Whether you already travel steadily or are planning your first trip in a very long time, you may probably profit from having a number of travel credit cards.
These cards allow you to earn useful rewards which you could redeem to make your travel cheaper, extra comfy or each. Some travel credit cards additionally supply advantages that may get monetary savings or allow you to travel higher. Plus, most do not cost overseas transaction charges.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was one of many very first travel credit cards I utilized for. Although I nonetheless have my Venture card, I’ve additionally added many different travel rewards cards — a few of which I focus on under — to my pockets attributable to their various advantages and rewards.
Rewards I’ve earned from travel credit cards have let me get pleasure from premium cabin flights and luxurious resorts for a fraction of the fee I might have paid with out these factors and miles. Points and miles additionally let me travel steadily whereas staying inside my finances. In quick, travel credit cards will be the important thing to touring extra and/or higher.
The finest travel credit cards
Comparing the most effective travel credit cards
Here are TPG’s picks for the most effective travel credit cards.
| Card | Best for | Welcome supply | Earning charges | Annual charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Travelers | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Earning miles on on a regular basis spending | Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit to make use of in your first cardholder yr. |
|
$95 |
| The Platinum Card from American Express | Travel perks for customers | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$695 (see charges and charges) |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Simplicity | Earn 75,000 bonus miles whenever you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$395 |
| The Business Platinum Card from American Express | Travel perks for enterprise homeowners | Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership. |
Purchases eligible for a number of further level bonuses will solely obtain the very best eligible bonus. Terms apply. |
$695 (see charges and charges) |
| Ink Business Preferred Credit Card | Business homeowners who travel | Earn 90,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card | Delta Sky Club entry | Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$650 (see charges and charges) |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card | Benefits when flying Delta | Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150 (see charges and charges) |
| American Express Gold Card | Restaurants and U.S. supermarkets | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$325 (see charges and charges) |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | No annual charge | Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 on purchases inside three months from account opening. |
|
$0 |
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Welcome supply: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the cardboard I like to recommend most when talking to vacationers with good to wonderful credit who’re in search of a brand new travel credit card. The card would not supply advantages like lounge entry or elite standing, nevertheless it presents bonus factors on spending in well-liked classes like eating, travel and on-line groceries.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily e-newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists
Plus, it presents wonderful travel protections, together with journey delay reimbursement and first auto rental protection. After my sister-in-regulation paid for collision insurance coverage on a number of automobile leases — totaling greater than the Sapphire Preferred’s annual charge — my husband and I insisted she apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and use it when renting automobiles as a substitute of paying for the rental firm’s collision insurance coverage.
But my favourite perk is the pliability you will get when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards factors. I usually joke that my Ultimate Rewards factors are merely ready to turn into World of Hyatt factors since I really like transferring Chase factors to Hyatt. You can get nice worth when reserving award nights by way of World of Hyatt for the reason that program nonetheless makes use of an award chart and Category 1 Hyatt inns begin at simply 3,500 factors per evening.
But Chase Sapphire Preferred Card members also can switch factors to different companions or redeem factors towards travel booked by way of Chase Travel at a charge of 1.25 cents every.
To study extra, learn our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card evaluate.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit to make use of in your first cardholder yr.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: The main good thing about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is its simplicity for incomes and redeeming. You’ll earn at the very least 2 Capital One miles per greenback spent on purchases and may simply redeem miles for assertion credit to offset current travel purchases.
However, I favor to switch Capital One miles to Capital One switch companions when I’m able to guide an award flight or lodge. For instance, I transferred rewards to Avianca LifeMiles to guide Lufthansa firstclass from Frankfurt to Mexico City final yr. Additionally, I’m utilizing Choice factors — which I might have earned through transferring Capital One miles to Choice Privileges if I did not have already got sufficient in my account — to remain in Helsinki this April.
To study extra, try our Capital One Venture card evaluate and our information on maximizing Capital One miles.
Learn extra: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Platinum Card from American Express
Welcome supply: Earn 80,000 factors after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership.
Annual charge: $695 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: The Amex Platinum is the final word client travel card. It presents broad lounge entry by way of its world lounge assortment, together with Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (as much as 10 visits each Feb. 1 to Jan. 31). This lounge entry — plus the cardboard’s many assertion credit — gives sufficient worth for my husband to maintain this card in his pockets regardless of its hefty annual charge.
