best travel sites rewards

Traveling in 2024? These 10 apps and websites make award redemptions easier to find

Editor's Note

We get it — mastering points and miles is no easy feat. You may have already seen our guide to getting started with points and miles , but what happens once you are ready to cash those points in for a trip?

Maximizing points and miles to travel luxuriously without breaking the bank doesn't need to be laborious and time-consuming. In fact, there are various tools available that make it easier to find hotel and flight award availability .

With these tools, you can use your points to travel where you want, when you want and how you want in 2024 without spending hours searching for availability.

Here are 10 of the best apps and websites that help make award travel redemptions easy and stress-free.

Max My Point

What it does : Tracks hotel award availability at Hyatt, Hilton, IHG and Marriott properties

What it costs : Free for basic membership; $3.99 per month for a monthly membership

Max My Point is a website that lets you check award availability for Hyatt, Hilton, IHG and Marriott properties worldwide — taking the guesswork out of award redemption searches by showing only real-time pricing and availability.

The homepage shows popular properties, but you can also sort by point value and availability or search for specific properties.

Once you choose a property, you can view a calendar that displays standard room points pricing, standard suite points pricing and the lowest cash rate for a full year, allowing you to plan your trip around the dates with the best points pricing.

After you click on the check-in date you want, you'll automatically be redirected to that property's website to start the booking process.

If you can't find the availability you are looking for, you can register for a free account and set up an alert to receive an email if availability changes.

TPG's director of content operations, Andrea Rotondo, likes using Max My Point to search for Hyatt award night availability. Although Hyatt guarantees standard room availability on points when the same room is available with cash, that isn't always the case once you start searching directly through Hyatt.

Related: It's exceptionally difficult to stay at these World of Hyatt 'unicorns' on points — here's how to book them

StayWithPoints

What it does : Tracks hotel award availability at Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott properties

What it costs : Free

On the StayWithPoints site, you can view points redemption availability from Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott properties around the globe. Or, you can use StayWithPoints' amalgamated list of popular properties for inspiration.

Clicking through to a specific property shows you a full year of award availability, points value and cash and points pricing per night.

It can take some scrolling, but you can find some great cash prices and award redemptions — like this search that brought up a full week of points availability at Zemi Beach House in Anguilla.

After clicking your preferred check-in date, you'll be taken straight to the hotel's website to book directly.

If you register for a free account you can also set alerts for when award redemptions become available for the properties you have your eye on.

What it does : Syncs your credit cards and loyalty programs to help you spend smarter and earn more points and miles

We're not above a little shameless self-promotion, and honestly, this list wouldn't be complete without a nod to our very own TPG App .

Within the app, you can see all your credit cards in one place, track your hotel and airline loyalty program points and miles , get recommendations for the best card to use for different purchases, keep up with the latest TPG news and so much more.

Once you're ready to spend the points you've accumulated, you can use the TPG App's "Award Explorer" tool to find out how many points or miles you'll need to book your dream vacation.

Just input your departure airport, the destination and how many tickets you need, and the TPG App will display estimated points pricing across 21 loyalty programs (based on availability).

You'll also be able to see how close you are to having enough points for that particular trip and whether you're better off paying in cash or points.

TPG's newsletter editor, Becky Blaine, likes using the TPG App to choose the card that will net her the most points based on where she is shopping. Earning points more quickly helps her take those dream trips even sooner.

What it does : Finds flight award availability based on your itinerary

What it costs : $5 to enjoy Standard Plan access for 24 hours; the Standard Plan starts at $129 annually

Point.me 's robust interface checks for award flights within 34 loyalty programs across more than 100 airlines.

By entering your itinerary details, Point.me will display real-time award availability, including which transfer partner will get you the most bang for your buck.

Point.me also has a team of experts available 24 hours a day to help you travel more for fewer points with advice tailored specifically to your needs. How much you pay determines how tailored your experience will be.

To try the service for just one trip, you can pay $5 to access Point.me for 24 hours (unless you have access to a complimentary code). The Standard Plan starts at $129 annually, while the Premium Plan costs $260 per year. You can also use Point.me's concierge service to have travel experts book your trip for you for $200 per passenger. Additionally, you can schedule a one-on-one consultation to help you meet your points and miles earning (and redeeming) goals.

Bilt Rewards users can access a limited version of Point.me for free through the Bilt Rewards app. Similar to the full version, you can search for award flight availability, though you will only see results from programs that are Bilt transfer partners. If you have Bilt Rewards you want to transfer to an airline loyalty program to purchase tickets using points, this is a good way to try Point.me for free.

Related: Bilt Rewards app adds live award availability powered by Point.me

Roame.travel

What it costs : Free for the basic Community plan but requires signing up for a free account to search

Roame.travel works a lot like Point.me but without the charge. All you need to do is sign up for a free account to search 11 airline programs for award availability. Unlike Point.me, Roame.travel gives nearly instant search results in under 12 seconds.

Roame.travel shows lots of multicabin awards, so make sure you closely review your cabin classes. In the screenshot above, two of the three flights are mixed-cabin itineraries, with the transpacific flight in economy class.

As always, we recommend confirming award availability before transferring awards.

Related: The complete guide to searching award space on Roame.travel

What it does : Displays award seat availability on long-haul, international flights

What it costs : Free for the basic version and $9.99 monthly for the Pro version

Seats.aero searches for award space every few hours and provides results for the next few months. It's one of the best ways to search for Lufthansa's first-class award space, as it's generally only available to Star Alliance partners shortly before departure.

The Pro version allows you to search up to a year in advance on longer routes, set up unlimited alerts and receive SMS notifications when award availability is located.

Reward Flight Finder

What it does : Searches for Avios award availability with British Airways

What it costs : Free for basic searches; paid subscriptions start at 3.33 British pounds (about $4) per month

The Reward Flight Finder app and website certainly do not have all the bells and whistles or amount of airlines as other services, but if your points and miles earning is restricted to only Avios and you're a British Airways loyalist, it could be all you need.

As you'd expect, you simply need to set your departure and arrival points and hit "Search Now," then the app will show you an overview of redemptions throughout the year.

The free plan allows for three economy seat searches a day and one alert every 24 hours. Silver Membership costs just 3.33 pounds (about $4) per month and provides unlimited searches across all cabins, worldwide map searches and up to five hourly alerts. The highest tier, Gold Membership, costs 5.83 pounds (about $7.50) and comes with all the Silver Membership features, plus up to 20 instant alerts and additional points pricing insights.

This is an incredibly basic app, but if you're just starting out in the points and miles world and you're happy to only focus on Avios, it could prove an easy entryway into award redemption planning.

What it does : Checks flight award availability based on your itinerary and preferred airline

What it costs : Free for five economy award availability searches per day; Premium subscription plans with unlimited searches start at $3.32 per month

SeatSpy is a simple-to-use website that checks for award availability across different airlines, including Air France, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Etihad Airways, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

Simply select your airline, departure and end destination airports and hit "Search" to see availability across the next 12 months.

SeatSpy is free to use if you're only searching for economy availability and can stick to a five-search limit. Where the product really shines, however, is in its premium subscriptions.

The entry-level subscription, Premium, costs $3.32 per month and allows unlimited searches across all fares and up to four availability alerts across email, WhatsApp and Telegram. It also includes AwardWallet integration so you can track how many points you have to redeem.

The most expensive subscription, First Class, costs $8.33 per month and includes everything in the Premium plan, plus unlimited alerts at a more regular frequency. "Experience alerts" for hotel rewards are also currently in beta testing.

Both subscriptions offer a "Where Can I Go" search feature, which will show you all the destinations with award availability from your departure airport on the dates you select to travel.

It may have few features when compared to other services on this list, but in terms of simplicity, it's a great site, especially if you're looking at Europe-based airlines.

ExpertFlyer

What it does : Finds real-time seat availability and award flight availability

What it costs : Free for basic membership; at least $4.99 per month for paid memberships

ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG parent company Red Ventures) has one free and two paid membership tiers. The free membership allows you to view real-time seat availability for your upcoming flights. You can also set alerts for aisle, window or exit row seats, two seats together or specific seat numbers so you know when the seat you want opens up.

ExpertFlyer's Basic paid plan ($4.99 per month) offers more functionality to search for flight availability, including award and upgrade availability for various routes. You can set up to four simultaneous seat alerts, but you are limited to 250 searches per month.

ExpertFlyer's Premium plan ($9.99 per month or $99.99 per year) offers more flexibility in terms of flight search options. You'll enjoy unlimited searches, up to 200 simultaneous alerts and the ability to set up aircraft change alerts and seat alerts.

ExpertFlyer also has a mobile app for seat alerts.

Related: Beginners guide to finding award space with ExpertFlyer

Google Flights

What it does : Finds flight schedules and prices, with several filtering options, for most major airlines

Google Flights is your one-stop shop for finding the best flight for your schedule and budget.

You can search flight schedules and pricing across most major airlines and sort results based on price, duration, number of stops, fare class and airlines, among other options. You can also set flight price alerts or only enter your departure city before using the interactive map to choose your destination based on current pricing.

Google Flights does not display points pricing, but that doesn't mean it can't help you find award space. You'll still have to book directly through the airline, but you can save valuable search time by narrowing down your options through Google Flights first.

For example, if you have a bank of points and miles with a Star Alliance, Oneworld or SkyTeam partner airline, you can filter search results by alliance to see routing options. Or, you may find a nearby airport with better pricing that you wouldn't have searched for otherwise.

Bottom line

The great thing about all of these tools is that they can be used together to find award flights and hotel availability for free nights.

For example, start with the TPG App to learn about how to earn the most points for your purchases. Then, use a site like Point.me to find award flight availability or StayWithPoints for award hotel stay availability.

No matter which combination of sites and apps you use, you'll find that they take the guesswork out of award redemptions and put you on the fast track to becoming an expert in redeeming points and miles for your 2024 travels.

Related reading:

• 13 must-have items the TPG team can't travel without
• 8 of the best credit cards for general travel purchases
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Where to go in 2024: The 16 best places to travel
• Key travel tips you need to know — whether you're a first-time or frequent traveler

Choosing the Best Loyalty Programs for You in 2024

Here are the best ways to get rewarded by airlines, hotels—even credit card companies—this year..

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Airline and hotel loyalty programs are free to join, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by signing up.

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All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and the Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by AFAR.

A new year means new opportunities to rack up points and acquire elite status in the myriad loyalty programs of the travel industry. Whether you’re new to the game in 2024 or simply looking to switch your brand allegiance, there’s plenty of good news. Despite a trend of more stringent elite qualifications and the overall inflation of points and miles, select programs still reward travelers with plenty of perks, points, and VIP benefits. Here are the top travel loyalty programs to consider joining in 2024—and some tips on how to get started.

