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Our pick for a travel card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
80,000-point
Signup bonus after spending $4,000 in first 3 months
Weekly tips sent straight to your inbox
When traveling for vacation, work or to see your loved ones, plenty of travel cards on the market can make the experience more rewarding. After all, it can feel satisfying to book a trip entirely on points you've earned or use your card to get into a relaxing airport lounge.
We spend hundreds of hours comparing travel cards to find you the best based on how you can earn rewards, the quality of travel perks, welcome offers, annual fees and more. Learn about your options for a more informed decision before jetting off into the sunset.
The world of travel credit cards is ultra-competitive. That means there are many top-notch products to choose from. If you want to compare these cards side-by-side, check out our comparison table below.
Quick look: Best travel credit cards
★★★★★
Best for everyday spending
Chase Freedom Flex℠
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
$200
Welcome offer
Up to
5%
Cash back
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ isn't a traditional travel card. But this new spin on the old Chase Freedom offers not just the quarterly rotating categories for earning, but strong rewards on travel through the Chase Travel Portal, dining, deliver and takeout, and drugstore purchases.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)
Foreign transaction fee
3% of the transaction value
Welcome offer
$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores on up to $12,000 in the first year
Rewards
5% back in rotating categories up to $1,500 combined each activated quarter (then 1%), 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases
Compare more welcome offer credit cards
★★★★★
Best for large signup bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
670
Min. credit score
$95
Annual fee
80,000
Points welcome offer
Up to
5x
Points
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers a great signup bonus, though without the steep annual fee of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Annual fee
$95
Purchase APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
80,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, a value of up to $1,000 through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Rewards
5x points on Lyft, 2x points on travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases
★★★★★
Best for travel credits
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
740
Min. credit score
$550
Annual fee
50,000
Points welcome offer
Up to
10x
Points
While the Chase Sapphire Reserve® faces plenty of competition in the travel space, it pulls ahead when it comes to travel credits. You'll enjoy $300 annually on eligible travel purchases, with no airline or hotel restrictions.
Annual fee
$550
Purchase APR
16.99% to 23.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
10x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining and travel after earning your $300 travel credit and 1x points on all other purchases
Best for gas
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
740
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
n/a
Welcome offer
Up to
4%
Cash back
If you don't mind a little delayed gratification, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi offers terrific cash back on gas, restaurants and travel. You'll also enjoy surprisingly robust perks, including travel protection.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
15.24% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
N/A
Rewards
4% at gas stations on up to $7,000 annually (then 1%), 3% at restaurants and on travel, 2% at Costco and 1% on all other purchases
Compare more luxury credit cards
★★★★★
Best for rewards with no annual fee
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
670
Min. credit score
$95
Annual fee
130,000
Points welcome offer
Up to
12x
Points
While you wouldn't necessarily expect a hotel card to offer airport lounge access, the Surpass does just that, albeit with some limitations. On top of that, you'll also enjoy solid rewards and perks on Hilton properties.
Annual fee
$95
Purchase APR
15.74% to 24.74% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
130,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
12x points on Hilton Portfolio spending, 6x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases
★★★★★
Best for groceries
American Express® Gold Card
680
Min. credit score
$250
Annual fee
60,000
Points welcome offer
Up to
4x
Points
While other cards on this list might earn similar grocery rewards, they can't stand up to the suite of travel perks and benefits offered by the Amex Gold Card.
Annual fee
$250
Purchase APR
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
3x points on directly-booked flights; 4x at restaurants; 4x at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 annually (then 1x points)
★★★★★
Best for hotels
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
670
Min. credit score
$89
ongoing
Annual fee
140,000
Points welcome offer
Up to
25x
Points
The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card has a lot to offer if you're looking for a great hotel credit card. It offers up to 25x points on eligibile purchases, a huge signup bonus and free nights.
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($89 thereafter)
Purchase APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
140,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
25x points at IHG hotels, 2x on gas, groceries and dining and 1x on all other purchases
Best for flat-rate rewards
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
670
Min. credit score
$95
Annual fee
50,000
Miles welcome offer
5x
Miles
This card offers solid rewards on every purchase. Also, enjoy a fee credit on your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application — an unusual perk for a mid-tier travel card.
