Whether or not you journey often or are planning your first trip in a very long time, you possibly can seemingly profit from having a number of journey bank cards.
These playing cards make it easier to earn worthwhile rewards which you can redeem to make your journey inexpensive and extra cozy. Some journey bank cards additionally provide advantages and credit that may get monetary savings and make your journey expertise higher with issues like airport lounge entry, expedited safety screenings and extra.
One other bonus? Most journey bank cards do not cost foreign transaction fees, which means you are not incurring an additional as much as 3% price for making purchases overseas.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was one of many very first journey bank cards I utilized for. Though I nonetheless have my Enterprise card, I’ve additionally added many different journey rewards playing cards — a few of which I focus on beneath — to my pockets on account of their numerous advantages and rewards.
Rewards I’ve earned from journey bank cards have let me take pleasure in premium cabin flights and luxurious resorts for a fraction of the associated fee I’d have paid with out these factors and miles. Factors and miles additionally let me journey often whereas staying inside my funds. Briefly, journey bank cards could be the important thing to touring extra and/or higher.
The very best journey bank cards
Evaluating one of the best journey bank cards
This is a fast view of our picks for one of the best journey bank cards.
| Card | Finest for | Welcome provide | Incomes charges | Annual price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Vacationers | Earn 100,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Incomes miles on on a regular basis spending | Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of in your first cardholder 12 months. |
|
$95 |
| The Platinum Card from American Express | Journey perks for customers | Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. |
|
$695 (see rates and fees) |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Simplicity | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$395 |
| The Business Platinum Card from American Express | Journey perks for enterprise homeowners | Earn 150,000 factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. Plus, earn a $500 assertion credit score after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked immediately with the airways or by way of American Specific Journey within the first three months of card membership. You may earn considered one of each of those presents. Supply ends June 30. |
Purchases eligible for a number of extra level bonuses will solely obtain the best eligible bonus. Phrases apply. |
$695 (see rates and fees) |
| Ink Business Preferred Credit Card | Enterprise homeowners who journey | Earn 90,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card | Delta Sky Membership entry | Earn 70,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. |
|
$650 (see rates and fees) |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card | Advantages when flying Delta | Earn 50,000 miles after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. |
|
$0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months, then $150 (see rates and fees) |
| American Express Gold Card | Eating places and U.S. supermarkets | Earn 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. |
|
$325 (see rates and fees) |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | No annual price | Earn 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. |
|
$0 |
Chase Sapphire Most popular Card
Welcome provide: Earn 100,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual price: $95.
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Standout advantages: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the cardboard I like to recommend most when talking with vacationers with good to glorious credit score who’re on the lookout for a brand new journey bank card. The cardboard does not provide advantages like lounge entry or elite standing, but it surely presents bonus factors on spending in widespread classes like eating, journey and on-line groceries.
Plus, it presents glorious journey protections, together with trip delay reimbursement and first auto rental protection. After my sister-in-law paid for collision insurance coverage on just a few automobile leases — totaling greater than the Sapphire Most popular’s annual price — my husband and I insisted she apply for the Chase Sapphire Most popular and use it when renting automobiles as a substitute of paying for the rental firm’s collision insurance coverage.
However my favourite perk is the flexibleness you may get when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points. I typically joke that my Ultimate Rewards factors are merely ready to turn into World of Hyatt factors since I really like transferring Chase points to Hyatt. You may get nice worth when reserving award nights by way of World of Hyatt because the program nonetheless makes use of an award chart and Category 1 Hyatt hotels begin at simply 3,500 factors per night time.
However Chase Sapphire Most popular Card members may also switch factors to different companions or redeem factors towards journey booked by way of Chase Travel at a charge of 1.25 cents every.
To study extra, learn our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of in your first cardholder 12 months.
Annual price: $95.
Standout advantages: The first advantage of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is its simplicity for incomes and redeeming. You may earn at the very least 2 Capital One miles per greenback spent on purchases and may simply redeem miles for assertion credit to offset latest journey purchases.
Nevertheless, I favor to switch Capital One miles to Capital One transfer partners after I’m able to e-book an award flight or lodge. For instance, I transferred rewards to Avianca LifeMiles to e-book Lufthansa top notch from Frankfurt to Mexico Metropolis final 12 months. Moreover, I am utilizing Selection factors — which I might have earned by way of 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 review and our information on maximizing Capital One miles.
Study extra: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Platinum Card from American Specific
Welcome provide: Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.
