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Looking for the best rewards card to swipe when making travel purchases?
Redeeming points and miles for travel is the endgame for award travel fans, but there comes the point where even the most seasoned award traveler has to front up hard earned dollars to pay for travel. Paying for flights, hotels, and other travel expenses with the right credit card can earn you thousands of extra points every year, in addition to providing added perks such as travel insurance and lounge access.
Bear in mind, the ‘best’ card is subjective. You need to factor in your circumstances to decide what card works best for you. Take into account your current travel goals and upcoming holiday plans. Which flexible currency transfers to your chosen airline? Is there a card with ancillary benefits that provide additional value like free checked bags or a particular insurance benefit? The answers to these questions will help you nail down an earn and burn strategy to reach your travel goals.
Our Pick – The Best Credit Card for Travel Purchases
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
In short, the Sapphire Reserve earns 3X Ultimate Rewards points on a broad range of travel purchases, provides a best in class $300 travel credit, offers terrific lounge access, covers your trip end-to-end with industry-leading travel protections, and you can redeem points for 1.5¢ a piece through the Chase travel portal. Chase includes a wide array of purchases in the travel category, including:
“…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.”
Not only do the travel credit and 3X points qualify for purchases with major hotels, airlines, and trains, but also for online travel agencies and less likely accommodation suppliers such as campgrounds; talk about versatility. The card comes with a $450 annual fee, so if you can't leverage maximum value from the Sapphire Reserve’s benefits, you may be better off with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. The Sapphire Preferred sports many of the same travel protection benefits as the Sapphire Reserve, but with a lower annual fee and fewer travel perks.
Best Rewards Credit Cards for Travel
| Credit Card | Points Earned on Travel Purchases | Other Bonus Categories | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | 3X points on travel purchases | 3X points on dining | $450 |
| 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, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year | $95 |
| Citi Prestige® Card | 5x points on airfare 3X points on cruise lines & hotels | 5x points on dining 2X points on entertainment (through 8/31/19) | $495 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | 2X points on travel purchases | 2X points on dining | $95, waived for the first 12 months |
| Citi Premier℠ Card | 3X points on travel, including gas stations | 2X points dining & entertainment | $95, waived for first 12 months |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. 5X Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. | N/A | $550 - Rates & Fees |
| The Business Platinum® Card from American Express | Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. Get 50% more Membership Rewards® points. That's 1.5 points per dollar, on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more. You can get up to 1 million additional points per year. | 1.5X points per dollar on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more | $595 -Rates & Fees |
| U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card | 3X points on travel purchases | 3X points on mobile wallet spending | $400 |
| Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card | 3X points on travel purchases | 3X points on dining, streaming services, and at gas stations | $0 |
| Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. | N/A | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that |
| Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business | 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere. | N/A | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that |
| Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard® (See Terms) | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase | N/A | $89 (waived first year) |
While Chase takes the top spot, a special mention goes out here to the two Citi cards on the table. Not only do the Prestige Card and the ThankYou Premier both earn lots of points on travel purchases (although the ThankYou Premier covers a much broader array of purchases), the travel protection benefits on these two cards are right up there with the best on offer from Chase, and better than that supplied by Amex. The Travel Credit offered on the Prestige Card is also a lot more versatile than the Airline Incidentals Credit provided by the Amex Platinum, covering $250 of travel purchases as opposed to Amex's $200 of airline fees and incidentals.
Amex shares the top spot for airfare with Citi at 5X points, and the 4th-night free benefit offered on the Prestige Card is also worth a mention as the value it provides more than outstrips the points earned on other cards for the same purchase.
Another alternative to the traditional cards mentioned on the list is the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card. The card features multiple 3x bonus categories including travel and gas station purchases. As a standalone card, Go Far Rewards points earned with the Wells Fargo Propel Amex can be redeemed for 1¢ per point, but if you also hold the Wells Fargo Visa Signature® Card, you can combine points into a single account and redeem for flights through the Go Far Rewards travel portal at 1.5¢ per point.
What Purchases are Included in the Travel Category?
Chase, Citi, and Barclaycard all offer relatively similar definitions in the travel category, with purchases from online travel agencies, cruise lines, timeshares, and tour operators included for category bonus and travel credit purposes. Amex on the other hand, adds more restrictions to qualifying purchases and excludes the majority of purchases not made directly with the hotel, airline, car rental agency, or via Amex Travel. U.S. Bank states that purchases must be made directly with the travel provider, whereas
Below are some specific examples pulled from the T&C’s of popular rewards cards. The inclusions differ by provider, and sometimes between different cards from the same provider, so it’s important to clarify what purchases code as travel for bonus points on your particular card.
