travel through the Chase portal, your point value automatically multiplies by 25% or 50%, depending on if you get the Preferred or the Reserve. Working with Ultimate Rewards opens a large door of opportunity because you aren’t so tied down to just one airline or one redemption program. Also, use the Sapphire cards while you're abroad because there is no foreign transaction fee, you get primary car insurance (which is a big deal), and you earn 2x or 3x points on travel and dining. These are good cards for hotels and domestic voyages -- but for you travelers going overseas, they’re great cards.

We love this card and here’s why: The points come fairly easily and in a great big quantity. (We usually wait until the sign-up bonus is 80,000+ points.) Once they come in, you can transfer to multiple airlines at a 1:1 ratio -- usually instantly by simply pressing a button. The airlines include some very strong international names like Aer Lingus, AerClub, British Airways, Emirates, Iberia, Singapore Airlines and so on. You won’t be locked into one single airline for your international travels. The card comes with some solid perks that are helpful when traveling abroad, like primary car rental coverage; trip delay reimbursement; and trip cancellation / interruption insurance. Overall, this is a very useful card with a very strong international presence.

Because we’re huge fans of SkyMiles, we really enjoy collecting them. With this particular card, you’ll be paying a higher annual fee -- but the card isn’t called platinum for nothing. You’ll get an annual companion certificate each year with the renewal of your account; Delta Sky Club access; priority boarding; free checked bag; plus 20% rebate on in-flight purchases. This card also helps you fast-track your elite status by giving you 15,000 MQM’s after you spend $30,000 each calendar year. We love Delta because it partners up with some heavy international airlines. One of our best experiences with Delta was when we booked a flight home from Bangkok through China Eastern business class. It could have easily been confused for their top-notch first class and it was one of the most amazing 17 hours of travel we’ve ever flown.

Yeah, we're stacking cards here -- precisely because you can do the same, especially if you have a business. Need 140,000 points for your round trip? We've routinely been able to get a personal and business delta card a month apart. Remember, you can only get Amex cards once per lifetime, so wait until they have one of their regular "limited time offers." The annual fee is only $95 and it’s waived the first year. You’ll still get first checked bag free, priority boarding and 20% in-flight savings. This card won’t give you some of the comfy cozies you get from a platinum card. But for those who don’t care about the voyage -- as much as the destination -- and don’t mind economy seats, it’s a great option.

American Airlines points are exceptionally valuable for international travel. And this card is great because after just one purchase, you get a whole mess of points. As if that weren’t enough, you also get a few fun perks, like 10% mileage refund up to 10,000 miles annually; first checked bag free for you and 4 of your travel companions; 25% off in-flight purchases; and the $99 companion certificate renews every year after spending $20,000 annually. To give you an idea of just how valuable your points are for international travel, flights start at 15,000 points one-way. That makes this a great card to get, especially if you need your points immediately. Just make sure American Airlines (or one of its partner airlines) travel to where you want to go. That’s because you’ll get the most value out of this card by using it specifically for American Air.

When you plan a trip overseas, the biggest concern is budgeting. That’s why this card made the cut with its “purchase eraser.” Like a magic wand, wipe out practically any of your travel expenses. Get your miles quickly with the strong sign-up bonus, plus earn 2x miles on every single purchase. Another fairly new option is the ability to transfer your miles to one of 14 different international airline partners at a 2:1.5 rate, letting you squeeze a little more value out of your points. You really aren’t losing anything with this card because the annual fee is waived for the first year. So you can collect all those miles and utilize them with no initial investment. Then when the annual fee comes due, you can decide if the $95 is worth keeping the venture going. You might find out you can’t live without it.

Coming in on our International list is this beauty. A very cost-effective choice with the annual fee waived the first year. A nice point-building perk: earn American Airline 2x miles for every $1 spent on gas and at restaurants. This card is specific for American Airlines (or one of their OneWorld Alliance partners), making it fantastic for international travel. And as an AA Mileage Plus member, you’ll have access to American’s reduced mileage award program, giving you access to monthly discounts … and making your next international trip not seem so far off.

Avios are like hot sauce: You either take a bite and realize you ruined your entire meal... or you start eating and think, “how have I lived without this my entire life?” The reason is this: When you fly through London, which is the main portal for British Airways, you’ll get hit with some pretty heavy surcharges and taxes. That’s the bad news. The good news? Avios are actually super useful when booking through OneWorld Alliance, or if you use your Avios toward flights not going through London. Something we particularly like about this card is the “Travel Together” ticket received after spending $30,000 annually. This companion certificate is especially handy because your “plus one” can accompany you even when you book a flight using just your Avios. So we happen to like hot sauce, but everyone has to decide on their own.