Annual price: $695.
Standout advantages: The Amex Platinum is the final word shopper journey card. It presents broad lounge entry by way of its global lounge collection, 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 — supplies sufficient worth for my husband to maintain this card in his pockets regardless of its hefty annual price.
He will get as much as $200 again in assertion credit every year on pay as you go American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Resort Assortment bookings by way of American Express Travel (The Resort Assortment requires a minimal two night time keep). We have used this credit score every year for stays at motels a bit nicer than we sometimes frequent, resembling The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and The Naka Island, a Luxurious Assortment Resort & Spa, Phuket in Thailand. We use our month-to-month up to $20 digital entertainment statement credit for Disney+, our up to $50 biannual Saks statement credit for polo shirts and our month-to-month Uber Cash for rides or eats within the U.S. (as much as $15 every month and a bonus $20 in December; your Amex Plat have to be added to your Uber account and you may redeem with any Amex card).
However actually, we hold 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.
Try our Amex Platinum Card review to study extra.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Express
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual price: $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 12 months. I normally use these credit when reserving flights by way of Capital One Journey, particularly because the web site’s price match and price drop protection options have turn out to be useful on a number of bookings.
I additionally get 10,000 bonus miles yearly, beginning on my first account anniversary. The Capital One Journey credit and bonus miles present me with extra worth every year than the cardboard’s $395 annual price, so it is simple for me to justify paying the annual price every time it posts to my account.
The Enterprise X presents a number of different perks I take pleasure in. 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 food and drinks high quality within the Capital One Lounge at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has remained at a excessive stage even because the lounge has turn into extra crowded.
To study extra, learn our Capital One Venture X card review.
Study extra: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific
Welcome provide: Earn 150,000 factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. Plus, earn a $500 assertion credit score after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked immediately with the airways or by way of American Specific Journey within the first three months of card membership. You may earn considered one of each of those presents. Supply ends June 30.
Annual price: $695.
Standout advantages: Although my husband has the Amex Platinum, I utilized for The Business Platinum Card from American Express in 2019. I’ve stored the cardboard ever since for its assertion credit and lounge entry. The lounge entry advantage of this card grew to become extra essential when Amex changed its Centurion Lounge guest policy in 2023, as since then, my husband and I’ve every used our personal Platinum Playing cards to get into the lounge.
As for assertion credit (a lot of which require enrollment), I’ve loved the brand new up to $50 per quarter statement credit for eligible purchases made with Hilton properties utilizing my card. I used my credit score within the first quarter of 2025 for a keep on the Hampton by Hilton Munich Metropolis Middle 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 Enterprise Platinum Card’s advantages. For instance, I have already got increased tiers of Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors standing than the Gold standing supplied as a perk of my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card. Sadly, 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 Enterprise Platinum, and my enterprise does not use Adobe or Certainly (two different firms for which cardmembers can take pleasure in assertion credit; as much as $150 yearly with Adobe and as much as $90 quarterly with Certainly).
I additionally not often put spending on my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card. Besides, the cardboard’s efficient annual price is price paying for the lounge entry I obtain since I exploit the as much as $200 airline fee statement credit every calendar 12 months for incidental charges with one airline (I select American Airways), the as much as $50 per quarter Hilton Honors assertion credit and the as much as $199 every calendar 12 months Clear Plus statement credit.
To study extra, learn our Amex Business Platinum Card review.
Apply right here: The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 90,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening.
Annual price: $95.
Standout advantages: The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card does not have flashy journey perks, but it surely presents 3 factors per greenback spent on the primary $150,000 spent in mixed purchases in choose classes every account anniversary 12 months. Journey is considered one of these classes, making the Ink Enterprise Most popular my go-to journey bank card.
Whereas many different journey bank cards provide bonus earnings on flights, motels or when reserving by way of their journey portal, the journey class on the Ink Enterprise Most popular is broad. So, I can earn 3 factors per greenback on wide-ranging journey bills, together with motels, automobile leases, journey companies, toll roads, trains and buses.
Plus, I normally get nice worth when redeeming Chase Final Rewards factors. World of Hyatt is my most-used Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, however my husband and I lately transferred Ultimate Rewards to United Airlines to e-book a last-minute Aegean Airways flight from Athens, Greece, to Tirana, Albania, for simply 6,000 miles and $33 every.
To study extra, see our Ink Business Preferred card review.
Apply right here: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
Welcome provide: Earn 70,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership.
