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The holidays are right around the corner, and if you’re shopping for a traveler, you might be thinking beyond sweaters and gift cards. What many people forget is that some of the best travel gifts don’t require spending anything extra at all.
Thanks to the perks built into many popular credit cards, you can give meaningful, travel-enhancing presents using benefits you already have: expedited security, free hotel nights, companion tickets, statement credits, lounge access, and more.
Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly gesture or a standout gift for the traveler in your life, let's look at the many options you have for giving holiday gifts via your credit card perks.
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TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and CLEAR+®
For starters, everyone should have the benefit of saving time and hassle at the airport. To do this, you need TSA PreCheck. You can enroll in TSA PreCheck on its own; however, if you frequently travel internationally, Global Entry may serve you better since it saves you time upon re-entry to the U.S., and it includes TSA PreCheck benefits.
Another airport time-saving option is CLEAR+. CLEAR is a private company that offers biometric identity verification and priority screening at 50+ airports and select sporting venues in the U.S. You can have both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR.
Many credit cards offer a statement credit for application fees to programs like TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and CLEAR+. Furthermore, the names don't need to match between the applicant and the credit card used to pay the application fee. This means that you can use a card with a statement credit for one of these programs to pay for a friend or family member's application. You'll get the statement credit, and they'll get expedited airport services for free.
One thing to note: These programs typically require the cardholder to be present at the time of enrollment verification.
Hotel Free Night Award
Many hotel programs offer free night awards as a credit card perk or a benefit of having status with the hotel's loyalty program. Generally, you can use the free night certificate to make a reservation and add a friend or family member's name to it so they can enjoy a free hotel stay. Each program has specific rules for gifting award stays, which are as follows:
- Best Western Rewards: You can gift a free night stay to immediate family members, which Best Western defines as your spouse, partner, children, parents, in-laws, and siblings.
- Choice Privileges: You can book an award stay for immediate family members. According to the terms, this includes your spouse, partner, children, parents, in-laws, and siblings.
- Hilton Honors: You can book the room yourself and add the person's name to the reservation. We recommend calling the hotel in advance to confirm that the second name on the reservation is the person checking in.
- World of Hyatt: You can easily gift any Hyatt awards to another Hyatt member by going to your account, clicking on your awards, and choosing “Gift Your Award.” You will enter the other person's name and Hyatt loyalty number, and the award will be transferred to their account.
- IHG One Rewards: You can book an award night for anyone else, as long as you include their name on the reservation. Note that the greater China area is excluded from this.
- Marriott Bonvoy: You can book an award stay for another member up to five times per calendar year, and you need to call Marriott to make the reservation.
Bring a Friend or Family Member as Your Companion
Several airlines offer companion tickets that allow you to bring a friend or family member along on your trip. Each airline has different rules for how to earn and use the ticket, so let's go over your options.
- Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® card and Atmos™ Rewards Visa Business Card: Alaska Airlines offers a companion ticket to cardholders, which is good for one round-trip or one-way saver or main cabin flight on Alaska Airlines starting at $122 ($99 base fare plus applicable taxes and fees starting at $23).
- The Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card comes with an annual Global Companion Award, which allows you to save up to 25,000 points on a companion award ticket when you book two tickets with points.
- British Airways Visa Signature® Card: A Travel Together ticket is available to cardholders who spend $30,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year. You just have to pay the taxes and fees, which vary by itinerary, to bring a companion on your flight when you book a redemption with Avios. Alternatively, you can fly alone and get a 50% discount on the Avios needed for your flight.
- American Airlines: The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® offers a companion ticket after spending $30,000 on the card in the cardmember year.
- Delta Air Lines: Four Delta credit cards include companion tickets among their perks. There are two personal cards — the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card — and two business cards: the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card. The companion ticket is available once per card year, and you just need to pay the taxes and fees. Note that only certain fare classes are valid for travel with the companion ticket.
- Southwest Airlines Companion Pass: This is not a one-time pass that can be gifted, but it's worth mentioning. If you earn 135,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points in one calendar year, which can be done with one or two credit card welcome offers, you will earn a Companion Pass. This allows you to bring a companion on all of your Southwest flights for just the price of the taxes and fees. Check out our dedicated Companion Pass post to learn more.
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- 2X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
In addition to a companion flight, you can use free hotel nights to bring a friend along, even if the program doesn't allow you to gift the stay to them to use without you. That could turn into a flight + hotel combo anyone would love to receive as a gift.
Use Annual Credits to Buy Gifts
Many credit cards come with annual and/or monthly credits that you could use to buy presents, monthly memberships, gifts, or gift cards for your loved ones:
- The American Express Platinum Card® charges an annual fee of $895 (Rates & Fees) and comes with:
- Digital entertainment credit: up to $300
- Resy credit: up to $400
- Equinox fitness credit: up to $300
- SoulCycle credit: up to $300
- Lululemon credit: up to $300
- Oura ring credit: up to $200
- Saks Fifth Avenue credit: up to $100
- Walmart+ membership (excluding Plus Ups): up to a $155 credit
- Prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel: up to $200 in credit for (The Hotel Collection requires a minimum 2-night stay). Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express comes with:
- Dell credits: up to $1,150
- Indeed credit: up to $360
- Adobe credit: up to $250
- Hilton credits: up to $200
- Wireless phone credit: up to $120
- Elevated Welcome Offer: Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card company on the market as of 07/2025.