He will get as much as $200 again in assertion credit annually on pay as you go American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings by way of American Express Travel (The Hotel Collection requires a minimal two evening keep). We’ve used this credit annually for stays at inns a bit nicer than we usually frequent, comparable to The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket in Thailand. We use our month-to-month as much as $20 digital leisure assertion credit for Disney+, our as much as $50 biannual Saks assertion credit for polo shirts and our month-to-month Uber Cash for rides or eats within the U.S. (as much as $20 every month and a bonus $20 in December; your Amex Plat should be added to your Uber account and you may redeem with any Amex card).
But actually, we preserve the cardboard to get him Centurion Lounge entry, as we benefit from the meals, drinks and workspace at these lounges.
Enrollment required for choose advantages.
Check out our Amex Platinum Card evaluate to study extra.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Express
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 bonus miles whenever you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual charge: $395.
Standout advantages: As a Capital One Venture X cardmember, I obtain $300 in credit towards bookings made by way of Capital One Travel every account anniversary yr. I often use these credit when reserving flights by way of Capital One Travel, particularly for the reason that website’s value match and value drop safety options have come in useful on a number of bookings.
I additionally get 10,000 bonus miles yearly, beginning on my first account anniversary. The Capital One Travel credit and bonus miles present me with extra worth annually than the cardboard’s $395 annual charge, so it is simple for me to justify paying the annual charge every time it posts to my account.
The Venture X presents a number of different perks I get pleasure from. For instance, I really like incomes at the very least 2 miles per greenback spent on purchases, which makes the cardboard my default on a regular basis spending card. I additionally respect how the foods and drinks high quality within the Capital One Lounge at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has remained at a excessive degree even because the lounge has turn into extra crowded.
To study extra, learn our Capital One Venture X card evaluate.
Learn extra: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Welcome supply: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership.
Annual charge: $695 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: Even although my husband has the Amex Platinum, I utilized for The Business Platinum Card from American Express in 2019. I’ve saved the cardboard ever since for its assertion credit and lounge entry. The lounge entry good thing about this card turned extra vital when Amex modified its Centurion Lounge visitor coverage in 2023, as since then, my husband and I’ve every used our personal Platinum Cards to get into the lounge.
As for assertion credit (lots of which require enrollment), I’ve loved the brand new as much as $50 per quarter assertion credit for eligible purchases made with Hilton properties utilizing my card. I used my credit within the first quarter of 2025 for a keep on the Hampton by Hilton Munich City Center East and can use it within the second quarter on the Hilton Tallinn Park in Estonia. I joined the Hilton for Business program to get entry to the $50 per quarter assertion credit and have since discovered this system presents some compelling charges.
I do not use all of the Amex Business Platinum Card’s advantages. For instance, I have already got increased tiers of Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors standing than the Gold standing offered as a perk of my Amex Business Platinum Card. Unfortunately, my cell service supplier (Google Fi) is not eligible for the as much as $10 per 30 days in U.S. wi-fi phone assertion credit provided by the Amex Business Platinum, and my enterprise would not use Adobe or Indeed (two different corporations for which cardmembers can get pleasure from assertion credit; as much as $150 yearly with Adobe and as much as $90 quarterly with Indeed).
I additionally not often put spending on my Amex Business Platinum Card. But even so, the cardboard’s efficient annual charge is value paying for the lounge entry I obtain since I exploit the as much as $200 airline charge assertion credit every calendar yr for incidental charges with one airline (I select American Airlines), the as much as $50 per quarter Hilton Honors assertion credit and the as much as $199 every calendar yr Clear Plus assertion credit.
To study extra, learn our Amex Business Platinum Card evaluate.
Apply right here: The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Welcome supply: Earn 90,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card would not have flashy travel perks, nevertheless it presents 3 factors per greenback spent on the primary $150,000 spent in mixed purchases in choose classes every account anniversary yr. Travel is one among these classes, making the Ink Business Preferred my go-to travel credit card.
While many different travel credit cards supply bonus earnings on flights, inns or when reserving by way of their travel portal, the travel class on the Ink Business Preferred is broad. So, I can earn 3 factors per greenback on broad-ranging travel bills, together with inns, automobile leases, travel companies, toll roads, trains and buses.
Plus, I often get nice worth when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards factors. World of Hyatt is my most-used Ultimate Rewards switch companion, however my husband and I not too long ago transferred Ultimate Rewards to United Airlines to guide a final-minute Aegean Airlines flight from Athens, Greece, to Tirana, Albania, for simply 6,000 miles and $33 every.
To study extra, see our Ink Business Preferred card evaluate.
Apply right here: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Welcome supply: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership.
