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Best Airline Rewards Programs for 2023-2024

You don't have to be a points and miles expert to find a frequent flyer program that suits your travel habits. When choosing an airline rewards program, you'll want to consider a few key criteria, such as flight options, network coverage and how easy it is to earn a free flight. To help everyday travelers weigh their options, U.S. News evaluated 10 leading airline rewards programs u sing a methodology   that takes into account each program's earning and redemption values, benefits, network coverage and airline quality ratings, among other features. Our approach places emphasis on the ease of earning miles and redeeming free flights for basic members. Browse our Best Airline Rewards Programs ranking and detailed program profiles to find the best program for you.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Delta SkyMiles

United MileagePlus

American Airlines AAdvantage

# 4 Best airline rewards Programs

JetBlue TrueBlue

# 5 Best airline rewards Programs

Southwest Rapid Rewards

# 6 Best airline rewards Programs

Free Spirit

# 7 Best airline rewards Programs

HawaiianMiles

# 8 Best airline rewards Programs

FRONTIER Miles

# 9 Best airline rewards Programs

Allegiant Air Allways Rewards

# 10 Best airline rewards Programs

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The Guide to Chase’s Travel Portal

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Table of Contents

Who can use Chase's travel portal?

How to use chase's travel portal, other things you can do in chase's portal, chase travel contact options, chase's travel portal can be lucrative.

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are among the most useful rewards you can earn. When it comes time to redeem them, you will be directed to Chase's travel portal. This is where you can book flights, hotels and rental cars with points, redeem them for merchandise and gift cards, or transfer points to other programs.

Should you redeem points to pay for a trip instead of using cash or transfer them to a loyalty program partner to get better value? You'll need to do a little homework to find the right answer as each situation is different.

Chase points are the currency you earn when using cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® . They are superior in many ways to other point currencies because  you earn more than one penny in value  per point with these two cards. For example, when redeeming through Chase's travel portal, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will net you 1.5 cents in value per point and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card will net you 1.25 cents in value per point. When you transfer to a partner, your per-point-value may be even greater.

With the travel portal, you can redeem points to pay for an entire trip or you can use a mix of points and cash to cover a travel booking. You can also pay all in cash, earning 5 to 10 points per $1 spent, depending on the card you have. Using points for travel is the most valuable way to extract value from Chase Ultimate Rewards® for most people.

It's an efficient website, but some irritants snag even savvy travelers. Let's dig into Chase's travel portal's good and bad. You'll find that it is mostly good, if not great.

Chase cards vary in earning and redemption benefits so you will want to pay attention to which one you use, especially if you have more than one card. The most valuable cards earn Ultimate Rewards® points, but some Chase cards, like the United℠ Explorer Card , earn miles or points in that co-branded program (in this example, United MileagePlus miles ).

Let’s review the cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards®, with the most rewarding cards first. Keep in mind that if you have more than one of these cards, you can move points between Chase Ultimate Rewards® accounts to redeem them from an account that delivers more cents per point in value.

These cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® and provide access to Chase's travel portal:

Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card .

Chase Freedom Unlimited® .

Chase Freedom Flex℠ .

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card .

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card .

Chase Freedom Rise Credit Card.

There is an important perk to remember if you have multiple cards. Since the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card offers 1.5 cents in value per point and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offer 1.25 cents in value, it is best to redeem points from these accounts rather than any other Chase card. c

If you have one of those two premium cards and another Chase card (like Chase Freedom Unlimited® , for example), you can move your Ultimate Rewards® points from the Chase Freedom Unlimited® account to a premium card’s account (like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card).

This strategy allows you to unlock half a cent more in value in seconds. It’s one of the best benefits of Ultimate Rewards® when you have a premium card and one of its no-fee cards.

Want to earn a bunch of points quickly to make a redemption? The sign-up bonuses on these cards can rake in extra points if you meet the terms and conditions.

on Chase's website

• 5 points per $1 on travel booked through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).

• 2 points per $1 on other travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

Point value in Chase's travel portal: 1.25 cents apiece.

• 10 points per $1 on Chase Dining, hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Chase.

• 5 points per $1 on air travel purchased through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on other travel and dining not booked with Chase.

Point value in Chase's travel portal: 1.5 cents apiece.

• In the first year, 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 4.5% cash back on drugstores and restaurants, and 3% on all other purchases on up to $20,000 in spending.

• After that, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% cash back at drugstores and restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Point value in Chase's travel portal: 1 cent apiece.

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

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!

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

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Here’s a primer on what you can and cannot do with Ultimate Rewards® points.

Log in to your account, then navigate to the Chase Ultimate Rewards® tab on the right of the screen. If you have more than one card that earns this currency, you can see each balance and select the account from which you want to redeem points.

Once you select the card, you’ll be taken to a homepage that shows the points you have earned and how you can redeem them. We recommend sticking to travel redemptions rather than using points for merchandise as the value diminishes significantly with the latter.

Select the "Travel" tab at the top of the screen. From here, you can decide whether to transfer points to a partner or redeem them as cash for a trip.

One of the best perks of using this travel portal to make a points redemption is that you still earn frequent flyer miles on most airline tickets since these are booked as a revenue ticket (not as an award redemption like when using airline miles to book a flight).

How to book award flights in Chase's travel portal

This is one of the more popular features of using points, but keep in mind it doesn't feature all airlines, which can be frustrating. Even if you find a flight on an airline's website or third-party booking site, it doesn't mean it will be available at Chase.

Enter the relevant details in the search bar to find a flight. Results can be filtered by stops, airline or price. Another benefit of this portal is that you aren't subject to award seat availability in the same way you might be when redeeming miles through an airline's program.

If there is a seat that could be bought with cash, you can usually redeem points for it. Plain and simple.

Compare how many miles you would need if booking directly with the airline with what Chase is charging.

If it would cost fewer points to book directly with the airline, you’ll want to use miles instead. For example, Delta co-branded American Express cardholders can often redeem their miles like cash on Delta’s website (at 1 cent per mile’s value). That’s just average, but if it is cheaper than what Chase is charging, consider that the better option. But don’t forget that airlines will add on taxes and fees when redeeming miles . Airfare booked with Chase Ultimate Rewards® points don't have additional costs tacked on — these are already bundled into the fare.

Another important note is that some low-cost airlines like Allegiant don't appear in search results. If you want to travel on a budget airline, then you'll need to visit those websites to compare fares.

You can pay in cash, points or a combination. Chase will display particular details about your fare, like whether assigned seats or checked bags are included. This may not take into account any elite status perks you hold.

How to book hotels in Chase's travel portal

You can also redeem points for hotel stays using Ultimate Rewards® points. This is great news, especially when staying at hotels where you may not have  elite status  or don't care about elite perks or points earned.

Keep in mind that when making a reservation outside a hotel’s official reservation channels, you won’t earn points in its program or be able to take advantage of elite status benefits. So if you have status with a hotel chain, this isn't the best value unless you are willing to forgo those benefits.

Making a reservation is straightforward. Enter the city and travel dates to see a list of hotels available for redemption. Then, you can redeem points or pay in cash for your trip.

Like with flights, compare the cost of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points with the number of points a hotel’s program is charging. A particular favorite is World of Hyatt, which still uses an award chart and, as a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards®, can often deliver more favorable deals when using Hyatt’s points rather than Chase points.

For example, it would cost about 9,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to redeem a night at Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport. But, if you transfer points to World of Hyatt, you would need 5,000 points for the same night’s stay.

One of the booking tabs also leads to the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection . This subset of high-end hotels delivers bonus perks like free breakfast, a $100 hotel credit and room upgrades, depending on the property and other things.

You can book directly through Chase or redeem points and be eligible. It’s nice to have elite status-style perks at a hotel where you may not have status or that doesn't have a loyalty program.

How to book car rentals in Chase's travel portal

This is a great place to reserve rental cars using points, and Chase rental car insurance benefits apply when using the card and paying with points. But, for that to be the case, you will want to pay for part of the rental in cash so the insurance benefits are activated. To do that, pay with a combination of cash and points, and decline the rental company's insurance first.

How to book activities in Chase's travel portal

Activities available for booking through Chase's travel portal include tours and experiences at home or when traveling and airport transfers. Price comparison plays a role here, too, since many hotel brands have their own platforms like Marriott Bonvoy Moments or FIND Experiences from World of Hyatt. These allow you to redeem points for experiences.

Check which program is cheaper before redeeming Chase points if you find similar options in either program.

How to book cruises in Chase's travel portal

Since cruise bookings can be more complex, you will need to call Chase Ultimate Rewards® at 855-234-2542 to make a reservation. There are many ways to earn multiple points when booking a cruise that may be better than using Chase, but when redeeming points for a cruise , there can be a lot of value.

Using Chase's portal to make a travel reservation is also strategic, as depending on your card, you can earn a healthy stash of points this way. Just be sure to compare the benefits you can earn with the opportunity cost of booking elsewhere.

Benefits of booking travel in Chase's portal

Let’s say you have a premium card like Chase Sapphire Reserve® . It earns 5x points per $1 when booking flights through the portal. The sweet spot is when using this card for hotel stays and rental cars booked via the portal for 10x points per dollar spent. Consider what’s in your wallet, and decide which card will net the most points.

Another benefit is that you will earn miles from flights booked through the portal, even when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards® points since these are viewed as a revenue ticket.

Remember, you will want to compare if it is cheaper to redeem airline miles directly through a carrier’s redemption program or if you can use fewer points by redeeming Chase points via the portal.

Sometimes it might make more sense to transfer points from Chase to an airline partner when redeeming a flight (or a hotel program when making a hotel stay). Be as vigilant with price comparison when redeeming miles and points as you would when using cash.

Does Chase's travel portal price match?

No. You cannot submit a lower fare elsewhere for a price guarantee here since this isn't a publicly available site. It is only available to those who have a Chase card.

What else you need to know

When booking through this reservation site, keep in mind that most airlines and hotels cannot assist directly with a reservation. They see this as a third-party booking through Expedia and will direct you to Chase's agents.

Many travelers report the experience can be frustrating when travel disruptions or cancellations occur. Agents are friendly but can sometimes be limited in their abilities, often reading prompts on their screens in international call centers.

It can be a hazard booking a reservation with a third party, but the trade-off in redeeming points is worth it for some travelers.

If you do need to contact a Chase portal agent for support on a reservation made through the site — whether for a flight, hotel booking, car rental or activity — you've got one option: a good, old-fashioned telephone call.

Dial 866-331-0773 for assistance regarding changes or cancellations to your bookings.

You might have better luck dialing the support line for your specific Chase card. You might opt to give one of these a try:

Chase Sapphire Reserve® : 855-234-2542.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : 866-331-0773.

All other cards: 866-951-6592.

If you compare prices and consider the opportunity cost of using the portal instead of booking elsewhere, you can almost always come out ahead.

You can save money, earn bonus points and travel better with transferable loyalty points like Chase Ultimate Rewards®. They have the flexibility and versatility necessary to deliver excellent value on travel (rather than being locked into one airline or hotel loyalty program). With the right card (or suite of cards), you’ll be able to accumulate points and benefits.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

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

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1.5%-5% 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.

Up to $300 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!

1x-5x 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.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1%-5% Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.

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

How to use TD Rewards points to reduce travel costs

by Anne Betts | Mar 21, 2024 | Travel Hacking | 5 comments

Updated March 21, 2024

Is the TD Rewards program worth it? How does the program work? What are the various ways to use TD Rewards points to reduce travel costs ? What qualifies as a travel cost?

After several years of earning and redeeming TD Rewards points for travel, I’ve found the program to be beneficial. Here is my review.

Table of Contents

What are TD Rewards Points?

Td rewards credit cards, td first class travel visa infinite card, what are td rewards worth, (i) expedia for td, (ii) book any way, what qualifies as book any way travel, (i) expedia for td, is the td first class travel visa infinite worth it, what i like, what i don’t like.

TD refers to the Toronto-Dominion Bank. TD’s propriety loyalty program is called TD Rewards. The rewards currency is TD Rewards Points. To improve readability, I’ll refer to the points as ‘TD Rewards.’

TD Rewards can’t be converted to any other loyalty currency, or transferred to another loyalty program. It used to be possible to convert TD Rewards to Aeroplan on a product switch to a TD Aeroplan-branded card at a rate of 4:1. However, since April 2019, this is no longer the case.

Points don’t expire as long as your TD Rewards-earning credit card account is in good standing. If you close your credit card account (and don’t have another TD Rewards-earning credit card), you’ll have 90 days to redeem any points left in the account. But, if you lose access to Expedia For TD, they’ll be redeemable at the lower ‘book any way’ value.

As a general rule, points in any in-house program should be redeemed or transferred to another credit card earning the same rewards currency before cancelling or product switching a card.

How to earn TD Rewards

TD Rewards can be earned from a credit card sign-up bonus, through everyday spend on the credit card, and the occasional promotion.

TD offers four credit cards earning TD Rewards:

• TD Platinum Travel Visa Card
• TD Rewards Visa Card
• TD Business Travel Visa Card

TD offers very few points-earning promotions.

The best way to stay abreast of these opportunities is via promotional emails from TD.

For travellers, the best of the three personal credit cards is the First Class Travel Visa Infinite, last overhauled on October 30, 2022.

TD offers promotions on the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite  with elevated sign-up bonuses. For example a promotion ending March 4, 2024 included an annual fee waiver ($139) in the first year and a sign-up bonus of up to 135,000 points. The current promotion ending June 4, 2024 has a sign-up bonus of up to 100,000 points:

• 20,000 points after the first purchase
• 80000 points after spending $5,000 within 180 days of account opening

According to the terms and conditions, the offer isn’t available to customers who have activated and/or closed a TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Account in the last 12 months. However, this may or may not be enforced. Also, a product switch from a lower-tier card may be eligible for the full promotional benefits.

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite also includes: 

• a birthday bonus of 10% of the points earned in the 12 months preceding the primary cardholder’s birthday (up to a maximum of 10,000 points) 
• an annual TD Travel Credit of $100 each calendar year on certain bookings (hotel, motel, lodging, vacation rental, or vacation package) of $500 or more at Expedia for TD in cash, points, or a combination of points and cash.
• a free Uber One membership for 12 months

The earning rate on the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite is:

• 8 points per dollar for travel booked online or by phone at Expedia for TD
• 6 points per dollar spent on groceries and at restaurants
• 4 points per dollar on regular recurring payments
• 2 points per dollar on all other purchases

There’s a $25,000 cap on spending at the accelerated rates. After that threshold is reached, the earning rate decreases to the base rate of 2 points per dollar.

At first glance, the earning rate on the TD First Class Visa Infinite looks very attractive. That’s because many reward programs can be redeemed at one cent per point (e.g., 10,000 points = $100). With TD Rewards, the best possible redemption rate is 0.5 cents per point (e.g., 10,000 points = $50).

TD’s in-house travel portal is called Expedia For TD, operated by Expedia.

There are two ways to redeem TD Rewards for travel purchases:

• Expedia for TD
• ‘Book Any Way’

Each has a different redemption value.

For travel booked through Expedia For TD, points are valued at $0.05 (200 points = $1).

For the most part, Expedia for TD mirrors what’s available on Expedia. However, there are gaps in the inventory. Also, some folks have reported higher prices on Expedia for TD, compared to what’s posted on Expedia.

For what it’s worth, that hasn’t been my experience. For example, a search for a specific hotel in Halifax revealed the best price at Expedia when compared with other booking sites.

The (almost) same price for the same property appeared at Expedia for TD.

‘Book Any Way’ covers travel purchased from travel providers other than Expedia For TD. This allows you to book and redeem points for travel products that don’t appear on Expedia. This includes the option to book last-minute deals or discounted travel at prices that are cheaper than what’s listed at Expedia.

