Traveling can be expensive, but there are a number of credit cards that can help you save money on your next trip. The best travel credit cards offer a variety of benefits, including points or miles that can be redeemed for travel expenses, travel credits, and airport lounge access.
In this blog post, we’ll compare the best travel credit cards of 2023. We’ll consider factors such as welcome bonuses, rewards programs, annual fees, and other benefits to help you find the right card for your needs.
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Best Travel Credit Cards for Beginners
If you’re new to travel credit cards, there are a few great options that offer a good balance of rewards and benefits.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Our Top Choice): This card offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Points can be redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, which is a flexible rewards program that allows you to transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel partners. The card also offers a variety of other benefits, including a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, no foreign transaction fees, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: This card offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Miles can be redeemed for travel through the Capital One Travel portal, which offers a variety of airlines and hotels to choose from. The card also offers no foreign transaction fees and a variety of other benefits, such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance and purchase protection.
Discover it® Miles: This card offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Miles can be redeemed for travel through the Discover Travel portal, which offers a variety of airlines and hotels to choose from. The card also offers no foreign transaction fees and a variety of other benefits, such as extended warranty protection and purchase protection.
Best Travel Credit Cards for Frequent Travelers
If you travel frequently, you’ll want a card that offers a lot of rewards and benefits. Here are a few of the best travel credit cards for frequent travelers:
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: This card offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Points can be redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, which is a flexible rewards program that allows you to transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel partners. The card also offers a variety of other benefits, including a $300 annual travel credit, a $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, no foreign transaction fees, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: This card offers a welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Miles can be redeemed for travel through the Capital One Travel portal, which offers a variety of airlines and hotels to choose from. The card also offers no foreign transaction fees and a variety of other benefits, such as a $300 annual travel credit, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, and airport lounge access.
American Express® Platinum Card: This card offers a welcome bonus of 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening. Points can be redeemed for travel through the Amex Travel portal, which offers a variety of airlines and hotels to choose from. The card also offers a variety of other benefits, such as a $200 annual airline fee credit, a $200 annual Uber credit, a $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit, no foreign transaction fees, and airport lounge access.
Other Factors to Consider
In addition to welcome bonuses and rewards programs, there are a number of other factors you should consider when choosing a travel credit card. These include:
Annual fee: Some travel credit cards have an annual fee, while others do not. If you plan on using the card frequently, the annual fee may be worth it for the benefits
