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Redeeming points and miles for travel is the dream for award travelers. However, sometimes the points or miles cost doesn't make for a good redemption, so you decide to pay cash for that trip. 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 offers extra benefits, such as free checked bags, airport lounge access, or in-flight savings?
- 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.
Page Contents
Best Card for Travel Purchases: Our Pick
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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® (Rates & Fees). This remains true even after the Sapphire Reserve overhaul, which brought refreshed benefits and a higher annual fee.
- 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
Earning potential
For starters, this card earns 8x total points on purchases through Chase Travel℠, 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly, 3x on dining, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. You'd be hard pressed to find another card that has such high earning rates on hotels and flights booked directly with the airline or hotel. In other words, if you don't like booking through a travel portal, the Sapphire Reserve gives you the best of both worlds.
The only thing that would make the earning potential even better is an “all other travel” bonus category to catch travel purchases like cruises, Airbnbs, or activities. Although you can earn up to 8X on these purchases through the Chase Travel℠ portal, you're limited with availability by booking through a third-party.
Why we love it
Apart from its fantastic earning potential, the Sapphire Reserve has a lot going for it. You can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for up to 2¢ through the Chase Travel℠ portal, when redeeming through Chase's Points Boost redemption option, or transfer them to any of the Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners.
In addition, the Sapphire Reserve provides a best-in-class $300 travel credit, offers terrific lounge access, and covers your trip with industry-leading travel protection. You'll also receive IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status and statement credits for Apple TV+ and Apple Music, StubHub, dining, and DoorDash purchases.
These benefits are all in exchange for a $795 annual fee. Although the annual fee is high, many cardholders believe the Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth it.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve Full Review
Best Premium Cards for Travel Purchases
The travel bonus category is crowded. 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 premium travel rewards cards that earn well on a wide variety of travel purchases.
Best credit card for travel benefits: American Express Platinum Card®
It's impossible to discuss travel cards without bringing up the American Express Platinum Card®. The Platinum Card® also saw an overhaul in 2025, cementing its status as an icon in the category.
- 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.
Earning potential
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 (including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection) booked through American Express Travel®. It's frustrating that the only way to earn bonus points on hotels is by prepaying through American Express Travel®, but the high earning rates on airfare means it'll likely be the only card you'll want to use on flights from now on.
Why we love it
The earning potential is arguably the least interesting feature of the card. Where Platinum Card® shines is in the portfolio of perks and benefits afforded to cardholders. Some of the top benefits include:
- Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, the most comprehensive airport lounge access provided by any card
- Complimentary elite status with Marriott, Hilton, Leaders Club, Avis, Hertz, and National
- Up to $200 annually in Uber savings on rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S, in addition to $120 Uber One Credit.
- Up to $200 in annual airline fee credits
- Get up to $600 back in statement credits each year (up to $300 semi-annually) on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel®. The Hotel Collection requires a 2-night minimum booking.
- $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 $209 in statement credits each calendar year for a CLEAR® Plus membership
- Up to $100 in statement credits annually for eligible Saks Fifth Avenue purchases
- Up to $400 in statement credits annually for eligible Resy purchases (up to $100 per quarter)
- Up to $300 in statement credits each year for digital entertainment purchases (up to $25 per month)
- Up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year for Lululemon purchases (up to $75 each quarter)
- Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
There are even more statement credits offered to cardholders, bringing the maximum value up to $3,500 each year. The Platinum Card® Card is the poster child of premium travel rewards cards. For frequent travelers, the card's benefits may easily outweigh the annual fee.
Related: Platinum Card® Card Full Review
Best credit card for travel portal bookings: Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees) is one of the newest cards on this list. However, it earns a spot thanks to its impressive earning potential on travel portal bookings, plus its statement credits that can easily outweigh the $595 annual fee.
- For a limited time, earn 100,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 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.
Earning potential
Cardholders of the Citi Strata Elite earn the following:
- 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.
Unfortunately, 3X on dining and 1.5X on all other purchases is nothing special. However, the ability to earn 12X on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal is unprecedented, as is the 6X on flights booked through Citi Travel. You might not want to book through the portal, which is completely understandable. However, if you don't mind a third-party booking, you can quickly accumulate thousands of points off a single reservation.
Why we love it
Alongside the impressive earning potential on Citi Travel purchases, you can unlock nearly $1,500 in value through statement credits and other benefits:
- Up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more booked through Citi Travel
- Up to $200 Annual Splurge Credit on your choice of up to two brands, including American Airlines
- Up to $200 Annual Blacklane Credit
- Four American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge Access Passes each year
Plus, as a Citi Strata Elite cardholder, you'll have access to all of Citi's transfer partners with the best transfer ratios — including American Airlines. Citi is the only issuer that lists American Airlines as a transfer partner, making the Citi Strata Elite worth it for that alone.
Related: Citi Strata Elite℠ Card Full Review
Best for everyday travel purchases: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a fan favorite thanks to its easy to use benefits and comparatively low annual fee of $395. It doesn't pack on statement credits like some of the other cards on this list — its simplicity is what attracts cardholders.
- 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
Earning potential
As a cardholder of the Capital One Venture X, you can earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on other eligible purchases.
The bonus miles on travel portal bookings are fairly standard, but the 2X miles on day-to-day purchases make it an ideal option to use on attractions, dinners, or other purchases when traveling.