However, TD Rewards are valued at $0.04 (250 = $1) on the first $1,200 of a Book Any Way travel purchase. The value increases to $0.05 (200 = $1) for any amount that is over $1,200 on the same  purchase. This is useful for ‘big-ticket’ bookings such as vacation packages or apartment rentals.

Keep in mind that when purchasing from a provider other than Expedia For TD:

• you’re earning x2 TD Rewards Points (instead of x8 at Expedia for TD); and
• you’re redeeming at a lower value of $0.04 (instead of $0.05).

The program has a broad view of what qualifies as travel. Flights, accommodation, cruises, vacation packages (usual stuff) are eligible. Expenses such as theatre tickets, golf fees, resort excursions, restaurant bills, gasoline, taxi fares, and parking may qualify if they’re incurred while travelling.

How to redeem TD Rewards for travel

The most convenient way is to book online by signing in to TD Rewards, and entering the Expedia For TD portal to shop for travel.

When you’re ready to make a decision, one click takes you to your chosen travel product.

Another click takes you to the payment page with helpful pre-populated fields showing the name of the cardholder, credit card, TD Rewards account balance, and its monetary value.

Within moments, an email arrives from Expedia for TD with the booking confirmation and details.  

With the “use points” option, the entire travel purchase, including taxes and fees, will be charged to your credit card. But, because you used TD Rewards Points, you’ll receive a credit on your credit card statement within 5 days after the charge, equal to the number of points used.

For the best return, anything appearing at Expedia should be booked online through Expedia For TD and redeemed in this way. Another option is to book by telephone (at Expedia for TD). The points multiplier of x8 for using Expedia For TD will be earned on each booking. Travel purchases and their respective statement credits will appear as separate line items.

• Make a travel-related purchase using the credit card earning TD Rewards.
• Wait until the charge posts to your credit card account.
• Call TD Rewards within 90 days of the transaction date of the purchase, and ask to have points applied.
• The points will be deducted from your points balance available at the time the points are redeemed, not the transaction date of the purchase.
• The amount credited towards the purchase will be equal to the value of the points redeemed. If there are insufficient points available to cover the entire amount, the remaining cost will be posted on the account for payment.

Both redemption routes (Expedia For TD and Book Any Way) allow payment in any combination of points and cash.

Note: Travel usually delivers the best rate of return. However, TD Rewards can be redeemed for merchandise (at an average of 0.23 cents per point), gift cards (0.25), tuition, or paying down a student loan debt (0.4), or as a credit against your credit card account (0.25). These redemption values are shared with thanks to Credit Card Genius for their research and analysis.

If the following applies to you, I say YES :

• You purchase a considerable amount of travel through Expedia (for TD).
• You’re likely to make a single purchase of $500 or more at Expedia for TD to earn the annual travel credit of $100.

• You like the idea of offsetting a variety of travel costs with various rewards programs.
• You’re not loyal to any particular hotel brand and you use a variety of accommodation that’s bookable through Expedia (for TD).
• You’re able to tap into a fee waiver and decent sign-up bonus.
• You have a TD All-Inclusive Banking Package. This requires a minimum daily balance of $5,000 in your account. It entitles you to a $29.95 monthly fee rebate ($22.45 for seniors aged 60 or older). It includes an annual fee rebate of your choice of one of five select TD credit cards. The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite is one of the cards. The rebate covers the fees for the primary cardholder and one supplementary cardholder.
• You can make use of the travel insurance benefits.
• You use Expedia sparingly. You don’t use it enough to justify paying the annual fee of $139 (beginning in the second year under a -first-year-free promotion).
• Most of your flights are award bookings using frequent flyer miles or points. When you do purchase a revenue ticket, you book flights directly with an airline because of better service in the event of booking irregularities, flight cancellations, and overbooked flights.
• You’re a member of one or more hotel loyalty programs. You book directly with the respective program to earn loyalty points, status credits, and other benefits.
• The other credit cards in your wallet have superior earning power on everyday-spend categories such as groceries, gas, transit, and dining, and/or earn flexible points that are convertible to other reward programs offering better redemption values.

Is the TD Rewards program worth it?

The TD Rewards program shouldn’t be viewed as a frequent flyer program but one where it’s possible to cut trip costs by redeeming points for miscellaneous travel expenses.   

For a personal credit card, I believe the best of the bunch is the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card. What did I think of TD Rewards and the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card?

• When used exclusively for travel bookings at Expedia for TD, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card offers an appealing return of 4%. Otherwise, a mixture of earn rates puts the return somewhere between 1% and 4%.
• For the most part, Expedia has a solid reputation. The company carries some weight in the travel world and could be a useful ally if things don’t go as planned with a small, independent tour operator. However, I’d never use Expedia for expensive long-haul flights. Overbooked flights, delays, cancellations, and other disruptions can put passengers in a zone where neither the airline nor the OTA (Online Travel Agency) will provide assistance.
• I like Expedia For TD’s large inventory of accommodation options, including hostels and apartments, at a variety of price points. I’ve also been impressed by the attractiveness of refundable bookings. For example, the same property at Booking might be refundable up to a month out, whereas at Expedia, it might be refundable up until the day before arrival. This limits reliance on trip cancellation insurance.
• TD’s recent overhaul of the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite that included a $100 annual travel credit is a welcome benefit. It requires a purchase of $500 or more at Expedia for TD once in a calendar year (that is relatively easy to accomplish when booking accommodation). Triggering the credit requires no intervention on a cardholder’s part as as an email and secure message from TD arrives within 48 hours. This effectively reduces the annual fee of $139 to $39, a compelling reason to keep the card.

• There’s also the option to book tours and experiences. Other propriety programs (e.g., AMEX Travel) don’t offer a similar range and variety of travel products.
• I love the online system for booking travel at Expedia For TD, and redeeming points against the purchase. It involves inserting a minimal amount of information, and a few clicks to complete the process. Within seconds, the booking confirmation arrives by email.
• Anything appearing at Expedia for TD is bookable online from anywhere in the world. Expedia For TD’s online booking process is convenient, user-friendly, and efficient.
• The same applies to the online process for changing a reservation or using Expedia for TD’s Virtual Assistant to cancel refundable bookings. Sign in, select the booking, hit the cancel button, and receive notification that the refund will be sent within 48 hours.

• The range of travel expenses redeemable as Book any Way travel is impressive.
• With the accelerated earn rate of 6 points per dollar resulting in a 3% return on groceries and dining, I’ve appreciated having the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card in my wallet at restaurants that don’t accept American Express (Cobalt and Scotiabank Gold cards that both earn x5 points on dining). 
• TD has a no-fee credit card (TD Rewards Visa Card) that earns TD Rewards. This presents an option to product switch from the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite (or any other credit card earning TD Rewards) to protect your points and keep a TD Rewards account active.
• TD has a generous approach to product switches that encourage clients to try different credit card products. Some switches provide access to full promotional benefits. In addition, there are cases where clients have been able to hold more than one TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card at the same time.
• For credit card cancellations and product switches, TD offers prorated refunds of annual fees.
• The TD All-Inclusive Banking Package presents an option to obtain an annual fee rebate.
• TD’s EasyWeb account management system is efficient and user friendly. After product switching or applying for a new TD credit card, I’ve had the card, with the credit card number, appear in my account within a few hours. On a product switch, the ‘switched-from’ card can be used the following business day to earn points in the ‘switched-to’ card’s rewards program. This is handy to start working on the new card’s Minimum Spend Requirement without having to wait for the new card to arrive by mail.    
• There will be others who don’t agree but in my opinion, of the ‘big five,’ TD has the best customer service. For the most part, I’ve found Customer Service Representatives to be helpful, patient, and well informed. Those I’ve dealt with have been more than willing to follow up on requests, listen to, and consider, my interpretation of terms and conditions when it differs from theirs, and seek information from advisors and supervisors.
• To extract maximum value on travel purchases and redemptions, customers need to use Expedia For TD. When purchasing travel from other providers (at an earn rate of 2 points per dollar), and redeeming points using ‘Book any Way’ at the lower redemption value, each point is valued at only 0.8 cents (or 0.8% return).
• At the present time, the program doesn’t have a flight rewards chart where it could be possible, as with other reward programs, for members to extract greater value when redeeming points for flights. For example, the CIBC Rewards (Aventura) Flight Reward Chart offers the potential of a 2.2% return.
• For more information on the CIBC Rewards program, see When travelling the world on miles and points, is the CIBC Aventura program worth it?
• Expedia for TD’s Virtual Assistant works well on uncomplicated bookings such as obtaining a refund before the fully refundable date. However, in the case of complications, the Virtual Assistant is hopeless. For example, in Warsaw, the guide on a scooter tour was a no-show on the day of the tour (so it was past the refundable period) and trying to get the Virtual Assistant to retrieve the booking was impossible, despite inserting my answers to each question asked.    
• As a rewards currency, TD Rewards has limited value. It’s not convertible to any other program, and it has a fixed maximum value of $0.05 per point.
• While obtaining a fee rebate is an attractive proposition, doing so on a TD Aeroplan-branded credit card might make more sense for Aeroplan account holders. Aeroplan is capable of delivering much greater value than TD’s fixed-value system.
• I’m not fond of having two-tiered redemption values for travel purchases. Other in-house programs such as Scene+ make no distinction between travel booked through the program’s travel portal, and that from another provider. Redemption values are the same.
• For more information on the Scene+ program, see What’s the best use of Scene+ when travelling the world on miles and points?
• If a customer has two credit cards earning TD Rewards, it’s possible to merge the points into one account but it must be done by an agent. Unlike other programs such as RBC Avion, it can’t be done online. And disappointingly, fewer than 10,000 TD Rewards cannot be moved from one account to the other. 
• The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card doesn’t stand out among its competitors. It’s competing with travel credit cards that offer lounge membership and complimentary passes, companion/buddy passes, NEXUS fee rebates, free checked baggage, concierge services, and no FX (foreign exchange) fees. However, as mentioned earlier, the annual $100 travel credit helps fill a much-needed gap in its attractiveness as a travel credit card.
• The insurance benefits are on par with other premium credit cards. Personally, I’ll never use them. For emergency medical insurance, an annual multi-trip plan from an insurer of my choice is a better fit for my age and travel style. The trip cancellation/interruption doesn’t apply because a covered trip is one where “the full cost has been charged to Your Account and/or using Your TD Points.” Like many other travellers, my trips are funded from a variety of sources using a mixture of miles, points, and cash.
• It’s both a blessing and a curse but I’ve been surprised by the types of charges flagged by TD’s fraud detection program. This results in a rejection of the charge and a freezing of my credit card until it’s sorted.

The fact that TD has hitched its rewards wagon to Expedia makes it an interesting proposition. I’m impressed with Expedia For TD’s online portal for booking and redeeming points for travel (and changing a reservation or cancelling via the Virtual Assistant), and the First Class Travel Visa Infinite’s x8 points multiplier on Expedia for TD bookings. For heavy Expedia users, it’s an attractive addition to a credit card portfolio.

I’ve been impressed by recent promotional offers with annual fee waivers and sign-up bonuses of up to 135,000 points. It demonstrates that TD is interested in attracting new customers. To keep them, TD could be more creative with additional travel benefits. Reinstating the option for cardholders to convert TD Rewards to Aeroplan would be a welcome start.

TD needs to increase the value of Book-any-Way redemptions, and introduce an online system for applying points against those purchases. While the Scene+ coding system for travel purchased from other providers isn’t perfect, their system is capable of presenting the vast majority of travel purchases to users for redeeming points online. TD needs to craft an online redemption system that’s as user-friendly as their booking system.

As a fixed value program, TD Rewards can’t match the value achievable with programs such as Aeroplan, British Airways’ Avios, and other frequent flyer programs. But, with the extensive inventory of travel products bookable at Expedia For TD, and the range of travel expenses redeemable as Book any Way travel, it can certainly occupy a very useful secondary corner of a diversified miles-and-points portfolio.  

If you found this post helpful, please share it by choosing one of the social media buttons. Also, what do you think of the TD Rewards program? Please add your thoughts in the comments. Thank you.

Might you be interested in my other miles-and-points posts?

• What’s the best use of Scene+ if travelling the world on miles and points
• When travelling the world on miles and points, is the CIBC Aventura program worth it? 
• Is a no-FOREX-fee credit card always the best choice for international travel?
• What is the best credit card for trip cancellation, trip interruption and flight delay insurance for trips on points?
• Lounge and flight review of United Airlines’ Polaris experience
• Why the Best Western loyalty program is good for travellers
• Is the BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard a good deal?
• Finding Aeroplan flights: a step-by-step guide
• Travel the world on miles and points by meeting Minimum Spend Requirements

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I’m curious if the prices are jacked a bit through the TD Expedia site. For example, I looked at the Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan. For a five night stay in a 1 Queen Bed City View room, , TD Rewards Expedia site said it would be $2222.97, all taxes, fees all in. Looking at the same room through hotels.com or Trivago, I got the same room, all in price of $1723.72/$1743 respectively. When I apply my current Rewards amount of $836 against the $2222.97, I’m left paying $1386.97, which is only around $336 less, even though I used $836! Is Expedia always more expensive? I looked at more than a few other hotels and they are all much cheaper on hotels.com and Trivago.

Thanks for dropping by. While I never experienced price differences between Expedia and Expedia For TD, some people have reported differences, both in inventory and prices. I’ve just done a search for a five-night stay at the Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan (October 12 to 17) and found the same price at Expedia, Hotels and Booking. I couldn’t access Expedia for TD as I no longer have a TD Rewards credit card. Each of the three sites showed a regular price of $466/$468 and a discounted price of $372 for a total price of $1860. It sounds as though Expedia for TD hasn’t adjusted the regular price yet. What I would do is call Expedia for TD and ask them to match the Expedia price (if that’s what you find for your dates on expedia.ca). Good luck!

Excelent article!

Can you clarify when you got the $100 credit? The “in a calendar year” part confuses me. If I booked accommodations via ExpediaForTD over $500 for the first time this year (March 2023), will I get the $100 travel credit right away? within this year? or Jan 2024?

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

• Why the Best Western loyalty program is good for travellers - Packing Light Travel - […] Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]
• 25 Tips on earning Aeroplan miles - Packing Light Travel - […] Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]
• What’s the best use of Scotia Rewards? - Packing Light Travel - […] Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]
• Lounge and flight review of United Airlines’ Polaris experience - Packing Light Travel - […] Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]
• Minimizing Aeroplan taxes, fees and surcharges - Packing Light Travel - […] Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]
• What is the best credit card with trip cancellation, trip interruption and flight delay insurance for trips on points - Packing Light Travel - […] Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]
• Finding Aeroplan flights: a step-by-step guide - Packing Light Travel - […] Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]
• Is the BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard a good deal? - Packing Light Travel - […] Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]
• Is a no-FOREX-fee credit card always the best choice for international travel? - Packing Light Travel - […] Travelling the world on miles and points. Is the TD Rewards program worth it? […]

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Best travel credit cards of May 2024

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Travel credit cards help you earn valuable points and miles on your purchases. For maximum value, some cards earn rewards not only on travel, but also everyday purchases like dining, groceries and gas. You can redeem these rewards for free or discounted flights, hotel stays or to cover other travel-related expenses.

The best travel cards also come with additional features. Even no-annual-fee travel cards are likely to offer perks like sign-up bonuses, intro APR offers and travel insurance. But for top-of-the-line benefits like airport lounge access, elite status and travel credits, expect to pay an annual fee.

