Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards of March 2023

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Whether you’re just dipping a toe into the world of travel credit cards or you’ve already flown thousands of miles on points alone, we can tell you: There’s a travel credit card for everyone. There’s a card if you’re looking for free flights, if you’re hoping for free hotel stays, or if you’re just doing whatever it takes to realize your dream of an overwater bungalow.

Insider evaluated dozens of travel credit cards based on factors like rewards, benefits, fees, and value, as well as consulting top credit card experts to narrow down our list of the best travel credit cards currently available to new applicants.

The Best Travel Credit Cards

Airline and hotel co-branded credit cards can make sense if you travel frequently and are loyal to a particular brand. However, if your main goal is to maximize your rewards earning and have lots of flexibility in using your points, the best credit cards are usually ones that earn transferable points.

Compare the Best Travel Credit Cards

Our Expert Panel for the Best Travel Credit Cards

We consulted top credit card experts as well as a certified financial planner for advice on the top travel credit cards. Their input informed our picks for the best cards, and you can find a full transcript of our interviews with each of them at the bottom of this page.

• Sara Rathner, travel and credit cards expert at NerdWallet
• Luis Rosa, certified financial planner
• Sarah Silbert, senior reviews editor at Personal Finance Insider
• Benét Wilson, senior editor at The Points Guy

Methodology

Personal Finance Insider evaluated dozens of travel rewards credit cards currently available to new applicants and narrowed down the list to the best options based on the following factors:

• Welcome bonus offer— Do new cardholders get a valuable incentive to sign up and meet a minimum spending requirement?
• Ongoing rewards — How many points or miles do you earn on your purchases?
• Benefits — Beyond rewards, does the card offer valuable perks such as statement credits for travel, primary car rental insurance, and airport lounge access?
• Annual fee — Is there an annual fee, and if so, is it affordable or easy to offset with card perks?
• Overall value — Does the card justify its annual fee by offering useful benefits and valuable rewards, and is it worth it?

Read Insider’s guide to how we rate credit cards, and be sure to see our editorial standards page to learn more about how we review personal finance products.

Travel Rewards Credit Card FAQs

Best Overall Travel Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred

While the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card was previously our pick for the best travel rewards card overall, it’s since increased its annual fee from $450 to $550. While it did add some new perks, it’s become harder to recommend the Reserve to more casual travelers. We now recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred card as the best travel rewards credit card for most people. 

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are some of the easiest rewards to use — and not just for travel. You can redeem them for travel directly through Chase and get more than 1 cent per point (you get 1.25 cents with the Preferred and 1.5 cents with the Reserve), and Chase’s selection of transfer partners, including United, Hyatt, Marriott, and more, is great for US-based travelers. Cardholders can also use points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and more. 

The Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, and it earns 5 points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 2 points on all other travel purchases, and 3 points on dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), and select streaming services. It earns 1 point per dollar on everything else.

The card stands out for its travel protections. You’ll enjoy insurance if your flight is delayed, if your baggage is delayed or lost, primary car rental insurance, and more if you book eligible travel and meet the benefit requirements. 

In addition, the card offers a 10% anniversary points bonus and up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel purchases made through the Chase Travel Portal. 

What the experts love: High welcome bonus offer, earns bonus points on travel, dining, and online grocery purchases, you can redeem points for 1.25 cents apiece for travel or through Chase (a 25% bonus)

What the experts don’t love: Doesn’t offer some of the travel perks you’ll get with competing cards, such as airport lounge access and a statement credit for Global Entry

Read more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred:

Best Premium Card for Travel Bonus Categories

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Not everyone wants to pay a $550 annual fee, but if you’re serious about maximizing your rewards and you travel frequently, the Sapphire Reserve could be worth it. It offers a bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. 

Not only do you get up to $300 in statement credits toward travel each year (and Chase has a very generous definition of travel — including everything from airfare to highway tolls), but you also earn 5x total points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding the $300 travel credit) and 3x points on all other travel and dining. You also get airport lounge access through the Priority Pass network, which has more than 1,300 locations worldwide.

