chase best card for travel

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Travel Credit Cards

Start your journey today by finding the best travel credit card for your future exploration needs. Compare travel rewards benefits and offers including dining perks and new cardmember bonuses for extra points or miles.

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® credit card . Links to product page.

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® credit card card reviews (7,829 cardmember reviews) Opens overlay

New cardmember offer.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel SM .

AT A GLANCE

Premium dining & travel rewards Earn 5x total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel SM , excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit. Earn 3x points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out. Earn 2x on other travel purchases.

21.49 Min. of (8.50+12.99) and 29.99 %– 28.49 Min. of (8.50+19.99) and 29.99 % variable APR. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

$95 † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Chase Sapphire Reserve ® Credit Card . Links to product page.

Chase Sapphire Reserve ® Credit Card card reviews (4,642 cardmember reviews) Opens overlay

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel SM .

Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels (excluding The Edit℠) and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.

22.49 Min. of (8.50+13.99) and 29.99 %– 29.49 Min. of (8.50+20.99) and 29.99 % variable APR. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

$550 annual fee † Opens pricing and terms in new window ; $75 for each authorized user † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Plus Credit Card . Links to product page.

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Plus Credit Card card reviews (2,559 cardmember reviews) Opens overlay

Earn 50,000 points after qualifying purchases.

3,000 anniversary points each year. Plus, earn 2X points on Southwest ® purchases and 1X points on all other purchases.

$69 applied to first billing statement. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Priority Credit Card . Links to product page.

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Priority Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Receive a $75 annual Southwest ® travel credit and 7,500 anniversary points each year. Plus, earn 3X points on Southwest purchases.

$149 applied to first billing statement. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Premier Credit Card . Links to product page.

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Premier Credit Card card reviews (3,823 cardmember reviews) Opens overlay

6,000 anniversary points each year. Plus, earn 3X points on Southwest ® purchases and 1X points on all other purchases.

$99 applied to first billing statement. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

United SM Explorer Card . Links to product page.

United SM Explorer Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases.

Join Us with 2x miles on United purchases, dining, and hotel stays. Plus, enjoy a free first checked bag, priority boarding and other great United travel benefits. Terms apply.

21.99 Min. of (8.50+13.49) and 29.99 %– 28.99 Min. of (8.50+20.49) and 29.99 % variable APR. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

United Quest SM Card . Links to product page.

United Quest SM Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 60,000 bonus miles + 500 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after qualifying purchases.

Pursue your quest SM . Enjoy a $125 annual United purchase credit, two free checked bags, priority boarding and other premium travel benefits. Plus, earn 3x miles on United purchases and 2x miles on all other travel. Terms apply.

$250 † Opens pricing and terms in new window

United Gateway SM Credit Card . Links to product page.

United Gateway SM Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 20,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases.

Start your adventure with 2x miles on United purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting. Plus, 25% back on United inflight and Club premium drink purchases, and no foreign transaction fees. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. † Opens pricing and terms in new window After the intro period, a variable APR of 21.99 Min. of (8.50+13.49) and 29.99 %– 28.99 Min. of (8.50+20.49) and 29.99 %, † Opens pricing and terms in new window see pricing and terms for more details. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

$0 † Opens pricing and terms in new window

United Club SM Infinite Card . Links to product page.

United Club SM Infinite Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 80,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases.

Travel in luxury. Enjoy United Club SM membership and 2 free checked bags. Plus, earn rewards faster with 4x miles on United purchases, and 2x miles on dining and all other travel. Terms apply.

$525 † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Aeroplan ® Card . Links to product page.

Aeroplan ® Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 60,000 bonus points. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. That's enough to fly to another continent.

Earn points fast with Aeroplan. 3X points at grocery stores, on dining including take out and eligible delivery services and on purchases made directly with Air Canada. Plus, enjoy free first checked bag and other Aeroplan travel benefits.

21.74 Min. of (8.50+13.24) and 29.99 %– 28.74 Min. of (8.50+20.24) and 29.99 % variable APR. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® credit card . Links to product page.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® credit card card reviews Opens overlay

3 Free Night Awards Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.

Earn Unlimited Marriott Bonvoy ® points and get free stays faster. Earn points on every purchase and up to 17X total points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® .

$95. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful ™ credit card . Links to product page.

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful ™ credit card card reviews Opens overlay

85,000 Bonus Points Earn 85,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.

Earn Unlimited Marriott Bonvoy ® points and get free stays faster. Earn points on every purchase and up to 18.5X total points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® .

Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® credit card . Links to product page.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® credit card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.

Earn Unlimited Marriott Bonvoy ® points and get free stays faster. Earn points on every purchase and up to 14X total points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® .

$0. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card . Links to product page.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 140,000 Bonus Points After you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn IHG One Rewards points on every purchase. Up to 26X points total per $1 spent when you stay at IHG ® hotels and resorts.

$99 † Opens pricing and terms in new window

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card . Links to product page.

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 80,000 Bonus Points After you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn IHG One Rewards points on every purchase. Up to 17X points total per $1 spent when you stay at IHG ® hotels and resorts.

Disney ® Premier Visa ® Card . Links to product page.

Disney ® Premier Visa ® Card card reviews Opens overlay

Disney Card Designs

$300 $400 not $300 $400 Statement Credit after you spend $1000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Dream bigger with the Disney Premier Visa Card from Chase. Earn 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases made directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com. Earn 2% on select card purchases and 1% on all other card purchases. Redeem toward most anything Disney at most Disney U.S. locations and for a statement credit toward airline purchases. Enjoy special Disney vacation financing and Disney shopping savings. Terms apply.

19.24 Min. of (8.50+10.74) and 29.99 %‐ 28.24 Min. of (8.50+19.74) and 29.99 % variable APR. † Opens pricing and terms in new window 0% promotional APR for 6 months on select Disney vacation packages from the date of purchase, after that a variable APR of 19.24 Min. of (8.50+10.74) and 29.99 %‐ 28.24 Min. of (8.50+19.74) and 29.99 %. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

$49 † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Disney ® Visa ® Card . Links to product page.

Disney ® Visa ® Card card reviews Opens overlay

$150 $250 not $150 $250 Statement Credit after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Reward yourself with the Disney Visa Card from Chase. Earn 1% in Disney Rewards Dollars on all card purchases. Redeem toward most anything Disney at most Disney locations in the U.S. Enjoy special Disney vacation financing and Disney shopping savings. Terms apply.

19.24 Min. of (8.50+10.74) and 29.99 %– 28.24 Min. of (8.50+19.74) and 29.99 % variable APR. † Opens pricing and terms in new window 0% promotional APR for 6 months on select Disney vacation packages from the date of purchase, after that a variable APR of 19.24 Min. of (8.50+10.74) and 29.99 %– 28.24 Min. of (8.50+19.74) and 29.99 %. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

World of Hyatt Credit Card . Links to product page.

World of Hyatt Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points after qualifying purchases.

Turn your purchases into more free nights at Hyatt with 9X total points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels & resorts. Plus, get 1 free night and 5 tier qualifying night credits toward status each year.

British Airways Visa Signature ® card . Links to product page.

British Airways Visa Signature ® card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 75,000 Bonus Avios Earn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

Earn 5 Avios for every $1 spent on gas, grocery stores and dining for the first 12 months of account opening or up to $10k. These category purchases normally earn 1 Avios. Earn 3 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia purchases, and earn 2 Avios for every $1 spent on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel.

Aer Lingus Visa Signature ® card . Links to product page.

Aer Lingus Visa Signature ® card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 5 Avios for every $1 spent on gas, grocery stores and dining for the first 12 months of account opening or up to $10k. Normally, these category purchases earn 1 Avios. Earn 3 Avios for every $1 spent on Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Iberia purchases, and 2 Avios for every $1 spent on hotel accommodations.

Iberia Visa Signature ® card . Links to product page.

Iberia Visa Signature ® card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 5 Avios for every $1 spent on gas, grocery stores and dining for the first 12 months of account opening or up to $10k. These category purchases normally earn 1 Avios. Earn 3 Avios for every $1 spent on Iberia, Aer Lingus, and British Airways purchases, and 2 Avios for every $1 spent on hotel accommodations.

Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card . Links to product page.

Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel rewards when you redeem through Chase Travel SM .

Reward your business with flexible and rich rewards. Earn 3X points on shipping and other select business categories.

21.24 Min. of (8.50+12.74) and 29.99 %– 26.24 Min. of (8.50+17.74) and 29.99 % variable APR. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card . Links to product page.

IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn up to 175,000 bonus points Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 35,000 Bonus Points after spending a total of $7,000 in the first 6 months from account opening.

United SM Business Card . Links to product page.

United SM Business Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 75,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases.

Earn 2x miles on United purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores and on local transit and commuting. Plus, enjoy a free first checked bag, priority boarding and other great United travel benefits. Terms apply.

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

United Club SM Business Card . Links to product page.

United Club SM Business Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 50,000 bonus miles + 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after qualifying purchases.

Travel in luxury. Enjoy United Club SM membership and 2 free checked bags. Plus, earn rewards faster with 2x miles on United purchases and 1.5x miles on all other purchases. Terms apply.

$450 † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Performance Business Credit Card . Links to product page.

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Performance Business Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 4X points on Southwest ® purchases and 2X points on purchases for your business in select categories. Plus, 9,000 anniversary bonus points each year.

$199 applied to first billing statement. † Opens pricing and terms in new window

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Premier Business Credit Card . Links to product page.

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Premier Business Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 3X points on Southwest ® purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, and 1X points on all other purchases. Plus, 6,000 anniversary points each year.

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card . Links to product page.

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card card reviews Opens overlay

Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after qualifying purchases.

Make the most of your small business spending with accelerated earning wherever you spend the most. Earn 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in your top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then your top two categories each quarter.

$199 † Opens pricing and terms in new window

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Dream, discover, book with Chase Travel

Go further when you book with Chase Travel

Competitive rates.

Take advantage of competitive rates at thousands of hotels and resorts, with no booking fees.

Seamless booking

Smoothly plan and book your whole trip, from coveted hotels and convenient flights to cars and must-do local experiences.

Premium benefits

Make the most of your card rewards. Access exclusive benefits and earn and redeem like never before.

Find inspiration

Don’t just dream it. Discover your next adventure with help from fresh trip recommendations and curated picks for unforgettable stays.

Get rewarded

Earn and redeem Ultimate Rewards points with your eligible Chase card, including Chase Sapphire, Freedom, Ink Business credit cards and more.

Earn up to 8,000 bonus points or more

Eligible cardmembers can purchase a trip through Chase Travel with their eligible Chase credit card and get rewarded with 5,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points when purchasing 2 qualifying travel components, or 8,000 when purchasing 3. Choose from hotels, flights, cars and cruises.

Haven’t traveled with us in a while? You may be eligible for an extra 2,000 bonus points.

Activate and book March 1 to May 31, 2024 for stays through the end of the year.

• Disclosures

The BEST Travel Credit Card for 2023: Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the first card I recommend to all travelers, and the best travel credit card for 2023.  It comes with a sweet sign-up bonus, ongoing opportunities to earn and redeem rewards, and extra benefits that almost all travelers can take advantage of.  In fact, it’s one of the few travel reward cards I’ve held onto and use regularly ever since I first got it in 2013.

Highlights of the Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card stands out as one of the best travel credit cards for 2023  by offering generous benefits for a low annual fee:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• 60,000 reward points (worth $750 ) after meeting the minimum spend of $4,000 in the first 3 months
• $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x points for purchases on Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, and 2x points on all other travel purchases.
• Points are worth 25% more on airfare, hotels, car rentals, and cruises when booking through Chase Ultimate Rewards (e.g. 60,000 points worth $750 toward travel)
• Includes trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, lost luggage insurance and more.
• Can transfer your reward points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $95

Unlike other Chase Sapphire Preferred reviews, I’ll also share a few of the card’s intangible perks: things don’t necessarily hold a dollar value but still offer additional value.

Top Ways I’ve Used the Chase Sapphire Preferred

A few years ago, I transferred my welcome bonus to United MileagePlus to book a round-trip flight to Slovenia during peak summer travel, an ordinarily expensive route.  I even used the Chase Sapphire Preferred to cover my rental car CDW insurance for a roadtrip through Slovenia and Croatia!

Over the years, I’ve earned thousands of Ultimate Rewards (UR) points which helped me take some amazing trips:

• Round-trip flight Richmond, VA to Slovenia with one-way in business class valued at $3,000 — I only paid $140 in taxes
• One-way first class flight Atlanta to Vietnam valued at $8,000 — I paid $65 in taxes
• One-way economy flight from Nuremberg, Germany to Richmond for next day travel valued at $1000 — I paid $125 in taxes
• One-way economy flight from Cairo, Egypt to Paris, France valued at $400 — paid $65 in taxes
• One-way economy flight from London to Detroit valued at $700 — just $200 in taxes
• One-way economy flight Lima to Cusco, Peru on New Year’s valued at $175 — only $10 in taxes
• The only hotel I’ve ever used Ultimate Rewards for: the Hyatt Regency Kathmandu , where I used 5,000 points to save on a $140 room

And coming soon: I’m flying Iberia Airlines in a few months, after converting 34,000 Ultimate Rewards into Iberia Avios for a one-way business class flight from San Sebastian to Boston.  That ticket is normally $2,000 but I only paid $125 in taxes.

Redeeming points earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred helps me travel when I otherwise couldn’t afford it!

Where The Chase Sapphire Preferred Welcome Bonus Can Take You

The best part about the Chase Sapphire Preferred 60,000 point welcome bonus is that it’s flexible and can be used for any type of travel.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a few of my favorite ideas:

1)   Book a Flying Blue Business Class Promo Award to Europe

Every month, Flying Blue releases a list of cities that are eligible for awards at 20-50% off their normal mileage rate when flying on Air France or KLM.  For example, we’ve recently seen tickets from Chicago to Budapest for 40,000 miles.  Pair this with an economy award in the other direction on airlines like Virgin Atlantic and you’ll end up with a round-trip ticket for just the cost of taxes and fees.

2)   Book a Week in Bali

There are currently five properties on Bali that cost 12,000 Hyatt points per night or less and you can easily transfer Ultimate Rewards to World of Hyatt to make a reward booking.  Choose your hotels strategically and you could hop from one part of the island to another for up to 12 nights at high-end hotels just from using your welcome bonus!

3)   Book 4 Round-Trip Economy Tickets Within the USA

Finding award tickets for a family can be challenging since airlines limit the number of awards available, but you can redeem your points without limitations when you book on the Chase travel portal.  If you can find a ticket from your home to anywhere else for $187 or less, your welcome bonus covers the cost of four tickets.  Going somewhere more expensive?  Just pay the difference in cash.

4)   Book Two Round-Trip Tickets from New York to Costa Rica

By transferring your Ultimate Rewards to British Airways Avios, you’ll have enough points for two round-trip tickets from New York to San Jose, Costa Rica; the tickets add up to 26,000 miles per person and about $50 in taxes.  If you’re traveling on off-peak dates, you might even find flights for cheaper when using Southwest or JetBlue points (both programs have varying award costs based on cash prices) or by booking directly from the Chase portal.

Other Card Benefits Included With Your Annual Fee

For frequent travelers, the $95 annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Preferred pays for itself with the inclusion of extra benefits.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Let’s start with a simple but valuable benefit: there are no foreign transaction fees when you use your Chase Sapphire Preferred while traveling internationally.

