Best Travel Credit Cards

All information about Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card, Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business, Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card, United℠ Business Card and Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card has been collected independently by CreditCards.com and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

A guide to choosing the best travel credit card

A travel rewards credit card is a lending product that offers points and miles for traveling, including for airline, hotel, restaurant and transportation categories and can be your ticket to sandy beaches or that trip to Japan that you’ve long dreamed of.
If you’re hesitant about travel right now, you might think that a travel card isn’t something on your immediate horizon. But if you think in the long term, you can actually leverage your spending on a travel card to earn rewards that you can use when the crisis abates.

Consider cards that reward for things you need to buy anyway, such as toilet paper, soaps, food and other basic needs (although we advise against hoarding purchases). Consider a general-purpose travel card or a card that rewards on popular streaming services, such as the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card.

The point is to save up your points and miles today for that trip you may be able to take in the future. Here is what else we look at for you:

• Summary of the top travel credit card offers
• Research methodology
• Best travel credit cards
• Which type of travel card is right for you?
• Comparing travel credit cards
• Frequently asked questions about travel credit cards

Summary of the best travel credit cards of 2020

Research methodology: How we chose the best travel cards

With international travel slowing down, we understand the concerns around carrying a travel credit card. However, we’re here to help you navigate through this time and maximize your card for future travel. Read on to find out more about the best travel credit cards.

Number of cards we analyzed: 300

Criteria Used: Rewards rates, rewards categories, sign-up bonus, point values, transfer partners, redemption options, redemption flexibility, annual fee, other rates and fees, travel credits, airport lounge access, travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, concierge service, other travel benefits, travel portal functionality, credit needed, customer service, events or other perks.

Best Travel Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Why this is the best travel credit card for sign-up bonus

The Sapphire Preferred card’s 60,000-point sign-up bonus (after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months) is worth as much as $750 when redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

Card overview

With ongoing rewards from traveling and dining, this card should be top-of-mind when considering future travel and ordering takeout or delivery. However, for ongoing rewards other than those of worldwide travel and dining, this card may not be the best choice. Plus, as our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review details, big spenders may see more value in the card’s luxury alternative, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®: “If you spend a lot on travel and dining per year (over $7,750), the Reserve could more rewarding – despite a $550 annual fee.”

Best travel perk

Perhaps the best known of the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s travel benefits is the primary auto rental waiver, which is quite generous. This insurance kicks in before your personal auto insurance, and it can cover up to the actual cash value of the car.

Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card

Why this is the best travel credit card for everyday use

One of our favorite travel cards with no annual fee, the Wells Fargo Propel, offers rewards not just in travel, but also in a great mix of everyday spending categories: While you may not be able to take full advantage of the 3X points on travel and transit at this time, there’s also 3X points on dining, gas station purchases and select streaming services, and 1X points on all other purchases.

Card overview

You’ll earn a welcome bonus of 20,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months, which is pretty good for a card with no annual fee. As our Propel card review notes, Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards points are also very flexible, and you can redeem for travel, cash back, gift cards and more without sacrificing point value. Unfortunately, though, you can’t transfer points to outside loyalty programs. That could be a deal-breaker if you’re hoping to squeeze extra value out of your points.
Our expert’s take: “I earned more rewards from the Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card in 2019 than my other four credit cards,” says CreditCards.com Industry Analyst Ted Rossman. “With no annual fee, it’s giving me a rewards payout that’s comparable to some of the most popular elite cards on the market.”

Best travel perk

While it carries some standard travel perks like lost luggage insurance and no foreign transaction fee, the Wells Fargo Propel stands out for its cell phone protection plan. If you pay your bill with your Propel card, you can get reimbursed up to $600 if your phone is damaged or stolen ($25 deductible applies), which could certainly come in handy for frequent travelers with pricey phones.

Discover it® Miles

Why this is the best travel credit card for earning miles

Discover offers an unlimited bonus in which all of the Discover it Miles you’ve earned will be matched at the end of your first year. That means if you earn 35,000 miles for the year, your bounty becomes 70,000 miles at the end of the first year, or $700. Plus, there’s no annual fee.

