Whether or not you journey regularly or are planning your first trip in a very long time, you’ll be able to probably profit from having a number of journey bank cards.
These playing cards show you how to earn priceless rewards you can redeem to make your journey cheaper and extra comfortable. Some journey bank cards additionally supply advantages and credit that may lower your expenses and make your journey expertise higher with issues like airport lounge entry, expedited safety screenings and extra.
One other bonus? Most journey bank cards do not cost international transaction charges, that means you are not incurring an additional as much as 3% charge for making purchases overseas.
The Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card was one of many very first journey bank cards I utilized for. Though I nonetheless have my Enterprise card, I’ve additionally added many different journey rewards playing cards — a few of which I talk about under — to my pockets attributable to their various advantages and rewards.
Rewards I’ve earned from journey bank cards have let me get pleasure from premium cabin flights and luxurious resorts for a fraction of the associated fee I might have paid with out these factors and miles. Factors and miles additionally let me journey regularly whereas staying inside my finances. Briefly, journey bank cards might be the important thing to touring extra and/or higher.
The perfect journey bank cards
Evaluating the perfect journey bank cards
This is a fast view of our picks for the perfect journey bank cards.
| Card | Finest for | Welcome supply | Incomes charges | Annual charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card | Vacationers | Earn 100,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card | Incomes miles on on a regular basis spending | Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of in your first cardholder 12 months. |
|
$95 |
| The Platinum Card from American Specific | Journey perks for customers | Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. |
|
$695 (see charges and costs) |
| Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card | Simplicity | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$395 |
| The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific | Journey perks for enterprise house owners | Earn 150,000 factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. Plus, earn a $500 assertion credit score after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked instantly with the airways or by means of American Specific Journey within the first three months of card membership. You possibly can earn one among each of those gives. Supply ends June 30. |
Purchases eligible for a number of further level bonuses will solely obtain the very best eligible bonus. Phrases apply. |
$695 (see charges and costs) |
| Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card | Enterprise house owners who journey | Earn 90,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card | Delta Sky Membership entry | Earn 70,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. |
|
$650 (see charges and costs) |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card | Advantages when flying Delta | Earn 50,000 miles after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. |
|
$0 introductory annual charge for the primary 12 months, then $150 (see charges and costs) |
| American Specific Gold Card | Eating places and U.S. supermarkets | Earn 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. |
|
$325 (see charges and costs) |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card | No annual charge | Earn 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening. |
|
$0 |
Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card
Welcome supply: Earn 100,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card is the cardboard I like to recommend most when talking with vacationers with good to wonderful credit score who’re on the lookout for a brand new journey bank card. The cardboard would not supply advantages like lounge entry or elite standing, but it surely gives bonus factors on spending in standard classes like eating, journey and on-line groceries.
Plus, it gives wonderful journey protections, together with journey delay reimbursement and first auto rental protection. After my sister-in-law paid for collision insurance coverage on a number of automotive leases — totaling greater than the Sapphire Most well-liked’s annual charge — my husband and I insisted she apply for the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked and use it when renting vehicles as a substitute of paying for the rental firm’s collision insurance coverage.
However my favourite perk is the flexibleness you will get when redeeming Chase Final Rewards factors. I typically joke that my Final Rewards factors are merely ready to turn out to be World of Hyatt factors since I really like transferring Chase factors to Hyatt. You may get nice worth when reserving award nights by means of World of Hyatt because the program nonetheless makes use of an award chart and Class 1 Hyatt resorts begin at simply 3,500 factors per evening.
However Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card members may also switch factors to different companions or redeem factors towards journey booked by means of Chase Journey at a price of 1.25 cents every.
To study extra, learn our Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card evaluation.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of in your first cardholder 12 months.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: The first advantage of the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card is its simplicity for incomes and redeeming. You will earn not less than 2 Capital One miles per greenback spent on purchases and might simply redeem miles for assertion credit to offset latest journey purchases.
