US Airlines That Have Credit Cards

The first charge card was issued by an airline, at least according to the Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP) people.

Pioneer airline in charge cards

The UATP card was started in the 1930s. Their card is claimed to be the first ever issued with a billing system that required payment in full upon receipt.

The UATP cards, now known as the Air Travel Card, are no longer issued from its Washington, D.C. office. Each airline now issues their own Air Travel Card. Each airline issues a red card for North American travel and a green one for international use. All cards are identical in design except for having the issuing airline’s name. The airline’s name is in black under the words “Air Travel Card”, which is in white.

Issued to corporate accounts

Air Travel Cards were generally issued to corporate accounts. However, Piedmont Aviation was the first to say that they would issue one to individuals who are willing to put down a $400.00 deposit. 

The first 31 airlines with credit cards

The use of airline credit cards didn’t take-off until after World War II. But in that short period, 31 airlines issued their own credit cards:

  1. Air Canada
  2. Air Idaho
  3. Air West
  4. Alaska
  5. All Nippon
  6. Aloha
  7. American
  8. Braniff
  9. Canadian Pacific
  10. China Airlines
  11. Continental
  12. Eastern
  13. Hawaiian Air
  14. Mackey International
  15. National
  16. North Central
  17. Northeast
  18. Northwest
  19. Ozark
  20. Pacific Western
  21. Pan Am
  22. Piedmont
  23. Prinair
  24. PSA
  25. Quebecair
  26. Republic
  27. Southern
  28. Trans Australian
  29. TWA
  30. United
  31. Western

Reduction in the number of airline card issuers

Now, there are fewer airlines issuing their own cards. This is because there are fewer airlines around due to mergers, bankruptcies, etc. From the original 31 airlines, there are now only 14 who still issue their own cards. Five of these are issued as bank cards:

  1. Air Canada
  2. Alaska (Visa)
  3. All Nippon
  4. Aloha
  5. American
  6. Canadian Airlines (MasterCard)
  7. Continental (MasterCard)
  8. Eastern
  9. Hawaiian Airlines
  10. PSA (Visa)
  11. Pan Am
  12. Piedmont (Visa)
  13. United
  14. TWA

Collectible airline cards

Many of these airlines issue interesting and attractive cards, and many are highly sought-after by credit card collectors.

Copyright 1988 by Noel Levy

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Frequently asked questions

You can find out the value of old credit cards by checking how much similar cards sell for. There are several ways to do this.

The simplest way to determine the value of old credit cards is to ask an experienced collector. If you submit an inquiry via our contact form, we can connect you with an expert who can assist you and point out if there is anything rare or unusual in your collection.

Alternatively, you can become a member of the American Credit Card Collectors Society. Membership in our credit card collecting club provides access to resources and knowledgeable members who can help. Benefits of membership include access to a gallery containing thousands of cards with historical pricing information, and access to our entire collection of newsletters, from 1994 through the present day.

You can look at recent sales on auction sites, however, there are some considerations to keep in mind when doing this. Firstly, it’s important to look at selling prices, rather than asking prices. Selling prices are the prices people actually paid, while asking prices can be very different. Secondly, historical sales on some sites are only saved for 3 months, so you may not find something that exactly matches what you have. Thirdly, it is sometimes possible to see rare or unusual cards sell for lower prices than they should have because people do not understand their worth, the ads don't do justice to the card, they're listed in the wrong category, or any combination thereof.

There are always people in our club who are actively buying cards. Collectors tend to focus on a niche, like gas cards or retail cards, or they might focus on a slightly broader area, like bank cards or travel and entertainment cards. Many of the rarest or most unusual cards will exchange hands in private sales. Please contact us if you are thinking of selling your collection.

You can also sell your old credit cards on online marketplaces. You will get the highest price if you sell each of your cards individually, although this approach requires the most effort. At the opposite end of the effort scale would be selling all cards as a job lot, an approach which typically results in the lowest price on a per-card basis. Halfway between these two approaches would be to group cards into different categories and to sell these individual groups, e.g., BankAmericard, Master Charge, oil and gas, retail, and so on.

To join the club, visit the membership section and complete the registration form. You can pay by check or PayPal. We offer annual or lifetime memberships. If you have any questions please contact us via the form on our website.

Credit cards are more worthwhile collecting if they are rare, in good condition, have historical significance, or are associated with famous personalities or events. Valuable modern cards might include those that are difficult to obtain, such as American Express Centurion (a.k.a. ‘black’) cards, while older credit cards might include early independent bank cards, American Express, Diners Club, or BankAmericard (Visa) cards from the 50s/early 60s, or Master Charge (MasterCard) cards from the late 60s. Rare or unusual cards can also be sought after, such as those issued in small numbers, like small independent department stores or gas stations, or cards with appealing aesthetics.

Consulting with other collectors or experts in the club can provide valuable insights. Contact us for more information via the form on our website.

We do not offer an appraisal service in a traditional sense (such services are normally a paid service) but we can connect you with an expert who should be able to assist for free and point out anything rare or unusual in your collection. The simplest way to do this is to submit an inquiry via our contact form.

The American Credit Card Collectors Society accepts donations and is most grateful for any we receive. When donations happen, we strive to find good homes for cards where they will be looked after, matching cards with collectors who will appreciate them. The club may charge members a nominal fee for donated cards, and the proceeds are offset against the running costs of our club. We are a non-profit organization. Running costs include expenses like our convention and website hosting. Donations are most popular for people getting out of the hobby, or when someone has inherited a collection and doesn’t know what to do with it.

If you wish to donate your collection, please contact us via the contact form above.

American Credit Card Collectors Society