Annual fee
$95
Purchase APR
17.24%, 21.99% or 24.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Earn an additional 50,000 miles after spending $20,000 on purchases within the first 12 months
Rewards
5x miles on Uber Eats and 2x miles on all purchases
Best for no annual fee
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
25,000
Points welcome offer
1.5x
Points
Pick this card if you want a signup bonus and flat earning rate, all for no annual fee. It's simple, but effective.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 statement closing dates (then 14.99% to 22.99% variable)
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
25,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
Rewards
1.5x points on all purchases
Best for lounge access
The Platinum Card® from American Express
670
Min. credit score
$550
Annual fee
60,000
Points welcome offer
Up to
5x
Points
On top of a host of other great travel benefits, the Amex Platinum Card offers access to an assortment of airport lounges, including the Amex Centurion Lounge.
Annual fee
$550
Purchase APR
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
60,000 points after spending $5,000 in your first 3 months
Rewards
5x points on directly-booked flights or on flights and hotels on Amex Travel. 1x points on all other purchases. Starting January 1, 2021, your 5x points on flights will be capped on up to $500,000 annually (then 1x points).
Compare travel cards with flight and travel credits
We updated our 2020 list to reflect sweeping alterations to travel card benefits and annual fees within the industry. In some cases, a higher annual fee left an opportunity for other cards to shine, as with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card taking over the Sapphire Reserve's old spot. Other cards lost their position because of product changes. The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card, for example, simply beats the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card when it comes to pure hotel value this year.
Best for miles match after first year
Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Other
Welcome offer
1.5x
Miles
A simple, straightforward travel card that will match your miles earned at the end of your first year. This card is a nice pick if you are planning a big travel year and want to maximize those miles.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 14 months (then 11.99% to 22.99% variable)
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
Discover will match miles earned at the end of your first card year
Rewards
1.5x miles on all purchases
What's changed in 2020
| Card name | Best for... | Finder rating | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | Best for everyday spending | 5% back in rotating categories up to $1,500 combined each activated quarter (then 1%), 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases | |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Best for large sign up bonus | 5x points on Lyft, 2x points on travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases | |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Best for travel credits | 10x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining and travel after earning your $300 travel credit and 1x points on all other purchases | |
| Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | Best for gas | 4% at gas stations on up to $7,000 annually (then 1%), 3% at restaurants and on travel, 2% at Costco and 1% on all other purchases | |
| Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card | Best for lounge access without a high annual fee | 12x points on Hilton Portfolio spending, 6x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases | |
| American Express® Gold Card | Best for groceries | 3x points on directly-booked flights; 4x at restaurants; 4x at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 annually (then 1x points) | |
| IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card | Best for hotels | 25x points at IHG hotels, 2x on gas, groceries and dining and 1x on all other purchases | |
| Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card | Best for flat-rate rewards | 5x miles on Uber Eats and 2x miles on all purchases | |
| Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card | Best for no annual fee | 1.5x points on all purchases | |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Best for lounge access | 5x points on directly-booked flights or on flights and hotels on Amex Travel. 1x points on all other purchases. Starting January 1, 2021, your 5x points on flights will be capped on up to $500,000 annually (then 1x points). | |
| Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card | Best for miles match after first year | 1.5x miles on all purchases |
Why it's best for everyday spending With the additions of rewards categories on dining, travel and drugstore purchases, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a monster of a rewards card. The earning rate on travel exceeds even the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase's premier luxury travel card.
Why it's the best for large sign up bonus. Despite having a much lower annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a larger signup bonus than the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. The impressive offer is a value of up to $1,000 when redeemed through the Chase travel portal.
Why it's the best for travel credits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers a whopping $300 in travel credits annually, with no restrictions on where you can redeem the credit. In comparison, the Amex Platinum Card only offers $200 with limitations on how you can redeem those credits.
Why it's best for gas. Offering a terrific 4% back on gas for the first $7,000 spent each year, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card offers one of the highest sustained cash back rates on gas in the market.
Why it's best for lounge access without a high annual fee. An airline lounge membership is typically valued in the hundreds of dollars range. To have access to such lounges for just $95 – on a hotel card no less – is a unique deal worth checking out.
Why it's best for groceries. Like we note above, there are a few other cards out there that can match the rewards rate on groceries that the Amex Gold Card offers. However, the additional travel perks and benefits granted by the Amex Gold Card make this card a great pick for turning those groceries into flights.
Why it's best for hotels. If you're a fan of IHG properties, the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card's value is tough to beat. The signup bonus offers a huge 140,000 point bonus, you can earn up to 25x points on purchases and you get to enjoy a free rewards night when you book four or more rewards nights with points.