Nevertheless, I desire to switch Capital One miles to Capital One switch companions after I’m able to e-book an award flight or resort. For instance, I transferred rewards to Avianca LifeMiles to e-book Lufthansa first-class from Frankfurt to Mexico Metropolis final 12 months. Moreover, I am utilizing Alternative factors — which I may have earned through transferring Capital One miles to Alternative Privileges if I did not have already got sufficient in my account — to remain in Helsinki this April.
To study extra, try our Capital One Enterprise card evaluation and our information on maximizing Capital One miles.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
The Platinum Card from American Specific
Welcome supply: Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership.
Annual charge: $695.
Standout advantages: The Amex Platinum is the last word client journey card. It gives broad lounge entry by means of its world lounge assortment, together with Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Golf equipment (as much as 10 visits each Feb. 1 to Jan. 31). This lounge entry — plus the cardboard’s many assertion credit — supplies sufficient worth for my husband to maintain this card in his pockets regardless of its hefty annual charge.
He will get as much as $200 again in assertion credit every year on pay as you go American Specific High-quality Inns + Resorts or The Resort Assortment bookings by means of American Specific Journey (The Resort Assortment requires a minimal two evening keep). We have used this credit score every year for stays at resorts a bit nicer than we usually frequent, corresponding to The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and The Naka Island, a Luxurious Assortment Resort & Spa, Phuket in Thailand. We use our month-to-month as much as $20 digital leisure assertion credit score for Disney+, our as much as $50 biannual Saks assertion credit score for polo shirts and our month-to-month Uber Money for rides or eats within the U.S. (as much as $15 every month and a bonus $20 in December; your Amex Plat should be added to your Uber account and you may redeem with any Amex card).
However actually, we hold the cardboard to get him Centurion Lounge entry, as we benefit from the meals, drinks and workspace at these lounges.
Enrollment required for choose advantages.
Try our Amex Platinum Card evaluation to study extra.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Specific
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $395.
Standout advantages: As a Capital One Enterprise X cardmember, I obtain $300 in credit towards bookings made by means of Capital One Journey every account anniversary 12 months. I often use these credit when reserving flights by means of Capital One Journey, particularly because the website’s worth match and worth drop safety options have come in useful on a number of bookings.
I additionally get 10,000 bonus miles yearly, beginning on my first account anniversary. The Capital One Journey credit and bonus miles present me with extra worth every year than the cardboard’s $395 annual charge, so it is simple for me to justify paying the annual charge every time it posts to my account.
The Enterprise X gives a number of different perks I get pleasure from. For instance, I really like incomes not less than 2 miles per greenback spent on purchases, which makes the cardboard my default on a regular basis spending card. I additionally recognize how the food and drinks high quality within the Capital One Lounge at Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW) has remained at a excessive stage even because the lounge has turn out to be extra crowded.
To study extra, learn our Capital One Enterprise X card evaluation.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific
Welcome supply: Earn 150,000 factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. Plus, earn a $500 assertion credit score after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked instantly with the airways or by means of American Specific Journey within the first three months of card membership. You possibly can earn one among each of those gives. Supply ends June 30.
Annual charge: $695.
Standout advantages: Despite the fact that my husband has the Amex Platinum, I utilized for The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific in 2019. I’ve saved the cardboard ever since for its assertion credit and lounge entry. The lounge entry advantage of this card grew to become extra essential when Amex modified its Centurion Lounge visitor coverage in 2023, as since then, my husband and I’ve every used our personal Platinum Playing cards to get into the lounge.
As for assertion credit (a lot of which require enrollment), I’ve loved the brand new as much as $50 per quarter assertion credit score for eligible purchases made with Hilton properties utilizing my card. I used my credit score within the first quarter of 2025 for a keep on the Hampton by Hilton Munich Metropolis Heart East and can use it within the second quarter on the Hilton Tallinn Park in Estonia. I joined the Hilton for Enterprise program to get entry to the $50 per quarter assertion credit and have since discovered this system gives some compelling charges.