Card overview

This card’s rewards program is quite flexible: It comes with no blackout dates, and you can redeem miles for statement credits or even cash. As our Discover it Miles review puts it: “Because Discover redeems miles by crediting your travel purchases directly to your account, you can fly any airline you want, when you want.” Unfortunately, though, you can’t transfer miles to a frequent flyer program and boost their value.

Best travel perk

The card charges no foreign transaction fee, making it an option both at home and abroad. And while Discover card international acceptance is more limited than that of Visa and Mastercard, the issuer enjoys a high acceptance rate in a number of popular destinations, including Argentina, Brazil, Greece, India, Japan, Jamaica, Morocco, Puerto Rico and more.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Why this is the best travel credit card for airline rewards

Earn 125,000 points in a year and you can score one of the most coveted perks in all of travel rewards: the Southwest Companion Pass. This pass lets you bring a companion with you on any Southwest flight you purchase with cash or points for up to the next 2 years for free (minus taxes and fees). Our Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card review breaks down some strategies for earning the pass, including via credit card spend, sign-up bonus, pairing with a Southwest business card and referring a friend.

Card overview

With a competitive sign-up bonus, this card also offers 2X points for Southwest purchases, as well as partner hotel and car rental purchases. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus has no blackout dates and no seat restrictions. And while long a great domestic carrier, Southwest is increasingly expanding to go abroad. However, the anniversary bonus of 3,000 points is lower than the Premier’s, and there’s an annual fee of $69 that isn’t waived the first year.

Best travel perk

Every once in a while, you’ll find a card that offers baggage delay insurance, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is one of them. This benefit provides reimbursement for the emergency purchase of essential items when your baggage is delayed by more than six hours, up to $100 per day for a maximum of 3 days.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Why this is the best travel credit card for annual travel credits

The Platinum Card’s annual travel credits are unparalleled – earn a $200 annual airline fee credit for checked baggage and more, as well as up to $200 in annual Uber credits (that’s up to $15 a month plus a $20 bonus in December).

Card overview

You can also earn annual credits of up to $100 each year on Saks Fifth Avenue purchases (enrollment required) and earn complimentary benefits with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts and a rich welcome offer the first year. The $550 annual fee might take your breath away when compared to other travel credit cards’ annual fees, although if you use the credits of The Platinum Card, you will more than recoup the cost.

Best travel perk

While our Amex Platinum card review covers a plethora of top-notch travel perks, the card’s luxury lounge access stands out. You can escape airport chaos and relax with benefits like complimentary food and beverages, spa service and more at Priority Pass, Delta Sky Club, Airspace and Centurion lounges. You can even bring along two guests at no additional cost.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Why this is the best travel credit card for travel insurance

This card’s generous travel insurance protections should give frequent travelers some peace of mind. You can get reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip with the card’s trip cancellation and interruption coverage. You’re also covered for up to $100,000 in emergency evacuation and transportation costs while on a trip and up to $2,500 in emergency medical or dental costs if you’re 100 miles or more from home.

Card overview

The Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $300 annual travel credit toward travel purchases (then 3X points on travel after that) is a rare find, as well as the 3X points on dining at restaurants and 1X point on everything else. And earn a 50% boost on travel bookings through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. That said, the annual fee is sizeable, at $550, and is not waived the first year.

Best travel perk

With just a one-time enrollment, the world of Priority Pass™ Select opens up to you, giving you access to more than 1,000 airport lounges across the globe. And as our Chase Sapphire Reserve review calls out, when you factor in the card’s $300 travel credit, “the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most affordable options for gaining lounge access.”

Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card

Why this is the best travel credit card for hotel rewards

You have a lot of flexibility in how you redeem rewards, including booking rewards nights at one of the over 7,000 Marriott properties worldwide, transferring to an airline loyalty program or using the Cash + Points option to redeem some points and cover the rest of your stay with cash.