New benefits also include access to Chase Sapphire lounges (most opening in 2023, except Hong Kong’s Sapphire Lounge, which opened in October 2022) and to Reserved by Sapphire, a new opportunity to book hard-to-get reservations at some of the top restaurants in the US. You’ll also receive benefits with DoorDash, Gopuff, and Instacart that can save you money on delivery (activation required).

The Sapphire Reserve is currently offering cardholders two years of complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership (valued at $199 per year) for member-exclusive pricing, priority pickup, and more (activation required). 

When it comes to redeeming points, you can book travel through Chase and get 1.5 cents per point (a 50% bonus over the standard 1-cent-per-point rate), or you can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards to travel partners like Hyatt, British Airways, and United.

Plus, like the less-expensive Sapphire Preferred, the Sapphire Reserve offers some of the best credit card travel insurance around. This includes primary car rental insurance, trip delay insurance and trip cancellation protection, and lost baggage insurance.

What the experts love: Earns 3x points on travel and dining purchases made outside of Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, annual $300 travel credit, points are worth 1.5 cents apiece for travel booked through Chase

What the experts don’t love: “You have to really squeeze every drop of value out of this card to make that jaw-dropping $550 annual fee worth it,” says Sara Rathner, credit card expert at NerdWallet.

Read more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve:

Best for Luxury Travel Benefits and Airport Lounge Access

Amex Platinum

The Platinum Card® from American Express has one of the highest rewards card annual fees —  $695 — but it can still be well worth it if you can put all of its statement credits and generous welcome bonus offer to use.

You’ll earn 5x points on flights when you book directly through the airline or through American Express Travel (starting January 1, 2021, earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), which makes the card a great choice for purchasing airfare. The card offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance, plus some of the best purchase protection, so it’s a good option for buying expensive items (and don’t forget to see if you can take advantage of an Amex Offer** for bonus points or cash back).

The Platinum Card offers more airport lounge access than any other personal travel rewards card — in addition to Priority Pass membership**, you get access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (when you’re flying Delta), and more. 

The card’s annual statement credits can go a long way toward offsetting the high annual fee. You get up to $200 in statement credits toward airline incidental fees** like checked bags and inflight purchases; up to $100 each year in credit toward Saks Fifth Avenue purchases**; and up to $200 in annual Uber credits (including Uber Eats)**. 

Just keep in mind that you’re limited to one designated airline you choose each year in your Amex account for the airline incidental fee credit, and both the Saks and Uber credits are divided into portions. You’ll get up to $50 in statement credits toward Saks purchases from January to June, and another credit of up to $50 for Saks purchases from July to December.

With the Uber credit, you get up to $15 each month, and a $20 bonus in December for a total of $35 that month.

What the experts love: Lots of luxury benefits, including airport lounge access and statement credits with Uber and Saks

What the experts don’t love: $695 annual fee, plus this card doesn’t offer bonus points on very many types of purchases

Read more about the Amex Platinum:

Best Premium Travel Credit Card

Capital One Venture X

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was unveiled over a year ago. It offers a massive welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening — worth at least $1,275 in travel, based on Insider’s valuation of Capital One miles.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is loaded with premium benefits that can more than offset the $395 annual fee — which is lower than other premium travel cards.

Cardholders receive up to $300 per year in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One airport lounge access (even for authorized users), a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary (worth $100 in travel), and Visa Infinite travel and purchase benefits.

As with other cards that earn Capital One miles, you can transfer rewards to over a dozen airline and hotel partners to book award travel.

What the experts love: Between $300 a year in travel credit and a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary, you can offset the annual fee entirely — and that’s not even considering other benefits like lounge access.

What the experts don’t love: The $300 travel credit is more restrictive than other cards’ — it only applies to travel booked through Capital One.

Read more about the Capital One Venture X:

Best Travel Credit Card for Beginners

Capital One Venture Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great “set it and forget it” card, in the sense that you don’t have to worry about various bonus categories for earning rewards. You’ll earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5x miles when booking on Turo (offer ends May 16, 2023), and 2x miles on all other purchases.

This card also offers one of the most straightforward ways to redeem rewards for travel: you’re able to use your miles to cover recent travel purchases from your card statement, at a rate of 1 cent per mile. 

