Are Travel Credit Cards Worth It?

If you know how to maximize their value, the right travel credit cards can help cut costs on future trips.

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Updated · 2 min read
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Written by Anya Kartashova
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Edited by June Casagrande
Fact Checked

Travel credit cards can be one of the best ways to lower the cost of travel, whether you're taking a trip to visit family in another state or boarding a plane for a luxurious vacation overseas. Regardless if you collect airline miles, hotel points or flexible issuer-specific currency, they all perform the same function of making your future trip more affordable.

However, many travel rewards credit cards come with annual fees, ranging from a sensible $95 to a staggering $695 per year. Not only that, but travel rewards take time to understand, and you might be left wondering "Are travel credit cards worth it?"

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What is a travel credit card?

Travel credit cards come in many variations, but the main three categories include:

  • Co-branded airline credit cards.

  • Co-branded hotel credit cards.

  • Financial institution rewards cards.

Airline credit cards

Airline credit cards include options like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and the United℠ Explorer Card. These cards, and other airline-related options, earn miles in the respective airline’s loyalty program, which you can redeem for a flight when you have enough piled up. Terms apply.

Hotel credit cards

Hotel credit cards, such as the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, perform a similar function and award you with hotel points redeemable for free nights. Terms apply.

General travel cards

You might also have heard about general travel rewards cards, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. These cards earn flexible points that can be transferred to an array of travel partners, including airlines and hotels, redeemed for travel via a respective issuer's travel portal, or even used as cash back for statement credits. Terms apply.

No matter which travel rewards card you pick, learning how these rewards work will help you maximize their full potential.

Are travel cards worth an annual fee?

Although a downside, many travel rewards cards come with annual membership fees. Some are reasonable and cost $95 to renew every year. Others charge as much as $695 per year, as The Platinum Card® from American Express does (it could still be worth it for the right traveler, though). Terms apply.

The upside of travel rewards cards is they often come with benefits, statement credits and travel protections, which can offset the annual fees.

For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a $550 annual fee. To a casual traveler, the price tag can seem steep. However, the card comes with an easy-to-use annual $300 credit good toward travel purchases. It also comes with up to $60 in DoorDash statement credits (through December 2024), complimentary Priority Pass Select membership and a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit every four years, as well as trip delay insurance, baggage delay reimbursement, auto collision damage waiver on rental cars and roadside assistance.

These perks alone can offset the amount to hold the card every year, plus you get to earn points toward travel by making everyday purchases with the card. To help you get there faster, Chase Sapphire Reserve® 10x total points on hotel stays and car rentals and 5x total points on air travel purchased through Chase's travel portal.

🤓Nerdy Tip

All you have to do is ensure that the value you get from holding a credit card outweighs your out-of-pocket cost to keep it every year.

The same logic applies to co-branded airline and hotel credit cards. Ask yourself if you would use a card’s benefits enough to justify paying its membership fee.

  • Do you check bags? If you fly with a carry-on only, a free checked bag benefit is useless to you.

  • Do you get automatic elite status with a hotel chain? Again, it’s worth nothing if your travels take you to non-chain hotels.

Be honest with yourself and keep your expectations realistic when considering a travel rewards card, its cost and the benefits you’d actually use.

Are travel credit cards worth your time?

Although travel rewards cards make it somewhat easy to earn rewards, more often than not, they don’t make it easy to redeem rewards for high value, leaving you to figure that part out on your own.

It’s true that learning how rewards programs work takes time and effort on your part and becoming a pro at maximizing your rewards won’t happen overnight. That’s not to say that it’s difficult to learn the basics.

Read articles on earning and redeeming travel rewards, practice running award searches and become familiar with how credit card points can be used. Here are some resources to get you started:

Soon, you’ll have an understanding of how to get the maximum value from your rewards and how to use them to fund your next vacation.

If you’re wondering whether travel rewards cards are worth it

When used correctly, travel credit cards can be a gold mine for travelers wanting to reduce the cost of trips or travel more often. Make sure to use all the card’s benefits to offset the fees, avoid paying interest and learn how the rewards programs associated with your card work to get the most out of your travel rewards credit card.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024:

Travel Cards from Our Partners

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-5x

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000 Points + $300 Travel Credit

Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Freedom Unlimited®
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1.5%-5%

Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Cashback

Intro offer

Up to $300

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

2x-5x

Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

Miles

Intro offer

75,000

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Miles
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