Many cards, especially cards with no annual fee, add on a ~3% surcharge to all purchases made with a foreign currency.  That adds up quickly if you’re traveling abroad and charging hotels, restaurants, tours, and transportation.  Spend $3200 or more and you’re already money ahead.

Travel Insurance and Protection

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a generous travel insurance package compared to other cards with annual fees of $100 or less.  To qualify, you’ll need to book and pay for your transportation ticket (flight, cruise, etc.) with the Sapphire Preferred.

Some of the protections include:

• Baggage Delay Reimbursement (up to $100 per day toward purchases of essential items when your checked bag is not delivered on time)
• Lost Luggage Reimbursement (up to $3,000 toward lost or damaged items)
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance (up to $10,000 when you need to cancel or end a trip early due to death, injury, or documented illness of you or immediate family member)
• Trip Delay Reimbursement (up to $500 toward unanticipated expenses when your trip is delayed by 12+ hours)
• Travel Accident Insurance (up to $500,000 when you die during a travel accident — yikes!)

These are great perks for low-risk trips when you wouldn’t otherwise buy travel insurance, like visiting grandma or a weekend getaway to a city in your own country.  I made a claim when a cancelled flight required me to spend the night in Charlotte; I was reimbursed for my hotel, Uber rides, and meals.

Notably, medical costs are not covered, so you might want to shop around for a medical and evacuation policy on international trips. For medical insurance, we recommend World Nomads . They're the “all inclusive” option known for honoring claims made through their simple online process. They cover almost all adventure and sports activities, and you can buy and extend coverage even while on your trip.

Primary Car Rental Insurance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the few cars that offers primary collision damage waiver coverage on rental cars.  This benefit is available in most countries and covers damage to all standard passenger vehicles (some “exotic” rentals, like Ferraris and Maseratis are explicitly excluded).

Remember, this is CDW coverage, so it will pay for damage to the rental vehicle, but you’ll still need liability coverage through your auto insurer at home for injuries or medical expenses.

Three Intangible Benefits

I mentioned earlier that there are a few non-dollar reasons I love the Chase Sapphire Preferred as well:

First, the card always works.  The card is a Visa, which means it’s widely accepted worldwide and it’s been reliable for me even when cards from other banks were incorrectly flagged for fraud while traveling.

Next, they have awesome customer service.  When I call in, I talk to a human being instead of a phone tree.  Better yet, the associates I’ve spoken to are well-trained and able to assist in an appropriate manner so problems are solved quickly.

Lastly, the card is simple .  The Sapphire Preferred is designed for customers who want to set it and forget it.  The rewards are easy, so you don’t have to spend dozens of hours learning how to redeem them, and the website is intuitive for general banking and reward redemptions.  It’s a no-brainer to apply and hold onto the card long-term so you can spend your mental energy on other things.

How to Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase offers a generous welcome bonus for new cardholders: 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months of card approval.  That’s a fast way to jumpstart your earning!

Thereafter, you’ll earn Ultimate Rewards through normal everyday spending.  You’ll get 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and dining and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Chase defines travel as the things you'd expect (e.g. hotels, airfare, cruises, car rentals) but also includes less-obvious purchases like taxis, toll roads, paid parking, campgrounds, and more.  Dining is also broadly-defined, including restaurants, fast food, bars, coffeeshops, and even some food delivery services (like Grubhub).

Want to earn even faster?  Add an authorized user for no extra fee and their spending will earn Ultimate Rewards for the same account.

For additional earnings, you can start your online shopping purchase through the “Shop through Chase” portal.  A few extra clicks will help you earn an additional points for every dollar spent at participating online retailers like Best Buy or Macy’s.com.

How to Redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards

There are two different ways to redeem Ultimate Rewards for travel.  That flexibility means you should get great value regardless of your goals and preferences.

Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to partner airlines and hotels where you then redeem your points directly through those frequent flyer programs.  This is a great way to book high-value redemptions at a reduced rate, like first class flights and luxury hotels.  I’m flying business class this spring on Iberia Airlines from Spain for just 34,000 UR — a fabulous redemption compared to the cash price of $2,000.

The downside to booking through partner programs is that rewards often come with blackout dates or capacity controls, which can be frustrating for travelers.  You can work around these restrictions by using your rewards to redeem points through the Chase portal instead of transferring directly to programs.

When you book through the Chase portal, Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1.25 cents per point (e.g. the welcome bonus of 60,000 points = $750 ).  You can book any flight or hotel that is normally available through an online travel agency like Expedia, so you can choose any airline or hotel of your preference with no blackout dates.

Since your points are worth a fixed value when redeeming this way, it is often a good option when flying in economy or staying at mid-range hotels.  For thrifty travelers that find airfare deals or hotel sales, you might actually use fewer points than transferring to an official frequent flyer program.

The Thrifty Gist

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best travel credit card, offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $750!)
• You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn with the card to flight and hotel partner programs, or redeem them for any bookable travel with no blackout dates online for maximum flexibility
• The card’s annual fee pays for itself with the welcome bonus, no foreign transaction fees, and benefits like travel protections and CDW insurance
• Looking for other options? Check out our list of the BEST travel credit cards of the year , and learn more about how to get free flights with travel credit cards & points .

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

My Top 5 Travel Redemptions With the Chase Sapphire Preferred [2023]

Stella Shon

News Managing Editor

87 Published Articles 620 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 25 U.S. States Visited: 22

Senior Editor & Content Contributor

88 Published Articles 654 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 41 U.S. States Visited: 28

Earning Points

Redeeming points, ana business class from new york (jfk) to tokyo (hnd), ana first class from tokyo (hnd) to san francisco (sfo), 2 nights at hyatt’s hana-maui resort, virgin atlantic economy class from new york (jfk) to london (lhr), iberia business class from madrid (mad) to new york (jfk), final thoughts.

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Recently, the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card was offering an elevated 80,000-point welcome offer . While the offer is no longer available, if you were one of the lucky ones to snag this card with the elevated offer, you may be wondering how to best redeem your new stash of Ultimate Rewards points.

In fact, opening the Chase Sapphire Preferred card many years ago is what got me started on this never-ending cycle of earning travel rewards. Combined with the card’s welcome bonus offer and the excellent everyday bonus categories, I’ve stockpiled hundreds of thousands of points over the years.

But how useful are these points, anyway? While award travel is certainly not “free” by any means, redeeming points for flights and hotels has significantly helped to reduce my out-of-pocket costs on trips. In the past, my points have helped me score unbelievable experiences like ziplining through the jungles of Costa Rica and hiking towering waterfalls in Iceland.

Today, I’ll go through the top 5 travel redemptions I’ve made with my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card this year.

How To Earn and Redeem Points From the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Before we dive into the nitty gritty, let’s first go over how you earn and redeem points on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. For starters, let’s take a look at what the current welcome offer is:

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
• Excellent travel and car rental insurance
• 10% annual bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 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, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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• The Chase Sapphire Preferred 80k or 100k Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Score Requirements
• Military Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

Beyond earning the welcome offer, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a rewards powerhouse for many heavy-hitting bonus categories:

• Earns 5x points per $1 on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• Earns 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $250 (through March 31, 2025)
• Earns 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• Earns 3x points per $1 on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• Earns 2x points per $1 on all other travel worldwide
• Earns 1x points per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Whether it’s going out to eat, taking Lyft rides around the city, or even paying for my $2.75 subway rides, I’ve been able to earn bonus points on all of my routine purchases.

Now when it comes time to redeem points, there are many options to consider on the Chase Travel portal. At first glance, it may seem convenient to cash out your Ultimate Rewards points for gift cards or shopping on Amazon. However, your points aren’t worth very much for either option — just 1 cent or 0.8 cents each, respectively.

The best way to redeem your Ultimate Rewards points is for travel, and there are 2 main ways to do so. The first option is to make new travel bookings (flights, hotels, rental cars, or even cruises) through Chase Travel. If you redeem your points in this fashion, they’re worth 1.25 cents apiece — which is certainly a better value than gift cards or Amazon purchases — but even that method isn’t necessarily the best option.

Instead, we highly recommend that you look toward Chase’s 11 airline and 3 hotel transfer partners . Your points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to these participating loyalty programs, including more familiar faces like Marriott Bonvoy , Southwest Rapid Rewards , or United MileagePlus .

Check out our transfer partner tool calculator to know exactly what your Chase Ultimate Rewards points can get you!

But some of these international airlines that you may have never flown such as Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, and Iberia, offer outstanding value that can’t be ignored. In fact, that’s how we arrived at the value of 2 cents per Ultimate Rewards point when leveraging Chase’s transfer partners. It takes a bit more research and elbow grease, yes, but we’re here to provide these resources at Upgraded Points.

My Top 5 Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Redemptions This Year

Next week, I’ll embark on an exciting 3-week trip to Japan and South Korea. It’s been 5 years since I’ve visited my relatives in South Korea, but this time, I’ll be flying to Asia in style.

Virgin Atlantic has an incredible partnership with Japanese 5-star carrier ANA. If you can find the award space, you can book a one-way, business class flight on the carrier from New York to Tokyo for just 47,500 Virgin Atlantic Flying points. Taxes and fees will run you about $350, but you can’t argue with the value here.

A paid one-way fare would normally cost at least $5,000, so I got almost 10 cents per point by transferring Ultimate Rewards points from my Chase Sapphire Preferred card to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club . (That’s 10x more value than if I had redeemed my Chase points for gift cards!).

Now the challenging part here is finding award availability (which we’ve detailed fully in this guide) . However, there are usually 2 ways to go about it. The first method is to look way out, 330 days to be exact, when ANA first releases seat availability. The other method is the complete opposite — to look very close to the date you’re looking to fly.

I did a combination of the 2, as I originally found and booked the award space about a year ago. But just 3 weeks before flying, I decided that I wanted to change my travel date and also found plenty of award space booked in closely.

All said and done, I’ve seriously upgraded my 14-hour journey to Asia by using just 47,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Flying business class to Asia is a bucket-list redemption for many. But did you know you can also use those points to fly first class?

Largely using the same redemption method as above, I’ll be coming home via an ANA flight from Tokyo (HND) to San Francisco (SFO) — in first class. For this ticket, I did book ~330 days out.

Now this ultra-posh ticket would cost closer to $10,000, but I only ended up using 55,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points and paid around $450 in taxes and fees. That’s like getting 17 cents per point in value, which is pretty amazing for Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Now, redemptions like this seem almost too good to be true, and airlines are always on the hunt to devalue this kind of reward. This did actually happen last month, as Virgin Atlantic raised the award rates for future ANA first class bookings . As such, the same first ticket I booked now requires 72,500 points one-way.

Despite this devaluation, the ability to book first class for less than a six-figure balance of points is still incredible.

Last month, I flew to Oahu to see my college best friend living on the island. Sure, we could have just stayed at her house for the ~10 days I was visiting, but you can’t visit Hawaii without seeing (at least) another island.

Fortunately, my Chase points made this happen. I was able to make a 2-night trip to Maui come to life by booking the Hana-Maui Resort on points. This luxury hotel would have cost $800+ per night , but since it’s part of the World of Hyatt program , I could book it using 30,000 points per night instead.

Plus, Chase’s partnership with World of Hyatt is quite valuable as it’s the absolute best loyalty program for booking hotel nights. In sum, I redeemed 60,000 Chase points to achieve 2.67 cents per point in value. While this may seem like more modest of a value compared to my luxurious lie-flat seats to and from Asia, I still love to redeem my points for hotels — especially with these inflated rates recently.

Coupled with $49 island-hopping flights, I couldn’t have been happier with this redemption — stay tuned for a review coming very soon.

As glamorous as my redemptions have seemed so far, I don’t have an unlimited points stash to use just for business- or first-class flights. I love a good flight deal and am more than happy to fly economy, especially if the flight is under 8 hours or if it’s not a red-eye.

This summer, I’m going on a cruise with a friend out of Barcelona. Because it seems like everyone and their mother is trying to go to Europe this summer, award tickets are scarce.

However, Virgin Atlantic saves the day yet again. The U.K.-based carrier hosts sales several times per year, and back in February, the carrier offered a 30% discount on select award flights . Therefore, I managed to book a flight from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) for just 7,500 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points and about $150 in taxes and fees.

My same one-way ticket would have cost me at least $700, so I got a terrific 7 cents per point value. Even without the 30% award sale, the same flight would only cost 10,000 Virgin Flying Club points — and there’s lots of award availability at the time of writing.

On the way back, I decided to splurge for an Iberia business class flight from Madrid (MAD). The Spanish flag carrier offers one of the most reasonable award rates for a lie-flat seat to and from Europe: 34,000 Avios (off-peak) or 50,000 Avios (peak).

As I’m flying during the peak summer season, I transferred 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points to Iberia Avios and paid $150 in taxes and fees. The same ticket would have cost me at least $5,000 one-way, which is way too steep for an 8-hour flight. Still, that’s a sizeable value of almost 10 cents per point.

However, you could also stretch your points vastly by redeeming them for economy flights. Iberia is only charging 17,000 Avios one-way in economy for flights to Spain to/from the East Coast, which is another solid redemption to consider.

The total tally clocks in at 220,000 redeemed Ultimate Rewards points this year. That may seem like an eye-popping amount of rewards — but once you factor a stash of 80,000 points and everyday earning opportunities — I guarantee it won’t take you long to creep up with a similar balance of points.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the absolute best place to start if you’ve been longing to book travel using points.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 80,000-point welcome offer the best on chase sapphire preferred card.

A few years ago, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offered a historic 100,000-point welcome offer. However, it hasn’t come back since then. Therefore, 80,000 points would be a great welcome offer (when available) if you’re debating adding this card to your wallet.

How do I find award availability for Chase's transfer partners?

Read through our ultimate guide to searching for award availability, which details virtually every airline you can think of! This is a great starting point to understanding how leveraging airline alliances and partnerships can prove to be immensely beneficial when booking award flights.

Why is World of Hyatt the best hotel transfer program?

Unlike other major hotel chains, World of Hyatt publishes a clear award chart that maps out the exact number of points you’ll need for a given stay. Plus, Hyatt offers the most reasonable award rates, as you can book a hotel night for as little as 3,500 points! Be sure to read through our guide on the best ways to redeem your Hyatt points .

What are 80,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points worth?

We value Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents each when you transfer to the bank’s loyalty partners. Therefore, 80,000 points can be worth $1,600 — or potentially even more as seen in this article!

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About Stella Shon

With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in The New York Times, USA Today, and more.

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Best Chase Credit Card for Travel

Looking for the best Chase credit card for travel? As a travel and finance expert, I’ll cut through the clutter to pinpoint the top options. Discover the ideal Chase card for your travel needs – ensuring your next journey is both enjoyable and rewarding.

Our Top Chase Credit Card for Travel

When choosing the best Chase credit card for travel, consider each card’s benefits and drawbacks in relation to your travel style and financial objectives. Chase’s range includes cards with luxury perks, high rewards, no annual fees, and simple cash back, catering to various traveler needs.

Best Overall Chase Credit Card for Travel: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, with a $95 annual fee, offers a compelling mix of high rewards on travel and dining, a substantial introductory offer, and flexible point redemption options. It’s particularly appealing for its $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, travel protections, and the ability to earn 5x points on travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards® and 3x on dining. 

The card’s flexibility in point redemption (1.25 cents each for travel or transfer to partners) and a range of travel protection benefits make it a top choice for both frequent and occasional travelers. It’s also a great card choice for families.

Compared to the higher-end Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Preferred Card’s lower annual fee and similar benefits make it more accessible and valuable, especially for those who don’t need luxury perks like lounge access. It also surpasses the no-fee Chase Freedom Flex℠ in points earning and travel protections, appealing more to frequent travelers, which makes it one of the ideal credit cards for airline miles.