You also have the option to transfer Capital One miles*** to more than a dozen frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs, including Air Canada Aeroplan, Etihad Guest, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Capital One also added new partners including British Airways and Turkish Airlines, and improved the transfer ratio to 1:1 for most partners. 

The selection of transfer partners is best suited to someone who wants to travel internationally and who doesn’t mind spending some time researching the best ways to redeem miles with the different frequent flyer program options. But the upside is that you can always use your miles to cover your travel purchases. You also get up to a $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit.

What the experts love: The ability to use your miles to cover your recent travel expenses; it earns at least 2 miles per dollar on every purchase.

What the experts don’t love: “If you redeem miles for cash back, their value drops in half,” points out Rathner. Benét Wilson, senior editor at The Points Guy, also notes that other cards offer higher rewards on purchases such as travel and dining.  

Read more about the Capital One Venture card:

Best for Earning Travel Rewards on Dining and Groceries

Amex Gold

The American Express® Gold Card is an ideal travel rewards card for anyone who frequently eats out and/or shops at U.S. supermarkets. You’ll earn 4x Amex Membership Rewards points on these purchases (though note the $25,000 calendar year annual cap for U.S. supermarkets; after that, you’ll earn just 1 point per dollar, but that’s a pretty high cap). The card also earns 3x points on flights booked directly with the airlines or through AmexTravel.com, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

While the $250 annual fee is on the high side, you can offset it thanks to an annual statement credit. You can get up to $120 in annual dining credits**, but it’s divided into up to $10 in credits each month, and the credit only applies at select restaurants and delivery services, including Grubhub, Seamless, Milk Bar, Wine.com, and Goldbelly, and participating Shake Shack locations.

You’ll also get up to $120 Uber Cash ($10 per month) credit each calendar year (this is only applicable to U.S. Eats orders and rides, and the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit).

What the experts love: “4x points on restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1x) is great — usually, a card favors one or the other,” says Rathner. Plus, the card offers monthly dining credits.

What the experts don’t love: Wilson notes that other cards offer similar benefits for a lower annual fee, and Rathner notes that the card’s travel and dining credits come with some important limitations — so read the fine print. 

Read more about the Amex Gold card:

Best for Travel Rewards on Everyday Spending

Citi Premier Card

The Citi Premier® Card isn’t as flashy or well-known as some other travel rewards cards, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook it — especially if you spend a lot on its bonus categories. Cardholders earn an impressive 3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Along with a solid welcome bonus offer of 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening (worth $960 based on Insider’s valuations), you’ll receive $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through thankyou.com once per calendar year.

While it isn’t the best for travel protections, the Citi Premier® Card is the only card currently available to new applicants that unlocks the ability to transfer your ThankYou points to Citi’s full list of airline and hotel partners, including JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, and Wyndham.

What the experts love: Strong rewards earning in useful everyday categories, access to Citi’s transfer partners

What the experts don’t love: Lack of travel protections like car rental insurance, few travel perks compared to similar rewards cards

Read more about the Citi Premier card:

Best Small-Business Travel Credit Card

Chase Ink Business Preferred

If you’re a small-business owner who likes to travel, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is an excellent choice for earning and using travel rewards — especially if you don’t want to pay a high annual fee. 

The card starts you out with a massive welcome bonus offer of 100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (worth $1,800 in travel based on Insider’s valuations). It offers bonus rewards in terrific categories for business owners: 3x points on shipping purchases, advertising purchases on social media sites and search engines, internet, cable, and phone services, and travel (on up to $150,000 per year in combined purchases, then 1x), and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Because it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is great for pairing with other Chase credit cards, because you can combine your points into one account and then redeem them for travel, cash back, gift cards, or — the most lucrative option — transfer them to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.

Along with solid earning and redeeming options, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card comes with a solid suite of benefits, including cell phone protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary car rental insurance (when renting for business purposes), extended warranty, and purchase protection. The annual fee is a reasonable $95.

