The world of credit cards can appear overwhelming if you’re simply beginning. But if you wish to transfer on out of your cash-back card (or perhaps a pupil card), you are in the best place. The proper starter travel card can supply far more rewarding perks.
With a lot info and so many choices, how have you learnt which card to decide on? Do you need transferable factors? Airline miles? Free nights with a resort chain? There aren’t any proper or improper solutions to those questions — it is all about what’s necessary to you.
We’ve assembled this listing of the best starter credit cards so you do not find yourself with rewards that do not match your objectives. None of those cards are tied to difficult, difficult-to-understand packages, nor have they got intimidating annual charges, although all of them have the potential for outsize worth.
And all of them are value conserving in your credit card stock for the long run.
Related: How to choose the best travel credit card for you
Best starter travel rewards cards
The info for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
| Card | Welcome supply | Bonus classes |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening. |
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| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months from account opening. Plus, obtain a $250 Capital One Travel credit for use within the first cardholder yr upon account opening. |
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| Citi Strata Premier Card | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months of account opening. |
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| American Express Gold Card | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 throughout the first six months of cardmembership. You might even see increased, focused provides within the CardMatch software (topic to vary at any time; not everybody will likely be focused for the identical provides). |
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| American Express Green Card | Earn 40,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 throughout the first six months of cardmembership. |
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| Bilt Mastercard | None |
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| Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card | Earn 25,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening. |
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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one among our favourite travel cards for a motive. If you’ve a ok credit rating, this card could be a implausible starter travel card.
Annual payment: $95
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Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, these 100,000 bonus factors are value $2,050.
Why it is an important starter card: There’s a very good motive why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is our high decide for our listing of starter cards. In addition to the profitable welcome supply, cardholders earn 5 factors per greenback on travel booked by Chase Travel, together with the next:
- 5 factors per greenback with Lyft (by Sept. 31, 2027) and on Peloton gear and accent purchases of $150 or extra (by Dec. 31, 2027, with a restrict of 25,000 bonus factors)
- 3 factors per greenback on eating (together with takeout and supply), choose streaming companies and on-line grocery orders (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale golf equipment)
- 2 factors per greenback on different travel
- 1 level per greenback on all different purchases
The Ultimate Rewards factors it earns are straightforward to make use of with 11 airline and three resort loyalty program companions, equivalent to United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt. Your factors can be redeemed for 1.25 cents apiece to e-book travel by Chase Travel.
The card additionally has terrific travel advantages, together with major insurance coverage when renting a automotive and no overseas transaction charges. You’ll additionally get pleasure from $50 in annual assertion credit for resort stays booked by Chase Travel, and annually, in your account anniversary, you will get pleasure from a ten% factors bonus in your spending from the earlier yr.
When you add within the welcome bonus and an annual payment of solely $95, you’ve a card that gives nice worth, particularly when you’re simply beginning out on the earth of travel rewards.
To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Venture Rewards does not have difficult bonus classes to trace, which can make it the proper match for your pockets.
Annual payment: $95
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months from account opening. Plus, obtain a $250 Capital One Travel credit to make use of within the first cardholder yr upon account opening.
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,638 when contemplating the worth of the travel credit.
Why it is an important starter card: This card’s flexibility makes it very best for vacationers getting began within the factors and miles world or those that aren’t inherently loyal to a single resort chain or airline.
First, you earn a flat 2 miles per greenback spent on every little thing, that means you do not have to maintain observe of various spending classes. However, that incomes charge jumps to five miles per greenback for inns, trip leases and automotive leases booked by Capital One Travel.
You’ll additionally get an up-to-$120 credit to cowl the applying payment for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
With this card, you can reap the benefits of Capital One’s 15-plus airline and resort companions. This card packs rather a lot in for a $95 annual payment and even makes the lower as one among our total best travel credit cards.
To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Learn extra: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Citi Strata Premier Card
If you need a single card to cowl a variety of bonus classes, the Strata Premier is strictly what you are trying for.
