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Erika's Picks for Best Travel Credit Cards
- Best for frequent travelers:
Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Best for budget travelers:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Best for maximizing points:
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card - Best for luxury travelers:
The Platinum Card® from American Express - Best airline card:
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express
Travel credit cards are an easy way to earn travel points or miles on purchases you make every day.
And there’s a card for every budget — while premium cards come packed with perks (and high-end fees to match), you can also start small with a lower-fee card that will still help you accumulate rewards.
The best travel credit cards offer lucrative welcome offers, flexible redemption options, and eye-popping perks like free lounge access, statement credits, and elite status.
Best for Frequent Travelers
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Rewards Rate
- 10x points on hotel stays and car rentals through Chase Travel℠
- 5x points on dining purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards and on Lyft purchases (through March 2025)
- 5x points on flights booked through Chase Travel℠ (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually)
- 3x points on restaurants and travel
- 1x points on everything else
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$550
If you're a frequent traveler, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is hard to beat. Its generous welcome offer, free airport lounge access, and $300 annual travel credit will give a big boost to your vacation budget!
It also includes the full suite of travel protections, including coverage for trip delays, trip cancellation/interruption, baggage delays, and lost baggage, as well as primary auto coverage insurance.
Chase has one of the best travel rewards programs available. You can use your points to book hotels, car rentals, flights, experiences, and cruises through Chase Travel℠ or transfer to one of 14 loyalty programs with airlines and hotels. You can also redeem points for statement credits and gift cards.
Just note that the Chase Sapphire Reserve does come with a pretty hefty annual fee. That said, if you’ll make the most of all the card has to offer, then this card could be worth the big-ticket price. Do the calculations to see if that's the case for you.
Several perks make the Chase Sapphire Reserve® essential if you frequently find yourself in an airport. You get access to more than 1,300 VIP airport lounges worldwide, including the new Chase Sapphire Lounges.
You’ll also get up to $100 every four years as a statement credit for your application for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry.
However, one of the best features is that you can transfer your points to 14 different loyalty programs, including three hotel chains and 11 airlines — sometimes with even better travel redemptions than using Chase Travel℠.
Best for First-Time Cardholders
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rewards Rate
- 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries
- 2x on all other travel purchases
- 1x on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$95
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the closest to the Chase Sapphire Reserve, but for the more budget-conscious. It offers a similar sign-up bonus, plus rewards on travel and everyday expenses, but with a much lower annual fee.
It also comes with essential travel protections, including trip delay, trip cancellation, baggage delay, lost baggage, primary auto coverage insurance, and roadside assistance.
You can use your Chase points to book flights, rental cars, hotels, cruises, and experiences through Chase Travel℠ or transfer your points to one of Chase's 14 loyalty program partners, which include United, Southwest, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines. You can also redeem for statement credits and gift cards.
Unfortunately, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® doesn't include a credit for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry. You also don't get any lounge access — not even the Chase Sapphire Lounges.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best rewards cards for beginners, thanks to flexible points and lots of travel perks, all for a low annual fee.
Chase's travel program is one of the best, and besides just redeeming through Chase Travel℠, you can do a 1:1 point transfer to many popular airline and hotel travel partners.
Plus, you’ll be eligible for trip cancellation insurance and emergency assistance services, and you won’t have to pay any foreign transaction fees for using your card while traveling abroad.
You can also earn a $50 anniversary statement credit every year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠.
Best for Maximizing Points
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Rewards Rate
- Earn 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x miles on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$95
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers easy flat-rate rewards on everything and you can redeem in numerous ways, including for cashback, gift cards, and on Amazon and Paypal purchases.
But you'll get the best value by redeeming for travel. This can either be travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal or you can be reimbursed for travel-related expenses made elsewhere. Plus, Capital One has 15+ travel partners that allow you to transfer your miles — most at a 1:1 ratio. Notable programs include British Airways, Air Canada, Air France, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, and Choice Privileges®.
Other benefits include two complimentary passes per year for Capital One lounges or Plaza Premium lounges and a statement credit of up to $120 to cover the application cost for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
While it does have travel accident insurance and auto rental collision insurance, it doesn't offer other forms of travel insurance, like baggage loss or trip delay.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the best travel credit cards for beginner and experienced points collectors alike to have in their wallets.
The card's annual fee is on the lower end for travel credit cards — and the cost almost pays for itself with lounge access. You'll get two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or one of 100+ participating lounges in their Partner Lounge Network.
Best of all, you've got tons of flexibility for redeeming points, since you can transfer them to major airlines and hotels at a 1:1 ratio (in most cases) or even apply your points to travel purchases made outside of the Capital One Travel portal.
Best for Luxury Travelers
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Rewards Rate
- 5x points on directly booked flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel (up to $500,000)
- 1x on all other spending
Welcome Offer
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months
Annual Fee
$695 (rates and fees)
If you enjoy fine dining and 5-star hotels, The Platinum Card® from American Express is packed with travel-related perks. However, it also comes with a hefty annual fee that makes it one of the most expensive cards on the market.
You can redeem Membership Rewards® points for statement credits, or you can pay with points when shopping with Amex partners. But most notably, you can transfer your points to 21 different airline and hotel loyalty programs, including Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Hilton, and Marriott(enrollment required).
Membership Rewards® points never expire, so you can save them up over multiple years and then redeem them for something you really want.
In addition to the points, you can access a suite of other benefits, including discounts on premium memberships, credits toward airline fees and hotel bookings, and complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges around the globe.
