The Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards in 2021

At a Glance

If you are on the hunt for low-cost travel perks, the Venture Rewards credit card from Capital One may be just what you’re looking for. It earns you two miles per dollar on absolutely any purchase and comes with a number of useful benefits. One of the biggest advantages of this card is that it doesn’t limit redemption options to certain airlines or hotel chains. If you value ease of use when it comes to rewards and don’t consider a $95 annual fee too much of a burden, take a closer look.

Rewards

The simple but generous rewards policy is what makes Capital One Venture Rewards one of the best cards for travel. With this card, you earn a set rate of two miles for every dollar that you spend. When redeemed for travel, each mile has a value of $0.01. Unlike most rewards credit cards, Capital One Venture pays a high rewards rate on all purchases, not only travel-related spending. The number of miles that you can earn is unlimited and the rewards won’t expire as long as you keep your account open.

Redemption Options

As per redemption, there are a few different ways to make the most of your rewards. As one of the best credit cards for travel benefits, Capital One lets you use your miles to book trips through its own travel center or redeem them as a statement credit for any travel-related purchases. In both cases, miles are worth one cent a piece and there are no minimum redemption requirements.

Alternatively, as Capital One collaborates with 15 airline partners, you can transfer your miles to their loyalty programs. In this case, the per-mile value may vary depending on the partner company. With most airlines, you’ll get 1.5 miles for every two miles that you transfer. However, with JetBlue and a few other partner airlines, the ratio is one mile per every two miles that you transfer.

Like any of the top travel cards, the Capital One Venture also lets you redeem accumulated rewards for gift cards at a value of 1-1.25 miles per cent.

Fees and APR

When it comes to cost, the Capital One Venture card is one of the most competitive options. The intro annual fee is $0 for the first year. After your first anniversary as a cardholder, you’ll have to start paying a $95 annual fee. On the other hand, there are no foreign transaction or balance transfer fees. As far as interest rates go, the ongoing APR is variable, and it ranges from 17.24% to 24.49%.

Welcome Bonus

Another thing that puts the Capital One Venture card among the most popular credit cards for travel is its welcome offer – as a new cardholder, you get a one-time sign-up bonus of 50,000 miles. You have three months from the time you open your account to make $3,000 in net purchases before you can claim bonus miles.

Additional Benefits

As far as additional benefits go, you get $100 worth of credit reimbursement for the application fee for TSA Precheck or Global Entry, provided that you make the payment with your card. With this credit card for traveling, you also get complimentary travel accident insurance, rental car coverage, and an extended warranty as a part of purchase protection for eligible items.

Bottom Line

In a complicated world of earning points and finding a way to redeem them, the Capital One Venture Rewards’ simplicity is a true breath of fresh air. The flexible redemptions options, generous welcome offers, and useful travel benefits justify its moderate annual fee, making this card one of the best reward credit cards for travel and a good fit for almost anyone.

At a Glance

The Platinum Card from American Express is a premium credit card that comes with an extensive list of benefits and an annual fee that can make your head spin. Keep in mind that this prestigious travel card isn’t necessarily about saving. It’s rather meant for those who’d like to get more for the money that they spend.

Rewards

As far as rewards go, there are several ways to earn bonus points with this premium travel card. First, for each dollar that you spend on booking flights through the Amex Travel website or directly with airlines, you get five membership reward points. Second, you can earn another five points for each dollar spent on prepaid hotel bookings on the same website. Third, as one of the best credit cards for international travel, Amex Platinum will earn you two times the points for other eligible travel expenses booked through its own platform. Fourth, when it comes to everyday spending, all other purchases earn you one point per dollar.

As long as your account is active, the rewards won’t expire. There are no limits to how many bonus points you can earn.

Redemption Options

There are many ways to redeem your bonus points, however, you’ll need to accumulate 5,000 of them first. Once you do so, you’ll be able to go shopping at a number of online and brick-and-mortar stores and use your points as currency.

Additional options to make the most of bonuses on Amex’s best travel card include buying gift cards, paying your credit card bill, booking trips, and turning points into miles for frequent flyer loyalty programs. You can also use your rewards to shop at the American Express online mall that offers products from brands such as Sephora, Sony, Apple, and LuluLemon. Apart from American Express checkout, you can pay with points at other places including Amazon, BestBuy, Expedia, Just Giving, NYC Taxi, Saks Fifth Avenue, Seamless, Ticketmaster, and Walmart.

APR and Fees

This American Express travel card comes with a $550 annual membership fee. It has no foreign transaction fees, while cash advances incur a fee of at least $10 or 5% of the amount of the cash advance. Note that the Platinum Card is a charge card, which means that you’re expected to pay for your credit card bill in full each month.

