Anyone already on the travel credit card train will tell you how much they love them. But if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, I get it; it’s easy to think it’s just a scam that’ll cost you more in the end. That’s totally understandable; money’s a big deal at the end of the day. But there are some really solid travel cards out there that can help stretch your travel budget.
Care to find out which ones are worth it? Let me share the best ones with you.
Card 1 – Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Sign-up deal: 90,000 points
Yearly cost: $95
Regular APR: 20.24%-26.24% Variable
Recommended credit: 670-850
First off, we’ll start with the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Priced at $95 (€87.08) a year, this one is highly favored for its generous welcome sign-up bonus of 90,000 points. Obviously, this comes with a catch; cardholders need to spend $8,000 ($7333.39) within three months from when they open the account. Even though it includes a serious number of points, having to fork out $8,000 ($7333.39) over three months is a pretty steep commitment.
So, after the 90,000 points land in your account, where can you transfer them? Well, Chase has partnerships with 11 different airlines and three hotel chains. After registering an account with, say, Aer Lingus AerClub, you can then move the points onto that account, and you’re free to spend them however you like. Alternatively, if you want to maximize the value of your points, you get a 25% bonus when they’re redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
Want to rack up points faster? Anyone who uses the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card for travel costs will earn three extra points for every US Dollar spent. Plus, there’s also one point rewarded for every US Dollar splashed out on all other expenses, with no limits. These point offers may sound appealing for those unfamiliar with travel cards, but you’ll see this offer isn’t as beneficial once you compare it to the others I’ll be covering.
Card 2 – Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Sign-up deal: 75,000 points
Yearly cost: $95
Regular APR: 20.24%-28.24% Variable
Recommended credit: 670-850
As far as variety with rewards goes, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card might be one of the best cards on the market. Not only does it provide outstanding advantages for travel-related purchases, but it also gives you points in plenty of other areas too.
Splash $95 (€87.08) a year on this bad boy, and you’ll earn three points when you use it for paying for flights, hotel stays, or at supermarkets, fuel stations, and restaurants. Think that’s it? Not so fast. When you book something like a car rental through CitiTravel.com, you’ll collect 10 points for every US Dollar you spend. Additionally, an extra point is given for every US Dollar spent on anything else you would like to waste your money on.
Another great perk is that the amount you need to spend to earn the welcome bonus is much lower than other credit cards. As long as you spend $4,000 (€3666.70) over a four-month period, you’ll get your hands on 75,000 ThankYou® Points. These can be redeemed as vouchers or exclusive travel rewards through thankyou.com. If that wasn’t enough, every year, account holders earn $100 (€91.67) off a hotel stay they book as long it’s worth $500 (€458.34) or over.
If there’s one thing to point a finger at Citi for about the Strata Premier℠ Card, it would have to be the $100 (€91.67) off the hotel stay. Yeah, it’s 100 bucks you didn’t have before, but just think about it for a second: when do you spend that much on accommodation? Very rarely, I could imagine, especially if you fall into the budget traveler category. US citizens also don’t benefit from this one as much as they do others because of the lack of domestic airlines with which the company has partnerships. JetBlue is the only one at this time.
Card 3 – Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Sign-up deal: 60,000 points
Yearly cost: $95
Regular APR: 20.49%-27.49% Variable
Recommended credit: 670-850
A popular choice for someone looking to dabble their feet into travel credit cards is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Account holders are treated to favorable reward offers, from three points earned on things like dining, certain streaming services, and online grocery spending to two points on anything related to travel. And let’s not forget the one point you earn on any other purchases and the five points you get on every US dollar spent with Chase Travel℠. There’s a solid variety in there, to put it lightly.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® cardholders also get full insurance coverage for car rentals, trip cancellations, and lost luggage. This is where I think this card really shines for people on the road a lot, like yourselves. It means you don’t have to go spending extra every time you want to book a weekend trip; you’re always covered no matter what.
If I were to fault the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for anything, it would be that you’re paying $95 (€87.08) a year, which is what a lot of the other good cards on this list charge. However, you only get 60,000 sign-up points when you spend $4,000 (€3666.70) over three months. But you could do the same with the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, earn even more points, and get similar benefits.
Card 4 – Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card
Sign-up deal: No points
Yearly cost: Free
Regular APR: It varies
Recommended credit: 650-850
Anyone on a tight budget hoping to jump in on the travel rewards buzz without paying a yearly fee will enjoy the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card. Yeah, you read that right; signing up for it won’t cost you a penny.
