A fair credit score doesn’t have to stop you from earning up to 2% cash back.
Applying for travel credit cards isn't always fun if you have a fair credit score in the 580 and 669 range. That's because travel cards are usually aimed at consumers who have good credit in the 670 to 739 range. But even with fair credit, there are a few solid options for your next trip — including credit cards with rewards, no annual fees and credit cards with no foreign transaction fees. Use our table to compare your options. Select up to four cards and click "Compare" to see how their features stack up side by side. You can also click "Show filters" to narrow your search.
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Best travel credit cards for fair credit
Quick look at the best travel credit cards for fair credit
If you have fair credit, secured credit cards may offer better approval odds. On the downside, you’ll have to put down an initial security deposit — typically $200 to $300.
As an alternative, you can shoot for an unsecured credit card that’s available to those with fair credit. But watch out for high fees and interest rates from less-reputable providers.
Petal has proprietary algorithms that help determine whether you'll be a good customer, which means you may be approved even with less than perfect credit. The card also comes with no fees, including annual and foreign transaction fees.
While the 1% cash back isn't immediately on par with that of the Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card, it can increase with time. As you make on-time payments, your cash back could grow as high as 1.5%, a good rate on travel and other categories. Petal also has an offers program, allowing you to earn 2% to 10% cash back from select merchants.
Pros
Cashback rewards. You’ll earn 1% cash back on all eligible purchases. To reward responsible spending, that cashback value will be bumped to 1.25% after six on-time payments and 1.5 after 12 on-time monthly payments. The Petal 2 also earns 2% to 10% back at select retailers, including Gap, Old Navy, Casper and more.
No credit history required. If you have no credit score or limited credit history, your income and financial records, including your checking accounts and bill payments, may be analyzed to determine your eligibility. You can still apply if you already have a good credit history and you want to take advantage of the card’s generous fee structure.
No fees. There’s no annual, foreign transaction, overlimit or even late fees.
Cons
No intro APR period. Most cashback cards come with a intro APR period on purchases, balance transfers or both. Unfortunately, that’s one perk you won’t get with the Petal 2.
No signup bonus. Unlike many of its competitors that offer signup bonuses or introductory offers, Petal has no such offer.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
13.74% to 27.74% variable
Balance transfer APR
N/A
Welcome Offer
N/A
Rewards
10% cash back
Pros
Cashback rewards. You’ll earn 1% cash back on all eligible purchases. To reward responsible spending, that cashback value will be bumped to 1.25% after six on-time payments and 1.5 after 12 on-time monthly payments. The Petal 2 also earns 2% to 10% back at select retailers, including Gap, Old Navy, Casper and more.
No credit history required. If you have no credit score or limited credit history, your income and financial records, including your checking accounts and bill payments, may be analyzed to determine your eligibility. You can still apply if you already have a good credit history and you want to take advantage of the card’s generous fee structure.
No fees. There’s no annual, foreign transaction, overlimit or even late fees.
Cons
No intro APR period. Most cashback cards come with a intro APR period on purchases, balance transfers or both. Unfortunately, that’s one perk you won’t get with the Petal 2.
No signup bonus. Unlike many of its competitors that offer signup bonuses or introductory offers, Petal has no such offer.
If you want a card with flat-rate cash back, you’ll have more options with good to excellent credit. But the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card may be accessible right away, as it’s aimed at consumers with average credit.
Offering 1.5% cash back on all purchases, the card is a great choice on vacations and anything else you want to spend on.
Pros
Cash back. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Access to higher credit limits. Make your payments on time for five consecutive months and Capital One may consider increasing your credit limit.
No foreign transaction fees. Use this card freely abroad and you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.
Cons
Annual fee. You'll pay a $39 annual fee for this card.
No signup bonus. You don't get to earn a bonus when you signup for this card.
