Best Credit Cards for Travel Purchases in December 2023 Best Credit Cards for Travel Purchases in December 2023

Best Credit Cards for Travel Purchases in December 2023

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$200 hotel credit offered with The Platinum Card® from American Express applies to prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings made via Amex Travel. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.

Redeeming points and miles for travel is the goal for all award travelers. However, sometimes even the most seasoned point collectors have to cough up some hard-earned cash for their trips. Using one of the best credit cards for travel in these situations can earn you thousands of extra points per year.

Determining the best travel credit card is tricky because it is extremely subjective. You need to factor in your circumstances, current travel goals, and upcoming holiday plans to decide which card works best for you. Moreover, you need to ask questions like:

The answers to these questions will help you nail down your best credit card for travel. Here's a look at some of the best credit cards for travel purchases.

Our Pick: Best Travel Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Annual Fee$550
Welcome Bonus Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Chase's flagship Ultimate Rewards card. You get a $300 travel credit, airport lounge access courtesy of a Priority Pass membership and industry-leading travel insurance benefits. New cardholders earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • $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 Ultimate Rewards® 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 Ultimate Rewards®. 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 $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
  • Member FDIC
  • 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
  • 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase
  • 10X points on Chase Dining (including prepaid reservations and prepaid takeout purchased through Chase)
  • 5X points on airfare purchased through Chase
  • 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 Chase's Ultimate Rewards 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, it 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 Rewards

The travel bonus category is crowded, to say the least. While this can make picking one “best travel credit 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 Travel Benefits

The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Apply Now
Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Annual Fee$695
Welcome Offer Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
  • 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with 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, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
  • $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
  • $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
  • $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
  • $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 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.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
  • Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
  • $695 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.

It's impossible to discuss travel cards without bringing up the 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 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 and Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with Amex Travel
  • $100 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 $189 in statement credits each calendar year for a Clear Plus membership
  • Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for eligible Saks 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 Credit Card for International Travel

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Annual Fee$95
Welcome Bonus Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Our #1 recommended beginners rewards card featuring a 60,000-point signup bonus after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This card comes with great benefits and earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points.
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
  • Member FDIC
  • 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
  • 5X points on travel purchased through Chase
  • 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 Card Review

Best Business Credit Card for Travel Points

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Annual Fee$95
Welcome Offer New Cardmember Offer! Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The most valuable Ultimate Rewards signup bonus on offer and our top pick for small business rewards cards. Business owners earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn up to 450,000 points per year on a wide range of 3X bonus categories.
  • Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • 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 Ultimate Rewards®
  • 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
  • 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 even 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 Business Preferred Credit Card Review

Best No-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Card

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Annual Fee$0
New Cardmember Bonus Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
The only no-annual-fee personal card to earn transferable Capital One miles, the Capital One VentureOne earns a solid 1.25X miles per dollar on every purchase.
  • 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; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $0 annual fee
  • 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

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 any 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 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

Summary of the Best Cards for Travel Purchases

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. 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 CardPoints Earned on Travel PurchasesOther Bonus CategoriesAnnual 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
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
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase
• 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022
• 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
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
Citi Premier® Card• 3X points on airfare and hotels• 3X points on gas, dining, and supermarkets$95
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 ExpressGet 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points on eligible purchases 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 everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.• 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
U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card• 3X points on travel purchases• 3X points on mobile wallet spending
$400
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card• 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels 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 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• Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account. Unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One TravelN/A$0 intro for 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, make sure to consider hotel credit cards or airline credit cards if you primarily want to earn more rewards on purchases 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 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 the majority of 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 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 for bonus points on your particular card.

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 too overshadowed, Amex also offers several exceptional travel card options itself. 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: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)

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