5 Best Cards To Earn First-Class Travel Without the Price Tag

Zero legroom. Cramped seats. Rotten food. It’s no wonder that air travel can be a miserable experience nowadays. But what if there was a better way?

If you have a travel rewards card, you can save up the miles or points you earn and redeem them for trips you otherwise couldn’t afford. Even better, you can use those miles to make your experience more comfortable and luxurious by upgrading to first-class travel.  

Why first-class travel can be worth the splurge

If comfort is key, it’s hard to beat flying first class. While each airline is different, in general, you can expect amenities like:

• Substantially larger seats with more legroom
• Personal service with a dedicated flight attendant
• Access to power outlets to charge your devices
• Complimentary pillows, blankets, and headphones
• Free premium entertainment like movies and television shows
• Chef-curated meals
• Expedited check-in and security service
• Priority boarding

With these benefits, you’re more likely to relax and enjoy the flight. You’ll arrive at your destination refreshed and relaxed, rather than stressed and hungry. First-class airfare can make the flight an enjoyable part of your vacation instead of a chore you have to endure.

Best cards to earn first-class travel

While flying first class is an experience worth having, it often comes with a hefty price tag. First-class tickets typically cost hundreds more than seats in the standard cabin.

For example, a flight on American Airlines from Orlando to Philadelphia costs $188 if you opt for basic economy. If you upgrade to first class, that price jumps to a whopping $649. Getting the additional perks and comfort of first class would cost you an additional $461. Keep in mind that’s for a relatively short flight — longer journeys would likely be even more expensive.

Luckily, you don’t have to shell out that much money out of your own pocket to enjoy first-class luxury for less. With a travel card, you can earn valuable rewards to redeem for first-class tickets.

Here are our top picks for some of the best travel credit cards to score first-class fare:

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred can help you earn first-class tickets sooner. Not only are your points worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you’ll also earn extra points on dining and travel each time you make a purchase on your card in those categories. It also offers flexible redemption methods, which comes in handy for finding first-class seats for less.

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 3X points on dining; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points per $1 on all other eligible purchases

• $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards

• Points bonus equal to 10% of the total purchases you made in the previous year each card anniversary

• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer available with Chase airline and hotel travel partners
• There are no blackout dates — as long as a flight is available in the travel portal, you can book it
• Other perks like primary rental car insurance, trip delay reimbursement, purchase protection, free DoorDash DashPass benefits, and more

Learn more about this card with our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

If you enjoy high-end travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve can help you book luxury flights for less. Despite its hefty annual fee, it offers exceptional value and a slew of premium perks. You’ll get significant travel credits worth hundreds of dollars every year. And if you redeem your points through Chase Ultimate Rewards, they’re worth 50% more, helping you score first-class seats much sooner.

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases
• Receive a $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each year
• Get reimbursed for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) application fees
• Complimentary airport lounge access with a Priority Pass Select membership
• Complimentary year of Lyft Pink (a value of $19.99 per month)
  
• $60 in annual DoorDash statement credits in 2020 and 2021
  
• No foreign transaction fees
• Other perks like trip cancellation insurance, primary rental car insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, free DoorDash DashPass benefits, and more

Learn more about this card with our Chase Sapphire Reserve review.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

For travelers looking to make their experience more luxurious, the Platinum Card from American Express really goes the extra mile. Offering high levels of rewards and travel perks, jet-setters will find its benefits justify its $695 annual fee. 

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months
• 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
• Complimentary access to Centurion and Priority Pass Select airport lounges
• Get reimbursed for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) application fees
• Get $200 in Uber credits every year
• Other perks like secondary car rental insurance, premium roadside assistance, travel accident insurance, baggage insurance, and more
• Note that certain benefits require enrollment

Learn more about this card with our Amex Platinum review.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Voted as “The Best Travel Card” by CNBC in 2018, it’s easy to see why the Capital One Venture Rewards Card is so valuable. You’ll earn a higher rate of return on every purchase you make, helping you achieve first-class status without worrying about spending categories.

• Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
• Earn 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• No foreign transaction fees
• Get reimbursed for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) application fees once every four years
• Other perks like rental car insurance, travel accident insurance, extended warranty, and more

Learn more about this card with our Capital One Venture Rewards Card review.

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

If you own a business, traveling for work can be exhausting. Upgrading to first class can make business travel more enjoyable, and the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card can help you earn enough miles to do so quickly. Plus, you can earn impressive rewards in spending categories that commonly rack up business expenses.

• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases
• Redeem your points through Chase Ultimate Rewards and they’re worth 25% more
• No foreign transaction fees
• Get up to $600 in cell phone protection against covered theft or damage
• Other perks like trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental insurance, extended warranty protection, and more

Learn more about this card with our Ink Business Preferred review.

Bottom line

First-class travel is an indulgent experience that’s often well worth the splurge (at least once!). To help you enjoy the perks without the expense, use one of the credit cards listed above to earn rewards you can redeem for future trips and vacations.

Methodology

To choose the best credit cards to earn first-class travel with, we identified cards with travel benefits and compared features like welcome offers, premium travel perks, rewards redemption options, and business traveler benefits. We did not include all possible options.

Great travel rewards with no annual fee

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Benefits

Card Details

• Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
• Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases
• Longer intro APR on qualifying purchases and balance transfers
• No foreign transaction fees
• Apply Now

• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
• If you're a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Apply Now

on Bank of America’s secure website

Read Card Review

Intro APR

0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then 17.49% - 27.49% Variable

Annual Fee

$0

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Why we like it

• Lucrative welcome offer 
• Easy-to-earn points you can redeem for travel
• Competitive 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then 17.49% - 27.49% Variable
• $0 annual fee
• Apply Now

Author Details

Kat Tretina Kat Tretina is a personal finance writer and certified financial counselor based in Orlando, Florida. Dedicated to helping people build a solid financial foundation, she's written about insurance products — including life insurance, pet insurance, and car insurance — for major publications. Her work has been published by Money.com, Business Insider, Forbes Advisor, and more.

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