What the experts love: Valuable welcome bonus offer, good travel and purchase benefits, useful bonus categories

What the experts don’t love: 3x bonus categories capped at $150,000 in spending annually, high minimum spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus offer

Read more about the Ink Business Preferred card:

Best Premium Small-Business Travel Credit Card

Amex Business Platinum

Small-business owners who are frequent flyers and value perks like airport lounge access and hotel elite status should seriously consider The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, despite its high $695 annual fee.

Beyond offering a huge welcome bonus of 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first three months of card membership (worth $2,160 in travel, based on Insider’s valuations), this card is packed with perks that can improve your travel experience and save you money.

Among these are comprehensive airport lounge access, up to $200 for checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline.**, up to $400 in U.S. Dell credits each calendar year**, up to $120 in credits for U.S. wireless providers each calendar year**,  up to $360 in Indeed credits each calendar year**,  up to $150 in Adobe credits each calendar year**, and up to $189 back per year in credits for CLEAR® membership**.

Like the personal Platinum card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express earns Membership Rewards points: 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, 1.5x points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, and on eligible purchases in the US at electronics goods retailers, software, and cloud service providers, shipping providers, and on construction materials and hardware supplies (on up to $2 million in combined purchases per year, then 1x), and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

What the experts love: Big welcome bonus offer, great travel and business benefits

What the experts don’t love: High annual fee, some statement credits aren’t broadly useful, large minimum spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus offer

Read more about the Amex Business Platinum card:

Best No-Annual-Fee Card for Earning Travel Miles

Capital One VentureOne

Just because you’re not comfortable paying an annual fee for a travel rewards credit card doesn’t mean there aren’t good options available for you. The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is our top choice for a no-annual-fee travel card, and it’s got many of the same perks as its bigger sibling, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

New cardholders can earn a respectable 40,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases within three months from account opening (worth at least $680 in travel according to Insider’s valuations). While the card only earns 1.25 miles per dollar on most purchases (plus 5x on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel), it’s still a compelling choice if an annual fee isn’t for you.

You’ll get the same access to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners as you would with annual-fee cards, and a handful of benefits including car rental insurance***, travel accident insurance***, and extended warranty***. This is also a solid pick if you’re looking for a card with a 0% introductory APR offer, because new cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 18 months) (then a 19.24% – 29.24% Variable APR).

What the experts love: No annual fee, access to transfer partners, generous intro 0% APR offer

What the experts don’t love: Few travel benefits, lower earning rate

Read more about the Capital One VentureOne card:

Best Travel Credit Card for Students

Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students

There aren’t many student credit cards specifically geared to travel rewards, so the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is a fairly unique offering. New cardholders can earn 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening (redeemed as a $250 statement credit toward travel and dining purchases). That’s a decent offer for a no-annual-fee card, and the earning structure is simple, too — 1.5x points per dollar on every purchase, with no bonus categories to keep track of.

There’s also a 0% intro APR for your first 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account (then a 16.99% – 26.99% Variable APR) which can be handy if you have big purchases (like textbooks or supplies) you want to pay for over time. 

The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is a good choice if you prefer a straightforward card without having to worry about award charts or transfer partners. It’s also a safe bet if you want to use it while traveling internationally — it doesn’t charge pesky foreign transaction fees, so you won’t be on the hook for extra charges if you use it overseas.

However, you won’t find many extras — like travel benefits or purchase protections — with this card. If you’re looking for better benefits, be sure to check out our guide to the best student credit cards for all the top options.

What the experts love: Impressive welcome bonus offer for a student credit card, good flat-rate rewards earning

What the experts don’t love: No flashy extra perks or shopping benefits

Best Overall for Delta Air Lines

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card

If you fly Delta — even a couple of times a year — opening and using one of the best Delta credit cards can improve your travel experience and potentially save you some money. American Express issues a whopping seven co-branded Delta cards with varying annual fees and benefits. 

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is the best all-around card of the bunch, balancing a moderate $0 intro for the first year, then $99 annual fee with perks that include a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights. These benefits extend to the primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation, so if you (or your travel companions) check bags often, you could come out well ahead.

Right now, the card offers a welcome bonus of 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in the first six months from account opening (worth $770 in flights based on Insider’s valuations).

