- No annual fee
- Worth the Annual Fee
- Flexible Redemptions
- Luxury Travel Rewards
- Dedicated Airline Cards
- Dedicated Hotel Cards
- Best Dining Cards
- How Do Travel Rewards Cards Work?
- What are Travel Rewards Worth?
- How to Compare Travel Credit Cards
- Is the Annual Fee Too High?
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Travel Card
- Best Bonus Deals
Disclaimer
We may get compensation if you visit partner links on our site. We may not cover every available offer. Our relationship with advertisers may impact how an offer is presented on our website. However, our selection of products is made independently of our relationship to advertisers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. We calculate a typical annual reward for each card, assuming $34,000 spent annually and less any annual fee. Interest rates, fees, rewards and other terms listed in this article are subject to change. Before you apply for a credit card, check its current terms and conditions with the issuer. Rates and sign-up offers were checked as of November 19, 2024.
A travel rewards credit card can be an excellent companion whether you travel often or just take the occasional vacation. With every purchase, you can use a travel card to collect points or miles that you can redeem for flights, hotels, or other travel bookings. Many travel rewards cards come with extra benefits, too, from free entry into airport lounges to statement credits toward application fees for TSA PreCheck and other programs that expedite security screening at the airport.
You may notice that our list of the best cards differs from many other reviewers. That's because we crunch the numbers on a wider variety of cards, such as those issued by credit unions and smaller banks.
If you’d rather have a card that offers cash back or another type of reward, see our article on the best rewards credit cards. If you just want a smoking-hot sign-up bonus for new cardholders, jump to our current travel credit card bonus deals list.
Know what kind of travel card you want? Jump to these sections, below to see our top three picks in each category.
- No Annual Fee
- Worth the Annual Fee
- Flexible Travel Redemptions
- Luxury Travel
- Airline Cards
- Hotel Cards
- Dining Cards
- Best Travel Card Bonus Deals Right Now
Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards With No Annual Fee
With these cards, you reap points or miles without paying an annual fee. You will still need to consider foreign transaction fees if you plan to do a lot of international travel.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. After your first year or $20,000 spent, the rewards rate reverts to 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Rewards (after the first year or $20,000 spent):
- Redemption: Redeem points at a rate of a penny each for cash back, gift cards or travel; points do not expire.
- Interest rate: Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%.
- Annual fee: None.
- Foreign transaction fee: A hefty 3%, so for trips abroad, look to our other winners that charge no such fee.
- Member FDIC
- Rewards: 1.5 miles per dollar spent on purchases.
- Sign-up bonus: A match of miles earned after one year, doubling your rewards.
- Redemption: Unlike a co-branded credit card, the miles earned on the card can be used to cover travel purchases made at any airline, car rental or hotel over the past 180 days; miles may also be redeemed for statement credit to pay your bill.
- Interest rate: Intro Balance Transfer APR is 0% for 15 months from date of first transfer, for transfers under this offer that post to your account by February 10, 2025 then the standard purchase APR applies of 18.74% variable to 27.74% variable, based on your creditworthiness.
- Annual fee: None.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
Best Travel Cards Worth the Annual Fee
With a high payback on travel spending and some perks on the side, these cards make the annual fee worth paying. Note that Chase, Wells Fargo and American Express offer cards praised for their rental car insurance coverage.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening – that’s worth up to $1,020 in travel.
- Rewards: Five miles per dollar spent on hotel stays, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; all other spending earns two miles per dollar; limited airport lounge access and other benefits apply.
- Redemption: Redeem miles at a rate of a penny each for statement credits on travel purchases or to book a new travel reservation through Capital One. Or transfer miles to any of more than 15 travel loyalty programs.
- Interest rate: 19.99% to 29.49% variable APR for purchases.
- Balance transfer fee: $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you. This fee is higher than the 3% balance transfer fee offered by many other cards.
- Annual fee: $95
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards on thankyou.com.
- Rewards:
- Annual hotel discount: Once a year, get $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, through thankyou.com.
- Redemption: Points are worth a penny each if you redeem them for gift cards or travel bookings through the Citi ThankYou program; you can also transfer points to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs; there are no blackout dates and points do not expire.
- Interest rate: 20.74% to 28.74% variable APR for purchases.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Sign-up bonus: 20,000 points, worth $200, if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days.
