To determine our top travel card picks for 2024, 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.
The best travel credit cards of 2024
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 2024 below.
A simple travel rewards card that offers great perks and charges you nothing to own the card. The VentureOne Rewards card charges cardholders a $0 annual fee and still offers a host of other benefits, including paying $0 in foreign transaction fees. This card is a gem in the rough among other credit cards whose members could pay an annual fee of anywhere from $95 up to $500 or more for card ownership.
Welcome Offer
20,000 miles
Rewards
Up to 5x miles
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
A simple travel rewards card that offers great perks and charges you nothing to own the card. The VentureOne Rewards card charges cardholders a $0 annual fee and still offers a host of other benefits, including paying $0 in foreign transaction fees. This card is a gem in the rough among other credit cards whose members could pay an annual fee of anywhere from $95 up to $500 or more for card ownership.
Pros
Intro APR period. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months after account opening, then 19.99% to 29.99% variable. You’ll pay a 3% fee for balances transferred in the first 15 months, or 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time.
Unlimited 1.25x miles. You'll earn 1.25x miles on all purchases.
Rewards. You'll also earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Cons
Capital One Travel. If you book your travel outside of Capital One Travel, you'll earn 1.25x miles instead of the accelerated 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.99% - 29.99% variable)
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
This card offers 2x miles on every purchase, which is the highest flat-rate travel card you can find. Similar cards typically offer 1.5x miles. But what sweetens the pot for this card is the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit, which you typically only find on premium travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Welcome Offer
75,000 miles
Rewards
Up to 5x miles
Annual fee
$95
Minimum credit score
670
This card offers 2x miles on every purchase, which is the highest flat-rate travel card you can find. Similar cards typically offer 1.5x miles. But what sweetens the pot for this card is the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit, which you typically only find on premium travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Pros
Reward miles. Earn unlimited 2x miles on all purchases. Also earn 5x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
Signup bonus. Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months of account opening. Plus, receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year. This is up to a $1,000 value if you earn the full bonus.
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit. Get up to $100 statement credit when you use your card to pay for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
Cons
Annual fee. You'll pay a $95 annual fee for this card.
No intro APR period. You don't get a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases with this card.
Annual fee
$95
Purchase APR
19.99% - 29.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
Enjoy 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
Capital One's Venture X is the provider's first luxury travel card and it comes out of the gate with a terrific spread of perks and rewards. Aside from the excellent welcome offer, it's incredibly easy to negate the annual fee of this card and start generating value with the Venture X — even more so than the Chase and Amex luxury offerings.
Welcome Offer
75,000 miles
Rewards
Up to 10x miles
Annual fee
$395
Minimum credit score
740
Capital One's Venture X is the provider's first luxury travel card and it comes out of the gate with a terrific spread of perks and rewards. Aside from the excellent welcome offer, it's incredibly easy to negate the annual fee of this card and start generating value with the Venture X — even more so than the Chase and Amex luxury offerings.
Pros
Welcome offer. Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months of account opening.
Earn miles. Earn 10X miles on hotel and car rental purchases made through Capital One travel, 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One travel, and 2X miles on all other purchases. You can redeem these miles through Capital One and even transfer them to travel partners.
Numerous credits. You'll receive up to $300 back in statement credits each year when you book through Capital One Travel and 10,000 miles each card account anniversary starting on your first anniversary. These two perks alone pay for the cost of the card.
Cons
Not all travel partners transfer at 1:1 ratios. Most, but not all, of Capital One's travel partners allow for 1:1 transferring of your miles.
No intro APR. You won't find an intro APR on purchases or balance transfers with this luxury card.
Annual fee
$395
Purchase APR
19.99% - 29.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months of account opening
With a welcome offer worth up to $1,600 in redemption value based on our valuation, The Platinum offers one of the largest welcome offers on the market. Another way of looking at this welcome offer: if you manage to earn it and squeeze the most value out of it, it can pay the card's annual fee for nearly 3 years, letting you enjoy those travel perks without feeling pressured to make up for the card's annual fee.
Welcome Offer
80,000 points
Rewards
Up to 5x points
Annual fee
$695
Minimum credit score
670
With a welcome offer worth up to $1,600 in redemption value based on our valuation, The Platinum offers one of the largest welcome offers on the market. Another way of looking at this welcome offer: if you manage to earn it and squeeze the most value out of it, it can pay the card's annual fee for nearly 3 years, letting you enjoy those travel perks without feeling pressured to make up for the card's annual fee.
