Whether or not you already journey often or are planning your first trip in a very long time, you may seemingly profit from having a number of journey bank cards.
These playing cards make it easier to earn beneficial rewards you can redeem to make your journey cheaper, extra snug or each. Some journey bank cards additionally provide advantages that may get monetary savings or make it easier to journey higher. Plus, most do not cost international transaction charges.
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 focus on under — to my pockets because of their numerous advantages and rewards.
Rewards I’ve earned from journey bank cards have let me take pleasure in premium cabin flights and luxurious resorts for a fraction of the price I might have paid with out these factors and miles. Factors and miles additionally let me journey often whereas staying inside my funds. In brief, journey bank cards will be the important thing to touring extra and/or higher.
The perfect journey bank cards
Evaluating one of the best journey bank cards
Listed below are TPG’s picks for one of the best journey bank cards.
| Card | Greatest for | Welcome provide | Incomes charges | Annual price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card | Vacationers | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after you spend $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 when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout 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 yr. |
|
$95 |
| The Platinum Card from American Categorical | Journey perks for customers | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$695 (see charges and charges) |
| Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card | Simplicity | Earn 75,000 bonus miles while you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$395 |
| The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical | Journey perks for enterprise house owners | Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership. |
Purchases eligible for a number of further level bonuses will solely obtain the very best eligible bonus. Phrases apply. |
$695 (see charges and charges) |
| Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card | Enterprise house owners who journey | Earn 90,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. |
|
$95 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Categorical Card | Delta Sky Membership entry | Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$650 (see charges and charges) |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold American Categorical Card | Advantages when flying Delta | Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$0 introductory annual price for the primary yr, then $150 (see charges and charges) |
| American Categorical Gold Card | Eating places and U.S. supermarkets | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$325 (see charges and charges) |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card | No annual price | Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 on purchases inside three months from account opening. |
|
$0 |
Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card
Welcome provide: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual price: $95.
Standout advantages: The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card is the cardboard I like to recommend most when talking to vacationers with good to wonderful credit score who’re on the lookout for a brand new journey bank card. The cardboard would not provide advantages like lounge entry or elite standing, but it surely gives bonus factors on spending in common classes like eating, journey and on-line groceries.
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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 automobile leases — totaling greater than the Sapphire Most well-liked’s annual price — 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 pliability you will get when redeeming Chase Final Rewards factors. I usually 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 will get nice worth when reserving award nights by means of World of Hyatt for the reason that program nonetheless makes use of an award chart and Class 1 Hyatt inns 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 charge of 1.25 cents every.
To study extra, learn our Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card overview.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout 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 yr.
Annual price: $95.
Standout advantages: The first good thing about the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card is its simplicity for incomes and redeeming. You may earn no less than 2 Capital One miles per greenback spent on purchases and may simply redeem miles for assertion credit to offset latest journey purchases.
Nevertheless, I favor to switch Capital One miles to Capital One switch companions once 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 yr. Moreover, I am utilizing Selection factors — which I may have earned by way of transferring Capital One miles to Selection 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 overview and our information on maximizing Capital One miles.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
The Platinum Card from American Categorical
Welcome provide: Earn 80,000 factors after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership.
Annual price: $695 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: The Amex Platinum is the final word client journey card. It gives broad lounge entry by means of its international 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 — offers sufficient worth for my husband to maintain this card in his pockets regardless of its hefty annual price.
He will get as much as $200 again in assertion credit annually on pay as you go American Categorical Nice Inns + Resorts or The Lodge Assortment bookings by means of American Categorical Journey (The Lodge Assortment requires a minimal two evening keep). We have used this credit score annually for stays at inns a bit nicer than we usually frequent, comparable 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 $20 every month and a bonus $20 in December; your Amex Plat should be added to your Uber account and you’ll redeem with any Amex card).
However actually, we maintain 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.
Take a look at our Amex Platinum Card overview to study extra.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Categorical
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 bonus miles while you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual price: $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 yr. I normally use these credit when reserving flights by means of Capital One Journey, particularly for the reason that web site’s worth match and worth drop safety options have turn out to be 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 annually than the cardboard’s $395 annual price, so it is easy for me to justify paying the annual price every time it posts to my account.