I do not use all of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card’s advantages. For instance, I have already got larger tiers of Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors standing than the Gold standing offered as a perk of my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card. Sadly, my cell service supplier (Google Fi) is not eligible for the as much as $10 monthly in U.S. wi-fi phone assertion credit supplied by the Amex Enterprise Platinum, and my enterprise would not use Adobe or Certainly (two different firms for which cardmembers can get pleasure from assertion credit; as much as $150 yearly with Adobe and as much as $90 quarterly with Certainly).
I additionally not often put spending on my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card. Besides, the cardboard’s efficient annual charge is price paying for the lounge entry I obtain since I exploit the as much as $200 airline charge assertion credit score every calendar 12 months for incidental charges with one airline (I select American Airways), the as much as $50 per quarter Hilton Honors assertion credit and the as much as $199 every calendar 12 months Clear Plus assertion credit score.
To study extra, learn our Amex Enterprise Platinum Card evaluation.
Apply right here: The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific
Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card
Welcome supply: Earn 90,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening.
Annual charge: $95.
Standout advantages: The Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card would not have flashy journey perks, but it surely gives 3 factors per greenback spent on the primary $150,000 spent in mixed purchases in choose classes every account anniversary 12 months. Journey is one among these classes, making the Ink Enterprise Most well-liked my go-to journey bank card.
Whereas many different journey bank cards supply bonus earnings on flights, resorts or when reserving by means of their journey portal, the journey class on the Ink Enterprise Most well-liked is broad. So, I can earn 3 factors per greenback on wide-ranging journey bills, together with resorts, automotive leases, journey companies, toll roads, trains and buses.
Plus, I often get nice worth when redeeming Chase Final Rewards factors. World of Hyatt is my most-used Final Rewards switch associate, however my husband and I not too long ago transferred Final Rewards to United Airways to e-book a last-minute Aegean Airways flight from Athens, Greece, to Tirana, Albania, for simply 6,000 miles and $33 every.
To study extra, see our Ink Enterprise Most well-liked card evaluation.
Apply right here: Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
Welcome supply: Earn 70,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership.
Annual charge: $650.
Standout advantages: I’ve by no means significantly thought of making use of for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card, but when I have been a frequent Delta flyer striving for a selected Delta Medallion standing tier, it will actually be in my pockets.
Delta Reserve cardmembers get 2,500 Medallion Qualification {Dollars} every Medallion qualification 12 months. Plus, cardmembers earn 1 MQD per $10 of purchases made with their Delta Reserve card in a calendar 12 months. These two perks make it simpler to earn and preserve Delta Medallion standing.
Cardmembers additionally get pleasure from 15 complimentary visits every Medallion 12 months to the Delta Sky Membership when flying Delta and may also unlock limitless Delta Sky Membership entry by means of the tip of the subsequent Medallion 12 months after spending $75,000 on purchases with the Delta Reserve card throughout a calendar 12 months. Plus, Delta Reserve cardmembers get 4 one-time visitor passes every Medallion 12 months.
Assertion credit just like the as much as $240 Resy credit score (for purchases at U.S. Resy-affiliated eating places or different Resy purchases), the as much as $120 ride-hailing credit score (on U.S. ride-hailing purchases) and the as much as $200 Delta Stays credit score may also present worth. Enrollment required for choose advantages.
The cardboard gives many extra perks, so try our Delta Reserve Amex Card evaluation to see if it is best for you.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card
Welcome supply: Earn 50,000 miles after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership.
Annual charge: $0 introductory annual charge for the primary 12 months, then $150.
Standout advantages: If you’re paying checked bag charges or stressing about discovering overhead bin house when flying Delta, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card might help. It gives Zone 5 precedence boarding and a primary bag free on Delta flights for you and as much as eight different vacationers in your reservation.