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Bankrate's Best Travel Credit Cards of May 2024

• Best starter travel card:  Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best for no annual fee:  Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card  ( See Rates & Fees )
• Best for flat-rate rewards:  Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Best for intro APR:  Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
• Best for practical perks:  Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Best for hotel bookings: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card
• Best for point values:  Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best for pairing:  Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Best for luxury travel:  The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Best for foodies:  American Express® Gold Card
• Best for everyday spending: Citi Premier® Card
• Best no-annual-fee hotel card:  Hilton Honors American Express Card
• Best luxury hotel card:  Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• Best for companion tickets:  Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Best for first-year value:  Discover it® Miles
• Best for fair credit:  Credit One Bank Wander® Card
• Best for gas: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
• Best starter airline card: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
• Best for expedited security screening:  Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
• Best for transfer partners: Bilt Mastercard®
• What to know about travel credit cards
• Tips for choosing the best travel card

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.

Intro offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Offer valuation

We calculate this number by multiplying the card's intro offer by Bankrate's valuation of this issuer's rewards program , showing you how much your points or miles are worth in dollars.

Rewards rate

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. 2x on all other travel purchases. 1x on all other purchases.

Regular APR

• 5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
• 3x 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries.
• 2x 2x on all other travel purchases.
• 1x 1x on all other purchases.

What we love: This popular card comes loaded with features that can make it easy even for occasional travelers to offset the modest $95 annual fee without eating into hard-earned rewards. Plus, its rewards program is one of the best, giving you some of the most valuable travel redemptions — through both Chase and transfer partners — and Chase card pairing opportunities if you want to build your card portfolio eventually. Learn more: Why expert Margaret Weck loves using the Chase Sapphire Preferred Alternatives: The Citi Premier® Card not only has a comparable sign-up bonus and the same annual fee as the Sapphire Preferred, but also covers even more everyday categories, including  supermarkets and gas stations, potentially making it a better fit as a standalone rewards card. 

• You earn Ultimate Rewards points with this card — some of the most valuable and flexible rewards around, especially if you pair it with Chase’s cash back cards in the future.
• The card touts significant long-term benefits like anniversary bonus points and travel credits, as well as travel protections like trip cancellation insurance and a car rental collision damage waiver.
• Doesn’t offer airline- or hotel-specific perks like free checked bags, elite status or free night stays.
• The sign-up bonus is decent, but the card has previously offered higher, chart-topping bonus points.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 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, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 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

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel

1.25 Miles - 5 Miles

5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

• 5 Miles 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 1.25 Miles 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

What we love: This card offers some of the same advantages as the Capital One Venture, without the burden of an annual fee. It gives you the chance to earn flat-rate miles on your everyday spending and the option to transfer miles to over 15 loyalty program partners to even cover travel purchases outside Capital One — a unique level of redemption flexibility for a starter travel card. Learn more: Reasons to get the VentureOne Rewards Card Alternatives: A general-purpose flat-rate credit card that offers 2X points or 2 percent cash back on all purchases may bring more value if you don’t travel often and aren’t ready to upgrade to a travel rewards credit card with an annual fee. However, the Discover it® Miles earns a flat-rate 1.5X miles that can also be redeemed for cash back at 1-cent per mile, which is unusual for travel rewards.

• The welcome offer is generous for a no-annual-fee travel credit card.
• Booking hotel stays and rental cars through Capital One Travel nets you an impressive 5X miles.
• Unlike several no-annual-fee travel cards, redeeming for non-travel purchases waters down your rewards’ value.
• Capital One has no major U.S. carrier in its line-up of travel partners.
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

New Venture cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

2 Miles - 5 Miles

5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

• 2 Miles 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

What we love: It’s a great option for travelers looking for a straightforward rewards program and flexible redemption options. You'll earn unlimited miles on all eligible spending and can redeem not only for travel bookings, but also as a statement credit to cover travel purchases made in the past 90 days. Learn more: Why expert Jacqueline DeMarco loves the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Alternatives: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers a higher rewards rate in some everyday spending categories and potentially more valuable points. Chase points are worth 1.25 cents each if you redeem for travel through Chase, while Capital One miles are only worth 1 cent each when you redeem for travel. Plus, Chase rewards are more helpful for occasional travelers since you can redeem as cash back at 1-cent-per-point value.

• Carries solid perks given its low annual fee, including expedited airport purchase security and hotel experience credits, lost luggage reimbursement and more.
• Zero foreign transaction fees make this an excellent choice for international travelers.
• You can’t offset the annual fee with annual travel credits or bonuses alone as you can with some rival cards.
• The card’s sign-up bonus carries a high spending requirement, so it may be tough to earn if you don’t have large purchases on the horizon.
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 1.5X Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

What we love: This entry-level travel card keeps things simple for occasional travelers. It offers simple flat-rate rewards and lets you redeem for a broad mix of travel options not typically available on many travel cards, such as cash back toward purchases with travel agencies,  zoos, art galleries and more. It’s even more valuable if you’re a Bank of America customer and can qualify for a rewards boost through the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program. Learn more: Is the Bank of America Travel Rewards card worth it? Alternatives: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is another great starter travel card, but, unlike many cards in this category, it lets you transfer your miles to airline and hotel partners, potentially for a higher redemption value.

• Its easy-to-earn sign-up bonus and intro APR offers give this card good short-term value.
• No annual fees or foreign transaction fees sweeten this offer.
• It only offers 1.5X points on purchases, and you can’t transfer points can’t to airline partners for more rewards value, so it may not be as lucrative as competing cards.
• The top tiers of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program may be out of reach for many cardholders.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel

2 Miles - 10 Miles

10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

• 10 Miles 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5 Miles 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel

What we love: This is the perfect middleground for travelers who want the practical benefits from luxury travel cards without dealing with bloated features and an annual fee upwards of $500. It offers complimentary lounge access, high-earning bonus rewards categories, anniversary credits and bonus miles, which can easily make the card worth it for frequent travelers. Learn more: Capital One Venture X Benefits Guide Alternatives: If a higher annual fee is no issue, consider The Platinum Card® from American Express. It’s a top choice for frequent travelers thanks to its impressive welcome offer and luxury perks like annual travel credits, lounge access and hotel elite status. However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® may be better if your luxury travel experience calls for racking up more rewards.

• Offers anniversary bonus miles and a chance to earn credits worth hundreds of dollars starting at your first account anniversary.
• Comes with complimentary lounge access at over 1,300 lounges for you and two guests per visit.
• To earn the anniversary credit, travel must be booked through the Capital One Travel portal. That’s not as flexible as some other cards, which offer credits that cover any travel purchases, regardless of how you book.
• Lacks some perks found on other premium travel cards like airline or hotel elite status, which can get you benefits like free checked bags or room upgrades.
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

• Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.

Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels Earn unlimited 4X points on airlines Earn unlimited 3X points on other travel and restaurants Earn 1X points on other purchases

• 5X Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels
• 4X Earn unlimited 4X points on airlines
• 3X Earn unlimited 3X points on other travel and restaurants
• 1X Earn 1X points on other purchases

What we love: It offers a great rewards rate on hotel bookings and gives you a chance to earn a $50 annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase. Add in a solid rate on airline purchases, other travel and restaurants and this card carries great value as a standalone mid-tier card for occasional travelers. Alternatives: If you want to earn travel rewards but don’t actually spend much on hotels and airfare, the lower-tier Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is also worth a look. Though it earns also rewards on travel, it boasts a great mix of other practical everyday categories (including gas stations).

• You can transfer points to Wells Fargo’s new list of airline and hotel partners, including popular programs like British Airways Executive Club, Choice Privileges and more, which could boost the redemption value of your rewards.
• The $50 annual statement credit offsets more than half the card’s $95 annual fee and should be a cinch to earn if you fly at least once per year.
• Wells Fargo only offers one other card that earns travel rewards (the Autograph), and there is some category overlap between the two, so they may not be as lucrative as some competing card stacks.
• The card doesn’t carry some popular travel perks available on other mid-tier travel cards, such as credits for expedited airport security screening or rideshares.
• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
• $95 annual fee.
• Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
• Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
• Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠. Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

• 10x Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠.
• 5x Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠.
• 3x Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.
• 1x Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

What we love: Rewards-savvy travelers will be hard-pressed to find a card with better rewards potential than the Sapphire Reserve. Points are worth 50 percent more through Chase Travel, and potentially more with the right transfer partner. It’s a stellar partner for Chase’s cash back cards and stacks on even more value with enough perks to recoup the annual fee without relying on hard-earned rewards. Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Alternatives: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers some of the same key perks as the Sapphire Reserve at a much lower cost. Along with a generous rewards rate on both Capital One Travel and general purchases, the card boasts valuable, practical benefits like competitive airport lounge access , up to $300 in annual Capital One Travel credits and 10,000 bonus miles every year on your account anniversary.

• You can kickstart your rewards bank with one of the most valuable sign-up bonuses on the market.
• Its top-tier benefits include up to $300 in annual travel statement credits, Priority Pass airport lounge access, exhaustive travel protections and stand-out partner perks.
• The card’s cost could be a deterrent for some new cardholders, especially if they plan on encountering adding multiple authorized users.
• You won’t get as many luxury hotel and airport lounge perks with this card as you would with some of its rivals.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Offer valuation is not available for this credit card.

Enjoy 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 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service 1.5% on all other purchases

• 5% Enjoy 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
• 3% 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
• 1.5% 1.5% on all other purchases

What we love: Not only does it earn 1.5 percent cash back on general spending, but it also has a bonus cash back rate for drugstores and dining at restaurants. And if you pair it with one or two premium Chase travel cards, you could pool your rewards for better travel redemption value.  Learn more: Why I love the Chase Freedom Unlimited Alternatives: If you want to take advantage of even more rewarding cash back categories and remain in the Chase family, consider the Chase Freedom Flex℠ .

• You can pool rewards with other Chase cards to maximize your earnings.
• The additional rewards rate offer can add even more cash back to your pocket for the first year.
• The welcome offer isn’t as competitive as other cards’ offers.
• Maximizing rewards with this and other Chase cards can get complicated for people who like simple rewards programs.
• 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!
• Enjoy 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; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% 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.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 5X Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
• 5X Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

What we love: Luxury travelers and big spenders will appreciate the bevy of travel benefits, including annual statement credits worth around $1,700, elite hotel loyalty status and access to perhaps the most comprehensive airport lounge access available with a credit card. Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Platinum Card® from American Express Alternatives: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a taste of luxury at a lower cost than many premium travel cards. You can unlock a generous rewards rate on both travel and general purchases, complimentary access to popular airport lounge memberships and valuable annual travel credits and anniversary miles.

• Comes with a generous welcome offer and a longer time period to earn it compared to most rewards cards.
• A robust line-up of airline and hotel partners and related perks make this card truly valuable for travelers.
• The $695 annual fee may not be worth it if you don’t spend much on travel frequently or can’t take full advantage of the card’s luxury — and often niche — perks.
• Redeeming and maximizing the card’s credit and benefits requires some legwork and can be a bit confusing.
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

American Express® Gold Card

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

• 4X Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4X Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• 3X Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

What we love: Few credit cards are more rewarding for traveling foodies than the American Express Gold Card. Both the food-related annual credits and the rewards rates at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and on flights booked directly with airlines or via the Amex travel portal are some of the best on the market. In fact, the up to $240 in credits each year alone nearly make up for the annual fee. Learn more: Why the Amex Gold is worth the annual fee Alternatives: If the Amex Gold Card’s annual fee sounds high, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . It carries key travel perks, high travel and dining rewards rates, and a much lower annual fee.

• This card features one of the best rewards return rates available on dining, groceries and food deliveries.
• There is no preset spending limit, so you can enjoy extended purchasing power, and you also have the option to pay off purchases with Pay Over Time if necessary.
• Although the card touts a solid collection of travel perks, it doesn’t include popular premium card perks like airport lounge access or trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
• Only eligible airfare earns more than 1X points, while rival cards often earn similar (or higher) reward rates on hotel stays and other travel purchases as well.
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Citi Premier® Card

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening

Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases

• 3X Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
• 3X Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
• 1X Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases

What we love: This mid-level travel card packs a high rewards rate on both travel and everyday spending, making it a great standalone rewards option for everyday spenders who want to pay an easily justifiable annual fee. In fact, the card includes an annual hotel credit that can offset the card’s annual fee on its own. Learn more: Read why travel podcaster Julia Menez loves the Citi Premier Card Alternatives: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card boasts fewer everyday bonus categories, but it may offer more valuable rewards, perks and travel protections. Chase points are worth 25 percent more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠.

• Offers some of the best rates for a variety of daily expenses like dining, groceries and gas, making the card a good option for less frequent travelers.
• Citi has a robust line-up of travel partners, making it a valuable partner alongside Citi’s cash back cards.
• Doesn’t carry some key perks that competing cards offer, like travel insurance or notable travel benefits beyond the annual hotel credit.
• Budget-conscious customers might balk at the annual fee, especially if they won’t get much use from the hotel credit.
• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
• 60,000 ThankYou® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Hilton Honors American Express Card

• Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations. Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.

• 7X Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
• 5X Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• 3X Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.

What we love: This card earns rewards in a terrific mix of everyday bonus categories, so it should be easy to rack up Hilton points even if you don’t spend a ton on hotel bookings. Since it charges no annual fee and provides a few Hilton Honors benefits like Silver status, it’s also a great fit if you’re new to hotel cards and want a single no-annual-fee option instead of juggling multiple rewards cards. Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Hilton Honors American Express Card Alternatives: The American Express® Green Card could be more flexible since it lets you earn and redeem rewards on a much wider variety of travel purchases, including airfare and bookings with several hotel brands, not just Hilton. You can transfer points to the Hilton Honors program as well, but the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card may be better if you prefer upgraded Hilton-specific rewards, loyalty status and other perks.

• Comes with automatic Silver Elite status, which includes a free fifth award night when you book at least four consecutive nights with points.
• Earns rewards in three of the average person’s biggest spending categories, making it a terrific standalone option for earning Hilton points.
• A higher-tier Hilton card would earn more on Hilton bookings and could be more lucrative for frequent guests, even with an annual fee.
• You can only redeem points with Hilton and its partners, which limits the rewards value you earn on the everyday categories compared to a general-purpose cards’ rewards.
• Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• No Annual Fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

• Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines 2X points on all other eligible purchases

• 6X Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
• 3X 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines
• 2X 2X points on all other eligible purchases

What we love: Frequent Marriott guests looking for luxury card-level perks and elite status should be able to justify this premium card. Along with a terrific rewards rate on Marriott bookings and an annual free night award, you could enjoy generous annual credits for restaurant purchases and Marriott property stays, airport lounge access, elite night credits and more. Learn more: Best Marriott credit cards Alternatives: If you’re looking for top-tier travel perks but want the flexibility to earn and redeem rewards for stays at any hotel chain, consider an elite travel card from Chase or Amex, which can come with generous travel benefits, airport lounge access and the ability to transfer points to Marriott. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is another lucrative alternative.

• Outperforms other Marriott cards with its boosted rewards on travel-related categories and 21X points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, thanks to the automatic Platinum Elite status.
• It’s one of the only hotel cards that includes complimentary Priority Pass lounge access, top travel protections and credits for expedited airport security screening.
• Unlocking some of the card’s best perks — like Five Suite Night Awards — requires a $60,000 annual spend, which may be tough to reach even for frequent Marriott guests.
• Unless luxury perks are at the top of your wishlist, the annual fee may not be worth it and a lower-tier hotel card may offer more value overall.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

• Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

• 3X Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
• 2X Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
• 1X Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

What we love: The annual companion certificate on Main Cabin domestic flights (taxes and fees apply) comes with this card after the first year is valuable enough to justify the annual fee even if you’re just looking for great Delta perks to make travel smoother with a partner. Plus, the companion certificate is easier to obtain than other airline cards’ since it carries no spending requirement that must be met beyond the card’s annual fee. Alternatives: The American Express® Green Card could be a great alternative since it charges a lower $150 annual fee, lets you earn and redeem rewards on travel with any eligible airline (not just Delta) and offers credits for Loungebuddy lounge access and Clear Plus. You can even transfer points to Delta at a 1:1 ratio.