Annual Fee: $95

Intro Offer: 60,000 bonus points

APR: 21.49% – 28.49% Variable

Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Excellent/Good)

• High Reward Rates: Earn five points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel and three points per dollar on dining.
• Annual Hotel Credit: Benefit from an annual $50 hotel statement credit when booked through Ultimate Rewards.
• Travel Protection: Enjoy premium travel protection benefits including trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental insurance, and lost luggage insurance.
• Flexible Redemption Options: Points can be redeemed for 1.25 cents each for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® or transferred to various travel partners.
• Additional Perks: Complimentary access to DashPass, offering $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees.
• Annual Fee: The card carries a $95 annual fee, which might be a consideration for budget-conscious travelers.
• No Airline-Specific Perks: Lacks airline-specific benefits like free checked bags or lounge access.
• No Introductory APR: Absence of an introductory APR period on purchases or balance transfers.

Best Rewards Chase Credit Card for Travel: Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a premium travel rewards card with a $550 annual fee, offering high rewards on travel and dining, a $300 annual travel credit, and luxury travel perks like Priority Pass™ Select lounge access. 

It stands out with its 10x points on hotels and car rentals, 5x on flights booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and a 50% bonus on point redemptions for travel. The card’s extensive travel protections and luxury benefits make it ideal for frequent travelers who value both practical and high-end travel features.

The Sapphire Reserve® outperforms the Preferred® with higher rewards and luxury perks like lounge access, targeting frequent, high-spending travelers at a higher fee. In contrast to the no-fee Chase Freedom Flex℠, it focuses on premium travel experiences over everyday savings.

Annual Fee: $550

APR: 22.49% – 29.49% Variable

Recommended Credit: 740-850 (Excellent)

• Generous Travel Credit: $300 annual travel credit for travel purchases, effectively reducing the annual fee.
• High Reward Rates: Earn up to 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals, and five points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
• Luxury Travel Perks: Access to Priority Pass™ Select lounges and up to $100 credit for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®.
• Enhanced Redemption Value: 50% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
• Broad Travel Protection: Includes trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, and lost luggage insurance.
• High Annual Fee: A steep $550 annual fee, which may not be justifiable for infrequent travelers.
• Travel-Centric Benefits: The card’s value is maximized only with frequent travel.
• High Credit Requirement: Requires excellent credit, potentially limiting accessibility.

Best No-Fee Chase Credit Card for Travel: Chase Freedom Flex

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ , a no-annual-fee card, is an excellent choice for budget-conscious travelers and those who travel less frequently. It offers 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards® and in rotating categories, plus 3% on dining and drugstores. 

The card’s $200 sign-up bonus, cell phone protection, and 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers make it a versatile option for both travel and everyday spending.

The Freedom Flex℠ differs from the Sapphire cards with no annual fee and rewards suited for budget-conscious or less frequent travelers. It offers valuable cash back, especially in rotating categories, but lacks the higher rewards and travel protections of the Sapphire series. It’s more tailored for personal use compared to the business-centric Ink cards.

Annual Fee: $0

Intro Offer: $200 bonus

APR: 20.49% – 29.24% Variable

Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Excellent, Good)

• No Annual Fee: Offers significant rewards and benefits without an annual fee.
• Diverse Cash Back Rewards: Earns 5% back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® and in rotating categories, plus 3% on dining and drugstores.
• Sign-Up Bonus: An attractive $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first three months.
• Additional Perks: Includes cell phone protection and an introductory 0% APR period.
• Quarterly Activation Required: Needs manual activation of bonus categories each quarter.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: Charges fees on international transactions, limiting its use abroad.
• Limited Travel Perks: Lacks the extensive travel benefits and higher reward rates of premium Chase cards like Sapphire Reserve and Preferred.

Best Business Chase Credit Card for Travel: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, with a $95 annual fee, is tailored for business owners who travel frequently. It offers three points per $1 on travel and select business categories, up to $150,000 annually, and a notable 100,000-point sign-up bonus. 

The card’s focus on business expenses, travel protections, and primary car rental insurance make it a valuable tool for managing business travel expenses.

The Ink Business Preferred® stands out with its focus on business spending, offering higher points in specific business categories unlike the consumer-focused Sapphire cards. It’s more cost-effective for business travel than the luxury-oriented Sapphire Reserve® and offers more targeted rewards compared to the broader appeal of the Ink Business Unlimited®.

Intro Offer: 100,000 bonus points

APR: 21.24% – 26.24% Variable

Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Good, Excellent)

• High Sign-Up Bonus: 100,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first three months.
• Business-Focused Rewards: Three points per $1 on travel and select business categories.
• Travel and Purchase Protections: Includes primary car rental insurance, cell phone protection, and more.
• Bonus Redemption Value: Points worth 25% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
• High Spending for Bonus: Requires $8,000 spent for the sign-up bonus.
• Focused on Business: Lacks some luxury travel perks of consumer cards.
• Chase’s 5/24 Rule: Limitations on applications if too many cards opened recently.

Best Freelancer Chase Credit Card For Travel: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is ideal for freelancers, featuring no annual fee and a straightforward rewards system of unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Its key highlights include a $900 cash-back bonus after a $6,000 spend in the first three months and primary rental car insurance, making it a simple yet effective card for varied freelance expenses.

The Ink Business Unlimited® is ideal for freelancers due to its simple, flat-rate rewards and no annual fee, contrasting with the category-specific bonuses of the Ink Business Preferred® and the luxury perks of the Sapphire Reserve®. 

It’s more business-oriented than consumer cards like the Sapphire Preferred® and Freedom Flex℠, offering practical benefits like primary rental insurance and an introductory APR period for small business and freelance needs.

Intro Offer: $900 bonus cash back

APR: 18.49% – 24.49% Variable

• No Annual Fee: Offers a simple and cost-effective structure with no yearly charge.
• Generous Sign-Up Bonus: $900 cash back after spending $6,000 within the first three months.
• Versatile Cash Back: Earn a flat 1.5% back on all business purchases.
• Introductory APR: 0% rate for the first 12 months, aiding in cash flow management.
• Primary Rental Insurance: Provides coverage for business car rentals.
• Sign-Up Bonus Spending Threshold: A high initial spend of $6,000 required to earn the bonus.
• Rewards Flexibility: Cash back doesn’t convert to Chase points unless combined with certain Chase cards.
• Limited Travel Benefits : Absence of travel protections, less appealing for frequent traveler freelancers.

Key Features to Consider in Chase Credit Cards for Travel

Chase travel cards offer diverse rewards programs, with points accumulation on travel and dining expenses and options for redeeming points for travel , cash back, or transferring to partners.

Rewards Program

The rewards program is a pivotal aspect of any travel credit card, and Chase cards excel in this area. They typically offer accelerated points accumulation on travel and dining expenses. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® provides up to 10x points on hotels and car rentals, and 5x on flights booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. 

These points can be redeemed in various ways, including for travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, where they may have increased value, or transferred to a range of airline and hotel partners , providing flexibility and potentially higher reward value.

Sign-up Bonuses

Sign-up bonuses are a major attraction for new users looking for starter credit cards, often influencing the choice. These bonuses, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s 60,000 points or the Ink Business Preferred’s 100,000 points, reward early spending and can be significant, equating to hundreds of dollars in travel or other rewards.

To earn these bonuses, cardholders must typically meet a spending threshold within the first few months. This requirement varies by card and is designed to encourage early and regular card use. It’s essential for applicants to consider their spending habits to determine if the bonus is realistically achievable.

Annual Fees

Annual fees are an important consideration when selecting a travel credit card. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® have a higher annual fee ($550), the fee is often justified by the extensive benefits offered, including annual travel credits, access to airport lounges, and increased points redemption value. 

For budget-conscious travelers, cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ come with no annual fee but offer lower rates, striking a balance between cost and benefits.

Travel Insurance and Protections

Travel insurance and protections add significant value to travel credit cards. Chase cards, particularly in the Sapphire and Ink Business series, offer a range of protections. These include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which can reimburse non-refundable travel expenses if your trip is canceled or cut short due to covered situations. 

Auto rental collision damage waivers provide coverage against theft and collision damage for rental cars, and lost luggage insurance offers compensation for baggage delays or loss. These benefits provide a safety net, reducing the financial risks associated with travel.

International Acceptance and Fees

International acceptance and fees are crucial for travelers venturing outside their home country. Most Chase travel credit cards, especially those in the Sapphire series, are accepted worldwide and do not charge foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad. 

This feature can lead to significant savings and convenience for international travelers, eliminating the need to worry about additional costs when using their card overseas. However, it’s important to note that some cards, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, do charge foreign transaction fees, making them less ideal for international use.

Reward Flexibility and Redemption Options

Reward flexibility and the variety of redemption options are key features to consider in Chase travel credit cards. Chase cards stand out for their versatility in how points can be used. Beyond the traditional redemption for travel or cash back, points can often be used for experiences, merchandise, or even as statement credits.

For example, with cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, points can be redeemed for a 50% bonus when booking travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, significantly enhancing their value. Additionally, the ability to transfer points to numerous airline and hotel loyalty programs, often at a 1:1 ratio, allows cardholders to maximize the potential value of their rewards. 

This flexibility is particularly beneficial for those who want to tailor their rewards usage to specific travel plans or goals, providing a level of customization that can greatly enhance the overall value of the card.

Credit Score Requirements and Accessibility

The credit score requirement is a critical feature to consider when applying for Chase travel credit cards. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Business Preferred® typically require a high credit score, often in the excellent range (740-850). This requirement reflects the premium nature of these cards, targeting users who have established a strong credit history.

On the other hand, cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ are more accessible, with recommended credit scores starting from the good range (670-850). This makes them more attainable for a wider range of customers, including those who might be building their credit history or boosting their credit score.

Understanding the credit score requirements is essential for prospective cardholders to gauge their eligibility and to choose a card that aligns with their credit profile. It also helps in managing expectations regarding approval and in selecting a card that not only meets travel needs is also within reach based on one’s creditworthiness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which chase card should i use for travel.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an excellent choice for travel. Its strong return on travel and dining, along with benefits like travel insurance and an annual fee of just $95, provide great value, making it a popular option among travel rewards cards.

Is Chase a Good Card for Travel?

Yes, Chase cards are generally good for travel. They offer competitive exchange rates through Mastercard without adding transaction fees or mark-ups, making them cost-effective and convenient for both domestic and international use.

How Do I Avoid International Fees With Chase?

To avoid international fees with Chase, you can opt to pay for purchases in cash while traveling abroad. This method circumvents any transaction fees that might be associated with card usage.

When searching for the best Chase credit card for travel, Chase’s diverse offerings, from the value-laden Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to the economical Chase Freedom Flex℠, provide options for every type of traveler. Selecting the right card by evaluating its rewards, benefits, and costs is crucial to enhancing your travel experience and ensuring it meets your financial and travel plans.

Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024

14 best travel credit cards of 2024, best overall: chase sapphire preferred® card.

Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is an affordable option fit for beginners and experienced travelers. For a reasonable $95 annual fee, you get generous perks, including high bonus rewards, intro bonus, annual hotel credit and bonus anniversary points. Plus points can be redeemed for 25% more value toward travel through Chase Travel. Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred review .

• Earns flexible rewards that transfer to airline and hotel partners
• Get 25% more value when redeeming for travel booked through Chase Travel
• Generous welcome offer and bonus categories
• No intro APR
• No luxury travel perks like airport lounge access

Best for Travel Rewards: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best premium travel cards thanks in large part to the generous rewards and outsized redemption value. On top of travel credits, lounge access and other airport perks, the card rakes in flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points in a range of bonus categories. Plus cardholders get 50% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase. Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve review .

• Comes with luxury travel benefits
• Generous welcome bonus and earning rates
• Get 50% more value for travel when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel
• No intro APR offer
• $550 annual fee and $75 annual fee per authorized user
• Earns just 1X points on regular purchases

Best Premium Value: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital one venture x rewards credit card.

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers enhanced travel perks for a lower annual fee than other premium cards. For $395 per year, users get a $300 annual travel credit, a credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership, Priority Pass Select membership, access to Capital One airport lounges and more. Read our Capital One Venture X review .

• Comes with robust travel benefits
• Generous minimum earning rate of 2X miles on all other purchases
• Earns flexible miles that transfer to partners
• Transfer partners aren’t as good as some competing programs
• $300 annual travel credit must be used through Capital One Travel
• Fewer rewards bonus categories than some other premium cards

Best for Luxury Perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Why we chose it: The Platinum Card from American Express is best for luxury perks since, in our view, it comes with the most extensive list of credits and features. This includes the broadest airport lounge membership possible, airline fee credit for incidental fees and automatic Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. Cardholders also earn a very generous welcome bonus and heightened rewards on eligible travel purchases. Read our Amex Platinum Card review .

• Comes with the best airport lounge membership available
• More than $1,500 in annual statement and merchant credits available
• Earns flexible Amex Membership Rewards points
• $695 annual fee and $195 annual fee for each additional Platinum Card ( see rates and fees )
• Earns just 1X points on other eligible non-category purchases
• Statement credits may be difficult to use

Best for Flat-Rate Rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital one venture rewards credit card.

After spending $4,000 in first 3 months from account opening

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with a promising flat rewards rate of unlimited 2X miles on all purchases and unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. This card also earns flexible miles that can be used for multiple purposes like travel statement credits, gift cards , travel bookings through Capital One or miles transfers to Capital One airline and hotel partners. Read our Capital One Venture Rewards card review .

• Earns impressive flat-rate rewards
• Miles come with flexible redemption options

Best With No Annual Fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Wells fargo autograph℠ card.

After spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

Why we chose it: For no annual fee, the Wells Fargo Autograph Card comes with a solid sign-up bonus and earns an unlimited 3X points on travel, gas, transit, restaurants, popular streaming services and phone plans, and 1X points on other eligible purchases. Read our Wells Fargo Autograph review .

• No annual fee required
• Earns 3X points in six popular categories
• Intro APR on purchases
• No transfer partners
• Few travel-specific benefits

Best Overall Hotel Card: World of Hyatt Credit Card

World of hyatt credit card.

Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more by earning 2 bonus points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point, on up to $15,000 spent.

Why we chose it: The World of Hyatt Credit Card is packed full of features. It offers an annual free night certificate each year after your cardmember anniversary, five elite qualifying nights per year just for having the card and a way to spend toward additional elite nights and an additional free night certificate each year.

• Category 1-4 free night certificate annually after your cardmember anniversary
• Earns two nights toward elite status for every $5,000 spent on the card
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance and lost luggage reimbursement
• Full welcome bonus requires costly spending
• Lackluster earnings outside of Hyatt stays
• Lower overall point value on hotel stays than some competing cards

Best for Budget-Friendly Delta Loyalists: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

Why we chose it: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers excellent value for its $150 ongoing annual fee. The card’s first free checked bag benefit applies to you and up to eight other people in your same reservation. When redeeming miles for Delta flights, you’ll receive a 15% off discount when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. You’ll also get a $200 Delta flight credit when you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year. Finally, you can receive an annual statement credit of up to $100 when you use your card book hotel nights through Delta Stays bookings on delta.com. Read our Delta SkyMiles Gold review .