The cardboard additionally gives numerous different advantages that present worth. For instance, the TakeOff15 profit means you may mechanically pay 15% fewer miles when redeeming for journey on Delta-operated flights. Plus, the cardboard gives a $100 Delta Stays credit score that offers you as much as $100 again per 12 months as a press release credit score after you utilize your Delta Gold Amex to e-book pay as you go resorts or trip leases by means of Delta Stays. In 2024, I used the Delta Stays credit score from one other Delta bank card for a $148 in a single day keep in Male, Maldives, earlier than heading to a personal island resort.
If you happen to totally use the Delta Stays credit score every year, the annual charge on the Delta Gold Amex could also be price paying even in the event you solely use a number of of its different advantages sometimes. See our Delta Gold Amex Card evaluation for extra particulars.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card
American Specific Gold Card
Welcome supply: Earn 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership.
Annual charge: $325.
Standout advantages: The American Specific Gold Card is standard with many customers because of its food-focused advantages and incomes charges.
On the incomes aspect, Amex Gold Card members earn 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback). These incomes charges are troublesome to beat, particularly contemplating the caps on incomes are comparatively excessive for many customers’ spending patterns.
On the advantages aspect, Amex Gold Card members can get pleasure from as much as $10 in Uber Money for U.S. purchases every month (Amex Gold should be added to your Uber account and you may redeem with any Amex card), as much as $7 in Dunkin’ assertion credit score every month (at U.S. Dunkin’ places), as much as $10 in assertion credit score every month for purchases with Grubhub, The Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, Goldbelly, Wine.com or 5 Guys, and as much as $100 in assertion credit for U.S. Resy-affiliated and different eligible Resy purchases every calendar 12 months.
I haven’t got the Amex Gold since I spend important time exterior the U.S. Though the Amex Gold might be helpful for vacationers, it turns into much less helpful in the event you spend a lot time overseas you can’t get good worth from the month-to-month assertion credit (most of which you’ll be able to solely use inside the U.S.).
Enrollment required for choose advantages.
Nevertheless, the cardboard is standard for a cause, so learn our Amex Gold Card evaluation for extra particulars.
Apply right here: American Specific Gold Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome supply: Earn 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge: $0.
Standout advantages: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card helps you to earn transferable rewards with out paying an annual charge. You will earn not less than 1.25 miles per greenback spent on each buy, which is spectacular contemplating the cardboard would not carry an annual charge.
The cardboard gives a 0% introductory annual share price for 15 months on purchases and steadiness transfers, with a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR afterward. If you happen to use this supply, be certain you can repay your steadiness in full by the tip of the introductory APR interval. In spite of everything, the rewards you may earn with this card will not be worthwhile in the event you pay curiosity and costs.
You possibly can redeem miles you earn together with your VentureOne card to cowl latest journey purchases at a price of 1 cent per mile. Nevertheless, you may probably get extra worth while you redeem miles by transferring them to pick airline and resort loyalty packages.
To study extra, see our Capital One VentureOne card evaluation.
Study extra: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card
What to think about when selecting a journey bank card
There’s rather a lot to think about when choosing a brand new journey bank card. Listed below are a number of of the highest points to think about.
Most well-liked rewards
Maybe crucial side to think about when selecting a journey bank card is the rewards you may earn. Most journey bank cards earn resort factors, airline miles or transferable rewards.
Whereas one of the simplest ways to redeem resort factors and airline miles is often with a selected program — for instance, one of the simplest ways to redeem Delta miles is for award flights booked by means of the Delta SkyMiles program — transferable rewards provide you with extra flexibility. You possibly can often redeem versatile rewards at a hard and fast price for assertion credit or journey reserving, however you can too switch your rewards to pick resort and airline loyalty packages.
