Best Credit Cards for TSA PreCheck & Global Entry of August 2026

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is hard to beat if you just want a simple, flexible travel card. For a comparatively modest annual fee (see rates and fees), you get a strong rewards rate on all purchases: 2 miles per dollar, rising to 5 miles per dollar for certain bookings through Capital One's travel portal. You also get perks like a credit toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. But it's the straightforward redemption process that has made this card so popular — and which has been the cornerstone of this card's marketing for more than a decade. Miles can be redeemed for 1 cent apiece for credit on your statement against travel purchases, allowing you to book travel however you want and then redeem your miles to pay for it, without the restrictions of airline or hotel loyalty programs. (Other issuers have copied this model, but give Capital One credit for popularizing it.) You can also use miles to book travel directly for travel through Capital One (also at 1 cent per mile) or transfer them to one of the issuer's partners. Be advised, however, that the only domestic airline among those partners is JetBlue, as the biggest U.S. airlines have been locked up by other card issuers. And if you want to use your miles for credit against non-travel expenses (as cash back, essentially), they're worth only half as much. Read our review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

While premium travel credit cards race toward annual fees of $1,000, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card remains an outstanding choice if you’re looking for solid, flexible benefits at a reasonable cost. Although it lacks some of the perks you’d enjoy with higher-end cards, such as airport lounge access, you still get a lot for the money. So much value, in fact, that it has been the NerdWallet Best-Of Award winner for best all-purpose travel card from 2023 to 2026. There’s a generous sign-up bonus, plus elevated rewards for travel (especially travel booked through Chase), dining, streaming services, online grocery purchases, vacation rentals, gas and electric vehicle charging. The card also offers an annual credit toward hotels booked through Chase, as well as a credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, plus primary rental car coverage. Points are potentially worth more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. The partner list is especially strong and includes big brands like United, Southwest, JetBlue, Marriott, Hyatt and IHG. But note that all those redemption options can make this a more complicated card to manage. Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card may be attractive to anyone committed to Citi's ThankYou® points ecosystem, as it earns outstanding rewards rates on travel booked through the issuer. But it's especially valuable for frequent American Airlines flyers. First, the points you earn can be transferred to American, as well as to other airline and hotel partners. Second, you get four day passes each year for American's airport lounges, the Admirals Club. And there's a $200 "Splurge Credit" each year that you can use at select merchants, including American Airlines. Cardholders also get a $300 statement credit on hotels booked through Citi, a statement credit to cover the cost of TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, and access to Priority Pass lounges. Add up just those benefits, and you've more than made up the $595 annual fee. If you're not flying American, though, it'll take more effort to cover the cost. And the level of effort required is one of the drawbacks of the card. For example, the non-airline "Splurge" merchants might not be of much use to you. And while you can earn 6X points on dining ... that rate is available only on certain days at certain times. That kind of thing. Read our review of the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card.

For its high annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® packs a lot of potential value — a big sign-up bonus, elevated rewards on travel and dining purchases, and travel perks such as airport lounge access and a credit toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Points are potentially worth more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel programs, with a strong roster of partners that includes big domestic airlines and hotel credits. The flexible annual travel credit will easily take a big bite out of the annual fee, but chipping away at the rest of the cost involves a laundry list of credits toward purchases with specific merchants. If these were purchases you were going to make anyway, then they elevate the card's utility and value. If not, you may find it difficult to get enough out of the card to justify the big fee. Ultimately, frequent travelers who can use at least some of the credits stand to get the most out of this card. If you don't travel all that much, it will be hard to justify the fee. Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

The American Express Platinum Card® isn't for everyone. The annual fee is among the highest on any card, and a significant chunk of the card's value lies in an array of travel, lifestyle, entertainment and shopping credits that might appeal to hardcore maximizers but can just look like work to those who are more laid-back. But "not for everyone" doesn't mean "not for anyone." Frequent travelers who enjoy VIP treatment and don't mind putting in some effort can easily make back the $895 annual fee. You can travel in style with extensive lounge access, a yearly airline credit that covers things like checked bag fees and upgraded seats, and credits toward prepaid bookings at select hotels. Plus, the card's statement credits for CLEAR+ and either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry can smooth your way through airport security. On top of its extensive travel benefits, cardholders also get benefits with Resy restaurants, Uber, Equinox, Lululemon, the Oura Ring and more. Note, though, that while the perks are extensive, the rewards are more limited. Some travel earns 5 points per dollar spent, everything else only earns 1 point per dollar. Enrollment required for many benefits; terms apply. Read our review of the American Express Platinum Card®.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is easily a top contender for best travel rewards card with no annual fee. It’s particularly suited for travelers who want a cheap, uncomplicated yet lucrative option. The card is a rarity because it costs $0 to carry but offers reimbursement for the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry — a perk that’s typically offered only on travel cards with annual fees of $95 and up. Quadruple points on travel and on purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations make it an even more competitive option. But because there’s a combined quarterly cap for those rewards categories, the card it's not ideal for bigger travel spenders. Additionally, the card doesn’t have travel partners you can transfer your points to, which further differentiates it from annual fee cards (this time, not in a good way). To that end, it’s best suited for casual travelers. Read our review of the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card.

The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is a solid travel card that makes the jump to superior if you are a member of the issuer's wider relationship rewards program, which unlocks higher earning rates. The card earns 2 points per dollar on travel and dining, and its 1.5X rate on all other purchases is 50% higher than what you get for non-bonus spending on most other cards. BofA Rewards members can earn up to 75% rewards accelerator, giving them up to 3.5X on travel and dining and 2.625X on other purchases. If you're not a member of BofA Rewards, however, the math changes. Multiple other cards have a base rewards rate of 2% (or 2X) on all purchases, regardless of category. That extra 0.5X on all non-travel/dining spending could tilt the equation toward a different card. Or it might not. Bank of America® has a broad definition of 2X-eligible “travel” that includes not just flights, hotels and rental cars, but also parking lots and garages, amusement parks, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos and more. Plus, the $100 annual credit for airline incidentals more than offsets the card’s annual fee, making this a low-cost option for frequent travelers. Read our review of the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card.