The Enterprise X gives a number of different perks I take pleasure in. For instance, I really like incomes no less than 2 miles per greenback spent on purchases, which makes the cardboard my default on a regular basis spending card. I additionally admire how the foods 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 overview.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical
Welcome provide: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership.
Annual price: $695 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: Regardless that my husband has the Amex Platinum, I utilized for The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical in 2019. I’ve stored the cardboard ever since for its assertion credit and lounge entry. The lounge entry good thing about this card grew to become extra vital 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 (lots 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 supplied 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 per 30 days in U.S. wi-fi phone assertion credit provided by the Amex Enterprise Platinum, and my enterprise would not use Adobe or Certainly (two different firms for which cardmembers can take pleasure in assertion credit; as much as $150 yearly with Adobe and as much as $90 quarterly with Certainly).
I additionally hardly ever put spending on my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card. Besides, the cardboard’s efficient annual price is price paying for the lounge entry I obtain since I take advantage of the as much as $200 airline price assertion credit score every calendar yr 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 yr Clear Plus assertion credit score.
To study extra, learn our Amex Enterprise Platinum Card overview.
Apply right here: The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical
Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn 90,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening.
Annual price: $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 yr. Journey is certainly one of these classes, making the Ink Enterprise Most well-liked my go-to journey bank card.
Whereas many different journey bank cards provide bonus earnings on flights, inns 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 inns, automobile leases, journey companies, toll roads, trains and buses.
Plus, I normally 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 just lately 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 overview.
Apply right here: Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Categorical Card
Welcome provide: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership.
Annual price: $650 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: I’ve by no means severely thought of making use of for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Categorical Card, but when I have been a frequent Delta flyer striving for a particular Delta Medallion standing tier, it will definitely be in my pockets.
Delta Reserve cardmembers get 2,500 Medallion Qualification {Dollars} every Medallion qualification yr. Plus, cardmembers earn 1 MQD per $10 of purchases made with their Delta Reserve card in a calendar yr. These two perks make it simpler to earn and keep Delta Medallion standing.
Cardmembers additionally take pleasure in 15 complimentary visits every Medallion yr to the Delta Sky Membership when flying Delta and may also unlock limitless Delta Sky Membership entry by means of the top of the following Medallion yr after spending $75,000 on purchases with the Delta Reserve card throughout a calendar yr. Plus, Delta Reserve cardmembers get 4 one-time visitor passes every Medallion yr.
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 overview to see if it is best for you.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Categorical Card
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Categorical Card
Welcome provide: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership.
Annual price: $0 introductory annual price for the primary yr, then $150 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: If you’re paying checked bag charges or stressing about discovering overhead bin area when flying Delta, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Categorical 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 varied different advantages that present worth. For instance, the TakeOff15 profit means you will mechanically pay 15% fewer miles when redeeming for journey on Delta-operated flights. Plus, the cardboard gives a $100 Delta Stays credit score that provides you as much as $100 again per yr as an announcement credit score after you employ your Delta Gold Amex to e-book pay as you go inns 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 non-public island resort.
In the event you absolutely use the Delta Stays credit score annually, the annual price 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 overview for extra particulars.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Categorical Card
American Categorical Gold Card
Welcome provide: Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership.
Annual price: $325 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: The American Categorical Gold Card is common 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 yr, then 1 level per greenback) and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar yr, 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 take pleasure in as much as $10 in Uber Money for U.S. purchases every month (Amex Gold should be added to your Uber account and you’ll 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 unit, 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 yr.
I haven’t got the Amex Gold since I spend important time outdoors the U.S. Though the Amex Gold will 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 throughout the U.S.).
Enrollment required for choose advantages.
Nevertheless, the cardboard is common for a motive, so learn our Amex Gold Card overview for extra particulars.
Apply right here: American Categorical Gold Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome provide: Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 on purchases inside three months from account opening.
Annual price: $0.
Standout advantages: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card permits you to earn transferable rewards with out paying an annual price. You may earn no less than 1.25 miles per greenback spent on each buy, which is spectacular contemplating the cardboard would not carry an annual price.
