The Best Travel Credit Cards

Earn unlimited 2x miles on every purchase you make, for a $95 annual fee, plus 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 within the first three months of account opening. That’s worth $600 in travel. 

The Venture card doesn’t offer a ton of added benefits, but you’ll get up to $100 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, auto rental coverage, travel accident insurance, extended warranty, and no foreign transaction fees. 

When you’re ready to redeem, you can transfer your miles to one of Capital One’s travel partners, book through the issuer’s Rewards Center, or use Purchase Eraser to receive a credit toward any travel purchases on your statement within 90 days. Through April 2021, you can also redeem miles for restaurant delivery or takeout purchases, streaming services, and wireless telephone services.

When it comes to balancing simplicity and value, there aren’t many travel cards that can compete against the Capital One Venture. Your groceries, gas, and other essential purchases today will rack up miles to put toward future travel. We like flat cash back cards because they add value to every purchase you make, regardless of category, and frequent travelers can enjoy that same flexibility with the Venture card. 

Capital One takes the idea of simplicity even further with its Purchase Eraser feature. Instead of choosing a redemption option within a rewards program, you can simply erase travel purchases from your statement — like flight tickets or hotel bookings — using the miles in your account. That means you can choose where and how you book, and score the best deal while still maximizing your miles.

Earn 2x points on dining (including eligible delivery and takeout) and travel and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Through April 2021, you can earn 2x points on up to $1,000 in grocery purchases each month. 

If you spend at least $4,000 within the first three months of account opening, you’ll earn 60,000 bonus points (worth up to $750 toward travel), and you can get up to $50 in statement credits toward grocery store purchases in your first year.

Other benefits include 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2022, up to $60 in statement credits toward Peloton purchases, 12 months complimentary DashPass from DoorDash subscription, no foreign transaction fees, and travel and purchase protections.

Redeem your points through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards program, where you’ll get a boosted 25% redemption value for travel bookings. Through April 2021, redeem points for the same 25% boosted value when you use Pay Yourself Back for statement credits at grocery stores, home improvement stores, and dining purchases. You can also maximize value with 1:1 point transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great travel card to have in your wallet, thanks to plenty of benefits and ongoing redemption value for just $95 annually. But we like it best for its high-value welcome bonus. 

With the Preferred Card’s boosted travel redemptions, your 60,000-point bonus is worth $750 in travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards. And even if you won’t use that anytime soon, the same 25% boost applies to Pay Yourself Back redemptions through April. Plus, the secondary welcome bonus of up to $50 bonus statement credits toward groceries effectively cuts your first-year annual fee by more than half. 

Earn 4x points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases annually), 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amextravel.com, and 1x points on all other purchases. You can also earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first six months of account opening. 

The annual fee is $250, but Amex Gold offers plenty of annual credits to help offset the cost. Each year, earn up to $120 in dining credits (up to $10 per month) with eligible partners (including Shake Shack and Grubhub, among others), up to $100 in hotel credits when you book through the Hotel Collection, and up to $120 in Uber Cash ($10 per month) toward UberEats orders or Uber rides. You’ll also get travel and purchase protections and pay no foreign transaction fees.  

Redeem points through Amex Membership Rewards for statement credits, gift cards, online shopping with select retailers, and more, though you’ll get the best value for travel redemptions. You can redeem for travel by booking directly through Membership Rewards or transferring to one of Amex’s travel partners.

This card offers the best of both worlds when it comes to travel rewards. With high-earning rewards in dining and groceries combined with valuable travel redemption options through Membership Rewards, you can rack up rewards on your everyday purchases to fund travel in the future.

And the added benefits Amex Gold offers are designed to do the same. You’ll maximize value on travel with the hotel credit and Membership Rewards, but credits toward dining purchases and Uber Cash can provide monthly savings back into your wallet, regardless of whether you’re traveling or not.

Earn 3x points on dining (including eligible delivery and takeout) and travel, and 1x points on all other purchases. Through April 2021, you’ll also earn 3x points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases each month. After spending $4,000 within the first three months, score a 50,000-point welcome bonus (worth $750 in travel redemptions). This card has a $550 price tag, but offers plenty of benefits for frequent travelers to help recoup that cost.