Annual charge: $650 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: I’ve by no means critically thought of making use of for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, but when I have been a frequent Delta flyer striving for a selected Delta Medallion standing tier, it will definitely be in my pockets.
Delta Reserve cardmembers get 2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars every Medallion qualification yr. Plus, cardmembers earn 1 MQD per $10 of purchases made with their Delta Reserve card in a calendar yr. These two perks make it simpler to earn and keep Delta Medallion standing.
Cardmembers additionally get pleasure from 15 complimentary visits every Medallion yr to the Delta Sky Club when flying Delta and also can unlock limitless Delta Sky Club entry by way of the tip of the subsequent Medallion yr after spending $75,000 on purchases with the Delta Reserve card throughout a calendar yr. Plus, Delta Reserve cardmembers get 4 one-time visitor passes every Medallion yr.
Statement credit just like the as much as $240 Resy credit (for purchases at U.S. Resy-affiliated eating places or different Resy purchases), the as much as $120 trip-hailing credit (on U.S. trip-hailing purchases) and the as much as $200 Delta Stays credit also can present worth. Enrollment required for choose advantages.
The card presents many extra perks, so try our Delta Reserve Amex Card evaluate to see if it is best for you.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
Welcome supply: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership.
Annual charge: $0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: If you might be paying checked bag charges or stressing about discovering overhead bin house when flying Delta, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card might help. It presents Zone 5 precedence boarding and a primary bag free on Delta flights for you and as much as eight different vacationers in your reservation.
The card additionally presents varied different advantages that present worth. For instance, the TakeOff15 profit means you will routinely pay 15% fewer miles when redeeming for travel on Delta-operated flights. Plus, the cardboard presents a $100 Delta Stays credit that offers you as much as $100 again per yr as a press release credit after you employ your Delta Gold Amex to guide pay as you go inns or trip leases by way of Delta Stays. In 2024, I used the Delta Stays credit from one other Delta credit card for a $148 in a single day keep in Male, Maldives, earlier than heading to a non-public island resort.
If you absolutely use the Delta Stays credit annually, the annual charge on the Delta Gold Amex could also be value paying even in case you solely use a number of of its different advantages often. See our Delta Gold Amex Card evaluate for extra particulars.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
American Express Gold Card
Welcome supply: Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership.
Annual charge: $325 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: The American Express Gold Card is well-liked with many customers attributable to its meals-centered advantages and incomes charges.
On the incomes facet, Amex Gold Card members earn 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback). These incomes charges are tough to beat, particularly contemplating the caps on incomes are comparatively excessive for many customers’ spending patterns.
On the advantages facet, Amex Gold Card members can get pleasure from as much as $10 in Uber Cash for U.S. purchases every month (Amex Gold should be added to your Uber account and you may redeem with any Amex card), as much as $7 in Dunkin’ assertion credit every month (at U.S. Dunkin’ areas), as much as $10 in assertion credit every month for purchases with Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com or Five Guys, and as much as $100 in assertion credit for U.S. Resy-affiliated and different eligible Resy purchases every calendar yr.
I haven’t got the Amex Gold since I spend important time outdoors the U.S. Although the Amex Gold will be helpful for vacationers, it turns into much less helpful in case you spend a lot time overseas which you could’t get good worth from the month-to-month assertion credit (most of which you’ll be able to solely use throughout the U.S.).
Enrollment required for choose advantages.
However, the cardboard is well-liked for a purpose, so learn our Amex Gold Card evaluate for extra particulars.
Apply right here: American Express Gold Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Welcome supply: Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 on purchases inside three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $0.
Standout advantages: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card permits you to earn transferable rewards with out paying an annual charge. You’ll earn at the very least 1.25 miles per greenback spent on each buy, which is spectacular contemplating the cardboard would not carry an annual charge.
The card presents a 0% introductory annual share charge for 15 months on purchases and steadiness transfers, with a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR afterward. If you employ this supply, be certain you can repay your steadiness in full by the tip of the introductory APR interval. After all, the rewards you will earn with this card will not be worthwhile in case you pay curiosity and charges.
You can redeem miles you earn together with your VentureOne card to cowl current travel purchases at a charge of 1 cent per mile. However, you will probably get extra worth whenever you redeem miles by transferring them to pick out airline and lodge loyalty applications.
To study extra, see our Capital One VentureOne card evaluate.
Learn extra: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
What to think about when selecting a travel credit card
There’s loads to think about when selecting a brand new travel credit card. Here are a number of of the highest facets to think about.