Important basics of loyalty programs

The first thing to know about airline and hotel loyalty programs is that they are free to join, meaning you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by signing up. Points and miles expire in some programs but not all—so in many cases they can lie dormant in an account for extended periods. It’s a myth that you can’t belong to multiple loyalty programs. You can—and you should!—belong to numerous ones, including international programs. For example, I am a huge fan of the Air France/KLM Flying Blue program and Air Canada’s Aeroplan program. If you plan to join multiple programs, it’s a good idea to track points and miles in a single spreadsheet or use an app such as AwardWallet , which tracks the balances of your loyalty programs in a single place.

For those looking to attain elite status, note that qualification years for elite programs vary among hotel and airline programs. For hotel programs, the elite status qualification year follows the calendar year (i.e., January 1 to December 31). This is also true for the airline loyalty programs of Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. But the elite qualification year for Delta runs from February 1 to January 31, and for American Airlines from March 1 to February 28. Additionally, if you earn elite status in one qualifying year for any of these programs, it will extend for the rest of that year and through the entire next qualifying year.

In many cases getting a cobranded credit card boosts your points balance for a specific airline or hotel group and offers options for achieving elite status faster. Getting a general travel credit card can also lead to significant points accrual plus the freedom to transfer points to multiple hotel and airline programs.

Finally, all points and miles aren’t created equal. Points and miles of every program should be viewed as different currencies. Just as the U.S. dollar, the Mexican peso, and the Euro carry different values, so do the points and miles of, say, American Airlines, United, and Delta.

Choosing a hotel loyalty program

Of the four big hotel loyalty programs —Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, and World of Hyatt— Marriott Bonvoy is the biggest, but not necessarily the best. It’s great if you can achieve Platinum Elite status or higher, but that requires staying at Marriott Bonvoy hotels a minimum of 50 nights per year. Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at about one cent each (i.e., 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points typically covers a hotel valued at $500). Also, Marriott Bonvoy charges taxes and resort fees on award bookings. Loyalty program newcomers or those who have been at the points game only a few years should instead consider World of Hyatt or Hilton Honors.

World of Hyatt is the most highly regarded hotel loyalty program in the world of points and miles because its points are the most valuable of any hotel or airline loyalty program. Thanks to World of Hyatt’s fixed, published award chart—versus the dynamic pricing of competitors—it’s not uncommon to score an award booking for which points are valued more than two to three cents apiece. For example, I successfully booked the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme for 40,000 points per night for an April 2024 stay (versus €1,450 per night), yielding a points value of more three cents per point. World of Hyatt also rewards travelers as they climb the elite ladder with Milestone Rewards , and its top status, Globalist, requires only 60 nights per year. (To give you some perspective, Marriott’s top status, Ambassador Elite, requires more than 100 nights per year and more than $23,000 of qualifying spend per year.) World of Hyatt waives taxes and resort fees on award bookings, which can amount to significant savings, especially at posh beachfront properties.

If you don’t feel like working (or booking overnights) for elite status in 2024, fast-track to Gold or top-tier Diamond status with Hilton Honors by getting one of its cobranded credit cards. While most hotel cards give you an elite bump, Hilton goes all out, granting top Diamond elite status to those who have the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or Gold status with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card . These cards often carry welcome offers of more than 150,000 bonus points, which is enough to experience several free nights to test out elite status. Another fast track to hotel elite status is through The Platinum Card® from American Express . Just by being a card member, you’ll be granted Gold status in Hilton Honors and Gold status in Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required).

Choosing an airline loyalty program

In the past few years, much has changed within the loyalty programs of the “big four” domestic airlines in the United States: American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines. (They collectively account for 74 percent of U.S. airline seats sold per year.)

A lot of attention has been given to the unpopular modifications Delta recently made to its SkyMiles program . However, United made comparable changes in previous years—it just happened to be better timed and thus flew under the radar. Even considering Delta’s elite status qualification changes, Delta’s Silver, Gold, and Platinum statuses are still easier to achieve than similar tiers on United in 2024. Since both Delta and United’s elite statuses remain tied to spending requirements with each airline, they’re sure to remain popular among business travelers whose companies are paying for their tickets.

But if you are trying to get status on your own dime, status with American Airlines is easier to achieve. Why? Elite status on American Airlines is based on Loyalty Points, which can be accrued in so many ways beyond flying. With American’s shopping, dining, hotel, and event platforms, it’s easy to rack up Loyalty Points. Plus, all purchases using the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard count as Loyalty Points (at a rate of one point per dollar spent), and 10,000-point bonuses are awarded after hitting 40,000 Loyalty Points and 90,000 Loyalty Points levels in a membership year. Personally, I was able to earn 77,404 Loyalty Points in the last quarter of 2023 alone, and I’m now looking at top-rung Executive Platinum status for 2024, even though I flew only three times on American in 2023.

Then there’s Southwest, which made elite status easier to earn in 2024 compared to 2023. However, elite status on Southwest is separate from Companion Pass status; and since Southwest already gives free bags and does not have class differences, it makes elite status changes a bit of a non-event. For those who do seek elite status, here’s what you’ll get: A-List perks include same-day flight change and same-day standby benefits, priority lanes, and a dedicated phone line. A-List Preferred benefits are the same as A-List’s, plus two drinks per flight, free internet, and 100 percent bonus points on flights.

In general, if you live near a hub for a specific airline, it might make sense for you to attempt to earn elite status with that airline (like Delta in Atlanta or United in Denver). The catch, however, is that with so many people using that strategy, you’ll probably never get upgraded in a hub city if you have a lower-tier elite status (as you’ll be competing with so many fliers with higher status).

Going beyond airline and hotel loyalty programs

Points programs through credit card companies can also be considered loyalty programs—and they’re the most straightforward. You are part of the loyalty program just by having the card—no elite ladder to climb. The best examples are the travel credit cards from American Express, Chase, and Capital One, all of which have their own respective rewards programs. You earn based on your spending and often score bonus points in specific categories. These credit card rewards programs partner with hotel and airline loyalty programs so that you can transfer your credit card points to select hotels and airlines. Moreover, these credit cards function as loyalty programs do: Cardholders have access to VIP events and elite-like offerings given through proprietary booking engines. To get these perks—plus welcome offers and other benefits such as generous statement credits—consider applying for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , Chase Sapphire Reserve® , or The Platinum Card® from American Express .

While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any time and may have changed or may no longer be available.

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7 Professional Travelers Share Their Absolute Favorite Travel Rewards Program — and Why

Top experts pick their favorite travel loyalty program.

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For frequent travelers, having a go-to loyalty program can be a game-changer. If you tend to fly on planes, stay at hotels, or spend on credit cards — or like me, you do all of the above — sticking with a program (or two) can make travel more accessible, enjoyable, and sometimes, downright luxurious. And if you play your cards right (pun intended), the rewards can add up relatively quickly. 

Take my favorite travel rewards program of the moment, Bilt Rewards. Bilt lets me earn points on rent payments, my biggest monthly expense, without incurring additional fees. These points, similar to Amex Membership Rewards points , Chase Ultimate Rewards points , and Capital One miles , are considered a transferable currency. That means they are programs that are more versatile than traditional airline miles or hotel points since you can move them to a variety of loyalty accounts on an as-needed basis. In the case of Bilt, I can transfer my existing points to more than a dozen travel programs instantly, including the two that I am most loyal to. With Hyatt and American — my hotel and airline of choice, respectively — I can stay at luxury hotels or book business-class flights by transferring my Bilt points. 

Wondering what programs other experienced travelers can’t live without? I asked eight professional jet-setters (and trendsetters) what their favorite loyalty programs are — and how they maximize those rewards.

World of Hyatt

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“My love of luxury hotels had a very definitive start a little over 10 years ago when another miles and points enthusiast introduced me to the Hyatt loyalty program, now known as World of Hyatt. I had been deeply entrenched in the world of luxury airline travel with miles for several years at that point, but never cared where I stayed once I got to my destination — until my first stay at a luxury hotel, using Hyatt points, changed my perspective entirely. World of Hyatt offers a combination of value, strong loyalty recognition, and transfer accessibility. I regularly book award stays valued at over two cents per point, upgrade perks as an elite member are consistent, and what I don’t earn from stays, I can transfer from Chase Ultimate Rewards for redemptions. While their global footprint isn’t the largest, they make continuous efforts to expand their portfolio through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, and their focus is very clearly on establishing a strong luxury positioning. The established Small Luxury Hotels partnership and the upcoming integration of Mr. and Mrs. Smith-marketed properties are both great examples of ways Hyatt thinks outside of the box to bring members additional opportunities to earn and redeem points on luxury stays.” — Michelle González, Luxury Travel Expert and Creator ( @laxtoluxury )

American Express Membership Rewards

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"My favorite rewards program is Amex Membership Rewards and has been since day one. I got my first Amex credit card over 10 years ago when I was fresh out of college and working as an executive chef, and it literally opened up the world to me. Thanks to Amex points, I learned very quickly that if you spend smarter, you travel better. I’ve traveled to almost 80 countries, flown across the globe in style on the most aspirational first-class airlines, and spent countless nights at the most luxurious hotels. Most importantly, I’ve created lifelong memories and had travel experiences that I never thought were possible. There are two main reasons why I prefer Amex above all others. First, you can earn a significant amount of points without needing to spend substantial amounts of money to earn them by using the Amex Platinum, Amex Gold, and Amex Green cards. I’ve done this all while living within my means and keeping my credit pristine. Secondly, there’s so much power behind these points when they are redeemed properly. When transferring Amex points to its airline and hotel partners, you are able to substantially increase the value of these points by leveraging the award charts and breaking away from the fixed value of the points when used directly with Amex Travel." — Tommy Lonergan, Partner at Freedom Travel Systems ( @travelliketommy )

Delta SkyMiles

Courtesy of Delta Airlines

There is an airline loyalty program that I think pound for pound, knocks most of the other competition out. Delta’s SkyMiles program has so many benefits that I have discovered. I love how Delta makes it easy to earn miles which I can then use to book flights and vacation packages. Then, I really enjoy the perks at each status level, especially as I level up like being able to upgrade faster and easier. I appreciate Delta’s SkyTeam alliance partners and redeeming miles with over a dozen other affiliated airlines. Delta also makes me feel like I am appreciated because when I choose to fly with them, I receive personal greetings and have even gotten handwritten letters congratulating me on my new status placed in my seat before I boarded. They also sent me my own Delta location tag that will track my bag wherever. Outside of the loyalty programs, I enjoy their lounges, which are world-class and make my airport experience more relaxing. — Jeff Jenkins, Host of Never Say Never on National Geographic ( @chubbydiaries )

Editor's note: Delta SkyMiles has recently changed how travelers earn status and its lounge admissions policies. Read more here .