• Free first checked bag for you and up to eight other people on your reservation
• 15% off Award Travel when using miles on Delta flights (through delta.com and the Fly Delta app)
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year (then $150)
• Earns only 2X miles on Delta purchases
• No ability to earn Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) using the card
• $200 Delta flight credit requires $10,000 in spending on the card in a calendar year

Best for Business Travel Rewards: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Why we chose it: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns generous rewards on travel and in a range of popular business categories. Plus cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. Read our Ink Business Preferred review .

• Earns flexible Chase Ultimate rewards points
• Get 25% more value when booking travel with points through Chase Travel
• Earns 3X points in popular eligible business categories (on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year, then 1X points)
• Bonus category spending caps limit rewards potential
• Earns just 1X points on all other regular purchases

Best for Business With No Annual Fee: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Why we chose it: For no annual fee, the Blue Business Plus Credit Card offers 2X points on up to $50,000 spent in purchases each year, then 1X points on other purchases. Plus rewards earned fall within the flexible American Express Membership Rewards program. Read our Blue Business Plus card review .

• Earns Amex Membership Rewards points
• Get 2X points on the first $50,000 spent in purchases each year (then 1X points)
• Earns just 1X points after $50,000 in spending each year
• Small welcome bonus
• Limited travel-specific benefits

Best for Everyday Spending: Citi Premier® Card

Citi premier® card.

After spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com

Why we chose it: The Citi Premier Card offers a robust selection of bonus rewards categories. Not only do cardholders earn a generous sign-up bonus, but they also earn 3X points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels. All other purchases earn 1X points. Cardholders can also earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal (through June 30, 2024). Read our Citi Premier review .

• Earns flexible rewards for travel
• Generous 3X earning rate in five popular categories
• Elevated rate on eligible travel purchases via Citi Travel through June 2024

Best for Travel Rewards on Dining: American Express® Gold Card

Why We Chose It: The American Express Gold Card might be the ultimate dining card for travelers. It offers 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide—that’s the most points you’re likely to earn without jumping through hoops like making dining purchases through a portal. Read our Amex Gold card review .

• 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (plus on takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
• 4X points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per year in purchases (then 1X points)
• Up to $120 in Uber Cash annually
• Steep $250 annual fee
• Poor redemption value beyond airfare
• U.S. supermarket bonus rewards are capped at $25,000 in spending each year

Best for Travel and Transit: American Express® Green Card

American express® green card.

After spending $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership

Why We Chose It: The American Express Green Card offers 3X Membership Rewards points on almost every type of eligible travel and transit expense. If you prefer to earn travel rewards and want a single card to consolidate your expenses on, the Amex Green Card is likely your best choice.

• Earns 3X points on a wide variety of eligible travel and transit, plus at restaurants worldwide
• Earns transferable Membership Rewards points
• Offers trip delay insurance*, baggage insurance plan* and car rental loss and damage insurance*
• $150 annual fee
• Limited cash redemption options
• No introductory APR

Related Articles

• Best Rewards Credit Cards
• How To Choose a Credit Card
• How Many Credit Cards Should I Have?

A Closer Look at the Best Travel Cards

Best overall: chase sapphire preferred card.

Why we love this card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points that transfer to airline and hotel partners like British Airways, Southwest Rapid Rewards and World of Hyatt, yet cardholders can also get 25% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase.

Other reasons to love this card include its exceptional welcome offer (earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, worth $750 redeemed through Chase Travel) and earning rates: 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 5X points on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025); 3X points on dining, online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) and select streaming services; 2X points on general travel; and 1X points on all other purchases.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is ideal for consumers who want to earn flexible travel rewards they can redeem in more than one way without having to pay hundreds of dollars toward an annual fee each year. That said, the fact you can redeem points for cash back, statement credits, gift cards and merchandise means the Sapphire Preferred can also work as a cash back credit card.

Other cards to consider: If you want a travel credit card with perks like airport lounge access or annual travel credits, you’ll have to be willing to pay a higher annual fee. In that case, you can consider cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Best for Travel Rewards: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Why we love this card: The Chase Sapphire Reserve starts new customers off with a welcome offer to earn 60,000 bonus points when they spend $4,000 within three months of account opening, and they also earn 10X points on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase; 10X points on Chase Dining purchases with Ultimate Rewards; 5X points on flights booked through Chase Travel; 5X points on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025); 3X points on dining and general travel purchases (not purchased through Chase); and 1X points on everything else. Rewards on travel are after the $300 travel credit is spent each year.

Premium perks that come with the card include a $300 annual travel credit, an application fee credit for Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck membership, Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership and a suite of premium travel insurance benefits.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Sapphire Reserve is for frequent travelers who want to earn flexible rewards they can use for direct travel bookings through Chase or point transfers to airlines and hotels. The ideal cardholder also wants luxury travel benefits like airport lounge access and annual travel credits.

Other cards to consider: For a more affordable premium travel card, consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. But for more extensive lounge access and the chance to earn more credits, look into the Amex Platinum Card.

Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve

Best for Premium Value: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Why we love this card: Despite the fact this card charges just $395 per year, it comes with a $300 annual travel credit, a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership, Priority Pass Select membership, access to Capital One airport lounges and more. Users also earn flexible Capital One miles that can be redeemed for travel through Capital One Travel, used for gift cards, merchandise and travel statement credits or transferred to Capital One airline or hotel partners. Rewards include 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on all other purchases.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is for people who can utilize its airline and hotel partners or want to use their miles to book travel directly through Capital One. Individuals who want a card with airport lounge access at the lowest possible cost can also consider this premium travel credit card.

Other cards to consider: If you research Capital One airline and hotel partners and like what you see but want to pay a lower annual fee each year, you should also consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95 annual fee). If you want airport lounge access and other premium benefits, however, you should check out the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Read our review of the Capital One Venture X

Best for Luxury Perks: The Platinum Card from American Express

Why we love this card: The Platinum Card from American Express has so many perks and statement credits it’s hard to keep track. For example, cardholders get more than $1,500 in statement and merchant credit offers with the card, plus the broadest airport lounge membership possible (Global Lounge Collection), Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy with enrollment, access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and plenty of other luxury travel perks.

Cardholders also earn a generous welcome bonus (earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new card in the first six months of card membership), plus 5X points on up to $500,000 spent each calendar year on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, 5X points on eligible prepaid hotels booked via American Express Travel and 1X points on all other purchases.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Platinum Card from American Express is best for frequent travelers who can use most of its statement credit offers and benefits each year. Individuals who fly a lot and want access to the most airport lounges worldwide will also love the fact they can enter Priority Pass lounges, Amex Centurion lounges and even Delta Sky Clubs when they fly with Delta Air Lines. This card also works best for people who want to earn flexible points for travel that can be redeemed for airfare, hotel stays, car rentals and other travel in more than one way. After all, points earned with the card fall within the popular American Express Membership Rewards program.

Other cards to consider: If you want airport lounge access, consider premium travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Capital One Venture X, which charge annual fees of $550 and $395, respectively. You can pay an even lower annual fee if you give up some luxury travel benefits and pick a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Citi Premier.

Read our review of the Amex Platinum

Why we love this card: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns a nice flat rewards rate of 2X unlimited miles on all purchases and 5X unlimited miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Plus, miles can be redeemed for options like statement credits to offset travel, gift cards, travel through Capital One or transfers to airlines and hotels. While the annual fee is just $95, cardholders get perks like a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership every four years.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideal for frequent travelers who want some upgraded perks without paying more than $100 per year for their travel credit card. The card’s flat rewards rate also makes it a good choice for consumers who don’t want to keep track of confusing earning rates or bonus categories. Finally, this card works well for people who want to use their miles for travel but also want some flexibility in how they redeem them.

Other cards to consider: Several other flexible travel credit cards let users transfer rewards to airlines and hotels without paying more than $100 in annual fees each year. For example, you could consider the Citi Premier or the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which earn points in the Citi ThankYou Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards programs, respectively.

Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review

Best for No Annual Fee: Wells Fargo Autograph Card

Why we love this card: The Wells Fargo Autograph Card earns 3X points in so many bonus categories with no annual fee required. The welcome offer is also higher than other travel and cash back credit cards with no annual fee (30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first three months), and rewards are fairly flexible. For example, you can redeem rewards with this card for travel, gift cards, statement credits or PayPal purchases. The card also has more benefits than one would think, including cellphone protection, auto rental coverage, travel and emergency assistance services and roadside dispatch.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is best for people who want to earn rewards with no annual fee required, as well as those who want some flexibility when it comes to cashing in their rewards. The intro APR offer on purchases also makes this card a good option for people who want to earn rewards on a large purchase and then pay it down interest-free for the first year.

Other cards to consider: If you want to earn travel rewards with no annual fee required, several top cards can fit the bill. For example, you could also look at the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, the Discover it® Miles and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

Read our Wells Fargo Autograph Card review

Why we love this card: The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers 4X points on Hyatt hotels, an annual free night certificate and a second free night certificate once you spend $15,000 in a calendar year. The card also helps you earn elite status with Hyatt. You start out with World of Hyatt Discoverist status and five elite-qualifying night credits just for having the card, plus you earn two bonus elite night credits for every $5,000 you spend on the card. That’s plenty of value for a $95/year card.

Who should have this in their wallet: The World of Hyatt Credit Card is a great choice for anyone who stays at Hyatt hotels at least a few times a year. If you stay at Hyatt hotels occasionally and can make use of the annual category 1-4 free night, you’re likely to get value in excess of the card’s $95 annual fee. Those who stay at Hyatt hotels often enough to pursue Hyatt status will find that the card both helps boost their status and offers the best rewards value on Hyatt stays of any card.

Other cards to consider: If you want a credit card that offers a free night certificate, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card also offer a free night annually each account anniversary just for having the cards.

Why we love this card: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card comes with plenty of features and benefits. The card’s first checked bag free benefit applies to everyone in your reservation—up to eight companions—making it a great value for family travelers. The $100 Delta Stays credit offers easy value when you book a hotel stay through Delta Stays on delta.com and the $200 Delta Flight credit you’ll receive after spending $10,000 in a calendar year should be easy to use for loyal Delta flyers.

Who should have this in their wallet: Anyone who regularly checks bags on Delta and doesn’t already have Delta elite status should get the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. The card will pay for itself in saved checked bag fees after just three round trips each year by our estimation.

Other cards to consider: If you’re pursuing Delta elite status, consider holding one of the airline’s more premium cards. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card both earn the Medallion Qualifying Dollars you’ll need to earn frequent flyer status with Delta.

Best for Business Travel Rewards: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Why we love this card: The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card earns 3X points on up to $150,000 in spending each anniversary year in the following categories (then 1X points): shipping purchases; advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines; internet, cable and phone services; and travel. You earn 1X points on all other purchases.

Rewards fall within the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, so points can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, merchandise, travel through Chase Travel (for 25% more value) or 1:1 point transfers to Chase airline and hotel partners. Benefits for business owners include free employee cards, primary auto rental coverage when renting a car for business purchases, cell phone protection, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty protection and more.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Ink Business Preferred is for business owners who spend a lot in its bonus categories and want to earn travel rewards points they can use in more than one way. Many business owners also pair this card with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve as their personal card since Chase lets users pool rewards in one account for convenience (and premium redemptions).

Other cards to consider: If the bonus categories don’t fit your spending, the no-annual-fee Amex Blue Business Plus offers a flat rate of 2X points on up to $50,000 in purchases each year, followed by 1X points.

Read our review of the Ink Business Preferred

Best for Business With No Annual Fee: Blue Business Plus Credit Card

Why we love this card: The Blue Business Plus Credit Card earns Amex Membership Rewards points with no annual fee required. While the welcome bonus is on the small side (earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in purchases with the card in the first three months), cardholders can earn 2X points on up to $50,000 spent on purchases each year, then 1X points on other purchases.

Who should have this in their wallet: This business credit card is ideal for business owners who want to earn Amex points without paying an annual fee each year. Many consumers pair this card with a Membership Rewards card for consumers such as the Amex EveryDay, the American Express® Gold Card, and the American Express® Green Card.

Other cards to consider: There are few other business credit cards to consider if you want a card for travel with no annual fee that’s specifically for small businesses and entrepreneurs. However, you can consider consumer credit cards for travel with no annual fee required, including the Discover it® Miles and the Capital One VentureOne.

Read our review of the Amex Blue Business Plus

Best for Everyday Spending: Citi Premier Card

Why we love this card: The Citi Premier Card is a solid choice as a top-of-wallet card due to its bonus category potential. The card earns 3X points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels; 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through the Citi travel portal (through June 30, 2024); and 1X points on other purchases. While a $95 annual fee applies, benefits like a $100 annual hotel savings on a $500+ hotel stay booked with Citi Travel help make up for it. Also note that this card earns Citi ThankYou points that can be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, travel through Citi or transfers to Citi ThankYou airline and hotel partners.

Who should have this in their wallet: The Citi Premier Card is best for people who want to earn 3X points in as many categories as possible, as well as those who want some flexibility in how they redeem their rewards. This card also works well for people who have a cash back credit card from Citi that they use for points pooling.

Other cards to consider: The Wells Fargo Autograph is another flexible credit card for travel that earns 3X points in a bunch of different categories, yet with no annual fee. If you want points that transfer to partners with an annual fee below $100 each year, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred or even the Amex EveryDay.

Read our review of the Citi Premier Card

Best for Travel Rewards on Dining: American Express Gold Card

Why we love this card: Almost every rewards card that earns extra points for dining at any restaurant worldwide will give you at most three points per dollar. The Amex Gold Card gives you 4X points. If restaurants worldwide (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) is one of your biggest spending categories, this bonus to the amount of rewards you earn can really add up. Plus, the card offers respectable rewards of 4X points on up to $25,000 a calendar year at U.S. supermarkets (then 1X) and 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

Who should have this card in their wallet: If you are invested in the Membership Rewards ecosystem and know how to use the points for high-value redemptions, the Amex Gold Card is a rewards powerhouse. The Gold card can earn you a great return on your worldwide restaurant spending and up to $25,000 of charges you make at U.S. supermarkets a calender year (4X points before cap, then 1X).

Other cards to consider: If you prefer earning travel rewards that are easier to use, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve might be a better bet. Both cards earn 3X points on dining at restaurants—rewards that can be easily redeemed for cash back, travel or transferred to travel partners.

Best for Business Travel Expenses: American Express Green Card

Why we love this card: With the Amex Green Card, you’ll earn 3X Membership Rewards on core travel expenses like eligible airfare and hotels, but you’ll also earn increased rewards on most other eligible travel expenses like tours, cruises, travel purchases on third party websites, rideshare, tolls and dining at restaurants worldwide. If you’re after travel rewards, you can do pretty well carrying only the Amex Green Card when you travel.

Who should have this card in their wallet: The frequent traveler who wants a single card that offers a good rate of rewards on all of their travel purchases should carry the Amex Green Card. The card not only offers 3X Membership Rewards on almost every eligible purchase you’ll make on the road, but it also provides essential travel insurance protections.

Other cards to consider: If cash-like rewards on your travel is your preference, you can earn rewards on most of your travel and transit expenses with the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. You won’t get the travel protections that you will with the Green Card, but you will pay no annual fee for the card.

What Is a Travel Credit Card?

A travel credit card is a type of rewards credit card that offers points that can be redeemed for travel and other options. Many travel credit cards also offer travel-specific benefits that can apply in certain situations, such as free checked bags when flying with an airline or late checkout when staying with specific hotel brands.