Cardholders earn 2x miles on eligible Delta purchases, at U.S. supermarkets, and at restaurants worldwide, and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases. Big spenders can also take advantage of a $100 flight credit when they spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year.

The card also comes with a handful of travel and shopping benefits, including car rental insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty, baggage insurance, and access to Amex’s Global Assist Hotline.

What the experts love: Elite-like benefits for a moderate annual fee, rewards for big spending

What the experts don’t love: No airport lounge passes or other travel credits

Read more about the Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold card:

Best Overall for United Airlines

United Explorer Card

United flyers are also spoiled for choice when it comes to co-branded cards, with Chase offering a total of six different United credit cards, ranging from a no-annual-fee entry-level version to a premium product with United Club airport lounge access.

For most travelers, the United℠ Explorer Card offers the best of both worlds, with a modest annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95 and a surprisingly generous range of benefits that can translate into big savings. These include a free first checked bag and priority boarding for the cardholder and one companion on United flights (you must use the card to pay for your ticket), two one-time United Club lounge passes each anniversary year, a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit, and expanded access to United saver award tickets.

New Explorer cardholders can now earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (worth $650 in flights based on Insider’s valuations).

The United℠ Explorer Card earns 2x United MileagePlus miles on eligible United purchases and on dining and hotel stays booked directly with the hotel, and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

The card is no slouch when it comes to general travel and shopping benefits, either, offering primary car rental insurance, baggage insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty, among other perks.

What the experts love: Excellent benefits for the annual fee, substantial welcome offer

What the experts don’t love: To get a free checked bag, you must use the card to pay for your flight (or the taxes and fees on your award ticket).

Read more about the United Explorer card: 

Best Overall for American Airlines

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select

American Airlines is unusual in that two different banks issue its co-branded credit cards (Citi and Barclays). The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is a solid choice whether you fly American occasionally or regularly, and it’s currently offering 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

The annual fee is $99, waived for first 12 months, which gives you the chance to try the card out for a year and see if you like its benefits without any out-of-pocket cost. Cardholders get perks that can potentially save them a substantial amount of cash, including a free checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries for themselves and up to four companions on the same reservation. 

The card earns 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and at eligible restaurants and gas stations, and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases. Keep in mind spending you make on this (or any other co-branded American Airlines credit card) will generate 1 Loyalty Point per dollar as well, so if you’re working toward AAdvantage elite status, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® can help give you a boost.

There’s also a reward for using the card a lot: You can earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount when you spend $20,000 or more in an account anniversary year and renew your card.

What the experts love: Money-saving American Airlines perks, good welcome offer

What the experts don’t love: No travel insurance or purchase protections

Read more about the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card:

Best Overall for Hilton hotels

Hilton Surpass Card

The Hilton Honors loyalty program includes 19 brands and over 7,000 properties around the world, so it’s easy to find a Hilton hotel just about anywhere you go. Amex issues four co-branded Hilton credit cards with a range of annual fees and benefits, but for most travelers, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers the best combo of compelling perks for a reasonable $95 annual fee.

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card has a generous earning structure — 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, 6 points per dollar spent at eligible U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases — making it a good choice for earning lots of Hilton points on your everyday spending. With a welcome bonus offer of 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (limited time offer ends 4/5/23) (worth $750 per Insider’s valuations), this card makes it possible to boost your Hilton points balance very quickly.

This card really shines when it comes to benefits, some of which can save you a significant amount of money if you travel often. Cardholders receive automatic Hilton Gold status (Hilton’s mid-level elite tier), which confers perks like free continental breakfast at Hilton properties (currently awarded as a food and beverage credit at US hotels) and room upgrades when available.

If you spend $40,000 or more on eligible purchases in a calendar year with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you’ll get upgraded to Hilton Diamond elite status (better upgrades, executive lounge access) through the end of the following calendar year. 

Cardholders can enroll in a complimentary Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership**, which includes 10 free visits per year. In addition, when you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, you’ll receive a free night certificate valid at nearly any Hilton property worldwide. If you redeem Hilton free night certificates at expensive luxury hotels, they can be worth $1,000 or more.

The card also comes with decent travel and purchase protections, including car rental insurance, baggage insurance, and extended warranty.