American Airlines AAdvantage

"As a full-time traveler, my favorite loyalty program is American Airlines. Determining the best loyalty program is subjective. All loyalty programs, obviously, have their strengths and weaknesses — and it’s really about what you prioritize as a traveler and where you land when it comes to the tier. The first thing I tend to look at is the advantages of utilizing partner airlines, because I travel internationally so often. American has quite a number of partners in the Oneworld alliance; it’s a huge advantage to have partners all over the world to redeem miles. For instance, I love Qatar Airways Qsuites, it’s my favorite way to fly. In my opinion, it’s the best redemption of American miles. As an Executive Platinum Elite member, I receive free upgrades domestically, and that also includes flights to Mexico. Of course, these are subject to availability but I’ve received numerous upgrades between Los Angeles and New York. For the price of an economy ticket, I often get a lie-flat business seat for that journey." — Valerie Joy Wilson, Solo Travel Expert ( @trustedtravelgirl )

British Airways Executive Club

"My favorite loyalty program is the British Airways Executive Club because I find the benefits to be amazing, especially as someone who is a British-American dual citizen. I live in New York and frequently travel to the United Kingdom. Plus, I don't have to spend a lot of money to earn top-tier status, because, with British Airways, I earn points toward status based on distance flown, not just the cost of the ticket. This makes it easier to achieve Oneworld Emerald status, which gives me a lot of great benefits, even on domestic economy flights on British Airways partner American Airlines. For example, I get exit row seats, three bags at 70 pounds each, and access to the exclusive Flagship First check-in area with American Airlines. Even better, I get to enter some of the best airport lounges in the world with this status, like the Qantas First Lounge at LAX, all complimentary." — Will Taylor, TV Host and Content Creator ( @brightbazaar )

Air Canada Aeroplan

Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

"I really like the Air Canada Aeroplan rewards program, because it offers so many benefits. Earning points is easy and redeeming them is incredibly flexible. I can accumulate points quickly by transferring credit card points from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, and Bilt Rewards points at a one-to-one ratio to Aeroplan. Redeeming my Aeroplan points is also so flexible because they can be used for Star Alliance partner airlines, as well as non-alliance partners like Emirates, Etihad, Bamboo Airlines, and Oman Airlines. This opens up numerous options for finding award flights worldwide. The online search feature is quick, accurate, and user-friendly, making the process of redeeming points enjoyable. One of the best things about the Aeroplan program is that I can add a stopover for just an additional 5,000 points, and the stopovers are bookable online. This is perfect for me because I love exploring multiple destinations and maximizing my travel experience. Plus, transfer bonuses are occasionally available when transferring credit card points to Air Canada Aeroplan, which helps me earn even more points. Overall, I think Air Canada Aeroplan is an excellent rewards program that offers a wide range of benefits for its users." — Max Do, Loyalty and Rewards Expert ( @maxmilespoints )

Alaska Mileage Plan

Chad Slattery/Courtesy of Alaska Airlines

"As a videographer and owner of a media company that travels around the world, Alaska has been my loyalty program of choice for the last several years. I have held airline status on three different airlines, but never received anywhere near the same number of upgrades per flight taken as I do on Alaska. In the old days, airlines awarded you miles based on the distance flown (instead of the money spent), Alaska is one of the few that continues to do this, which benefits me when I fly on cheaper fares over longer distances. They partner with a unique group of airlines all over the world, which makes it easy to use their miles to travel globally for competitive rates. Plus, they have the best chocolate chip cookies." — Ian Agrimis, Founder of Capture Unlimited ( @agrimisadventures )

U.S. News Reveals 2021-22 Best Travel Rewards Programs

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan once again is the Best Airline Rewards Program; Wyndham Rewards named the Best Hotel Rewards Program.

USN Best Travel Rewards Programs

Washington, D.C. – U.S. News & World Report, publisher of Best Hotels , Best Cruise Lines and Best Vacations , today announced the 2021-22 Best Travel Rewards Programs . The annual rankings identify 24 hotel and airline loyalty programs with the most rewarding perks for everyday travelers. After several years at No. 2, Wyndham Rewards improved to be the No. 1 Best Hotel Rewards Program . Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan remains the No. 1 Best Airline Rewards Program for the seventh year in a row. This year, U.S. News also considered each travel rewards program's response to the coronavirus pandemic, and factored in how flexible and accommodating each airline and hotel program was for members.

Wyndham Rewards takes the No. 1 spot on the Best Hotel Rewards Programs ranking thanks in part to its large network of hotels in popular vacation destinations and high award availability. Additionally, any member of the program can book a free night with as few as 7,500 points. World of Hyatt , No. 2, scores well by offering low points redemption requirements and a variety of ways to earn and redeem points. Marriott Bonvoy came in at No. 3 because it offers a multitude of properties at various price points in destinations across the globe, plus ample benefits for members.

The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan maintains its No. 1 position on the Best Airline Rewards Programs list because of its numerous member benefits and its large network of flight routes to popular destinations. Plus, the program's mileage-based earning structure makes it easier for members to earn miles for free flights faster. Delta SkyMiles ' high Airline Quality Rating score and impressive number of daily flights helped it retain its No. 2 rank for the fifth year in a row. American Airlines AAdvantage claimed the No. 3 spot due in part to its large network of routes to numerous destinations and significant volume of daily flights.

"This year's list factored in adjustments programs made to account for members taking fewer trips during the pandemic. Programs that make it easier for members to earn and redeem points or miles, and achieve or retain elite status were rewarded," said Christine Smith, senior travel editor at U.S. News. "With numerous creative ways to earn points and miles, now is the time to join a rewards program to build up a balance. Then, whenever travelers feel comfortable, they can use those accrued points to book an amazing vacation."

U.S. News ranks the Best Travel Rewards Programs in two categories: hotel loyalty programs and airline frequent flyer programs. The methodologies take into account membership benefits – such as free amenities, program-affiliated credit cards and room or cabin upgrades – network coverage and a strong emphasis on the ease of earning and redeeming free flights or nights. Additionally, U.S. News factors in property diversity for the Best Hotel Rewards Programs and Airline Quality Rating scores for the Best Airline Rewards Programs. This year, the methodology also factored in changes made to accommodate travel restrictions and difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2021-22 U.S. News Best Travel Rewards Programs

See the full lists here

Hotel Rewards Programs

• Wyndham Rewards
• World of Hyatt
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Choice Privileges
• IHG Rewards

Airline Rewards Programs

• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
• Delta SkyMiles
• American Airlines AAdvantage
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Southwest Rapid Rewards

For more information on the Best Travel Rewards Programs , visit Facebook , Twitter and Instagram using #BestRewards.

Media Contact: Sarah Javors, [email protected] , 202-955-2153

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U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower citizens, consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

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The most lucrative rewards program for every type of traveler

Flying with a plus-one prefer a short-term rental there’s a reward for that..

Travel rewards programs have been around for decades. In 1981, American Airlines created one of the first travel industry loyalty programs. Soon after, travel rewards credit cards came on the scene. Now, these types of plans are everywhere. The largest programs are worth tens of billions of dollars, sometimes more valuable than the companies that own them .

If you travel frequently, enrolling in a rewards program is bound to happen. Sign up and access free onboard WiFi, says one airline ( Delta Air Lines ). Become a member and get free late checkout, declares a hospitality group ( Leading Hotels of the World ).

The best travel credit card for every type of traveler

While your inbox may be a labyrinth of airline, hotel and credit card offers, if you’re a regular traveler, it may be time to open up a few of those emails. Rewards enthusiasts know that, with the right program, travel can become a better (and less costly) experience.

“It can be overwhelming, so it’s important to prioritize how well a program fits into your lifestyle and not the other way around,” says Juan Ruiz, a travel loyalty expert and senior editor for Upgraded Points . “Don’t think about how popular a program is, but instead, consider where you’re going, how often you plan to travel and if you’d be able to use the benefits.”

Here are a few to consider to start raking in the rewards, based on how you travel.

For the traveler who wants a hotel to be everywhere

Rewards program: Marriott Bonvoy

Frequent travelers aren’t always going to the same places. Whether it’s for a client meeting in Fargo, N.D. ( Delta Hotels by Marriott Fargo ); a safari expedition in the Masai Mara ( JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge ); or a show in the West End ( the London Edition ), the places we visit are highly disparate.

Marriott is a behemoth of a global hotel chain with more than 30 brands and nearly 8,700 properties in 139 countries; in fact, it’s the largest hotel group in the world. Marriott Bonvoy rewards members can earn and redeem points at a variety of hotels, from budget to luxury.

Although the number of points to redeem at its hotels can fluctuate dramatically from date to date and hotel to hotel, Marriott is a powerhouse of a program for one simple fact: There’s a good chance there is a Marriott hotel where you want to go.

For the traveler who usually flies with a plus-one

Rewards program: Southwest Rapid Rewards

For those travelers who enjoy hopping around with a designated buddy, this one is for you.

Southwest Airlines has always been a bit of an eccentric yet much-loved carrier , and there are remnants of that to this day. The company’s coveted Companion Pass — part of its Rapid Rewards loyalty program — is an elite travel benefit that’s almost too good to be true. Unlike with similar passes in the travel world, there are no strings attached.

Southwest doesn’t do red-eye flights — but that may be changing

The Companion Pass allows another passenger to fly with you free (plus taxes) an unlimited number of times — for the life of the pass. Traditionally, the pass is valid for the rest of the year it’s earned, plus the entire following year. That even includes wildly expensive travel periods, such as the days before and after Thanksgiving.

To get the pass, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying flights with Southwest in a calendar year. However, credit card spending — and even the bonus you earn when signing up for a Southwest card — counts.

For the traveler who favors vacation rentals

Rewards program: One Key (Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo)

Whether you’re fully anti-hotel or simply prefer the comforts of home, there’s only one rewards program for renting that ski cabin, city apartment or waterfront lake house. Airbnb’s biggest competitor, Vrbo , has a program called One Key, which also includes Expedia and Hotels.com. It launched in mid-2023, meaning short-term vacation renters on Vrbo can now get something back for all of their spending.

A golden era of airline status is ending

Regardless of what they book — such as adult treehouses — members earn cash-equivalent “OneKeyCash” currency toward future trips. Although it isn’t a massive amount (we’re talking about 2 percent), vacation rentals are now part of a larger rewards program, and that’s a big deal.

Expedia Group, the parent company of Vrbo, created the One Key rewards program to work across all three of the travel booking platforms. You can earn rewards on Vrbo, Expedia or Hotels.com — then spend those rewards on any of the others.

