Best Travel Credit Card In 2024

By: Cooper Haywood
Last Updated: April 02, 2020
Advertiser Disclosure


Are you a jet set globetrotter or corporate road warrior? Sign up for a travel rewards credit card to earn points that you can redeem for airfare, hotels, or more.

Depending on your needs, you may want to focus on cards with higher signup bonuses to jump start your account, or you may want to look at cards that have extra bonuses for particular spending categories like travel, dining, or office supplies. Most importantly, you want to select the cards with perks that align with your preferences and interests.

Do look out for fees though - pay special attention to how much the best travel card for you charges as an annual fee, as well as whether or not there's a foreign exchange fee which may put a damper on your international trips.

These travel rewards credit cards generally require a solid credit score though, so if you don't have credit or are just getting started building your credit history, you may want to take a look at student credit cards instead.



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Card Network

Issuing Bank


NameAnnual FeeRewardsIntro BonusLearn More
3094 l
Chase Sapphire Reserve℠
$550
3X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.50,000 BONUS POINTS after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

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Cardart
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
$95
(waived for the first year)
1 point per dollar, 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide.Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, worth $625 towards travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 5,000 bonus points after you add the first authorized user and make a purchase in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Review
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Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
$95
(waived for the first year)
Get up to 5 Starpoints for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG® hotels, Earn 2 Starpoints for each dollar of eligible purchases at Marriott Rewards® hotels, Get 1 Starpoint for all other purchasesGet 25,000 Bonus Starpoints® after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.

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Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express Review
6052 l
Discover it® Miles
$0
UNLIMITED 1.5x Miles on every dollar you spend on purchases50,000 Miles could turn into 100,000 Miles with Discover Match®. We'll automatically match all the Miles you earned at the end of your first year. Only for new cardmembers.

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Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
$0
Earn unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every dayEnjoy a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $200 in travel

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Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
$59
(waived for the first year)
Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, every dayEnjoy a one-time bonus of 40,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $400 in travel

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Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card Review
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BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Credit Card
$0
Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases everywhere, every time and no expiration on points.20,000 bonus points if you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening - which can be redeemed for a $200 statement credit toward travel purchases

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Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express
$95
(waived for the first year)
Earn 2 Miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you make $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within your first 3 months.

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Hilton honors
Hilton HHonors Card
$0
Earn 7X Hilton HHonors Bonus Points for purchases charged on your Card directly with a participating hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio, Earn 5X Points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.Earn 50,000 Hilton HHonors™ Bonus Points after you spend $750 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.

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1017 l
Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express
$195
(waived for the first year)
3X points for flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points at US restaurants, US gas stations, and US supermarkets. 1X points on other purchases.Receive 25,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $2,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership.

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10097 m
Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard®
$89
(waived for the first year)
Earn 2X miles on all purchases, Get 5% miles back to use toward your next redemptionEarn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days

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Ba sig card
British Airways
$95
3 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways purchases and 1 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases50,000 bonus Avios after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening

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Marriott premier card
Marriott Rewards Premier
$85
Earn 5 points per $1 spent at participating Marriott locations & 2 points per $1 spent on airline tickets purchased directly with the airlines, at car rental agencies & restaurants, Earn 1 point per $1 spent everywhere else80,000 Bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening with your Marriott Rewards Premier credit card. Plus, earn 7,500 bonus points when you add the first authorized user and make a purchase in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Swa premier card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier
$99
Earn 2x points on Southwest® purchases and 1 point on all other purchases. Plus 6,000 anniversary bonus points.60,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

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United mileageplus explorer card
United MileagePlus Explorer
$95
(waived for the first year)
Earn two miles for each $1 spent on tickets purchased from United, 1 mile for other purchasesStart with 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

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Citi aadvantage executive credit card
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite MasterCard®
$450
1 mile per dollar, 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchasesEarn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening

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Citi aadvantage platinum select credit card
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite MasterCard®
$95
(waived for the first year)
1 mile per dollar, 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchasesEarn 60,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

Sign Up

Expedia plus
Expedia®+
$0
Earn 3 Expedia+ bonus points per $1 spent on eligible Expedia purchases, 1 point on other purchasesEarn 15,000 Expedia+ bonus points after $1,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $200 towards your stay at a +VIP Access™ hotel.

Sign Up

Expedia plus voyager
Expedia®+ Voyager
$95
4 Expedia+ bonus points per $1 spent on eligible Expedia purchases, 2 for dining out and entertainment, 1 on other purchasesEarn 25,000 Expedia+ bonus points after $2,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $350 towards your stay at a +VIP Access™ hotel.