• Boasts several valuable travel perks, including priority boarding, a free first checked bag and specialized annual credits for select rideshare services and reservations with Delta Stays and Resy.
• Gets you closer to Medallion Status and discounts on in-flight purchases, complimentary upgrades, and more.
• Its rewards rate on non-travel purchases is lacking — a general-purpose travel card could potentially offer better rewards value and flexibility for rewards travel outside Delta.
• No longer offers complimentary Delta Sky Club lounge access as of this year, although airport lounge access is a staple perk for premium travel cards.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
• Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Resy Credit: With the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Resy Credit, earn up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: You can earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Enrollment Required.
• Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
• Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive $100 back for Global Entry or up to $85 back for TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Official Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
• $350 Annual Fee.

Discover it® Miles

• Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.

Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.

• 1.5X Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.

What we love: In addition to the exceptionally valuable Discover Match® , this card combines solid flat-rate rewards with consumer-friendly terms, like minimal fees and an equal value for both travel and cash back redemptions. Travelers who value simplicity will appreciate this card’s straightforward rewards and adaptability — even when you aren’t traveling. Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Discover it® Miles Alternatives: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card carries a more straightforward and still easy-to-reach welcome bonus. The VentureOne card also gives you the option of transferring miles to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners, which could increase the redemption value of your rewards.

• All miles earned in your first year will be matched at the end of the year, which could make it one of the most valuable first-year offers for no annual fee.
• Miles don’t lose value when they’re redeemed for cash back, which gives it a leg up over many travel rewards programs for occasional travelers.
• You’ll miss out on pretty standard travel perks like travel insurance, and car rental damage protection.
• The rewards structure lacks flexibility; you won’t be able to transfer your miles or use them to book travel.
• Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
• No annual fee
• Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
• 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% - 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Credit One Bank Wander® Card

Intro offer is not available for this Credit One Bank credit card.

Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas Earn 1x points on all other purchases

• 10X Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site
• 5X Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas
• 1X Earn 1x points on all other purchases

What we love: The Credit One Bank Wander® Card is a solid option if you want to earn points on travel but have trouble qualifying for mainstream travel cards. Not only is this card accessible with only fair credit, but its rewards program boasts generously high rewards rates in key travel categories. Learn more: Best travel cards for people with bad or fair credit Alternatives: If you don’t mind putting down a refundable security deposit, consider a no-annual-fee secured card like the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card *. It’s a unique secured card that lets you build credit while earning rewards in a category of your choice (with travel just one of many popular options) as well as grocery stores and wholesale clubs.

• It’s one of the only travel rewards cards available with a fair credit score, making it a decent option if you want to earn travel rewards as you work on your score.
• Provides 5X points in travel, dining and gas, plus 10X points on eligible hotel and rental car bookings through Credit One Bank — rare and impressive rates with only fair credit.
• Its annual fee is high compared to other cards you can get with a fair credit score , so it may not be the best fit if you prioritize building credit over earning rewards.
• Other travel cards may offer better perks, fewer redemption restrictions and more value, so it may be worth working on your score with a lower-cost card before committing to the costly annual fee.
• Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site
• Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas
• Earn 1x points on all other purchases
• Redeem your reward points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, flights, hotels, and more
• With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Free Online Credit Score and Credit Report summary, terms apply
• If you are a Covered Borrower under the Military Lending Act, you may get a different offer
• See Rates & Fees

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

• Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.

Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Earn 1X points on other purchases

• 3X Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans.

What we love: The Wells Fargo Autograph card is a great option for occasional travelers and households on the go looking to earn rewards while avoiding an annual fee and reduced redemption value for cash rewards. It’s one of a few entry-level travel cards to offer high, year-round bonus rewards for gas, dining, transit and other key travel needs. Learn more: Is the Wells Fargo Autograph worth it? Alternatives: If you’re looking for ways to maximize the value of your rewards, you should consider a travel card that lets you transfer your points to airlines or hotels, like the Bilt Mastercard® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

• While some issuers only reward travel purchases made directly with airlines or through issuer portals, this card lets you shop around for the best deal on third-party travel sites and still earn extra rewards.
• Carries decent perks such as rental car collision damage waiver coverage, roadside assistance and Visa Signature® Concierge benefits, like access to Visa’s Luxury Hotel Collection (terms apply).
• Unlike with traditional travel cards, you cannot transfer your points to airlines or hotels
• The travel perks and intro APR are weak compared to competing travel-oriented cards’ offers.
• Select "Apply Now" to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
• $0 annual fee.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

• Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming. Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

• 2X Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
• 2X Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• 2X Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
• 2X Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
• 1X Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

What we love: This card’s anniversary bonus offers enough value to nearly offset the annual fee on its own, so it should be a terrific low-stakes option whether you’re new to airline cards or a regular Southwest flyer looking for a low-maintenance card. Plus, its sign-up bonus value is on par with the value you’ll get with much pricier airline and travel cards. Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus benefits guide Alternatives: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card could offer better value overall, despite its $149 annual fee. It carries an annual $75 Southwest travel credit and 7,500 bonus points each year on your account anniversary — more than enough value to justify the higher fee.

• You’ll automatically earn 3,000 Rapid Rewards points each year after your account anniversary, which could offset much of the card’s already-low annual fee.
• Delivers the same hefty sign-up bonus as higher-tier Southwest cards.
• Unlike several travel cards, it doesn’t carry rewards categories for popular everyday purchases like gas or dining.
• It may not be the best Southwest value for frequent flyers since it poses a 3 percent foreign transaction fee and doesn’t offer perks like upgraded boardings or elite status benefits.
• 3,000 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
• Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
• 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

• Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases. Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

• 2X Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases.
• 1.5X Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

What we love: If you do your banking with Bank of America and qualify for Preferred Rewards status, this card could provide an exclusive 25 percent to 75 percent rewards rate boost. The  rewards rates — 2X points on dining and travel, with 1.5X points on all other purchases — could increase to an incredible 3.5X on travel and dining with an unrivaled flat 2.62X points rate. Learn more: Why expert Sara Coleman loves the Bank of America Premium Rewards Card Alternatives: The similarly-priced Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best alternatives thanks to its stellar travel protections, yearly bonus rewards and stronger rewards program. However, flat-rate cards like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card or the Discover it® Miles card could be lucrative if you don’t think the $95 annual fee is worth it.

• The $95 annual fee is relatively affordable for this card category thanks to the up to $100 in yearly airline incidental statement credits.
• You can smooth out your travel experience with great benefits like credits toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and comprehensive travel insurance.
• Attaining the highest rewards rate is not an easy feat, since you’ll need to hold significant funds in Bank of America accounts.
• This card does not offer a few popular premium travel perks like lounge access.
• Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5-3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87-2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend.
• Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill® accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
• Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years.
• Travel Insurance protections to assist with trip delays, cancellations and interruptions, baggage delays and lost luggage.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Low $95 annual fee.

Bilt Mastercard®

Intro offer is not available for this Wells Fargo credit card.

1X Points - 3X Points

3x points on dining 2x points on travel 1x points on other purchases Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year. When you make at least 5 posted transactions in a statement period using your Bilt Mastercard, you'll earn points on rent and qualifying net purchases.

• 3X Points 3x points on dining
• 2X Points 2x points on travel
• 1X Points 1x points on other purchases
• 1X Points Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year. When you make at least 5 posted transactions in a statement period using your Bilt Mastercard, you'll earn points on rent and qualifying net purchases.

What we love: Not only is this card is a terrific choice for renters since it earns rewards and waives transaction fees when using it to pay rent, it’s also great for rewards strategists considering the extremely robust travel rewards program. You can earn rewards on travel and dining and your points carry a high value whether you redeem through the Bilt travel portal or one of the many airline and hotel transfer partners. Alternatives: If you like the Bilt card’s travel rewards program but don’t see yourself renting long term, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It earns generously on both travel and dining and also boasts high-value points and transfer partners. If the way you pay rent doesn’t incur credit card payment fees, a flat-rate card may also be worth weighing. 

• It’s the only card that helps you avoid the fees typically associated with paying rent with a credit card.
• Offers a solid collection of travel perks for a no-annual-fee card, including trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay reimbursement and other high-level travel protections.
• You can only use rewards to cover rent, toward a future home down payment or for travel and shopping. Cash back isn’t an option.
• There is no sign-up bonus. Most competing travel cards — even those with no annual fee — offer at least a $200 bonus.
• $0 Annual Fee.
• Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year.
• 2x points on travel.
• 3x points on dining.
• 1x points on other purchases.
• Earn points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period.
• When renting at a Bilt Alliance property, you can choose to have your rent payments automatically reported by Bilt to the three major credit bureaus each month; Experian™, TransUnion™, and Equifax™.

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.

The information about the American Express® Green Card and Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuers.

Compare Bankrate's best travel credit cards of 2024

What are travel credit cards.

Travel credit cards allow cardholders to earn points or miles on a variety of purchases (typically travel-related), which are redeemable for travel bookings, statement credits, gift cards and more.

The best travel credit cards do more than help you foot the bill for your next flight — travel cards also offer perks to upgrade your entire travel experience. Trip insurance , annual travel credits, concierge services and lounge access are all common benefits. Airline and hotel co-branded credit cards sometimes offer specific discounts and perks for loyalty program members.

Pros and cons of travel credit cards

Although a well-chosen travel card can pay huge dividends, it might not be the right move for every traveler. Before you apply, take time to weigh the benefits versus the drawbacks of travel credit cards .

Tips on choosing the best travel credit card for you

The right travel credit card for you will carry features and benefits that give you the best value. To help you narrow down your choices, here are the steps to choosing the best travel card.

How to choose a travel credit card

1. know how you prefer to travel.

Knowing whether your travel expenses lean toward airfare, hotel stays or a mix of other travel will help you decide whether you should get an airline card, hotel card or general-purpose travel card. A co-branded airline or hotel credit card may be a good fit if you mostly travel with a certain brand and want exclusive privileges to enhance your experience. A general-purpose travel card is better if you prefer to keep your travel options open.

2. Prioritize redemption value

You may have to pick between simplicity and maximum value when comparing cards and rewards programs. Many travel cards offer a standard point or mile redemption value of 1 cent when you redeem toward travel through the issuer portal, but some cards can get you a higher redemption value when you transfer rewards to airline or hotel partners. However, it's common for many travel reward programs to reduce the redemption value toward non-travel options or limit these redemption options altogether. If you prefer simplicity over maximizing rewards, you may want to consider cards that allow you to redeem points or miles at an equal 1-cent value toward general travel purchase credits, cash back or other non-travel options.

3. Match your card to your spending habits

Take a look at your typical spending and find which travel categories and non-travel categories you spend the most in to help you choose a card that offers a high rewards rate for your regular spending. Just make sure you factor in rewards spending caps.

4. Note what's worth the extra money

High rewards rates and valuable travel perks are the biggest reasons to get a travel card, but many of the best cards carry a high annual fee. You could stick with a no-annual-fee travel card (or at least one with around a $99 fee) if you're mainly focused on earning rewards, but you may have to pay up to $500 or more for luxurious perks like airport lounge access, comprehensive travel insurance and hundreds of dollars in annual travel credits .

5. Look toward your next trip abroad

If you travel overseas, check to see if the card you're considering charges a foreign transaction fee. And since some credit cards aren't as widely accepted as others, you'll also want to make sure your credit card will work when traveling overseas . For example, merchants may not accept Discover and American Express cards as widely as Visa and Mastercard. If a trip is coming up in the next three to six months, keep an eye out for the big sign-up bonuses travel cards are known for. As a rule of thumb, the higher the annual fee, the higher the sign-up bonus should be.

Co-branded travel cards vs. general travel cards

Experts typically divide travel credit cards into two categories: co-branded travel cards and general travel cards. Co-branded cards are linked to a particular airline or hotel, while general travel cards offer more flexible reward opportunities. Here’s why and when you might want one or the other.

• Co-branded cards
• General travel cards

Co-branded travel cards tend to offer higher rewards rates on eligible travel purchases in exchange for limiting your reward redemption options to just one airline or hotel program . These cards may also feature more specific perks associated with the respective hotel or airline, such as free award nights, complimentary airline elite status or priority boarding — which general-purpose travel cards don’t often carry).

However, you won’t be able to use your rewards with a wide variety of different hotels and airlines like general-purpose cards allow. Plus, despite co-branded travel cards’ typically higher rewards rates, many brand-specific rewards tend to be worth less than the potential value of general-purpose cards’ points and miles.

When to get a co-branded travel card : When you often fly or stay with a specific airline or hotel and want to maximize your benefits with that brand.

General travel cards earn rewards on various travel categories and aren’t limited to a particular airline or hotel. Such cards may lack some of the dedicated perks you’ll find on a co-branded travel card, such as in-flight discounts, but make up for it with rewards flexibility and broader perks like general travel credits, expedited security screening and wider airport lounge access. 

The top travel cards even let you transfer your points or miles to airline and hotel loyalty programs, often at a 1:1 rate. Redeeming with some airlines and hotels can even make your rewards more valuable than they would be if you redeemed with the card issuer.

When to get a general travel card : When you have no preferred airline or hotel and want the additional flexibility a general travel card offers. 

Who should get a travel credit card?

A travel credit card is almost always worth it for frequent travelers or anyone who wants to earn rewards toward their next vacation.

If you can save up airline miles, rack up points for free nights at hotels or get discounted travel through your credit card issuer, you’re on your way to significant travel savings. However, the right travel card for you will depend on your travel habits.

Frequent travelers

Naturally, the ideal candidate for a travel card is someone who travels a lot or plans to book several flights and hotel stays per year. However, in some cases, you don’t have to be a frequent traveler to reap the benefits of a travel rewards card. A number of cards offer good rewards rates on general purchases.

Travel beginners

If you’re new to travel rewards, a good place to start is with a travel card that makes it easy to earn and redeem points, without requiring you to navigate a complex rewards program or worry about tiered rewards rates or varying point redemption values. 

Brand loyalists

If you tend to book travel with the same brands frequently or already belong to an airline or hotel loyalty program, a co-branded travel card can offer terrific value.  Airline- and hotel-specific rewards cards often earn a top rate on bookings with the brand as well as exclusive perks like lounge access and automatic elite status. 

Business travelers

Some of the most valuable travel credit cards are business cards . Whether you're a freelancer on the go or the CEO of a Fortune 500, the right travel credit card can help you earn high rewards rates on everyday business purchases. 

International travelers

If you frequently travel abroad, a card with no foreign transaction fees is a great way to help you avoid extra costs on overseas purchases. Plus, if you hate waiting in line at airport security or customs, a lot of travel cards offer statement credits to reimburse you for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.

Luxury travelers

Luxury travel cards often charge a pretty penny but also offer a ton of value via perks like lounge access and annual travel credits. These perks not only make travel more comfortable, but also often carry enough value to offset the card’s cost on their own.

Still unsure if a travel credit card is right for you? Check out our Credit Card Spender Type Tool where you can get personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

Here’s how a Bankrate editor chose his travel card

Here’s how a bankrate editor chose his travel card.