For the traveler who wants to maximize spending

Rewards program: Transferrable rewards currencies

Rewards credit cards, when used responsibly, can be an extraordinary travel asset. With the right program, everyday spending can get you closer to your next trip.

Although there’s no such thing as a single “best” travel credit card, certain cards are more well-rounded than others. Transferrable rewards cards allow you to move one reward point to another. These include cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards , American Express Membership Rewards , Capital One Rewards , Bilt Rewards and others.

Look at American Express’s program, for instance. These rewards can be earned by spending on select American Express credit cards — and can then be redeemed for travel. In other words, American Express points are not just American Express points; they have the potential to become Delta miles, Hilton points and more. That’s the power of a transferrable rewards currency: options.

By opening the door to a variety of other programs, you have the flexibility to redeem with the airline or hotel partner that makes the most sense for your travel arrangements.

For the traveler who prefers a boutique stay

Rewards program: Leaders Club (Leading Hotels of the World)

If you’re a frequent traveler who loves independent hotels, this one is for you. Leading Hotels of the World is a collection of luxury hotels, with more than 400 properties in over 80 countries.

Checking into a hotel? Prepare for hefty fees and deposits.

Members who are part of the Leaders Club receive perks from the get-go (meaning no status required), including a one-category upgrade upon arrival, daily continental breakfast and late checkout. They can also earn and redeem points at coveted properties worldwide, such as the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York or Nihi Sumba in Indonesia.

Chris Dong is a freelance travel writer and credit card points expert based in Los Angeles. You can follow him on Instagram: @thechrisflyer .

More travel tips

Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness . Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.

Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare , including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.

Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario , from canceled flights to lost luggage . Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.

Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas , including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed . Submit your question here . Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves .

How to choose a travel rewards program

If you’re new to the world of travel rewards programs, you probably feel overwhelmed with choices. Just about every airline and hotel chain has its own rewards system, not to mention travel rewards credit cards to further complicate matters.

However, many programs deliver little in actual rewards. If you arm yourself with a good list of criteria, it’s easy to separate the best travel loyalty programs from the fluff. Here’s a comprehensive checklist you can use to evaluate any travel rewards program, as well as our favorites by category.

Which Travel Rewards Program Is Right For You?

Choosing the best travel rewards program will depend on your needs and habits. While you’ll hear lots of people raving about a specific program, it’s important to evaluate it based on your own criteria.

Consider Your Travel Goals

The first step in choosing the best travel rewards program for you is considering your travel goals. How exactly you want to redeem your miles will determine the program you should invest in. If you plan on traveling mostly domestically, the best travel rewards programs might be different than if you’re planning to travel abroad.

For example, Southwest points might be useful for budget family travelers but are utterly useless for those who want to travel in international first class .

Similarly, if you want to travel to destinations that are heavily served by a specific hotel chain, then choosing the affiliated rewards program makes sense. If you prefer to stay at Airbnbs, then hotel rewards programs may not be worth pursuing at all. You might benefit from a cash back card to redeem rewards for Airbnb bookings. How you plan to use your points is crucial in choosing travel rewards programs.

Where You Live Matters

Where you’re living matters as much as where you’re traveling, especially when it comes to airline miles. If you live in a United Airlines hub city, then you’re better off choosing United MileagePlus as your rewards program. You’ll have access to more direct flights so you can earn miles and elite status faster.

To figure out which airline uses your city as its hub, go to the Wikipedia page of your home airport. Under “Airlines and destinations,” you can see all the airlines serving the airport and the cities they fly to directly. The airline with the most cities served will be your best bet, though the destinations should also be a factor.

Understand Different Types of Travel Rewards Programs

There are three main types of travel rewards programs you should be familiar with. Each one can help you achieve different travel goals, and diversifying is key to a good strategy. Ideally, you should choose at least one rewards program from each type.

Hotel Points

Hotel points are mainly useful for hotel stays. Some programs allow you to convert your hotel points to airline miles, though at an unfavorable ratio. Ideally, you should use your hotel points for hotel stays. There are seven main U.S.-based hotel rewards programs you should be aware of:

Choice Privileges

• IHG One Rewards
• Hilton Honors

Marriott Bonvoy

• Radisson Rewards

World of Hyatt

• Wyndham Rewards

The best hotel rewards program depends on where you plan to travel. Marriott Bonvoy has the largest number of hotels, with over 8,500 properties worldwide. While hotel footprint matters, you should also consider your personal preferences when choosing a hotel rewards program. Are you more of a budget traveler, or do you like to splurge on luxury hotels? What kind of elite benefits do you want?

World of Hyatt is a popular program that offers a wide range of brands and excellent elite status benefits. You can also earn progress towards elite status through credit card spending with the World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Card.

Meanwhile, Hilton Honors makes earning status even faster – the Hilton Aspire Card awards automatic top-tier Diamond elite status as long as you have the card. The attainability and usefulness of elite status should definitely be a factor in choosing a hotel loyalty program, as it can vastly improve your hotel experience.

Airline Miles

Most airline miles are redeemable for flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages. Generally, you’ll get the most value by using them for flights. Some airlines publish award charts that show exactly how many miles you need for an award. Others employ dynamic pricing, meaning the number of miles will vary depending on demand and cash fares.

Some of the best (and most popular) ways to redeem airline miles are for business and first-class flights abroad. You’ll get an incredible travel experience that might normally be out of your budget. Of course, that’s not the only way – you can certainly stretch your miles far on domestic flights during high season.

Transferrable Rewards

Transferrable rewards are the best type of rewards program to invest in. That’s because these points are very flexible. You can transfer them to airline miles, hotel points or use them for cash back rewards. Transferable rewards programs are also valuable because they are essentially devaluation-proof.

Airline and hotel programs can raise their award prices at any time, making your points worth less than before the devaluation. With transferable rewards, you don’t have this problem because the points are not tied to a specific airline or hotel until you transfer them. And since most transfers are instant, you don’t have to transfer points until you’re ready to redeem them. Here’s a look at the main transferable rewards programs:

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Capital One Venture
• Citi ThankYou® points
• Chase Ultimate Rewards®

Be Aware of Hidden Costs

Too often, rewards travel is referred to as “free,” but there are hidden costs associated with it. Some airlines charge high taxes and fuel surcharges on award tickets. So even if you’re redeeming points, you might end up paying thousands of dollars in additional taxes. British Airways is notorious for this.

Similarly, some hotels charge resort or “destination” fees even on award stays. So while you’re booking a free night at a hotel that costs $100 or more, you might also end up paying $50 per night in resort fees. Keeping these hidden costs in mind will help you figure out which travel rewards program is worth investing in and when you might want to save your points or redeem them with a different program.

Consider How Attainable Awards Are

While you want a travel rewards program that makes it easy to earn points, it’s just as crucial that awards are attainable. You can measure attainability based on redemption rates (especially relative to point-earning rates), award availability, and whether the program uses dynamic pricing or publishes an award chart.

If you’re a high-season traveler, you might get more value from an airline rewards program that uses a zone-based award chart to price out flights. That way, even if cash fares and demand are high, you won’t redeem outrageous rates for a flight.

The same goes for hotels – chains like Hyatt and Hilton have begun implementing dynamic pricing. Hyatt is a bit more transparent by publishing an award chart with peak, off-peak, and standard redemption rates. This eliminates sticker shock and allows you to save up enough points before booking an award.

How to join travel rewards programs

Once you know which travel rewards program you want to join, how do you actually join it, let alone earn points and miles.

The most common way to join a program and begin earning points and miles is to get a travel rewards credit card.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards® is a very popular travel rewards program because the points transfer to other programs very easily. You can earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® through cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

The Capital One Venture program is also quite popular and you can earn rewards with cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card  or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card .

With your credit card you will start earning rewards on each dollar spent on the card. On top of that, cards often have ways to earn bonus points in certain spending categories.

Travel rewards credit cards also typically have welcome bonuses that allow you to get a large batch of points or miles right off the bat by jumping through some hoops, such as spending a certain amount on the card in a set amount of time.

Consider the Ease of Earning Points

When you’re choosing a travel rewards program, you should factor in how easy it is to earn points. Does the program offer several co-branded credit cards you can choose from? Does it partner with one more transferable rewards program, so you can easily top off your balance for an award? These are all important questions to consider.

Travel credit cards will be a key tool in building up your travel rewards balance. You’ll want a card that earns sufficient welcome bonuses, generous earn rates on various spending categories, and the ability to earn rewards through shopping portals, dining rewards platforms, and more. The more ways you can earn points with a program, the easier it is for you to save up for an award.

A Few of the Best Travel Rewards Programs For Beginners

Once you’ve set your criteria, you have many options for choosing a travel rewards program. Here’s an overview of the most popular domestic programs:

An airline loyalty program can get you free flights. Consider what airlines service your home airport as well which fly to your desired locations.

American Airlines AAdvantage

Best for: People who live in eastern, southern, or central U.S. cities who want to fly around the world.

Main benefits : You can earn miles from flights on American and its large network of airlines, as well as purchases from American’s other partners. Miles can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, and other vacation needs such as hotel rooms and car rentals. It’s also possible to redeem miles for retail products. American Airlines still publishes an award chart , making it easy to plan and know how many miles to save up.

Caveats : You must maintain an active account — mileage credits expire after 24 months of inactivity .

Delta SkyMiles

Best for: Travelers living near Delta hub cities (Atlanta, Detroit, New York, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, and others).

Main benefits: You earn SkyMiles on Delta and partner flights. SkyMiles do not expire. SkyMiles can be redeemed for flights and other travel. The Miles + Cash program allows you to reduce the price of a cash ticket even if you don’t have enough miles to cover the entire fare. This, and the fact miles never expire, make SkyMiles attractive for occasional travelers.

Caveats: Delta recently changed how SkyMiles are earned. Earned SkyMiles are now based on ticket price, not miles are flown. So if you always book the cheapest fare, you’ll earn fewer miles than someone purchasing a more expensive refundable or first-class ticket.

United MileagePlus

Best for: Anyone who lives near a major American city and wants to travel within the U.S. or abroad.

Main Benefits: United has a vast partner network through the Star Alliance, serving over 1,000 destinations worldwide. And in addition to flights, you can redeem points for hotel stays, train tickets, and other travel necessities.

Caveats: United MileagePlus does not publish an award chart, and redemption rates are determined dynamically. This can make redemption rates unpredictable and planning a bit challenging.

Southwest Rapid Rewards

Best for: Travelers who want a straightforward loyalty program with a route network within the U.S. and to Mexico and the Caribbean.