- See how you can unlock over $3,500 in business and travel value annually after meeting qualifying spend thresholds on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply.
- Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using the Business Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- No Preset Spending Limit: The spending limit on the Business Platinum Card is flexible, so unlike a traditional credit card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history.
- Make the Business Platinum Card® work even harder for you. Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Benefit enrollment required.
- Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
- Use the Business Platinum Card and get up to $209 back per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
- Maximize your time away with Fine Hotels + Resorts through Amex Travel™.
- Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
- Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
- Get up to $90 in statement credits quarterly for purchases with Indeed on the Business Platinum Card. That's up to $360 back per year. Enrollment required.
- Get up to $10 in statement credits per month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That's up to $120 back per year. Enrollment required.
- 2X points on purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
- 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
- 1X points on other eligible purchases
- $895 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
- 2X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Rates & Fees) includes an annual $75 credit that you could use to buy a flight or a gift card for a friend or family member. Note: this benefit ends December 31st, 2025.
- Multiple Chase cards offer a subscription to Instacart+ and monthly statement credits to go with it.
Pay for Airline Incidentals
Cover your friend's airline incidentals by paying with a card that offers annual travel credits. Each card's benefit defines the travel credit differently. Some apply broadly, while others apply only to seat upgrades, booking and change fees, checked luggage fees, in-flight entertainment, food and beverage purchases, and airport lounge fees. The following cards offer an annual airline incidentals credit:
- Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card: Up to $100 airline incidentals credit, valid on U.S. domestic airlines only.
- Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite Credit Card: $300 airline incidentals credit, valid on qualifying U.S. domestic airlines only.
- Platinum Card® and Business Platinum Card: Up to $200 in statement credits for airline incidentals on one airline you choose in advance when enrolling for the benefit.
- XXXXXX: Up to $350 airline incidentals credit on U.S. domestic airlines only.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: $200 in flight credits, valid on payments made directly with airlines or Amex Travel; available as up to $50 per quarter.
Related: Best Credit Cards with Travel Credits and Airline Incidental Credits
Book Travel for Someone
Use travel credits from one of your cards to book travel for a loved one. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees) includes a $300 annual travel credit. You could book a hotel or flight for a friend and get a statement credit to recoup the cost.
Similarly, the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card offers a $325 annual credit on any travel purchases. Both the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business offer $300 in annual travel credits for bookings you make through Capital One Travel.
You can also book a flight or hotel for a friend or family member using your points or cash. Just be sure to follow any guidelines required by the award program for booking in other people's names. For hotels, these will be the same rules as what we mentioned above regarding using a free night certificate for someone else. We also have an article covering each of the airlines' rules for booking a flight in someone else's name.
Gift Points
If you'd rather gift your points rather than book travel for someone else, you have options. There are quite a few rewards programs that let you transfer your points to another person. This would be a great way to help a friend or family member book a trip. Here are the hotel and airline options that allow you to transfer points to another person for free:
- Hilton Honors
- Marriott Bonvoy
- World of Hyatt
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Air France–KLM Flying Blue
- ANA Mileage Club
- British Airways Executive Club
- Etihad Guest
- Frontier Miles
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Norwegian Rewards CashPoints
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
Additionally, a few of the major banks allow you to send your points to another person. Both Capital One and Citi allow you to move points to another member. However, be aware that Citi limits transfers to 100,000 points per year, and, once transferred, points expire after 90 days. So be sure your loved one has a plan to use the points quickly.
Lounge Access
The last thing we want to mention is the gift of lounge access. Who doesn't love to relax in an airport lounge while waiting for their flight instead of squeezing into a tiny airport chair while the intercom bleats at you incessantly? Throw in free food and drinks, and you have a win-win situation. There are a few ways to give the gift of lounge access.
You can add a friend or family member as an authorized user on your Capital One Venture X or Sapphire Reserve. They can use that card to sign up for a Priority Pass membership. You can add four authorized users for free on the Capital One Venture X, but authorized users cost $195 each on the Sapphire Reserve. But starting in February 2026, lounge access will no longer be included for authorized users on the Venture X card. After that, authorized user lounge access can be added for $125 per year.
Both the Platinum Card® and the Business Platinum Card also offer access to the Global Lounge Collection for eligible authorized users. However, adding an authorized user with a Platinum version of the card costs $350 (Rates & Fees) and $195 (Rates & Fees), respectively, so it becomes a very pricey gift. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® lets you add three authorized users at $175 for the first three authorized users, then $175 each. Each of these authorized users gets complimentary Admiral's Club® access. If you have American Airlines lovers in your life, this is a great gift option.
Final Thoughts
The holidays are an expensive time of year for all of us. But we still want to make sure our loved ones feel appreciated. Thankfully, many credit cards that you may already hold come with perks that are perfect for gifting. From free night awards to companion tickets or lounge access, there's something for everyone. Instead of using those perks yourself or letting them go to waste, gift them to a friend or relative this holiday season.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Rates & Fees), American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees)
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