Welcome Bonus

The Amex Platinum is arguably the best travel rewards card when it comes to bonus offers for new cardholders. To earn the lucrative 60,000 points, all you have to do is make $5,000 in purchases with your new card in the first three months. Apart from fulfilling these requirements, you should also make sure that you’ve entered the company’s membership rewards program to be able to get the bonus points.

Additional Benefits

Although this Amex travel card offers a good rewards policy and an excellent sign-up bonus, it’s the automatic upgrades, premium services, and exclusive access that make the hefty annual fee worth it.

The long list of automatic credits make this card the best credit card for travel. These include $200/year of reimbursements for airline incidental fees, $15/month of Uber credit from January to November and $35/month in December, $100/year for online or in-store purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue, and up to $100 of fee reimbursements for trusted traveler programs.

The bulk of the card’s value lies in a number of unmatched luxury benefits, which explain why it’s considered one of the best credit cards for foreign travel. The benefits include room upgrades and complimentary amenities at hotels such as the Marriott and Hilton, round-the-clock concierge service, access to 1,200 airport lounges, exclusive events at high-end restaurants, and preferred seating privileges.

You also get stolen or damaged purchase protection, denied return protection, and travel accident insurance.

Bottom Line

Although this card comes with solid rewards and an excellent welcome bonus, it’s still hard to ignore the annual fee – unless you use the card correctly. What makes Amex Platinum the best travel credit card is the long list of luxury perks for frequent-to-constant travelers who put an emphasis on getting more for their money rather than saving a few dollars here and there.

At a Glance

The Wells Fargo Propel American Express credit card is a solid choice for those looking to earn generous rewards on a wide range of spending categories. If you are averse to paying annual fees and don’t care about a long list of fancy perks, keep reading this review.

Rewards

If you are on the hunt for the best credit cards for travel points and miles that can be transferred to a particular hotel or airline, you should probably look elsewhere. However, if you need a general rewards card with a simple but generous rewards policy, then the Wells Fargo Propel card may be a perfect fit.

This card offers a long list of purchase categories that earn three times the points of the amount spent. These include dining (bars, eating out, and ordering in), transport (gas, ridesharing, and transit), travel (airfare, car rentals, hotels, and homestays), streaming services (Apple Music, Sirius XM Radio Inc, Spotify Premium, Hulu, Netflix, and Pandora).

With any other eligible spending category, the ratio is one point per $1 spent. Points are unlimited and won’t expire as long as the account is kept open.

Redemption Options

This is one of the best credit cards for travel for those who value straightforward redemption options. Each point is worth a penny and can be put towards cashback, travel, or gift cards through the Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards portal.

If you decide to translate your points into cash, you can redeem them in $20 increments at Wells Fargo ATMs, or via phone or online in $25 increments.

When it comes to booking travel, you can make payments with a combination of your payment card and bonus points. Customers who book flights with the Go Far Rewards portal face no blackout dates.

Other ways to put your rewards to good use include using points to pay for your credit card bill ($25 increments), redeeming points for digital devices and apparel, and purchasing gift cards for charity organizations.

APR and Fees

As one of the best no-fee credit cards for travel, the Wells Fargo Propel Amex comes with a 0% introductory APR for the first year of card membership on all purchases and balance transfers. Starting from the second year, the ongoing APR on purchases varies from 15.49% to 27.49%.

There are no annual membership fees or foreign transaction fees. Balance transfers cost $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater of the two. After 120 days, the fee jumps to 5% for balance transfers. Cash advances come with a fee of at least $10 or 5% of the amount of the cash advance.

Welcome Bonus

As a new Wells Fargo Propel American Express cardholder, you can earn 20,000 bonus points if you meet the requirements of spending $1,000 in purchases during the first three months of your card membership. To give you a sense of how much the bonus points are actually worth, that’s $200 in cash redemption value.

Additional Benefits

As far as additional benefits go, this travel credit card offers up to $600 (minus a $25 deductible) to protect your cell phone from damage or theft, provided that you use your Wells Fargo Propel Amex to pay for the monthly phone bill. Other benefits include travel accident insurance and reimbursement for lost luggage, auto protection, car rental coverage, and purchase protections such as extended warranty.

Bottom Line

Generous rewards on an extensive list of everyday spending categories, a 20,000-point welcome bonus, and the absence of annual fees all make the Wells Fargo Propel American Express one of the top travel credit cards on the market. This card may be lacking in the department of more comprehensive travel perks. However, if you’re not a frequent traveler and need a card with a simple but lucrative bonus structure, this may be it.

