Budget travelers, here's a way to stretch your dollars even further: Get a credit card that rewards you for Airbnb stays. There are plenty of good options. Payment networks (such as Visa and Mastercard) classify purchases made through the home-sharing platform in the same way as hotels, Airbnb says. That means that many general travel credit cards will help you earn extra rewards on Airbnb stays — which can be much more affordable than traditional hotel stays — while also giving you the option of redeeming those rewards for more Airbnb purchases.
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for High rate on all purchases + flexible redemption
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for 3X on travel + annual credit and other perks
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for Big bonus + flexible points
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: Best for 3X points + no annual fee
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card: Best for Simple rewards + no annual fee
Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for 5% cash back for shorter stays
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for Simple cash back on all purchases
Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
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Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Before applying, confirm details on issuer's website.
Our pick for: High rate on all purchases + flexible redemption
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the best-known general-purpose travel credit card, thanks to its ubiquitous advertising. You earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus and other worthwhile perks (see rates and fees). Read our review.
Our pick for: 3X on travel + annual credit and other perks
The high annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives many potential applicants pause, but frequent travelers should be able to wring enough value out of this card to more than make up for the cost. Cardholders get bonus rewards (up to 10X) on dining and travel, a fat bonus offer, annual travel credits, airport lounge access, and a 50% boost in point value when redeeming points for travel booked through Chase. Points can also be transferred to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Read our review.
Our pick for: Big bonus + flexible points
For a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns bonus rewards (up to 5X) on travel, dining, select streaming services, and select online grocery purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. The sign-up bonus is stellar, too. Read our review.
Our pick for: 3X points + no annual fee
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.
Our pick for: Simple rewards + no annual fee
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.
Our pick for 5% cash back for shorter stays
The Citi Custom Cash® Card offers a lot of value for a $0 annual fee: 5% back automatically in your eligible top spending category on up to $500 spent per billing cycle (1% back on other spending). The list of eligible 5% categories is varied and includes biggies like restaurants, grocery stores and more. And unlike with its competitors, there's no activation schedule or bonus calendar to keep track of. Read our review.
Our pick for: Simple cash back on all purchases
Among flat-rate cash-back cards, you'll be hard-pressed to beat the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It earns an unlimited 2% back on all purchases, which is excellent. But in addition, the card offers a rich sign-up bonus and a generous 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers. That's an impressive, hard-to-find combination of features on a card with a $0 annual fee. Read our review.
Last updated on December 6, 2023
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.