Chase
“…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.”
Citi (ThankYou Premier)
“…airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, travel agencies/travel aggregators/tour operators, gas stations, commuter transportation, ferries, commuter railways, subways, taxis/limousines/car services, passenger railways, cruise lines, bridge and road tolls, parking lots/garages, campgrounds and trailer parks, timeshares, bus lines, motorhome/recreational vehicle rentals and boat leases and rentals.”
A surprising inclusion in Citi’s definitions is gas stations, making the ThankYou Premier card an excellent option for award travelers who like to explore the world on wheels:
Barclaycard
“…airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, campgrounds, car rental agencies, cruise lines, purchase and travel agencies, discount travel sites, trains, buses, taxis, limousines, and ferries.”
American Express
“…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.”
Amex is very categorical in its travel definitions, with specific exclusions listed for purchases like timeshares and vacation packages. You’ll earn bonus points only on airfare, hotels, and car rentals paid directly to the vendor or Amex, not through a third party such as a travel agent or as part of a package. The terms do state that hotel reservations booked through a third party, but paid for directly to the hotel, qualify for bonus points.
U.S. Bank
“…purchases made directly with airlines, hotels, car rentals, taxicabs, limousines, passenger trains and cruise line companies.”
Wells Fargo
“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. (Gas purchases at warehouse/membership clubs, grocery stores, car washes, auto repair stores and superstores that sell gasoline may not be coded as gas stations or automated fuel dispensers.) “
Are Any Purchases Excluded from the Travel Category?
Like the included definitions above, exclusions differ between cards and providers so be sure to check your card T&C's for what purchases aren't included in the travel category. Examples from some of the cards listed include:
Chase
“…real estate agents, educational merchants arranging travel, in-flight goods and services, onboard cruise line goods and services, sightseeing activities, excursions, tourist attractions, merchants within hotels and airports, and merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling. In addition, the purchasing of gift cards, points or miles does not qualify in this category unless the merchant has set up such purchases to be classified in the travel category.”
Citi (ThankYou Premier)
“…recreational camps, insurance companies, auto clubs, fuel used for non-automobile purposes, and real estate agencies. Gas purchases made at warehouse clubs, discount stores, department stores and convenience stores do not qualify for 3X Points.”
Barclaycard
“…real estate agents, websites or owners that rent properties, in-flight goods and services, merchants within airports, and merchants that rent trailers, trucks, and other vehicles for the purpose of hauling.”
American Express
“You will NOT earn additional rewards on airfare purchased as part of a vacation package.
You may not earn additional rewards if you purchase airfare with a third party.”
“Timeshares, banquets, events, and vacation packages are NOT included. Hotel rooms paid in advance to a travel agent or travel website are NOT included.”
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Sapphire Reserve still sets the standard as the best card to swipe for general travel purchases, offering awesome perks, excellent insurance benefits, and a solid 3X points on all travel. Citi and Amex still have some catching up to do if they want to knock the Sapphire Reserve off its perch as the top all-around travel rewards card, although the ThankYou Premier from Citi comes pretty close when you factor in the smaller annual fee and broad travel category definitions.
If we’ve missed a card off the list that you think deserves a spot in the top rewards cards for travel purchases, please get in touch via the comments below, and we’ll get it added to the table.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard® (See Terms), The Business Platinum® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), and The Platinum Card® from American Express (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.
The variety of what Chase considers as travel is what sets it apart from AmEx, etc. IMHO.
I’ll second this. I love Chase for travel.
Quite a few folks I know love their sapphire reserve. I can see why it’s a top pick.
CSR is a fantastic card — is there any consensus on the card best to pair with it?
I’d say the Freedom Unlimited. Guaranteed 1.5x earning on everything you don’t earn 3x on with the CSR.
The reserve is worth the fee for the most part.
I wholeheartedly agree the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the premier travel card. And it rewards you with Ultimate Rewards points which are usable for almost all travel needs.
Good comparison. Seems like Chase Sapphire Reserve is tops. I prefer the Barclay Arrival though. It’s less restrictive for me to apply for, and I can afford the much lower annual fee better.
I do wish that these same benefits were available for Canadian credit cards, some as similar though. I will have to look at trying for one anyways for when i travel or if they do not have fees for conversions etc. The annual fees are high though overall, but i realize you get most back if used carefully.