Main Benefits: Southwest Rapid Rewards is very straightforward when it comes to earning and redeeming miles. There are no blackout dates either. Plus, Southwest lets you earn a Companion Pass . You can use this pass to fly a designated companion for free (plus taxes and fees).

Caveats: Southwest is limited to mostly domestic flights. If you want to travel outside of North or Central America, this isn’t the program for you. Southwest also doesn’t have a premium cabin, so all seats are in economy class.

Hotel loyalty programs can earn you free stays at your favorite hotel. Consider where you like to stay as well as what hotels service your desired travel locations.

Best for : Budget travelers who want reasonable redemption rates and an extensive hotel network.

Main benefits: Free nights start at just 6,000 points.

Caveats: Choice Privileges doesn’t offer many high-end hotels.

Hilton HHonors

Best for: Travelers who want easy elite status

Main benefits: Hilton Honors is the only hotel loyalty program that offers top-tier status just for holding a credit card. With the Hilton Aspire Card, you’ll get instant Diamond status just for having the card in your wallet.

Caveats: Hilton doesn’t publish an award chart, and redemption rates can be quite unpredictable and high.

IHG Rewards

Best for: Travelers who want to stay at mostly budget and mid-tier hotels.

Main benefits : High earn rates and the ability to buy points at a reasonable price.

Caveats: IHG makes it harder to earn elite status, and the benefits aren’t quite as good as other programs.

Best for: Frequent travelers who prefer higher-end hotels (including W Hotels, Westin, Sheraton, and Aloft).

Main benefits: Marriott is the largest hotel chain in the world, with over 8,000 properties. This provides lots of opportunities to earn and redeem points. Marriott also provides the fifth night free on 5-night award stays.

Caveats: Marriott stopped publishing an award chart, and redemptions at top-tier hotels can be astronomical.

Best for: Travelers who want a rewarding loyalty program with reasonable redemption rates and solid elite status benefits.

Main benefits: Hyatt still publishes an award chart with reasonable rates. The program also allows you to earn status through credit cards.

Caveats: Hyatt has implemented peak and off-peak pricing, so award rates can fluctuate. Hyatt also has a smaller global footprint than some of the other hotel loyalty programs, though it is growing.

Are Travel Rewards Programs Worth It?

The best travel Rewards Programs are absolutely worth it if you want to save on travel or improve your experience. Points and miles open up a world of possibilities, ranging from luxury vacations to upgraded hotel rooms and everything in between. Whether you’re a solo traveler looking to splurge on a first-class seat or simply looking to save on your next family vacation, the right rewards programs can help you get there. Follow the steps outlined above, and you’ll be in a great position to achieve your travel goals.

About the author

Ariana Arghandewal

Ariana is a travel reward expert and founder of her own award-winning blog., PointChaser. She has worked as an editor and covered all things points, miles, and credit cards for over a decade across a number of personal finance sites.

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Travel Codex

Your Resource for Better Travel

Which Online Travel Agency Has the Best Rewards Program?

Hotels.com Rewards

Hotels.com Rewards  remains the simplest program despite the change in name (formerly “Welcome Rewards”). Book 10 nights and you get one night free. The value of that one night is the average of your 10 qualifying nights. It is an effective 10% rebate.

If you want to redeem at a hotel that costs more than your free night, you can pay the difference in cash rather than compromise on a cheaper property. If you do pick a cheaper hotel, your rebate from past stays will be less than 10%.

Orbitz Rewards

Orbitz customers earn “Orbucks” that are essentially dollar-value credits for future purchases from Orbitz. The key highlights are 5% back on hotels booked through the mobile app, 3% back on hotels booked on a personal computer, and 1% back on flights.

Although you can use the Orbitz Rewards Visa to earn additional rewards, it’s not necessary to participate in the program. The credit card earns an additional 5% rewards on purchases from Orbitz and 2% everywhere else, making it lucrative as long as you don’t mind redeeming those credit card rewards through Orbitz.

Expedia+ Rewards

Expedia+ Rewards promises that you’ll earn at least 2 points per dollar on hotels or packages that include a hotel, and 1 point per $5 on flights (effectively 0.2 points per dollar; that’s a 10-fold difference between earning rates on flights and hotels). If you’re a frequent customer, you can earn even more.

What are these points worth? Get a $50 hotel coupon for 7,000 points or a $50 flight coupon for 8,000 points . Because the rewards are lower with flights, and because you have to cover the entire ticket cost with points — potentially leaving credit unused — I don’t recommend it. However you earn your points, redeem them on hotels. With this assumption, the effective return is 1.42% back on hotel reservations and 0.14% back on flights.

If you get the new Expedia Rewards credit card from Citi, you can earn up to an additional 4 points per dollar on everything at Expedia, 1-2 points elsewhere, and instant status with Expedia+. With this factored in the effective return improves to 8.57% on hotel reservations or 3% on flights.

What Expedia+ really delivers are the features of a traditional loyalty program, with three tiers of status and a variety of benefits at a network of hotels they’ve assembled themselves.

Priceline Rewards

Priceline doesn’t really have a rewards program. At best it’s an opportunity to earn random credit toward your bid, in the hope that it’s more likely to be accepted. I’m not sure what strategy Priceline uses to determine if you receive bonus credit in the first place, and it’s difficult to know if your bid would have succeeded with or without that credit added on.

But because Priceline is such a behemoth I figured it worth including it in this review. There is a Priceline Rewards credit card that earns 5% back on Priceline purchases and an additional 1% back on other purchases. This is better than the Travelocity Rewards credit card that I can no longer find. For those who are good at strategic bidding, this is a worthwhile consideration.

Earning More through Shopping Portals

All of these travel agencies include the option to earn more by beginning your purchase through a shopping portal. Other choices may exist, but here I’ll list Ebates , which offers a cash rebate depending on the purchase details.

• Hotels.com: 4%
• Orbitz: 1.25%
• Expedia: 4% (select hotels)
• Priceline: 3 to 4.5%

In general there are few, if any, rewards for purchasing flights through an online travel agency. In my afterword below, I point out that booking airfare through a third party is probably a bad idea anyway for logistical reasons. I’ll limit my comparison to the rewards earned for hotel stays.

My original recommendation two years ago was to use Hotels.com for the highest rewards if you only plan to book hotels, while Travelocity had the best rewards for flights. Because Travelocity required a separate credit card to earn anything, I pointed many people to the runner up, Orbitz. Orbitz was also the second best choice for hotels. That pattern holds true in 2015.

Expedia and Priceline just don’t appeal to me. Priceline doesn’t really have much of a program to begin with. Expedia is far too complicated. The main benefit of an OTA is that I get to choose any hotel I want, but Expedia has created its own special collection that gets better rewards than the rest.

Obviously using co-branded credit cards can improve the returns from OTA loyalty programs, but remember this prevents you from using another rewards card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 2 points per dollar on travel and can easily be converted to cash or transferred to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs where they might be more valuable. Note that Hotels.com has very generous rewards that allow you to continue using your credit card of choice. This puts its maximum return at something closer to 16%.

Should You Use an Online Travel Agency?

Assuming you’ve found a good deal, I still don’t recommend online travel agencies to most people because they can create significant limitations, while their main benefit — comparison shopping — is something you’re quite capable of doing on your own with a little effort.

If you book a flight through an OTA, you’ll usually pay the exact same price as if you went to the airline, though a few airlines are beginning to impose surcharges to cover their (meager) commissions. The main advantage of using an OTA is that they do a better job of booking tickets with multiple carriers. They may also mistakenly underprice fares and are slower to remove mistakes from their systems. The main disadvantage of using an OTA is that they control the ticket, so if there’s a delay or schedule change then the two start pointing fingers. I think this disadvantage greatly outweighs the potential advantages.

If you book a hotel through an OTA, you’ll usually pay the same or less as if you went to the hotel directly. Many hotels have best rate guarantees, and OTAs have their own contracts that promise them the best rates. Commissions are much greater than for airfare, so it’s not unusual to see further promotional discounts. But there is some nuance, as if you go to the hotel you might be able to choose from a greater variety of rates with different cancellation policies, or you’ll be able to use various discounts or corporate codes that the OTA doesn’t accept. The disadvantages and advantages here depend on your personal travel habits.

And on that note, I’m curious about your own thoughts on these programs. Do you often book through online travel agencies or shopping portals when you need a hotel stay? What do you see as their advantages or disadvantages relative to each other and traditional hotel loyalty programs?

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About Scott Mackenzie

Scott is a former scientist and business student who created Travel Codex to unravel the complexity of travel loyalty programs. After 11 years in Seattle, he now lives in Austin with his wife and flies over 100,000 miles every year.

24 Best Travel Websites to Find Deals and Save You Money

Use our guide to the best travel websites and find discounts and deals so you can vacation without breaking the bank.

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Whether you’re looking for a cheap last-minute vacation or planning to go home for the holidays, you’ll want to know the best travel websites to use. And if you’re tired of wondering which sites are best for each part of your trip planning, we’ve got you covered. 

Here are some of the best travel sites we’ve found to help you bag bargains on airfares, lodging, car rentals and all your other travel needs. Best of all, almost all of the travel websites are free to use. Bon voyage! 

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Best websites to save on airfare

Keeping up with airfare prices has gotten easier thanks to sites like Google Flights and Kayak . To use them, just type in your home and destination airport, pick the flights that work best for you and then set an alert to track the price. For example, Google Flights will send you an e-mail showing if your tracked flight went up or down in price. Both sites also let you see which days are cheaper to fly in that month. Airfarewatchdog also lets you search flight deals.

If you haven’t decided on where exactly you want to go,  sign up for Going (formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights.) Their newsletter comes straight to your inbox with deals on domestic and international locations. Or you can follow Twitter handles such as @TheFlightDeal for flights, too.

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Best websites for flight information

Once your flight is booked, you’ll want to keep tabs on gate changes, layover information and more. FlightStats.com can help you plan a smooth trip by advising you on the best time of day to fly from a specific airport and which terminals to avoid when connecting flights. You can also view live updates of flight delays and sign up for free e-mail and phone alerts. Flightaware.com also tracks and predicts flight delays.

If you’re delayed by weather or some unforeseen event, it pays to act quickly. The TripIt Pro smartphone app ($49/year) will send you alerts about cancellations, delays or gate changes, sometimes even ahead of an airline announcement. Use it to locate alternate flights, find out when better seats are available, get fare refund notifications, track your rewards program points, and more.

Best websites to save on hotels

Hotels.com lets you search just one site for accommodations at hundreds of thousands of properties. Plus, its rewards program is simple: For every ten nights you spend at any combination of the program’s 500,000 member properties, you’ll earn a free night’s stay. As a member, you also unlock an average discount of 15% on select hotels. 