At a Glance

Given the bank’s size and coverage area, it’s no wonder the Bank of America Travel Rewards Visa credit card keeps finding its way to thousands of users. It lets you plan and book rewards-funded trips with any airline or hotel, it offers a solid welcome bonus and a good redemption policy. Therefore, it’s considered one of the best traveling credit cards for anyone averse to annual fees.

Rewards

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card comes with a simple, but attractive rewards policy. Every $1 in net purchases earns you 1.5 points. Every $1 in net purchases made through the bank’s travel center – with the exception of insurance purchases – earns you 3 points. As far as per-point value goes, each point is worth one cent when redeemed for travel. If redeemed for cash, a point is worth a little over half a cent.

Not only is the Travel Rewards from Bank of America considered one of the best credit cards for travel with no annual fee, it also comes with a lucrative additional rewards policy. With at least $20,000 in your account, you can become a member of the bank’s 3-tiered Preferred Rewards program and earn from 25% to 75% more bonus points with every purchase.

Rewards have no expiration date, which means that your bonus points will be there as long as you keep your account active. Also, there are no limits to the number of points that you can earn.

Redemption Options

What makes this Bank of America card one of the best rewards credit cards for travel is the fact that it isn’t tied to a specific hotel chain or airline. In other words, you can book travel arrangements on your own terms and still redeem points from your Bank of America® Travel Rewards card for a statement credit to spend on hotel stays, flights, rental cars, cruises, and baggage fees.

Besides, Bank of America’s definition of ‘travel’ is very broad, so your points can also be used to purchase tickets for tourist attractions and exhibits such as amusement parks, circuses, art galleries, zoos, and aquariums. The minimum redemption requirement is 2,500 points in all of these cases. Rewards can also be redeemed for gift cards at varying per-point values.

APR and Fees

As one of the best Visa credit cards for travel, Bank of America’s Travel Rewards comes with no annual or foreign transaction fees. Another rare benefit to enjoy with this card is the 0% introductory APR for purchases made in the first 12 billing cycles. After that, the ongoing APR ranges between 16.49% and 24.49%.

Welcome Bonus

The Bank of America travel card comes with a solid sign-up bonus of 25,000 points that can be turned into a $250 statement credit intended for travel-related spending. To be able to use the bonus, you’ll have to make $1,000 in purchases within the first three months of opening your account.

Additional Benefits

This travel rewards credit card comes with a number of additional benefits and travel-friendly features. Round-the-clock concierge service, luxury hotel benefits, and travel protection are all available for Visa Signature cardholders at over 800 locations. Apart from that, Visa cards are widely accepted all around the world and therefore an excellent choice for frequent international travelers.

Bottom Line

What makes this credit card really stand out from the competition is its flexibility – the Bank of America Travel Rewards Visa credit card doesn’t require you to travel with a particular airline or stay in a certain hotel to be able to use your bonus points. Its welcome bonus is decent and the ways you can earn and redeem points are simple and straightforward. Although other travel cards may come with a more comprehensive set of features, overall, this credit card is a sound option for a frequent traveler looking to avoid annual fees.

At a Glance

Even though it comes at a price, the combination of a big welcome bonus, ongoing 3x points on travel and dining, hundreds of dollars in annual automatic credits and other high-value benefits makes Chase Sapphire Reserve well worth the money and one of the best travel rewards credit cards for those who travel regularly.

Rewards

The reward-earning policy is simple and straightforward. For each dollar that you spend on travel and dining, you get three times the amount in bonus points. Bear in mind that this doesn’t apply to travel purchases reimbursed with the annual $300 travel credit. For all other purchases, you get a point for each dollar spent.

The credit card provider has recently introduced an additional way to earn points. For each dollar spent on Lyft services until March 2022, you’ll get 10 times the amount in points.

Redemption Options

Chase Sapphire Reserve is arguably the best credit card for travel rewards and the long list of ways to redeem accumulated points is here to prove it. Once you set up an account on the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, you’ll be able to choose whether you want to redeem points for statement credit, direct deposits, travel, Amazon credits, gift cards, or a number of other options. However, if you’re looking to maximize the value of your rewards, we suggest you book travel through Chase’s portal or transfer points to the company’s partner hotels and airlines.

Airlines partners include Aer Lingus, Emirates, Air France/KLM, British Airways, Iberia, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore, and United, while Hyatt, Marriott, and InterContinental Hotels Group, and are among hotel partners.

