Best Travel Credit Cards
Travel credit cards aren’t just for business travelers or jet setters. Anyone can apply for a credit card that offers travel rewards and reap benefits like free flights, roadside assistance, rental car insurance or zero foreign transaction fees. Rack up points on these travel credit cards for everyday purchases, then redeem them for flights or other travel rewards.
Check out the following table to see the features of each card at a glance. Note that none of the cards charges a foreign transaction fee, except for Blue Sky from Amex, which charges 2.7 percent of each transaction after conversion to U.S. dollar. Then, review the details for each credit card so you can apply for the credit card that best fits your lifestyle.
11 Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards | ||||||
Credit Card | Annual Fee | Starting APR | Top Rewards Earning Rate | Bonus Offer | How to Apply | |
Discover it Miles | $0 | 12.24% to 24.24% | 1.5 unlimited miles on every $1 spent | None | ||
Premier Rewards Gold Card from Amex | $0 first year, then $195 | Pay balance in full every month | 3 points for flights booked directly with airlines | 25,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases within first 90 days | ||
BankAmericard Travel Rewards Card | $0 | 16.24% to 24.24% | 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases | 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within first 90 days Introductory 0% APR for first 12 billing cycles | ||
Capital One Venture Rewards Card | $0 first year, then $95 | 14.24% to 24.24% | 2 miles for every dollar spent on purchases | 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 within first 90 days | ||
U.S. Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa Signature Card | $0 first year, then $49 | 15.24% to 25.24% | 1 point per $1 spent in net purchases | 20,000 miles after spending $2,000 within first 120 days | ||
Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard | $0 first year, then $89 | 17.24% to 24.24% | 2 miles on all purchases | 40,000 miles after spending $3,000 within first 90 days | ||
Chase Sapphire Preferred | $0 first year, then $95 | 17.24% to 24.24% | 2 points on all travel | 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within first 90 days | ||
Citi ThankYou Premier Card | $0 first year, then $95 | 15.74% to 24.74% | 3 points for travel, including gas | None | ||
The JetBlue Plus Card | $99 | 13.24% to 26.24% | 6 points on JetBlue Purchases | 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in first 90 days | ||
Blue Sky from Amex | $0 | 18.49% to 23.49% | 1 point for each dollar spent on eligible purchases | None | ||
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card | $75 | 13.49% to 20.49% | 3 miles for every $1 spent directly with Alaska Airlines and Virgin America purchases | Buy one ticket, pay only taxes and fees on one ticket after spending $1,000 within first 90 days | ||
11 Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
When considering applying for a travel credit card, wait to fill out a credit card application until you’ve checked your credit report to make sure it’s in good shape. You’ll want to be able to easily qualify for the top travel card offers. Here’s a closer look at the best travel rewards credit cards available now:
Discover it Miles
With the Discover it Miles travel card, pay no interest on purchases for the first 14 months. In addition, the card offers late payment forgiveness with no fee for your first late payment. And Discover will never raise your APR for paying late or charge you an over-limit fee.
Rewards:
1.5 miles for every dollar spent on any purchase
Automatic match of all miles earned at end of first year
No blackout dates for flights; no expiration dates for miles
Can redeem miles in any amount to credit travel purchases from your statement
Perks:
Free access to your FICO credit score
Ability to switch your account on or off with “Freeze it”
Up to $30 in Wi-Fi credit for in-flight Wi-Fi purchases with the card
No foreign transaction fees
Low variable APR starting at 12.24%
See: Why American Express and Discover Credit Cards Aren’t Accepted Everywhere
Premier Rewards Gold Card from Amex
You won’t accrue interest with this card because you pay off your balance each month, and you get the flexibility of no preset spending limit. Use the points you earn to book travel on the American Express travel site. And if you’re loyal to one airline, use the card to charge baggage fees and other incidentals when you fly on that airline, and you’ll get up to $100 reimbursement in statement credits each year.
Rewards:
3x points for flights booked directly with airlines
2x points at U.S. gas stations, supermarkets and restaurants
2x points for purchases at AmexTravel.com
Perks:
Car rental insurance
Roadside assistance
$195 annual fee waived for the first year
No foreign transaction fee
American Express Review: Compare 9 Different Travel Rewards Cards
Bank of America Travel Rewards Card
This travel rewards credit card works best for Bank of America checking or savings customers, who get a 10 percent earned point bonus. And BofA Preferred Rewards clients could increase the bonus to 25 to 75 percent. Additionally, cardholders can enjoy using their bonus points on any airline or any hotel with no blackout dates.
Rewards:
1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases
20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
No expiration date on points
Perks:
No foreign transaction fee
No annual fee
No interest for the first year, then a variable APR starting at 16.24%
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card lets you use your points on any airline, hotel or car rental website or app, leaving your options wide open. Use this travel rewards credit cards to make a purchase and redeem your miles as a statement credit toward the cost of that purchase. Plus, you can pick your own monthly due date and payment.