Similarly, HotelTonight is an app that lets users book hotels at low last-minute rates. Priceline Express Deals helps you find the best bargains, but there’s a catch. Priceline doesn’t tell you which hotel you’re booking until after you pay.

And try TripAdvisor.com for a detailed list of rated hotels (and excursions) that are close to your destination. The site links you to partner sites, such as Expedia and Travelocity for fulfillment. Click on the "check rates" button and select the site or sites you’d like to try — a new window with results will open for each partner.

Best websites to save on vacation rentals

Vacation rentals are an especially good value for groups because they generally offer more space and amenities for prices similar to or less than hotel rates, particularly if you look at it on a per-bed basis. Check out VRBO and Airbnb to find the perfect experience. For Marriott loyalists, Marriott Bonvoy lets you browse its 30-brand portfolio — which includes more than 2,000 private homes.

At the other end of the scale, if you don’t mind college-dorm-level amenities, check out Hostelworld.com , as a way to save money on vacation rental properties . The site lists 36,000 properties in 178 countries around the globe and includes reviews.

Best websites for cruises and vacation packages

At CruiseCompete.com , more than 500 travel agencies vie to give you the lowest prices for dates, ports and ships you specify, whether you’re booking well in advance or at the eleventh hour. You set up a CruiseCompete account, and they send you their best offers without ever seeing your personal information.

Kayak.com and Tripadvisor.com will also knit together vacation packages for you. Just type in your destination and travel dates to get the best prices.

Best websites to save on rental cars

Hotwire often offers the best-published deals on cars by collecting rates from its eight rental car company partners, including Alamo, Enterprise and Hertz. The site also offers "hot rates" from rental companies that aren't identified until after you’ve paid.

And while Hotwire does offer some good prepaid rental car deals, in certain international cities for the best overseas auto deals you should check out AutoEurope . It offers rentals at more than 20,000 locations worldwide, and customer service is available 24/7.

AutoSlash is also a good site to find rental deals, as it will apply the best coupons and discount codes to your rental and re-book your reservation if the system finds a better deal.

Best websites to save on international train tickets

Trains are often the fastest and cheapest way to travel within and between European countries. Our favorite for checking timetables and booking tickets on European train lines is RailEurope . But you might be able to catch better deals directly from European railways’ sites if you don’t get lost in translation — and make sure you have what you need to travel to Europe as an American!

Best websites for travel insurance

You never know when an emergency situation will spoil your travel plans. That's what travel insurance is for. But don't just go for the default options from agencies and travel providers. At Squaremouth , you can compare plans and prices from multiple insurance providers with just one search and narrow your search results by specifying the kind of coverage you need. Another option is InsureMyTrip.com .

Rivan joined Kiplinger on Leap Day 2016 as a reporter for Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. A Michigan native, she graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014 and from there freelanced as a local copy editor and proofreader, and served as a research assistant to a local Detroit journalist. Her work has been featured in the Ann Arbor Observer and Sage Business Researcher . She is currently assistant editor, personal finance at The Washington Post.

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A beginner's guide to travel credit cards

Key takeaways

• Travel reward programs allow you to earn points or miles when you make purchases with certain credit cards.
• Once you hit a specific spending threshold, points can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, and other travel-related perks.
• The point-to-dollar exchange rate varies widely with each program and could add up to big savings, but program fees could offset the benefits in some cases.
• Rewards cards that aren't tied to a specific company often let you transfer points to a participating travel partner like a hotel or airline.

Using credit to book travel can unlock cheaper, even free ways to see the world if you play your cards right. Travel credit cards also may offer airport lounge access or rewards you can redeem for travel-related perks like hotel or flight upgrades. There's a reason why 41% of Americans already use a travel rewards credit card, according to a 2023 NerdWallet survey. 1 But choosing one can be daunting. Here's how travel rewards work and how to navigate the options.

Feed your brain. Fund your future.

How do travel rewards work?

Travel reward programs function on a simple premise: You earn points or miles by spending on a designated credit card. Depending on the specific card, transactions such as booking flights or hotel stays through partner companies can earn you these points. Some cards even offer points on everyday purchases, like groceries or gas, or for every dollar spent. You could even earn bonus incentives by signing up (these are called introductory offers) or by passing a spending threshold on certain types of purchases.

Once you've accumulated enough points, you can then spend them on benefits within your travel rewards programs, such as flights, hotel stays, upgrades, and more, depending on the program. And these points can add up to some serious savings. Although it's tricky to assign a specific dollar value to points (more on that later), a 2023 survey found that the average travel card holder had a balance of over 50,000 points. 2

If these rewards would act as a coupon for your current spending habits, a travel rewards credit card could be a good financial move if you'd save more than the annual fees and pay off your balance each month. But if one of these credit cards would encourage you to spend more than you would without it, then a travel rewards program may end up costing you more money than it saves.

Travel rewards and credit card features to consider

Every travel rewards program is unique, but here are some common features to consider when trying to score travel rewards with a credit card.

Annual fees

An annual fee is the cost of owning a travel rewards credit card and reaping the benefits that come with it. Not all travel rewards credit cards have annual fees, but those that do can range from less than $50 to more than $500. 3 While these fees may sound like a drawback, they often correlate with enhanced benefits and rewards potentially including lucrative sign-up bonuses, complimentary travel insurance, and airport lounge access, to name a few.

Before committing to a card with an annual fee, it's important to do a cost-benefit analysis first. Weigh the value of the benefits against the annual fee and decide whether the card would save you money, based on your spending habits and travel aspirations. Also, keep an eye out for waived annual fees in the intro period enabling you to test-drive the card's features without an immediate financial commitment. An introductory bonus offer may cover a card's annual fee for one year, for example, which could be a good trial run to see if the card's perks are worth it.

Initial spend/sign-up bonuses

Sign-up bonuses are an incentive to join a credit card travel rewards program. These bonuses typically come in the form of points or miles awarded to your account—commonly in bulk, at one time—after meeting a minimum spending requirement in a specific timeframe. It gives you a head start on accumulating rewards and can help justify an annual fee (if there is one). Like many promotions, rewards for new cardholders can change at any time, so keep in mind that an offer you see today could be different tomorrow.

And while the allure of a boatload of points may seem irresistible, read the fine print so you know up front whether the required spending aligns with your budget and financial habits. Ultimately, sign-up bonuses (and travel rewards in general) are designed to encourage you to spend more on a given card. This gamification of spending may seem exciting, but it can also foster bad financial habits if you aren't careful. A good guideline to help keep spending in check is to never put more on a credit card than what you can pay off when the bill comes. If the card offers a reward for signing up, consider the long-term value beyond that initial bonus.

Cash-conversion rate for points

Once you've narrowed down your travel rewards program options, get a rough estimate of the cash conversion rate for points or miles. Some programs allow you to directly convert your points to cash and pay down your credit card bill, in which case, the point-to-dollar ratio shouldn't be too hard to figure out. But many don't, only allowing you to spend those points or miles to book travel.

The value of your points or their redemption value aren't always a one-for-one exchange. Online calculators are one way to check whether a specific rewards deal is a good one.

Although it varies from card to card, points may have more lucrative redemption values for some rewards over others. For instance, booking travel through the card issuer's portal might mean 100,000 points gets you a $100 flight—but booking that same flight on another platform might cost 150,000 points. If this sounds confusing that's because it is, and each program has its own incredibly nuanced points exchange program. Online communities for travel rewards points could be another resource for decoding the points value for your specific program and getting info about how other travelers have used their points.

Foreign transaction fees

A foreign transaction fee is an extra charge added to transactions that aren't in US dollars. This includes charges on the ground in another country and purchases online from retailers that work in different currencies. Although these fees vary from card to card, they usually range from 1% to 3% of the transaction. 4

If all your travel is domestic or in countries that use US dollars, you won't have to worry about these fees. But if you plan to travel internationally, you might want to look for a card that waives foreign transaction fees. This will ensure that you're not charged extra for that croissant in Paris or for those souvenirs in Tokyo.

General travel vs. specific travel company rewards

Some travel rewards programs are tied to a specific airline or hotel, while others reward you for spending no matter who you book with. If you always book with a specific airline, stay at one brand of hotel, or use a specific rental car company, you could get more value for your points—or earn more points—if you use that company's travel rewards credit card.

Transfer point programs

Many general travel rewards credit cards let you transfer their points to loyalty programs at different hotels and airlines, which you can then redeem for hotel stays and flights. These exchange programs tend to have a higher redemption value than programs offering cash back and, by most estimates, are the best way to maximize the benefits of a travel rewards credit card. Keep in mind that credit card companies have different exchange rates for each hotel and airline partner, so you'll have to determine on a case-by-case basis whether an exchange program is worthwhile for your specific card.

Airport perks

Airport lounge access is a popular perk for travel rewards credit card holders, especially those who travel often. Some programs will also cover the cost of programs that make getting through airport security easier. Consider the annual fees associated with each card and whether these perks would cost less if you paid for them with cash—and without paying for the card.

Consider general cash-back cards

Making the most of a travel rewards program can be a lot of work. Not to mention, travel rewards points can't always be easily redeemed unless you plan to travel. If you're looking for a less fussy and more liquid way to earn rewards for your credit card spending, consider a general cash-back card. Typically, these credit cards give you a percentage of your total spending back in cash without having to calculate exchange rates or redemption values.

One to consider: the Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card, which can earn you unlimited 2% cash back on everyday spending. 5 That cash back can be deposited into any eligible Fidelity account, 6 giving your money more chances to grow.

Spend and earn at the same time

Spending on your Fidelity ® Rewards Visa Signature ® Card can put money in your Fidelity account.

