If You Want to Fly The World for Free, Get These Credit Cards

(Some of the offers/products mentioned below are no longer available.)

I’ve been a travel hacker for the past 3 years and have flown across the world to 39 destinations with my wife in first class for free with points.

Want more points? View The Top Sign Up Bonuses of 2019

Spending points is only part of the flight hacking game.

Earning points is arguably the more important aspect of getting free flights with miles.

To earn airline miles, you can get them by 1) flying on the airlines or 2) by spending money on airline affiliate credit cards.

Since I don’t travel weekly for business, my main way of getting points is by using credit cards to get miles.

Most cards offer 1-3 points per $.01 spent, and I’ve broken down the top earning cards based on points redeemed as well as their credit card perks.

The best travel credit card with no annual fee is the Bank of America Travel Rewards Card, because it earns 2.67 points per purchase and points can be redeemed on any airline or any hotel with no blackout dates.

The best travel credit card for International travel is the Amex Platinum because it earns 5x on flights, has no transaction fees and gets you access to Amex Centurion lounges as well as 100s of lounges via Priority Pass.

The best travel credit card of 2019 is the Chase Sapphire Reserve because it earns 3x points on travel and dining, comes with a $300 annual travel credit (good for any travel purchase, including Uber), and gets you access to 100s of lounges via Priority Pass.

Keep reading for a full breakdown of all the features of these travel credit cards, including transfer partners, annual fees, and how to redeem your points for the best free flights.

These Are The Best Credit Cards for Free Flights

Here’s the chart I have ranking all of these travel cards.

These rankings are based on my own personal opinions, and were not impacted by any payments I might receive from these card providers.

Best Credit Cards for Free Flights

The highest rated cards are the Amex Business Platinum Card  and the Citi Prestige card, clocking in with 33 points (out of a total of 40).