Annual payment: $95
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months of account opening.
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,080.
Why it is an important starter card: The great thing about the Citi Strata Premier Card is its breadth of bonus classes. The card earns 3 ThankYou factors per greenback on air travel, different resort purchases, eating places, fuel stations, EV charging stations and supermarkets, serving to you rack up a lot of factors very quickly.
If you e-book inns, sights and automotive leases by CitiTravel.com, you will get pleasure from a implausible 10 factors per greenback in your spending.
When it involves spending these factors, you possibly can switch them to any of Citi’s 21 travel companions.
You can even obtain $100 off one resort keep of $500 or extra (excluding taxes and costs) per yr if you e-book by CitiTravel.com. The card has no overseas transaction charges and a $95 annual payment.
To be taught extra, see our full assessment of the Citi Strata Premier.
Apply right here: Citi Strata Premier Card
American Express Gold Card
The Amex Gold is a good alternative for anybody who spends some huge cash on meals. With this card, you will rack up tons of factors on lots of your meals purchases.
Annual payment: $325 (see charges and costs)
Welcome supply: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 throughout the first six months of cardmembership. However, remember to test the CardMatch software to see when you’re focused for a fair increased bonus (provides are topic to vary at any time; not everybody will likely be focused for the identical provides).
According to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,200.
Why it is an important starter card: The Amex Gold Card is implausible for anybody trying to leverage their on a regular basis spending for glorious rewards — whereas additionally having fun with helpful assertion credit for issues like eating and ride-hailing companies.
You’ll earn 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar yr at U.S. supermarkets (then 1 level per greenback), 3 factors per greenback on flights booked instantly with airways or on amextravel.com, 2 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go inns and different eligible purchases booked on amextravel.com and 1 level per greenback on every little thing else.
Cardmembers additionally obtain as much as $120 in assertion credit every calendar yr (as much as $10 per thirty days) towards eating purchases at choose retailers and as much as $120 per calendar yr ($10 per thirty days) in Uber Cash towards U.S. Uber rides and U.S. Uber Eats orders after downloading and enrolling your Amex Gold card in your Uber account. You can redeem it with any Amex card. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
Other perks embody entry to The Hotel Collection*, the Global Assist Hotline^ and several other buying and travel protections on the cardboard.
*Minimum two evening keep required; eligible fees differ by property.
^Eligibility and Benefit degree varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Card Members are accountable for the prices charged by third-party service suppliers.
To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Amex Gold Card.
Apply right here: American Express Gold Card
American Express Green Card
The Amex Green is usually ignored, nevertheless it’s positively a card younger professionals and newbie vacationers alike ought to think about.
Annual payment: $150
Welcome supply: Earn 40,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 throughout the first six months of cardmembership.
According to TPG’s valuations, this welcome supply is value $800.
Why it is an important starter card: The Amex Green Card’s broad bonus-earning classes and comparatively low annual payment make it nice for newbie vacationers. With it, you will earn 3 factors per greenback on travel, transit and eating at eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S.), permitting you to rack up factors each at residence and whereas touring.
The Membership Rewards you will earn with this card are extraordinarily versatile, and you can e-book your subsequent journey very quickly by transferring your factors to one among Amex’s 21 switch companions, together with Delta Air Lines SkyMiles and Marriott Bonvoy.
You’ll additionally get travel advantages like an as much as $199 Clear Plus credit every calendar yr, travel insurance coverage and buying protections. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
Learn extra: American Express Green
Bilt Mastercard
If you pay lease, having the Bilt Mastercard in your pockets is a great alternative.
Annual payment: No annual payment (see charges and costs)
Welcome supply: None
Why it is an important starter card: Many beginners on this interest additionally pay month-to-month lease. If you pay by financial institution deposit, money or test, your landlord should not cost you a payment. Paying your lease by credit card typically includes transaction charges, however that is not true with the Bilt Mastercard.