Pros
Earn points. Earn 5x points on flights booked directly or through Amex Travel and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. You can use your points toward gift cards, travel rewards, statement credit and more. Your 5x points on flights are capped on up to $500,000 annually, reverting to 1x points after. On other eligible purchases, you'll earn 1x points.
Welcome offer. Earn 80,000 membership rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.
Travel fee credit. Select a qualifying airline and earn up to a $200 airline fee statement credit each year on incidental charges, such as checked bags or in-flight purchases. Also earn up to $200 in statement credit on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings (Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay).
Cons
Annual fee. As a luxury card, the Amex Platinum Card requires a $695 annual fee for use.
Narrow reward categories. This card is only particularly strong at earning rewards on travel.
Potentially limited acceptance abroad. American Express cards are not as widely accepted worldwide as Visa or Mastercard.
Annual fee
$695
Purchase APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
80,000 points after spending $8,000 in your first 6 months
While you could find a card that earns higher rewards on groceries, the same card can't stand up to the suite of travel perks and benefits offered by the Amex Gold Card. If you're frequently traveling within the U.S., the value you'd earn on the card's monthly statement credits and Uber credits make for a perfect on-the-go everyday travel card.
Welcome Offer
60,000 points
Rewards
Up to 4x points
Annual fee
$325
Minimum credit score
670
While you could find a card that earns higher rewards on groceries, the same card can't stand up to the suite of travel perks and benefits offered by the Amex Gold Card. If you're frequently traveling within the U.S., the value you'd earn on the card's monthly statement credits and Uber credits make for a perfect on-the-go everyday travel card.
Pros
Reward points. Earn 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, and 1x points after that. Earn 4x points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year and then 1x afterwards, and 3x points on flights booked directly or via Amex Travel. Other eligible purchases earn 1x points.
Welcome offer. Earn a 60,000 points welcome offer after you spend $6,000 within your first 6 months following your account opening. Additionally, within the first 6 months of Card Membership, earn 20% in statement credits on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, up to $100 back. This limited time offer ends on 11/6/24.
Travel and dining credits. Earn up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys after enrollment. Get up to $10 in Uber Cash each month when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account. To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.
Cons
Annual fee. Pay $325 annually to own the card.
No intro APR period. You don't get a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases.
Annual fee
$325
Purchase APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
Spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months you own the card and earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points. Additionally, within the first 6 months of Card Membership, earn 20% in statement credits on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, up to $100 back. This limited time offer ends on 11/6/24.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a $300 annual travel credit with no airline or hotel restrictions. This is higher than competitor premium cards that offer either $200 or $250 in credit, or restrict your credit to travel fees only, like the American Express Platinum. Combined with a strong suite of perks, including Priority Pass access and the ability to transfer your points, and this is a must-have pick in the Chase ecosystem.
Welcome Offer
60,000 points
Rewards
Up to 10x points
Annual fee
$550
Minimum credit score
740
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a $300 annual travel credit with no airline or hotel restrictions. This is higher than competitor premium cards that offer either $200 or $250 in credit, or restrict your credit to travel fees only, like the American Express Platinum. Combined with a strong suite of perks, including Priority Pass access and the ability to transfer your points, and this is a must-have pick in the Chase ecosystem.
Pros
Annual travel credit. Get $300 in statement credit as reimbursement for your travel purchases every year on your card account anniversary.
Signup bonus. Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months when you open your account. This is worth $900 if you redeem through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
Rewards points. Earn 5x points on flights booked through Chase, 10x points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase, 3x points on Chase Dining, 3x points on all other travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases. These points are worth 50% more when redeemed through the Chase travel portal.
Cons
Annual fee. You'll pay $550 annual fee for the card.
No intro APR period. Like many other travel cards, you won't get a 0% intro APR period on purchases, balance transfers or both.
Excellent credit score required. Being a premium card, your chances of approval greatly increase with a credit score of 740 or higher.
Annual fee
$550
Purchase APR
22.49% to 29.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
The Chase Freedom Flexâ„ offers 5% cash back on purchases made through the Chase travel portal. This is the same rewards rate you earn with premium travel cards. But unlike the $500 annual fee you pay with these cards, the Freedom Flex has a $0 annual fee. With the additions of rewards categories on dining, travel and drugstore purchases combined with the lack of annual fee, the Chase Freedom Flexâ„ is a monster of a rewards card that exceeds the earnings of even the Chase Sapphire Preferred, a higher-tier card offering.