You'll also get insurance for trip delays, cancellations, and interruptions, as well as car rental loss and damage.*
For luxury lovers, The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best cards you could choose. It comes with lots of premium perks for both traveling and at home, including:
- Up to $200 hotel credit for bookings at The Hotel Collection or Fine Hotels + Resorts, given as a statement credit
- Up to $200 airline credit with a qualifying airline, given as statement credit
- Up to $120 statement credit for Global Entry application fees (every 4 years) or $85 for TSA PreCheck® application fees (every 4.5 years)**
- Up to $240 in digital entertainment credits (up to $20 in total statement credits per month) for Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, ESPN+, and The New York Times (enrollment required)
- Up to $200 in Uber Cash for rides and delivery ($15 per month, plus an extra $20 in December; renews annually, available to basic cardmembers only, and AmEx Card must be selected as payment method for your Uber transaction)
- Up to $100 for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases each year ($50 for Jan-June and $50 for Jul-Dec) (enrollment required)
- Up to $155 per year in Walmart+ monthly membership credits ($12.95 plus applicable local sale taxes, subject to auto-renewal; available as a statement credit; Plus Up Benefits are excluded)
You also get additional perks like access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection and exclusive dining reservations through Global Dining Access by Resy. American Express’s lounge collection includes complimentary access to more than 1,400 lounges in 140 different countries.
That annual fee is admittedly high, but if you’re able to take full advantage of the Platinum Card’s many travel benefits, you can offset the cost every year.
Best Airline Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express
Rewards Rate
- 2x miles on Delta purchases
- 2x miles at U.S. grocery stores
- 2x miles at restaurants worldwide and on U.S. takeout and delivery
- 1x miles on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases in your first 6 months
Annual Fee
$0 for the first year, then $150 (rates and fees)
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express is designed for loyal Delta customers, with perks like priority boarding, a free checked bag, and Delta-focused redemption options. On top of that, you get a 15% discount when you book travel on delta.com using your points.
Also, if you spend $10,000 in a calendar year, you’re eligible for a $100 Delta Flight Credit that can be used toward future travel.
The card comes with baggage insurance coverage* and rental car loss and damage insurance*, although it unfortunately doesn't include coverage for trip delay or cancellation.
For international travelers, the Delta SkyMiles Gold has no foreign transaction fees, meaning you won’t pay extra when using your card overseas.
However, one of the main downsides is the limited redemption options. You can only redeem miles through direct Delta bookings. There is no option to transfer miles to another airline or to convert them into cash, statement credits, or gift cards.
If you love flying Delta, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express is a slam dunk.
This card comes with extra perks that can make your next flight more enjoyable, like checking your first bag for free and getting 20% off in-flight purchases.
This card is also an excellent fit for anyone who loves to cook, dine at restaurants, or order takeout, since you can earn just as many miles for those purchases as you can on Delta flight bookings and in-flight purchases.
How to Compare Travel Credit Cards
To figure out which travel credit card you should get, you’ll first want to evaluate how it fits into your budget and whether or not it helps you reach your travel goals. Some benefits, like lounge access, are a priority for frequent fliers but might not be important to you if you’re traveling on a budget.
When you’re shopping around for a travel credit card, you should compare:
- Flexibility of rewards
- Rewards earning potential
- Size of welcome offer (and its spending requirement)
- Annual fee
- Ongoing interest rate
Once you find a card matching your budget and spending habits, assess how well it aligns with your travel objectives. These are a few things to consider:
- Can you book travel on a third-party website or do you need to book through the card’s travel portal?
- How are travel costs covered? Can you spend points directly or do you have to wait to receive a statement credit?
- Can you transfer points to loyalty programs managed by a specific hotel or airline?
- Can you cash out your points for a gift card if you don’t use them before they expire?
- How are premium perks like TSA PreCheck reimbursed?
- Does your card come with travel benefits like lounge access or a free checked bag?
READ MORE: How to Maximize Credit Card Rewards
Types of Travel Credit Cards
Travel credit cards typically fall into two categories: general-purpose cards and co-branded cards with an airline or hotel chain.
If you have a favorite hotel or airline, you might find using those co-branded cards to be worth it. If you're a flexible traveler, a general travel card is good to have.
- General-purpose travel credit card: Rewards credit cards like these offer points or miles for each dollar spent. Most will reward you more for using the card for categories like travel and dining, and offer a flat rate for everyday purchases.
- Co-branded cards: While these cards are limited by where the points can be redeemed, they often have extra features like higher reward rates for purchases with the brand or the potential to earn free stays.
Bottom Line: Should You Get a Travel Credit Card?
A great travel credit card can unlock travel perks like lounge access and insurance coverage, on top of offsetting the cost of your trips. Many card issuers have their own travel booking portals or partner with other loyalty programs, allowing you to transfer your points for flights and hotel bookings at even better redemption rates.
Just note that the best perks aren’t cheap. Competitive travel cards are about $100 per year, but premium ones can run you several hundred dollars a year. A card’s value ultimately depends on your travel plans and how it fits into your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
The annual fee covers the costs of maintaining a rewards program. Many credit cards offer their own travel booking websites and work with partners to offer special perks. The fee you pay helps cover these costs and is a part of the credit card issuer’s business model.
There are a few travel credit cards that have no annual fee. Some popular ones include:
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
- Hilton Honors American Express Card (rates and fees)
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (rates and fees)
No-annual-fee cards often have fewer perks and a lower reward rate, so consider potential trade-offs. Don’t expect to get into a premium lounge with one of these cards.
* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
** Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