More to explore

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Oh, hello again, thanks for subscribing to looking for more ideas and insights you might like these too:, looking for more ideas and insights you might like these too:, fidelity viewpoints ® timely news and insights from our pros on markets, investing, and personal finance. (debug tcm:2 ... decode crypto clarity on crypto every month. build your knowledge with education for all levels. fidelity smart money ℠ what the news means for your money, plus tips to help you spend, save, and invest. active investor our most advanced investment insights, strategies, and tools. insights from fidelity wealth management ℠ timely news, events, and wealth strategies from top fidelity thought leaders. women talk money real talk and helpful tips about money, investing, and careers. educational webinars and events free financial education from fidelity and other leading industry professionals. fidelity viewpoints ® timely news and insights from our pros on markets, investing, and personal finance. (debug tcm:2 ... decode crypto clarity on crypto every month. build your knowledge with education for all levels. fidelity smart money ℠ what the news means for your money, plus tips to help you spend, save, and invest. active investor our most advanced investment insights, strategies, and tools. insights from fidelity wealth management ℠ timely news, events, and wealth strategies from top fidelity thought leaders. women talk money real talk and helpful tips about money, investing, and careers. educational webinars and events free financial education from fidelity and other leading industry professionals. done add subscriptions no, thanks. 1. erin el issa, "how the 41% of americans with a travel credit card can boost rewards," nerdwallet, march 28, 2023. 2. erin el issa, "how the 41% of americans with a travel credit card can boost rewards." 3. beverly harzog, "best travel rewards credit cards of 2024," u.s. news and world report, april 9, 2024. 4. lyle daly, "what happens if a credit card's sign-up bonus increases after you get the card," the accent: motely fool, november 14, 2024 5. you will earn 2 points per dollar in eligible net purchases (net purchases are purchases minus credits and returns) that you charge. account must be open and in good standing to earn and redeem rewards and benefits. upon approval, refer to your program rules for additional information. subject to applicable law, you may not redeem reward points, and you will immediately lose all of your reward points, if your account is closed to future transactions (including, but not limited to, due to program misuse, failure to pay, bankruptcy, or death). reward points will not expire as long as your account remains open. certain transactions are not eligible for reward points, including advances (as defined in the agreement, including wire transfers, travelers checks, money orders, foreign cash transactions, betting transactions, lottery tickets and atm disbursements), convenience checks, balance transfers, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, overdraft advances, interest charges, fees, credit insurance charges, transactions to fund certain prepaid card products, u.s. mint purchases, or transactions to purchase cash convertible items. the 2% cash back rewards value applies only to points redeemed for a deposit into an eligible fidelity ® account. the redemption value is different if you choose to redeem your points for other rewards such as travel options, merchandise, gift cards, and/or statement credit. other restrictions apply. full details appear in the program rules new card customers receive with their card. establishment or ownership of a fidelity ®  account or other relationship with fidelity investments ®  is not required to obtain a card or to be eligible to use points to obtain any rewards offered under the program other than fidelity rewards. 6. eligible accounts include most nonretirement registrations as well as traditional ira, roth ira, rollover ira, sep ira, fidelity charitable ® giving account ® , fidelity hsa ® , and fidelity ® -managed 529 college savings plan accounts. the ability to contribute to an ira or 529 college savings plan account is subject to irs rules and specific program policies, including those on eligibility and annual and maximum contribution limits. full details appear in the program guidelines new card customers receive with their card. contributions to fidelity charitable ® are generally eligible for a federal income tax charitable deduction. please consult with your tax advisor. the list of eligible registration types may change without notice at fidelity’s sole discretion. for more information about whether a particular registration is eligible, please call 1-800-fidelity (800-343-3548). the third parties mentioned herein and fidelity investments are independent entities and are not legally affiliated. the views expressed are as of the date indicated and may change based on market or other conditions. unless otherwise noted, the opinions provided are those of the speaker or author, as applicable, and not necessarily those of fidelity investments. the third-party contributors are not employed by fidelity but are compensated for their services. the fidelity investments and pyramid design logo is a registered service mark of fmr llc. the third-party trademarks and service marks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners. fidelity brokerage services llc, member nyse, sipc , 900 salem street, smithfield, ri 02917 © 2024 fmr llc. all rights reserved. 1141513.1.0 mutual funds etfs fixed income bonds cds options active trader pro investor centers stocks online trading annuities life insurance & long term care small business retirement plans 529 plans iras retirement products retirement planning charitable giving fidsafe , (opens in a new window) finra's brokercheck , (opens in a new window) health savings account stay connected.

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Have Travel Card Rewards to Use? Here's Why You Need to Plan Ahead

T he big selling point of travel credit cards is being able to save on your trips. You earn points or miles on your purchases and can then use them to cover your travel expenses. For example, instead of paying $500 to reserve a hotel, you may be able to redeem 50,000 points and save the cash for the rest of your trip -- or your bank account.

Now, many cardholders just use their travel rewards whenever they can. While this works, it's not always the best idea. Because with travel cards, it pays to be a little strategic, for a few reasons.

Featured offer: save money while you pay off debt with one of these top-rated balance transfer credit cards

You could get more value from your travel rewards

With many of the most popular travel cards, the value of your points or miles depends on how you use them. Travel rewards are generally worth more if you use them for more expensive bookings. This is the case with:

• Airline credit cards that earn miles you can redeem for airfare
• Hotel credit cards that earn points you can redeem for hotel stays
• Credit cards with transferable rewards that you can transfer to airlines and hotels

For example, let's say you have a United credit card -- or a card with transferable points you can send to United. You're booking a three-hour domestic flight next month, and you want to take a trip to Europe later in the year.

The domestic flight may cost about $150 or 15,000 miles each way. So if you book an award ticket, you'll get $0.01 per mile. The international flight could cost $1,200 or 40,000 miles. If you book an award ticket for that, you'll get $0.03 per mile. As you can see, you save a lot more money with your miles if you use them for the international flight.

If you have any big trips coming up, consider saving your travel rewards for it. That's what I've been doing for years with my travel cards. I pay for cheaper travel expenses in cash, even if I have enough points to cover them. I reserve my points for things like business-class airfare and luxury hotel stays.

You're more likely to find deals if you book in advance

Airlines and hotels have limited amounts of award availability -- seats and rooms you can book using rewards through their loyalty programs. With airlines, in particular, seats you can book with miles often go fast. Many of them also use dynamic pricing, where prices get higher as demand increases.

There are a few ways this can affect you. If you wait too long to book with travel rewards, there might not be any award availability left. In that case, you'll need to pay in cash or change your travel plans.

Another possibility is that you find last-minute availability, but prices are extremely high. For example, I've seen ticket prices go from 30,000 to 90,000 miles in a matter of days. And when it's already the last minute, you don't have the luxury of waiting much longer to see if a deal pops up.

It's a good idea to start shopping for flights around three to six months in advance. For domestic flights, you can cut it a little closer. The "Prime Booking Window" with the best cash prices ranges from 21 to 74 days in advance, according to a CheapAir.com survey. Cash and points prices don't always follow the same patterns, but this still gives us an idea of when the best deals are available.

Maximizing your travel card rewards

Travel cards have a learning curve to them, but it's not that complicated to get the most out of your rewards. Use them for bigger travel expenses when you can, because they're worth more this way. Try not to wait until the last minute to book, either, because it could cost you significantly more. By following those two tips, you could easily get two- or three-times as much value from your points.

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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

Best Hotel Rewards Programs for 2023-2024

There isn't one hotel rewards program that's ideal for every traveler. Some programs offer greater flexibility and prioritize earning points for free nights, while others emphasize special members-only privileges, such as free Wi-Fi access or room upgrades. To help you choose the best hotel rewards program for you, U.S. News identified 15 of the most prominent hotel loyalty programs and evaluated them using a  methodology   that weighs factors like member benefits, the average number of paid nights required to earn a free night and how easy it is to earn and use points. Our approach places emphasis on the ease of earning points and redeeming free nights for basic members. Before enrolling in a hotel rewards program, check out which ones cemented a place on our list of the Best Hotel Rewards Programs, and find the program that best fits your needs.

Wyndham Rewards

Choice Privileges

Marriott Bonvoy

World of Hyatt

IHG One Rewards

Sonesta Travel Pass

# 6 Best hotel rewards Programs

Radisson Rewards Americas

# 7 Best hotel rewards Programs

Best Western Rewards

# 8 Best hotel rewards Programs

# 9 Best hotel rewards Programs

Leaders Club

# 10 Best hotel rewards Programs

I Prefer Hotel Rewards

# 11 Best hotel rewards Programs

Hilton Honors

# 12 Best hotel rewards Programs

Omni Select Guest

# 13 Best hotel rewards Programs

ALL - Accor Live Limitless

# 14 Best hotel rewards Programs

Stash Hotel Rewards

# 15 Best hotel rewards Programs

Read more: travel credit card guides

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Bucket list travel on a budget: Expert tips for airfare, loyalty programs, credit card perks and more

Many travelers have their sights set on summer getaways , but with everything from baggage fees to fuel costs impacting the price of a ticket, "Good Morning America" is asking travel experts to share tips for booking bucket list destinations on a budget and finding savings along the way.

Travel expert Nicky Kelvin, senior director of content for The Points Guy, offered his tips for affordable travel techniques.

Where to find the best flight deals

Kelvin encourages travelers to utilize Google Flights and other free price-tracking tools to compare fare prices and snag the best deal.

He also suggests using both the calendar and map features within Google Flights to see which airports, dates and destinations how the lowest fare.

From the Google Flights homepage on a computer, click "explore destinations" and select a departure city without adding a destination. Then zoom out on the map to see the best prices for destinations all over the world.

Get the most out of free travel loyalty programs

Travelers should be earning points for anything and everything that they are buying or booking from airline and hotels to car rentals, Kelvin said.

In addition to the points that can can help travelers earn free flights and hotel stays, Kelvin said to look for extra perks just for joining.

Hyatt rewards, for example, offers all guests free breakfast.

For Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Car Rental, he said you can add your spouse or domestic partner as an additional driver for free.

Loyalty programs are great for airlines too. JetBlue, for example, allows enrolled customers -- even if they don't have enough points for a flight -- to use points for discounts. Plus, with any airline, as you accumulate points to earn status, you can get free seating upgrades.

Travel credit cards with cash back perks

Along with earning points, travel credit cards give you protection for your trip like insurance to help with lost or damaged baggage and trip cancellation protection

Chase debuts new airport lounge: Gourmet menus, sleek interiors, free facials redefine hospitality for airport travel

As for credit cards, The Points Guy team suggests the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card as an all-around pick -- you get 75,000 miles after meeting your minimum spend in the first three months. Which Kelvin said is a value of over $1,300.

If you're looking to earn the most miles, he said look to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

"You'll earn the most points on all your purchases with this one," he said.

Finally, if you want a credit card with no fee, Kelvin suggested the Bilt Mastercard, which he said is particularly great for renters because you can earn points on what's likely someone's biggest expense.

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Save money on international phone plans for summer trips

If someone's trip is taking them out of the country, using a cell phone internationally can cost $10 to 15 per day. For a family of four, that's more than $400 for a week.

If your phones support eSIM, Kelvin suggested purchasing a data plan for your destination through an app such as Airalo, Truphone or GigSky.

For example, one of Airalo's global SIM plans costs $9 for one week, which could save a family close to $350 dollars, depending on their existing international coverage.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A First-Class Premium Travel Card

What’s on This Page

The bottom line, pros and cons, detailed review, compare to other cards, benefits and perks, drawbacks and considerations, how to decide if it's right for you.