Welcome Offer
$200
Rewards
Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
The Chase Freedom Flexâ„ offers 5% cash back on purchases made through the Chase travel portal. This is the same rewards rate you earn with premium travel cards. But unlike the $500 annual fee you pay with these cards, the Freedom Flex has a $0 annual fee. With the additions of rewards categories on dining, travel and drugstore purchases combined with the lack of annual fee, the Chase Freedom Flexâ„ is a monster of a rewards card that exceeds the earnings of even the Chase Sapphire Preferred, a higher-tier card offering.
Pros
Cash back. Earn 5% cash back in select rotating categories on up to $1,500 each quarter you activate, then 1%. You'll also earn 5% back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and on Lyft through March 2022, 3% back at restaurants and drugstores and 1% back on all other purchases.
Signup bonus. Earn $200 cash back after you make $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Intro APR. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months from account opening, then 20.49% to 29.24% variable.
Cons
You'll need to keep track of rotating categories. You won't get the 5% cashback rate on the same categories each quarter. Also, you'll need to activate your cashback categories, or you won't receive the bonus rate.
Categories not always known. Often, Chase won't reveal the whole year's rotating categories until they're close to launching.
Foreign transaction fees. You'll pay a 3% fee on transactions made abroad.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 20.49% to 29.24% variable)
The IHG® One Rewards Premier offers up to 26x points on IHG purchases, which comes at around 15% back. You also get a free night on your card anniversary each year and fourth free night when you book with points. Most hotel cards get you between 5% and 10% back on hotel purchases and rarely give out free reward nights. Plus, the signup bonus offers a huge 140,000 point bonus, easily worth several free nights, and is one of the highest welcome offers you'll find on a hotel card.
Welcome Offer
140,000 points
Rewards
Up to 26x points
Annual fee
$99
Minimum credit score
670
The IHG® One Rewards Premier offers up to 26x points on IHG purchases, which comes at around 15% back. You also get a free night on your card anniversary each year and fourth free night when you book with points. Most hotel cards get you between 5% and 10% back on hotel purchases and rarely give out free reward nights. Plus, the signup bonus offers a huge 140,000 point bonus, easily worth several free nights, and is one of the highest welcome offers you'll find on a hotel card.
Pros
Rewards points. Earn 26x total points on IHG purchases, 5x points on travel, gas stations and restaurants, and 3x points on all other purchases.
Limited time offer. Earn 140,000 points once you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months of card membership. Combined with the fourth-night-free perk, the signup bonus can easily get you 20 or more rewards nights.
Free nights. Get your fourth night free every time you redeem your points for four or more nights. Plus, every card anniversary, you'll get one free rewards night.
Cons
Annual fee. The card comes with an $99 annual fee. But the card easily pays off as long as you stay at IHG hotels at least few times a year.
No intro APR period. You won't get a 0% intro APR period on purchases or balance transfers, but this is standard with this type of card.
Annual fee
$99
Purchase APR
21.49% to 28.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Offering a terrific 4% back on gas for the first $7,000 spent each year, the Costco Anywhere Visa offers one of the highest sustained cashback rates on gas in the market. And while your rewards are only earned toward a coupon for Costco purchases, the breadth of purchasing options at Costco make this an excellent addition to your everyday shopping. Only the Sam's Club Mastercard comes close in terms of this warehouse value.
Welcome Offer
n/a
Rewards
Up to 4% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
740
Offering a terrific 4% back on gas for the first $7,000 spent each year, the Costco Anywhere Visa offers one of the highest sustained cashback rates on gas in the market. And while your rewards are only earned toward a coupon for Costco purchases, the breadth of purchasing options at Costco make this an excellent addition to your everyday shopping. Only the Sam's Club Mastercard comes close in terms of this warehouse value.
Pros
Annual fee. None with your paid Costco membership.
Rewards. Great cash back for several categories. Earn 4% cash back on your first $7,000 in eligible gas purchases (then 1%), 3% back on restaurant and eligible travel purchases, 2% back on Costco and Costco.com purchases and 1% back on all other purchases.
No foreign transaction fees. Use this card freely online with foreign merchants or abroad and you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.
Cons
Limited reward redemption. You can only redeem your rewards once every year.