- Rewards rates:
- Redemption: You can redeem points at a rate of a penny each for travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and other options. Cardholders also get reimbursement of the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, four free yearly visits to Priority Pass Select airport lounges, and a $30 annual credit if you make 11 months of purchases with eligible streaming services.
- Lounge access: Complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership gives you 4 free visits to over 1,500 airport VIP lounges and experiences worldwide.
- Interest rate: Variable APR of 17.74% to 28.74%. For balance transfer: 0% introductory APR for the first 12 billing cycles for balances transferred within 60 days from account opening. After that, 17.74% to 28.74% based on your creditworthiness when you open your account.
- Annual fee: $95, waived the first year.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
Best Cards for Flexible Travel Redemptions
Redeem points for travel bookings or transfer them to a broad range of partner airline and hotel loyalty programs.
- Sign-up bonus: None.
- Top rewards rate: Three points per dollar on dining.
- Other rewards: Get two points on travel, one point per dollar on rent payments (up to 100,000 points each year), and one point on other purchases.
- Redemption: Transfer points that you earn with it on a one-to-one basis to 16 different transfer partner programs, including those of American Airlines, Marriott, United Airlines and Hyatt. Or you can redeem your rewards toward a down payment on a property, in which case points are worth 1.5 cents each.
- Rent Day bonus: On the first of each month, or "Rent Day," the card will double your rewards, in addition to the one point you receive for paying rent. So, instead of getting three points on dining purchases, you get six points for every dollar you spend on that day, and so on. The card also offers a surprise benefit each Rent Day, such as transfer bonuses to airlines or extra points for purchasing sporting event tickets.
- Trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance. Get up to a maximum of $1,800 for a trip delay. Get up to $5,000 for non-refundable fares booked with your card.
- Annual fee: None
- Interest rates: 20.99%, 23.99%, or 28.99% variable APR.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Bonus offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Rewards: Earn 5x total points on purchases through Chase Travel, excluding purchases qualifying for the Chase $50 hotel credit. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 2 points per $1 on all eligible travel purchases.
- Other benefits: Get a $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. And on each yearly anniversary of opening your account, you get a 10% points bonus on total purchases made the previous year. Chase offers excellent travel benefits, including rental car insurance and general travel insurance.
- Redemption: Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel. You also get an extra 25% back when you use points to donate to certain charities; to learn more, read Is Chase Pay Yourself Back Worth It?
- Interest rate: 20.74% to 27.74% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers and 29.49% variable APR on cash advances.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Member FDIC
- Welcome offer: Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.
- Rewards: Earn up to a total of 17x bonus points by layering reward categories. Earn six Marriott points per dollar spent at Marriott properties, ten points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, and one point if you are a Silver Elite Status member.
- Other rewards: Earn three points per dollar on up to $6,000 spent yearly at grocery stores, gas stations and dining, and two points per dollar on all other spending.
- One free night per year: Earn a free one-night Marriott stay per year after each account anniversary, valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level up to 35,000 points; note that certain hotels have resort fees.
- Redemptions: Marriott Bonvoy points are redeemable for stays at Marriott properties, but you can also transfer them to the frequent-flier programs of 38 airlines, including American, Delta, Southwest and United; plus, you get 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points you transfer; among the card’s benefits are Silver Elite status with Marriott and a one-night hotel stay each year; points expire if your account is inactive for 24 months.
- Interest rate: 20.74% to 27.74% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers.
- Annual fee: $95, or if you prefer to pay no annual fee, check out the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
Best Cards for Luxury Travel Rewards
Frequent travelers can more than overcome the high annual fees on these cards by taking advantage of a bevy of perks.
- Sign-up bonus: 75,000 miles if you spend $4,000 in the first three months, equal to $750 in travel.
- Rewards: Earn 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, five miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and two miles per dollar on all other purchases.
- Lounges and other benefits: Perks include 10,000 bonus miles on your account anniversary each year, an annual credit of $300 for bookings made through Capital One Travel, enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network, and President’s Circle status with Hertz.
- Redemption: Redeem miles at a rate of a penny apiece for statement credits on travel purchases or travel bookings through Capital One, or transfer them to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs.
- Interest rate: 19.99% - 29.49% variable APR for purchases.
- Balance transfer fee: $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you.
