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Redeeming points and miles for travel is the goal for all award travelers. However, sometimes you'll still need to pay cash for your trips. Using one of the best credit cards for travel purchases in these situations can earn you thousands of extra points per year.
Determining the best credit card for travel purchases is tricky because it is subjective. You must factor in your circumstances, travel goals, and holiday plans to decide which card works best for your purchases. Moreover, you need to ask questions like:
- Which flexible rewards currency will provide the most value?
- Do you need a card that provides extra benefits, like free checked bags, airport lounge access, or discounted in-flight purchases?
- Which card offers the best travel insurance?
Here's a look at some of the best credit cards for travel purchases as we answer these questions.
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Best Card for Travel Purchases: Our Pick
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 10X points on Chase Dining (including prepaid reservations and prepaid takeout purchased through Chase)
- 5X points on airfare purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on all other travel
- 3X points on dining at restaurants
- 1X points on all other purchases
Let's cut to the chase (pun intended). In terms of travel purchases, no card comes close to the comprehensive benefits package offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
For starters, it earns 3X Ultimate Rewards points on a broad range of travel purchases — including some unexpected candidates, like taxis, campgrounds, and ferries. That earning rate goes up to 5X–10X on travel booked through the Chase Travel℠ portal, depending on what you're booking.
You can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a whopping 1.5¢ each through the Chase Travel℠ portal or transfer them to any of the Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners.
Moreover, the Sapphire Reserve provides a best-in-class $300 travel credit, offers terrific lounge access, and covers your trip with industry-leading travel protection in exchange for a $550 annual fee. Although this annual fee is high, many cardholders believe the Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth it.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve review
Other Best Cards for Travel Purchases
The travel bonus category is crowded, to say the least. While this can make picking one “best” card tricky, it also means we're not left wanting for options. Let's go through our favorite travel rewards cards that earn well on a wide variety of travel purchases.
Best credit card for international travel
- 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
Our favorite travel rewards card for beginners, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, is an excellent option if you need a card without foreign transaction fees before your next trip.
Its ability to earn 2X Ultimate Rewards points on general travel purchases (and 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards) and provide excellent travel protections for just a $95 annual fee makes it a compelling option.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred review
Best credit card for travel benefits
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- With American Express Global Lounge Collection® eligible Card Members can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $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 your 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.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 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. Use the dedicated CLEAR Lane to confirm your identity without taking out your passport or ID - this can mean shorter lines, less waiting. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.¤
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- 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®.
It's impossible to discuss travel cards without bringing up The Platinum Card® from American Express. It's an icon in the category — and for good reason. Cardmembers earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. But that's not the highlight of this card. Where this card shines is in the portfolio of perks and benefits afforded to cardholders.
Some of the top benefits include:
- The most comprehensive airport lounge access provided by any card
- Complimentary elite status with Marriott, Hilton, National, and Avis
- Up to $200 annually in Uber savings on rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S.
- Up to $200 in annual airline fee credits
- Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with Amex Travel
- $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck application fee
- Up to $199 in statement credits each calendar year for a CLEAR® Plus membership
- Up to $100 in statement credits annually for eligible Saks Fifth Avenue purchases
- Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
The Amex Platinum Card is the poster child of premium travel rewards cards. But for frequent travelers, the card's benefits may easily provide more value than the annual fee.
Related: Amex Platinum Card review
Best business credit card
- 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
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is the flagship card of the Chase Ink business portfolio and is one of the best small-business credit cards. AwardWallet Blog editor-in-chief JT Genter says the Chase Ink Preferred is his primary travel card.
It's an excellent option for more than just travel, though. Although it offers fantastic travel protections, it also offers powerful point-earning ability — 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year — and a valuable sign-up bonus.
For only a $95 annual fee, this Chase business credit card can't be beaten.