Why we love it
The Capital One Venture X offers a $300 annual travel credit on bookings through Capital One Travel. This is incredibly easy to use and is an easy way to offset the annual fee. Plus, you'll earn 10,000 bonus points each account anniversary, which is worth $100 when booking travel through Capital One Travel, or potentially more when maximizing Capital One's transfer partners.
Related: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Full Review
Best Low Annual Fee Cards for Travel Purchases
Although you often get the best earning rates on travel purchases when you pay a high annual fee, there are plenty of cards out there that offer an impressive earning potential in exchange for a sub-$100 annual fee.
Best credit card for beginners: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Our favorite travel rewards card for beginners, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), is an excellent option if you need a card without foreign transaction fees before your next trip. It also has a much lower annual fee than its Sapphire Reserve sibling, coming in at just $95 per year.
- Earn 75,000 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
- 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
Earning potential
Cardholders of the Sapphire Preferred earn:
- 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
Although earning 2X on general travel purchases might not seem like anything to write home about (especially compared to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which both earn 2X on all purchases), the Sapphire Preferred has a loyal fan base, and for good reason.
Why we love it
There are many reasons to love the Sapphire Preferred — the $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit, the opportunity to earn bonus points on your account anniversary equal to 10% of your total spending the previous year, or the comprehensive travel and purchase coverage.
However, the main reason is the ability to access all of Chase's hotel and airline transfer partners. The points you earn when booking travel direct or through the travel portal can go very far when maximizing the variety of domestic and international partners. For a beginner-friendly card, it packs a lot of valuable perks into a small package.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred Full Review
Best for bonus category purchases: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card(Rates & Fees) is a lesser-known but phenomenal option to use on travel purchases. With an annual fee of just $95, its earning potential can't be beat.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's $600 toward your next trip.
- Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
- $95 annual fee.
- Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
- Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
- Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- 5X points per $1 spent on hotels
- 4X points per $1 spent on airlines
- 3X points per $1 spent on other travel and restaurants
- 1X points per $1 spent on other purchases
Earning potential
Cardholders of the Autograph Journey earn the following:
- 5X points per $1 spent on hotels
- 4X points per $1 spent on airlines
- 3X points per $1 spent on other travel and restaurants
- 1X points per $1 spent on other purchases
For a card with an annual fee below $100, it's extremely uncommon to see such high earning rates on purchases made directly with hotels and airlines. It rivals some of the top cards on the market, and offers a bonus earning category on other travel purchases.
Why we love it
If you need more convincing outside of its impressive earning potential, the Autograph Journey offers a $50 annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase. The only drawback is that Wells Fargo only has a handful of transfer partners. Although more partners could be in the pipeline, you're somewhat limited in how you use your points.
Related: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card Full Review
Best no-annual-fee travel credit card: The Bilt Mastercard®
The Bilt Mastercard® (Rates & Fees) is a fantastic option for renters, allowing you to earn points on your monthly rent purchases (as long as you use the card at least five times per month). With no annual fee, it doesn't cost anything to keep in your wallet. However, this card isn't currently open for applications (so, keep it if you have it!), as Bilt anticipates the early 2026 launch of Bilt Card 2.0.
- 3x points on dining
- 2x points on travel
- 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year)
- 1x points on other purchases
- *You must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points—see Rewards & Benefits.
Earning potential
As a cardholder, you'll earn:
- 3x points on dining
- 2x points on travel
- 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year)
- 1x points on other purchases
- *You must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points—see Rewards & Benefits.
The Bilt Mastercard is one of the few no-annual-fee options to offer 2X points on travel purchases. You can also earn double points on purchases on Bilt Rent Day (the first day of the month) up to 1,000 bonus points.
Why we love it
Apart from the ability to earn points on your rent each month, the Bilt Mastercard has perks worth mentioning. For starters, Bilt offers excellent transfer partners, including World of Hyatt, Virgin Red, and Air France-KLM Flying Blue. Plus, you can take advantage of a variety of travel and purchase protections, including trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay reimbursement, and an auto rental collision damage waiver.
Related: The Bilt Mastercard® Full Review
Best travel credit card for business owners: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is the workhorse card of the Chase Ink business portfolio and is one of the best small-business credit cards. AwardWallet Editor-in-Chief JT Genter uses the Chase Ink Preferred as his primary travel card.
- 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
Earning potential
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 — plus a valuable sign-up bonus.
Why we love it
For only a $95 annual fee, this Chase business credit card can't be beaten. Apart from an impressive welcome bonus, it offers a variety of travel and purchase protections, and you can pool your points with other Chase cards. If you're a small business owner or freelancer, you should absolutely consider adding the Ink Preferred to your portfolio.
Related: Chase Ink Preferred Full 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® | • 8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠ • 4X points on flights and hotels booked directly • 1X points on all other purchases | • 3X points on all other dining | $795 (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 |
| 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 (Rates & Fees) | • 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through CitiTravel.com • 3X points on air travel and other hotels purchases | • 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) |
| American Express Platinum Card® | • 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (capped at $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) • 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. | N/A | $895 (Rates & Fees) |
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express | 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 | • 2X 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. | $895 (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, vacation rentals 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 uses anonymized data from AwardWallet users. So, it could have outdated data points.
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 4X points on flights and hotels booked directly. But if the annual fee is a bit too steep for you, the Sapphire Preferred is an excellent travel rewards card, too.
Not to be overshadowed by a large margin, Amex also offers several exceptional travel card options. For example, the benefit-loaded Platinum Card® card continues to be a staple of the category, providing the most perks per capita of any card.
- 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
- 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
(Terms apply)
- 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.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees)
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