The Bilt card even works with landlords who do not settle for credit card funds, so you possibly can earn Bilt Points with out paying a transaction payment (see charges and costs). Cardholders can earn as much as 100,000 factors on lease every calendar yr.
However, you might want to make not less than 5 transactions in your card every month to earn rewards, which come on the charge of 1 level per greenback on lease, 2 factors per greenback on travel and three factors per greenback on eating bought exterior of Bilt Dining. Cardholders can even earn 5 factors per greenback on Lyft after connecting their Bilt and Lyft accounts.
Additionally, the cardboard provides a number of perks like Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection, Trip Delay Reimbursement and No Foreign Transaction Fees (see charges and costs). The card additionally provides World Elite Mastercard advantages, together with Cellular Telephone Protection (topic to a $25 deductible; see rewards and advantages) and Lyft credit each month you employ your card to pay for three or extra Lyft rides.
The factors earned on this card will be transferred to 13 airways and 5 resort companions.
To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Bilt Mastercard.
Apply right here: Bilt Mastercard
Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card
If you need a card that gives simplicity or when you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, we advocate testing the Bank of America Travel Rewards.
Annual payment: No annual payment
Welcome supply: Earn 25,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 inside 90 days of account opening.
Why it is an important starter card: For beginners, factors and miles can appear daunting, so it is good to have a card with a easy incomes construction. The Bank of America Travel Rewards provides 3 factors per greenback on travel purchases within the Bank of America Travel Center and a vast 1.5 factors per greenback spent on all different purchases.
What’s extra, in case you are a Bank of America banking buyer, you possibly can earn extra factors beneath the Preferred Rewards program. Bank of America Preferred Rewards members earn a factors increase between 25% and 75% (relying in your tier) on each buy.
Just notice that you’re going to want a three-month common of not less than $20,000 throughout your Bank of America and Merrill accounts to qualify.
The factors earned on this card will be redeemed as a press release credit for travel or eating purchases at a flat charge of 1 cent per level. This card does not cost a overseas transaction payment.
To be taught extra, learn our full assessment of the Bank of America Travel Rewards card.
Apply right here: Bank of America Travel Rewards
What credit rating do you want for a travel credit card?
Most travel credit cards require good-to-excellent credit, that means you will need a rating over 650. That’s to not say that you simply will not be permitted in case your rating is not that top, however it’s a good rule of thumb when contemplating making use of for a credit card.
If you do not presently have a very good credit rating or lack credit historical past, you will need to construct credit with a newbie or secured card or by turning into a certified person on another person’s card.
Related: What credit rating do I would like for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Don’t neglect about Chase’s 5/24 rule
If you are still torn about which card to get, it is value serious about Chase’s 5/24 rule, as it may affect your determination. According to this rule, Chase will probably reject your software when you’ve opened 5 or extra private cards throughout all issuers within the final 24 months (most enterprise cards do not rely towards your whole).
Because of this restriction, typical knowledge is to start out by utilizing up your 5 slots with Chase earlier than transferring on to different issuers. When you are simply beginning with travel rewards, it may be straightforward to underestimate the significance of this rule, however Chase provides a few of the most precious travel rewards cards in the marketplace. If you aren’t getting them first, you may not have the ability to get them for some time.
Sometimes, it is sensible to disregard the 5/24 rule and set off in a distinct course, nevertheless it’s not a call you must make evenly. Unless you’ve a very good motive for trying elsewhere, you must begin with a Chase card first.
For extra on this rule and the principles the banks use for credit card functions, see our information to credit card software restrictions.
Bottom line
With so many travel rewards cards on the market, selecting which one to use for may appear overwhelming. But you possibly can’t go improper with any of the alternatives on this listing, as all of the choices supply nice rewards charges and an introduction to the world of factors and miles. So, determine what your travel objectives are, then use this information to choose the best card.
Related: Are travel credit cards value it?
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Bilt Mastercard, click on right here.
For rewards and advantages of the Bilt Mastercard, click on right here.