This capacity to switch rewards corresponding to Amex Membership Rewards factors, Capital One miles and Chase Final Rewards factors to different packages — typically at a 1:1 ratio — lets me keep away from devaluation in a selected program by ready till I need to e-book a selected award flight or evening earlier than I switch my factors or miles.
Advantages
One other essential side to think about when selecting a journey card is its advantages. For instance, I renew my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card every year not for the rewards I earn when making purchases with it however for the advantages it supplies. Specifically, I get loads of worth from the lounge entry I get pleasure from as a advantage of my numerous journey playing cards.
Advantages might be notably compelling with resort bank cards, a lot of which supply elite standing and a free evening certificates every year while you renew. In lots of circumstances, the free evening certificates can supply extra worth than the cardboard’s annual charge. Likewise, airline bank cards often supply perks like a complimentary checked bag, earlier boarding and an elite standing enhance.
Welcome bonus
If you are going to apply for a brand new journey bank card, it is price contemplating the welcome bonus. You may select a card primarily based on the at present out there welcome bonuses. Or, you may wait to use for a card when it is providing an elevated limited-time supply. You may additionally test CardMatch to see whether or not you are at present focused for particular gives.
Associated: The perfect bank card welcome bonuses
Spending habits
Take into account how effectively a journey bank card’s bonus classes match your spending habits. Particularly, contemplate what sorts of purchases you would be placing on the cardboard in the event you have been to use. Additionally contemplate whether or not you’d be capable to spend sufficient on the cardboard inside the first few months after you signal as much as meet the minimal spending necessities for the welcome bonus.
Annual charge
Lastly, you may probably additionally need to contemplate the annual charge when selecting a journey bank card. Particularly, contemplate whether or not the earnings and advantages you may get will present extra worth than the price of the annual charge. If you happen to do not imagine you may get sufficient worth from the advantages and earnings, then the cardboard probably is not a great match for you.
How we selected the perfect journey bank cards
TPG selected the perfect journey bank cards primarily based on a number of elements, together with incomes charges, advantages, welcome bonuses and the general worth we count on a client can acquire by having and utilizing the cardboard.
Try our evaluation methodology to study extra about how TPG selected playing cards to spotlight on this article and related articles.
Redemption choices for journey bank cards
Your redemption choices will rely in your particular journey bank card, however you need to often redeem resort factors for resort stays and airline miles for award flights.
Transferable rewards like Chase Final Rewards factors have extra redemption choices. I extremely advocate researching and understanding the other ways to redeem — and calculating the cents per level you’d get through every redemption methodology — earlier than redeeming any rewards. However know that, usually, you may need to redeem transferable rewards by transferring them to airline or resort companions. Check out TPG’s month-to-month valuations and intention to get not less than our valuation in worth when redeeming.
My go-to switch associate for Chase Final Rewards is World of Hyatt. I’ve transferred Chase factors to Hyatt to e-book aspiration stays at Miraval Austin, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives and Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa.
However I’ve gotten excessive redemption charges even when redeeming Hyatt factors for lower-category stays. For instance, I booked 5 off-peak nights on the Class 1 Story Resort Signalfabriken in Sweden, which price $1,012 or 17,500 factors, giving me a redemption price of 5.78 cents per level. I additionally booked 5 peak nights on the Class 1 Hyatt Regency Cape City, which price $2,086 or 32,500 factors, giving me a redemption price of 6.42 cents per level.
Briefly, transferable factors can allow you to journey higher and/or with extra consolation with out paying more cash.
Backside line
Journey bank cards have let me unlock elite standing, perks and award redemptions that in any other case would not be doable. Take into account what perks or rewards foreign money you need when deciding which journey bank card to use for. You’ll want to contemplate all of your redemption choices earlier than you redeem, preserving TPG’s valuations in thoughts to evaluate whether or not you are getting good worth out of your redemption.
Associated: Why transferable factors and miles are price greater than different rewards
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Delta Reserve Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Delta Gold Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold Card, click on right here.