While some travel credit cards earn airline miles for a specific airline or hotel points that work within a specific hotel loyalty program, other cards earn flexible travel rewards points that can be redeemed for several flexible options. Additional travel credit card benefits can also be included, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, auto rental coverage, roadside dispatch, automatic elite status, annual travel credits, airport lounge access and more.

How Do Travel Credit Cards Work?

How travel credit cards work depends on the type of card and the program its rewards fall in. However, all travel credit cards have certain things in common. For example:

• Travel credit cards tend to offer welcome bonuses when you meet a minimum spending requirement within a few months of account opening.
• You can earn travel rewards points (or miles) based on spending and the card’s earning structure.
• Some cards offer bonus points or miles in certain categories, while others do not.
• Travel credit card benefits (e.g. travel insurance, annual travel credits, airport lounge access, free checked bags, etc.) can apply, although these perks vary widely by card.
• Travel credit card annual fees range from $0 all the way up $695, and there are cards for consumers as well as businesses.

Other than the card amenities that apply specifically to travel, cards in this niche work like other types of credit cards. All travel credit cards give consumers a line of credit they can borrow against, and they can avoid credit card interest if they pay their statement balance in full by their payment due date. When consumers don’t pay their balance in full, they get charged interest based on the average daily balance and the card’s annual percentage rate (APR).

Types of Travel Credit Cards

As you decide on a travel credit card for your wallet, you should know about the types of cards that are out there. This can help you figure out which travel credit card is best for you based on the type of rewards you want to earn and the benefits you desire.

• General travel credit cards: Some cards are considered general travel credit cards because they earn bonus points or miles in multiple categories and let you redeem rewards for travel without offering a lot of travel-specific perks or benefits. Cards in this category do not let you transfer points to airline and hotel programs like flexible travel credit cards do.
• Flexible travel credit cards: Flexible travel credit cards fall within programs like Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards, and they let you redeem rewards for travel through a portal or rewards transfers to airlines and hotels affiliated with the program. Premium cards in this category may also come with benefits like airport lounge access, annual travel credits and robust travel insurance protections.
• Co-branded airline cards: Co-branded airline credit cards are offered by card issuers alongside frequent flyer programs like American Airlines AAdvantage and Delta SkyMiles. Cards in this category earn miles that are redeemable for flights with the airline itself or its partners, and they can come with perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, airport lounge access and more.
• Co-branded hotel cards: Hotel brands like Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt also offer co-branded credit cards alongside major card issuers . Cards in this category earn hotel points that can be used for free award stays, suite upgrades and other on-site benefits, and they tend to come with perks like automatic elite status, early check-in and late checkout. Some premium hotel credit cards also come with annual travel credits and airport lounge membership.

How To Choose the Best Travel Credit Card

The best travel credit card for one person can be totally different for another, mostly because there are so many variables to keep in mind. Not only are there different types of travel rewards you can earn, but earning rates and cardholder perks and fees vary widely by product.

As you look for the right travel credit card for what you’re hoping to get in return, keep the following factors in mind.

Type of Rewards

First off, you’ll want to think over the type of travel rewards you want to earn, whether that’s flexible points, airline miles or hotel points. If you fly with a specific airline or stay with a specific brand of hotels often, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of earning rewards that are specific to that program versus earning flexible rewards that may or may not transfer to your favorite travel brands.

Redemption Options

Speaking of that, make sure you have a general idea of the redemption options available for the rewards you earn, and keep in mind that airline miles and hotel points tend to be more limited overall. If you want rewards that are as flexible as they can be, consider picking up a flexible travel credit card that lets you redeem rewards through a portal or transfer to a range of airline and hotel partners.

Cardholder Benefits

Also consider the perks you want to get with your credit card for travel, keeping in mind that some cards offer general benefits and others offer more specific perks. For example, airline credit cards tend to offer benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding, whereas hotel credit cards offer hotel-specific perks like entry-level elite status, early check-in and late checkout. Meanwhile, flexible travel credit cards tend to offer more general benefits like fee credits as reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership or Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership.

Learn more about the benefits found with some of the best travel rewards cards:

• New Amex Delta SkyMiles benefits (and fees)
• Amex Platinum benefits
• Amex Gold Card benefits
• American Express® Business Gold Card benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits
• Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits

Earning Rates

Also look at the earning rates travel credit cards offer and compare them to see which cards would net you the most in rewards over time. If you spend a lot of money in specific categories each month like gas, groceries or travel, it can help to look for cards that offer bonus points in these categories.

Welcome Offers

Consider travel credit card welcome bonuses and see which ones entice you the most. If a card has a high minimum spending requirement to earn a welcome bonus, make sure you can easily meet it with regular, organic spending and bills within the timeline required.

If you have to spend $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening, for example, that breaks down to spending at least $1,334 on purchases each month for the first three consecutive months in a row after becoming a cardholder.

Travel Protections

Although you might be tempted to book your travel with your card that earns the greatest amount of rewards, you should also consider what travel protections your card provides. Many travel credit cards offer a suite of travel protections that can be far more valuable than a few marginal points if things go wrong. Here are a few of the essential travel protections that many travel cards offer.

• Trip delay insurance can cover incidental expenses and even an overnight stay if travel you book with your card is delayed significantly or overnight. Booking a trip with a card that offers this benefit can mean that you’re not out hundreds of dollars if you suddenly need to check into a hotel for an overnight flight delay.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver insurance can cover damage to or theft of a rental car you book using your card. Ideally, you’d rent a car using a card that offers primary insurance, which can provide protection without requiring you to make a claim to your personal auto insurance. Keep in mind that this benefit doesn’t cover liability and often doesn’t cover car-sharing services like Turo.
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance may cover reimbursement of non-refundable prepaid travel expenses in the event that your trip gets interrupted or canceled for a covered reason. Which expenses this benefit covers vary widely by card—some cards only cover prepaid travel by common carrier, while others will cover expenses like tours and lodging booked through travel providers.

Finally, compare travel credit cards based on their annual fees, and make sure you feel comfortable with the annual fee you’re planning to pay. If a credit card for travel you’re considering charges an annual fee, look closely at its benefits and rewards to make sure you’re getting more value out of the card than its annual fee the first year. Also check for other fees like foreign transaction fees, but note that credit cards geared to travel usually don’t charge them.

You can also look at cards based on their variable interest rates and intro APR offers. That said, you’ll typically only want to get a travel credit card if you plan to pay off your purchases in full each month. If you carry a balance on your card or end up in long-term debt, the variable rates you pay will more than wipe out the rewards you earn.

What Are Your Points and Miles Worth?

How much points and miles are worth may not seem like a big consideration, but this is one of the most important factors to keep in mind as you compare card earning rates and redemption options. After all, some rewards points are worth considerably more than others, and some cards have different redemption rates depending on how you use your points.

Knowing how much your points are worth can help you decide if a travel credit card is the right fit for you. For example, Amex Membership Rewards points are worth an average of 1.19 cents per point according to Newsweek valuations. For maximum value, you’ll need to transfer your points to an airline partner.

Other Amex redemption options aren’t as valuable. You can redeem Amex points for airfare through AmexTravel.com at 1 cent per point. But points are only worth 0.6 cents per point if you redeem for statement credits and 0.7 cents per point for many travel redemptions through Amex Travel.

If cash back is your preferred redemption option, a cash back credit card is likely a better fit over an Amex travel card. And if you’re not booking flights through Amex travel or transferring to a high-value transfer partner, a different travel rewards card could give you better value when redeeming your rewards.

Also note that similar points from different programs can be worth varying amounts, and this can skew how generous the earning rates and welcome bonuses appear with different cards. For example, Hilton Honors points are worth an average of 0.41 cents each, whereas World of Hyatt points are worth 2.11 cents each based on our internal valuations.

*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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What credit score do you need for the best travel credit cards.

Minimum credit score recommendations vary by card product and card issuer. But the best travel credit cards are geared toward individuals with good to excellent credit (or a FICO Score of 670 and up).

What Is the Best Credit Card for Travel Points?

The best credit card for travel rewards can vary based on the type of rewards, fees charged and perks included. However, some of the best travel credit cards on the market today include the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X.

Do I Have To Pay Interest on a Credit Card?

Avoid interest completely on credit cards by paying your card’s statement balance in full by your card’s payment due date each month. Some cards also come with introductory APRs for purchases, balance transfers or both, yet this isn’t a common feature among credit cards for travel rewards.

The post Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024 first appeared on Newsweek Vault .

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Find the best credit card for you

Here are the 3 best chase balance transfer credit cards of 2024, save money with these chase credit cards that offer 0% introductory aprs on balance transfers..

Credit card interest rates are often higher than other financial products like personal loans or mortgages so it's best to pay off your credit card balance in full every month . However, that isn't always possible so many people may wind up with high-interest credit card debt. In these situations, taking advantage of a 0% balance transfer offer can reduce the interest you pay and help you pay off your credit card debt more quickly.

Chase is known for issuing some top travel credit cards , but it also has several cards that offer an intro 0% APR for balance transfers. Consider these Chase balance transfer credit cards if you're hunting for a balance transfer offer. (See our methodology for information on how we chose the best Chase balance transfer credit cards).

Best Chase balance transfer credit cards

• Best for long intro APR: Chase Slate Edge℠
• Best for cash back: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Best for rotating bonus categories: Chase Freedom Flex℠

Best for long intro APR

Chase slate edge℠, welcome offer.

Get an automatic review for a credit limit increase when you pay on time and spend $500 in your first six months.

0% for 18 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers

Regular APR

20.49% - 29.24% variable

Balance transfer fee

Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Excellent/Good

Member FDIC. Terms apply. Information about the Chase Slate Edge℠ has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

• No annual fee
• Lower your interest rate by 2% each year: Automatically be considered for an APR reduction when you pay on time, and spend at least $1,000 on your card by your next account anniversary
• 3% foreign transaction fee
• No rewards program

Who's this for? The Chase Slate Edge℠ does one thing, and it does it well — reduce the interest you pay. Its longer-than-usual introductory APR offer makes it ideal for those seeking more time to pay off their balance.

Balance transfer offer : New cardholders are eligible for an intro 0% APR on eligible balance transfers and purchases for 18 months from account opening, then a 20.49% to 29.24% variable APR applies. This is one of the longest intro APR offers available and is especially useful since it applies to purchases, too.

An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer (whichever is higher) applies to transfers completed in the first 60 days of account opening. After that, the balance transfer fee is $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer (whichever is higher).

[ Jump to more details ]

Best for cash back

Chase freedom unlimited®.

Enjoy 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Welcome bonus

INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

0% for the first 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers

3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Member FDIC. Terms apply.

Read our Chase Freedom Unlimited® review.

• Rewards can be transferred to a Chase Ultimate Rewards card
• Generous welcome bonus
• 3% fee charged on foreign transactions

Who's this for? The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is geared toward those who want to earn cash back on their everyday spending and still want access to a helpful intro APR offer.

Balance transfer offer : New card members receive an intro 0% APR for purchases and balance transfer for the first 15 months, after that a variable 20.49% to 29.24% APR applies. For the first 60 days of account opening, there's an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer ($5 minimum). After that, a standard balance transfer fee of $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer applies, whichever is greater.

Best for rotating bonus categories

Chase freedom flex℠.

5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%), 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on drugstore purchases and on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 1% cash back on all other purchases

Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Member FDIC. Terms apply. Information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Read our Chase Freedom Flex℠ review.

• Opportunity to earn up to 5% cash back in select categories upon activation
• Bonus categories must be activated each quarter

Who's this for? The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a great card for anyone who enjoys squeezing the most value out of their credit card thanks to its generous rotating quarterly bonus categories.

Balance transfer offer : New cardholders can take advantage of a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balances transfer, then a 20.49% to 29.24% variable APR applies. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer applies to transfers completed in the first 60 days. After that, the standard balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount of each transfer or $5, whichever is greater.

More on our top Chase balance transfer credit cards

The Chase Slate Edge℠ is a no annual fee card with several features that can help you pay less interest, but doesn't earn rewards.

Get an automatic review for a higher credit limit when you pay on time and spend $500 in the first six months.

Notable perks

With the Chase Slate Edge , you are automatically considered for a 2% APR reduction if you pay your monthly bill on time and spend at least $1,000 on the card before your next account anniversary (terms apply). While you'll want a plan to pay off your balance transfer before the interest kicks in, this feature can help you lower your APR compared to what you might pay with other credit cards.

This card's insurance benefits include purchase protection, extended warranty protection, roadside dispatch and rental car collision and theft coverage (secondary in the U.S.).

[ Return to card summary ]

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of CNBC Select's top no-annual-fee cash-back credit cards with a unique intro bonus and a handful of useful benefits to complement its cash-back earnings.

• 6.5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel
• 5% back on Lyft rides (through Mar. 31, 2025)
• 4.5% cash back on dining
• 4.5% cash back at drug stores
• 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year)

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).

Cardholders can earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025 and enroll for three complimentary months of DashPass (activate by Dec. 31, 2024). Purchases are also covered by a range of built-in protections like rental car collision damage insurance (secondary in the U.S.), extended warranty coverage, purchase protection and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

While this is a cash-back credit card , you can boost the value of the rewards you earn by pairing this card with a Chase card that allows points transfers (such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card ). By transferring the rewards you earn to travel partners like World Hyatt, United MileagePlus and Air Canada Aeroplan, you can potentially book luxury hotels and flights for fewer points.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ packs a punch with generous rewards in bonus categories that change every quarter and an easy-to-earn welcome bonus.

• 5% cash back on the first $1,500 spent in categories that change each quarter, then 1% cash back (activation required)
• 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• 3% cash back on dining
• 3% cash back at drug stores
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. 

Cardholders receive discounts and special perks with partners like Lyft and DoorDash. There are also many valuable built-in protections for a no-annual-fee card, including:

• Cell phone insurance
• Rental car insurance (secondary in the U.S.)
• Extended warranty coverage
• Purchase protection
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance

When you have a Chase card that unlocks the ability to transfer Chase points to hotel and airline partners (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card) , it increases the value of the Freedom Flex. So this isn't only a strong standalone rewards credit card , but it has synergies with other cards.

How to complete a Chase balance transfer

Chase typically charges a balance transfer fee from 3% to 5% with a $5 minimum. Before you complete a balance transfer , be sure the interest you save will outweigh the fee.

There are several ways to do a balance transfer with Chase. One of the best and easiest options is to complete a balance transfer when you apply for a card. When you do this, you'll be able to make the most out of your intro APR because any 0% interest timeframe you qualify for begins when you open the card.

If you want to perform a balance transfer with a Chase card you already have, you'll need to log in to your account and follow these steps:

• Click "Pay & Transfer"
• Then click on the "Transfer" dropdown menu
• Select "Card balance transfers"

You can then select any of your Chase cards from a dropdown menu and see what balance transfer offers are available.

Are Chase balance transfers worth it?

When you make a balance transfer, you'll generally pay a fee of 3% to 5% of the balance. To determine whether a balance transfer is worth it, calculate how much you would save in interest compared to how much you'd pay in transfer fees.

What is one disadvantage of a 0% interest balance transfer card?

Aside from the balance transfer fees, the biggest downside to a balance transfer is you'll have the same amount of credit card debt as before. If you don't have a plan, or the resources, to pay off your debt before the intro APR expires, you'll be stuck paying interest once again.

Do balance transfers hurt your credit?

A balance transfer doesn't directly hurt your credit score and could help improve your credit if you're able to pay down your debt. However, you'll want to keep in mind that your credit score will temporarily dip when you apply for new credit (including a balance transfer card).

