Are you a frequent traveler looking to earn rewards for your adventures? A travel credit card may be just what you need. These cards offer a range of perks, from points and miles for every dollar spent to exclusive travel benefits like lounge access and travel insurance. In this blog post, we'll cover the best travel credit cards and everyday credit cards for earning travel points, along with their sign-up bonuses and pros and cons.
Best Travel Credit Cards
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a great option for travelers looking to earn rewards on their spending. Cardholders earn 2x points on travel and dining purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. New cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. The annual fee is $95.
Pros:
Large sign-up bonus
Great earning potential on travel and dining purchases
Points can be transferred to partner airlines and hotels
Cons:
Annual fee
Capital One Venture Rewards
The Capital One Venture Rewards card offers 2x miles on all purchases, with no limit to how much you can earn. New cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. The annual fee is $95.
Pros:
Simple earning structure
Miles can be used for any travel purchase
No foreign transaction fees
Cons:
Annual fee
American Express Platinum
The American Express Platinum card offers a range of travel benefits, including access to airport lounges, airline fee credits, and hotel upgrades. Cardholders earn 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel and 5x points on eligible hotels booked on Amex Travel. New cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. The annual fee is $695.
Pros:
Extensive travel benefits
Great earning potential on flights and hotels
Transfer points to partner airlines and hotels
Cons:
High annual fee
Limited acceptance outside of the U.S.
Best Everyday Credit Cards for Travel Points
Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited card offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no annual fee. Cardholders can also earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases. New cardholders can earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Pros:
No annual fee
Great earning potential on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases
Cash back can be converted to Ultimate Rewards points
Cons:
Limited earning potential on non-bonus spending
Citi Double Cash
The Citi Double Cash card offers 2% cash back on all purchases, with no annual fee. Cardholders earn 1% cash back on purchases and an additional 1% when they pay their bill, making it a great option for those looking to earn rewards on everyday spending.
Pros:
No annual fee
Great earning potential on all purchases
Cash back can be converted to ThankYou points
Cons:
No sign-up bonus
Discover it Miles
The Discover it Miles card offers 1.5 miles on all purchases, with no annual fee. Miles can be redeemed for statement credits on travel purchases or transferred to partner airlines and hotels. Discover also matches all miles earned in the first year for new cardholders.
Pros:
No annual fee
Great earning potential on all purchases
Miles can be used for any travel purchase or transferred to partners
Cons:
Limited acceptance outside of the U.S.