Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
Star Alliance is one of the big three global airline partnerships. It's home to carriers such as Air Canada, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines. With Star Alliance airlines, you can visit just about everywhere on Earth.
If you're looking to book award flights on a Star Alliance airline, racking up miles through eligible flights isn't your only options. You can earn miles and get flight benefits by opening credit cards co-branded with various Star Alliance airlines. Plus, you can earn rewards more quickly by funneling your spending through other credit cards that earn transferable points.
Let's take a look at the best Star Alliance credit cards you can open in the US.
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Compare the best Star Alliance credit cards
Best Star Alliance credit card reviews
Best all-around Star Alliance card: United℠ Explorer Card
The
This is one of the most well-rounded credit cards you'll find. If you fly United Airlines even a couple of times per year, the card is easily worth its annual fee of
- The first checked bag free for you and one companion when you pay the cash portion of your fare with the card. Checked bags cost $35 one-way — meaning a single round-trip flight with a travel buddy could save $140
- Priority boarding, giving you plenty of overhead bin space to choose from
- Discounts on inflight purchases
However, the card also works to improve other aspects of your travel. For example, you'll get two single-use United Club passes each cardmember year. You can use these to make a pit stop inside a United Airlines airport lounge for some free snacks, (usually) alcohol, and a bit of peace from the noisy concourse. The ability to enter an airport lounge is something few cards with a sub-$100 bonus can do.
Another benefit of this card is the expanded United Airlines award access it grants you. This could save you a lot of miles, especially if you're booking a United flight last minute.
You'll also receive up to $100 in statement credits toward either Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS every four years. These programs give you an expedited experience at various security checkpoints:
- TSA PreCheck allows you to walk through most domestic security checkpoints without having to remove your shoes or belt, or even take your computer out of your bag. You'll also get a dedicated security lane that's often much shorter.
- Global Entry makes your return back to the US much faster at more than 50 airports. You won't have to stand in a long immigration line — instead, you can find a Global Entry kiosk, enter some information, and it will give you the authorization to exit the airport. It also confers the benefits of TSA PreCheck.
- NEXUS gives you expedited entry into Canada. It also comes with the benefits of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, making it the most valuable. However, it's harder to get because you'll need to be interviewed by both Canadian and US border authorities — and there aren't many locations to apply.
The card also offers valuable travel coverages like primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, and more. You can read our United Explorer card review for more info.
Best card for United Club airport lounge access: United Club℠ Infinite Card
The
This
- Free first and second checked bag for you and one travel buddy on your reservation. Taking full advantage of this benefit could save you and a friend $280 round-trip.
- Priority check-in, priority security screening, priority boarding, and priority baggage handling on United Airlines flights.
- Expanded award availability for United Airlines flights — and a 10% miles discount — for coach saver awards.
- Inflight discounts for purchases like food and beverages.
- Up to $100 for either TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS every four years — and a yearly $189 reimbursement for CLEAR®, a program that gives you the ability to skip the TSA security line.
This card's star benefit is its complimentary United Club membership (which otherwise costs $650 per year), which gives you the ability to bring yourself and immediate family (or up to two adults) into United Club lounges whenever you fly United or one of its partner airlines. You can access some Star Alliance-branded lounges, too.
The
Best Star Alliance card to book travel other than flights: Aeroplan® Credit Card
The
This card is most useful for those who regularly find themselves on Air Canada planes, with perks such as a free first checked bag on Air Canada flights for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation and Aeroplan elite status by meeting various spending requirements each calendar year.
Similar to the
Here's a perk that you won't find on other airline credit cards: You can use your points at a favorable rate for lots of things other than award flights. The
- Airfare (with any airline)
- Hotels
- Car rentals
- Cruises
- Travel agencies
- Discount travel sites
- Campgrounds
- Trains
- Buses
- Taxis/limousines
- Ferries
- Toll bridges/highways
- Parking lots/garages
In other words, you can use the points you accrue with this card for just about anything travel related. You can only redeem 50,000 Aeroplan points per year with Pay Yourself Back — meaning you can reimburse no more than $625 in travel annually.
This card also has decent travel insurance benefits, such as trip delay insurance and baggage delay insurance. These could potentially save you hundreds during a single trip. Read our Aeroplan credit card review for a closer look.
Best Star Alliance card for a companion certificate: Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard®
The
For a card with an
- 2 free Lufthansa Business Lounge Vouchers after each account anniversary. You can buy day passes for between $30 and $75, depending on which location you're visiting.
- 1 Companion Ticket after each account anniversary. When you book a paid economy ticket (not an award flight) on Lufthansa, you can use this to bring along a friend for just the cost of taxes and fees. You'll have to call Lufthansa to use the certificate. There are a handful of additional details you should know, which you can read about here.
- Fast-track to Lufthansa elite status — Once per year, you can convert award miles into status miles at a 5:1 ratio. You must transfer between 5,000 and 25,000 miles.
If you don't value the above perks, or if you simply don't fly Lufthansa, this card is not a good fit for you. It's got poor earning rates (2 miles per dollar on Lufthansa flights and 1 mile per dollar on everything else), so it's not good for earning rewards after the intro offer. There are other ways to book cheap airfare on Lufthansa without earning Lufthansa miles. The miles you earn with partner airlines such as United Airlines and Avianca offer excellent prices.
Flexible rewards cards can be the best Star Alliance cards of all
While the above credit cards are the best cards you can open with a Star Alliance airline's name etched on the front, the best credit cards for those looking to book flights on Star Alliance carriers are often the ones that accrue transferable rewards.
These cards don't (usually) come with airline-specific benefits, but they tend to offer generous welcome bonuses and considerably higher return rates for everyday spending.
For example:
- The
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offersChase Sapphire Preferred® Card . You can transfer your points to Air Canada Aeroplan, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines. The card earns:- 5 points on Lyft rides through March 2025
- 5 points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3 points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out
- 3 points on select streaming services
- 3 points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2 points on other travel
- 1 point per dollar on everything else
- The
Bilt Mastercard® earns points that you can transfer to Air Canada Aeroplan, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines. The card earns:- 1 point per dollar on rent purchases (on up to $100,000 every year)
- 2 points per dollar on travel booked directly with airlines, hotels, car rentals, or cruise lines
- 3 points per dollar on dining (including food delivery services like Uber Eats and GrubHub)
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
- The
Citi Premier® Card offersCiti Premier® Card . You can transfer your points to Avianca, Eva Air, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Turkish Airlines. The card earns:- 3 points per dollar on air travel
- 3 points per dollar at gas stations
- 3 points per dollar at restaurants
- 3 points per dollar at supermarkets
- 3 points per dollar on hotels
- 1 point per dollar on everything else
- The
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offersCapital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card . You can transfer your points to Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca, Eva Air, Singapore Airlines, TAP Portugal, Thai Airways, and Turkish Airlines. The card earns:- 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases
- The
American Express® Gold Card offersAmerican Express® Gold Card . You can transfer your points to Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA, Avianca, and Singapore Airlines. The card earns:- 4 points per dollar at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x) and at restaurants
- 3 points per dollar on flights booked with the airline or Amex Travel
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Some of these cards also have travel insurance benefits that rival (or exceed) Star Alliance airline credit cards, making a great companion whenever you're on a trip.
What to know about Star Alliance credit cards
There are plenty of cards that give you nearly free travel — and lots of valuable perks — on Star Alliance airlines.
It's easy to rack up rewards with Star Alliance partners without actually holding a Star Alliance card. The real reason to open a co-branded airline credit card from a Star Alliance carrier is to get benefits such as access to Star Alliance lounges, free checked bags on select airlines, and priority boarding.