What's y'all's take on the best non airline specific card for miles/points?

I've had SW card for 15 years but I don't have any loyalty to them anymore with the recent changes.

It really depends on your home airport and what trips you want to use points on. You should look at each airline transfer partner and the airlines they have. You also need to look at the transfer rates for each. Most are 1:1, but there are some with worse rates, so your points don't go as far.

I have had lots of different cards over the years, but I don't necessarily have a favorite. Having multiple cards that transfer to the same airline is the fastest way to get points for business class and high point redemptions. My home airport is IAH, so I have used Chase points to transfer to United and Air France several times because it has the most direct flights.

Then there is another rabbit hole of using points for an airline to book a flight with another alliance airline, but it sounds like you are just starting out.

Chase - https://upgradedpoints.com/credit-cards/chase-ultimate-rewards-transfer-partners/

Amex - https://upgradedpoints.com/credit-cards/amex-membership-rewards-transfer-partners/

Capital One - https://upgradedpoints.com/credit-cards/capital-one-transfer-partners/

Citi - https://upgradedpoints.com/credit-cards/citi-thankyou-points-transfer-partners/

I always ask folks where they want to go before giving a recommendation. Typically a Chase UR or Amex MR card but with the Alaska/Hawaii merger the Atmos Cards are pretty attractive right now, not to mention the partner award flights you can book with Alaska.

Europe? S America? Asia? Middle East? Just domestic flights?

This is my hobby / obsession, and I've booked over 160 business class tickets and 60 hotel nights over the last 2.5 years.

I prefer the flexible point cards (AmEx, Chase, Capital One, Citi) over the airline-specific cards as they allow you to transfer to multiple airlines. Many of these have great signup bonuses, too.

I really like the Capital One Venture cards (Venture or Venture X) because they earn 2 points on every dollar, ensuring I get at least 2 points per dollar. Other cards offer higher rewards on groceries, fuel, and travel. Check your spending and find a card that matches your spending categories.

Also, ensure you understand the various alliances. As Kreg17 mentioned, the Alaska card is great (I just got mine) as it allows you to book American and other One World partner flights often for less than the operating airline. Air Canada is great for United, Air France and Virgin for Delta, etc.

New Citi Strata card was doing a great bonus recently which can convert into Avios (One World) points

As others have said, it depends on your home airport and what airline has a main hub there. For example, if your home airport is IAH, then it makes sense to get a United affiliated card since they have the most direct flights out of IAH. Same goes for American Airlines and DFW.

With that said, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is typically what most people recommend for travel cards since it transfers to a lot of the major airlines and hotels.

I currently have an Amex Gold and a Chase Sapphire Preferred and I live in Houston. I am thinking about cancelling the Amex when it is up for renewal next month and moving all of my spending to the CSP mainly because of United. Will see if Amex offers a retention bonus but I doubt they will with my limited spending.

What is the best one for getting AA points as quickly as possible?

Depends on where you spending is.
I have the basic card since it give 2X miles for groceries and I have the platinum card for my business trips as it gives 2X for dining out and gas.

Not OP, but I'll chime in with what I know…

AA doesn't have transfer partnerships with Chase or Amex. So, their co-branded cards with Citi are the direct way to earn. Depending on the route and desired class of service, you may be able to book a partner award flight through Alaska, in which case BofA Atmos has a few great card options (business and personal).

Appreciate it... I don't carry miles much... and got passed over multiple times for standby... don't want that happening again

Depending on where you fly out of and where you are going you still my get passed over for standby.

For AA points, see my above CC post. Keep in mind that status along doesn't guarantee upgrades or standby.
At a place like DFW, unless you are EP with a lot of loyalty points, or CK, getting an upgrade is pretty non-existent.
As for standby, it depends on the route and departure time. Keep in mind flight crew have priority over customer stand by, so a popular time with a full flight, if there are seats available, those will go to crew dead-heading before even CK.
As for upgrades, example anything out of DFW, because AA offers the ability to purchase upgrades (though the points amd miles earned usually stay with the booked class of ticket) often people without status will buy an upgrade leaving no room for status upgrades.

Question about the AA loyalty points/mileage thing:

So if I were to bust my butt and get to Platinum Pro status by 2/28 at 125k loyalty points... then...

- Do those points reset to zero on 3/1? Or does that benefit of Plat Pro carry over to the next year?