If you’re going to have multiple cards, I’d say it’s worth the $99 fee to have the Bank of America Preferred Rewards card if you have $100,000 with Bank of America or Merril Lynch. Merril Lynch has a discount brokerage, Merril Edge, and you can move an IRA there (look for the current bonus), and qualify for a 75% bonus on the rebate, giving you 2.625% back on all purchases, and 3.5% back on travel and dining, besides an annual $100 airline incidentals credit and TSA precheck fee rebate, and a $500 sign up bonus with $3000 spend in 3 months.
For me it is the Chase Sapphire Reserve, I do have credit cards from Citi-AA, Amex-DL and Chase-UA, I am frugal and do not like to pay baggage fees.
Frugality and managing/maximizing credit card rewards, frequently goes hand in hand.
We have a preference for the Platinum Amex card in our house, among the reasons is because they are very military-friendly.
I love my CSR cc. It’s consistently my “go-to” card, and I love Chase’s UR program.
Chase seems to be leading the pack!
I wish I had a Sapphire Reserve!!!
Hard to top the CSR
Great info, thanks!
I wish they can get rid of the 5/24 rule… Can’t get anymore Chase cards!
Need to sit and chill for a bit 🙂
The Prestige’s 4th night free is a great benefit
We wholeheartedly agree.
There’s no doubt that the Sapphire Reserve is the best travel card. I am so disappointed that I was unable to get the card when it was first offered.
CSR definitely ranks up there as one of the most favorable options.
CSR is definitely the best all around card for travel. But I prefer to use another card for none travel/dining categories when overseas too.
Spg card if amex is accepted, otherwise alaska or jetblue card since no ftf.
I agree with you on this one! Even though it’s great to have just one card for most purchases, having a backup never hurts. I haven’t had a ton of luck with Amex outside SPG hotels in other countries, though
The CSR is great! To me its the most flexible. Although you will pay an arm and a leg for it!!
Have a big trip to Europe (two months) and am seeing some great advantages to the CSR. I even found some excellent pricing for a ticket from MAD to LIS (better than TP web site to google flights), so I am SOLD.
My next trick will be to open a BA Avios account to use their distance based rewards to get to Malta and Sicily!
I love the chase sapphire reserve card!
Great info, Thanks!
the reserve is a very useful card. if you travel a lot with triple rewards you can easily get lots of value from it.
Don’t forget the 300 travel credit also applies to a broad definition of travel on the CSR
Exactly. With array of benefits the CSR offers, for a net $150 AF, it’s definitely my #1 as well.
We split our spending with the CSP and Starwood. Most travel goes on CSP, but I haven’t got my wife completely trained!
The CSR’s 3x and its $300 travel credit makes it the primary choice for me, unless I’m specifically booking travel on branded cards.
Really useful. Thanks.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is great
I love my Chase cards! I need to have my father watch my kids while my husband and I are on a trip to Hawaii. My dad is older and I really felt better having him in first and I know that if he paid himself it’d end up coach. He’s just that way. Since I had some points with my Chase Sapphire Pref, I redeemed most and spent VERY little to get my dad first class with Alaska Airlines! Now I know he’ll fly in comfort and get to enjoy something I haven’t yet…I’m jealous! Next time when we visit him, I think I just might go Alaska first ;o)
Without help looking and learning about the best cards from ya’ll, I would be worried with him flying alone. I know he’ll be fine…I mean somehow he raised me. lol! But still thank you! I can relax more with him traveling in comfort and relaxing in the lounge.
the annual fee is a bit high but the end to end travel protection makes it worth the price
I am always looking for special promos on other cards not mentioned here, like Barclay Aviator red. For a few months I will be earning bonus miles for spending in several categories. I feel it’s good to look for these promos in cards I already have in addition to looking for new cards.
Agree that CSR is very useful. I use it for car rental because it is the primary insurer.
Great info!
perhaps a list of best cards with no annual fee can be done as well, PLEASE
something like this https://awardwallet.com/blog/best-0-annual-fee-credit-cards-with-0-intro-apr/ or this https://awardwallet.com/blog/0-annual-fee-for-the-first-year-rewards-credit-cards/
Hard to go wrong with Chase & Citi for international travel use.
second best CC to have in your wallet is the AMEX Blue Business Plus after the CSR
I love your detail on the breakdown of travel categories! Thanks!!