AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Nowadays, almost every travel rewards credit card offers bonus points for bookings made through the issuer's travel portal. In essence, these are simply third-party booking platforms like Expedia or Booking.com. There are several reasons why someone might not want to use these third-party platforms, but card issuers and travel portals have added generous benefits to incentivize you to use them anyway.
In this post, we will compare a few different booking scenarios to see how costs fluctuate across travel portals. Here's everything you need to know.
Flight Travel Portal Comparisons
Domestic flights through the portals
New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) is one of the busiest domestic routes in the U.S. To maintain consistency, I selected April 15, 2026, as the departure date for a one-way trip. Let's find out the costs associated with booking directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, Capital One Travel, Chase Travel, or Citi Travel.
Google Flights
As you can see, there are three main options for a nonstop flight, all fairly close in price.
- JetBlue: $179
- American: $179
- Delta: $204
American Express Travel
American Express Travel charges a comparable price for the JetBlue flight, but charges more for the American Airlines flight and the Delta flight. This is interesting considering the partnership between American Express and Delta.
- JetBlue: $178
- American: $227
- Delta: $249
Capital One Travel
Capital One Travel offered the same fares as booking directly with the airlines — with the note that “you should wait for a better price.”
- JetBlue: $178
- American: $178
- Delta: $203
Chase Travel
Chase Travel also offered the same fares as booking directly with the airlines.
- JetBlue: $179
- American: $179
- Delta: $204
Citi Travel
Finally, Citi Travel charged the same as booking directly with the airlines.
- JetBlue: $179
- American: $179
- Delta: $204
Conclusion: In this example, the price is the same whether you book your flight directly with your favorite airline or book through Citi Travel, Chase Travel, or Capital One Travel. If you book through Amex Travel, you'll pay a bit more. The choice comes down to your earning rates and card perks.
For example, if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the choice is clear: Book through Chase Travel℠. You'll pay the same price but earn 8X points on the flight compared with just 4X points if you book directly with the airline.
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
Alternatively, if you have the The Platinum Card® from American Express, skip the Amex Travel portal and book directly with the airline. The price is slightly cheaper, plus the earning rate is the same: 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year).
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
Short-haul international flight through the portal
Next, let's compare first-class round-trip airfare between Atlanta (ATL) and Cancun (CUN) on Delta Air Lines. This 2-hour 30-minute short-haul international flight is a perfect gateway to a Mexican vacation.
Delta Air Lines
If you book directly with Delta, you'll spend $990.54 on your First Classic round-trip ticket. Note that booking directly also allows you to earn toward elite status.
American Express Travel
When you book your flight through American Express Travel, you'll actually pay less. The fare is just $950.54 — that's $40 cheaper than booking directly with Delta. This is a stark contrast to the domestic flight example, which charged $45 more.
Capital One Travel
If you book through Capital One, you'll pay the same as booking directly with Delta.
Chase Travel
Just like with Capital One, if you book through Chase Travel, you'll pay $991.
Citi Travel
Finally, the flight booked through Citi Travel costs the same as a flight booked directly with Delta.
Conclusion: In this scenario, a short-haul international flight booked through a travel portal was the same price (or cheaper) as a flight booked directly with the airline.
In this case, cardmembers of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express or the Amex Platinum would want to book directly with Amex Travel to get a better price plus earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com.
Business Platinum Card cardmembers who've selected Delta as their preferred airline could also use the 35% Pay With Points rebate to essentially redeem Membership Rewards points for more than 1.5 cents a piece for this flight.
- Elevated Welcome Offer: Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card company on the market as of 07/2025.
- See how you can unlock over $3,500 in business and travel value annually after meeting qualifying spend thresholds on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply.
- New! Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using the Business Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- No Preset Spending Limit: The spending limit on the Business Platinum Card is flexible, so unlike a traditional credit card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history.
- Make the Business Platinum Card® work even harder for you. Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Benefit enrollment required.
- Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
- Use the Business Platinum Card and get up to $209 back per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
- Maximize your time away with Fine Hotels + Resorts through Amex Travel™.
- New! Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
- New! Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
- Get up to $90 in statement credits quarterly for purchases with Indeed on the Business Platinum Card. That's up to $360 back per year. Enrollment required.
- Get up to $10 in statement credits per month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That's up to $120 back per year. Enrollment required.
- Enhanced! 2X points on purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
- 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
- 1X points on other eligible purchases
- $895 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
- 2X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.
Meanwhile, those with the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card would want to book through the Citi Travel Portal to earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- 12X – Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time.
- 1.5X – Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
Long-haul international flight through the portal
A nonstop flight from New York (JFK) to Singapore (SIN) is one of the longest flights in the world, clocking in at 19 hours and 15 minutes. Here's how much it'll cost depending on your booking method.
Singapore Airlines
If you book the flight directly with Singapore Airlines, you'll pay $823 for a premium economy ticket. Note that premium economy is the lowest class of service on this flight.
American Express Travel
The flight booked through American Express Travel costs $19 more than if it were booked directly with Singapore Airlines.
Capital One Travel
The flight booked through Capital One Travel costs the same as the flight booked through Singapore Airlines.
Chase Travel
The flight booked through Chase Travel costs just $1 more than the flight booked through Singapore Airlines.
Citi Travel
One of the many reasons it can be difficult to book travel through a card issuer portal is a lack of availability. These portals are often glitchy, and they don't show all of your available flight options. In this case, if I wanted to book a flight from New York to Singapore using Citi Travel, I wouldn't be able to.