You’ll get a $300 annual travel credit (which also counts toward gas station and grocery store purchases through June 2021), up to $100 every four years toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, Priority Pass Select membership, 10x points on Lyft purchases through March 2022, up to $60 in DoorDash credits and complimentary DashPass subscription, up to $120 in credits toward Peloton purchases, travel and purchase protections, no foreign transaction fees, and more.

And when you’re ready to redeem, you can choose among plenty of options through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You’ll get a boosted 50% value on your points when you redeem for travel, plus a 1:1 transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners for potentially higher value. Through April 2021, you’ll get the same boosted 50% value using Pay Yourself Back to redeem points for statement credits toward grocery, home improvement, and dining purchases.

Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a bounty of premium benefits and annual credits. If you have a large annual travel budget and can take advantage of the extra partner benefits this card offers, you’ll easily offset the high $550 price tag.

But our favorite feature of this card is its high-value redemptions. Each point you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards (or for eligible Pay Yourself Back purchases this year, when you may be traveling less) receives a 50% boost. That effectively increases your 3x points rewards in bonus categories to 4.5 points per dollar spent and 1x points on every purchase to 1.5x points. Those bonuses can add up quickly over time, and result in hundreds of dollars or more in travel savings each year.

After paying the Platinum Card’s $550 annual fee, you’ll earn 10x points on eligible purchases at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets on up to $15,000 in combined purchases within the first six months, 5x points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through Amextravel.com (up to $500,000 in purchases annually) and on prepaid hotels booked through Amextravel.com, and 1x points on all other purchases. If you spend $5,000 within the first six months of account opening, you can get a 75,000-point welcome bonus.

Just some of this card’s benefits include a $200 annual airline fee credit, Hilton Honors Gold Status, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status, up to $100 credit toward eligible purchases with the Hotel Collection, credits and benefits through Fine Hotels and Resorts, access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, up to $200 in annual Uber Cash, fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, up to $100 in annual credits for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases, no foreign transaction fees, travel and purchase protections, and more.

Redeem points through Amex’s Membership Rewards program. Among various redemption options, you’ll get the best value by redeeming for travel booked through the site or transferring your points to Amex travel partners.

The Platinum Card offers great rewards on travel bookings and even valuable savings on everyday purchases for the first six months, but this card really excels in the value of its benefits. 

You’ll have to spend a lot to maximize them — on top of the $550 annual fee, many of these credits are designed to make travel you’re already purchasing more convenient (elite status, lounge access, complimentary services during your hotel stays, etc.). If elite status and premium perks don’t concern you, or you don’t spend enough across bonus and benefit categories, you might find better value from another travel card. But for top-of-the-line access, benefits, credits, and perks — on top of a great rewards program — you’ll find few travel options that can compare with the Platinum Card.

Earn 3x miles on purchases made with Delta and directly with hotels, 2x miles on purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other purchases, for a $250 annual fee. You can earn 40,000 bonus miles plus 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) when you spend $2,000 within the first three months, plus get a $100 statement credit after making a Delta purchase in the same time period.

Beyond rewards, you’ll get additional Delta benefits including priority boarding, first checked bag free on all flights booked with the card, annual Domestic Main Cabin domestic round-trip companion certificate, fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, Delta Sky Club access for $39 per visit, 20% back on in-flight purchases, no foreign transaction fees, and travel and purchase protections. 

You can redeem your Delta SkyMiles for eligible Award Travel with Delta, flight upgrades, and more. You’ll also be eligible for 10,000 additional MQMs when you spend $25,000 within a calendar year with your card (up to twice yearly) through Status Boost. And you’ll get a 25% elevated boost in 2021, for a total 12,500 bonus MQMs. These MQMs are used to determine your Medallion Status with Delta.

Many major airlines — including American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and others — offer co-branded rewards cards. If you tend to book flights with the same airline when you travel, it may make sense to choose a co-branded card option. We chose the Delta SkyMiles Platinum as our airline co-branded card pick both because of Delta’s consistent placement among top airlines and this card’s overall rewards potential.

