Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards of December 2025
Updated: Dec 5, 2025
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No-annual-fee travel credit cards offer rewards for no yearly cost of card ownership. This can be appealing to frugal or infrequent travelers. Keep in mind, however, that these cards lack the richer rewards and perks of cards that do charge annual fees. For some travelers, paying an annual fee is worth it thanks to incentives like travel credits, bonus rewards, airport lounge access, free checked bags, priority boarding, hotel status and more.
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NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards.
Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today,
The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America"
and many other national, regional and local media outlets.
Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
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No-annual-fee travel credit cards offer rewards for no yearly cost of card ownership. This can be appealing to frugal or infrequent travelers. Keep in mind, however, that these cards lack the richer rewards and perks of cards that do charge annual fees. For some travelers, paying an annual fee is worth it thanks to incentives like travel credits, bonus rewards, airport lounge access, free checked bags, priority boarding, hotel status and more.
Why trust NerdWallet
400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
No-annual-fee travel credit cards offer rewards for no yearly cost of card ownership. This can be appealing to frugal or infrequent travelers. Keep in mind, however, that these cards lack the richer rewards and perks of cards that do charge annual fees. For some travelers, paying an annual fee is worth it thanks to incentives like travel credits, bonus rewards, airport lounge access, free checked bags, priority boarding, hotel status and more.
Why trust NerdWallet
400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
No-annual-fee travel credit cards offer rewards for no yearly cost of card ownership. This can be appealing to frugal or infrequent travelers. Keep in mind, however, that these cards lack the richer rewards and perks of cards that do charge annual fees. For some travelers, paying an annual fee is worth it thanks to incentives like travel credits, bonus rewards, airport lounge access, free checked bags, priority boarding, hotel status and more.
Why trust NerdWallet
400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Why trust NerdWallet
400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
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NerdWallet's Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards of December 2025
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card: Best for All-around rewards
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card: Best for Flat-rate rewards
Discover it® Miles: Best for Simple rewards + matching bonus
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card - Miles Boost: Best for Capital One miles
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®: Best for AAdvantage miles
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Best for Delta miles
United Gateway℠ Card: Best for United miles
JetBlue Card: Best for JetBlue points
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Best for Marriott points
Hilton Honors American Express Card: Best for Hilton points
Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card: Best for Best Western rewards
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Best for IHG points
Choice Privileges® Mastercard®: Best for Choice Hotels points
Citi Strata℠ Card: Best for Customization and flexibility
Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards
| Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
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Full list of editorial picks: Best no-annual-fee travel cards
Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
FOR GENERAL PURPOSE TRAVEL REWARDS
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Our pick for: All-around rewards
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offers so much value, it's hard to believe there's no annual fee. Start with a great bonus offer, then earn extra rewards in a host of common spending categories — restaurants, gas stations, transit, travel, streaming and more. Read our review.
Citi Strata℠ Card
Our pick for: Customization + flexibility
The $0-annual-fee Citi Strata℠ Card can be a rewarding everyday-use choice, with elevated rates on supermarkets, gas stations and other spending. It also features a "self-select" bonus category and access to Citi's travel partners, giving you some optionality. But point values are low for cash back, so it's best for those seeking a travel card without an annual cost. Read our review.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Our pick for: Flat-rate rewards
One of the best no-annual-fee travel cards available, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card gives you a solid rewards rate on every purchase, with points that can be redeemed for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Bank of America® has an expansive definition of "travel," too, giving you additional flexibility in how you use your rewards. Read our review.
Discover it® Miles
Our pick for: Simple rewards + matching bonus
The Discover it® Miles is the rare travel credit card that lets you redeem your rewards for travel or for cash back at the same rate. (Also rare among travel cards is its intro APR period for balance transfers.) You earn unlimited 1.5 miles per dollar spent on purchases, and the miles are generally worth 1 cent apiece — that's a solid rate for a card with no annual fee. As with other Discover cards, this one matches the rewards you earn in your first year. Read our review.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card - Miles Boost
Our pick for: Capital One miles
With the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card - Miles Boost, you don't pay an annual fee, but you also don't get rewards as rich as those on the regular Venture card (see rates and fees). Still, the bonus offer makes this a solid card for starting out with travel rewards. Read our review.
FOR AIRLINE TRAVEL
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
Our pick for: AAdvantage miles
For occasional but loyal American Airlines flyers, the no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is a cost-effective way to earn not only miles but also credit toward elite frequent-flyer status. Read our review.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Our pick for: Delta miles
To unlock the most valuable perks of airline credit cards, you'll have to pay an annual fee. But if you're a leisure traveler just hoping to earn airline miles in the background, it's hard to do better than the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. Read our review.
