Best Travel Credit Cards
What Are the Best Travel Credit Card Perks?
As competition continues to heat up among credit card companies, consumers seeking out travel perks and rewards have many benefits to choose from. Take out your wallet, is it full of credit cards that offer travel rewards? If not, there are many attractive credit card offers for travelers. Credit card companies are highly competitive and are always creating lucrative offers for you.
Each card is pretty specific
Having specific credit cards for specific occasions or activities is a great way to maximize your rewards and perks. In fact, some cards offer rewards in travel and dining, some offer perks, and some are good for everyday spending. It would be a waste to use a card that doesn’t reward on a specific activity, right?
Two Percent
Furthermore, it’s always a good idea to look for cards with at least a minimum of a 2% return on your annual credit card spend. Of course, you can do better than 2% but that really depends on how you spend and what you spend on. So if you want to play the credit card game, look for cards with no annual fee and at least a 2% cashback. In fact there is a fidelity card that puts 2% in a fidelity account and there’s even a City Bank card that offers you a double cashback card.
Better Rewards
There are many different offers that can offer you a lot better rewards depending on what kind of traveling you do and how you spend your money. For example, there are some airline mileage cards that are tied in to a particular carrier that wave baggage fees. Unfortunately, most of those cards have devalued offering maybe a little better than a penny per mile now. Usually, 1% return if you’re using them for domestic coach tickets and you can do better if you want to cash in for international business class. In conclusion, you can do a lot better elsewhere, but the airline cards really do come in handy for waving baggage fees. You might pay $90 USD annually but it will be paid off within 2 trips per year. You can also get priority boarding just behind the elite.
Main Event
The really heated competition comes between the card companies that are not tied in with airlines or hotels. Some are at the $95 USD level and some are at the premium level which offers all types of different perks that banks can put together themselves. For example, lounge access, wiping out travel fees, or even bonuses for booking through their own booking service.
Travel Cult?
There is almost a cult-like following for these cards even with annual fees of up to 500 per year, but you get credits that will even out to where you are only paying maybe 100 to 150 per year and still reek the benefits.
Did you say benefits?
You have access to showers, free food and spirits, and a private lounge before and after each flight. It really depends if you are going to use the lounge area to make these cards worth it.
Bonus Travel Rewards
Venture® Rewards from Capital One®
Purchase Rate
17.24% – 24.49% variable APR
No Foreign Transaction Fees
You won’t pay a transaction fee when making purchases outside of the United States.
Travel Your Way
Use your Venture miles on flights, hotels and more—you can even transfer miles to any of our 15+ travel loyalty programs.
Global Entry or TSA Pre® Credit
Receive up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre® when you use your Venture card.2
on Capital One’s website
Bonus Travel Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
| Earn 60,000 bonus points |
| Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.* That’s $750 in travel rewards when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. This product is available to you if you do not have any Sapphire card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months. |
| Earn 2X points on travel and dining |
| Earn 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants.* 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.* |
| Points are worth 25% more in travel redemption |
| Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.* |
| $95 annual fee† |
Bonus Travel Rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
50,000 bonus points
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.* Same page link to Offer Details
That’s $750 toward airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
This product is available to you if you do not have any Sapphire card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months.
$300 Annual Travel Credit
Automatically receive up to $300 in statement credits as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.* Same page link to Offer Details
3X Points on travel and dining worldwide
3X Points on Travel Worldwide, immediately after earning your $300 annual travel credit.* Same page link to Offer Details
3X Points on Dining at Restaurants Worldwide.* Same page link to Offer Details
Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.* Same page link to Offer Details
50% more in travel redemption
Get 50% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 50,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.* Same page link to Offer Details
Explore Additional Travel Benefits
Your points take you further opens overlay No foreign transaction fees† Refer to Pricing and Terms opens overlay Premium travel benefits opens overlay Travel & purchase coverage opens overlay Partner benefits opens overlay
Pricing & Terms
Offer Details Opens
on Chase’s website