With all of this advice in mind, let’s see how a credit card expert made their pick. Here’s Bankrate editor Nouri Zarrugh on how he chose his travel card:

When it comes to earning rewards, I’ve always stuck with cash back cards, preferring the simplicity of knowing exactly how much my rewards are worth and the ease of redeeming for statement credits. Recently, though, I decided I wanted to travel a bit more frequently, and I figured a new travel rewards card could be a great tool to help me earn free trips. When choosing the right card for me, a few major points of consideration stood out: Cost: I didn’t feel like I traveled enough to justify a huge annual fee. Simplicity : I wanted to stick with a single, streamlined travel card and not worry about juggling multiple rewards programs or rewards rates. Perks : While I didn’t need anything too fancy, I thought it might be nice to have a perk like TSA Precheck included, since I hate waiting in long airport security lines. To my surprise, the card that stood out most was the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Though it carried an intimidating annual fee of $395 ( See Rates & Fees ), I found this cost was more than worth it once I dug into the details. In fact, its benefits were so valuable, I barely needed to worry about offsetting the cost.  Two of its annual perks — a $300 Capital One travel credit and 10,000 bonus miles every year on my account anniversary — are valuable enough to offset the fee on their own. This means as long as I take one flight a year, I can basically break even on the card. Any rewards or perks I get beyond that feel like pure upside. It’s a huge bonus, then, that the card also includes practical benefits like Priority Pass lounge access and a credit of up to $100 toward the cost of Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. While I’ve never frequented airport lounges, I see these privileges as essentially free considering the value of the annual travel credit and bonus miles. So, I figure, why not take advantage?  For me, the Venture X strikes the perfect balance: A flat rewards rate that makes it easy to earn miles on everything I buy; flexible redemption through Capital One or via transfer to airlines and hotels, and practical perks I know I’ll use when I travel. I never imagined I’d have a $395 travel card in my wallet, but for me, it’s at worst a coupon for a flight every year, which can nudge me to take that next trip. — Nouri Zarrugh, Editor, Bankrate

Travel benefits may differ from card to card, but some of the most popular travel cards available often feature a few key perks. 

Travel insurance

Travel cards may offer various travel insurances , such as trip delay protection, trip cancellation insurance, lost baggage insurance or car rental insurance. These benefits aren’t worth anything until you need them, but you’ll be glad you have them when your flight is canceled or your luggage gets lost.

Travel credits

Credits toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry are a popular and common benefit on many travel cards. You can typically use this credit once every four years, which roughly corresponds to how long a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership lasts. Some cards may also provide an annual credit toward Clear Plus — another expedited security membership. Higher-end travel cards often offer annual statement credits toward travel purchases, and many of these credits nearly offset these cards’ annual fees. 

In-flight perks

Co-branded airline cards typically offer some airport and in-flight benefits on top of their reward-earning capabilities. These can include discounts on in-flight purchases (usually 25 percent back on refreshments and WiFi), free checked bags, flight seating upgrades or priority boarding. 

Free hotel award nights

Co-branded hotel cards may include free hotel award nights annually as part of their benefits. Some cards also add an extra complimentary awards night to your stay if you’ve booked a certain number of consecutive nights. These nights are typically capped at a certain value (sometimes based on the card or your elite status), and may be valuable enough to make up for some cards’ annual fees.

Airport lounge access

One of the most popular (and valuable) travel benefits featured on high-end and luxury travel cards is complimentary access to airport lounges. The lounges you gain access to depend on the card, though co-branded cards will often grant access to the lounge corresponding to the card’s airline. The Amex Platinum card currently offers the best airport lounge access .

If you want to add a credit card to your portfolio for your travel needs, knowing what cards are popular and why people like them can help steer your decision. We regularly stay abreast of these conversations online and noticed two travel cards come up regularly: the Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card from American Express .

These cards shine because they offer some of the best rates on travel purchases and the most comprehensive set of benefits and perks . Despite their annual fees, what you get in return can far outweigh your costs. And the conversation around these two cards isn’t new: Is the effort of maximizing their perks worth it?

What people say about travel credit cards perks

The Sapphire Reserve is often referred to as the gold standard in travel benefits and protections, and the value of its trip insurance is a big part of that. A member of the Rick Steves Forum remarks on the value of the insurance: “It has pretty extensive coverage wherever I travel … my entire trip is covered as long as I charged any portion of the trip to my card.” This feature is unique to the Sapphire Reserve and sets it apart from other premium cards, which require you to charge your entire trip purchase to the card to have active coverage.

But using trip insurance isn’t always a simple process. As a user in the r/CreditCards forum on Reddit cautions: “Credit card travel insurance in general is very specific on what it covers, and people tend to overestimate just how useful the coverage actually is,” they write. “These are named peril policies, so unless you see your exact situation as a covered hazard the policies won't pay out.”

The Platinum Card from American Express gets a lot of buzz for reasons similar to the Sapphire Reserve. The card gives so many benefits, credits and additional perks that it’s often called a coupon book for luxury travel. But for many people, the value comes down to whether they’re willing to do the work to maximize its features. Another r/CreditCards member says they use the card’s Hilton and Marriott status boosters, rental car company loyalty program automatic status features, Centurion lounge access, hotel and airline incidental credits, membership credits and more. Using all these features helps them offset the annual fee.

While some people love maximizing the card’s features to extract  as much value as possible, others, like this Redditor, think it’s too much work:

“The only benefit the Platinum card really adds is Centurion and Delta Sky lounge access but only to the [cardholder] … I believe the Platinum is worth [it] at least the first year for the [sign-up] bonus but then it doesn't get much use after that. Trust me the credits are really annoying to use.” — r/CreditCards user

These two premium cards stand out from the rest because they offer the most comprehensive features available to suit your travel needs and protect you from any issues that arise. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is an exceptional option to protect you from travel issues, but make sure you know the fine print. While the Amex Platinum may not be as ideal for travel protections, the credits offered more than offset its annual fee if you can put in the effort to fully maximize them.

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned cardholder, your travel card should always work in your favor by offering the features and benefits you’ll actually use and that make your travels more enjoyable. But whether you’re willing to put in the effort to maximize a card’s value is something you’ll need to decide for yourself.

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Be sure to check the issuer's website/terms and conditions for all up to date content. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

Credit card points and miles are two of the key types of credit card rewards , along with cash back. You’ll earn points and miles by making purchases with your credit card, but you can typically redeem these rewards for travel, gift cards and more — not just statement credits.

Points and miles tend to be more flexible than cash back, but since their value depends on how you redeem them — and, in the case of travel redemptions, where you’re going, when you book, your fare class and more — it may take a bit more effort to make the most of them.

What are your points and miles worth?

Since many airlines and hotels use dynamic pricing models that continually optimize airfare and room prices, it can be hard to know exactly how much your rewards are worth without doing a little math.

Luckily, you don’t need to be a travel hacker to get a sense of this idea. Before you redeem, you can check your reward redemption value by dividing the cost of a plane or hotel booking in cash by its cost in points or miles. This calculation will result in the cash value of your points or miles.

You can also compare this value to Bankrate’s latest points and miles valuations to determine if you’re getting a good deal on your redemptions. Bankrate collected data on hundreds of bookings across dozens of airline, hotel and credit card rewards programs and estimated how much each program’s rewards are worth on average .

• Airline rewards values
• Hotel rewards values
• Credit card program rewards values

The table below shows Bankrate’s estimated reward redemption value for a variety of popular airline loyalty programs. You’ll notice how widely the value varies between airlines, with some offering close to 3 cents per point in average redemption value and others struggling to meet a 1-cent-per-point value.

Keep in mind, however, that these values are averages based on a variety of fare classes, destinations, booking periods and more. For example, while Bankrate estimates Delta SkyMiles carry an average redemption value of around 1.2 cents per mile, they could be worth more or less depending on the details of your booking. 

*Based on weighted average of median point/mile values across economy and first/business class fares.

Like airline miles, hotel points fluctuate in value. The table below shows Bankrate’s estimated point values for some of the most popular hotel brands. 

As you can see, hotel points tend to be worth less than airline and credit card rewards on average, often carrying less than 1 cent per point in redemption value. That said, hotel loyalty programs sometimes offer more favorable exchange rates when you transfer rewards from a credit card rewards program. For example, you may be able to turn 1,000 credit card points into 2,000 hotel points (a 2:1 transfer ratio). 

*Based on median point values across budget, mid-tier and luxury hotel bookings.

Unlike hotel and airline rewards programs, credit card reward programs typically earn points or miles that offer a consistent redemption value when you use them with the issuer. Though the redemption value of your rewards may vary based on how you redeem, each redemption method should offer a consistent baseline value. 

Some credit card rewards programs may also allow you to transfer your points or miles to airline and hotel loyalty programs, which could boost their value considerably. For each major credit card rewards program, we estimate a baseline redemption value (assuming you book for travel with the issuer) and a Bankrate’s Value, which averages the program’s best-value transfer partners.

*Based on an average of the issuer’s five highest-value transfer partners (if available).

When to use rewards vs. cash

To demonstrate when it’s best to use your reward miles versus paying in cash, we set up this example:

We estimate American Airlines AAdvantage miles are worth 1.0 cents. If you book a seat in the main cabin on a one-way flight from Boston to Miami, and it costs either $139 or 21,500 miles, your miles are only worth $0.006 ($139 / 21,500 miles = $0.006). Since your miles for this flight are worth less than 1.0 cents, you may want to save your miles and pay cash for this flight.

But if you book a first-class seat on the same flight for $433 or 31,500 miles, your miles are now worth $0.013 ($433 / 31,500 = $0.013). Since 1.3 cents is higher than our latest valuation, you’re coming out ahead if you use your miles to pay for this flight.

Bankrate experts share their advice on using travel credit cards

It’s important to know how to maximize your rewards and perks. Otherwise, a travel card could end up being a money pit. Here are a few pointers from our experts for making the most of your travel card: 

Combine cards to maximize rewards

Knowing how much you spend in different categories and which merchants are eligible for rewards will help you earn more and build an optimized stack of rewards cards. A flat-rate card is often a great starting point to earn the same rate on every purchase you make. As you build out a rewards strategy, you can incorporate a card with bonus categories to earn even more in your highest spending areas.

Expert Insight:

“For a long time, I’ve used a combination of Chase credit cards known as the Chase trifecta for all my family’s spending…. [I] don’t typically use my Sapphire Reserve for everyday spending and bills. Since it only offers 1X points on non-bonus category spending, I use my Freedom Unlimited to make sure I earn a minimum of 1.5 percent cash back on everything I buy.” “I use each card strategically to earn as much in rewards as possible, then I pool them in my Sapphire Reserve account to redeem them for airfare, excursions, hotels and more.” — Holly D. Johnson — Award-winning personal finance writer and Bankrate contributor: Why I love the Chase Sapphire Reserve

Maximize your rewards value with transfer partners and issuer travel

Save your rewards for the most valuable redemption options. Travel points and miles often lose value toward non-travel options like cash back, so you’ll want to redeem your rewards for travel through the issuer portal for at least 1 cent per point or mile. However, transferring your rewards to the right airline or hotel partner program is usually worth the extra effort since it could net you even more value.

Expert Insight

“When I redeem my points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, the most I can get is 1.25 cents apiece, which is pretty good. However, if I transfer them to a partner airline’s loyalty program, I will often get much more. For example, I can transfer my points to United Airlines MileagePlus and use them to pay for flights. When I do, I generally get a value of 2 or more cents per point — in line with Bankrate estimates that Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth around 2 cents apiece on average when used with the right transfer partner.” — Margaret Wack — Personal finance expert and Bankrate contributor: Why I love the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Make the most of your travel perks

Travel benefits are one of the main reasons to get a travel card, and are often key to making up a card’s annual fee. Be sure to read the fine print to make sure you can take full advantage of these offers . For example, one card’s travel credit may apply to any travel purchase, including airfare, while another card’s may only cover costs like baggage fees or in-flight purchases. 

“This is the year to take inventory of your credit cards and make sure they’re serving you well. If you’re paying an annual fee, look for a card with recurring benefits. Whether it’s annual award nights, waived luggage fees or elite status benefits, these perks can offset your annual fee and make your travels more pleasant … Despite putting minimal spending on my Hilton Honors Amex Aspire card, I keep renewing it every year. That’s because the card provides automatic Hilton Diamond elite status, which can easily offset the $550 annual fee. Recurring card benefits like [these] can save you a lot on travel and are worth considering when shopping for a new credit card.” — Ariana Arghandewal — Travel rewards expert and Bankrate contributor: Five benefits you need from a travel credit card

Plan for the sign-up bonus

The best travel cards come with generous welcome offers, but these bonuses may require a high spend in a short timeframe. That’s why it’s important to consider whether the spending requirement fits with your typical spending habits or whether you need to plan purchases to meet the requirement. Just be sure not to overextend yourself or take on debt you can’t pay back just to earn a bonus — interest and fees can easily eat through any value you’d get.

“Keep in mind that credit card sign-up offers change often. So if you’re interested in a particular card but not blown away by its current offer (there are some for 100,000 points or more that aren’t always worth the trouble), it could be worth your while to wait for a better one.” — Ariana Arghandewal — Travel rewards expert and Bankrate contributor: 6 ways to get bigger credit card bonuses

Look out for limited-time offers, partner perks and other benefits

Keeping an eye out for limited-time offers like extraordinarily high sign-up bonuses, perks with partner services (like rideshares or delivery services) and other reward-earning opportunities is a great way to squeeze the most value from your travel card. Issuers sometimes provide shopping and travel portals and card-linked reward programs for select purchases (like for pre-paid dining or participating merchant spending), which can help you bank extra rewards.

“Keep an eye on your email inbox and rewards portal for any limited-time promotions your issuer may be offering. Many American Express cards feature Amex Offers, which lets you access perks like statement credits for spending a certain amount on specific hotels and other retailers.  Other cards, like the Capital One Venture X, also have occasional promotional offers, such as a credit for 5 percent back on VRBO rentals.” — Lori Zaino — Travel expert and Bankrate contributor: How to maximize credit cards for cheaper accommodations this holiday season

Track your spending and rewards each account statement

Track your favorite stores’ and services’ merchant category codes (MCCs) to fine-tune your spending habits for maximum rewards. If you notice your expenses changing, this practice may also help you notice whether you need to change which rewards cards you carry.

“The first step to optimizing your spending is to take the time to collect the MCCs of stores you frequently shop at. During the process, you might find that some stores in the same chain may have different MCCs, depending on their primary inventory. Even different counters or sections in the same department store may carry different MCCs. You can use this to your advantage if you know one location near you will provide a better cash back rate than the other. These “loopholes” can provide great opportunities to reap cash back on purchases that typically wouldn’t earn rewards.” — Garrett Yarbrough — Writer and credit cards expert at Bankrate: Merchant category codes: How to earn more cash back

Our data: What credit score do you need for the best travel cards?

It’s no secret that your credit score heavily influences which cards you’re likely to get approval for. But how good does your credit need to be to get the best credit cards for travel? We analyzed our data of Bankrate readers who applied for credit cards on our pages in 2023 and compared the approval rates of readers’ different credit tiers.

We found that, on average, 61.9 percent of users with excellent credit were approved for travel cards on our site. Then, an average of 39.5 percent and 19.5 percent of users with good and fair credit, respectively, got approval for travel credit cards they applied to.

If you have fair or bad credit, you still have options for travel credit cards. For example, the Credit One Bank Wander Card caters to people with fair credit — 57 percent of people with fair credit who applied on our site in 2023 were approved for this card , according to our data.

Obviously, the better your credit, the more likely you are to get the card you apply for , but other factors can affect your application. Issuers may also consider your income, recent credit applications, homeownership status and monthly rental or mortgage payment. Keep these other factors in mind with your credit score when you apply for credit cards.

Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email , find us on Facebook , or Tweet us @Bankrate .

When evaluating the best travel cards, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards in popular categories to scoring a large sign-up bonus or high-value perks. Whenever possible, we also feature cards that are available at various credit levels and price points. 

We analyzed over 150 of the most popular cards and scored each based on its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup of the best travel cards.

Here are some of the key factors that we considered:

Great rewards value

The primary criteria for a rewards-earning card’s rating is its rewards value. This includes the card’s average rewards rate, estimated annual rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value and reward redemption value.

To estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings, we first calculate its average rewards rate based on how much it earns in different bonus categories and how closely its categories align with the average person’s spending habits. In other words, we assess whether the card earns rewards at a high rate in the most popular spending categories. 

