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Undoubtedly, credit cards can be invaluable tools for travelers. However, with some cards charging hundreds of dollars for annual fees, many people are looking for cheaper alternatives. While some of the best travel credit cards charge hundreds or even several hundred for annual fees, plenty of cards offer great benefits and rewards without breaking the bank.
Here's a list of some of the best credit cards available now with annual fees under $100.
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Overview of the Best Credit Cards With Annual Fees Below $100
When it comes to looking at credit cards that are considered better than others, some of the most helpful features to consider include:
- Do the card benefits outweigh the annual fee?
- How valuable are the points I'll be earning with this card?
- What kind of welcome offer/sign-up bonus comes with the card?
- Where can I use the points I earn with this card? (i.e., Are they transferrable? And to what airlines?)
These are questions worth keeping in mind as we explore the cards below:
| Card Name | Annual Fee | Welcome Offer |
|---|---|---|
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | $95 | Welcome Offer Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Citi Strata Premier | $95 | Welcome Offer Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com. |
| Capital One Venture | $95 | Welcome Offer 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95 | Welcome Bonus Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Aeroplan® Credit Card | $95 | Welcome Bonus Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 bonus points after your annual fee renewal payment posts and is paid in full |
| IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card | $99 | Welcome Bonus Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening |
| The World of Hyatt Credit Card | $95 | Welcome Bonus Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent. |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | $0 (Rates & Fees) | Welcome Offer: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. |
The Top 8 Credit Cards With Annual Fees Under $100
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Preferred gets a spot at the top of the list because this is one of the best travel rewards credit cards you can apply for. This card carries a $95 annual fee and earns 3X points on travel and a handful of other small business-specific categories (on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases, then 1X).
Better yet, the Ink Preferred comes with a new applicant sign-up bonus of 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You can transfer the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn to 14 airline and hotel partners at favorable ratios.
- Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
Related: Ink Preferred Full Review
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
The Citi Strata Premier is one of the most underrated credit cards and could easily become your next favorite if you give it a chance. The earning categories with this $95 annual fee card are powerful — 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com; 3X points per $1 spent on airfare and other hotels; and 3X points at gas stations, EV charging stations, restaurants, and supermarkets.
If you're looking for a “one size fits all” kind of card, this is the best one to go for. Citi has 21 different transfer partners, and frequently offers transfer bonuses, helping you stretch your points further.
- 3X points per $1 on airfare and hotels and at gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets
- Annual Hotel Benefit: Save $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through CitiTravel.com
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X points per $1 spent on airfare, and other hotel purchases
- 3X points per $1 spent at gas and EV charging stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining at restaurants, including cafes, bars and lounges
- 3X points per $1 spent at supermarkets
- 1X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
Related: Citi Strata Premier Full Review
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture is a great option for those who want a card similar to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card but with a lower annual fee.
This card earns 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Thus, it's a great card for those who don't want the hassle of having to think about which card to use for everyday purchases.
And if you're a new applicant, you can collect a valuable sum of Capital One miles after you meet the minimum spending requirement. The Capital One Venture‘s current sign-up bonus is 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles on all other purchase
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔® (up to $120)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
Related: Capital One Venture Full Review
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Sapphire Preferred always wins the number one best beginner's travel card for a reason — it is a solid starter card with great earning categories, including bonus Ultimate Rewards points on travel, dining, streaming services, and more.
It could be a good option for those who want to earn extra points on travel purchases but don't want to get a business credit card like the Ink Preferred. It also offers a lucrative 60,000-point sign-up bonus after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, a $50 annual hotel credit, and valuable travel protection.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Related: Sapphire Preferred Full Review
Aeroplan® Credit Card
Getting a co-branded airline credit card can sometimes be quite limiting. Instead of earning transferrable points with a bank, you're earning airline miles with only one specific airline that can't be used anywhere else. However, when you have a frequent flyer program as lucrative as Aeroplan, getting a co-branded card might be even more valuable than others (depending on how you use your points, of course).
The Aeroplan Card is not only paired with a great airline loyalty program but also offers amazing benefits and rewards that many other airline cards don't. It comes with a solid earning rate of 3X points for each dollar spent on grocery stores, dining at restaurants including takeout and eligible delivery services, and Air Canada directly, and 1X elsewhere. You also get complimentary 25K status with Air Canada for the remaining calendar year after approval, as well as for the entire following calendar year.
New applicants can unlock up to 70,000 bonus points — 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open, plus 10,000 bonus points after your annual fee renewal payment posts and is paid in full.
- Earn up to 70,000 bonus points
- Earn 60K bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Earn 10K bonus points after your annual fee renewal payment posts and is paid in full
- $95 Annual Fee
- Redeem points for both international and domestic flights with the Aeroplan® Credit Card.
- Fly to another continent and travel the world with the Aeroplan® Credit Card.
- Earn 3X points for each dollar spent at grocery stores, on dining at restaurants, and Air Canada directly. Earn 1X point for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
- 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month - up to 1,500 points per month.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 3x points directly with Air Canada
- 3x points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3x points at grocery stores
- 1x point on all other purchases
Related: Aeroplan Card Full Review
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
The IHG One Rewards Premier Card is one of the best co-branded hotel credit cards with an annual fee under $100. It comes with tons of benefits, but the best value comes from the anniversary free night certificate earned every year and the ability to get your fourth night free on IHG One Rewards award redemptions. You can even use both of these together to really stretch your points much further.
You also get IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, which comes with perks such as room upgrades, bonus points, and more.
- Earn 140,000 Bonus Points
- Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
- Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier cardmember
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for being a IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card member
- Earn 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® One Rewards member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
Related: IHG One Rewards Premier Card Full Review
The World of Hyatt Credit Card
The World of Hyatt Card is another co-branded hotel card that's a great choice for World of Hyatt loyalists, as cardholders earn valuable points on Hyatt stays, dining, and travel purchases, which can be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, or other experiences.
The card includes an annual free night at a Category 1-4 property, effectively offsetting the already-reasonable $95 annual fee. It also provides automatic Discoverist status, offering perks like late check-out, room upgrades, and bonus points on stays.
Plus, as a new applicant, you can score a valuable one-time bonus of up to 60,000 Hyatt Points — 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, plus up to 30,000 more Hyatt points with 2 points earned per dollar on up to $15,000 spent in the first 6 months after opening your account.
- Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
Related: World of Hyatt Card Full Review
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business Plus might not be a card you've considered before or even heard of, but it can be extremely valuable for the right business owner. This card earns 2X Membership Rewards points on every $1 spent up to $50,000 per year, then 1X.
This card carries the lowest annual fee of any card on this list — $0 (Rates & Fees). However, the main downside with the Blue Business Plus is that it does impose foreign transaction fees (2.7% of each transaction after conversion to U.S. Dollars.), making it a poor choice to use while traveling internationally.
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- You've got the power to spend beyond your credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power. *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
Related: Blue Business Plus Full Review
Bottom Line
Some amazing credit cards come with great rewards and benefits while helping save your hard-earned money with low annual fees. Although just one of these cards will likely not fit every one of your needs, some definitely cover almost everything. And with annual fees this low, you might even want to apply for more than one to cover all your bases and maximize those rewards!
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), Aeroplan® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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