LA Times' Recommended Travel Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Our rating:4.8

Add to compare

Recommended credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Apply now

Rewards rate

5x: 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
3x: 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries.
2x: 2x on all other travel purchases.
1x: 1x on all other purchases.

Intro offer: 100,000 bonus points Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Annual fee: $95

Regular APR: 19.99% - 28.24% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.8

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 4.8
Annual Percentage Rate:: 1.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 5.0
Features:: 3.0
Issuer Customer Experience:: 4.0

Highlights

Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
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.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
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.
Member FDIC

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $95
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 19.99% - 28.24% Variable
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Our rating:4.8

See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

Add to compare

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Apply now

Rewards rate

5X: 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®.

Intro offer: Earn 80,000 points 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.

Annual fee: $695

Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended credit: Good to Excellent CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

See if you’re pre-approved for this card using our CardMatch tool.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.8

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 5.0
Annual Percentage Rate:: 4.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 4.0
Features:: 5.0
Issuer Customer Experience:: 5.0

Highlights

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.
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.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$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.
With American Express Global Lounge Collection® you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
$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 ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
$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.
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.
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.
$695 annual fee.
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.
Terms Apply.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $695
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Our rating:4.9

See Rates & Fees

Add to compare

Recommended credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Apply now

Rewards rate

5 Miles: 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2 Miles: 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

Intro offer: Earn 75,000 miles + $250 Capital One Travel credit Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

Annual fee: $95

Regular APR: 19.99% - 29.24% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.9

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 4.3
Annual Percentage Rate:: 4.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 5.0
Features:: 3.0
Issuer Customer Experience:: 4.0

Highlights

Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $95
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

American Express® Gold Card

Our rating:4.9

See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply

Add to compare

Apply now

Rewards rate

4X: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
3X: Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
2X: Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
1X: Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer: Earn 60,000 points Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Annual fee: $325

Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended credit: Good to Excellent CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

See if you’re pre-approved for this card using our CardMatch tool.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.9

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 4.7
Annual Percentage Rate:: 2.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 4.0
Features:: 4.0
Issuer Customer Experience:: 5.0

Highlights

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
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.
Terms Apply.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $325
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Our rating:5.0

See Rates & Fees

Add to compare

Apply now

Rewards rate

5%: Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more.
3%: 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service.
1.5%: 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro offer: Earn $200 cash back Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening

Annual fee: $0

Regular APR: 18.99% - 28.49% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:5.0

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 5.0
Annual Percentage Rate:: 2.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 5.0
Features:: 3.0
Issuer Customer Experience: 4.0

Highlights

Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%.
No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
Member FDIC

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $0
Intro Purchase APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
Regular APR: 18.99% - 28.49% Variable
Intro Balance Transfers APR: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Our rating:5.0

See Rates & Fees

Add to compare

Apply now

Rewards rate

10x: Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠.
5x: Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠.
3x: Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.
1x: Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Intro offer: 60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Annual fee: $550

Regular APR: 20.24% - 28.74% variable

Recommended credit: 740-850 (Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:5.0

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 4.9
Annual Percentage Rate:: 3.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 5.0
Features:: 4.0
Issuer Customer Experience: 4.0

Highlights

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Member FDIC

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $550
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 20.24% - 28.74% Variable
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Our rating:4.9

See Rates & Fees

Add to compare

Apply now

Rewards rate

5 Miles: 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2 Miles: 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

Intro offer: Earn 75,000 miles + $250 Capital One Travel credit Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

Annual fee: $95

Regular APR: 19.99% - 29.24% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.9

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 4.3
Annual Percentage Rate:: 4.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 5.0
Features:: 3.0
Issuer Customer Experience:: 4.0

Highlights

Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $95
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Discover it® Miles

Our rating:4.1

See Rates & Fees

Add to compare

Apply now

Rewards rate

1.5X: Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.

Intro offer: Discover Match® Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles.

Annual fee: $0

Regular APR: 18.24% - 27.24% variable

Recommended credit: 670-850 (Good to Excellent) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.1

Rating methodology

Rewards Value:: 2.0
Annual Percentage Rate:: 5.0
Rewards Flexibility:: 5.0
Features:: 2.0
Issuer Customer Experience:: 5.0

Highlights

Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles.
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
No annual fee
Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% - 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.
Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide.
Terms and conditions apply.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $0
Intro Purchase APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months
Regular APR: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Intro Balance Transfers APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Rewards rate

At A Glance

Rewards rate

At A Glance