We use consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to get a reliable third-party measure of people’s spending habits. The most recent BLS data estimates average total spending in 2022 was $72,967 per consumer. We then narrow our focus to which purchases are likely to be put on a credit card and earn rewards, subtracting expenditures like housing, vehicle purchases and education. This gives us a total “chargeable” annual spend of around $25,500.  

This includes the following spending by category:

• Groceries: $5,700
• Dining out: $3,600
• Entertainment: $2,400
• Gas: $3,100
• Apparel and services: $1,900

Using this data, we assign a weighting to each of a card’s bonus categories. For example, a card’s grocery rewards rate receives a 22 percent weighting based on how much of the average person’s budget is spent on groceries.

We also estimate the redemption value of points or miles from various issuer, airline and hotel rewards programs.

This weighting and rewards valuation allows us to estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings — how many points or miles you’d earn with a given card if your spending was about average and you used the card for all of your purchases — as well as what those points are worth. We also use point valuations to determine a card’s sign-up bonus value

With these calculations complete, we assign each card a score based on how its average rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value, rewards rate and redemption value stack up against other rewards cards.

The better these values, the higher its score will be, making it more worthy of inclusion in our list and increasing its potential ranking.

Reasonable rates and fees

We also score cards based on how much it costs to keep them in your wallet or carry a balance. 

To start, each card is scored based on whether it offers an intro APR and how its ongoing APR compares to the rates available on other rewards cards. However, the latter rating only has a slight influence on the card’s score and whether the card is included in our list, since rewards card users generally try to avoid carrying a balance.

More important to both a card’s score and its inclusion in our list is how its annual fee influences its overall value. We consider a card’s annual fee in two ways — how it ranks relative to the fees you’ll find on other cards in the category and how it impacts a card’s overall rewards value. 

Cards with an annual fee will always be at a slight disadvantage in our scoring system since annual fees inherently cut into your rewards value. However, if a card offers terrific value via its ongoing rewards and perks, it can earn a high score and a spot in our list even if it carries a high annual fee. After all, the highest rewards rates and most valuable perks are often found on cards with annual fees. 

With this in mind, we rate a card based primarily on how its ongoing rewards value and ongoing perk value (such as annual credits or bonuses) stack up against those of other cards in the category when you subtract annual fees.

That said, we strive to include as many no-annual-fee options in our list as possible since many people would rather not worry about offsetting fees, even if a card carries impressive rewards and perks.

Redemption flexibility

Rewards cards may make it easy to earn a lot of points, miles or cash back, but how easy is it to use those rewards? After all, if it takes a ton of effort to redeem rewards or you can only redeem rewards in a couple of ways, a card may be more trouble than it’s worth. 

As such, we rate each card’s flexibility based on the restrictions it imposes on earning and redeeming rewards. We factor this rating into a card’s overall score and consider it when deciding on a card’s inclusion in our list. 

Flexibility factors include whether a card only allows you to earn a high rewards rate on only a small amount of spending or requires you to meet a certain earning threshold before you can redeem rewards. We also examine whether your points are worth less when you opt for some redemption options over others and whether a card gives you the flexibility to transfer rewards to travel partners.

Valuable perks

We also score each card’s set of features – its perks and benefits — against five tiers of features to provide a rating. 

We break down these tiers as follows:

• Tier 1 includes fewer features than even standard credit cards (for example, an ultra-streamlined card that offers basic utility and next to nothing in the way of ancillary benefits). 
• Tier 2 includes the benefits you’d expect on standard Visa or Mastercard credit cards, such as free access to your credit score, car rental insurance and $0 liability for fraudulent charges. 
• Tier 3 includes “prime card” or better-than-average card features like cellphone insurance, lost luggage insurance, concierge services and purchase protection. 
• Tier 4 includes luxury features such as airport lounge access, elite status with an airline or hotel and credits for expedited security screening membership programs. 
• Tier 5 includes the sort of exemplary benefits you’ll find on top-tier luxury cards, such as high-value travel credits, cardholder memberships and other unique and valuable perks.

In evaluating the best cards, we tend to favor cards that offer at least Tier 3 benefits, unless they include other unique features that could make up for less-impressive perks.

More information on travel credit cards

Frequently asked questions about travel credit cards, are travel credit cards worth it.

Travel cards can be well worth it since they often have exclusive travel perks like credits for airfare, hotel stays, expedited airport security services and more, as well as complimentary airport lounge access and airline or hotel privileges. However, many of the best travel credit cards come with annual fees. It’s important to at least offset the cost of these cards by taking advantage of the various travel perks and features included on the card. 

What credit score do you need for a travel credit card?

It’s possible to get a travel credit card with bad or fair credit, but most travel rewards cards are geared toward people with good or excellent credit (a FICO score of at least 670, or a VantageScore of at least 661).

Do travel miles or points expire?

Even though many major credit cards earn rewards that don’t expire, you may lose your points and miles if your account closes or isn’t in good standing. However, some co-branded cards’ rewards may expire if you don’t earn or redeem rewards within a certain timeframe (typically 12 to 36 months after the rewards are earned).

Check out our guide to credit card rewards expiration for a thorough breakdown of several popular issuers’ policies.

Are points or miles better on a credit card?

Whether points or miles offer better value will depend on the specific rewards program and how you redeem rewards. One airline loyalty program may earn miles that offer less than 1 cent each in average redemption value while another program’s points may offer close to 3 cents each on average. Similarly, a hotel card’s points may be worth less than half of a credit card issuer’s rewards points. Some programs offer points with only average baseline redemption value but high value when transferred to a partner airline or hotel. 

Ask the experts: Is it a good idea to have multiple travel credit cards?

Thomas Nitzsche

Stephanie Zito

Erica Sandberg

Financial Educator, Debt and Credit

Whether you should have multiple travel credit cards depends on several factors, including your brand affinity, frequency of travel and ability to pay off your cards in full each month. As a credit counselor, I see many people carrying credit card debt at high interest rates while continuing to make charges to the account for the sake of earning rewards. They lose far more than they earn each month. Having more than one travel credit card could make sense for you if you’re able to maximize your earnings by strategizing spending across each card. Just take into account annual fees and actual interest paid.

Contributor, Personal Finance

If you’re up for managing multiple cards and their benefits, then there are definitely big reward payouts to be had. But if the thought of multiple cards is overwhelming, it’s also a good strategy to have one or two more flexible cards and focus on maximizing your earnings and redemptions until it becomes second nature.

Contributor, Credit Cards

Definitely! I currently have two travel credit cards. In addition to the Chase card that I use for my United Airlines purchases, I have the Capital One Venture card for all other airlines. I earn a solid amount of miles on everything I buy with it, so it's an easy go-to for non-travel related expenses.

Article sources

We use primary sources to support our work. Bankrate’s authors, reporters and editors are subject-matter experts who thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate, timely and relevant.

Global entry: Trusted traveler enrollment program . U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed on Feb. 21, 2024

Discover International acceptance . Discover. Accessed on Feb. 21, 2024.

* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.

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Find the best credit card for you

The 13 best travel credit cards of may 2024, the best travel credit cards can earn you hundreds of dollars in rewards each year and make your travels more enjoyable..

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

The best travel credit cards offer more than just great  cash-back , points or miles incentives — they also come with a range of perks that can take your next trip from basic to bougie without spending extra money.

Some travel card features are nearly standard across the board:  no foreign transaction fees ,  travel insurance  and various travel credits. More  premium cards  take things up by offering  lounge access  and credits for expedited airport security.

To help you choose the best travel rewards card for your needs, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of popular travel cards and dug into each card's perks and drawbacks to find the best of the best based on consumer habits. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best travel credit cards.)

Best travel credit cards

• Best for no annual fee: Discover it® Miles
• Best for dining when traveling: American Express® Gold Card
• Best for authorized user perks: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees )
• Best for welcome bonus:   Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best for bonus categories: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Journey Visa® Card
• Best for earning points on rent: Bilt Mastercard®
• Best for lounge access: The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Best for luxury travel: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best for fair credit: Credit One Bank Wander® Card
• Best secured travel card: Discover it® Secured Credit Card
• Best for low annual fee: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Best for low interest: First Tech Credit Union Choice Rewards World Mastercard®
• Best for students: Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students

Best for no annual fee

Discover it® miles.

Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.

Welcome bonus

Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you've earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There's no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.

0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases

Regular APR

17.24% to 28.24% Variable

Balance transfer fee

3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Good / Excellent

*See rates and fees , terms apply.

Read our Discover it® Miles review.

• Miles program
• Generous welcome bonus
• No blackout dates
• No limit to the amount of miles you can earn and miles never expire
• No Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit offerings
• Travel spending does not receive additional rewards
• No airport lounge access

Who's this for?  The  Discover it Miles  card comes with a generous rewards program and welcome bonus — all for zero annual fee.

Standout benefits:  Discover has a welcome bonus that's hard to beat: It will do a mile-for-mile match of all miles earned the first year (for new card members in their first year only). If you rack up 35,000 miles within the first 12 months, Discover will match you with 35,000 miles. That's a total of 70,000 miles or $700 toward travel. Plus, the card has no foreign transaction fees.

[ Jump to more details ]

Best for dining when traveling

American express® gold card.

4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 1X points on all other purchases

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Not applicable

See Pay Over Time APR

Excellent/Good

See rates and fees , terms apply.

Read our American Express® Gold Card review .

• Up to $120 dining credit annually ($10 a month) for purchases made with Grubhub, Goldbelly and other eligible restaurants (after a one-time enrollment)
• Up to $120 Uber Cash annually ($10 a month) for U.S. Uber Eats orders and U.S. Uber rides (card must be added to Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit)
• Strong rewards program with 4X points earned at restaurants and 3X points earned on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com
• Baggage insurance plan covers up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage that is damaged, lost or stolen
• No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
• No introductory APR period
• $250 annual fee
• Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $1,074
• Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,969

Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus

Who's this for? The American Express® Gold Card is a smart choice for consumers who love traveling and dining out due to its generous rewards rates. While the card comes with a $250 annual fee ( see rates and fees ), it offers premium rewards that help offset the cost.

Standout benefits:  Travelers will appreciate the Amex Gold card's various statement credits. Cardholders get up to $120 in annual dining credit (up to $10 per month at Grubhub , Goldbelly, The Cheesecake Factory and other participating restaurants; enrollment is required) and up to $120 in Uber Cash ($10 per month) to put toward rides in the U.S. and dining via Uber Eats (you must add your Amex Gold Card as a payment method in the Uber app to enroll).

Best for authorized user perks

Capital one venture x rewards credit card.

Unlimited 2X miles on all eligible purchases, and 5 Miles per dollar on flights and 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booked via Capital One Travel portal

Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

Foreign transaction fees

Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review.

• Large welcome bonus
• No foreign transaction fees
• Up to $100 statement credits for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• High annual fee
• No introductory 0% APR period

Who's this for? The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who want a premium credit card at a lower price point than other high-end cards with similar benefits. Plus, up to four authorized users can be added for free (see rates and fees ).

Standout benefits:  This card is loaded with benefits, including a $300 Capital One Travel credit to use toward purchases made through Capital One Travel and a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary (worth at least $100 for travel). Cardholders also receive an up to $100 statement credit for either  Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® , complimentary  cell phone insurance , access to Capital One and partner airport lounges and more. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

Best for welcome bonus

Chase sapphire preferred® card.

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, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

• Terms apply.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review .

• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠
• Transfer points to leading frequent travel programs at a 1:1 rate, including: IHG® Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy™ and World of Hyatt®
• Travel protections include: auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement
• $95 annual fee
• No introductory 0% APR

Who's this for? The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a loyal following among travelers looking for a travel-centric rewards program and a robust suite of perks. What makes this card shine the most is its generous welcome bonus offer.

Standout benefits:  This card comes with many helpful benefits, such as an up to $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance , trip cancellation and interruption insurance and baggage and trip delay insurance. Cardholders can also benefit from a 10% points boost on each card anniversary and complimentary DashPass membership for a minimum of one year through Dec. 31, 2024.

Best for bonus categories

Wells fargo autograph journey℠ visa® card.

Earn 5X points on hotels; 4X points on airlines; 3X points on other travel; 3X points on dining. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases

Earn 60,000 bonus rewards points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first three months.

21.24%, 26.24%, or 29.99% variable based on your creditworthiness

Introductory fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening. After that, up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.

Terms apply

• Excellent rewards rate for hotel, airfare and travel
• Strong welcome bonus
• Access to transfer partners
• Fewer transfer partners than comparable programs
• Doesn't have several key travel protections (trip delay, primary rental car coverage in the U.S.)

Who's this for? The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Journey Visa® Card has just about everything you could want in a travel card: A great welcome offer, a reasonable annual fee, useful bonus spending categories and meaningful perks.

Standout benefits:  The Wells Fargo Autograph card will help you rack up rewards quickly for travel spending. It earns 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines and 3X on dining and other travel. The best part is that you can transfer Wells Fargo points to airline and hotel travel partners including Choice Privileges, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Executive Club and Air France/KLM Flying Blue.

Best for earning points on rent

Bilt mastercard®.

Earn Bilt Points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period - up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year), 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, and 1x points on other purchases.

Introductory fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening. After that, up to 5% for each balance transfer ($5 minimum).

See rates/fees and rewards/benefits ; terms apply.

• No annual fee
• Solid rewards on broad spending categories
• Ability to pay your rent with no transaction fees
• Transfer points to leading frequent traveler programs at a 1:1 rate, including American Airlines, United and World of Hyatt®
• No welcome offer

Who's this for? If you rent your home and don't have the Bilt Mastercard® , you're leaving points on the table. The Bilt Mastercard is the only card that lets you earn travel rewards on rent payments with no fees .

Standout benefits:  Bilt makes it easy for even beginners to get maximum value from their points through a unique partnership with the award search engine point.me . The BiltProtect feature also protects cardholders from using up their entire credit limit or risk going into debt by charging their rent every month. Other benefits include cell phone protection; Purchase Assurance Plus, which covers your purchases for 90 days; discounts with partner brands; and access to the Mastercard Luxury Hotels & Resorts portfolio, which offers amenities like upgrades, free breakfast and property credits.

Best for lounge access

The platinum card® from american express.

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 1X points on all other eligible purchases

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.

Credit Needed

Read our The Platinum Card® from American Express review .

• Up to $200 in annual airline fee credits
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month. $12.95 plus applicable taxes. Plus Up Benefits not eligible.
• $695 annual fee
• No special financing offers on new purchases

Who's this for? The Platinum Card® from American Express is for road warriors who want to make their travels more comfortable. It grants access to more airport lounges than any other card on the market and is loaded with lots of other travel and lifestyle benefits that help justify its high annual fee (see rates and fees ).

Standout benefits:  Cardholders have an extensive list of opportunities to earn over $1,500 in statement credits each year and enjoy ongoing benefits like automatic hotel elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy and various travel and shopping protections. Even if you only take advantage of half of this card's perks, it's worth paying the annual fee (see rates and fees ).

Best for luxury travel

Chase sapphire reserve®.

Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases plus, 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

22.49% - 29.49% variable

5%, minimum $5

Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve® review.

• $300 annual travel credit for travel purchases
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit up to $100 every four years
• Priority Pass™ Select lounge access at 1,000+ VIP lounges in over 500 cities worldwide
• Points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠
• Special benefits at The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
• Complimentary year of Lyft Pink membership
• High annual fee, but it can be offset by taking advantage of all the card’s perks
• No introductory APR
• Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $1,469
• Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $3,346

Who's this for? The Chase Sapphire Reserve is enormously popular among frequent travelers for its luxe perks, including comprehensive travel protections, and a strong rewards program. While this card comes with a substantial annual fee of $550 , the many statement credits help to offset the costs.

