Best Cards For International Flights

The Amex Platinum card tops our list because of the strength of its transfer partners and their global reach. If your priority is premium classes of service on long-haul international flights, it doesn’t get much better than Singapore Air or ANA to Asia, Qatar or Etihad to the Middle East, or Aeroplan and Avianca (on Lufthansa or Swiss) to Europe. There are plenty of economy options, too, with Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue, and Iberia offering cheap ways to get to Europe, and strong redemption opportunities on Avianca to South America. Airfare redemptions aren’t all that the American Express Platinum offers. You get Priority Pass and Centurion Lounge access, along with Air France and Lufthansa lounges in select cities, and Delta Sky Clubs when flying on Delta. If you can wait for an elevated signup bonus, you’ll have a large pool of American Express Membership Rewards points to plan your next adventure.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is near the top of our rankings because of its flexibility and versatility for international airfare redemptions. Not being tied to one specific airline gives you the most options, whether you’re looking for the cheapest economy redemption or a premium business or first class experience. It has strong partners and transfers to all three airline alliances. All of its airline partners have solid potential for international airfare redemptions, particularly Air Canada, United, Virgin, and Flying Blue. You’ll get coverage across the entire globe. You also have to factor in comfort perks like Priority Pass Select membership and access to Chase Sapphire Lounges and Air Canada lounges. Add good multipliers on airfare and hotel purchases, along with solid travel and primary car rental insurance once you’re at your destination, and this card does it all. The main reason the Chase Sapphire Reserve isn't at the very top of the list is because we value Chase Ultimate Rewards points more for Hyatt redemptions instead of airfare.

Citi’s answer to the Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum doesn’t quite match up to its counterparts, but it still offers strong international airfare options. Citi has solid transfer partners for flights across the globe, with good opportunities in both economy and premium classes of service. EVA and Singapore Air provide reliable redemptions to Asia, Flying Blue, JetBlue, and Virgin offer options to Europe, Avianca covers South America, and Qatar serves the Middle East. Citi is also the only partner of American Airlines, giving you access to their broad network of partner airlines for a variety of sweet spot redemptions. The card doesn’t offer the same level of perks as the first two on our list, but Priority Pass access, four Admirals Club passes, and a set of travel-focused statement credits help improve your airport and travel experience. The inability to earn points as easily is the main reason it ranks behind the Amex and Chase cards.

Our first co-branded card comes from Air Canada, the Star Alliance carrier with a massive network and coverage across the globe. Aeroplan points are useful for flights to Asia on Singapore, ANA, and EVA; to Europe with United, Lufthansa, and Swiss; to Central and South America with Avianca and Copa; to the Middle East with Ethiopian and EgyptAir; and to South Africa on South African Airways. The best part of redeeming with partners through Aeroplan is that they don’t pass on fuel surcharges, so you can often fly for much less than if you booked directly with programs like Lufthansa or Swiss. Aeroplan also partners with most major credit card reward systems, making it easy to top up with Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt points. The card adds useful perks as well. Free checked bags for the cardholder and up to 8 companions can save quite a bit if you fly multiple times annually. Apply early in the year and earn complimentary Aeroplan 25K Status for the rest of that year and the following year. Though this is the lowest status level, you’ll receive benefits like priority airport services and possible upgrades. The low $95 annual fee makes this a keeper card if you fly Air Canada or Star partners regularly, especially with the annual 10k mile anniversary points that essentially cancels that fee out.

If premium cabins on international routes are your priority, Atmos is one of the best systems for that. You can often find premium cabin redemptions with Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific to Asia, Qatar to the Middle East, and American and Fiji to Oceania. Finnair, Iberia, and British also allow you to maximize the Avios system to Europe. If you travel with a partner, you’ll get a lot of value from the annual Global Companion Award, which can easily cover the $395 annual fee if you maximize it. You’ll receive this as part of the welcome offer in the first year and for every subsequent year you hold the card. Like most other premium airline cards, you’ll receive free checked bags, preferred boarding, and a handful of travel credits to make your trips cheaper and more comfortable. You also receive eight Alaska Lounge passes per year, broken into two per quarter. The main drawback of the Atmos system is that they only partner with Bilt for transferable points, which makes topping up your balance more challenging than with other programs.

The premium card from American Airlines is a strong contender for anyone wishing to use it for international airfare. American loyalists or those near a hub will benefit from its wide partner network and premium travel perks. There are great international redemption options, many in premium cabins, on American partners like Japan Airlines, Qatar, and Qantas, which provide coverage to Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. You can also fly on American metal or partners like Finnair to Europe. If you prioritize comfort when you travel, complimentary Admirals Club membership for the cardmember and immediate family or up to two guests is worth up to $1,650 annually on its own, helping make the high annual fee more palatable. You also receive a free checked bag and preferred boarding for up to eight companions, along with a strong signup bonus and multipliers to help build points. American is a transfer partner of Citi, providing an easy avenue to top up with ThankYou points.

Another Star Alliance option is United’s Club Infinite card, the premium card offered by United Airlines. For those who fly United regularly, this card provides strong options for international airfare redemptions through the airline itself and its partner network. You’ll get better access to saver award space as a cardholder, along with a 10% Saver Award discount. There are plenty of redemption opportunities to Europe, Asia, and South America. If premium space is what you’re after, you can find it with Lufthansa, Swiss, ANA, and EVA, and United does not pass surcharges on to the customer for international redemptions. You’ll receive United Club membership, valued at $750 annually on its own, along with two checked bags, priority check-in, security screening, boarding, and baggage handling, plus a range of useful statement credits. United partners with Chase and Bilt, giving you an opportunity to top up when necessary. The one downfall is United’s dynamic pricing, which makes it more time-consuming to find outsized redemptions.

Capital One usually doesn’t get as much publicity as Chase, Amex, and Citi when it comes to transferable points programs, but the Venture X is a solid addition if your points goal is international airfare. They have strong transfer partner options, including Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, Virgin, Flying Blue, and Qatar, offering a mix of economy and premium cabin opportunities to destinations across the globe. The Venture X has maintained a lower annual fee than other premium card options from Chase, Amex, and Citi, and its $300 travel credit can be a useful boost for airfare or for pairing your trip with a hotel or rental car booking. Cardmembers also receive Priority Pass, access to Capital One lounges, and good travel protections, bolstering its value for international travel. Their transfer partner network isn’t as deep as Chase or Amex, but the earning structure and lower annual fee relative to other premium cards make this a keeper card and one that delivers consistent value.

British Airways gets a bad rep for high surcharges and taxes on award redemptions, deservedly so, as the elevated fees can cancel out a good points redemption. This card helps minimize those costs by offering $200 back per booking for taxes, fees, and charges on a premium cabin ticket and $100 back on economy and premium economy. You can use these credits up to three times per year for a savings of up to $600 annually. The biggest perk of the British Airways system is that their currency is Avios, shared by six other airlines and freely transferable among them. Move points to Iberia, Finnair, or Qatar for strong international award redemptions. As part of the oneworld Alliance, British Airways also provides good partner redemption opportunities through airlines like American, Alaska, and Japan. The low $95 annual fee is easily covered by the reward flight credits, and high spenders can earn a Travel Together Ticket after spending $30,000 in a calendar year. This gives you a companion ticket good for two years on the same reward flight, or a 50% Avios discount when booking a solo reward. British Airways also partners with most major transferable systems, with Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt all transferring at 1:1 ratios. And because Avios can move freely among its partner airlines, you can indirectly transfer from every points ecosystem.