The cardboard gives a 0% introductory annual share charge for 15 months on purchases and stability transfers, with a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR afterward. In the event you use this provide, make sure you can repay your stability in full by the top of the introductory APR interval. In spite of everything, the rewards you will earn with this card will not be worthwhile in the event you pay curiosity and charges.
You possibly can redeem miles you earn together with your VentureOne card to cowl latest journey purchases at a charge of 1 cent per mile. Nevertheless, you will seemingly 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 overview.
Study extra: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card
What to contemplate when selecting a journey bank card
There’s lots to contemplate when selecting a brand new journey bank card. Listed below are a number of of the highest points to contemplate.
Most well-liked rewards
Maybe crucial side to contemplate when selecting a journey bank card is the rewards you will earn. Most journey bank cards earn resort factors, airline miles or transferable rewards.
Whereas one of the best ways to redeem resort factors and airline miles is normally with a particular program — for instance, one of the best ways to redeem Delta miles is for award flights booked by means of the Delta SkyMiles program — transferable rewards offer you extra flexibility. You possibly can normally redeem versatile rewards at a hard and fast charge for assertion credit or journey reserving, however you too can switch your rewards to pick resort and airline loyalty packages.
This capability to switch rewards comparable to Amex Membership Rewards factors, Capital One miles and Chase Final Rewards factors to different packages — usually at a 1:1 ratio — lets me keep away from devaluation in a particular program by ready till I wish to e-book a particular award flight or evening earlier than I switch my factors or miles.
Advantages
One other vital side to contemplate when selecting a journey card is its advantages. For instance, I renew my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card annually not for the rewards I earn when making purchases with it however for the advantages it offers. Particularly, I get lots of worth from the lounge entry I take pleasure in as a good thing about my varied journey playing cards.
Advantages will be significantly compelling with resort bank cards, lots of which supply elite standing and a free evening certificates annually while you renew. In lots of instances, the free evening certificates can provide extra worth than the cardboard’s annual price. Likewise, airline bank cards normally provide 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 could possibly select a card based mostly on the presently out there welcome bonuses. Or, you might wait to use for a card when it is providing an elevated limited-time provide. You could possibly additionally verify CardMatch to see whether or not you are presently focused for particular gives.
Associated: The perfect bank card welcome bonuses
Spending habits
Take into account how nicely a journey bank card’s bonus classes match your spending habits. Particularly, take into account what sorts of purchases you would be placing on the cardboard in the event you have been to use. Additionally take into account whether or not you’d have the ability to spend sufficient on the cardboard throughout the first few months after you signal as much as meet the minimal spending necessities for the welcome bonus.
Annual price
Lastly, you will seemingly additionally wish to take into account the annual price when selecting a journey bank card. Particularly, take into account whether or not the earnings and advantages you will get will present extra worth than the price of the annual price. In the event you do not imagine you will get sufficient worth from the advantages and earnings, then the cardboard seemingly is not a great match for you.
How we selected one of the best journey bank cards
TPG selected one of the best journey bank cards based mostly on a number of elements, together with incomes charges, advantages, welcome bonuses and the general worth we anticipate a client can get hold of by having and utilizing the cardboard.
Take a look at our overview methodology to study extra about how TPG selected playing cards to focus on on this article and comparable articles.
Redemption choices for journey bank cards
Your redemption choices will rely in your particular journey bank card, however it’s best to normally 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 suggest researching and understanding the alternative ways to redeem — and calculating the cents per level you’d get by way of every redemption methodology — earlier than redeeming any rewards. However know that, on the whole, you will wish to redeem transferable rewards by transferring them to airline or resort companions. Check out TPG’s month-to-month valuations and purpose to get no 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 Lodge Signalfabriken in Sweden, which value $1,012 or 17,500 factors, giving me a redemption charge of 5.78 cents per level. I additionally booked 5 peak nights on the Class 1 Hyatt Regency Cape City, which value $2,086 or 32,500 factors, giving me a redemption charge of 6.42 cents per level.
In brief, 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 attainable. Take into account what perks or rewards forex you need when deciding which journey bank card to use for. You should definitely take into account all of your redemption choices earlier than you redeem, maintaining 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 charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta Reserve Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta Gold Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold Card, click on right here.