It’s the average per-point value that secures this Chase travel card a place among the top 10 travel credit cards. Here’s an overview of points values for different redemption options. A point is worth 1.5 cents for travel booked through Chase. Each point is worth one cent if redeemed for statement credit, direct deposit or gift cards. For Amazon purchases, the per-point value is 0.8 cents for each point.

APR and Fees

As far as interest rates go, Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with a variable APR of 18.49% – 25.49%, while the APR for cash advances is 26.49%. Although annual card membership comes at a cost of $550, this is still one of the best credit cards for travel with no foreign transaction fees. Balance transfers will cost you at least $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, while for cash advances you’ll have to pay either at least $10 or 5% of the amount of the transaction.

Welcome Bonus

As a new cardholder, you’ll be rewarded 50,000 bonus points if you meet the requirement of making at least $4,000 worth of purchases in the first three months of your card membership. If redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards for hotels, airfare, cruises, car rentals, or similar travel-related cost, the bonus has a value of $750.

Additional Benefits

Apart from the excellent ongoing rewards and a huge welcome bonus, it’s the additional perks that offset the annual membership fee and make this card stand out from the competition as the best card for travel. Not only does this Chase travel credit card come with a long list of airline and hotel transfer partners, but it also offers up to $300/year of statement credit intended for travel purchases. As a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder, you also get purchase and fraud protection, a complimentary airport lounge membership, a $60/year credit for DoorDash, a one-year Lyft Pink membership, and a DashPass subscription.

Bottom Line

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the best travel rewards credit card for frequent-to-constant travelers with excellent credit who aren’t put off by the $550 annual membership fee. If you are after an extensive list of travel benefits and your spending style lets you make the most of the card’s perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve may be a great fit for your wallet.

At a Glance

Notable for its exceptional sign-up bonus and generous rewards policy, the Chase Ink Business Preferred is considered one of the best business credit cards for travel. If you are a small business owner who takes frequent trips or someone whose spending habits otherwise match the bonus categories, this card merits a closer look.

Rewards

When it comes to earning bonus points, the Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card has a rather complex rewards structure. For each dollar spent on travel-related purchases and certain business categories, you get three points on the first $150,000 spent each year. After that, each dollar earns you a single point. All other purchases also earn points at a 1:1 ratio.

Spending categories that get you three points per dollar are travel, internet, shipping, phone and cable services, and digital advertising. Note that this is the only business credit card that offers a 3x reward on social media and search engine advertising purchases.

Redemption Options

As one of the most convenient credit cards for travel, the Ink Business Preferred offers a number of options for redemption. Cardholders can redeem points for travel, cash, gift cards, and products and services available through the company’s portal or third party providers. Here’s a pro tip – to maximize the worth of your accumulated rewards, make sure that you redeem them to book trips.

There are two ways to make the most of your points for travel. First, if you decide to redeem them through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, the value of your points will increase by 25%, meaning that every bonus point will be translated to 1.25 cents. The second option this travel rewards card offers can potentially bring you even more value. It’s all about transferring the rewards to one of Chase’s hotel or airline partners.

The list of partners is long and includes British Airways Executive Club, Aer Lingus AerClub, Flying Blue Air France KLM, Iberia Plus, KrisFlyer, United Airlines MileagePlus, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Rapid Rewards, Southwest Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Also, the hotel partners are World of Hyatt, IHG Rewards Club, and Marriott Rewards.

APR and Fees

When it comes to interest rates, the Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card comes with an ongoing variable APR of 17.49% – 22.49%, while the APR for cash advances is 26.49%. Annual card membership comes at a price of $95. As one of the best credit cards for international travel, the Ink Business Preferred has no fees for foreign transactions. Balance transfers cost at least $5 or 5% of the amount of the transfer, while cash advances come at a price of either $15 or 5% of the amount of each advance, whichever of the two is greater.

Welcome Bonus

The Ink Business Preferred card comes with a spectacular welcome bonus of 80,000 points. To obtain the bonus, you are required to spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of your card membership. Regardless of how you decide to redeem your points, this is still one of the highest available bonus offers, which makes this Chase option one of the best credit cards for travel rewards.

Additional Benefits

You can expect quite a few additional benefits with this card. These include fee-free additional employee cards with individual spending limits, cell phone protection for theft or damage of up to $600, coverage for canceled or interrupted trips of up to $5,000 per trip, rental car coverage, and purchase protection against damage or theft, and extended warranty.

Bottom Line

Not only does the Chase Ink Business Preferred card offer a spectacular 80,000-point welcome bonus, but it also comes with a highly flexible rewards-earning and redemption policy, especially for travel-related purchases. However, you should consider looking for the best credit cards for business travel elsewhere if your business heavily relies on travel and you need to be on the go constantly.