Related: Chase Ink Preferred review
Best no-annual-fee travel credit card
- Earn 20,000 Miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening; worth $200 in travel if redeemed for a fixed-value, or potentially much more when transferred to airline partners
- 1.25 Miles on every purchase
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR after that
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 5 Miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a great option if you don't want to pay an annual fee. It doesn't change foreign transaction fees, and you'll earn 1.25X miles per dollar on every purchase, plus 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
However, if you are looking to earn hotel points on your travel purchases, it may be worth adding a no-annual-fee hotel credit card to your wallet. One of our favorite options is the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (Rates & Fees) since it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees and offers 17 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel, 3 points on purchases on monthly bills, gas stations, and restaurants, and 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Related: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card review
Best Credit Cards for Travel Purchases Summary
The cards we've discussed already are the top dogs of the travel rewards world. But that doesn't mean there aren't other cards you may want to consider for your travel purchases. Here's a broader look at some of the best currently available travel rewards cards that earn more than 1X on most travel purchases:
| Credit Card | Points Earned on Travel Purchases | Other Bonus Categories | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | • 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase • 5X points on airfare purchased through Chase • 3X points on other travel worldwide | • 10X points on Chase Dining (including prepaid reservations and takeout purchased through Ultimate Rewards) • 3X points on all other dining | $550 (Rates & Fees) |
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | • 3X points on travel purchases (up to $150K combined with other categories) | 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year | $95 (Rates & Fees) |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | • 5X points on travel purchased through Chase • 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027 • 2X points on all other 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) | $95 (Rates & Fees) |
| Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | • 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through CitiTravel.com • 3X points on airfare and other hotels | • 3X points on gas, EV charging, dining, and supermarkets | $95 |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card (Rates & Fees) | • Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases. | N/A | $95 |
| American Express® Green Card | • 3X points on travel including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals. | • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US. | $150 |
| American Express® Gold Card | • 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com • 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com | • 4X points at at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per year, then 1X) • 4X at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1X) | $325 (Rates & Fees) |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | • 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (capped at $500,000 per calendar year) • 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. | N/A | $695 (Rates & Fees) |
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express | Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points® on Flights, and Prepaid Hotels Booked through AmexTravel.com. 1X points on other eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that's an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus. | • 1.5X points per dollar on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, up to a cap of $2 million spent on these purchases in a calendar year. | $695 (Rates & Fees) |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | • 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. | N/A | $95 |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | • 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 5 Miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. | N/A | $395 |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | • 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. | N/A | $0 |
| Capital One Spark Miles for Business | • 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One's travel booking site. | N/A | $0 introductory fee for the first year; $95 after that |
Throughout this post, we've focused on cards that earn bonus rewards on a wide variety of travel purchases. But you also should consider hotel credit cards and airline credit cards if you want to maximize your earnings with a specific hotel or airline.
Related: Best Rewards Credit Cards for Each Spending Category
What Purchases Are Included in the Travel Category?
Whenever you find yourself wondering how a transaction codes, your first step should always be to consult the AwardWallet Merchant Category Lookup Tool.
This AwardWallet tool lets you look up the name of a merchant and see how previous purchases have coded. Keep in mind, however, that the tool crowdsources its data from AwardWallet users. Consequently, it's not always 100% accurate or all-inclusive.
Further complicating things is the fact that each bank has different notions of what constitutes a travel purchase. Chase, Barclays, and Wells Fargo all offer relatively similar definitions in the travel category. Amex and U.S. Bank, on the other hand, add more restrictions to qualifying purchases. They both exclude most purchases not made directly with the hotel, airline, car rental agency, or (in the case of Amex) via Amex Travel.
Below are some specific examples pulled from the terms and conditions of popular travel rewards cards. However, the inclusions differ by provider — and sometimes even by card within the same provider. This makes it important to clarify what purchases code as travel before deciding on the best card for your travel purchases.
Chase travel purchases
“…airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages.”
Barclays travel purchases
“…airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, campgrounds, car rental agencies, cruise lines, purchase and travel agencies, discount travel sites, trains, buses, taxis, limousines, and ferries.”
Wells Fargo travel purchases
“Airline, hotel/motel, timeshares, or vehicle/auto rental, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds.”
“Gas stations and automated fuel dispensers, passenger railway, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, parking lots and garages. “
American Express travel purchases
“…airfare must be for a scheduled flight on a passenger carrier and purchased directly from the airline.”
“To earn additional rewards on hotels, the purchase must be for a hotel stay and must be made directly with the hotel. You will NOT earn additional rewards if you prepay for your hotel with a third party, such as an online travel agent, or prepay the hotel as part of a vacation package.”
U.S. Bank travel purchases
“…purchases made directly with airlines, hotels, car rentals, taxicabs, limousines, passenger trains and cruise line companies.”
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Sapphire Reserve still sets the standard as the best credit card for travel purchases. It offers incredible perks, excellent insurance benefits, and a solid 3X points on general travel purchases.
Not to be overshadowed by a large margin, Amex also offers several exceptional travel card options. For example, the benefit-loaded Amex Platinum card continues to be a staple of the category, providing the most perks per capita of any card.
Have we missed a card on the list that you think deserves a spot among the best travel credit cards? Let us know in the comments below.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (Rates & Fees), The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), and American Express® Gold 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.
