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...which one will you fly more?
I have delta, treated me well so far
I wouldn't get any airline credit card unless you fly one nearly exclusively. Just get an Amex plat or Chase Reserve and call it a day.
^This is great advice. The perks rarely outweigh the annual fee unless you're fully loyal to that airline.
Chief
Any Southwest CC fast tracks you to obtaining Companion Pass, which is the number one airline perk in the universe 💫
For someone who flies a moderate amount and is unwilling to pay for first class, Southwest is going to be your best option every time. The other airlines will kill you with change and bag fees, and of course nobody else offers companion pass. Flying your wife for free every time is always better than flying your wife for free on long haul only lol. Plus if you have pre check your wait will almost always be short anyway.
If your closest airport is Charlotte, the only one of the Big 3 you should even consider having a card with is American - they’re the only one of the Big 3 that has a hub there and strong route coverage there.
I would avoid Delta and United cards unless you have a specific redemption in mind since you’ll have to go out of your way to fly exclusively with them - will note Delta’s miles are by far the least valuable if you’re dead set on a card from those 2 if you had to make a choice between them.
Like others said it all depends on which one you’ll be flying most. Here’s a few things to consider:
1. Who has the biggest network at the nearest airport ? If Atlanta you almost always go with delta
2. Where will you fly to most often? For work and vacation. E.g. I fly to South Asia often to meet family. American has partnership with 2 of ME3 which have extensive network between US and South Asia so that heavily factored in to my decision
Rising Star
Yeah CSR is the way to go. I spilt between United and southwest and have a southwest card because the sign up bonus was huge. Now I never fly southwest because I have United status and business class upgrades > *
Nah go plat at least right now. Use Card match and get a 125,000 MR points offer
Which cards are you considering? There should be 3-4 for both delta and united. Are there benefits that you are looking for in particular out of the card?
I would say the main purpose of an airline credit card is to help achieve elevated status, free checked bags, and perks (ie companion pass and seat upgrades). As others have recommended, Chase and Amex are more general and would be better at accruing miles and arguably better perks.
For example, Amex platinum gives 5x points when booking a flight directly with airline (so not something like Expedia). The Chase Sapphire Reserves is similar with 3x points on more general travel (CSR also gives a 1.5 multiplier on points). These points can be transferred to airlines where you get prob about $.01-$.04 per point. These institutions have other cards that are good for getting points for daily expenses as that can then be used for travel.
I would check cardmatch and check your targeted higher into offer (especially for the Amex Platinum rn).
We can give you better advice if you tell us your city or closest major airport. As others have said, this is primarily a question of which airline you fly and not about the credit cards. Once you pick an airline, then you can evaluate the various credit card offerings for that particular airline to decide which makes the most sense for you based on your personal spending and the perks you plan to use.
United cc makes you eligible for upgrades on award travel you wouldn't otherwise be eligible for (I believe Delta dropped this requirement in 2016). If you're like me and have to maintain split status on Delta/United this alone justified the $99/year
Churn both. Start with United Quest card for large intro bonus. AMEX business cards are also easy get - just sell some crap on postmark or something. That gives you about 10 cards to churn through - enough for 2-3 years of high earning.
Chief
What is your hub city and who is the primary airline there. That is the one you would generally want to go with
If you're really trying to optimize your miles, you should pick one airline that does both domestic and international flights and exclusively fly that airline. Then the miles you earn on domestic flights (since those are cheaper and usually not as good of a deal on miles, so you're more likely to pay cash) can be used toward international award flights.
Closest major airport is in Charlotte NC, thank you!
Seriously?! You shouldn't even be considering United or Delta. American is the only legacy airline with a hub in Charlotte. If you're primarily flying from Charlotte, American should be your airline of choice and the only airline credit card you consider.
But again, if you don't plan to be loyal to American (i.e., price and schedule are bigger factors in your flight booking decisions than airline) and/or won't fully maximize the card perks, then you're better off with a general travel card.