What the experts love: Valuable benefits for a modest annual fee, path to earning higher elite status, and free night award with spending

What the experts don’t love: 10-visit cap on free airport lounge visits, high minimum requirement to unlock spending-based perks

Read more about the Amex Hilton Surpass card:

Best Overall for Marriott hotels

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

If Marriott is your hotel chain of choice, opening a Marriott Bonvoy credit card can be a smart move, especially if you’re looking to earn more points from your stays and day-to-day spending. Both Amex and Chase issue co-branded Marriott cards, and the mid-level Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is a great choice for frequent and casual travelers alike.

The card offers a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, worth up to $700 in stays according to Insider’s valuations. There’s a $95 annual fee, but a single card perk can get you much more value than that each year.

Cardholders receive an annual free night award after each card anniversary, valid at hotels that cost up to 35,000 points. If you redeem this certificate at pricier Marriott hotels, it’s possible to get a stay worth $300 or more — and now that Marriott allows you to top up a certificate with up to 15,000 points, you can potentially get even more value.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card also comes with automatic Marriott Silver status (the lowest elite tier), which gets you a handful of perks (10% bonus points on paid stays, priority late checkout). However, the card also adds 15 elite night credits to your account each year, so if you’re close to reaching the next highest elite level, this can be a very helpful boost.

When you use the card for your purchases, you can receive a range of benefits, including lost luggage insurance, trip delay reimbursement, and delayed baggage insurance. 

What the experts love: Annual free night award that makes the card worth keeping year after year

What the experts don’t love: Low-level elite status doesn’t come with many meaningful benefits

Read more about the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card:

Best Overall for Hyatt hotels

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Although the World of Hyatt loyalty program has a smaller footprint than other big hotel brands, it can’t be beat in terms of points value — in fact, among the hotel programs Insider evaluated, Hyatt ranked well above every other brand in this regard. The World Of Hyatt Credit Card is an excellent option if you stay with Hyatt frequently, and, like other good hotel credit cards, it comes with one perk that can make it worth keeping for the long term.

Every year on your card anniversary, you’ll receive a free night award that you can use at any Hyatt Category 1 through 4 hotel (and a second free night award if you spend $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year). This can be worth much more than the card’s $95 annual fee.

The card currently offers a welcome bonus of 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, and up to 30,000 more bonus points by earning with 2 points per dollar, up to $15,000, on purchases that normally earn 1 point in the first six months of account opening — worth up to $900 in stays. Cardholders also receive automatic Discoverist status, and, to help reach higher elite tiers, the card awards five elite night credits each calendar year and two elite night credits for every $5,000 in purchases.

This is also a good card if you want to earn Hyatt points from everyday spending, offering 4x points on Hyatt stays and experiences, 2x points on dining, flights purchased directly from the airline, fitness and gym memberships, and local transit and commuting, and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

On top of that, The World Of Hyatt Credit Card adds benefits that can potentially save you even more money, including car rental insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and purchase protection.

What the experts love: Annual free night award, valuable rewards, path to higher levels of elite status from spending

What the experts don’t love: Smaller portfolio than other hotel brands means it’s not as easy to find a Hyatt property when you travel

Read more about the World of Hyatt credit card:

Best Overall for IHG hotels

IHG Premier Card

The newly rebranded IHG One loyalty program might not be first in hotel name recognition, but it’s likely you’ve stayed in one of its properties. IHG brands include familiar favorites like Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites, as well as upscale Kimpton, InterContinental, and Regent hotels.

The best IHG card for most travelers is the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card. It currently offers a sizeable bonus of 175,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (worth $1,138 in stays, based on Insider’s valuations). And again, like other top hotel cards, it comes with an annual free night award each card anniversary valid at IHG hotels that cost up to 40,000 points — worth potentially $200 to $300 if you redeem it at upscale properties.

Other card benefits include automatic IHG Platinum Elite status (with the ability to unlock Diamond elite status after spending $40,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year with the card), 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 on purchases and making one additional purchase each calendar year, up to $50 in United TravelBank Cash each calendar year, the fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a stay of three or more nights, and a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit. That’s a long list of perks from a card that only charges a $99 annual fee.

