The best airline credit cards

Of the 24 airline cards in the catalogue — miles in one airline's program — Citi AAdvantage MileUp earns the most in a year once its fee is paid: about $471.

Ranked by what each card earns in a year once its annual fee is paid — every rate converted to dollars with a dated point valuation, spending caps honoured, and rotating categories not credited. Priced on an illustrative household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits and perks are not priced: they are worth their face value only if you would have spent that money anyway.