Card overview

This card’s sign-up bonus of 50,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months is quite generous for a card with no annual fee, and frequent travelers will appreciate its rewards rate of 3X points at Marriott Bonvoy properties and 2X points on other travel purchases. That said, the card’s overall rewards rate is low (just 1X points on general purchases), and as our Bonvoy Bold card review details, “you’re best off redeeming points for hotel nights, since the value of most other redemption options is poor.”

Best travel perk

The card includes 15 elite qualifying nights each year of membership, which automatically gives you Sliver Elite status with Marriott. Silver Elite status comes with perks like late checkout, free in-room Wi-Fi and mobile check-in services.

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

Why this is the best travel credit card for international travel

The Venture Rewards card comes with no foreign transaction fee – perfect for sightseeing in London when you feel ready. It also offers more than 10 travel partners, including Air France/KLM and Etihad Airways.

Card overview

This general-purpose travel card is a solid, straightforward product, offering excellent rewards benefits and a $95 annual fee. However, if you’re looking to maximize your sign-up bonus (and spend), you might want to look elsewhere, because you can do better than the Venture Rewards card’s 50,000 miles sign-up bonus (after a $3,000 spend within the first 3 months).

Best travel perk

Among the travel perks covered in our Capital One Venture Rewards card review, the card’s credit of up $100 toward the cost of Global Entry or TSA PreCheck stands out. You won’t have to pay hundreds in an annual fee for a chance to skip U.S. immigration and customs lines or breeze through airport security without fumbling with your shoes, belt, or laptop.

Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card

Why this is the best travel credit card for no annual fee

It’s a great starter card for budget-conscious travelers, charging no annual fee or foreign transaction fee and offering a sign-up bonus of 20,000 miles after you spend just $1,000 in the first 3 months.

Card overview

This card’s no-hassle rewards earning scheme makes it a great choice for travel beginners. You’ll earn 1.25X miles on every purchase, and you can transfer your miles to more than 10 travel partners. As our VentureOne card review breaks down, however, the card’s ongoing rewards are not the most lucrative. Indeed, thanks to its outsized rewards rate, the Capital One Venture card may be a better option even with its $95 annual fee. That said, if you only plan to use the card enough to earn rewards for an annual trip, this is the card for you.

Best travel perk

The VentureOne offers travel accident insurance when you pay the full cost of your passenger fare with the card. While this is a perk you’ll hopefully never need to use, getting up to $250,000 worth of coverage in case of accidental death or dismemberment while traveling should give frequent travelers some peace of mind.

Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business

Why this is the best travel credit card for business travel

This card’s generous 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel^SM and 2X miles on all other purchases make it ideal for frequent travelers and small-business owners who want to put most of their spending on a single card. And, as our Spark Miles for Business card review explains, “despite no ability to stretch point value, the flat earning rate on the Spark Miles card still ranks it relatively high among popular business cards.”

Card overview

Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles-equal to $500 in travel once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, employee cards are free – and they also get the 2X miles offer, which will boost your earnings even more. However, this card has an annual fee of $95, although it’s waived the first year. Also, the regular APR rate is high at 20.99% (variable).

Best travel perk

With the Spark Miles for Business, receive up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck when you use your card. You can get one statement credit per account every 4 years, and your account must be open and in good standing when the credit is applied.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Why this is the best travel credit card for no foreign transaction fee

The Bank of America Travel Rewards’ no foreign transaction fees make it ideal for world travel and even online purchases with foreign merchants, since other cards with this fee can mean you pay up to 3% on every international travel transaction or purchase that goes through a foreign bank.

Card overview

The BofA Travel Rewards card beats out the VentureOne Rewards both in the sign-up bonus and the ongoing rewards, all while matching its no annual fee offer. Unfortunately, there is no 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers and only a 12-billing-cycle 0% offer on purchases (16.49%–24.49% Variable thereafter).

Best travel perk

As you can see in our Bank of America Travel Rewards card review, the card “doesn’t come with extensive perks, but it does come with a few benefits that make it valuable for frequent travelers.” Not only will you pay no foreign transaction fee, you can add a PIN for international travel, which could be a lifesaver if you’re traveling to an area short on U.S. tourists.