You’ll also get car rental insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, travel accident insurance, extended warranty, and purchase protection when you use your card.

What the experts love: Wide-ranging benefits for a modest annual fee, valuable annual free night award

What the experts don’t love: High spending requirement to earn Diamond status

Read more about the Chase IHG Premier card:

Other Top Travel Credit Cards We Considered

Our list of the best travel rewards credit cards contains our very top picks, but there are dozens of other travel credit cards out there. Here are some cards that almost made the cut, along with why we opted to leave them off our final list.

• Chase Freedom Flex℠
   — This no-annual-fee card offers up to 5x points on everyday purchases and comes with a welcome bonus offer of $200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Although it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards, your points are only worth 1 cent each toward travel unless you also have an annual-fee card (Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card). Read our Chase Freedom Flex credit card review for all the details.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® — Similar to the Flex, this card offers anywhere from 1.5x to 5x points on purchases, but you’ll need one of the three annual-fee Chase cards mentioned above to make the most of your rewards for travel. It’s got a solid welcome offer as well: 1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back). Here’s our Chase Freedom Unlimited review to learn more.
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card — This Wells Fargo card earns an unlimited 3x points on travel (along with restaurants, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans), and 1x on everything else. That’s a solid rate of return for a $0-annual-fee card, and you’ll get a handful of compelling benefits as well. But there are no transfer partners, so you’ll only get 1 cent per point whether you redeem for travel, statement credits, or gift cards. Read our Wells Fargo Autograph credit card review for all the details.
• Discover it® Miles — Discover’s travel miles-earning card earns 1.5x miles on all purchases (worth 1 cent apiece toward travel or cash back), but it doesn’t offer a traditional welcome bonus. Instead, Discover will match all the miles you earn in the first 12 months of account opening — which is compelling for big spenders, but not as helpful if you won’t use the card that often. On the upside, you won’t pay an annual fee or foreign transaction fees. You can find out more in our Discover it Miles review.
• Bilt Mastercard® — This no-annual-fee card’s unique feature is the ability to earn rewards for paying rent with no added fees — which can translate to lots of points if you’re a renter. The Bilt Rewards program also offers a useful range of airline and hotel transfer partners, including American Airlines and Hyatt. But if you don’t rent, you can do much better with other travel rewards cards. Here’s our Bilt Mastercard card review for the full rundown. 
• U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
  — This is a terrific card for travel spending (including gas), offering 4x points on travel and at gas stations, 2x points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services, and 1 point per dollar everywhere else. It’s got a generous welcome bonus offer and decent benefits, too, including a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit and cell phone protection. However, after the first year, an annual fee applies — and there aren’t any opportunities to get outsized value from your points with transfer partners. You can learn more in our US Bank Altitude Connect card review.
• Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
  — If you want to earn travel rewards without an annual fee, this card is worth considering, although it doesn’t come with much in the way of travel benefits or extra perks. The card becomes a lot more valuable if you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, because the points you earn from the card can be worth 25% to 75% more. Read our Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card review to find see if it’s worth it for your situation.

Choosing the Best Travel Credit Cards

While it takes more effort to redeem points or miles compared to cash back, the upside is that you can get much more value for your points compared to simply cashing in your rewards for a statement credit or check at a rate of 1 cent per point.

In fact, it’s possible to receive double, triple, or even more than that amount when you’re strategic about how you redeem your rewards, particularly if you book expensive luxury hotels or first-class flights. For example, writer Ethan Steinberg got a value of 6.25 cents per Amex point after transferring credit card points to book Etihad first class on the 787 Dreamliner.

In this guide, we’ve focused mostly on the best travel credit cards that earn transferable points. Transferable points include popular currencies such as:

You can transfer these points to both airline and hotel partner loyalty programs. You can even redeem your points to offset the cash price of your travel at a flat rate.

The Experts’ Advice on Choosing the Best Travel Card for You

We interviewed a certified financial planner and three credit card and travel experts about what makes a good travel credit card. Their feedback informed our list of cards, and you can find the full text of our interviews below.

What features make a travel rewards credit card good?