It’s easy to assume that a travel card that’s for free doesn’t come with nice perks, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. Before anything else, let’s talk about the details of reward points. For dining out, you earn three points, two for travel expenses and one for additional spending. However, the real game-changer with the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card is its reward for rent payments: one point for every US Dollar spent on rent. Fairly impressive if you ask me. Now, there is a 100,000-point limit per year, but for no fees, it’s nothing to complain about.
What’s the catch? If there is one, I would say it’s that you have to use the card at least five times every month in order to be eligible for the benefits. But if you swapped out your debit card for this credit card and used it more, you’d quickly meet the requirement. One other thing I would caution you about is that you won’t receive a register bonus with the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card. After an application gets approved for the credit card, All the points must be earned; nothing is given for free.
Card 5 – Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Sign-up deal: 75,000 miles + $250 (€229.17) credit that can be used on travel
Yearly cost: $95
Regular APR: 19.99%-29.24% Variable
Recommended credit: 670-850
If you really want to load up on the points from just your daily costs, I think the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the right way to go. Suppose you only travel once or twice a year but want to let the points build up; you’d be foolish not to consider a credit card like this. Unlike other programs that hand over one mile on all other expenses, Capital One takes it up a notch by giving you two. Wait, there’s more; five miles can be earned every time you book a travel service, such as a hotel, through the Capital One Travel program.
After successfully obtaining a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you’ll have three months to spend $4,000 (€3666.70) to grab the 75,000 reward point package that everyone gets at the beginning. Best of all, you can hold onto these points until you’re ready to use them, as they stay active forever unless you decide to close the account and move to another program. This is a major win for you if you’re planning a big trip a year or two down the line, as you can move your points to any of your accounts with their airline partners. From Emirates Skywards to Air Canada Aeroplan, there are plenty of options.
Similar to a lot of other plans, the annual fee for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is $95 (€87.08). A few decent extras are included that some other cards don’t offer. One of these is a credit of as much as $120 (€110.00) that can be applied to your TSA Pre Check/Global Entry registration.
Card 6 – The Platinum Card® from American Express
Sign-up deal: 80,000 points (or 125,000 points with current offer, March 2025)
Yearly cost: $695 (€637.09)
Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Recommended credit: 670-850
Of all the travel credit cards out there, it’s safe to say the Platinum Card® from American Express is among the most elite. Before I start listing out all the incredible perks that come with it, I just want to emphasize that it’s far more expensive than the others. The yearly charge is $695 (€637.09), which is high. But take a breather for a second; you’ll get endless privileges with it if you travel frequently. It’s the kind of card that would suit a digital nomad perfectly.
New account holders have the chance to earn 80,000 points within the first six months of acquiring the card. However, they’ve got an offer at the moment (March 2025) where instead of 80,000 points, people are receiving 125,000. The spend amount is set at $8,000 (€7333.39), which only works out at roughly $1,333.33 (€1222.23) per month. As for the award points, I believe the offerings aren’t as favorable when you factor in the annual fees. Five Membership Rewards® Points are given whenever you book a flight directly, which is often more pricey than doing it through Kiwi. There are also an additional five for flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel. Then, an additional point is awarded for every US Dollar spent on everything else.
What makes the Platinum Card® from American Express unique is the credit it provides for specific programs. $200 (€183.33) to put towards flights with any airline and another $200 (€183.33) for Uber Cash is quite tempting, especially for somebody who’s always traveling. And not to forget the complimentary access to certain lounges around the world, like the Delta Sky Club and Lufthansa Lounges. Be aware that I’m only scratching the surface here; you can check out the full list of credit benefits on the American Express website.
Now, we move on to where the Platinum Card® from American Express falls short. For me, it’s the insanely high fee. Sure, you get lots of appealing perks, but unless you’re on the move every second week, I don’t think it’s worth it. Particularly when you take into account the limited options for earning points.
Get Your Hands on One of These Travel Cards for Maximum Savings
It’s amazing that there are so many travelers who know little to nothing about travel credit cards. With just a quick browse online, you’ll quickly discover that tons of savings are up for grabs.
I’ve listed some of the most popular options in this post, but be sure to do your own research to see if the card you like works in your favor. On paper, it might seem like a good choice, but when you review the details in the fine print, it could be a different story.