- Annual fee: At $395, the annual fee is lower than that of many luxury travel cards.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Rewards: Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM 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 TravelSM. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- Other benefits: An annual statement credit of up to $300 for travel purchases (purchases that qualify for the credit do not earn points until the $300 travel credit has been applied), perks at properties in the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection and 10 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2025. Plus, get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Lounges: Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- When things go wrong: Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Redemption: Points are transferable to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs, or trade points at a healthy rate of 1.5 cents each when you redeem them for travel bookings through Chase Travel℠, or for statement credits against purchases in rotating categories through Chase's Pay Yourself Back program (including Airbnb, dining, charitable donations, and other categories).
- Interest rate: 21.74% to 28.74% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers.
- Annual fee: $550; $75 for each authorized user.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Pay Over Time Interest rate: 20.49% to 28.49% APR, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
- Annual fee: $695, plus $195 for up to three authorized users and $195 per card for each user beyond three.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Rewards: Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- Lounge benefits: The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport, with complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries.
- Annual Hotel Credit: $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- Cruise benefits: Cardholders can receive exclusive benefits through the Cruise Privileges Program, available on cruise bookings of 5 nights or more with participating cruise partners; qualified cardholders can also get two rewards points per dollar when booking through the American Express travel portal.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can get $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus of $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- $120 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
- Other benefits: Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- Redemption: There is no option for cash back; the greatest value comes from booking travel with points, and from the many discounts and other perks.
- Intro bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Terms apply: See Rates & Fees
Best Dedicated Airline Cards
If you’re loyal to a certain airline or hotel chain, you may be a good candidate to use a credit card that provides points or miles from your preferred loyalty program. Such cards often provide perks such as complimentary checked baggage or free hotel stays each year, too. See whether our picks of the top airline and hotel rewards cards are a good match for you. And note that if you would rather not pay an annual fee, many of the hotels and airlines mentioned here offer no-fee cards, too, but they come with fewer perks.
Traveling with a friend or loved one? Check out our assessment of the best airline credit card bonuses that come with a free ticket.
- Intro offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles (worth $720) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first six months of Card Membership. For details on this card and related cards, read our article Earn Delta SkyMiles Worth up to $840 Plus a Complementary Ticket.
- Interest rate: 19.99% to 28.99% variable APR for purchases. See rates and fees.
- Annual fee: $350.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Rewards rates: Earn three miles per dollar on Delta purchases and purchases made with hotels. Earn two miles per dollar on restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. Earn one mile per dollar on all other qualified purchases.
- Other rewards: Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Free annual companion ticket: Receive a Companion Certificate on a Main Cabin round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Free baggage check: The first checked bag is free.
- Priority boarding: Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights
- Other perks:
- Medallion program: If you want to improve your access to the lounges with this card, you can earn $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
- Redemption: Miles can be used for travel on Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection carriers (Endeavor Air, Inc., Republic Airline, and SkyWest) and 30+ partner airlines. Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Terms apply
- See rates and fees.
- Top rewards rate: Get six points back for each dollar spent on qualifying JetBlue purchases, like airline tickets.
- Other rewards rates: Get two points per dollar for purchases made at restaurants and grocery stores. Note that big box retailers like Costco and Target do not qualify as grocery stores. Get one point per dollar back on all other purchases.
- Get 10% TrueBlue Points after taking award flights: With the award flight redemption bonus, you will receive 10% of your TrueBlue points back as a bonus after you redeem points and travel on a JetBlue-operated Award Flight. For example, if you redeem 30,000 TrueBlue points toward a JetBlue-operated Award Flight, 3,000 of your TrueBlue points will be deposited back into your account after you take the flight.
- Annual bonus: Get a 5,000 TrueBlue points bonus credited to your Membership Account four to six weeks after your Card Account anniversary, as your Card Account remains open and in Good Standing.
- Vacation package credit: Spend at least $100 on a vacation package in a given year and get a $100 statement credit.
- Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 TrueBlue points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. That's worth about $650 when redeemed for travel. It will take four to six weeks for your account to reflect the bonus, so plan to use your points accordingly.
- Redemption: Redeem points for travel on JetBlue flights. Points do not expire as long as your account is in good standing and there are no black-out dates. You may also redeem points for travel packages.
- Interest rate: 0% introductory APR on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening is applicable for the first 12 billing cycles that immediately follow each balance transfer. This introductory APR offer does not apply to purchases and cash advances. For new and outstanding balance transfers after the introductory period and all purchases, the variable APR is 20.74% to 29.99%.
- Annual fee: $99. If you want a similar card with no annual fee, check out the JetBlue Card.
- Foreign transaction fee: None, so this card is a good choice for purchases abroad.
- More travel perks: Read about other ways to benefit from the TrueBlue loyalty program.
- Interest rate: 20.74% to 27.74% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers.
- Annual fee: $149.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Rewards: Get three points per dollar on Southwest purchases, two points per dollar on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, and two points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and more; all other spending earns one point per dollar.
- Annual benefits: Cardholders receive four hefty bonuses on each account anniversary: a $75 Southwest® travel credit, a bonus of 7,500 Rapid Rewards points, four upgraded boardings when available and a 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost.
- Other benefits: Reimbursement for up to four upgraded airline boardings per year; 1,500 tier-qualifying points toward A-List status for each $10,000 spent on the card; and 25% back on in-flight purchases.
- Redemption: Points may be redeemed for travel on Southwest Airlines or through its Rapid Rewards program; points may also be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, and entertainment.
- Sign-up bonus: New cardholders earn 40,000 bonus points and a $400 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first four months from account opening. Read our article on the Southwest bonus reward and how to use the card.
- Member FDIC
Best Dedicated Hotel Cards
Frequent guests of the hotel chains associated with these cards can get great value out of them, earning extra points for hotel stays and certain other purchases. Plus, enjoy benefits such as free-night awards and elevated loyalty status.
- Intro bonus: Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first six months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025. According to Bankrate, that's worth about $990 in stays at Hilton properties (when one point is valued at 0.6 cents).
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Annual benefit: Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
- Car rental status: NEW Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status. Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club® program is required. Terms apply. Read about credit cards that cover rental car insurance.
- Free Night: Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Rewards:
- Other benefits: Get a Priority Pass Select membership that provides 10 free yearly visits to participating airport lounges and complimentary Gold status. If you spend $40,000 on the card in a calendar year, you’re bumped up to Hilton Honors™ Diamond status through the end of the following calendar year.
- Redemption: Points typically expire if you are inactive in the Hilton Honors program for 24 months, and earning points with the credit card counts as activity; expiration terms may vary by membership tier.
- Interest rate: 19.99% to 28.99% variable APR for purchases. See rates and fees.
- Annual fee: $150. If you prefer to skip the annual fee, try the Hilton Honors American Express Card instead. With this card, earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first six months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025. The interest rate for that card is 19.99% to 28.99% variable APR for purchases. See rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Card.
- Foreign transaction fee: None. See rates and fees.
- Terms apply.
- Interest rate: 20.74% to 27.74% variable APR.
- Annual fee: $95
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Top rewards rate: Earn nine points per $1 spent on Hyatt stays and experiences (four points technically earned plus five bonus points for being a World of Hyatt member).
- Other rewards:
- Other benefits: Each year after your cardmember anniversary, you get a free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort, plus an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, automatic Discoverist loyalty status, five qualifying nights toward the next loyalty tier each year, and two more qualifying night credits each time you spend $5,000 on the card.
- Redemption: Redeem points for a wide array of benefits offered by the World of Hyatt, such as through travel partnerships with MGM Resorts and American Airlines.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning two Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn one Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent. According to Bankrate, World of Hyatt points are worth 2.3 cents each, so the value of the 60,000 total sign-up bonus is $1,380.
- Rewards earning rates:
- One free night per year: Cardholders get a 7,500-point bonus for each anniversary year.
- Other benefits: You’ll also get an additional discount on the best available rate when making reservations at participating properties, and automatic Platinum loyalty status.
- Redemption: Points may be redeemed at thousands of Wyndham properties worldwide, including hotels, resorts, casinos, vacation homes, and European parks; points expire if your Wyndham Rewards account is inactive for 18 months.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. That's typically enough for six free nights at participating properties. According to Bankrate, the value of this offer is about $405. Free nights can require between 7,500 and 30,000 points per bedroom at participating properties and are subject to availability. Resort fees may apply and cannot be paid with points.
- Interest rate: The standard purchase rate is 20.99%, 25.24% or 29.99% variable APR.
The card has two 0% APR offers. - Balance transfer fee: 5% of the amount you transfer, which is higher than many other cards. For this reason, you should look for another card with a balance transfer fee of no more than 3%.
- Annual fee: $75; for a no-fee option, look to the Wyndham Rewards Earner Visa.
- Foreign Transaction fee: None.
Best Dining Rewards Cards
Frequent diners can enjoy cash back and other perks using these cards. For other everyday expenses like gas and groceries, see our guide to the best cash back credit cards.
- Intro bonus: Up to 60,000 points if you spend $6,000 in the first six months.
- Rewards rates:
- Other rewards:
- Redemption: Points are redeemable at a rate of 1 cent each for flights booked through Amex and certain gift cards (points are worth less for most other redemption options).
- Interest rate: Pay Over Time APR: 20.49% to 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. See rates and fees.
- Annual fee: $325. This fee recently increased by $75. Read our editor's take on why she is keeping her Amex Gold card even with a higher fee.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Terms Apply.
- Sign up bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. After your first year or $20,000 spent, the rewards rate reverts to 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Rewards rates:
- Delivery benefits:
- Redemption: Redeem points at a rate of a penny each for cash back, gift cards or travel. Cash back rewards don't expire.
- Interest rate: Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%.
- Annual fee: None.
- Foreign transaction fee: 3%, so this card is best used in the U.S.
- Member FDIC
- Bonus offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Rewards: Five points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel and two points per dollar on other travel spending; three points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online groceries; and one point per dollar on other spending.
- Other benefits: Get $50 annual Hotel Credit, plus more. And on each yearly anniversary of opening your account, you get a 10% points bonus on total purchases made the previous year. Chase offers excellent travel benefits, including rental car insurance and general travel insurance. Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Redemption: Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel. You also get an extra 25% back when you use points to donate to certain charities; to learn more, read Is Chase Pay Yourself Back Worth It?
- Interest rate: 20.74% to 27.74% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers and 29.49% variable APR on cash advances.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Member FDIC
How Do Travel Rewards Cards Work?
Travel rewards credit cards offer points or miles on your purchases and may also offer other travel-related benefits. There are three main types of travel credit cards, including general travel cards, airline cards and hotel cards.
General travel credit cards
General travel rewards credit cards aren't linked to a specific airline or hotel loyalty program. Instead, you'll earn points or miles with the card issuer's rewards program. Examples include American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
General travel rewards programs typically allow you to redeem your rewards for travel through their online portal and may also offer other options, including cash back, gift cards and online shopping. They may even allow you to transfer your rewards to partner airline and hotel programs.
These cards typically won't give you travel perks with a specific airline or hotel brand, but you may get general travel benefits, such as travel credits, airport lounge access and more.
Airline credit cards
These credit cards are co-branded with a specific airline, such as Delta Air Lines or United Airlines. You'll earn miles or points that you can use to book award flights with that airline or for other travel-related purposes.
Airline credit cards also typically offer perks when you fly with a co-branded airline. Examples include priority boarding, free checked baggage, inflight discounts and companion passes.
Hotel credit cards
Like airline cards, hotel cards are co-branded with a particular hotel brand, such as Hyatt or Marriott. You'll earn points with that specific hotel chain's loyalty program, which you can use to book award stays, on-property experiences and other travel.
You'll also typically get perks with that hotel brand, which may include a free anniversary night certificate and elite status, which can come with benefits like room upgrades, late checkout and free premium Wi-Fi.
What are Travel Rewards Worth?
The value of the points or miles you earn with a travel credit card will vary depending on the rewards program and sometimes even the card. General travel programs typically offer predictable redemption rates. For example, you may earn one cent per point on travel bookings, one cent per point on gift cards and half a cent per point for cash back.
With airline frequent flyer programs and hotel loyalty programs, redemption values can vary depending on several variables. With an award flight, for instance, the departure and arrival airports, flight dates and cabin will influence how much your points or miles are worth. With hotel programs, your stay dates, the property category, location and room type can impact your value.
To get an idea of how much value you're getting per point, divide the cash price of an airline ticket or hotel stay by the number of points or miles required to book it. For example, if you can book a $300 flight with 15,000 miles, divide $300 by 15,000, giving you a value of two cents per point. You can also check Bankrate for the estimated value of travel program points or miles.
How to Compare Travel Credit Cards
If you're thinking about a travel credit card, it's important to choose one that's aligned with your travel habits and goals. Here are some of the factors to consider when shopping around and comparing your options:
- Welcome bonus: Consider how much value you can get with the card's upfront bonus and whether you can meet the minimum spending requirement to earn it.
- Rewards rates: Travel credit cards may offer a flat rewards rate on all purchases or a tiered rewards structure, with bonus rewards on certain spending categories. Try to pick a card that allows you to rack up as many points or miles based on where you spend your money.
- Redemption options: Consider how much flexibility you'll get with your rewards. If your goal is to get free flights or hotel stays with a particular airline or hotel brand, pick an airline or a hotel credit card. If you want more options, however, consider a general travel credit card.
- Redemption values: If you're comparing two different cards, one may offer a higher welcome bonus and more points per dollar spent than the other. However, if the value of those points is lower than what you'd get with the second card, you might actually get less value.
- Perks: Think about how you want to use your credit card to elevate your travel experience, then seek out perks that can help you accomplish that objective. And don't forget about trip protections, which can save you some money if things don't go as planned on a vacation. For example, cards issued by Chase and American Express offer some of the best rental car insurance benefits.
- Annual fee: Travel credit cards tend to charge annual fees, but some can run in the hundreds of dollars. Consider how much you're willing to pay each year for a credit card's rewards and benefits.
- International acceptance: If you pick an American Express or Discover credit card, you may have trouble using your credit card abroad. In this case, you can either bring a Visa or Mastercard credit card as a backup or simply get a Visa or Mastercard in the first place.
Is the Annual Fee Too High?
Even if you generally like to avoid credit card annual fees, it can be worth paying one in exchange for great benefits. To determine whether an annual fee is worth it to you, consider the following:
- Calculate the value of the card's welcome bonus to see how many years' worth of the fee it covers.
- Add up the monetary value of the card's benefits, making sure to include only benefits you'll actually use.
- Consider the benefits that are difficult to assign a monetary value — rewards flexibility, trip protections or airport lounge access — and what they're worth to you.
- Estimate how much value you'd get in rewards each year based on your spending habits.
Some travel credit cards offer enough value to cover the cost of the annual fee in benefits alone. If a card charges an annual fee and is scant on perks, it might not be worth the cost.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Travel Card
Once you pick a travel rewards credit card, here are some tips to help you maximize its value:
- Make sure you earn the bonus: You'll typically have three or six months to meet the minimum spending requirement to earn a credit card's welcome bonus. Note, however, that the clock starts when you're approved, not when you receive the card. Track your spending to ensure that you earn the bonus points or miles.
- Use your card for everything: Try to use your credit card for everything that you can use it for. Just be sure to avoid overspending for the sake of earning rewards — the value you get likely won't make up for the extra cost.
- Pay in full every month: Make it a goal to pay off your balance in full every month to avoid paying interest, which can neutralize the value of the rewards you earn.
- Get to know your card benefits: You can find most of the card's benefits on the card issuer's website, but make sure you read through the benefits guide you receive with your card, so you know everything about its perks.
- Research the best ways to redeem: Each program is different in how you can redeem rewards, and some may offer outsized value if you redeem them in a certain way. For example, you may be able to get more value by transferring your general travel points or miles to an airline or hotel loyalty program than if you were to redeem them with the card issuer's rewards program.
- Avoid getting too many cards: Having multiple rewards credit cards can help you maximize different bonus rewards categories and card benefits, but if you get too many cards, it can be difficult to keep track of everything. There's no correct answer to how many credit cards you should have, so it's important to consider your preferences and organizational skills to determine the right amount.
Best Travel Card Bonus Deals Right Now
- Hilton Honors Bonus Offer Worth $990
- Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Offer worth $875
- United Airlines Card Launches $900 Limited-Time Offer
- Wyndham Bonus Offer: 10 Nights Free
- Capital One Venture Rewards Launches $1,000 Bonus Offer
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Launches $750 Bonus Offer
- Best Airline Credit Card Bonuses with a Free Ticket
- Southwest Credit Cards Launch $1,275 Bonus Deal
- Earn Delta SkyMiles Worth up to $1,200
- Jet Blue Credit Card Offer Worth over $650
Or search for a credit card that meets your needs on this tool from Bankrate.
Disclaimer
All information about the American Express EveryDay® credit card, the Platinum Card from American Express, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card from American Express, the Hilton Honors American Express card, and the American Express Gold Card has been collected independently by Kiplinger. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view of the best deals and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities.
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