Bottom line

The top balance transfer cards Chase issues offer intro APR periods of 15 to 18 months, and these intro APR offers also apply to purchases, making them even more useful. If you're interested in paying less interest , these are some of the best offers available. When you're in credit card debt, your primary focus should be repayment, not earning rewards, but the fact that some of the cards on this list earn rewards is a nice bonus.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card   article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card   products .  While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See  our methodology  for more information on how we choose the best Chase balance transfer credit cards.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Our methodology

To determine which Chase cards are best for balance transfers, CNBC Select analyzed the Chase credit cards with intro APR balance transfer offers. We compared each card on a range of features, including the annual fee, rewards, welcome bonus and balance transfer fee. We also considered additional perks, consumer protections, the application process when available and how easy it is to redeem rewards. However, when you're in credit card debt, your priority should be repayment, so we focused more on the cards that provide consumers with the cheapest ways to pay off their debt rather than the number of rewards they could potentially earn.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

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How to book travel (and save points) with Chase Travel

Editor's note : This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information.

Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the best flexible rewards currencies available, and you can get some incredible value from your Ultimate Rewards points .

Generally, we recommend transferring Chase points to the program's airline and hotel partners for award bookings. However, sometimes redeeming Ultimate Rewards points for paid travel through Chase Travel℠ is more advantageous. This option can save you money, particularly when traditional award space is unavailable, as you can book almost any available flight or hotel through Chase Travel.

Here's what you need to know about Chase Travel.

What is Chase Travel

To maximize your Ultimate Rewards points, it's often best to transfer them to partner programs like United MileagePlus , World of Hyatt or British Airways Executive Club for award reservations. However, it's important to compare the points needed for a direct booking through Chase Travel l to those required for an award booking. Sometimes, booking through the portal can be more advantageous, as the points price is tied to the cash cost of the flight or hotel stay, potentially resulting in lower point requirements.

However, before using Chase Travel, you need to have some Chase points. If you're not already familiar with Chase's most popular cards and welcome offers, here are a few current ones to be aware of.

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is a TPG favorite. It currently comes with one of the highest sign-up bonuses from Chase or on any business credit card — 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Based on our valuations , the bonus points alone are worth $2,000. However, you can redeem these points through Chase Travel for a fixed value of 1.25 cents apiece.

Read more: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card review: A great all-around business card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is another fantastic addition to your wallet. You'll earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The bonus is worth $1,200 based on TPG valuations .

Like the Ink Business Preferred, you'll get a value of 1.25 cents per point when booking directly through Chase Travel with the Sapphire Preferred. You'll also earn 5 points per dollar on paid travel purchased through Chase (excluding the first $50 in hotel purchases that qualify for the card's annual hotel credit ).

Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card review: 60,000-point bonus for a top travel card

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card's bigger brother, the Chase Sapphire Reserve , offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, which is worth $1,200 based on TPG valuations.

This card includes additional perks, like a PreCheck or Global Entry credit , Priority Pass lounge access , a $300 annual travel credit and other perks. This card also boosts your portal redemption rate to 1.5 cents per point, giving you 0.25 cents per point in additional purchase power over the Sapphire Preferred. And when you book travel through Chase with the Sapphire Reserve, you'll earn 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals and 5 points per dollar on flights (excluding purchases that qualify for the $300 travel credit).

Read more: Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card review: Luxury perks and valuable rewards, plus a 60,000-point bonus

Cash-back cards

Chase also issues a number of cash-back credit cards — including the Chase Freedom Unlimited , Ink Business Cash Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card . The rewards you earn on these cards are worth 1 cent apiece toward travel in Chase Travel. However, Chase allows you to combine your earnings into a single account . This means that you can effectively convert these cash-back rewards into fully transferrable Ultimate Rewards points if you also have the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred.

How to use Chase Travel

You can book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and other travel through Chase Travel, and it's relatively simple to access. First, you'll need to log in to your Chase account, then navigate to the right side of the page, where you'll see a little box with your total Ultimate Rewards balance.

Click that box and it will bring you to the Ultimate Rewards dashboard, which looks like this:

Click "Travel" to access the travel homepage and search for airfare, hotels or vacation rentals.

Remember that when you book hotels through the portal with Ultimate Rewards points, you typically will not earn hotel points and elite credits and may not receive elite status perks because it's considered a third-party booking.

However, flights booked through the portal will typically earn frequent flyer miles and qualify for elite status.

How to book flights using Chase Travel

Booking your flights is a straightforward process once you've navigated to the portal's travel page. Type in your arrival and departure airports and travel dates then hit the search button. For this search, I looked for a one-way flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

You'll then see the available flight options. When you find a flight you like, select the fare type you want to book and click the blue "Choose flight" button.

Once you've selected your preferred flights, you'll be taken to the next page to review your flight information and look over any upgrades you'd like to make.

Then, you'll be directed to the checkout page, where you can pay with cash, points or a combination of the two. Again, points linked to a Chase Sapphire Reserve account are worth 1.5 cents each. If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Ink Business Preferred Credit Card , points are worth 1.25 cents each.

Finally, you'll be directed to a page where you will enter the traveler's information and finalize your flights.

How to book hotels using Chase Travel

Booking hotels is similar to booking flights on the travel portal. This can be advantageous if you're looking at hotels outside of major chains that partner with Ultimate Rewards ( Hyatt , IHG and Marriott ). Regardless of how you book your hotel, compare the award rates required by these hotel loyalty programs to ensure you're getting the best deal.

Also, if you have an eligible card, you can access the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection , which gives you perks at around 1,000 luxury properties worldwide. Participating cards include the Chase Sapphire Reserve , United Explorer Card , United Club Infinite Card , United Quest Card and United Business Card .

Here's a sample search for hotels in Olso, Norway, which hosts mostly boutique hotels.

Once you've selected your desired property, room and rate, you can specify how many points you want to use on the checkout page.

Then, run through the on-screen prompts to finalize your booking, and you'll get an email confirmation.

Remember, you'll receive up to $50 in statement credits every year for hotel reservations made through Chase Travel as a Sapphire Preferred cardholder.

Related: The best ways to book hotels through online travel agencies and bank portals

How to book car rentals, cruises and other travel using Chase Travel

Using Chase Travel, you can rent cars, pay with points and still receive the excellent primary car rental insurance offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card .

The process of renting cars is similar to booking flights and hotels. Navigate to the "Cars" header from the main landing page and type in your itinerary, even if it's a one-way rental. Then, select "Search," and the results page will pop up. Once you choose your car, you'll be prompted to select add-ons.

When you've finished selecting, you'll head to the booking page, where you'll input your personal information and choose how many points you'd like to spend. Remember that to qualify for rental car insurance, you must decline the car rental company's collision damage waiver and ensure that anyone driving the car is on the rental agreement.

You can also book activities and cruises through Chase. In the case of activities, you can use your points to book some fantastic tours like a Washington, D.C. night monument tour or Singapore heritage food tour at 1.25 or 1.5 cents each. This can be an excellent way to make a vacation free, instead of just your hotels and flights.

Cruises are also available, though you'll have to call to book those.

Related: The top 3 easiest ways to save on rental cars

More things to consider about Chase Travel

Here's some general guidance to maximize your experience with the portal.

We recommend comparing the points needed through Chase Travel with those required for partner transfers, factoring in taxes and fees. If you have or want hotel elite status, avoid booking hotels through the portal. These stays generally won't count toward status or qualify for hotel elite status benefits.

Booking through Chase Travel with cash can earn you extra points, with Ink Business Preferred and Sapphire Preferred cardholders earning 5 points per dollar on all travel and Sapphire Reserve cardholders earning 5 points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and rental cars. While you might find better rates by booking directly with the travel provider, if your plans are firm and rates are comparable, booking through the portal can be worthwhile for earning extra points.

However, remember that booking through third-party sites may result in issues if you change your plans. Travel providers are more likely to assist you if you've booked directly with them.

Related: Should I book through the Chase portal if I'm not redeeming points?

Bottom line

Chase Travel lets you use your points to book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and activities. If award flights aren't available or you find a cheap fare that requires fewer points, booking through the portal can be a good option.

Similarly, for hotels, it can be a good deal if you find a cheap rate or book a boutique property, but keep in mind that you may not earn hotel points or receive elite benefits. Whether booking rental cars, activities or cruises, always compare the options to see if using the portal or transferring to partners for an award is more advantageous.

Additional reporting by Ryan Patterson, Andrew Kunesh and Victoria Walker.

What the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card offers

How other travel cards compare to the wells fargo autograph journey℠ visa® card, 3 key benefits cardholders get from the autograph journey , move over, chase sapphire preferred. this new travel credit card is turning heads.

Wells Fargo's newest card has one key advantage over the gold standard in travel cards.

Holly Johnson

Contributor

Holly Johnson is a credit card expert and writer who covers rewards and loyalty programs, budgeting, and all things personal finance. In addition to writing for publications like Bankrate, CreditCards.com, Forbes Advisor and Investopedia, Johnson owns Club Thrifty and is the co-author of "Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love."

Tiffany Connors

Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a senior editor for CNET Money with a focus on credit cards. Previously, she covered personal finance topics as a writer and editor at The Penny Hoarder. She is passionate about helping people make the best money decisions for themselves and their families. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and has been a writer and editor for publications including the New York Post, Women's Running magazine and Soap Opera Digest. When she isn't working, you can find her enjoying life in St. Petersburg, Florida, with her husband, daughter and a very needy dog.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card * -- Wells Fargo’s latest and best travel card -- recently launched with an impressive set of features. Its competitive rewards, welcome bonus and redemption options take aim at incumbent travel credit cards from Chase, American Express and Capital One.

What gives Wells Fargo’s first foray into the point-transfer space an edge is that you don’t have to book travel in a portal to earn the highest rewards rates. 

Here’s why we think the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey could go toe-to-toe with some of the best travel credit cards, plus three insider tips to help you decide if you should add it to your credit card lineup.

Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect with the Autograph Journey:

• Earn 60,000 welcome bonus rewards points after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of account opening.
• Earn unlimited 5x points on hotels, 4x points on airlines, 3x points on other travel and dining and 1x on other purchases.
• Receive an annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other benefits include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside dispatch and cell phone insurance.
• $95 annual fee.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Here’s a rundown of four facts we discovered about the Autograph Journey that you should know when deciding whether to apply.

1. You can transfer points with Wells Fargo point-based cards

The launch of the Autograph Journey also marks the first transferable points program from Wells Fargo, which joins other card issuers like Chase and Capital One, which have their own pooling programs .

Autograph Journey will be able to do a points transfer with the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card . This is especially notable since the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers bonus rewards in different categories than the Autograph Journey. 

For example, the Autograph card earns unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1x points on other purchases. So you can maximize your point earning across different categories, then transfer your points to your Autograph Journey account to access premium travel redemptions.

2. It offers more options for earning bonus miles on travel than some competitors

The Autograph Journey will offer more flexibility than many travel rewards cards when it comes to earning more points on travel purchases. For example, cardholders earn unlimited 5x points on hotels booked directly with hotel brands and 4x points on airfare booked with airlines. 

This helps the card stand out from other popular travel credit cards that offer the most bonus points only if you book travel through their portals. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * only offer the highest bonus rewards on travel booked through Capital One Travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers its highest rate of 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, whereas other travel purchases earn 2x points.

Autograph Journey cardholders also earn a minimum of 3x points on other travel purchases, which could include rental cars, cruises and travel booked through online travel agencies like Expedia and Priceline.

3. The card may grow in value as more transfer partners join

The Autograph Journey Card will earn flexible travel rewards points that transfer to a selection of airline and hotel partners, similar to Amex Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards . While the list of transfer partners is limited, Wells Fargo stated in its initial press release that “more partners will continue to be added throughout the year.”

Points transfers could dramatically change the value proposition of the Autograph Journey, especially if new partners include domestic airlines and popular hotel loyalty programs. 

Wells Fargo point transfers will be available to new cardholders starting on April 4. For now, Wells Fargo transfer partners include the following:

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After writing about hundreds of credit cards, these two are still my favorite, 6 reasons the chase sapphire preferred should be your next credit card, 3 steps to take when your flight is canceled or delayed, 8 best credit card strategies to maximize earnings in 2024, as a foodie who enjoys a night out on the town, this credit card gives me plenty to savor.

* All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.

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Credit Cards

Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my first ever rewards card

Sarah Li Cain

Robin Saks Frankel

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Grace Pilling

Published 6:03 a.m. UTC April 15, 2024

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I first started learning about the world of rewards credit cards from friends and bloggers and knew I wanted in. The challenge was that it took me a long time to build my credit , and I wanted to be sure I picked the right card. After some research, I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as my first rewards credit card. Yes, there are other cards with lower (or no) annual fees, but I have squeezed a ton of value from this credit card.

Here are the reasons why I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 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, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

1. I wanted flexible redemption options

Learning about travel rewards and how to redeem points as a beginner all those years ago felt extremely intimidating. I wanted to earn rewards that offered plenty of redemption options and where I could learn at a pace that felt accessible to me. Initially, I ignored the airline and hotel transfer partners and decided I would focus on how I would use my Ultimate Rewards® points through the Chase Travel℠ portal. 

Taking this route eased my fears about how to book flights and hotels using rewards. I was also happy that I didn’t have to feel loyal to one airline or hotel chain like I would have with a cobranded rewards card. After booking a few trips through the Chase travel site, I took the time to learn about the issuer’s travel loyalty transfer partners (there are 14 in total). But I still liked choosing which method — booking through Chase Travel or transferring points — was better for me to squeeze the most out of my points. 

Some travel rewards redemptions offer more value than others. Here’s some of the best ways to use Chase points .

2. The annual fee is accessible, even for occasional travelers

When I opened the Sapphire Preferred card, my family wasn’t traveling much. We were still settling into our new home, my husband had started a new job and I was juggling taking care of my young child with my freelance career. I aimed to earn enough rewards from the card to nab heavily discounted hotels and the occasional flight when we visited family once or twice a year.

At $95, the annual fee felt affordable to us. A pricier card with lounge access wasn’t important, because we didn’t fly enough to feel that feature would be worth it. However, the Sapphire Preferred’s $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit was, since we stop and stay overnight on our cross-country drives during the summer. 

3. I was able to earn the welcome bonus easily

My family and I mostly used credit cards to pay for bills like utilities and groceries. Looking over our expenses, we could easily spend thousands of dollars over a span of several months. The minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus — 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening — was well within our reach. Plus, I paid off my credit cards each month, meaning we didn’t pay any interest and our rewards earnings didn’t cost us extra. 

The minimum spend is higher than some rewards cards, though lower than luxury ones — my family and I were able to hit the minimum spend in a little over two months. Considering I earned $750 worth of travel if I booked through Chase Travel (which I was mostly doing in the beginning anyway), it was well worth it.

4. There are no foreign transaction fees

My mom and sister live in Canada where I grew up, so I make the annual trek with my family to visit them along with several other close friends. I knew that whatever credit card I signed up for, I wanted no foreign transaction fees when using it in another country. My last credit card did charge fees for transactions overseas, and though they may not seem like much on their own, they do add up.

This benefit alone didn’t convince me to sign up for the Sapphire Preferred but it was certainly a welcome benefit in addition to all the others. 

5. Why I keep the Sapphire Preferred even years later

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has stayed in my wallet for the last six years and I don’t plan on canceling it anytime soon. The initial signup bonus earned my family several hotel nights when we visited family and friends. In subsequent years we took advantage of the $50 annual hotel credit and other benefits, such as primary rental car insurance , to make the annual fee worth it. 