No intro APR period. There's no 0% intro APR period on purchases or balance transfer, or a 0% deferred interest on Costco purchases.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
20.24% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
N/A
Rewards
Up to 4% cash back
Welcome Offer
n/a
Rewards
Up to 4% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
740
Best for miles match after first year
Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card
3.7
★★★★★
Finder score
Where most credit cards offer a simple signup bonus, the Discover it® Miles offers something better: a cashback match. In other words, Discover matches all the miles you earn during the year, without limits. This kind of welcome offer is exclusive to Discover cards and can result in serious value at the end of your first year. But to make the most of this offer, you'll need to focus your spending around this card.
Welcome Offer
Other
Rewards
Up to 1.5x miles
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
Where most credit cards offer a simple signup bonus, the Discover it® Miles offers something better: a cashback match. In other words, Discover matches all the miles you earn during the year, without limits. This kind of welcome offer is exclusive to Discover cards and can result in serious value at the end of your first year. But to make the most of this offer, you'll need to focus your spending around this card.
Pros
Rewards. A flat rate for all purchases. Earn 1.5x miles on everything you buy. Redeem miles for statement credit.
Intro APR. 0% for 15 months following your account opening on purchases. After that, your purchase APR will be 16.99% to 27.99% variable. This is an above-average intro APR when compared to its competitors.
Mile match. Discover will match all the miles you have earned at the end of your first year.
Cons
No 0% APR on balance transfers. You only get 0% intro APR on purchases, but not on balance transfers.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 16.99% to 27.99% variable)
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome Offer
Discover will match miles earned at the end of your first card year
Rewards
Up to 1.5x miles
Welcome Offer
Other
Rewards
Up to 1.5x miles
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
Compare all travel credit cards
To get a better sense of which travel card best suits your travel and financial needs, you’ll want to compare all of your options. Check out our full travel card comparison guide for advice and a breakdown of how travel credit cards work.
In addition to the basics like APR, there are a few additional major factors to look at when choosing a travel credit card:
Loyalty program. 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.
Annual fee. 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.
Earn rate. If you find you spend more on everyday purchases such as groceries and gas, look for a card that has a high earning rate in those categories.
Signup bonus and rewards. Many travel credit cards offer a sizable signup bonus and great that you can use for flights or hotel stays after earning them.
Foreign transaction fees. If you often travel abroad, you’ll want to make sure you don’t rack up fees when using your card overseas.
Travel perks. While both general travel cards and cobranded travel cards come with perks, cobranded cards are typically tailored to the cobranded business.
Should you get a travel card or a general rewards 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.
Travel cards offer travel perks. Just about every travel card will offer some form of travel perk, such as free checked bags or room upgrades. You’re less likely to find these perks on a general rewards card.
Rewards card earn points on a wider variety of categories. Many travel cards in just a few categories, usually travel or dining. Rewards cards often cover a wider range of spending, such as groceries or entertainment.
Travel card rewards more complex. Since travel miles are tied to the shifting prices and valuations of travel programs, travel cards can prove a little trickier to use effectively compared to rewards cards.
Of course, you could ultimately choose to have both these types of cards in your wallet and use them for relevant purchases.
5 ways to maximize your travel card value
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.
Use all of your statement credits. Travel cards often come with annual statement credits you can use on select travel or other travel services. Using these statement credits are one of the most important things you should do with your travel card and can wipe out much of a card’s annual fee on its own.
Enroll in complimentary status or memberships. Many travel cards offer complimentary membership or elite status bumps for certain travel programs. The Chase Sapphire Reserve, for example, offers a year of Lyft Pink with enrollment and many travel cards offer Priority Pass membership. These memberships and status bumps are often worth hundreds of dollars on their own.
Redeem your rewards on travel. Though many cards offer several redemption options, your biggest value play is in travel redemptions. Points redeemed on merchandise or gift cards are typically worth much less than if you use them on flights or hotel stays.
Jot down your miscellaneous card perks. Some higher end travel cards come with valuable perks that require more effort to use than a statement credit. A card may, for example, offer a certain number of free breakfasts, but only at select eligible hotels. You can often review a full list of card perks by logging into your card account online and looking for a benefits section.
Transfer your points or miles. Though a more advanced and time consuming technique, transferring your points to partner airlines can more than double the value of those points depending on when and where you transfer them.
Bottom line
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.
Credit card ratings
★★★★★ — 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.
Kevin Chen is a personal finance expert and a former writer at Finder. His expertise has been featured in CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com, among other top media. See full bio
Here’s everything you need to know about using a credit card in Barbados. How much it may cost you, and holiday spending tricks. We help you do your homework before you travel.
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finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which finder.com receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
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