Annual price: $650.
Standout advantages: I’ve by no means severely thought of making use of for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, but when I had been a frequent Delta flyer striving for a selected Delta Medallion status tier, it will definitely be in my pockets.
Delta Reserve cardmembers get 2,500 Medallion Qualification {Dollars} every Medallion qualification 12 months. Plus, cardmembers earn 1 MQD per $10 of purchases made with their Delta Reserve card in a calendar 12 months. These two perks make it simpler to earn and keep Delta Medallion standing.
Cardmembers additionally take pleasure in 15 complimentary visits every Medallion 12 months to the Delta Sky Membership when flying Delta and may also unlock limitless Delta Sky Membership entry by way of the top of the following Medallion 12 months after spending $75,000 on purchases with the Delta Reserve card throughout a calendar 12 months. Plus, Delta Reserve cardmembers get 4 one-time visitor passes every Medallion 12 months.
Assertion 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 ride-hailing credit score (on U.S. ride-hailing purchases) and the as much as $200 Delta Stays credit score may also present worth. Enrollment required for choose advantages.
The cardboard presents many extra perks, so try our Delta Reserve Amex Card review to see if it is best for you.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card
Welcome provide: Earn 50,000 miles after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership.
Annual price: $0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months, then $150.
Standout advantages: If you’re paying checked bag charges or stressing about discovering overhead bin house when flying Delta, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card may 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 cardboard additionally presents numerous different advantages that present worth. For instance, the TakeOff15 benefit means you may mechanically pay 15% fewer miles when redeeming for journey on Delta-operated flights. Plus, the cardboard presents a $100 Delta Stays credit that offers you as much as $100 again per 12 months as an announcement credit score after you employ your Delta Gold Amex to e-book pay as you go motels or trip leases by way of Delta Stays. In 2024, I used the Delta Stays credit score from one other Delta bank card for a $148 in a single day keep in Male, Maldives, earlier than heading to a non-public island resort.
For those who totally use the Delta Stays credit score every year, the annual price on the Delta Gold Amex could also be price paying even in case you solely use just a few of its different advantages sometimes. See our Delta Gold Amex Card review for extra particulars.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
American Specific Gold Card
Welcome provide: Earn 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.
Annual price: $325.
Standout advantages: The American Express Gold Card is widespread with many customers due to its food-focused advantages and incomes charges.
On the incomes aspect, Amex Gold Card members earn 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, 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 aspect, Amex Gold Card members can take pleasure in as much as $10 in Uber Money for U.S. purchases every month (Amex Gold have to be added to your Uber account and you may redeem with any Amex card), as much as $7 in Dunkin’ assertion credit score every month (at U.S. Dunkin’ places), as much as $10 in assertion credit score every month for purchases with Grubhub, The Cheesecake Manufacturing unit, Goldbelly, Wine.com or 5 Guys, and as much as $100 in assertion credit for U.S. Resy-affiliated and different eligible Resy purchases every calendar 12 months.
I haven’t got the Amex Gold since I spend important time exterior the U.S. Though the Amex Gold could be helpful for vacationers, it turns into much less helpful in case you spend a lot time overseas which you can’t get good worth from the month-to-month assertion credit (most of which you’ll solely use throughout the U.S.).
Enrollment required for choose advantages.
Nevertheless, the cardboard is widespread for a cause, so learn our Amex Gold Card review for extra particulars.
Apply right here: American Express Gold Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual price: $0.
Standout advantages: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card allows you to earn transferable rewards with out paying an annual price. You may earn at the very least 1.25 miles per greenback spent on each buy, which is spectacular contemplating the cardboard does not carry an annual price.
The cardboard presents a 0% introductory annual percentage rate for 15 months on purchases and steadiness transfers, with a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR afterward. For those who use this provide, ensure you can repay your steadiness in full by the top of the introductory APR interval. In spite of everything, the rewards you may earn with this card will not be worthwhile in case you pay curiosity and costs.
You may redeem miles you earn along with your VentureOne card to cowl latest journey purchases at a charge of 1 cent per mile. Nevertheless, you may seemingly get extra worth if you redeem miles by transferring them to pick airline and lodge loyalty applications.
To study extra, see our Capital One VentureOne card review.
Study extra: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
What to think about when selecting a journey bank card
There’s loads to think about when selecting a brand new journey bank card. Listed below are just a few of the highest elements to think about.
