The 5 best airline credit cards with annual fees under $100
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Are you looking for an airline credit card, but not ready to pay a high annual fee? Lucky for you, there are some good options on the market for less than $100 each year. Many airlines offer a range of cobranded …
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Are you looking for an airline credit card, but not ready to pay a high annual fee? Lucky for you, there are some good options on the market for less than $100 each year.
Many airlines offer a range of cobranded credit cards. These offerings often start with baseline, no-annual-fee cards with very few benefits and low earning potential.
They expand to cards packed with perks such as lounge access, inflight discounts, free checked bags and priority boarding — for exceptionally high annual fees.
The options in this guide will land more in the middle.
If you’re an occasional flyer or someone not particularly interested in paying more than $100 to hold a credit card, consider applying for one of our five best airline cards with less than $100 in annual fees.
The best airline credit cards with annual fees under $100
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
- Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- JetBlue Plus Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
The information for the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard, Citi / AAdvantage® Platinum Select, JetBlue Plus and Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Comparing the best airline credit cards with annual fees of $100 or less
| Credit card | Best for | Welcome offer | Earning rates | Notable benefits | Annual fee |
| AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard | Those who are new to airline cobranded cards | Earn 60,000 bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days. |
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$99 |
| Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card | Earning Alaska’s Companion Fare | Earn 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening. Plus, receive a 30% flight discount code for a qualifying future flight after opening your account. |
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$95 |
| Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard | American Airlines loyalists | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $3,500 within the first four months of account opening. |
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$0 introductory annual fee, then $99 after the first year |
| JetBlue Plus Card | Travel within the U.S. | Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days. |
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$99 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card | Southwest flyers | Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening |
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$99 |
AAdvantage Aviator Red
The AAdvantage Aviator Red card is suitable for semi-frequent American Airlines flyers who won’t miss the premium perks found on other cards that charge higher annual fees.
Annual fee: $99
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days.
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, these bonus miles are worth $990.
Why it’s worth it: One of the best perks of the Aviator Red is its easy-to-earn welcome bonus. All you have to do to earn 60,000 miles is make a single purchase of any amount and pay the $99 annual fee. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
Augusta’s partner is a semi-frequent traveler who likes American Airlines since it flies many direct routes out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), which is nearby for them. He doesn’t carry many cards, but he likes the Aviator Red because the welcome bonus was simple to earn, and the benefits are solid for their travel style.
With this card, the primary cardholder and up to four companions receive their first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights and priority boarding on all American Airlines-operated flights. Augusta and her partner use this perk often since they frequently fly American Airlines domestically.
American Airlines charges $40 to check a bag, so this saves them about $80 per person for flights originating from the U.S.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Aviator Red.
Alaska Airlines Visa
The Alaska Airlines Visa offers one of the best companion fare perks on the market, making it a great option for those looking to get a solid deal when traveling with someone else.
Annual fee: $95
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of opening your account. Plus, receive a 30% flight discount for a future qualifying flight upon account opening.
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, these miles are worth $900. That’s not including the potential value of the Companion Fare and the flight discount.
Why it’s worth it: The Alaska Airlines Visa credit card is most famous for its annual Companion Fare. This benefit allows the cardholder to book a paid round-trip economy airfare on the airline and add a companion for only $99 (plus taxes and fees from $23).
Best of all, the primary ticket can be purchased for someone else, too. Both the first passenger and the companion earn miles and are eligible for upgrades, just like with a paid ticket.
Eligible purchases from Alaska Airlines earn 3 miles per dollar, so this card is great for those who frequently fly with the airline. Cardholders also receive 20% back on inflight purchases.
The card provides one free checked bag for the cardholder and up to six guests on the same reservation. With checked bag fees of $35 each way for your first bag, that’s a savings of $70 per person on every round-trip flight.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Alaska Airlines Visa.
Related: Your guide to earning and redeeming with Alaska Airlines MileagePlan
Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select
The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select is a great option for American Airlines loyalists who don’t want to pay more than $100 in annual fees. It comes with bonus categories to earn more miles for your spending and a lucrative welcome bonus.
Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee, then $99 after the first year
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $3,500 within the first four months of account opening.
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, these bonus miles are worth $1,238.
Why it’s worth it: The AAdvantage Platinum Select is similar to the Aviator Red in its benefits for American Airlines flyers. However, it is a better option for American Airlines devotees. This is largely because Citi is set to eventually become the sole issuer of AAdvantage cards, as the carrier will eventually sunset its Barclays offerings (such as the Aviator Red).
When it comes to cardholder benefits, you’ll receive your first checked bag free for you and up to four companions, preferred boarding and an inflight discount on food and beverage purchases.
A key difference is that the AAdvantage Platinum Select has two additional bonus categories where you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar: spending at restaurants and gas stations. You’ll also earn 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on everything else.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select.
Related: 6 reasons to get the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card
JetBlue Plus
The JetBlue Plus card is a solid card for earning miles with JetBlue, which could be advantageous for frequent domestic travelers in the U.S. near hubs serviced by the airline.
Annual fee: $99
Welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days.
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, these points are worth $945.
Why it’s worth it: The JetBlue Plus is a solid airline card, offering strong bonus categories such as restaurants and eligible grocery stores, free checked bags, inflight savings and a JetBlue Vacations statement credit.
Since JetBlue’s network focuses heavily on domestic routes to popular destinations, this card could be a great option for those looking to bolster their experience when flying within the U.S.
We actually recommend this sub-$100 annual fee card over the premium JetBlue Premier, even for JetBlue loyalists. The JetBlue Premier charges a hefty $499 annual fee for lackluster earning rates and unimpressive perks.
If you’re a JetBlue fan, the JetBlue Plus is likely the best option all around — regardless of your annual fee tolerance.
To learn more, check out our full review of the JetBlue Plus.
The information for the JetBlue Premier has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: JetBlue Plus Card vs. JetBlue Premier Card: Should you go mid-tier or premium?
Southwest Premier
The Southwest Premier is a mid-tier option for travelers who enjoy the airline but don’t want to pay a high annual fee for more perks.
Annual fee: $99
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months of account opening.
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, these points are worth $700.
Why it’s worth it: Holding a Southwest cobranded card will soon be one of the few ways to receive a free checked bag when you fly with them. This is because of the complete overhaul Southwest Airlines is undertaking throughout 2025.
Like the other Southwest cobranded cards, the Premier will allow one free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight others on the same reservation starting May 28. If you’re a Southwest devotee who hasn’t secured a cobranded card, this could be a good reason to apply.
The Premier also automatically grants cardholders 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year. This grants you a small head-start toward the 135,000 points required to earn this valuable benefit.
For a sub-$100 annual fee card, this is a good deal for those looking to get value from their Southwest flights after the airline’s sweeping changes.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Southwest Premier.
Bottom line
An airline card with an annual fee under $100 can be a great option for a semi-frequent traveler looking for some perks when flying with their preferred carrier.
The benefits of these cards, such as free checked bags and inflight discounts, can be easy to use and especially helpful for those looking for value and comfort on their travels.
Plus, if you’re not experienced with earning points and miles, a sub-$100 annual fee card can be a great place to start.
Related: Which airline credit cards offer the best priority boarding perks?
