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Nerd-reviewed travel cards for
every type of traveler
every type of traveler
whether you’re splurging on a dream vacation or taking a weekend away.
We’ve picked out cards to suit any travel style.
POPULAR PICK
Jump right in with a popular pick
This is a travelers’ favorite for maxing rewards, since points are worth more when used to book through Chase..
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-5x
Points
Intro offer
100,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
690-850
(Good - Excellent)
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 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, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Complicated rewards
The go-to card for travelers: Travelers love the bonus points for travel, dining and some other purchases. The extra value when booking through Chase means your points can go further than cards with bigger bonuses.
HOW TO CHOOSE A TRAVEL CARD
What to look for in a travel card
If you know what to look for, you can easily find a travel credit card that suits your lifestyle.
Bonus offers
Many cards offer extra points if you spend a certain amount. A good sign-up bonus could translate into a free round-trip flight.
Reward rates
Look for at least 2% rewards on a card with an annual fee and 1.5% on a no-fee card.
Accepted internationally
If you travel overseas, look for a card that’s accepted widely and has no foreign transaction fees.
🤓 NERDY TIP
To get the most out of your intro offer, apply for a card at least five months before booking your trip so you have time to earn and receive the sign-up bonus.
NERD-APPROVED CARDS
Compare Nerd-approved cards to find the right one for you
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
2x-5x
Miles
Intro offer
75,000 Miles + $250 Travel Credit
Miles
Recommended Credit Score
690-850
(Good - Excellent)
- Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- 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 won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Flexible rewards redemption
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
Easy and effortless big rewards: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a big sign-up bonus, high rewards, and flexible redemption options. This ease and flexibility make it well worth the annual fee.
Annual fee
$395
Rewards rate
2x-10x
Miles
Intro offer
75,000
Miles
Recommended Credit Score
720-850
(Excellent)
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Pros
- High rewards rate
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Lounge membership
- Anniversary perk
- Flexible rewards redemption
Cons
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
Bigger rewards for bigger spenders: If you spend enough per month to offset the annual fee, the 10x mile earning potential could make the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card the choice for you.
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5x-3x
Points
Intro offer
25,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
690-850
(Good - Excellent)
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases. You could earn 3.75-5.25 points for every $1 you spend on travel purchases made through the Bank of America Travel Center.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Pros
- No annual fee
- New cardholder bonus offer
- No foreign transaction fees
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Intro APR period
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- No bonus categories
- Best rewards limited to certain customers
A no-fee option for frequent travelers: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card is a great option for frequent travelers who want flexible rewards but don’t want to pay an annual fee.
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5x
Miles
Intro offer
Discover Match®
Miles
Recommended Credit Score
690-850
(Good - Excellent)
- UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles.
- Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
- No annual fee
- Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% - 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.
- Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- Flexible rewards redemption
Cons
- Requires good/excellent credit
- No luxury perks
- Lower acceptance abroad
A travel card for occasional travelers: If you only travel occasionally and want to save on a hefty annual fee, the Discover it® Miles card is a solid choice.
FAQS
Travel credit card basics
Travel credit cards work like most rewards credit cards. When you use them, you earn reward currency at different rates that can be turned into rewards.
There are several kinds of travel credit cards: general travel cards offer points or miles at different rates that you can exchange for a variety of travel benefits. Airline and hotel cards are attached to loyalty programs that offer free flights, hotel stays, and upgrades. Flat-fee cards are general travel cards that have a set rewards rate for every type of spending. Premium cards charge an annual fee in exchange for better perks and higher reward rates.
Earn points or miles and redeem them for rewards. You can usually redeem rewards for flights, hotel stays, vacation packages, and more depending on your card. Your rewards will either be redeemed through a rewards shopping portal or applied to your purchases through a loyalty program.
Some of the most popular travel credit cards offer added benefits, like travel insurance, airport lounge access, baggage insurance, travel credits, TSA Precheck/Global Entry fee credits, and no foreign transaction fees.