United℠ Business Card

Why this is the best travel credit card for earning business miles

This is a good card for down the road, because many of the boosted rewards involve travel, and in a few short months, this could be the ideal card for you. Not only will you earn 2X miles on United purchases and on local transit and commuting, but also at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores. Also, the annual fee of $99 is waived the first year.

Card overview

The United Business Card carries a huge sign-up bonus of 60,000 miles if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. The card also comes with an anniversary bonus of 5,000 miles if you also have a personal Chase United card. When that it comes to perks, however, our United Business Card review notes that the card falls just a bit short of luxury alternatives, offering limited lounge access and no credits for expedited security screening.

Best travel perk

You’ll get a $100 annual United travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more, which you can use to cover airfare and many other United purchases.

Which type of travel credit card is best for you?

Travel cards come in a few different flavors, including general-purpose travel cards and co-branded travel cards. Here, we look at the pluses and minuses of key types of travel cards.

General travel credit cards

What is a general travel credit card?

A general travel card is a product that will typically offer more flexibility on travel redemption than the co-branded travel cards, but sometimes that’s at a cost.

How does a general travel credit card work?

While some general travel cards simply post all manner of travel for you to redeem through a statement credit, others offer boosted rewards when redeeming for travel through an issuer-specific portal, such as the Citi ThankYou program. These cards will also often have partnerships with select airlines and hotel brands.

Who are general travel cards best for?

If you need flexibility in choice of airlines and hotel brands or you are a last-minute booker, then a general travel card is probably the best option, because they typically partner with a variety of brands and blackout dates are often not a problem with these cards.

Advantages and disadvantages of general travel credit cards

Airline credit cards

What is an airline credit card?

An airline credit card, also called a co-branded card, is a product that partners a bank with an airline and encourages loyalty through rewards earned by favoring the brand.

How does an airline credit card work?

Typically, you earn boosted miles by spending on specific items, such as plane tickets, in-flight purchases, and sometimes such expenditures as restaurants, gas stations and even grocery stores. Heads up that redemption values can be at a lower rate when you choose to redeem for merchandise, donations to charities or gift cards. Instead, opt for redeeming for flights and other airline-specific purchases.

Who are airline credit cards best for?

If you are loyal to a specific brand or you live near a hub of a specific airline, airline cards can be a good choice. Also, if you enjoy the idea of looking for ways to max on your rewards and redemptions, these cards can get you what you are looking for. Finally, there are unique benefits to many of these cards.

Advantages and disadvantages of airline credit cards

Hotel credit cards

What is a hotel credit card?

Like an airline card, a hotel credit card encourages loyalty to a specific hotel brand, whether through using a favored credit card or choosing the brand’s properties for stays.

How does a hotel credit card work?

With a hotel card, you can enjoy specific perks for staying at that brand’s locations while earning points for making purchases. In exchange, you can enjoy free nights and other benefits with your award points.

Who are general hotel credit cards best for?

Like airline cards, a hotel card best serves the cardholder who favors that brand or travels to a certain area. The reason is two-fold: You get better deals on your points and perks specific to the chain and you can then redeem the points you’ve earned at the brand you’ve chosen.

Advantages and disadvantages of hotel credit cards

Comparing a general, airline and hotel travel credit card

The cards listed above that have annual fees offer generous intro bonuses and rewards rates, and can supersede those that do not carry annual fees. However, whether an annual fee is worth it for you depends on your travel purchases and how much you spend in certain areas. If an annual fee is a deal breaker for you, we’ve found that consumers have had good luck with getting the annual fee waived when they asked, so that’s an option.

Related Travel and Rewards Card Categories:

• Best Credit Cards of 2020
• Best Sign-up Bonus Offers
• Best Airline Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards

Laura is an editor and writer at CreditCards.com. She has written extensively on all things credit cards and works to bring you the most up-to-date analysis and advice. Laura’s work has been cited in such publications as the New York Times and Associated Press.