Standout benefits:  This card provides an annual $300 travel credit, which can cover everything from airfare and hotels to parking and tolls. Cardholders   can also get a statement credit of up to $100 (every four years) to help cover Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fees as well as enroll in Priority Pass™ Select for airport lounge access . Other benefits include elite-like benefits when booking hotels through The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection; trip interruption/cancellation coverage; primary rental car coverage; lost luggage reimbursement; and trip delay reimbursement. 

Best for fair credit

Credit one bank wander® card.

10X points on eligible hotels and rental cars book through the Credit One Bank travel partner; 5X points on eligible flights, dining and gas purchases; 1X points on all other purchases

No current offer

29.74% Variable

Average to excellent credit

See rates and fees. Terms apply.

• Great return on travel purchases
• Available to those with average credit
• No welcome bonus

Who's this for? The Credit One Bank Wander® Card is ideal for those with fair or average credit who want to earn generous rewards on their travel, dining and gas purchases.

Standout benefits: You'll earn a whopping 10X points when you book eligible hotels and rental cars through the Credit One Bank travel site (5X when you book and 5X when you complete the booking). This card also earns 5X points on flights, dining and gas purchases, so it's rewarding for a wide variety of travel spending. Plus, there are no foreign transaction fees.

Best secured travel card

Discover it® secured credit card.

Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year

N/A on purchases

28.24% Variable

New / Rebuilding

Read our Discover it® Secured Credit Card review.

• Cash-back program
• Starting at seven months from account opening, Discover will automatically review your credit card account to see if you can transition to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit
• Cash-back program limits earnings: 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%
• Low credit line prevents cardholders from charging high-cost items or many expenses

Who's this for? For anyone who is working to build their credit , the Discover it® Secured Credit Card offers an opportunity to earn rewards along the way.

Standout benefits: The Discover It Secured card earns cash back on every purchase and offers a generous cash-back matching welcome bonus. Plus, the card charges no foreign transaction fees.

Best for low annual fee

Capital one venture rewards credit card.

5 Miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 2X miles per dollar on every other purchase

Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

N/A for purchases and balance transfers

19.99% - 29.99% variable

$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

• 5 miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit up to $100 every 4 years
• There’s a $95 annual fee

Who's this for? The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers an abundance of travel benefits. It's especially valuable for those who want a straightforward way of earning rewards without having to juggle bonus categories.

Standout benefits:  Travelers going overseas can take advantage of  no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees ). Cardholders also get a credit of up to $100 to cover  Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership .

Best for low interest

Choice rewards world mastercard®.

Earn 2X points on groceries, gas, electronics, medical, household goods and telecommunications, 1X points on all other purchases

Earn 20,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first 60 days from account opening

13.50% - 18.00% variable

• Good rewards program for everyday purchases
• No balance transfer fee
• Balance must be transferred within 90 days of account opening date
• Estimated rewards earned after 1 year:  $344
• Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $1,720

Who's this for? You should consider the Choice Rewards World Mastercard® from First Tech Federal Credit Union if you're looking for a card that offers an introductory APR. It made our list of the top travel cards for its unique rewards program and relatively low variable APR of 13.50% - 18.00%.

Standout benefits:  The 13.50% - 18.00% variable APR rate is significantly lower than many other competitor cards (though we recommend that you pay off your card in full and on time each month). There are also no foreign transaction fees, which is a huge plus when traveling abroad.

Best for students

Bank of america® travel rewards for students credit card.

Unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases

25,000 online bonus points after you spend at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening, which can be redeemed for a $250 statement credit toward qualifying travel and dining purchases

0% APR for the first 15 billing cycles on purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account

18.24% - 28.24% variable

3% of each transaction intro balance transfer fee for the first 60 days from account opening, then 4%

Good/Excellent

• Strong welcome bonus of 25,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
• Intro 0% APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers
• No student-centric benefits or incentives to practice responsible credit behavior
• Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $466
• Estimated rewards earned after 5 years:   $1,528

Who's this for? The Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students is a great choice for students who plan on studying abroad or traveling during breaks. The rewards program is geared toward travel, and cardholders earn 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases.

Standout benefits: There are no foreign transaction fees, making it an ideal card for college students studying abroad. This card also comes with a longer-than-average special financing offer of no interest for 15 billing cycles (then 18.24% to 28.24% variable APR). A full year of no interest is a great way for you to pay off new purchases over time, without incurring interest charges, though we recommend you pay off your balance on time and in full each month.

More on our top travel credit cards

The Discover it Miles card is an exceptionally rewarding credit card for everyday purchases , especially when you consider that it has no annual fee.

• 1.5X miles per dollar on every purchase

Discover will match the miles you earn during the first year with no minimum spending requirement or limits on how much you can earn through the match.

Notable perks

The appeal of the Discover it Miles card is its simplicity of not having to worry about paying an annual fee or paying foreign transaction fees. The card also has an introductory 0% APR offer for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers , then a 17.24% to 28.24% variable APR (3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% balance transfer fee on future transfers, see terms ).

There are also no blackout dates when you pay for travel purchases using your card. And, you can easily redeem miles as a statement credit for travel,  restaurant or gas station  purchases, as well as a deposit to your bank account. The best part is, the miles you earn never expire even if your account is closed (Discover credits your account with your rewards balance if your account is closed).

[ Return to card summary ]

The American Express Gold Card earns elevated rewards for several popular spending categories, including dining, groceries and airfare. To top it off, the Amex Membership Rewards points you earn are some of the most valuable travel points out there.

• 4X points per dollar spent at restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
• 4X points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X)
• 3X points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
• 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 6 months of card membership.

$250 (see rates and fees )

In addition to the up to $240 in annual credits for dining and Uber Cash, the American Express Gold Card has a variety of other useful benefits. For example, cardmembers get a $100 experience credit and potential room upgrade when booking stays of at least two nights through The Hotel Collection. Experience credit varies by property.

Eligible purchases also qualify for the following insurance coverages*:

• Baggage insurance (Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.)
• Extended warranty (Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.)
• Purchase protection (Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.)
• Trip delay insurance (Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.)
• Car rental loss and damage insurance (secondary) (Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.)

You can use the American Express Membership Rewards points you earn with this card in a variety of ways, from redeeming for gift cards and statement credits to booking travel through the  Amex Travel Portal . To get a potentially bigger bang for your buck, transfer your Membership Rewards points to a variety of airline or hotel partners, including Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Hilton Honors,  Marriott Bonvoy , Choice Privileges and more. * Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a luxury travel credit card with a straightforward rewards structure and a myriad of benefits that easily make its annual fee worth it.

• 10X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel portal
• 5X miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel portal
• 2X miles on all other eligible purchases

Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

$395 (see rates and fees )

On top of the annual $300 Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, the Capital One Venture X card is loaded with other benefits. Cardmembers receive up to $100 statement credit for either  Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® , complimentary  cell phone insurance , special perks on hotel stays booked through the Premier Collection** and Lifestyle Collection  and unlimited access to  Capital One Lounges  as well as the extensive network of Priority Pass and Plaza Premium airport lounges worldwide. 

You can add up to four authorized users for free and each additional cardholder also gets airport lounge access (see rates and fees ). If you value rental car perks, cardholders receive complimentary Hertz President's Circle status (enrollment required)***, which grants benefits such as guaranteed upgrades.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has the same redemption options as the Venture Rewards Card. You can use miles to offset eligible travel purchases or transfer them to various airline and hotel partners.

*Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

***Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

In addition to an excellent  welcome bonus , the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers lucrative bonus categories and other useful perks like travel and purchase protections, all for a modest annual fee.

• 5X points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 5X points per dollar on Lyft rides through Mar. 31, 2025
• 3X points per dollar on dining
• 3X points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
• 3X points per dollar on select streaming services.
• 2X points per dollar on all other travel purchases
• 1X points per dollar on all other purchases
• 10% anniversary points boost
• $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit

Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers travelers many important protections, including  primary rental car insurance , trip cancellation and interruption insurance and baggage and trip delay insurance. Travelers can also rack up rewards faster thanks to a 10% points boost on each card anniversary. That means if you spend $50,000 on purchases, you'll get a 5,000-point bonus (worth $75 in travel booked through Chase).

Cardholders can take advantage of various statement credits for specific purchases. For starters, the card offers up to $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit. Through July 31, 2024, you can register your Sapphire Preferred to receive six months of free Instacart+ membership and up to $15 back each quarter for Instacart purchases. You'll also receive a complimentary DashPass membership and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.

One of the best benefits of the Sapphire Preferred is that it unlocks access to Chase's 14 airline and hotel transfer partners. You can transfer points to United Airlines MileagePlus,  Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards , Air Canada Aeroplan, World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards,  Marriott Bonvoy and more. Otherwise,  your points are worth  1.25 cents each through Chase Travel℠ or one cent per point when redeemed for gift cards or cash back.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Journey Visa® Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Journey Visa® Card stands out for having a modest annual fee and high rewards rate on airline and hotel purchases which are uncapped and don't require you to book through a specific site to get the increased return.

• 5X points on hotels
• 4X points on airlines
• 3X points at restaurants
• 3X points on other travel
• 1X points on all other purchases

Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Every year, cardholders receive a $50 airline statement credit with a minimum purchase of $50. This credit covers more than half of this card's annual fee and applies to purchases such as airfare, baggage fees and more.

You can also save money and increase your peace of mind by taking advantage of this card's many insurance benefits. Cardholders receive these coverages:

• Cell phone protection
• Roadside dispatch
• Travel accident insurance
• Lost baggage reimbursement
• Trip cancellation and interruption protection
• Auto rental collision coverage
• Travel and emergency assistance

You can redeem Wells Fargo rewards for gift cards, cash back, travel and more. However, you'll typically get the best value when you transfer Wells Fargo rewards to travel partners. You can transfer points to these airlines at a 1:1 ratio:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue (partners with Delta)
• Avianca LifeMiles  (partners with United)
• British Airways Executive Club (partners with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines)
• Iberia Plus (partners with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines)

Wells Fargo points also transfer to Choice Privileges at a 1:2 ratio.

Normally it's not worth paying rent with a credit card because of the fees, but the Bilt Mastercard offers a path to earning points for paying rent without any fees.

When you make at least five transactions in a statement period, you'll earn points at the following rates:

• Up to 1X points per dollar on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year)
• 2X points per dollar on travel
• 1X point per dollar on all other purchases

Thanks to the BiltProtect feature, Bilt Mastercard cardholders are protected from using up their entire credit limit or risk going into debt by charging their rent to their card every month. Other benefits include a $5 monthly Lyft credit after taking three Lyft rides in a month (through March 31, 2024), as well as a free ShopRunner membership (through March 31, 2024).

For a no-annual-fee card, the Bilt Mastercard has a surprising amount of built-in insurance perks, including:

• Trip delay reimbursement
• Rental car collision damage waiver
• Purchase protection

Bilt Rewards points can be redeemed for travel either by transferring them to airline and hotel partners or by booking through the Bilt Travel Portal at a fixed rate of 1.25 cents per point. Other redemption options include using them to shop online, book fitness classes, pay rent and even make a down payment on a home.

The Platinum Card from American Express has a high annual fee but also packs a punch in benefits. If you're able to take advantage of its numerous annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access and elite status perks, you'll be sure to come out ahead.

• 5X points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year)
• 5X points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel

Earn 80,000 points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.

$695 (see rates and fees )

Cardholders can enjoy a long list of benefits, including:

• Up to $200 annual hotel credit (Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay)
• Up to $200 annual airline fee credit
• Up to $300 per calendar year Equinox credit (enrollment required)
• Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit (enrollment required)
• Up to $189 credit to enroll in CLEAR® Plus (subject to auto-renewal)
• Up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit (enrollment required)
• Up to $155 annual Walmart+ credit. (Plus Ups are not eligible. Subject to auto renewal)
• Worldwide airport lounge access, including Delta SkyClubs and Amex Centurion Lounges
• Up to $200 annual Uber credit. Benefit renews annually. (Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.)
• $100 fee credit for Global Entry or up to $85 for TSAPreCheck
• Automatic hotel elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Complimentary Amex concierge service

Membership Rewards points can also be exceptionally valuable. The best way to use Amex points is to transfer them to one of Amex's airline and hotel partners. They can also be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards and when  checking out at retailers like Amazon , though you'll usually get a lower value for your points.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve ® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee. Its travel insurance perks can add peace of mind to any adventure and the card's airport lounge access and credits for expedited airport security can help reduce airport stress.

• 10X total points per dollar on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠*
• 10X points per dollar on Lyft purchases through March 2025
• 5X total points per dollar on flights purchased through Chase Travel℠*
• 3X points per dollar on other travel*

*After the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually

Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Chase Sapphire Reserve ® card members get up to $300 in annual travel credits, which covers more than half of the card's annual fee. Additional benefits include an up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit (every four years), elite-like perks when booking hotels through The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, access to Sapphire airport lounges and a Priority Pass Select membership (valued at $469), which unlocks access to more than 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide.

Cardholders also have access to a wide range of limited-time benefits and credits, including:

• Two years of complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership (worth $199 a year) when activated by Dec. 31, 2024
• At least 12 months of complimentary DashPass membership when activated by Dec. 31, 2024
• $5 in DoorDash credit each month through Dec. 31, 2024
• One year of free Instacart+ membership (activate by July 31, 2024)
• Up to $15 in Instacart credits each month (through July 31, 2024)

Some of the easiest benefits to overlook are this card's top-notch travel and purchase protections, such as purchase protection, extended warranty protection, return protection, primary rental car collision coverage, trip delay protection, trip interruption/cancellation insurance, baggage delay protection, travel accident insurance, emergency medical and dental insurance and more. Cardmembers traveling internationally also don't need to worry about foreign transaction fees.

The value of the points you earn depends on how you use them. If you redeem points for cash and gift cards, each point is worth one cent. However, the value of points increases to 1.5 cents apiece when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1,125 toward travel. This is a great way to maximize the value of your rewards and makes this card stand out from the pack. Of course, transferring your points to Chase's airline and hotel partners is also an option.

Credit One Bank® Wander Card

The Credit One Bank® Wander Card is special because it allows you to earn rewards while working on your credit score and doesn't require a security deposit.

• 10X points on eligible hotels and rental cars you book through the Credit One Bank travel partner site
• 5X points on eligible travel
• 5X points on dining
• 5X points on gas purchases

It's easy to redeem the rewards you earn with your Credit One Bank Wander card. You can use points for cash back, gift cards and consumer goods and services. There is a 1,000-point minimum redemption amount when you're using points for a statement credit .

When you make a purchase in a foreign currency with this card, there are no foreign transaction fees. Eligible purchases are also covered by this card's built-in travel accident insurance .

The Discover it Secured Credit Card is ideal for anyone with no credit or poor credit because you don't need a credit score to apply. It has no annual fee and has a generous rewards structure for a secured credit card .

• 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Discover will match the cash back you earn during the first year with no minimum spending requirement or cap on the match.

The Discover it Secured card is designed for those who have no credit history or need to repair their credit score. You don't need a credit score to apply. Instead, you're required to make a refundable deposit of at least $200 to open the card. Whatever amount of money you deposit becomes your credit limit.

At seven months from account opening, Discover will automatically review your credit card account to see if they can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit. The card also has no foreign transaction fees, so you won't be dinged for using it abroad.

Cashback earned with this card doesn't expire and you can redeem your rewards at any time for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise and more.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card stands out for earning versatile rewards that can be used for just about any travel expense while having a reasonable annual fee and convenient benefits for travelers.