Why it's best for flat-rate rewards. A flat 2x-miles on all purchases is nothing to sneeze at for a travel card. Plus, this card comes with travel perks you'd expect on a higher tier card, like a $100 statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
Why it's best for no annual fee. This straightforward travel card offers a solid rewards rate, signup bonus and intro APR on purchases, all for no annual fee.
Why it's best for lounge access. First and foremost: The Amex Platinum Card grants access to the ultra-luxe Centurion Lounges. But beyond that, you also get access to other lounge programs, including Priority Pass, Delta Sky Club and more.
Why it's best for miles match after first year. Simply put, this is one of the only cards you'll find this feature. Plan out your spending and you can make a solid return on your spending for the year.
Yes. While travel overall might have dipped since the beginning of the pandemic, providers have been adjusting their travel cards to ensure continued value even without regular travel. Many travel cards, for example, have added everyday rewards categories, such as groceries and gas. In fact, some travel cards have become more valuable as a result.
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A travel credit card offers rewards for travel purchases — typically points or miles, but sometimes cash back. Like a rewards card, you can redeem these points or miles for certain goods. In the case of travel cards, this usually includes hotel stays, flights or other travel expenses.
Travel cards also offer a variety of travel perks, such as airport lounge access or travel credits. And you tend to get what you pay for: No-annual-fee cards tend to offer fewer high-class benefits than annual-fee products.
Find a card that best suits your travel and flight preferences. Once you choose a card, you can apply like any standard credit card.
Now that you have a card, use it to make purchases that best help you earn miles toward your account. For a cobranded card, this typically includes purchases through the travel company.
So long as you put your travel expenses on your card, a travel card often proves its worth. Here's an example of what you can expect to earn back or save based on a short holiday trip within the US using a Chase Sapphire Reserve, putting aside the card's annual fee.
| Travel | Cost | Rewards earned |
|---|---|---|
| Round trip flight for two | $300 (normally $600, but 300 removed thanks to card's statement credit) | 900 points |
| Meals | $150 | 450 points |
| Hotel stay for 2 nights | $400 | 1200 points |
| Priority pass meal credit (both ways) | -$116 | - |
| Total rewards | ||
| Points earned | 2,550 ($38.25 when redeemed through the Chase travel portal) | |
| Money saved | $416 |
In addition to the basics like APR, there are a few additional major factors to look at when choosing a travel credit card:
If you spend heavily with a certain airline or hotel chain, consider a cobranded card. Otherwise, pick a flexible-rewards card so you can earn rewards regardless of which airline or hotel you use.
While annual fees can run high on travel cards and you might not like paying for them, annual-fee cards tend to have better signup bonuses and more features.
If you find you spend more on everyday purchases such as groceries and gas, look for a card that has a high earning rate on those categories.
Many travel credit cards offer a sizable signup bonus and great that you can use for flights or hotel stays after earning them.
If you often travel abroad, you'll want to make sure you don't rack up fees when you use your card overseas.
While both general travel cards and cobranded travel cards come with perks, cobranded cards are typically tailored to the cobranded business.
Travel credit cards offer a dizzying variety of perks and benefits. Here are the five most common questions we receive on the subject.
Megan Horner
Credit Cards Publisher
Hi, I'm Megan! I love the travel credit cards in my wallet, especially the one that gives me airport lounge acess and Global entry. Before I open up a credit card, I aways do a ton of research. Here are some articles that might answer the questions you have.
If you consider yourself a jet-setter, you could get a lot from a travel card. There are a variety of options for whatever you're looking for.
Before you start your search, consider whether you want to pay an annual fee, what you typically spend on and which travel benefits you're looking for. Take your time to compare different products, and you'll likely find a card that's perfect for you.
Back to top★★★★★ — 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.
Earn rewards on your Wyndham purchases and get complimentary elite status.
Earn Emirates miles on your purchases without paying a high annual fee.
Earn Emirates miles on your purchases and enjoy premium benefits with this airline credit card.
You’ll need a doctor’s confirmation to use your travel insurance.
Your Visa coverage depends on your credit card provider.
Many of the provider’s Visa and Mastercard products offer coverage.
Capital One Visa cards, and some Mastercard products, offer the perk.
All Chase Visa credit cards offer car rental coverage.
You’ll find an auto rental CDW with the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card.
Mastercard offers car rental insurance depending on the issuer.
