The easiest airline credit cards to get approved for are the AeroMexico Secured Visa and the SKYPASS Secured Visa. Since they’re secured cards, you can get approved even if your credit is bad. You just have to place a security deposit, which will serve as your credit line. All other airline cards are a lot harder to get because they require at least good credit for approval. … read full answer
You don’t need an airline credit card to save on airfare, though. If you’re in college, for example, you could go for the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students, which offers points. Other people with limited credit could get a cash back card like Capital One QuicksilverOne. Let’s take a look at some of the best credit cards for airline purchases in detail.
Here are the easiest airline credit cards to get approved for:
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AeroMexico Visa Secured. This card accepts people with bad credit. It gives 5,000 bonus miles and a companion certificate after your first purchase. You also get 2 Club Premier Miles per dollar spent on gas and groceries, and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. And you don’t have to pay for your baggage on AeroMexico flights. You need to submit a $300-$5,000 deposit to open your account. There’s an annual fee of $25, waived the first year.
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SKYPASS Visa Secured. This card, co-branded with Korean Air, accepts people with bad credit, gives 5,000 SKYPASS bonus miles when you make your first purchase, and rewards you with 1 mile per dollar on all purchases. You must submit a $300-$5,000 deposit. There is a $50 annual fee.
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LATAM Secured. This card, co-branded with the Latin-American provider LATAM Airlines, accepts people with bad credit. You get 5,000 bonus miles after your first purchase, and earn 1 mile per dollar on all purchases. You also get a 10% discount on your first LATAM Airlines purchase ($500 or less) each year. You need to submit a $300-$5,000 deposit. There is a $25 annual fee, waived the first year.
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Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students: If you’re a student with limited or no credit history, you can apply. If you apply online, you get 20,000 bonus points for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. You get 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases, and 3 points per dollar at the travel center. There’s no deposit, and no annual fee.
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Capital One QuicksilverOne: People with limited or no credit are eligible. You get 1.5% cash back on all purchases. That can help you save on airline tickets. There is an annual fee of $39.
You might notice that the three secured credit cards seem very similar in their terms. That’s because they’re all issued by U.S. Bank. If you’re a frequent flyer on those airlines, it might be worthwhile to apply. And if you’re a student, Bank of America Travel Rewards will give you the best travel value, even though it uses points rather than miles. If you want to qualify for most airline credit cards, though, you’ll have to work on getting your credit into the good or excellent range.
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