• 5X miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2X miles per dollar on every other purchase

$95 (see rates and fees )

Capital One Venture Rewards cardholders receive a credit of up to $100 to cover  Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership . Other perks include access to extended warranty protection*, Travel Assistance Services*, Purchase Assurance*, MasterRental Insurance*, Master RoadAssist®*, and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Coverage*.

Travelers going overseas can take advantage of no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees ). As an added plus, you can use your Venture Rewards card to get access to exclusive sporting and music events, plus premiere culinary experiences through Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment .

You can use Capital One miles to book flights, hotels, rental cars and more through  Capital One Travel , or you can use them to offset recent travel purchases at a fixed value of one cent per point. Alternatively, you can transfer them to any of Capital One's hotel and airline partners including Accor Live Limitless, Air Canada Aeroplan, Etihad Guest and others to get even more value from your miles.

*Benefit available to accounts approved for the World Elite Mastercard product, subject to terms, conditions, and exclusions in the World Elite Mastercard Guide to Benefits. See Account Terms or Application Terms for more details. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.

First Tech Credit Union Choice Rewards World Mastercard®

Although we always recommend aiming to pay off credit card debt , if you have the debt, the Choice Rewards World Mastercard has one of the lowest interest rates you can find on a credit card.

• 2X points per dollar on everyday purchases such as groceries, gas, electronics, household goods and telecommunications

Earn 20,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first 60 days from account opening.

Not only does the Choice Rewards World Mastercard have a low APR, but it also has no foreign transaction fees, which is a huge plus when traveling abroad. It is a World Mastercard and as such, comes with purchase protection, Mastercard ID Theft Protection and 24-hour worldwide assistance for lost or stolen cards. It has an array of travel protections as well, including insurance for trip cancellations, travel accidents, baggage delays, lost luggage and rental cars (secondary).

Membership to First Tech Federal Credit Union is required to apply, but anyone can join through affiliation with select organizations or employers, a relationship with a current member, working or living in Lane County, Oregon, attending Cogswell Poly Technical College or by joining the Community History Museum (CHM) or Financial Fitness Association (FFA). First Tech pays the membership fee for the CHM and FFA on your behalf.

The rewards can be redeemed at a fixed rate toward cash-back, travel, merchandise, gift cards and experiences.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students

The Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card provides a strong return for everyday purchases that competes with many of the top non-student credit cards.

• 1.5X points per dollar on all purchases

Earn 25,000 bonus points after spending at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

In addition to having no annual fee, the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card charges no foreign transaction fees, which is useful when studying or traveling abroad.

You must be 18 or older and enrolled in school (college, vocational or trade school) to qualify for this card. Eligible students have access to a 0%-APR offer on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles, then a variable 18.24%-28.24% APR applies. Only balance transfers made in the first 60 days of account opening qualify for the 0%-APR offer and there is a 3% balance transfer fee.

Rewards can be redeemed as a statement credit to cover the cost of travel and dining purchases — a simple way to reduce the cost of taking a spring break vacation or buying a plane ticket home. You can redeem rewards at any time and any amount.

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 .

How to choose a travel credit card

There is a variety of travel credit cards available, from general to airline - and hotel -specific, and all the choices can make it hard to settle on one. To choose the best card for your needs, you should consider several factors. Here are some tips on how to choose a credit card.

Consider whether you're willing to pay an annual fee. Some travel cards have steep annual fees of over $500, which can be worthwhile, but not for everyone. Make sure you do the math to see if an annual fee travel card is for you.

Another key factor to consider is the type of travel you do most. If you travel within the U.S., then it doesn't matter if a card charges foreign transaction fees. But if you're off to Mexico or Spain, then it's important to have a no foreign transaction fee card.

Rewards should also play a part in your decision. Do some research to determine which card offers a rewards program more geared toward your spending habits. If you dine out a lot when you travel, consider the American Express Gold Card with 4X points on dining at restaurants. But if you want a competitive rewards rate on all sorts of purchases, the Discover it Miles has no annual fee and unlimited 1.5X miles on every dollar of every purchase.

You can compare card benefits side by side to see if one card rates better than another. The  Chase Sapphire Reserve , for example, offers complimentary lounge access, while the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers cardholders a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck .

Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our  credit card marketplace  or get personalized offers via  CardMatch™ .

Pros and cons of a travel credit card

Many of the top rewards credit cards are also travel credit cards, but that doesn't mean that a travel card is the best option for every situation. Travel cards are rewarding for travel-related purchases and can provide outsized value when you use the rewards to book your next vacation. However, travel can be a small part of the typical consumer's budget and other credit cards can be more rewarding for everyday spending or have simpler rewards programs.

• High-value rewards
• Luxury perks
• Valuable welcome bonuses
• Rewarding for common travel-related purchases
• Travel rewards programs are sometimes more complicated
• May be less rewarding for non-travel purchases (groceries, online shopping , etc.)
• Can have higher annual fees
• Typically require higher credit scores

How travel credit cards work

The premise of travel credit cards is to give you a path to turning your credit card purchases into travel rewards. What you can use travel rewards for and the amount of rewards you earn varies by card.

The type of rewards you earn, the cost of keeping the card and the card benefits depend on the type of travel card. There are co-branded hotel and airline cards that earn miles and points tied to a specific hotel chain or airline. These cards also provide brand-specific benefits such as elite status or elite status credit and statement credits tied to a specific company. A general travel card is typically better for anyone who isn't extremely loyal to a specific company. General travel rewards or flexible rewards can usually be redeemed to offset travel expenses and, with the best cards, you can transfer miles or points to partner travel programs. This gives cardholders the option to pick the best program for a specific trip.

Outside of the rewards a card earns, most of the best travel credit cards also provide ongoing benefits. These benefits run the gamut from travel and purchase protections to statement credits and airport lounge access. Luxury benefits like airport lounge access are typically tied to premium credit cards , which usually have annual fees of $400 or more.

Making the most of your travel card

To make the most of your travel card, you should familiarize yourself with the various credit card benefits and fees. Take note of any annual fees, foreign transaction fees and the APR associated with your account. Also, consider the rewards rates and added perks, such as annual statement credits.

Once you're familiar with the terms of your card, you can start optimizing them. That may include setting reminders to use the annual $300 travel credit provided by the Chase Sapphire Reserve or submitting a Global Entry application with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to take advantage of the up to $100 credit.

If you have multiple credit cards , you might want to have a plan for the best time to use each card. Let's say you have the Discover it Miles and American Express Gold Card . Use the Amex Gold Card for dining expenses at restaurants to earn 4X points, then use the Discover card for all your other purchases to earn unlimited 1.5X miles.

Other types of credit cards to consider

Travel credit cards aren't for everyone. If you travel infrequently, you should consider alternative credit card options, such as cards with dining, grocery or gas rewards. Some cards provide up to 6% back in those categories, allowing foodies, meal-preppers and commuters to benefit.

Beyond rewards, you might benefit from a card that offers a 0% APR period . Some cards offer no interest for a year or more on new purchases and balance transfers, such as the Citi Simplicity® Card . The card has 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from the date of first transfer, plus 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening (after, 19.24% - 29.99% variable APR; balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening.) There is an introductory balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your balance transfer fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5; see rates and fees ). When used responsibly, these cards can help you get out of debt without high interest charges.

Should you get a travel credit card?

If you travel often and pay for purchases with cash or a debit card , you're missing out on rewards and perks that can make travel more affordable. It can be in your best interest to get a travel credit card that awards high rewards rates on airfare, hotels, rideshares and other common travel expenses.

Who should apply for a travel card?

If you're interested in submitting a travel credit card application, keep in mind that card issuers usually require you to have good credit or excellent credit (scores above 670). Therefore, it's key to check your credit score before applying for a travel card.

Once you know your credit score and can check if you prequalify for a travel card, choose the best card for your needs and apply.

What's the difference between points and miles?

Unlike cash-back cards , travel credit cards generally earn points or miles. Traditionally, the term points referred to flexible rewards that could be redeemed directly through a bank's portal or transferred to a partner airline or hotel loyalty program. Meanwhile, the term miles has been associated with rewards earned through an airline's frequent flyer program. However, nowadays, points and miles are used interchangeably as there are flexible credit card rewards called miles and more restrictive airline rewards referred to as points.

How do I compare credit cards for travel?

If you're having trouble narrowing down the best travel card for you, it can be helpful to compare credit cards. First list the benefits you're looking for and any deal breakers, such as an annual fee. Then consider cards that have those benefits.

For instance, if you want both travel and dining rewards, the Amex Gold Card is a better choice than the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card since the rewards rate is 4X versus 2X.

But if you don't want to pay a high annual fee, the Venture Card is only $95 (see rates and fees ) compared to the $250 you'll pay for a Gold Card (see rates and fees ).

Bottom line

The best travel credit cards earn rewards you can use to book flights, hotels , rental cars and much more. But the benefits of having a travel credit card go beyond the rewards you earn. Many travel cards offer additional perks, such as travel insurance that reimburses if a trip is delayed or your baggage is lost.

Before you sign up for a travel credit card, consider how you'll use it and how you can best optimize its  rewards program , especially if you're paying a steep  annual fee . It's also important to make sure you can pay off your balance on time and in full each month because many of these cards have  high interest rates .

The good news: If you choose a card from this list, you could earn over $2,000 in rewards over the next five years based on our calculations.

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 review 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 travel credit cards.

Our methodology

To determine which travel credit cards offer the best value, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of travel cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.  

We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cashback).    We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.  

When choosing the best travel cards, we focused on relevant features, like cards that charge no foreign transaction fees, are widely accepted internationally and provide consumers with bonus rewards on travel spending. We prioritized cards that offered the strongest returns on travel purchases but also considered additional perks that may be useful when traveling, such as travel protections, baggage allowances, airport lounge access and elite status benefits. 

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.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here .

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here .

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Miles, click  here .

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, click  here .

Information about the Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students, has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

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Re: Two New Elan Cards - Travel Rewards Plus, Reserve Rewards Plus

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve: Should you go mid-tier or premium?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are two of the most talked-about travel credit cards on the market. That's thanks to the valuable Ultimate Rewards program , top-notch benefits and great travel protections . But which one is the best match for you?

You might assume that the Chase Sapphire Reserve — with a higher annual fee and more luxury benefits — is always the better choice. It is the higher-tier card, but that may not necessarily mean it's your best option. Depending on your spending habits, travel goals and existing credit card lineup, the Sapphire Preferred could be the more attractive option for your wallet.

We'll compare the two cards below to help you make the best decision.

Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve comparison

Sapphire preferred vs. sapphire reserve welcome bonus.

Currently, the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve have an identical welcome bonus of 75,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.

TPG values Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, making these bonuses worth $1,538.

But keep in mind that you're only eligible for a welcome bonus on one of these cards if you haven't received a bonus from one of them within the past 48 months . Additionally, both cards are subject to Chase's 5/24 rule , so make sure you're eligible for both the card and its bonus before applying.

Winner: Tie. Both cards currently have identical welcome bonuses.

Related: The best time to apply for these Chase cards based on their offer history

Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve benefits

The difference in benefits is where the Sapphire Reserve shines. With it, you'll get a $300 annual travel credit , access to Chase Lounges and Priority Pass lounges and a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus fee credit of up to $100 every four years.

Additionally, the Sapphire Reserve comes with a complimentary two-year Lyft Pink All Access membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2024), complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for at least one year (activate by Dec. 31, 2024) as well as $5 in DoorDash credits each month, one year of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024) and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits per month through July 2024.

Plus, the Sapphire Reserve gets you access to Chase's Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection , which includes benefits like daily breakfast for two and a $100 on-property credit for each booking.

Still, the Sapphire Preferred comes with a handful of benefits. With it, you'll get a $50 hotel credit annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit and an account anniversary points bonus of 10% of the total purchases you made that year. You'll also get a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for at least one year (activate by Dec. 31, 2024), six months of complimentary Instacart+ membership (activate by July 31, 2024) and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits each quarter through July 2024.

While both cards come with impressive travel and purchase protections, the Sapphire Reserve's protections are more substantial. For example, trip cancellation insurance on the Sapphire Preferred covers up to $10,000 per covered trip, whereas the Sapphire Reserve covers up to $20,000 per covered trip. The Sapphire Reserve also offers elevated coverage for rental car insurance , trip delay protection , emergency medical and dental insurance , and purchase protection.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The travel credit, airport lounge access and elevated travel protections are hard to beat.

Related: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the annual fee?

Earning points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve

The Sapphire Preferred earns five points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ , Lyft rides (through March 2025) and Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (with a max earn of 25,000 total points, through March 2025). It also earns three points per dollar on dining , online grocery and select streaming purchases , as well as two points per dollar on eligible travel purchases and one point per dollar on all other purchases.

The Sapphire Reserve , meanwhile, earns 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal, Lyft rides (through March 2025) and Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (with a max earn of 50,000 total points, through March 2025). It earns five points per dollar on flights purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal, three points per dollar on dining and travel purchases and one point per dollar on all other purchases.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. It earns more than the Preferred in most bonus categories.

Related: Which purchases count as travel with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Redeeming points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve

Since both the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you'll have the same redemption options with either card. Your most valuable redemption option is to transfer them to any of Chase's 14 airline and hotel partners for the most value, but you can also use them to book travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal or use Chase's Pay Yourself Back option.

Additionally, you can redeem your points for cash back or gift cards, but you'll get a lower value from your points going this route, so we recommend using your points for travel when you can.

However, if you're redeeming your points through the Ultimate Rewards portal or using Chase Pay Yourself Back , your points are worth more with the Sapphire Reserve. With it, you'll get a value of 1.5 cents per point, while you'll only get a value of 1.25 cents per point with the Sapphire Preferred.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The higher redemption value through the Ultimate Rewards portal and Pay Yourself Back give the Reserve an edge.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards for maximum value

Transferring points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve

Both the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve allow you to transfer your points to any of Chase's 14 travel partners. Some of the most valuable partners include Air France-KLM Flying Blue , Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt .

As a budget traveler, I love transferring my points to World of Hyatt and stretching them by staying at Category 1 Hyatt properties as much as possible. I also frequently transfer my points to Southwest Rapid Rewards and get great value from my points by taking advantage of their frequent sales.

Winner: Tie. You'll get the same transfer options with either card.

Related: The complete guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners

Should I get the Sapphire Preferred or the Sapphire Reserve?

If you can take advantage of the annual travel credit and don't have another card that includes airport lounge access, you'll almost certainly get the most value from the Sapphire Reserve . However, if you want to keep your annual fee costs low or don't travel much, the Sapphire Preferred will give you good earning rates and redemption options for a much lower annual fee.

Related: 11 reasons to choose the Sapphire Preferred over the Sapphire Reserve

How to upgrade from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve

If you have the Sapphire Preferred and want the Sapphire Reserve instead, the best strategy is to first downgrade your Preferred to a no-annual-fee Chase card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® . You can request this by calling the number on the back of your card. Then, you can apply for the Sapphire Reserve and earn the welcome bonus, as long as you are under Chase's 5/24 rule and did not earn the bonus on your Chase Sapphire Preferred less than 48 months ago.

Likewise, you can downgrade your Reserve to a Preferred card by calling the number on the back of your card. However, you will miss out on the welcome bonus on the Preferred, so it's better to downgrade your Reserve to a no-annual-fee card first and then submit a new application for the Preferred to earn the welcome bonus so as long as you did not earn the welcome bonus on the Sapphire Reserve less than 48 months prior.

You can also request a product change from either card to the other by calling the number on the back of your card. However, by going this route, you'll forfeit earning a welcome bonus on your new card.

Related: 5 reasons to upgrade from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve

Bottom line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve are TPG favorites for their strong earning rates, extensive travel protections and valuable transfer partners. Which card is better for you depends on your travel goals and spending habits, but you can't go wrong with either card.

For more details, please see our full reviews of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve