Best Travel Credit Cards of 2024

Understanding travel credit cards

What is a travel credit card?

A travel credit card is a specific reward credit card that lets you earn points, miles, or other travel rewards on eligible purchases.

Many of these cards also have specific perks like elite status with airline or hotel loyalty programs, annual travel credits, tier-qualifying bonus miles, airport security benefits, airport lounge membership, and more.

General vs. co-branded cards

Travel reward cards tend to fall into two categories: general and co-branded.

General travel cards

These give more flexible rewards. They let you redeem points or miles toward flights, hotel bookings, rental cars, and even cash back. This freedom allows you to book with different airlines or hotels if you aren’t loyal to a particular chain.

Co-branded airline or hotel cards

These let you earn points or miles that can be redeemed towards brand-specific rewards. If you’re loyal to a specific airline or hotel chain, they can reward you well for staying with them.

Types of travel cards

There are quite a few types, and they all work differently. Before you choose one for your wallet, understand the different options and how credit cards work.

Flexible rewards

Flexible travel rewards credit cards typically let users redeem their rewards in several ways. For example, you may be able to use your points directly for travel bookings through a portal or for fixed-value travel statement credits. However, many cards let users transfer their points to select airline and hotel partners.

Transferable rewards include Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards^®, and American Express Membership Rewards.

Fixed-value

Some credit cards let you earn rewards as points, miles, or cash back. These cards often have a fixed value when redeemed, but some may have different values based on redemption type. For example, you may be able to redeem 1 point for 1.5 cents if you use it towards travel but may only be able to redeem 1 point for 1 cent when turned into cash back.

Airline-specific

Airline-branded cards let users earn airline miles with a specific frequent flyer program, like Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. In some cases, users also get airline perks just for being a cardholder, such as:

• Priority boarding: Airline cardholders can often board the plane earlier than most, giving you time to grab a seat and get your bag into the overhead bin.
• Free checked bags: Many airline cards allow cardholders to check a bag or two for free, including for at least one travel companion. This can save a lot of money over time.
• Discounts on in-flight purchases: This could give you 20-25% off in-flight purchases, like beverages, wifi, and snacks.
• Airport lounge access: Some top-of-the-line airline cards offer complimentary airport lounge access, where you can score free food and a comfortable place to relax. Some mid-range cards offer discounted rates for airport lounge access, others don’t offer any access at all.

Hotel-specific

Hotel-branded cards offer hotel-specific benefits such as elite hotel status or annual hotel credits you can use. When you use a hotel co-branded credit card for spending, you’ll earn hotel loyalty points and may qualify for some pretty neat perks like:

• Free Night Awards: Some hotel cards offer an automatic free night each year, some gift you one after spending a certain amount, and others give you one after booking a set amount of nights (I.e. fourth night free when booking 4 consecutive nights).
• Room upgrades: Several cards offer automatic room upgrades when available.
• Freebies: You may qualify for free or discounted meals or amenities.
• Early check-ins or late check-outs: You may be able to check out a bit later than the standard 10 or 11 am or check in earlier than the standard 3 or 4 pm, giving you more flexibility with your stay.

Business

Business travel cards can be helpful for people who tend to travel for work and want to keep their personal and business expenses on separate accounts. These tend to be similar to their consumer card counterparts but may have different earning categories, annual fees, and travel perks.

How travel rewards work

When you earn travel rewards with a credit card, how they work depends on the type of points or miles you’ve accrued. Either way, you’ll likely get the most “bang for your buck” by redeeming your earnings for travel.

How do credit card airline miles work?

Airline miles can be used to book free flights or upgrades to a premium cabin, whereas hotel points can be used for free hotel stays, vacation packages, or room upgrades. Instead of buying trips through comparison sites, some cards reward you with extra points when you buy flights through their travel portals which you can redeem later for other trips.

How do credit card points work?

With flexible points, you get more options than miles-based cards. These cards may allow you to redeem your rewards for travel through a portal, transfers to airline and hotel partners, merchandise, gift cards, and more.

How much are travel points worth?

Although the value of travel points varies based on the specific card and the value of transfer partners, these are the average estimated values of travel points with top rewards programs:

How do credit card travel portals work?

The top issuers have their own cardholder-exclusive “travel portals” for members to redeem points. Some even incentivize this process by offering extra points, bonus miles, or perks if you book travel directly through their portal.

For booking flights, this is often a great option as it allows you to rack up extra points or miles. For hotel bookings, unless you have a hotel-branded card, it can be a bit riskier as they often don’t allow you to use elite-status benefits or credits through the portal.

Although the incentive to earn extra points by booking through a portal can be very enticing, check on other booking sites to see if you’re getting the best deal. Some cards give extra points for booking directly with airlines rather than exclusively through a portal, allowing flexibility in finding deals.

Pros and cons

Benefits of travel credit cards

Travel reward cards can provide benefits that other rewards cards may not. Avid travelers can likely take advantage of many of these perks.