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10023 l
Virgin America
$49
Earn 3 bonus reward points per $1 spent with Virgin America. Earn 1 bonus reward point for every $1 spent on all other card purchases.Get 10,000 bonus reward points after you spend $1,000 in your first 90 days as a cardholder; that's up to $200 toward no-blackout reward flights on Virgin America.

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222x139 aeromexico platinum
AeroMexico
$45
(waived for the first year)
One Club Premier Mile per net $1 spent, double miles on gas, groceries, Aeromexico ticket purchases and Aeromexico Vacations15,000 First Use Bonus Miles plus Complimentary Companion Certificate

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580x520 travel
FlexPerks Business Edge
$55
(waived for the first year)
Earn one FlexPoint for every $1 spent in net purchases Earn double FlexPoints on the category you spend the most on (gas, office supplies or airline) and most cell phone expenses during each billing cycleEarn 20,000 bonus FlexPoints after the first $3,500 in net purchases in the first 4 months

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222x139 select
FlexPerks Select+
$0
Earn up to 1 FlexPoint for every $1 spent in Net PurchasesEarn 10,000 bonus FlexPoints after you spend $1,000 in Net Purchases within the first four months of account opening.

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FlexPerks Travel Rewards
$49
(waived for the first year)
One FlexPoint per $1 spent on all eligible net purchases.2 Double FlexPoints on the category you spend the most on (at gas stations, grocery stores or airlines) and at most cell phone service providers during each billing cycle.3 Triple FlexPoints on qualifying charitable donationsEarn 20,000 enrollment FlexPoints with a new FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa Signature card1 after you spend $2,000 in net purchases on your card within four months of account opening.

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222x139 blue
LANPASS
$45
(waived for the first year)
1 LANPASS Mile for every net $1 you spend.Earn 15,000 Bonus Miles after your first card use.

Sign Up

Dotcom skypass bcd lg
Skypass
$75
Earn one mile for every $1 net purchase.10,000 SKYPASS Bonus Miles after your first purchase.

Sign Up

Skypass visa classic credit card
Skypass Classic
$50
Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on purchases5,000 Bonus Miles - with first purchase

Sign Up

Best Travel Credit Cards

Do you dream of sitting on the beach in Tahiti sipping on pina coladas? Does your perfect day include a stop at an exotic shop in a faraway country like Nepal, Thailand, or Morocco? Perhaps you prefer the cosmopolitan atmosphere of London, Paris, or Tokyo?

Wherever you dream of going, the best travel credit cards can take you there. Picking the best travel credit card for your needs is not always easy. The following guide will help you narrow down our best credit cards for travel to pick the best travel card for your needs. With the best credit card for travel, you’ll be on your way to your next beach, mountain, or exotic foreign city before you know it, and at a fraction of the cost of paying full price out-of-pocket.

Best Travel Credit Cards: Airline, Hotel, or Card Points

Travel rewards credit cards come in two main categories. First are cards that are specific to an airline or hotel. Using that card earns you points specifically for that brand, and big spending can lead to higher status levels and other perks when you travel with that brand. Examples include the British Airways Signature Visa from Chase and the Delta Skymiles card from American Express.

In addition to cards that earn for a specific brand, there are also general travel rewards cards where you earn points for that specific issuer. Instead of earning points that you can use at only one airline or hotel, you can earn points that can be used to book through an award portal with no blackout dates, or you can transfer the points to a partner airline or hotel to book award reservations directly.

Both rewards types have their own benefits and drawbacks. Earning miles and points specific to one brand limits you to only that brand for your rewards, but free upgrades and perks may make that worthwhile. On the other hand, cards that are not brand specific open up many more airlines and hotels and offer reward bookings with no restrictions, which also has a big value.

It is up to you to decide if you prefer brand loyalty with perks or brand flexibility. Each traveler has different preferences, so pick the right travel credit cards to help you get to your next destination the way you want to get there.

The Flexibility to Transfer Anywhere

Some airline miles and hotel points offer a lot more flexibility than others.

Airlines like Delta, United, American, and Alaska have reward partnerships that allow you to book travel rewards on other airlines. For example, using United Miles to book an award trip that includes travel on Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines thanks to their shared membership in the Star Alliance. Anyone with a big pile of Marriott or Starwood Hotels points can book through any of the Marriott or Starwood brands due to their recent merger. Partnerships are always changing, so look up the airlines and hotels you can access before choosing any specific card.

Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Starwood Preferred Guest, and the Platinum Card from American Express each offer more flexibility than most airline or hotel branded cards. Each of these opens up access to a wide list of transfer partners that can take you virtually anywhere in the world.

For example, the Chase Sapphire cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Points can be used to book travel at participating airlines or hotels with no blackout dates taking advantage of a fixed value per point. You can also transfer to one of the Ultimate Rewards transfer partners including airline programs from Air France/KLM, British Airways, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, United, Virgin Atlantic and hotel programs at Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club/InterContinental Hotels Group, and Ritz-Carlton.

Next, looking at the airline partners, we see that points can be used widely. United is a member of the Star Alliance, British Airways is a member of the OneWorld Alliance which includes American Airlines, and Air France is a member of SkyTeam which includes Delta. Getting anywhere in America or beyond is an option with Chase points.

You can put together similar connections using American Express Membership Reward points, Starpoints from the Starwood Preferred Guest program, and other cards from competing issuers. This strategy can help you find the best credit card for international travel for your specific travel plans and needs.


Travel hero

Earn Status at Your Favorite Airline or Hotel

While general points programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards give you the most flexible rewards, some of the best rewards do come from loyalty to one specific airline or hotel brand.

For example, the Marriott Rewards card from Chase gives every cardholder 15 credits towards status and gives automatic Silver level status guaranteed. For every $3,000 you spend on the card, get an addition credit towards Gold or Platinum status. Each status level has its own perks including upgrades, late check-out, free wireless internet, and more.

Airline specific cards often include perks like priority boarding, free checked bags, and credit towards airline status for free upgrades.

Get Access to Exclusive Lounges

Travel rewards credit cards can offer a wide range of bonuses. Some airline and general points earning vacation credit cards include access to airline lounges. This perk makes air travel much more comfortable, particularly if your travel regularly includes layovers and waits at large airports.

The highest end airline specific cards sometimes include access to that airline’s lounges in airports around the world. Examples include the American Airlines Executive card from Citi and the United MileagePlus Club Card from Chase. Both cards come with a big annual fee, but also open the doors to American and United lounges, and partner lounges in some cases, around the globe.

Most lounges include free beer and wine options, plenty of outlets, comfortable seating, newspapers and magazines, an exclusive customer service desk with the power to give you earlier flights and upgrades in some cases, cleaner bathrooms, TV news, snacks, sometimes meal service, wireless internet, and an escape from waiting for flights at crowded gates and dealing with the hustle bustle of airport terminals.

Some cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Platinum Card from American Express include memberships to lounge clubs or services to give you access to lounges without specific airline loyalty.

Enjoy Large Signup Bonuses

While earning points and bonus points spending on your everyday purchases helps you build up a valuable stash of rewards miles and points, signup bonuses should also be taken into account.

Some travel credit cards have no bonus at all, but the best travel rewards cards offer bonuses of up to 100,000 miles or points, sometimes worth thousands of dollars in free travel. Always compare the signup bonus to other cards when picking the perfect travel credit card for your needs.

Remember, There's Additional Perks

Most credit cards offer more perks than just miles and points. Others common benefits include car rental insurance coverage, travel insurance coverage, and travel medical insurance coverage.

Many premium cards also have features to extend manufacturer warranties, replace some lost, stolen, or damaged items that were recently purchased, return protection, and price change protection.

Consult the fine print for each card to better understand all the details - you might find it boring but it may just save you a ton of hassle and money down the road!

Watch Out for Annual Fees

The best travel rewards credit cards typically come with an annual fee. While some of the best travel credit cards do not have a fee, the best ones do.

The fee may not always be worthwhile for your specific travel needs, but in many cases the cards offer much more than the cost. Look at the value of the rewards travel you receive compared to the cost. International flights can cost thousands of dollars. Getting that kind of value for a $95 annual fee is totally worth it.

In some cases, the rewards are compelling enough to support cards with annual fees around $500 or $1,000. It is all about how you use the card to get the most value. Only by examining your own spending habits can you decide if an annual fee is worth the cost.

About the Author
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Cooper is a former equity research professional/finance analyst who holds an MBA in Financial Instruments and Markets from New York University's Stern School of Business. He left the investment banking world in 2015 to become a full-time investor. He contributed to InvestmentZen as an financial product analyst from 2016-2017.