Our pick for no annual fee: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Up to 1.25%
Cash back
- 18 months of intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- 1.25x miles on all purchases
- No annual fee
To determine our top travel card picks for 2023, we spend more than 400 hours each month comparing and reviewing travel cards. We weighed factors such as reward opportunities, quality and monetary value of travel perks, and the ability to earn rewards on more than just travel. Unlike our competitors, Finder’s experts provide unbiased, trustworthy evaluations of all travel credit cards and providers, not just those we partner with on the site.
Finder reviewed more than 100 travel cards and picked the best of the best to help you easily choose the card that best suits your financial needs. Check out our breakdown of the big winners of 2023 below.
Quick look at the best travel credit cards
Credit cards | Best for… | Learn more |
---|---|---|
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | No annual fee | |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Lounge access | |
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Easiest luxury card to max out | |
The Platinum Card® from American Express | Large welcome offer | |
American Express® Gold Card | Groceries | |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Travel credits | |
Chase Freedom Flexâ„ | Everyday spending | |
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card | Hotels | |
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | Gas | |
Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card | Miles match after the first year |
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Finder Rating: 3.5 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | 40,000 miles |
---|---|
Rewards | Up to 1.25x miles |
Annual fee | $0 |
Minimum credit score | 670 |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | 75,000 miles |
---|---|
Rewards | Up to 5x miles |
Annual fee | $95 |
Minimum credit score | 670 |
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | 75,000 miles |
---|---|
Rewards | Up to 10x miles |
Annual fee | $395 |
Minimum credit score | 740 |
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5★★★★★
Welcome Offer | 80,000 points |
---|---|
Rewards | Up to 5x points |
Annual fee | $695 |
Minimum credit score | 670 |
American Express® Gold Card
Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | 60,000 points |
---|---|
Rewards | Up to 4x points |
Annual fee | $250 |
Minimum credit score | 670 |
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | 60,000 points |
---|---|
Rewards | Up to 10x points |
Annual fee | $550 |
Minimum credit score | 740 |
Chase Freedom Flexâ„
Finder Rating: 4.7 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | $200 |
---|---|
Rewards | Up to 5% cash back |
Annual fee | $0 |
Minimum credit score | 670 |
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5★★★★★
Welcome Offer | 175,000 points |
---|---|
Rewards | 26x points |
Annual fee | $99 |
Minimum credit score | 670 |
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Finder Rating: 3.4 / 5 ★★★★★
Welcome Offer | n/a |
---|---|
Rewards | 4% cash back |
Annual fee | $0 |
Minimum credit score | 740 |
Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card
Finder Rating: 3.7 / 5★★★★★
Welcome Offer | Other |
---|---|
Rewards | Up to 1.5x miles |
Annual fee | $0 |
Minimum credit score | 670 |
In addition to the basics like APR, there are a few additional major factors to look at when choosing a travel credit card:
Travel cards and general rewards cards are both valid choices if you’re looking for strong returns on your spending. Which type of reward card you choose ultimately comes down to your financial needs as well as your desired features. Here are a few quick examples.
Of course, you could ultimately choose to have both these types of cards in your wallet and use them for relevant purchases.
Travel cards are chock-full of valuable features that you’ll want to take full advantage of if you want to make up for the cost of your card and start generating value. Here are some quick tips for squeezing the most out of your card.
The best travel credit card for you depends on your spending and travel habits, as well as your credit score. If none of these feel like the right fit, compare more travel credit cards.
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.
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