 TITLE: Benefits to Look for in an Airline Credit Card CONTENT: Day-of-Travel Benefits\n----------------------\nMany airline credit cards advertise day-of-travel perks that can add up to hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in value each year depending on how often you use them. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card allows cardholders to check a bag for themselves and up to eight companions on the same reservation when traveling on Delta, which is worth $30 per bag in each direction. If you maxed it out with nine people on a round-trip reservation, that would equal $540 in value. Plus, cardholders and up to eight companions on the same reservation receive priority boarding in the Main Cabin 1 group on Delta flights ahead of many other travelers in coach. Finally, cardholders receive 20% back in the form of a statement credit for eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages and audio headsets. Depending on how much you buy on board, this can save you a lot of money. Terms apply.\nAt the higher end (and with much higher annual fees), several airlines offer credit cards whose benefits include access or membership to their airport lounges. For its part, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card gets cardholders into Delta's Sky Clubs and American Express Centurion Lounges when traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.\nSome cards offer a perk that's not specific to their partner airline, but is still worth exploring. The United℠ Explorer Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, for example, offer cardholders a statement credit worth up to $100 for either a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee every four years (4.5 years for TSA Precheck with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card). Participating in either program can save you precious time at the airport by allowing you to access expedited security screening lanes and, in the case of Global Entry, faster processing at customs and immigration when entering the U.S. END