Rewards:
2 miles per $1 on every purchase
No limit to miles earned
No expiration date on miles
50,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 within the first 90 days
Perks:
Visa Signature Concierge available 24 hours a day
Rental car insurance
No foreign transaction fee
$95 annual fee waived the first year
Variable APR starts at 14.24 percent
U.S. Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa Signature Card
As its name implies, the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa Signature Card gives you flexibility when redeeming points for flights. Fly on more than 150 airlines with no blackout dates. You also get an allowance of up to $25 for baggage fees and in-flight purchases.
Rewards:
1 FlexPoint per $1 spent on all eligible purchases
2 FlexPoints on the category in which you spend the most during each billing cycle
Perks:
24/7 concierge service for travel planning
Luxury hotel room upgrades
Presale sports tickets
$49 annual fee waived the first year
Variable APR starting at 15.24 percent
Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard
The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard works well if you’re not sure whether you want to redeem your miles for travel or cash because it lets you opt for travel rewards or statement credits. As a cardholder, you’ll also receive free access to your FICO credit score and alerts.
Rewards:
2x miles on all purchases
5 percent miles back to use toward your next redemption every time you redeem
40,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days
No expiration for miles
Perks:
24-hour concierge service
Travel accident and trip cancellation insurance
No foreign transaction fee
$89 annual fee waived the first year
Variable rate starting at 17.24% APR
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has attractive perks for travelers, like trip insurance and rental car coverage. Get 25 percent more value when you book flights, hotel rooms, cruises and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Unlike many other travel cards that pay after your own auto insurance, Chase offers primary rental car coverage.
Rewards:
2x points on travel and dining purchases
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first 90 days
5,000 additional points for adding an authorized user and making a purchase within first 90 days
Perks:
Baggage delay insurance
No foreign transaction fee
$95 annual fee waived the first year
Variable APR starting at 17.24 percent
Citi ThankYou Premier Card
The Citi ThankYou Premier Card lets you earn points to travel when you want and on the airline you want with no blackout dates, as long as you book through the ThankYou Travel Center. No limit applies to the amount of ThankYou points you can earn, and points never expire. Plus, Points Transfer lets you transfer your qualifying and available ThankYou Points to other participating airline loyalty programs with no fee.
Rewards:
3x points for travel purchases, including gas
2x points for dining and entertainment
1x points on all other purchases
Perks:
Citi Price Rewind searches for lower prices on registered purchases and pays you the difference
No foreign transaction fee
$95 annual fee waived the first year
Variable APR starting at 15.74 percent
Find Out: What You Should Know About Citibank Virtual Credit Cards
The JetBlue Plus Card
In addition to earning TrueBlue points that never expire, the JetBlue Plus Card rewards you with VIP treatment if you spend more than $50,000 annually. You’ll earn TrueBlue Mosaic benefits for a year, including free checked bags, expedited security screening and priority boarding. Although this travel card has a $99 annual fee, you’d have to take 30 JetBlue flights in a year to qualify for TrueBlue Mosaic without it.
Rewards:
6x points on JetBlue purchases
2x points at restaurants and grocery stores
1x points on all other purchases
10 percent of points back every time you redeem them
30,000 bonus points for spending $1,000 on purchases in first 90 days
5,000 bonus points annually after your account anniversary
Perks:
$100 statement credit for charging a vacations package with your card
50 percent savings on eligible in-flight purchases
First checked bag free
No blackout dates or seat restrictions on JetBlue-operated flights
No foreign transaction fee
Low, variable APR starting at 13.24%
Blue Sky from Amex
Carry a balance with interest or choose to pay in full each month with Blue Sky from Amex. Unlike many other travel credit cards, Blue Sky does charge a fee for foreign transactions; expect to pay 2.7 percent after conversion to US dollars. Even with the fee, the generous travel-related perks might make this card a good option.
Rewards:
1 point for every eligible dollar spent
Every 7,500 points equals a $100 statement credit toward travel purchases on the card
Perks:
Car rental loss and damage insurance
Travel accident insurance for accidental death or dismemberment
Global Assist hotline for medical, legal or financial assistance when at least 100 miles from home
Roadside assistance in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
No annual fee
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card is best for loyal Alaska Airlines and Virgin America flyers because of the extra miles earned for purchases from either of those airlines. You can apply online for this airline credit card, book your next flight and start earning miles today. In addition, you can redeem miles for flights on Alaska Airlines’ range of airline partners.
Rewards:
3 miles for every $1 spent directly with Alaska Airlines and Virgin America purchases
1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Buy one ticket, get a second one nearly free for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days (limited time offer)
No mileage cap or expiration
Perks:
Special companion fare available annually on your anniversary for $99 plus taxes and fees, with no blackout dates
Free checked bags for you and up to six other passengers
No foreign transaction fee
Variable APR starting at 13.49 percent
Up Next: Best Credit Card Offers, Deals and Bonuses
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Editorial Note: This content is not provided by American Express. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Best Travel Credit Cards