Sara Rathner, NerdWallet:

Generous ongoing rewards on common spending categories are something I look for, because a welcome bonus offer, while lucrative, can only get you so far. NerdWallet’s 2019 Travel Credit Card Study found that a 50,000-point bonus can cover about 1.6 flights, depending on where and when you travel. If you want to offset a trip in a more major way, you need opportunities to earn more.

Easy redemptions are also really important. No one wants to navigate a maze of rules and restrictions. Those points are yours, so you should be able to spend them without sweating the details.

Luis Rosa, CFP:

Airport lounge access, a statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and a significant bonus point incentive during the first couple of months.

Sarah Silbert, Personal Finance Insider:

It needs to offer benefits that are useful for you, so it ultimately depends on how you travel and what perks you value. But a few key things to look for are a high welcome bonus offer, strong bonus rewards in your top spending categories, trip protection such as trip cancellation insurance, and no foreign transaction fees. The best premium credit cards should offer higher-end benefits such as airport lounge access and annual travel credits as well.

Benét Wilson, The Points Guy:

They’re a great way to earn rewards that allow you to travel the world for less money — or practically for free. All you have to do is use a travel credit card to buy the same items you’d otherwise buy with cash or a debit card, but make sure you pay it off every month. With some travel credit cards, you can also get great travel perks, from airport lounge access and hotel elite status to free airline companion certificates and discounts or credits on travel purchases. You often get more value from points than from cash back.

How can someone decide whether a travel credit card is a good fit for them?

Rathner: You always want to make sure that the value you get out of a card each year exceeds the cost of holding onto it. From there, make sure the card’s other benefits are relevant to you — for example, a credit toward a CLEAR® membership isn’t useful if your local airport doesn’t participate in the CLEAR® program.

Rosa: I recommend looking at the welcome bonuses and also the rewards on non-travel-related purchases. Right now you might not be traveling much, but you want a card that’ll provide you with enough rewards on non-travel purchases so that you can take advantage once you resume traveling as usual. 

Silbert: It’s all about how the card’s benefits and rewards align with your lifestyle. For example, if you spend a lot on dining, you should look for a card that offers bonus points on those purchases. For cards with annual fees, it’ll only be worth it if you actually take advantage of the premium benefits.

Additionally, make sure the points you’re earning are the best type of rewards for you. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are my personal favorite since I can redeem them for travel through Chase or with my favorite travel partners including Hyatt and United, and I can also redeem them for everyday purchases through Chase Pay Yourself Back.

Wilson: You need to ask some questions. Do you plan on using the points and miles you earn on your cards for travel? Are you hoping to use your welcome bonus for a specific redemption? Are you looking for a card that gives you luxury travel perks? Are you hoping to hit elite status with a certain hotel brand or airline? Are you a casual traveler or a frequent flyer? What spending categories will be most beneficial to you? 

For example, if you want a card to help you hit elite status with United Airlines while giving you elite-like perks, then consider applying for a United credit card. Chase’s United co-branded cards give you perks such as lounge access, free checked bags, and priority boarding.

However, if you only fly occasionally or you’re not loyal to one airline, a flexible travel credit card that doesn’t offer perks on any one airline but earns points or miles that can be redeemed on a variety of airlines — like the Chase Sapphire Preferred — might be a better choice. 

If you’re a road warrior who flies every week, you’ll want to think about a premium travel card that offers lots of perks to make your travels smoother, such as the Amex Platinum, which comes with airport lounge access and hotel elite status.

Is there anything else that you think is important to note when it comes to picking a travel credit card?

Rathner: Depending on how often you travel, you may get more value out of a cash-back credit card. A NerdWallet study found that travelers who spend more than $8,600 in travel per year, or take at least one international trip per year, get the most out of travel cards. If that doesn’t sound like you, there are other rewarding cards available.

Rosa: Don’t necessarily be afraid of the annual fee. Cards with annual fees can have enough perks to make them worth it.

Silbert: There are so many great travel credit cards available that it can be tempting to sign up for several and earn their welcome bonuses, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Start slow with one rewards card, get a feel for its perks and rewards, and adjust your credit card strategy as needed if you want additional benefits or aren’t finding the annual fee to be worth it.