Travel rewards credit cards can earn you thousands of dollars in free travel annually. This guide compares the top travel cards, sign-up bonuses, earning rates, and perks to help you pick the best card for your travel style.
Top Travel Cards at a Glance
- Chase Sapphire Preferred: Best starter card ($95 AF, 100K bonus)
- Amex Platinum: Best for luxury travel ($695 AF, massive perks)
- Capital One Venture X: Best value premium ($395 AF, lounge access)
- Citi Premier: Best for flexible points ($95 AF, 3x on all travel)
Best Travel Cards Compared
| Card | Annual Fee | Sign-Up Bonus | Best Earning | Best Perk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | 100K points | 5x travel, 3x dining | Transfer partners |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $550 | 60K points | 5x travel, 3x dining | $300 travel credit |
| Amex Platinum | $695 | 150K points | 5x flights, hotels | Lounge access |
| Amex Gold | $250 | 90K points | 4x dining, groceries | $240 dining credit |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | 75K miles | 10x hotels, 5x flights | Capital One Lounges |
| Citi Premier | $95 | 80K points | 3x all travel, dining | No blackout dates |
Detailed Card Reviews
Chase Sapphire Preferred - Best Starter Card
Annual Fee: $95
Sign-Up Bonus: 100,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months (worth $1,250+)
Earning: 5x travel via Chase, 3x dining, 2x other travel
Key Benefits:
- Points worth 25% more when booking through Chase
- Transfer to 11 airline and hotel partners
- $50 annual hotel credit
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip delay/cancellation insurance
Best For: Beginners, occasional travelers, value-seekers
Amex Platinum - Best Luxury Card
Annual Fee: $695
Sign-Up Bonus: 150,000 points after $6,000 in 6 months
Earning: 5x flights and hotels booked directly, 1x everything else
Key Benefits:
- Centurion Lounge access (+ Priority Pass, Delta, more)
- $200 airline fee credit + $200 hotel credit
- $155 Walmart+ credit + $240 digital entertainment
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($100)
- Marriott/Hilton Gold status
Best For: Frequent flyers, luxury travelers who use all credits
Capital One Venture X - Best Premium Value
Annual Fee: $395
Sign-Up Bonus: 75,000 miles after $4,000 in 3 months
Earning: 10x hotels via Capital One, 5x flights via C1, 2x everything else
Key Benefits:
- $300 annual travel credit (offsets fee)
- 10,000 bonus miles annually (anniversary)
- Capital One Lounge + Priority Pass
- Hertz President's Circle status
- No foreign transaction fees
Best For: Those who want premium perks without Amex complexity
Understanding Travel Points
Point Values by Program
| Program | Cash Value | Best Transfer Value |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 1.25-1.5¢ | 2-3¢+ via transfers |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 0.6-1¢ | 2-3¢+ via transfers |
| Capital One Miles | 1¢ | 1.5-2¢ via transfers |
| Citi ThankYou Points | 1¢ | 1.5-2¢ via transfers |
Best Transfer Partners
- Chase: United, Hyatt, Southwest, British Airways
- Amex: Delta, ANA, Singapore, Marriott
- Capital One: Air France/KLM, Turkish, Avianca
- Citi: JetBlue, Turkish, Singapore, Virgin Atlantic
Card Strategy by Travel Style
Which Card Should You Get?
- Occasional traveler (1-2 trips/year): Chase Sapphire Preferred or Citi Premier
- Frequent flyer (5+ flights/year): Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve
- International traveler: Capital One Venture X (no FTF, good transfer partners)
- Lounge lover: Amex Platinum (best lounge network)
- Hotel loyalist: Hotel co-brand cards (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors)
Maximizing Sign-Up Bonuses
- Meet spend naturally: Time applications around large purchases
- Don't manufacture spend: Against terms of service
- One card at a time: Meet bonus before applying for next
- Check Chase 5/24: Chase denies if 5+ cards in 24 months
- Check Amex lifetime rule: One bonus per card, ever
- Use referral links: Extra points for referrer
Annual Fee Math
Is the Amex Platinum Worth $695?
Easy credits to use:
- $200 airline credit: ✓
- $200 hotel credit: ✓
- $155 Walmart+: ✓
- $100 Global Entry/TSA: ✓ (every 4-5 years)
- $240 entertainment credits: ✓
Total easy value: $795+ (exceeds $695 fee)
Plus: Lounge access worth $300+/year for frequent flyers
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Carrying a balance: Interest erases all rewards value
- Ignoring transfer partners: Missing 2x+ point value
- Letting points expire: Use or keep accounts active
- Too many applications at once: Hurts credit score
- Not using credits: Wasted value on premium cards
- Paying annual fees for unused benefits: Downgrade or cancel
Credit Score Requirements
- Premium cards (Amex Platinum, Venture X): 750+ recommended
- Mid-tier (Sapphire Preferred): 700+ typically required
- Starter cards: 670+ may be approved