Over the years I’ve added two other Chase cards to the mix — the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . I pool the points I earn from these two credit cards with my Sapphire Preferred because the Preferred offers a 25% points boost when booking travel through Chase. Since I have a family of three to book travel for, I want to use all the advantages I can get. 

Considering a rewards card? Here’s how to choose the right credit card for you.

*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Sarah Li Cain is a finance and small business writer currently based in Jacksonville, Florida whose articles have been published with outlets such as Fortune, CNBC Select, the Financial Planning Association and Zillow.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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15 Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024

ALSO CONSIDER: Best credit cards of 2024 || Best rewards credit cards || Best airline credit cards || Best hotel credit cards

A travel rewards credit card brings your next trip a little closer every time you use it. Each purchase earns points or miles that you can redeem for travel expenses. If you're loyal to a specific airline or hotel chain, consider getting one of that company's branded credit cards. Otherwise, check out the general-purpose travel cards on this page, which give you flexible rewards that you can use without the restrictions and blackout dates of branded cards.

Some of our selections for the best travel credit cards can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you'll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.

250+ credit cards reviewed and rated by our team of experts

80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

100+ categories of best credit card selections ( See our top picks )

Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics ( Methodology )

NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity .

Show summary

NerdWallet's Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best for Flexibility + point transfers + big sign-up bonus

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for Flat-rate travel rewards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best for Travel portal benefits

Chase Freedom Unlimited® : Best for Cash back for travel bookings

Chase Freedom Flex℠ : Best for Cash back for travel bookings

American Express® Gold Card : Best for Big rewards on everyday spending

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card : Best for Bonus rewards + no annual fee

The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for Luxury travel perks

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card : Best for Business travelers — bonus rewards + big sign-up offer

Citi Premier® Card : Best for Triple points on multiple categories

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card : Best for Flat-rate rewards + no annual fee, and for balance transfers

Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for Bonus travel rewards + high-end perks

World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best for Hotel credit card

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card : Best for Travel rewards for rent payments + no annual fee

United℠ Explorer Card : Best for Airline card

Best Travel Credit Cards From Our Partners

Find the right credit card for you..

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

Flexibility + point transfers + big sign-up bonus

Flat-rate travel rewards, travel portal benefits, cash back for travel bookings, big rewards on everyday spending, bonus rewards + no annual fee, luxury travel perks, business travelers — bonus rewards + big sign-up offer, triple points on multiple categories, flat-rate rewards + no annual fee, and for balance transfers, bonus travel rewards + high-end perks, hotel credit card, travel rewards for rent payments + no annual fee, airline card, full list of editorial picks: best travel credit cards.

Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Our pick for: Flat-rate rewards

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the best-known general-purpose travel credit card, thanks to its ubiquitous advertising. You earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus and other worthwhile perks ( see rates and fees ). Read our review.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Our pick for: Flat-rate rewards + no annual fee, and for balance transfers

One of the best no-annual-fee travel cards available, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card gives you a solid rewards rate on every purchase, with points that can be redeemed for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Bank of America® has an expansive definition of "travel," too, giving you additional flexibility in how you use your rewards. Read our review.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Our pick for: Bonus travel rewards + high-end perks

The high annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives many potential applicants pause, but frequent travelers should be able to wring enough value out of this card to more than make up for the cost. Cardholders get bonus rewards (up to 10X) on dining and travel, a fat bonus offer, annual travel credits, airport lounge access, and a 50% boost in point value when redeeming points for travel booked through Chase. Points can also be transferred to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Read our review. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Our pick for: Flexibility + point transfers + big sign-up bonus

For a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns bonus rewards (up to 5X) on travel, dining, select streaming services, and select online grocery purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. The sign-up bonus is stellar, too. Read our review. 

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Our pick for: Bonus rewards + no annual fee

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers so much value, it's hard to believe there's no annual fee. Start with a great bonus offer, then earn extra rewards in a host of common spending categories — restaurants, gas stations, transit, travel, streaming and more. Read our review.

Citi Premier® Card

Our pick for: Triple points in multiple categories

The Citi Premier® Card earns bonus points on airfare, hotels, supermarkets, dining and gas stations. There's a solid sign-up bonus as well.  Read our review.

U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card

Our pick for: Road trips

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is one of the most generous cards on the market if you're taking to the skies or the road, thanks to the quadruple points it earns on travel and purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations. It's also a solid card for everyday expenses like groceries, dining and streaming, and it comes with ongoing credits that can offset its annual fee:  $0 intro for the first year, then $95 .  Read our review .

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Our pick for: Travel portal benefits

Capital One's premium travel credit card can deliver terrific benefits — provided you're willing to do your travel spending through the issuer's online booking portal. That's where you'll earn the highest rewards rates plus credits that can make back the bulk of your annual fee ( see rates and fees ). Read our review.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Our pick for: Cash back for travel bookings

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® was already a fine card when it offered 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Now it's even better, with bonus rewards on travel booked through Chase, as well as at restaurants and drugstores. On top of all that, new cardholders get a 0% introductory APR period and the opportunity to earn a sweet bonus. Read our review.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate, as well as on travel booked through Chase, at restaurants and at drugstores. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending matches the categories — and for a lot of people, it will — you can rack up hundreds of dollars a year. There's a fantastic bonus offer for new cardholders and an intro APR offer, too. Read our review.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Our pick for: Luxury travel perks

The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a hefty annual fee, but travelers who like to go in style (and aren't afraid to pay for comfort) can more than get their money's worth. Enjoy extensive airport lounge access, hundreds of dollars a year in travel and shopping credits, hotel benefits and more. That's not even getting into the high rewards rate on eligible travel purchases and the rich welcome offer for new cardholders. Read our review.

American Express® Gold Card

Our pick for: Big rewards on everyday spending

The American Express® Gold Card can earn you a pile of points from everyday spending, with generous rewards at U.S. supermarkets, at restaurants and on certain flights booked through amextravel.com. Other benefits include hundreds of dollars a year in available dining and travel credits and a solid welcome offer for new cardholders. There's an annual fee, though, and a pretty substantial one, so it's not for smaller spenders. Read our review.

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card

Our pick for: Rewards on rent payments

The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card stands out by offering credit card rewards on rent payments without incurring an additional transaction fee. The ability to earn rewards on what for many people is their single biggest monthly expense makes this card worth a look for any renter. You also get bonus points on dining and travel when you make at least five transactions on the card each statement period, and redemption options include point transfers to partner hotel and loyalty programs. Read our review.

PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card

Our pick for: Credit union rewards

With premium perks for a $95 annual fee (which can be waived in some cases), jet-setters will get a lot of value from the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card . It also offers a generous rewards rate on travel purchases and a decent flat rate on everything else. Plus, you’ll get travel credits and a Priority Pass membership that offers airport lounge access for $32 per visit. Read our review.

United℠ Explorer Card

Our pick for: United Airlines + best domestic airline card

The United℠ Explorer Card earns bonus rewards not only on spending with United Airlines but also at restaurants and on eligible hotel stays. And the perks are outstanding for a basic airline card — a free checked bag, priority boarding, lounge passes and more. Read our review.

» Not a United frequent flyer? See our best airline cards for other options

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Our pick for: Hotel credit card

Hyatt isn't as big as its competitors, but World of Hyatt Credit Card is worth a look for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road. You can earn a lot of points even on non-Hyatt spending, and those points have a high value compared with rival programs. There's a great sign-up bonus, free nights, automatic elite status and more. Read our review.

» Not a Hyatt customer? See our best hotel cards for other options.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Our pick for: Small business — bonus categories + big sign-up offer

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card starts you off with one of the biggest sign-up bonuses of any credit card anywhere: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. You also get bonus rewards on travel expenses and common business spending categories, like advertising, shipping and internet, cable and phone service. Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Learn more and apply .

Are you in Canada?

See NerdWallet's best travel cards for Canada.

OTHER RESOURCES

How travel rewards work.

Modern-day adventurers and once-a-year vacationers alike love the idea of earning rewards toward their next big trip. According to a NerdWallet study , 68% of American adults say they have a credit card that earns travel rewards.

With a travel rewards credit card, you earn points or miles every time you use the card, but you can often earn more points per dollar in select categories. Some top travel credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , offer bonus points on any travel spending, while the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card grants bonus points when you use the card at Marriott hotels, grocery stores, restaurants or gas stations.

Not all points and miles earned on travel rewards credit cards are the same:

General-purpose travel credit cards — including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , the American Express® Gold Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — give you rewards that can be used like cash to pay for travel or that can be exchanged for points in airline or hotel loyalty programs. With their flexible rewards, general-purpose options are usually the best travel credit cards for those who don't stick to a single airline or hotel chain.

Airline- and hotel-specific cards — such as the United℠ Explorer Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Card — give points and miles that can be used only with the brand on the card. (Although it's possible in some cases to transfer hotel points to airlines, we recommend against it because you get a poor value.) These so-called co-branded cards are usually the best travel credit cards for those who always fly one particular airline or stay with one hotel group.

How do we value points and miles? With the rewards earned on general travel cards, it's simple: They have a fixed value, usually between 1 and 1.5 cents per point, and you can spend them like cash. With airline miles and hotel points, finding the true value is more difficult. How much value you get depends on how you redeem them.

To better understand what miles are worth, NerdWallet researched the cash prices and reward-redemption values for hundreds of flights. Our results:

Keep in mind that the airline values are based on main cabin economy tickets and exclude premium cabin redemptions. See our valuations page for business class valuations and details about our methodology.

Our valuations are different from many others you may find. That’s because we looked at the average value of a point based on reasonable price searches that anyone can perform, not a maximized value that only travel rewards experts can expect to reach.

You should therefore use these values as a baseline for your own redemptions. If you can redeem your points for the values listed on our valuations page, you are doing well. Of course, if you are able to get higher value out of your miles, that’s even better.

HOW TO CHOOSE A TRAVEL CREDIT CARD

There are scores of travel rewards cards to choose from. The best travel credit card for you has as much to do with you as with the card. How often you travel, how much flexibility you want, how much you value airline or hotel perks — these are all things to take into account when deciding on a travel card. Our article on how to choose a travel credit card recommends that you prioritize:

Rewards you will actually use (points and miles are only as good as your ability to redeem them for travel).

A high earning rate (how much value you get in rewards for every dollar spent on the card).

A sign-up bonus (a windfall of points for meeting a spending requirement in your first few months).

Even with these goals in mind, there are all kinds of considerations that will influence your decision on a travel rewards credit card.

Travel cards are for travelers

Travel cards vs. cash-back cards.

The very first question to ask yourself when choosing a travel credit card is: Should I get a travel card at all? Travel credit cards are best for frequent travelers, who are more likely to get enough value from rewards and perks to make up for the annual fees that the best travel credit cards charge. (Some travel cards charge no annual fee, but they tend to offer lesser rewards than full-fee cards.) A NerdWallet study found that those who travel only occasionally — say, once a year — will probably get greater overall rewards from cash-back credit cards , most of which charge no annual fee, than from a travel card.

Flexibility and perks: A trade-off

Co-branded cards vs. general travel cards.

Travel credit cards fall into two basic categories: co-branded cards and general travel cards.

Co-branded cards carry the name of an airline or hotel group, such as the United℠ Explorer Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card . The rewards you earn are redeemable only with that particular brand, which can limit your flexibility, sometimes sharply. For example, if your credit card's co-branded airline partner doesn't have any award seats available on the flight you want on the day you want, you're out of luck. On the other hand, co-branded cards commonly offer airline- or hotel-specific perks that general travel cards can't match.

General travel cards aren't tied to a specific airline or hotel, so they offer much greater flexibility. Well-known general travel cards include the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . Rewards on general travel cards come as points (sometimes called "miles" but they're really points) that you can redeem for any travel expense. You're not locked into using a single airline or hotel, but you also won't enjoy the perks of a co-branded card.

Evaluating general travel credit cards

What you get with a general travel card.

The credit cards featured at the top of this page are general travel cards. They're issued by a bank (such as Chase or Capital One), carry only that bank's name, and aren't tied to any single airline or hotel group. With these cards, you earn points on every purchase — usually 1 to 2 points per dollar spent, sometimes with additional points in certain categories.

Issuers of general travel cards typically entice new applicants with big sign-up bonuses (also known as "welcome offers") — tens of thousands of miles that you can earn by spending a certain amount of money on the card in your first few months.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit card sign-up offers

What do you do with those points? Depending on the card, you may have several ways to redeem them:

Booking travel. With this option, your points pay for travel booked through the issuer's website, using a utility similar to Orbitz or Expedia. For example, if points were worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed this way, you could book a $400 flight on the issuer's portal and pay for it with 40,000 points

Statement credit. This lets you essentially erase travel purchases by using your points for credit on your statement. You make travel arrangements however you want (directly with an airline or hotel, through a travel agency, etc.) and charge it to your card. Once the charge shows up on your account, you apply the necessary points and eliminate the cost.

Transferring to partners. The card issuer may allow you to transfer your points to loyalty programs for airlines or hotel chains, turning your general card into something like a co-branded card (although you don't get the perks of a co-brand).

Cash back, gift cards or merchandise. If you don't plan to travel, you can burn off your rewards with these options, although you'll often get a lower value per point.

Airline and hotel cards sharply limit your choice, but they make up for it with perks that only they can offer, like free checked bags or room upgrades. General travel cards, on the other hand, offer maximum flexibility but can't provide the same kinds of perks, because the banks that issue them don't operate the airlines or hotels. Still, there are some noteworthy perks on general travel cards, including:

Travel credit. This is automatic reimbursement for travel-related spending. Some top travel credit cards offer hundreds of dollars a year in travel credit.

Trusted traveler reimbursement. More and more travel credit cards are covering the application fee for TSA Precheck and Global Entry, programs that allow you to move through airport security and customs more quickly.

Airport lounge access. Hundreds of lounges worldwide operate separately from airlines under such networks as Priority Pass and Airspace, and several general travel cards offer access to these lounges.

Points programs

Every major card issuer has at least one travel card with a points program. American Express calls its program Membership Rewards, while Chase has Ultimate Rewards® and Citi pays in ThankYou points. Wells Fargo has Wells Fargo Rewards, and U.S. Bank has FlexPerks. Bank of America® travel cards offer points without a fancy name. Travel cards from Capital One, Barclays and Discover all call their points "miles."

These programs differ in how much their points are worth and how you can use them. Some offer the full range of redemption options, including transfers to loyalty programs. Others let you use them only to book travel or get statement credit.

» MORE: Travel loyalty program reviews

Evaluating airline credit cards

What you get with an airline credit card.

Airline credit cards earn "miles" with each purchase. You typically get 1 mile per dollar spent, with a higher rate (2 or more miles per dollar) on purchases with the airline itself. (Some airline cards have also begun offering extra miles for purchases in additional categories, such as restaurants or car rental agencies.) These miles go into the same frequent-flyer account as the ones you earn by flying the airline, and you can redeem them for free flights with the airline or its alliance partners.

Co-branded airline cards typically offer sign-up bonuses (or welcome offers). But what really sets them apart are the perks they give you. With some cards, for example, the checked-bag benefit alone can make up for the annual fee after a single roundtrip by a couple. Common perks of airline cards include:

Free checked bags. This commonly applies to the first checked bag for you and at least one companion on your reservation. Some cards extend this perk to more people, and higher-end cards (with higher annual fees) may even let you check two bags apiece for free.