Despite its $250 annual fee, we believe this card offers frequent Delta flyers the most value of Delta’s co-branded card offerings. Not only can you quickly rack up SkyMiles on both Delta purchases and everyday spending, but you’ll also get hundreds of dollars worth of Delta flight benefits and savings as well as easier access to higher status within Delta’s Medallion loyalty program.

If Delta is your airline of choice and you expect to spend a lot of time on Delta flights in the future, this card can put money back in your pocket and help make your flight experiences more comfortable.

Earn 6x points on purchases with participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2x points on all other purchases, for a $95 annual fee. You’ll qualify for 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within the three months of account opening. 

In addition to points rewards, you’ll get a Free Night Award each anniversary toward a one night stay at a property with redemption level up to 35,000 points, automatic Silver Elite Status, 15 Elite Night Credits each year, Visa Signature Concierge service, no foreign transaction fees, and travel and purchase protections.

You’ll earn Marriott Bonvoy points with this card, which you can redeem for hotel bookings and upgrades, flights, car rentals, shop with points, and even transfer at a 3:1 ratio to Marriott’s airline partners.

Like airlines, many popular hotel chains — from Marriott to Hilton, Wyndham, and more — offer co-branded credit cards with rewards for loyal customers. Among these co-branded options, we chose Marriott Bonvoy Boundless because of Marriott’s broad global presence and popularity, and for this card’s specific rewards offerings. 

Marriott’s Bonvoy program includes more than 7,000 hotels worldwide and — for a hotel rewards program — offers flexible redemption options. And travelers who prefer Marriott hotels can gain a lot of value on each stay with Bonvoy Boundless.

Between the benefits of Silver Elite Status (including a 10% points boost, priority late checkout and free Wi-Fi) and the annual free night stay benefit, even occasional Marriott travelers can easily outpace this card’s modest annual fee. But Marriott regulars can earn even more with a 6x rewards rate and qualification for Gold Elite Status after spending $35,000 on the card annually.

Earn 3x points across categories: eating out and ordering in; gas stations, rideshares, and transit; flights, hotels, homestays, and car rentals; and popular streaming services. You’ll also get 1x points on all other purchases and 20,000 bonus points (worth $200 in cash redemptions) when you spend $1,000 within the first three months of account opening. 

Other benefits include cellphone protection, purchase and travel protections, and a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months.

While this card is an American Express card, you’ll redeem the points you earn through Wells Fargo’s Go Far Rewards program. You can redeem for cash, gift cards, travel, and more, and redemptions carry a general value of 1 cent per point. 

This no annual fee card offers great rewards value for travel rewards beginners and seasoned travel cardholders alike — without the high price. Its rewards aren’t as valuable, and its redemption program is not as robust as many others on our list, but it’s a solid option for anyone who wants to avoid the annual fees that come with more premium benefits.

This is also a solid option for infrequent travelers (or people who aren’t sure when they’ll feel comfortable traveling again), since the range of 3x rewards categories is mostly made up of everyday spending, like dining, gas, and streaming. You can earn rewards in these categories today and choose to save up your points to redeem for future travel or enjoy cash redemptions now.

Small business owners can earn 2x miles on every purchase with Spark Miles for business, plus 5x miles on hotel and car rental bookings through Capital One Travel. You can also qualify for a 50,000-mile bonus (worth $500 in travel) after spending $4,500 within the first three months of account opening. 

You’ll also get up to $100 in credits toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, year-end summaries and purchase records for your business accounting, free employee cards with customizable spending limits, no foreign transaction fees, and purchase and travel protections.

When you’re ready to redeem, you can book travel through Capital One’s Rewards center, or use Purchase Eraser to get statement credits toward travel purchases within the past 90 days. Through April 2021, also use your miles toward restaurant purchases, streaming services, and wireless telephone services using Cover My Purchases redemptions.

Like Capital One’s consumer Venture Rewards card, Spark Miles for Business offers a flexible rewards program that allows business owners to earn rewards on everyday business expenses and redeem for travel. Whether your business requires you to travel often, or only a few times each year, you can get great value from this card.

And Capital One’s Purchase Eraser adds even more flexibility, especially if you’re required to book your business travel through a company portal or special travel agent. No matter how you book, you’ll still gain value by wiping those purchases from your statement using miles redemptions.