The points reset, but your status will continue through 2026 so you then have 3/1/2026-2/28/2027 to accrue enough points to maintain or get whatever status for the next year.

And your status is good through the end of March.
For example, I've hit 200k and EP this year, I keep EP through 3/31/2027

Any secrets besides just flying a lot?

edit... I'm at 8k loyalty points for the year...lol.. let's see what we can do in 5 months.

Ag92NGranbury said:

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What is the best one for getting AA points as quickly as possible?

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The best AA way to get AA points is Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, but it comes with a high annual fee (which includes Admirals Club membership).

Not only does it give you 4x/dollar on AA flights, but it gives you 10x/dollar on AAdvantageHotels.com hotel bookings (in addition to whatever points you earn there). For example, a recent $433.85 hotel stay earned me 4300 bonus miles from this particular card and another 3700 base miles + 3700 loyalty points from AAH.

If you don't want this card, you can still benefit from AAH but you don't get the 10x/dollar bonus miles. Also, you can use the AA shopping portal at AAdvantageEshopping.com.

Also, the new Alaska Atmos card is a great way to rack up Alaska miles and redeem for AA flights, often for fewer points.

Fly a lot.
If you have one of the cards, use it.
Last year I was putting our rent on it (and that helped).
As you get status, you get bonus points too so it compounds. This year we have a mortgage and I'm not paying a fee to pay by CC so that's a good chunk of points I'm not getting, but I put all groceries on the free card and have the platinum for all my business expenses.
As you tier up, for your loyalty point gift, pick the loyalty points.
You have roughly 6 months to get as far as you can this year.

Keep in mind, last year I flew roughly 156 flights.
This year I'm about 90 with probably 28 more to come.

Once you earn status, it's easier to keep it. I forget what the bonus % is per tier, but i think EP is 110% (which is how I was able to better keep it with less spending and travel).
Just know if you don't fly all the time, you are also up against those who spend a lot of money when it comes to upgradesand standby..... I've seen EP who only fly twice a year on vacation.... but they spend a lot.

tmtxco said:

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Ag92NGranbury said:

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What is the best one for getting AA points as quickly as possible?

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The best AA way to get AA points is Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, but it comes with a high annual fee (which includes Admirals Club membership).

Not only does it give you 4x/dollar on AA flights, but it gives you 10x/dollar on AAdvantageHotels.com hotel bookings (in addition to whatever points you earn there). For example, a recent $433.85 hotel stay earned me 4300 bonus miles from this particular card and another 3700 base miles + 3700 loyalty points from AAH.

If you don't want this card, you can still benefit from AAH but you don't get the 10x/dollar bonus miles. Also, you can use the AA shopping portal at AAdvantageEshopping.com.

Also, the new Alaska Atmos card is a great way to rack up Alaska miles and redeem for AA flights, often for fewer points.

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One thing to keepnin kind with thwbqprld card is you have to book airfare and hotels via AA
So if, like me, you have to book work travel via a work portal, you only get a point/miles.
Also the world card is only 1 point for all other spending.
Whlhile the platinum is 2x on dining and gas amdbthe no fee card is 2x on groceries.

As for the admirals club.... I don't think its worth the fee.
Only time I'm glad for it is when I have a short layover and only about 10 min to grab some crappy "food" really quick before my next flight and don't have time for the lines in the concourse.
They are always overpacked.
The food is not particularly good (better food at the priority pass lounges through chase).

Just saw that southwest is fixin to introduce a new high end high fee card along with building their own lounges.

Ag92NGranbury said:

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Any secrets besides just flying a lot?

edit... I'm at 8k loyalty points for the year...lol.. let's see what we can do in 5 months.

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The math on your original question about which card is best for accruing AA points, depends on a couple things.

If you want Loyalty Points to achieve status, you'll need to stick with the citi/aa cards and the Advantage Executive World Elite card has the points boost to help. But its not great at earning AA Miles (1x generally and 4x at AA).

You can now earn Citi Thank You points with the Citi Strata cards (Strata Premier and Strata Elite) which can be transferred to AA. So if you don't care about status and just need miles for travel, skip the Advantage Executive World Elite card. You may want to consider the Strata Premier (its got a $95/annual fee card) because it earns 3x on flights/hotels/grocery stores/dining/gas and you'll be able to transfer miles to AA but also to Flying Blue (KLM/Air France), Virgin Atlantic, Avios (BA/Iberia/Qatar/Aer Lingus/Finnair) and others.