Conclusion: Subject to availability, long-haul international flights booked through travel portals tend to be close to the same price as booking directly with the airline.
That means travelers with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card would want to book their flight through the Capital One Travel Portal to earn 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel, plus utilize the card's $300 annual travel credit.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
Hotel Travel Portal Comparisons
To compare the costs of booking a hotel through the travel portals, I chose a four-night stay at Rosewood Mayakoba. I had the pleasure of visiting the property during Dia de los Muertos a few years ago, and I can attest that the property is phenomenal. Rosewood is known for a refined elegance, delicious food, and a heavy emphasis on the local culture.
I stayed in the Deluxe Overwater Lagoon Suite, but to keep comparisons simple, I searched for a standard studio suite with a king bed. I selected May 8 to 12, 2026, as my travel dates (the same dates as the round-trip flight from Atlanta to Cancun above).
Rosewood
When you book directly with Rosewood Mayakoba, you will pay a total of $5,580.08 for four nights. You'll also receive free cancellation up to 21 days before arrival.
American Express Travel
When you book through American Express Travel, you'll pay $7,033 total. Although this option offers free cancellation, you're paying an additional $1,450 for the exact same room.
As an Amex premium cardholder, you'll receive the following benefits, as Rosewood Mayakoba is a member of the Fine Hotels + Resorts program:
- 12 pm check-in, when available
- Room upgrade upon arrival, when available
- Daily breakfast for two people
- $100 experience credit
- Complimentary WI-FI
- Guaranteed 4 pm check-out
Unfortunately, I don't think these benefits add up to $1,450 in value. If you book your stay through American Express Travel, you're overpaying for your room.
Capital One Travel
If you book your room through Capital One Travel, you'll pay $5,804.31.
This is a lot closer to the cost when booking directly with Rosewood, but it is only 70% refundable. If you cancel, you'll only receive a refund of $4,055.36. Even though this is a 5-star resort, it's not listed as a Premier Collection property, so you won't get any additional benefits as a Capital One cardholder on arrival.
Chase Travel
You'll pay an additional $392.47 to book your room through Chase Travel instead of directly with Rosewood Mayakoba. Your total comes out to $5,983.49 — but this booking is fully refundable up to 21 days until arrival.
You might be thinking, “But I'll earn way more points, which can offset the cost, right?” Possibly.
If you are a cardholder of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and you book directly with the resort, you'll earn 2 points per dollar on that purchase, for a total of 11,160 Ultimate Rewards points. If you book through Chase Travel, you'll earn 5 points per dollar, for a total of 29,917 points.
That means you'll earn 18,757 additional Chase Ultimate Rewards Points by booking through Chase Travel. AwardWallet users redeem Ultimate Rewards for an average of 1.97¢ per point. That means your additional points earnings are worth around $375. That comes close to — but doesn't quite cover — the higher price for this booking.
Citi Travel
Citi Travel isn't quite as expensive as American Express Travel, but it's still substantially more than booking directly. You'll pay $6,862.26 for a fully refundable reservation through Citi Travel, which is more than $1,200 over the cost of booking directly.
Conclusion: In this example, there's a substantial difference in the cost of a hotel booked directly with the brand versus through a travel portal.
When Should You Use a Travel Portal?
Several credit cards offer higher earning rates for bookings made through a specific travel portal. Plus, a growing number of cards have added travel credits that require you to book through a particular travel portal to utilize.
If your credit card offers a statement credit for travel portal bookings, then you should try to use it. For instance, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel. That's a lot of money to leave on the table just because you don't like using a portal.
Similarly, Delta co-branded cards like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offer an annual Delta Stays credit. Depending on which card you have, you could earn a statement credit between $100 and $250 on prepaid Delta Stays bookings.
The Citi Strata Premier® Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card both offer annual hotel credits that require booking through their respective portals.
If you have one of these cards in your wallet, you'll need to book through a travel portal to avoid losing out on substantial savings. Plus, if your reservation costs more than the travel credit, you're likely earning a good chunk of bonus points on the booking.
Related: Best Credit Cards With Travel Credits
When Should You Not Use a Travel Portal?
There are several situations where you shouldn't use a travel portal. Don't use a travel portal if you have to overpay for your flight or hotel. Always check the price against what it would cost to book directly with the hotel or airline. If you see you're paying substantially more for the same ticket or night, it's not worth it.
As we've seen in these examples, flights booked through the portal tend to be close to the price charged by the airline. Hotels can vary substantially between travel portals, so you'll want to keep a close eye on your options.
You should also avoid booking through a travel portal if your plans aren't set in stone. This is especially true when booking a flight. It is much easier to change a flight when you've booked directly with an airline versus through a third party. More often than not, an airline won't be able to make any changes to your reservation unless you've booked directly with them.
If you have elite status with the hotel or airline, you'll want to weigh your elite benefits against any benefits of booking through a travel portal. There's no guarantee that your elite benefits will transfer over to your reservation if you book with a third party.
Related: How To Get Hotel Elite Status for Free
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, you'll need to use your best judgment to determine when to book through the travel portal or not. If you find a great deal and you can apply a statement credit, you should happily complete your travel portal booking. However, be sure to compare prices to ensure you aren't overpaying. And if you think your plans might change, consider booking directly with the provider for ease of changes.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.