Priority boarding. Holders of co-branded airline credit cards often get to board the plane early — after the airline's elite-status frequent flyers but before the general population. This gives you time to settle in and gives you a leg up on claiming that coveted overhead bin space.

In-flight discounts or freebies. You might get, say, 25% off the cost of food and beverages during the flight, or free Wi-Fi.

Airport lounge access. High-end cards often include a membership to the airline's airport lounges, where you can get away from the frenzy in the terminal and enjoy a complimentary snack. Some less-expensive airline cards give you only limited or discounted lounge access; others give you none at all.

Companion fares. This perk lets you bring someone with you for a lower cost when you buy a ticket at full price.

A boost toward elite status. Miles earned with a credit card, as opposed to those earned from actually flying on the airline, usually do not count toward earning elite status in an airline's frequent-flyer program. However, carrying an airline's high-end card might automatically qualify you for a higher tier within the program.

The biggest U.S. airlines — American, United and Delta — offer an array of credit cards. Each airline has a no-annual-fee card that earns miles on purchases but provides little in the way of perks (no free bags or priority boarding). Each has a high-end card with an annual fee in the neighborhood of $450 that offers lounge access and sumptuous perks. And each has a "middle-class" card with a fee of around $100 and solid ongoing perks. Southwest offers three credit cards with varying fees; smaller carriers may just have a single card.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best airline credit cards

Choosing an airline

Which airline card you get depends in large part on what airline you fly, and that's heavily influenced by where you live. Alaska Airlines, for example, has an outstanding credit card, but the airline's routes are concentrated primarily on the West Coast. So it's not a great option for those who live in, say, Buffalo, New York, or Montgomery, Alabama.

If your local airport is dominated by a single airline, then you're probably flying that carrier most (or all) of the time by default. Delta, for example, is the 800-pound gorilla at Minneapolis-St. Paul and Salt Lake City. United has the bulk of the traffic at Newark and Washington Dulles. American calls the shots at Charlotte and Dallas-Fort Worth. That airline's credit card may be your only realistic option. If you're in a large or midsize market with frequent service from multiple airlines, you have more choice.

» MORE: How to choose an airline credit card

Evaluating hotel credit cards

What you get with a hotel card.

Hotel credit cards earn points with each purchase. As with airline cards, you typically get more points per dollar for purchases from the co-brand partner, and some cards also give bonus points in additional categories. (Hotel cards tend to give you a greater number of points overall than airline cards, but each individual point is generally worth less than a typical airline mile.) Similar to the airline model, the points you earn with the card go into the same loyalty account as the points you earn from actually staying at a hotel. You redeem your points for free stays.

Hotel cards usually offer a sign-up bonus, but like airline cards, they really make their bones with the ongoing perks. Common perks on hotel cards include:

Free nights. Several cards offer this perk, which can make up for the card's annual fee. You may get a free night automatically every year, or you may unlock it by spending a certain amount within a year. In the latter case, it comes on top of the points you earn for your spending.

Upgrades and freebies. Cardholders may qualify for automatic room upgrades when available, or free or discounted amenities such as meals or spa packages.

Early check-in/late check-out. No one likes having to cool their heels in the hotel lobby waiting for 3 o'clock to check in. And no one likes have to vacate their room by 11 a.m. when their flight doesn't leave till evening.

Accelerated elite status. Some hotel cards automatically bump you up a level in their loyalty program just for being a cardholder.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best hotel credit cards

Choosing a hotel group

If you decide to go the hotel-card route, you'll need to decide which hotel group gets your business. Hotels aren't as market-concentrated as airlines, so if your travels take you mostly to metropolitan areas, you'll have a decent amount of choice. Keep in mind that even though there are dozens of nationally recognizable hotel brands, ranging from budget inns to luxury resorts, many of them are just units in a larger hotel company, and that company's card can unlock benefits across the group.

Marriott, for example, includes not only its namesake properties but nearly 30 other brands, including Courtyard, Fairfield, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton and Westin. The Hilton family includes DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn and Waldorf-Astoria. InterContinental includes Holiday Inn, Candlewood, Staybridge and Crowne Plaza. Wyndham and Choice have more than 15 mid-tier and budget-oriented brands between them.

HOW TO COMPARE TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS

No travel rewards credit card is going to have everything you want. You're going to be disappointed if you expect to find a high rewards rate, a generous sign-up bonus, top-notch perks and no annual fee. Each card delivers value through a different combination of features; it's up to you to compare cards based on the following features and choose the best travel credit card for your needs and preferences.

Most of the best travel cards charge an annual fee. Fees in the range of $90 to $100 are standard for travel cards. Premium cards with extensive perks will have fees of $450 or more. Weigh the value of the rewards and perks you'll get to make sure they'll make up for the fee.

Can you find good cards without an annual fee? Absolutely! There are no-fee options on our list of the best travel credit cards, and we've rounded up more here . Just be aware that if you go with a no-fee travel card, you'll earn rewards at a lower rate, your sign-up bonus will be smaller, and you won't get as many (if any) perks.

Rewards rate

Rewards can be thought of in terms of "earn rate" and "burn rate".

The earn rate is how many points or miles you receive per dollar spent. Some general travel cards offer flat-rate rewards, meaning you get the same rate on all purchases, all the time — 2 miles per dollar, for example, or 1.5 points per dollar. Others, including most co-branded cards, offer a base rate of maybe 1 point per dollar and then pay a higher rate in certain categories, such as airline tickets, hotel stays, general travel expenses or restaurant meals.

The burn rate is the value you get for those points or miles when you redeem them. The industry average is about 1 cent per point or mile. Some cards, particularly hotel cards, have lower value per point on the "burn" side but give you more points per dollar on the earning side.

When comparing rewards rates, don't just look at the numbers. Look at the categories to which those numbers apply, and find a card that matches your spending patterns. Getting 5 points per dollar seems great — but if those 5X points come only on purchases at, say, office supply stores, and you don't spend money on office supplies, then you're getting lousy value.

Sign-up bonus

Travel cards tend to have the biggest sign-up bonuses — tens of thousands of points that you earn by hitting a certain amount of spending. But there's more to consider when comparing sign-up bonuses than just how many points or miles you earn. You must also take into account how much you have to spend to earn the bonus. While cash-back credit cards often require just $500 to $1,000 in spending over three months to unlock a bonus, travel cards commonly have thresholds of $3,000 to $5,000.

Never spend money you don't have just to earn a sign-up bonus. Carrying $3,000 in debt for a year in order to earn a $500 bonus doesn't make economic sense — the interest you'll pay could easily wipe out the value of the bonus.

Finally, keep in mind that the biggest bonuses will come on cards with annual fees.

Foreign transaction fees

A good travel card will not charge a foreign transaction fee. These fees are surcharges on purchases made outside the U.S. The industry standard is about 3%, which is enough to wipe out most if not all of the rewards you earn on a purchase. If you never leave the U.S., then this isn't much of a concern, but anyone who travels abroad should bring a no-foreign-transaction-fee card with them.

Some issuers don't charge foreign transaction fees on any of their cards. Others charge them on some cards but not all.

International acceptance

Not all travel credit cards are great companions for international travel. While Visa and Mastercard are good pretty much worldwide, you may encounter limited acceptance for American Express and, especially, Discover, depending on the destination. This doesn't mean world travelers should dismiss AmEx and Discover. Just know that if you take one of these cards with you overseas, you'd be smart to bring along a backup in case you run into acceptance problems. (Having a backup card is good advice within the U.S., too, really.)

Travel protections

Consider which travel protections — car rental insurance , trip cancellation coverage , lost baggage protection — are important to you.

"Rewards" are what you get for using a credit card — the points earned with each transaction and the bonuses you unlock with your spending. "Perks" are goodies that you get just for carrying the card. There's a very close correlation between the annual fee on a card and the perks you get for carrying it. Cards with no annual fee are all about rewards and go very light on perks. Premium cards with annual fees of $450 or more are laden with perks (although sometimes their rewards aren't too special). Midtier cards (in the $100 range) tend to have solid rewards and a handful of high-value perks.

Assuming you take advantage of them, the perks often make up for the annual fee on a card quite easily. This is especially true with co-branded cards. Free checked bags can pay for an airline card several times over, and a free night is usually worth more than the fee on a hotel card. When comparing the perks of various cards, be realistic about which ones you will and won't use. Sure, that card may entitle you to a free spa package the next time you're at a five-star hotel, but how often do you stay at five-star hotels?

SHOULD YOU GET A TRAVEL CARD? PROS AND CONS

Pros: why it's worth getting a travel card.

The sign-up bonus gives you a big head-start on travel. Bonuses on the best travel credit cards typically run $500 or more — enough for a roundtrip ticket in many instances.

Perks make travel less expensive and more relaxing. You won't have to worry about cramming a week's worth of clothes into a carry-on if your travel credit card gives you a free checked bag (or automatically reimburses you for the bag fee). Hate the crush of travelers in the terminal? Escape to the airport lounge. Renting a car? Use a travel card that provides primary rental car insurance.

Rewards get you closer to your next trip with every purchase. Spending money on the mundane activities of daily life has a silver lining when you know that every $1,000 you spend will knock $10 or $20 off the cost of that future beach vacation or trip home to see Mom and Dad.

No foreign transaction fee can mean big savings. Take just any old credit card with you on vacation outside the U.S., and $1,000 worth of purchases can cost you $30 off the top due to the foreign transaction surcharge. Good travel cards don't charge this fee.

"Double dipping" gives you more points on travel purchases. Buy a plane ticket or book a hotel room, and you'll earn loyalty points or miles regardless of how you pay. Use the right credit card, though, and you'll earn even more points and miles on top of those.

Strategic redemption can multiply your value. With cash-back credit cards, 1 cent is worth 1 cent, and that's just how it goes. The points and miles on many travel credit cards have variable value based on how you redeem them — booking travel with them vs. transferring them to a partner, booking domestic vs. international flights and economy vs. business class, staying at budget hotels vs. high-end resorts, and so on.

Cons: Why a travel card might not be for you

The best cards charge annual fees. In many cases, the value you get from a credit card more than makes up for the annual fee. But some people are dead set against paying a fee under any circumstances. If that's you, your options in travel cards will be sharply limited, and you won't get the perks that provide a big portion of the value on many cards.

Sign-up bonus spending requirements can be steep. A bonus worth $500, $600 or $700 is attractive, but only if you can afford to earn it with spending you were going to do anyway. If you have to amass thousands of dollars in debt and then pay interest on it, it's not worth it.

Travel cards aren't ideal for infrequent travelers. In the first year with a travel card, you're probably going to come out ahead: You can earn a big sign-up bonus, and several popular cards waive the first year's annual fee, too. In subsequent years, though, you'll break even on that fee only if you use the card enough to make up for it (with the rewards you earn and redeem and the perks you use). Infrequent travelers are more likely to get more total rewards from a cash-back card with no annual fee.

Cash back is simpler and more flexible. Some travel cards allow you to redeem your rewards only for travel. Others give you poor value unless you redeem for travel. Still others have complicated redemption options, making it hard to get the most out of your rewards. With cash-back credit cards, you can use your rewards on anything, you know exactly how much your rewards are worth, and redemption is usually simple.

Rewards cards tend to charge higher interest rates. If you regularly carry a balance from month to month, a travel credit card — or any rewards credit card — probably isn't your best choice. The interest you pay is eating up the value of your rewards. You're better off with a low-interest card that reduces the cost of carrying debt.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TRAVEL CARD

Maximize your rewards with the following tips:

Plan your credit card application around a big purchase to earn the sign-up bonus.

Seize every opportunity to pick up the tab, especially if your travel credit card pays bonus rewards on dining; your friends can pay you back while you collect rewards.

Redeem rewards for travel instead of gift cards, merchandise or (in most cases) cash back to get the best value.

Join the loyalty program associated with a co-branded card — a frequent-flyer or frequent-guest program.

Shop for essentials in your card’s online bonus mall or through its exclusive offers, if available, to get extra rewards.

OTHER CARDS TO CONSIDER

It’s worth considering whether a travel credit card is even right for you in the first place. A NerdWallet study found that cash-back credit cards often earn more money — even for many travelers.

If you carry a balance from month to month, the higher interest rates typically charged by rewards cards can cancel out any rewards earned. If you have a good credit score, you're better off with a low-interest credit card that can save you money on interest.

A good travel credit card shouldn't charge foreign transaction fees, but there are good non-travel cards that also don't charge them. See our best cards with no foreign transaction fee .

If you value transparency and flexibility in your rewards, you can't go wrong with a cash-back card — and you can still use the rewards for travel, if you want.

Finally, if you're still not sure what's right for you, take a look at our best rewards credit cards for options beyond travel and cash back.

NerdWallet's Sam Kemmis contributed to this article.

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page .

Last updated on April 23 , 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet's Credit Cards team selects the best travel rewards credit cards based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of travelers. Factors in our evaluation include each card's annual fee, foreign transaction fees, rewards earnings rates, ease of use, redemption options, domestic and international acceptance, promotional APR period, bonus offers, and cardholder perks such as automatic statement credits and airport lounge access. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

Travel credit cards earn points (sometimes called miles) each time you buy something. The standard earning rate is 1 to 2 points per dollar spent, and many cards give you extra points for certain purchases, particularly travel expenses. The value of a point depends on the card that earned it and how you redeem it, but a good rule of thumb is to assume each point is worth an average of about 1 cent.

Your points accumulate in a rewards account, where you can use them to pay for travel. Most cards let you book travel directly using a portal similar to those at online travel agencies or on airline and hotel websites, but instead of paying cash, you pay with your points. Depending on the card, you may also have the option of booking travel any way you want, paying for it with the card and then cashing in your points for a credit against those expenses.

Points and miles are just different names for the same thing: the currency used in a travel rewards program. Some travel credit cards call them points, some call them miles.

Airline frequent flyer programs have long used the term “miles” to refer to the rewards you earn for flying. That’s because at one time, you really did earn rewards according to how many miles you flew — the longer the flight, the more miles you earned. Nowadays, most domestic airlines give out “miles” based on how much you spend, not how far you fly, so they’re really just points. (There are a few exceptions, though, notably Alaska Airlines.)

Especially when it comes to redeeming your rewards, there’s no difference between points and miles. The number of points or miles you need is based mostly on the cost of what you’re redeeming them for. It takes more than 500 miles (value about: $5) to get a free 500-mile flight!

The value of a point or mile depends on the card you earned it with and how you redeem it. A common rule of thumb is to assume that each point or mile is worth an average of 1 cent, although you can certainly get a much higher (or lower) redemption value. See our travel loyalty roundup page for NerdWallet’s current valuations for airline miles and hotel points.

Travel credit cards fall into two main categories: co-branded and general-purpose.

• Co-branded travel cards carry the name of an airline or hotel chain. The rewards you earn on the card can typically be redeemed only with that brand (or maybe its partners). Co-branded cards limit your flexibility, but because they are issued in partnership with an airline or hotel, they can give you special perks, like free checked bags or room upgrades.

• General-purpose travel cards are issued by a credit card company and are not directly tied to any particular airline or hotel. They earn points in the issuer's own program, such as American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards® or Citi ThankYou. These points are a lot more flexible, as you can use them to pay for a range of travel expenses, including flights on any airline or stays at any hotel. However, they don’t offer the airline- or hotel-specific perks of co-branded cards.

Travel cards — like rewards cards in general — typically require good to excellent credit for approval. Good credit is generally defined as a credit score of 690 or better. However, credit scores alone do not guarantee approval. Every issuer has its own criteria for evaluating applications.

About the author

Sara Rathner