Annual fee
$39
Purchase APR
26.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
26.99% variable
Welcome Offer
N/A
Rewards
5% cash back
Pros
Cash back. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Access to higher credit limits. Make your payments on time for five consecutive months and Capital One may consider increasing your credit limit.
No foreign transaction fees. Use this card freely abroad and you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.
Cons
Annual fee. You'll pay a $39 annual fee for this card.
No signup bonus. You don't get to earn a bonus when you signup for this card.
There are two key features of the LATAM Visa® Secured Card. The introductory annual fee is a welcome touch, making the card less expensive than the SKYPASS Visa® Secured Card. You’ll also earn points on every purchase.
Since LATAM Airlines is in Oneworld Alliance, you can use your rewards for flights on other carriers such as American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and British Airways.
Pros
Low annual fee. $0 intro annual fee for the first card year, then $25.
Earn rewards. 1x points on all purchases.
Signup bonus. Earn 5,000 points after you use your card for the first time.
LATAM discount. Enjoy a 10% discount on your first LATAM purchase, with a maximum of $500 per calendar year.
Cons
High APR. The ongoing APR for this card is 22.99% variable, which is higher than the industry average of 16%.
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($25 thereafter)
Purchase APR
22.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
22.99% variable
Welcome Offer
5,000 bonus points after your first card use
Rewards
1x points
Pros
Low annual fee. $0 intro annual fee for the first card year, then $25.
Earn rewards. 1x points on all purchases.
Signup bonus. Earn 5,000 points after you use your card for the first time.
LATAM discount. Enjoy a 10% discount on your first LATAM purchase, with a maximum of $500 per calendar year.
Cons
High APR. The ongoing APR for this card is 22.99% variable, which is higher than the industry average of 16%.
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($25 thereafter)
We examined cards that fair-credit consumers may have good approval odds for, and those that offered rewards for travel. We gave heavier weight to cards with superior rewards and lower fees.
What’s changed in 2022
The Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card now offers rewards. What’s more, they can increase to as much as 1.5% cash back on all purchases, which is a standard but solid rewards rate among cashback cards.
How to compare travel credit cards for fair credit
There are several factors to consider when choosing a travel credit card for fair credit. Some of these factors include:
Annual fee. You’ll find cards with and without annual fees. If you decide to pay an annual fee, be sure you’ll get sufficient value from your card to make the cost worth it.
Rewards. They may not be spectacular, but rewards in fair-credit travel cards do exist. Think about what you typically spend on, and consider a card that rewards you most for those categories.
Alliance partners. With an airline credit card, it might seem like your choices for reward redemptions are limited. But there are more choices than it seems. Because major airlines often operate under an airline alliances, you may be able to use your credit card’s rewards for flights on different carriers. Consider which airlines you fly on, and see whether your card offers rewards in the same alliance.
Signup bonus. Fair-credit travel cards typically don’t offer great signup bonuses. But if your decision is close between two cards, the bonus could be the difference maker.
Foreign transaction fee. The best fair-credit travel cards often come with no foreign transaction fees. Skipping this fee means saving up to 3% on every purchase made abroad and with foreign online merchants.
Secured vs. unsecured. You’ll need to put down a security deposit to open a secured card, but you might have more products to choose from. Meanwhile, you don’t need a security deposit for an unsecured card, but you might have fewer options.
Bottom line
While you don’t have your pick of travel cards just yet, you can still find decent options for your next trip. Look for the right combination of rewards and low fees to find the right product. If you’re worried about your credit score, consider a secured credit card, which might offer better approval odds.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. You’ll get your security deposit when you close your card. Some providers may return your deposit and let you continue using your card.
There are actually very few true travel cards for consumers with fair credit, so you might have a hard time finding the right product. In that case, there’s no shame in waiting until your credit score improves. Once you have a good to excellent score, you’ll have access to many stronger cards.
Ultimately, the decision rests with you, and it depends on what you’re looking for right now.
Kevin Joey Chen was a credit cards, banking and investments writer for Finder. His work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Business.com, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com.
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