With a big sign-up bonus, elevated rewards on travel and dining, hundreds of dollars in annual credits and other perks, this card is a good choice for frequent travelers.

Rewards rate

Bonus offer

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

Ongoing APR

APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable APR

Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable

Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%

Balance transfer fee

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

Foreign transaction fee

• $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, 60,000 points are worth $900 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®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• Member FDIC

High rewards rate

Luxury perks

Premium travel protections

Transfer partners

Primary rental car coverage

High annual fee

Requires excellent credit

For avid travelers, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a good deal — even with its $550 annual fee.

Thanks to features such as an annual $300 travel credit, as well as bonus rewards that can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to several loyalty programs, it stands out as one of the best premium travel cards available.

However, to earn the card’s highest rewards rate, you’ll have to make travel purchases through the Chase portal, which can be limiting. And while the card offers excellent overall value for those who spend heavily on travel and dining, if you can't take advantage of its more niche benefits, a different travel card could be a better fit.

» MORE: Full benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Basics

Card type: Travel .

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

Annual fee: $550 .

Ongoing rewards:

10 points per dollar spent on Chase Dining purchases.

10 points per dollar spent on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards®.

5 points per dollar spent on air travel booked through Chase.

3 points per dollar spent on travel and dining not booked with Chase.

1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Through March 2025: 10 points per $1 spent on Lyft (7 points per dollar spent on Lyft plus 3 points per dollar spent on travel).

Foreign transaction fees: None.

Other benefits:

Up to $300 a year in statement credit automatically applied to travel purchases.

Complimentary Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership.

Access to Chase's Sapphire Lounges in select airports.

Multiple hotel and airline transfer partners.

Primary rental car coverage of up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage.

TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS credit, worth up to $100.

“Reserved by Sapphire” restaurant-booking feature, which grants cardholders access to reservations at popular restaurants across the country.

Trip delay reimbursement.

Trip cancellation or interruption insurance.

Lyft Pink All Access membership free for two years and 50% off for the third year when you enroll (must activate by Dec. 31, 2024). This is the highest tier membership available from Lyft and retails for $199.

How much is a point worth?

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points earned on this card are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel booked through Chase. Cardholders can also get more value per point by transferring them to Chase's airline and hotel partners.

Otherwise, points are worth less when redeemed for cash back, gift cards and merchandise.

Big sign-up bonus

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® features the following generous sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

To find out whether you pre-qualify for this card, check out NerdWallet’s pre-qualification tool.

Bonus rewards

Holders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can earn the following:

10 points per dollar spent on hotel stays and car rentals booked through Chase.

5 points per dollar spent on air travel purchased booked through Chase.

Travel and dining-related purchases made through the Chase portal will get you the highest rewards rates, which are lucrative for those who spend heavily in those categories.

And even for travel and dining purchases not made through the issuer, cardholders will still earn bonus rewards.

Plus, if you redeem those points through Chase for travel, they are worth an elevated 1.5 cents, which gives the card an impressive 4.5% effective rewards rate in those popular categories. That's a boon for folks who spend plenty in these areas — in the U.S. and worldwide as well.

Additionally, through March 2025, you can earn a total of 10 points per $1 spent on Lyft (7 points per dollar on Lyft plus 3 points per dollar on travel). That’s one of the highest earn rates you’ll find for ridesharing purchases on any credit card.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit cards for transit spending

Travel statement credit of up to $300

While many premium cards offer airline fee credits for baggage fees and other select purchases, the travel credit of up to $300 on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® covers a much broader range of travel purchases , including taxi rides, campground fees and train fares.

Because this credit is applied automatically, taking advantage of it is effortless. Use this card to pay for a $20 Uber ride and — poof! — that travel credit is applied to your credit card statement right away.

Airport lounge access and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS reimbursement

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , your next layover could be spent in an exclusive lounge with a complimentary cocktail in hand. The card comes with Priority Pass Select membership, with access to over 1,000 airport lounges internationally and meal credits at select airport restaurants and bars. Plus, you'll get access to Chase's own Sapphire Lounges . As of February 2024, there are Sapphire lounge locations in Boston, New York (LaGuardia and JFK) and Hong Kong, plus a Sapphire Terrace location in Austin.

With the card's TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS reimbursement, you can also speed through security and get to those swanky lounges a little sooner. The card offers reimbursement for the application fee for TSA PreCheck ($78) or Global Entry ($100) or NEXUS ($50) once every four years.

» MORE: The guide to Chase Lounges

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you can move points to several other loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio. Transferring points and redeeming them strategically can be incredibly lucrative. NerdWallet values the points earned on this card at more than 1.5 cents per point when transferred to some partners.

Here are Chase’s transfer partners:

Aer Lingus (1:1 ratio).

Air Canada (1:1 ratio).

Air France-KLM (1:1 ratio).

British Airways (1:1 ratio).

Emirates (1:1 ratio).

Iberia (1:1 ratio).

JetBlue (1:1 ratio).

Singapore (1:1 ratio).

Southwest (1:1 ratio).

United (1:1 ratio).

Virgin Atlantic (1:1 ratio).

Hyatt (1:1 ratio).

InterContinental Hotels Group (1:1 ratio).

Marriott (1:1 ratio).

Complementary cards

Like a handful of other Chase cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns Ultimate Rewards® points. That means if you already have another card in the Ultimate Rewards® family, you can generally transfer points to your Chase Sapphire Reserve® , potentially allowing you to get more value on the points earned.

Say you already have the Chase Freedom Unlimited® , which earns a minimum of 1.5% cash back on purchases, but lacks 1:1 transfer partners and bonuses when redeeming for travel through Chase. When you log on to your Chase account, you have the option of moving the rewards earned on that card to your Chase Sapphire Reserve® , where you can then transfer them to partners or book travel for 1.5 cents per point. That could effectively boost your rewards rate on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to 2.25% or more.

» MORE: How the Chase Sapphire Reserve® fits into the 'Chase trifecta'

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and its lower-priced sibling, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , have had their rewards, perks and bonuses tweaked over the years as the issuer has worked to keep them at the top of travelers' wallets. See our Chase Sapphire cards news page for a rundown.

Sapphire Reserve vs. Sapphire Preferred

If you're looking at the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you might also have your eye on its lower-cost sibling, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . That card has an annual fee of $95 , but it lacks the same rich benefits.

Which card is the better deal for you depends on your spending. For frequent travelers, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers far more long-term value. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a better choice for those who don’t plan on using so many perks but still want a large sign-up bonus and elevated point values.

For a more thorough breakdown of the differences, read NerdWallet's full comparison of these two cards. Here's how they stack up at a glance:

Restricting rewards

Although the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers competitive earn rates for dining and travel spending, you’ll be able to get the highest rewards rate only if you make purchases through the Chase portal. This can significantly limit your options.

For example, restaurants available to you through the Chase Dining portal will depend on your location. This means that cardholders based in larger cities like New York, for instance, will have more options available to them than those based in smaller areas.

Similarly, to earn the card's 10x and 5x rate for travel-related spending, you’ll have to book through the Chase portal, which can prove limiting compared with buying flights or renting cars directly, for example.

Moreover, if you're not an avid spender in either of the card’s bonus categories, travel and dining, you won’t get much use out of the card. A cash-back credit card that offers more diverse and flexible rewards options would be a better fit.

Somewhat limited lounge choice

If your go-to airport doesn’t have a Chase Sapphire Lounge or Priority Pass lounge, you'll be missing out on a key benefit of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . Capital One offers a similar alternative with the $395 -annual-fee Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card . Cardholders also have access to Priority Pass lounges, plus Plaza Premium Lounges and Capital One Lounges at Dulles International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Denver International Airport.

But if lounge access is a priority for you, a better option might be The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Though The Platinum Card® from American Express has a higher annual fee ( $695 ), this card comes with much broader airport lounge coverage, along with plenty of other top-tier benefits. In addition to giving cardholders Priority Pass Select coverage (once you enroll), the card also offers access to several other lounge networks, including AmEx's own Centurion lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (for folks flying with Delta on the same day). Keep in mind, however, that the Priority Pass Select coverage on this card no longer includes credits to select airport restaurants, unlike the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . The card also offers several other premium benefits and statement credits, including up to $200 in Uber Cash, which can be used toward free Uber rides in the U.S. (up to $15 each month, plus a bonus $20 in December). Plus, it comes with a big welcome offer. Terms Apply.

» MORE: Credit cards with airport lounge access

If the $550 fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is too rich for your blood — even with all of its big perks — look to the less-expensive Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card instead.

As mentioned earlier, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has an annual fee of $95 . It has the same 1:1 transfer partners as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and a similarly robust sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. Although it lacks the most attention-grabbing perks, such as the $300 travel credit, it's ideal for folks looking for a versatile travel card with a lower price. Check out NerdWallet's best credit card deals to see how these cards stack up.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best no-annual-fee travel credit cards

Spending $550 a year on a credit card is a big deal — and probably isn’t worth it in this case if you’re not a frequent traveler. But if you fly often and can take advantage of the card's many perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is worth every penny.

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

No appetite for actively managing your credit card travel rewards? This card gives you a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on most purchases. Redeem miles to "erase" any travel purchase at a penny per mile. There's a great sign-up bonus, and the annual fee is $95 .

Looking For Something Else?

Methodology.

NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® 10 earns points per dollar spent on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards®, 10 points per dollar spent on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 5 points per dollar spent on air travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®; 3 points per dollar on dining and travel not booked through Chase and 1 point per dollar everywhere else. But rewards alone aren't enough to justify the hefty $550 annual fee. The card comes with an array of travel perks that can significantly reduce the cost of carrying it.

For its higher fee ( $550 , versus $95 for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card ), the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns richer bonus rewards, provides more perks and protections (travel credits, airport lounge access and more) and gives you a higher point value when you redeem for travel (1.5 cents apiece versus 1.25 cents). Both cards offer the option of transferring points to about a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs.

If you’ll use the travel perks — like the $300 annual travel credit and lounge access — and maximize the way you earn and redeem points, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can be a good value . If you don’t travel much, you're better off with a different card.

You’ll need excellent credit to qualify for this card. That generally means a score of 720 or better, but credit scores alone do not guarantee approval. Your income and other factors will also be considered.

When you pay for your rental car with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you’ll get primary collision damage and theft protection up to $75,000. The card also offers trip delay/cancellation insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and emergency medical evacuation.

You can transfer Ultimate Rewards® points earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® to 13 travel partners , including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Marriott, Hyatt and IHG.

Chase issues some of the better rewards credit cards on the market, including outstanding options in travel, cash-back and small-business cards. See the best Chase cards here .

About the author

Claire Tsosie