Take a look at this list of instant airline miles rewards for new credit card applications. The bonus sign up frequent flyer miles can be instantly redeemed for free flights.

I’ll examine and review some credit card terms to see if airline miles can be earned for balance transfers as they can be earned for purchases.

Well the expiration problem with frequent flyer miles only comes in if you fly a wide array of airline carriers, which is a problem for some people. This results in points being added to a broad spectrum of airline miles programs rather than consolidating miles rewards into a single airline carrier. Fortunately, some of these airline travel reward cards allow miles to be transferred onto frequent flyer miles programs of participating airlines, thereby topping off the miles to enable them to reach the level needed to for free ticket redemption.

I agree that the Starwood Preferred American Express card is definitely one of the best airline travel/hotel cards

With regards to airline specific vs. bank travel cards, you make a good point about mileage expiration as being a potential danger, but with most airlines (all domestic?) your mileage life extends every time you earn miles, so if you’re using your credit card at least once a year, you don’t have to worry about mileage expiration.

I also personally don’t think the Capital One cards are worth it at all — hands down, my choice is the Starwood AmEx — as long as you’re spending enough to cover the annual fee. Starwood is a powerful hotel brand in itself (especially abroad), but the conversion of 20,000 Starpoints to 25,000 Airline miles for many airlines makes it almost unquestionably better than any of the other airline-specific rewards cards.