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Cobrand cards that pay for themselves through free checked bags, priority boarding, and limited lounge access. Worth holding if you fly one airline two or three times a year. If you fly across carriers, a flexible-points card with transfer partners usually beats any single cobrand.
The premium Atmos card pairs 3 points per $1 on dining and all foreign spending with eight Alaska Lounge passes and a companion award worth up to 25,000 points each year. At $395 it needs regular Alaska or Hawaiian flying, and the lounge benefit is passes rather than a membership.
Buy it for the companion certificate. A couple flying Delta once a year domestically usually clears the $350 fee on that benefit alone.
The sweet spot of the United lineup for anyone flying United monthly. The $200 credit and two free bags do the heavy lifting against the $350 fee.
AAdvantage miles are the most valuable airline currency right now, and this is the cheapest way to earn them plus a bag benefit. Citi stripped travel protections years ago, so cover trips elsewhere.
The September 2026 refresh doubled the fee to $195 and traded the 3x grocery and dining rates for automatic Aeroplan 25K status and 15% off Air Canada award flights. It now suits people who actually fly Air Canada, and Aeroplan points still punch above their weight on Star Alliance partner awards.
The $95 fee is easy to cover if you fly British Airways from the US, because the Reward Flight statement credits are worth up to $600 a year. Everyday earning is weak at 1 Avios per dollar, and Avios are only useful inside the Avios ecosystem.
For the Delta loyalist who wants Sky Club access and a First Class companion certificate. The 15-visit cap means road warriors need to mind the meter or spend toward unlimited.
A United Club membership costs more than this card. If you would buy the membership anyway, the card pays for itself before the first swipe.
A $95 airline card whose annual Companion Fare and free checked bag can cover the fee on one round trip for a pair of travelers. Earning outside Alaska and Hawaiian purchases is ordinary, and the points only work inside the Atmos Rewards program.
The August 23, 2026 refresh raised the fee to $695 but backed it with real value: a $500 AA Vacations credit, a new $100 inflight/Admirals Club credit, a bigger Lyft credit, and Omni elite status stack on top of the Admirals Club membership. It's $100 more expensive than before, but still the cheapest way to buy lounge access for the whole family.
A $149 business card for companies that fly Southwest often enough to use the free checked bags, Group 5 boarding and 6,000 anniversary points. Rapid Rewards points cannot be transferred to other programs, so the value depends almost entirely on Southwest fares.
The 2025 refresh raised the fee to $229 and killed the $75 travel credit, but bag fees on Southwest made the checked-bag benefit real money. Worth it for regular Southwest flyers, not for anyone else.
A $650 card that only pays for itself if the business flies Delta often enough to use the Sky Club visits, the companion certificate, and the annual credits. Earning outside Delta is weak at 1x to 1.5x, and SkyMiles cannot be transferred elsewhere.
The default card for anyone who flies United a few times a year. The checked-bag benefit alone covers the fee for most, and the April 2026 bump to 3x on United purchases sweetened it.
The two-free-bags change in 2026 made this an easy call for Delta households. Earning rates are modest, so pair it with a stronger everyday card.
A low-cost business card for companies that fly Alaska or Hawaiian, with a free checked bag for up to seven people and an annual Companion Fare that can cover the fee. Points are Atmos Rewards miles, so the value is tied to one airline group.
The middle Southwest card earns its keep through the anniversary points and bag benefit. Regular flyers chasing A-List should weigh the Priority instead.
The entry AAdvantage card: no annual fee, 2 miles per dollar at grocery stores and on American Airlines purchases, and Loyalty Points that count toward status. It has no free checked bag and charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it is a supplement rather than a primary travel card.
This business card earns AAdvantage miles at a strong 2x rate on airline, gas, and telecom spend, and the free checked bag for you and 4 companions alone can cover the $99 fee for a small business owner who checks bags even twice a year.
A $150 annual fee gets you 100,000 miles, 2,000 PQP toward status, and a real path to United elite tier through everyday spending. The 8x rate on United flights and free checked bag make it worth keeping if you fly United for business regularly.
Free checked bags for up to 8 travelers on one reservation is the reason to carry this card if you fly Delta with a team. The $150 fee after the first year is easy to justify with one round trip's worth of bag fees.
The annual companion certificate alone can be worth more than the $350 fee if you regularly buy two Delta tickets for business travel. The MQD Headstart also puts you closer to Medallion status without flying more.
The $299 fee (up from $199 in the 2025 refresh) is the highest of any Southwest card, but the free checked bag matters more now that Southwest ended free bags for general boarding. If you fly Southwest often with a bag and want a shot at Companion Pass through spend, this card earns its keep.
The entry Southwest card got more valuable when bags stopped being free. If you fly Southwest twice a year with a checked bag, the math works.
A fine no-fee way to keep United miles alive. The bag benefit requires $10,000 in annual spend, so most people should step up to the Explorer.
Worth holding just for the 15% award discount if you redeem SkyMiles at all. No bag benefit means frequent Delta flyers should pay up for the Gold.