Preferred rewards
Perhaps crucial side to think about when selecting a travel credit card is the rewards you will earn. Most travel credit cards earn lodge factors, airline miles or transferable rewards.
Whereas one of the best ways to redeem lodge factors and airline miles is often with a selected program — for instance, one of the best ways to redeem Delta miles is for award flights booked by way of the Delta SkyMiles program — transferable rewards offer you extra flexibility. You can often redeem versatile rewards at a set charge for assertion credit or travel reserving, however you can too switch your rewards to pick out lodge and airline loyalty applications.
This capability to switch rewards comparable to Amex Membership Rewards factors, Capital One miles and Chase Ultimate Rewards factors to different applications — usually at a 1:1 ratio — lets me keep away from devaluation in a selected program by ready till I need to guide a selected award flight or evening earlier than I switch my factors or miles.
Benefits
Another vital side to think about when selecting a travel card is its advantages. For instance, I renew my Amex Business Platinum Card annually not for the rewards I earn when making purchases with it however for the advantages it gives. In explicit, I get plenty of worth from the lounge entry I get pleasure from as a good thing about my varied travel cards.
Benefits will be notably compelling with lodge credit cards, lots of which provide elite standing and a free evening certificates annually whenever you renew. In many instances, the free evening certificates can supply extra worth than the cardboard’s annual charge. Likewise, airline credit cards often supply perks like a complimentary checked bag, earlier boarding and an elite standing enhance.
Welcome bonus
If you are going to apply for a brand new travel credit card, it is value contemplating the welcome bonus. You might select a card based mostly on the at the moment out there welcome bonuses. Or, you might wait to use for a card when it is providing an elevated restricted-time supply. You might additionally verify CardMatch to see whether or not you are at the moment focused for particular presents.
Related: The finest credit card welcome bonuses
Spending habits
Consider how effectively a travel credit card’s bonus classes match your spending habits. Specifically, contemplate what forms of purchases you would be placing on the cardboard in case you have been to use. Also contemplate whether or not you’d be capable of spend sufficient on the cardboard throughout the first few months after you signal as much as meet the minimal spending necessities for the welcome bonus.
Annual charge
Finally, you will probably additionally need to contemplate the annual charge when selecting a travel credit card. Specifically, contemplate whether or not the earnings and advantages you will get will present extra worth than the price of the annual charge. If you do not imagine you will get sufficient worth from the advantages and earnings, then the cardboard probably is not an excellent match for you.
How we selected the most effective travel credit cards
TPG selected the most effective travel credit cards based mostly on a number of components, together with incomes charges, advantages, welcome bonuses and the general worth we count on a client can acquire by having and utilizing the cardboard.
Check out our evaluate methodology to study extra about how TPG selected cards to spotlight on this article and comparable articles.
Redemption choices for travel credit cards
Your redemption choices will rely in your particular travel credit card, however you need to often redeem lodge factors for lodge stays and airline miles for award flights.
Transferable rewards like Chase Ultimate Rewards factors have extra redemption choices. I extremely suggest researching and understanding the other ways to redeem — and calculating the cents per level you’d get through every redemption methodology — earlier than redeeming any rewards. But know that, typically, you will need to redeem transferable rewards by transferring them to airline or lodge companions. Take a take a look at TPG’s month-to-month valuations and purpose to get at the very least our valuation in worth when redeeming.
My go-to switch companion for Chase Ultimate Rewards is World of Hyatt. I’ve transferred Chase factors to Hyatt to guide aspiration stays at Miraval Austin, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives and Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa.
But I’ve gotten excessive redemption charges even when redeeming Hyatt factors for decrease-class stays. For instance, I booked 5 off-peak nights on the Category 1 Story Hotel Signalfabriken in Sweden, which price $1,012 or 17,500 factors, giving me a redemption charge of 5.78 cents per level. I additionally booked 5 peak nights on the Category 1 Hyatt Regency Cape Town, which price $2,086 or 32,500 factors, giving me a redemption charge of 6.42 cents per level.
In quick, transferable factors can allow you to travel higher and/or with extra consolation with out paying extra money.
Bottom line
Travel credit cards have let me unlock elite standing, perks and award redemptions that in any other case would not be potential. Consider what perks or rewards foreign money you need when deciding which travel credit card to use for. Be certain to think about all of your redemption choices earlier than you redeem, retaining TPG’s valuations in thoughts to evaluate whether or not you are getting good worth out of your redemption.
Related: Why transferable factors and miles are value greater than different rewards
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta Reserve Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta Gold Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold Card, click on right here.