Most popular rewards
Maybe an important facet to think about when selecting a journey bank card is the rewards you may earn. Most journey bank cards earn lodge factors, airline miles or transferable rewards.
Whereas the easiest way to redeem lodge factors and airline miles is normally with a selected program — for instance, the easiest way to redeem Delta miles is for award flights booked by way of the Delta SkyMiles program — transferable rewards provide you with extra flexibility. You may normally redeem versatile rewards at a set charge for assertion credit or journey reserving, however you may also transfer your rewards to pick lodge and airline loyalty applications.
This potential to switch rewards resembling Amex Membership Rewards factors, Capital One miles and Chase Final Rewards factors to different applications — typically at a 1:1 ratio — lets me keep away from devaluation in a selected program by ready till I need to e-book a selected award flight or night time earlier than I switch my factors or miles.
Advantages
One other essential facet to think about when selecting a journey card is its advantages. For instance, I renew my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card every year not for the rewards I earn when making purchases with it however for the advantages it supplies. Particularly, I get lots of worth from the lounge access I take pleasure in as a advantage of my numerous journey playing cards.
Advantages could be notably compelling with hotel credit cards, a lot of which provide elite standing and a free night time certificates every year if you renew. In lots of circumstances, the free night time certificates can provide extra worth than the cardboard’s annual price. Likewise, airline credit cards normally provide perks like a complimentary checked bag, earlier boarding and an elite standing increase.
Welcome bonus
If you are going to apply for a brand new journey bank card, it is price contemplating the welcome bonus. You possibly can select a card primarily based on the presently accessible welcome bonuses. Or, you can wait to use for a card when it is providing an elevated limited-time provide. You possibly can additionally test CardMatch to see whether or not you are presently focused for particular presents.
Associated: The best credit card welcome bonuses
Spending habits
Think about how properly a journey bank card’s bonus classes match your spending habits. Particularly, contemplate what sorts of purchases you would be placing on the cardboard in case you had been to use. Additionally contemplate whether or not you’d have the ability to spend sufficient on the cardboard throughout the first few months after you signal as much as meet the minimum spending requirements for the welcome bonus.
Annual price
Lastly, you may seemingly additionally need to contemplate the annual fee when selecting a journey bank card. Particularly, contemplate whether or not the earnings and advantages you may get will present extra worth than the price of the annual price. For those who do not consider you may get sufficient worth from the advantages and earnings, then the cardboard seemingly is not match for you.
How we selected one of the best journey bank cards
TPG selected one of the best journey bank cards primarily based on a number of components, together with incomes charges, advantages, welcome bonuses and the general worth we anticipate a shopper can get hold of by having and utilizing the cardboard.
Try our review methodology to study extra about how TPG selected playing cards to spotlight on this article and comparable articles.
Redemption choices for journey bank cards
Your redemption choices will rely in your particular journey bank card, however you need to normally redeem lodge factors for lodge stays and airline miles for award flights.
Transferable rewards like Chase Final Rewards factors have extra redemption choices. I extremely advocate researching and understanding the alternative ways to redeem — and calculating the cents per point you’d get by way of every redemption methodology — earlier than redeeming any rewards. However know that, usually, you may need to redeem transferable rewards by transferring them to airline or lodge companions. Check out TPG’s month-to-month valuations and goal to get at the very least our valuation in worth when redeeming.
My go-to switch associate for Chase Final Rewards is World of Hyatt. I’ve transferred Chase factors to Hyatt to e-book aspiration stays at Miraval Austin, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives and Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa.
However I’ve gotten excessive redemption charges even when redeeming Hyatt factors for lower-category stays. For instance, I booked 5 off-peak nights on the Class 1 Story Resort Signalfabriken in Sweden, which value $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 Class 1 Hyatt Regency Cape City, which value $2,086 or 32,500 factors, giving me a redemption charge of 6.42 cents per level.
Briefly, transferable factors can allow you to journey higher and/or with extra consolation with out paying extra money.
Backside line
Journey bank cards have let me unlock elite standing, perks and award redemptions that in any other case would not be attainable. Think about what perks or rewards forex you need when deciding which journey bank card to use for. Be sure you contemplate all of your redemption choices earlier than you redeem, holding TPG’s valuations in thoughts to evaluate whether or not you are getting good worth out of your redemption.
Associated: Why transferable points and miles are worth more than other rewards
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Delta Reserve Amex Card, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Delta Gold Amex Card, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold Card, click on here.