If you’re curious about how to get free flights with credit card rewards, here’s good news: No matter your destination, there’s likely a credit card with rewards that can help you fly for less — or for nothing.
From welcome bonuses and points for everyday spending to unique card issuer promotions, there are a variety of ways to score points that translate to free flights. Here’s how to turn credit card rewards into serious savings next time you take to the skies.
[Read: Best Credit Cards]
How You Can Get Free Flights
Here are four ways to get free flights using airline miles, credit card benefits and other strategies.
Earn Miles With Welcome Bonuses
Plenty of credit cards offer generous sign-up bonuses that can easily cover the costs of your next flight. To qualify, you typically need to hit a specified spending threshold within a set time. Spending thresholds and time limits vary by card. But in general, the higher the welcome bonus, the more you’ll need to spend to earn it.
There are a variety of welcome bonuses that allow you to earn airline miles, hotel points or cash back. Some cards offer flexible points that can be redeemed for cash back, to book flights and hotel rooms or to transfer to airline and hotel partners.
For example, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® offers 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles to new cardholders who make $2,500 in purchases within the first three months from account opening. These miles could be enough to book a free round-trip flight to Mexico. If you’re a Southwest Airlines loyalist, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card offers a 55,000-point bonus if you spend a mere $1,500 in the first three months from account opening. With those points, you could cash in for a free round-trip flight from Los Angeles to New York. You’ll also get a 6,000-point bonus each year on your cardholder anniversary.
Earn Miles on Purchases With Airline Credit Cards
When you spend using an airline credit card, you can earn airline miles on everyday purchases.
Edward Pizzarello, host of Miles to Go, a podcast that provides points and miles tips, says one of the best ways to earn miles is by maximizing what you already spend. “Finding the right credit card that earns a bonus on the categories (where) you spend the most is a great strategy,” he says.
Here are some examples of spending categories where you can earn bonus rewards:
— Dining. You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar with the United? Explorer Card when you spend on dining, including eligible delivery services. (See Rates & Fees)
— Groceries. Purchases at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., earn 2 miles per dollar with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. See Rates & Fees
— Gas stations. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® offers 2 miles per dollar at restaurants and gas stations.
— Flights. When you buy flights through AmEx Travel or directly from the airlines, you’ll earn five points per dollar with American Express Platinum Card®. These points transfer to a variety of airlines, including British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic. See Rates & Fees
— Internet, cable and phone services. Small business owners can maximize their rewards on telecommunications expenses by earning three points per dollar with the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Its points also transfer to partner airlines like United, Southwest and JetBlue. See Rates & Fees
— All of your spending. If you prefer flexible point rewards that you can redeem for free flights, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase. You can redeem miles for free flights directly through Capital One’s travel booking site or transfer points to one of its 18 airline partners.
Jennifer Yellin, founder of Deals We Like, a travel blog focused on points, miles and credit card deals, says her favorite way to earn miles on everyday purchases is through the airline’s shopping portal. These miles are in addition to any rewards that she earns from the credit card used for the purchase.
[Read: Airline Credit Cards]
Transfer Points from Airline Partners
Flexible credit card points are popular with travelers because they transfer to so many airlines. Reasons for selecting one airline over another include award seat availability, elite status, departure and arrival times, preferred routes, and miles required for redemptions.
Points that transfer to airlines include:
— American Express Membership Rewards®
Many hotels also allow loyalty program members to transfer points to airlines. These redemptions aren’t always the best deal, but they can be a good option for some. Marriott offers one of the best hotel transfer options. You’ll receive 5,000 airline miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer. If you frequently stay at Marriott properties, you could maximize your hotel and flight rewards with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card and its six points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. See Rates & Fees
Just remember that once you transfer points to an airline, you cannot transfer them back. Make sure that the award space is available and that you have enough points to redeem before requesting your transfer.
Qualify for a Promotion
Another way to get free flights with credit card rewards is to participate in airline promotions. In most cases, these promotions are benefits exclusively for those who have the airline’s co-branded credit card. Depending on the airline, you may get a free flight each year just for being a cardholder, while other cards have additional requirements.
Here are a few of the free flight promotions that you may qualify for:
— American Airlines. When you spend $30,000 annually with the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® and renew it, you’ll receive a companion certificate for a domestic economy flight. There’s a flat $99 price plus taxes and fees, based on itinerary, when you redeem. See Rates & Fees
— British Airways. Spend $30,000 on your British Airways Visa Signature® Card each year to receive a Travel Together Ticket good for two years. Solo travelers can redeem this benefit for a 50% discount on the Avios required to book the flight, and duos will get a second seat for a companion in the same cabin (plus taxes and fees). See Rates & Fees
— Delta Air Lines. The personal and business versions of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card include a companion certificate each year just for renewing your card. Redemption costs range from $22 to $250 of applicable taxes and fees. See Rates & Fees
— Southwest Airlines. The Southwest Companion Pass allows your designated companion to travel with you for free on all paid or award travel booked with Southwest. To receive the Companion Pass, you must fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year.
“If you time it right, you can earn the Southwest Companion Pass for almost two years in one shot,” Pizzarello says. Once you qualify, your companion pass is good for the rest of the current year and all of the next year. By timing your welcome bonus and spending in the first quarter of the year, you’ll maximize the benefits.
[Read: Hotel Credit Cards]
How Many Miles Do You Need for a Free Flight?
The number of miles necessary for a free flight varies by airline, departure and arrival cities, travel dates, class of service and other factors. Additionally, some airlines hold regular sales, which can greatly reduce the miles required for a free flight.
According to Yellin, some airlines like Southwest and JetBlue assign points in “direct correlation to the cash price of the ticket.” Other airlines price their tickets based on distance, like British Airways, or supply and demand, like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. By taking advantage of these rules, Yellin says she has been able to redeem as few as 2,500 miles for a free flight.
Here are a few examples of how many miles you need to purchase round-trip tickets between Los Angeles International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport from June 7 to June 14, 2026, on a variety of different airlines.
(Basic indicates the lowest fare. Upgraded may be called Business or some other name by different airlines and offer different levels of extras.)
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How to Get Free Flights With Credit Card Rewards originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 05/12/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