Note that benefits vary based on the card, but these are a few of the perks you may get:

• Elite status. Some credit cards, especially co-branded cards, offer automatic elite status with their affiliated company. This can entitle you to premium benefits like room upgrades, lounge access, airline seat upgrades, and more.
• Travel insurance. Many credit cards offer some form of travel insurance as a part of being a cardholder. Whether this is rental car insurance, baggage loss insurance, trip delay protection, trip cancelation protection, or even travel medical insurance, you can travel with an added level of protection and peace of mind.
• TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or CLEAR^® Plus credits. Some cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, The Platinum Card^® from American Express, and the Capital One Venture Rewards Card offer credits every 4 years that can be used to pay for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership, and some even offer credits that can be used toward CLEAR^® Plus. Not sure the difference between the three? Check out our guides on CLEAR vs. TSA PreCheck and Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck.
• High-value statement credits. Although many of the best options have high annual fees, many also have high-value statement credits that can help make the cost worth it. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® offers a $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases.
• In-flight discounts. Airline credit cards often allow cardholders to get a nice discount (Delta cards offer 20% back via statement credit) on in-flight purchases so you can feel better about buying those notoriously overpriced airplane foods and beverages.
• Airport lounge access. Often, only the top cards offer complimentary airport lounge access, but even some low-annual-fee cards will give you access to the lounge for a small fee. If you have a long layover between flights, airport lounge access can make your experience much more comfortable. Many of these lounges offer complimentary or discounted food and beverages, so you don’t have to worry about finding a meal at the airport.

Who should get a travel card?

A travel card can benefit anyone who travels even semi-frequently, with some low or no-annual-fee cards still offering elevated rewards on travel purchases.

If you fall into one or more of the three categories below and don’t already have a travel credit card, you should consider applying for one soon.

Business travelers

If you travel frequently for your business, it can get expensive quickly. A business travel card can help you recoup some of those expenses, keep your business and personal expenses separate, and sometimes give you extra perks like airport lounge access to help make your travels more enjoyable.

Frequent travelers

If you go on trips frequently, a travel credit card can provide perks like TSA PreCheck, airport lounge access, no foreign transaction fees, and upgraded rewards-earning rates on travel purchases.

High-end travelers

If you value luxury benefits like exclusive airport lounge access, travel insurance, rental car insurance, high-value statement credits, and hotel room upgrades, a travel credit card can be tremendously useful.

How to compare and pick a travel credit card

Before you choose a credit card, you’ll want to consider some factors to help you compare your options.

1. Your credit score. Most of these cards require a good or excellent credit score (approximately 670+ FICO score or 661+ VantageScore), which can limit your options significantly if your score falls below that threshold. If you’re uncertain about what your credit score is, check out our guide on how to check your credit score.
2. Rewards rate & type. Think about the rewards you want to earn: cash-back, miles, or points. If you’re an avid traveler who spends a lot on flights, hotels, rental cars, and other specific travel categories then a miles or points-based card may be right up your alley. On the other hand, if you don’t tend to spend in specific categories or infrequently travel, a cash-back credit card may be more of what you’re looking for.
3. Annual fee. While some travel rewards credit cards have no annual fee, paying $95 or more per year could help you earn more rewards while accessing better travel benefits. Either way, select a card with an annual fee you’re comfortable with. If you decide you’re comfortable paying a fee, evaluate if you’ll use the card’s benefits and rewards enough to make it worth it.
4. Travel perks. Look for travel perks you can benefit from, which could include travel credits, elite status, free checked bags, airport lounge access, and more. Do you plan on relaxing in an airport lounge or book quick connections with no time to relax? Do you tend to check bags or put as much as possible into a carry-on? Consider factors like this to decide whether certain perks are worthwhile.
5. Travel protections. Many cards come with travel protections as a part of the card. These protections include travel insurance, auto rental collision damage waivers, and more. For more information on the travel insurance benefits some of these cards provide, check out our guides on American Express Travel Insurance and Chase Sapphire Travel Insurance.
6. Welcome bonus. Many travel cards come with generous welcome offers, the chance to earn points, miles, or cash back after spending a set amount of money within a set time frame (typically the first few months of card ownership). Be sure you can realistically spend (and subsequently pay off) the required amount to earn the sign-up bonus. Many of the best credit cards, typically the ones with higher annual fees, have sign-up bonuses worth $700 or more!

Are you going to be traveling abroad?

Foreign transaction fees and international acceptance: Opt for a no-foreign-fee card if you often travel abroad or plan to. Additionally, some cards aren’t as widely accepted overseas, like Discover and American Express cards.

If you frequently travel internationally, you may want to consider a Chase or Capital One card since they are Visa or Mastercard branded, both widely accepted outside the U.S.

How to make the most of your travel card

Most premium, top-of-the-line cards also come with pricey annual fees. To maximize your rewards, here are a few tips:

• Plan for the sign-up bonus. Although the best travel credit cards come with high annual fees, they also have generous sign-up bonuses that often require you to spend a few thousand dollars in a few months to earn. Make sure this is realistic for you to accomplish.
• Join hotel or airline loyalty programs. If you choose a co-branded hotel or airline card, join their associated loyalty program to earn the most you can with your card.
• Redeem (and earn) your points wisely. You’ll likely get more value from your points if you redeem them towards travel, but this varies depending on your card. Make sure you know how to earn the most points, based on the card you get.
• Take advantage of statement credits. Many cards offer statement credits you can use towards specific purchases. Ensure these credits are valuable to you and be sure you know how to use them.

Are travel credit cards worth it?

Travel reward credit cards are often worth it even if you don’t take trips very often. Depending on how much value you can get out of a card, the annual fee of a premium card may or may not be worth it, so consider your spending habits before choosing a card.

Luckily for the average spender, some cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card only charge a $95 annual fee while still offering valuable benefits, making them ideal beginner travel cards.

Alternatives

• Did you decide that a travel card isn’t right for you but still want to earn rewards? See our choices of the best rewards credit cards and cash-back credit cards.
• Looking to consolidate debt? See our picks for the best 0% APR credit cards and balance transfer credit cards.
• Are you a college student looking to build your credit? Check out our guide to the best student credit cards!
• Not sure what type of card you want? Browse through our picks for the best credit cards overall.

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