United Gateway℠ Card
Our pick for: United miles
This entry-level card gives occasional leisure flyers who prefer United Airlines a way to try out an airline credit card for free. Unlike a lot of cards in its class, it won't cost anything to carry, even if you seldom use it. It lacks certain valuable airline-card perks, such as early boarding — although a checked-bag benefit is possible if you spend enough. Read our review.
JetBlue Card
Our pick for: JetBlue points
With the JetBlue Card, you can earn easy rewards on everyday purchases in addition to airfare. And you won’t have to worry about blackout dates once you’re ready to redeem them. Read our review.
FOR HOTEL REWARDS
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Our pick for: Marriott points
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offers bonus rewards not only on purchases at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, but also on other useful spending categories. Plus, you'll earn automatic Silver status and the valuable perks that come with it. Read our review.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Our pick for: Hilton points
The Hilton Honors American Express Card earns bonus rewards on Hilton stays and in common everyday categories. You also get automatic Hilton Honors™ Silver status. Terms apply. Read our review.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Our pick for: IHG points
The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card earns rewards quickly on IHG hotel stays and eligible everyday purchases. Read our review.
Choice Privileges® Mastercard®
Our pick for: Choice Hotels
The Choice Privileges® Mastercard® earns a fairly high rate on stays at Choice Hotels, as well as on major everyday spending categories. It's a solid choice if you're a Choice loyalist, but a general-purpose travel card offers more flexibility. Read our review.
Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card
Our pick for: Wyndham points
The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card rewards you well for Wyndham stays, while also earning bonus points in some popular everyday categories. It offers Gold status and a way to earn a free night each year if you spend enough, all for a $0 annual fee. Read our review.
Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card
Our pick for: Best Western rewards
The Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card offers solid rewards you can redeem for stays and a variety of other options. With automatic Gold status, you also get additional perks. Read our review.
One Key™ Card
Our pick for: Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo
The One Key™ Card offers good value, and even a few solid travel perks, for a $0 annual fee. You'll earn bonus rewards on bookings within the One Key rewards program — which includes Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo — but you can also snag elevated rates on some everyday spending.
Ask our credit card experts
Melissa Lambarena
Melissa LambarenaWHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON PAYING AN ANNUAL FEE?
The annual fee has to be easy to make up with the card’s perks and rewards. It can’t take a lot of brain power or planning for me. As long as I’m not required to jump through hoops and overspend for the card to pay for itself, I’m open to a higher annual fee.
Melissa Lambarena
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Kenley Young
Kenley YoungWHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON PAYING AN ANNUAL FEE?
I think once an annual fee exceeds $95 — which is more or less the mass-market standard on a travel card — you need to be prepared to do some math to ensure you're getting a deal.
Kenley Young
Managing Editor
Craig Joseph
Craig JosephWHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON PAYING AN ANNUAL FEE?
Oftentimes a big sign-up bonus can negate the annual fee for multiple years, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of a card without much out-of-pocket expense.
Craig Joseph
Lead Writer
Sally French
Sally FrenchWHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON PAYING AN ANNUAL FEE?
I pay more than $1,000 in annual fees on credit cards, so my line is, uh, not exactly low. Maybe this is obvious, but if you can't justify the benefits with ease, then don't keep the card open. And the ability to justify those benefits varies by not just person, but the stage of your life. A credit card with automatic elite status and free hotel night certificates might make sense the year you're having your honeymoon, but not the year you're raising infants. The second you start to get anxiety about using the benefits (as opposed to being thankful for all your upgrades and other VIP perks) is the second you should drop that card.
Sally French
Lead Writer/Spokesperson
WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON PAYING AN ANNUAL FEE?
The annual fee has to be easy to make up with the card’s perks and rewards. It can’t take a lot of brain power or planning for me. As long as I’m not required to jump through hoops and overspend for the card to pay for itself, I’m open to a higher annual fee.
Melissa Lambarena
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON PAYING AN ANNUAL FEE?
I think once an annual fee exceeds $95 — which is more or less the mass-market standard on a travel card — you need to be prepared to do some math to ensure you're getting a deal.
Kenley Young
Managing Editor
WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON PAYING AN ANNUAL FEE?
Oftentimes a big sign-up bonus can negate the annual fee for multiple years, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of a card without much out-of-pocket expense.
Craig Joseph
Lead Writer
WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON PAYING AN ANNUAL FEE?
I pay more than $1,000 in annual fees on credit cards, so my line is, uh, not exactly low. Maybe this is obvious, but if you can't justify the benefits with ease, then don't keep the card open. And the ability to justify those benefits varies by not just person, but the stage of your life. A credit card with automatic elite status and free hotel night certificates might make sense the year you're having your honeymoon, but not the year you're raising infants. The second you start to get anxiety about using the benefits (as opposed to being thankful for all your upgrades and other VIP perks) is the second you should drop that card.
Sally French
Lead Writer/Spokesperson
Methodology
NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best credit cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty. A single card is eligible to be chosen as among the "best" in multiple categories. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
