Whether or not you already journey regularly or are planning your first trip in a very long time, you may possible profit from having a number of journey bank cards.
These playing cards aid you earn helpful rewards that you may redeem to make your journey inexpensive, extra snug or each. Some journey bank cards additionally supply advantages that may lower your expenses or aid you journey higher. Plus, most do not cost overseas transaction charges.
The Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card was one of many very first journey bank cards I utilized for. Though I nonetheless have my Enterprise card, I’ve additionally added many different journey rewards playing cards — a few of which I talk about beneath — to my pockets because of their numerous advantages and rewards.
Rewards I’ve earned from journey bank cards have let me take pleasure in premium cabin flights and luxurious resorts for a fraction of the price I might have paid with out these factors and miles. Factors and miles additionally let me journey regularly whereas staying inside my finances. In brief, journey bank cards might be the important thing to touring extra and/or higher.
The very best journey bank cards
Evaluating the most effective journey bank cards
Listed here are TPG’s picks for the most effective journey bank cards.
Card | Greatest for | Welcome supply | Incomes charges | Annual payment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card | Incomes miles on on a regular basis spending | Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of in your first cardholder yr. |
|
$95 |
The Platinum Card from American Specific | Journey perks for shoppers | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$695 (see charges and charges) |
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card | Simplicity | Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$395 |
Chase Sapphire Most popular Card | Vacationers | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$95 |
The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific | Journey perks for enterprise house owners | Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership. |
Purchases eligible for a number of further level bonuses will solely obtain the best eligible bonus. Phrases apply. |
$695 (see charges and charges) |
Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card | Enterprise house owners who journey | Earn 90,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. |
|
$95 |
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card | Delta Sky Membership entry | Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$650 (see charges and charges) |
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card | Advantages when flying Delta | Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$0 introductory annual payment for the primary yr, then $150 (see charges and charges) |
American Specific Gold Card | Eating places and U.S. supermarkets | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership. |
|
$325 (see charges and charges) |
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card | No annual payment | Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 on purchases inside three months from account opening. |
|
$0 |
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, plus obtain a one-time $250 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of in your first cardholder yr.
Annual payment: $95.
Standout advantages: The first advantage of the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card is its simplicity for incomes and redeeming. You will earn at the least 2 Capital One miles per greenback spent on purchases and might simply redeem miles for assertion credit to offset latest journey purchases.
Day by day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Day by day e-newsletter
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
Nevertheless, I want to switch Capital One miles to Capital One switch companions once I’m able to ebook an award flight or resort. For instance, I transferred rewards to Avianca LifeMiles to ebook Lufthansa firstclass from Frankfurt to Mexico Metropolis final yr. Moreover, I am utilizing Alternative factors — which I may have earned by way of transferring Capital One miles to Alternative Privileges if I did not have already got sufficient in my account — to remain in Helsinki this April.
To study extra, take a look at our Capital One Enterprise card evaluation and our information on maximizing Capital One miles.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
The Platinum Card from American Specific
Welcome supply: Earn 80,000 factors after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership.
Annual payment: $695 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: The Amex Platinum is the final word client journey card. It provides broad lounge entry by way of its international lounge assortment, together with Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Golf equipment (as much as 10 visits each Feb. 1 to Jan. 31). This lounge entry — plus the cardboard’s many assertion credit — gives sufficient worth for my husband to maintain this card in his pockets regardless of its hefty annual payment.
He will get as much as $200 again in assertion credit every year on pay as you go American Specific High quality Accommodations + Resorts or The Resort Assortment bookings by way of American Specific Journey (The Resort Assortment requires a minimal two evening keep). We have used this credit score every year for stays at resorts a bit nicer than we sometimes frequent, corresponding to The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and The Naka Island, a Luxurious Assortment Resort & Spa, Phuket in Thailand. We use our month-to-month as much as $20 digital leisure assertion credit score for Disney+, our as much as $50 biannual Saks assertion credit score for polo shirts and our month-to-month Uber Money for rides or eats within the U.S. (as much as $20 every month and a bonus $20 in December; your Amex Plat have to be added to your Uber account and you’ll redeem with any Amex card).
However actually, we maintain the cardboard to get him Centurion Lounge entry, as we benefit from the meals, drinks and workspace at these lounges.
Enrollment required for choose advantages.
Try our Amex Platinum Card evaluation to study extra.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Specific
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual payment: $395.
I additionally get 10,000 bonus miles yearly, beginning on my first account anniversary. The Capital One Journey credit and bonus miles present me with extra worth every year than the cardboard’s $395 annual payment, so it is easy for me to justify paying the annual payment every time it posts to my account.
The Enterprise X provides a number of different perks I take pleasure in. For instance, I like incomes at the least 2 miles per greenback spent on purchases, which makes the cardboard my default on a regular basis spending card. I additionally recognize how the food and drinks high quality within the Capital One Lounge at Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW) has remained at a excessive stage even because the lounge has grow to be extra crowded.
To study extra, learn our Capital One Enterprise X card evaluation.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Chase Sapphire Most popular Card
Welcome supply: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual payment: $95.
Plus, it provides glorious journey protections, together with journey delay reimbursement and first auto rental protection. After my sister-in-law paid for collision insurance coverage on a number of automobile leases — totaling greater than the Sapphire Most popular’s annual payment — my husband and I insisted she apply for the Chase Sapphire Most popular and use it when renting vehicles as a substitute of paying for the rental firm’s collision insurance coverage.
However my favourite perk is the flexibleness you will get when redeeming Chase Final Rewards factors. I usually joke that my Final Rewards factors are merely ready to grow to be World of Hyatt factors since I like transferring Chase factors to Hyatt. You may get nice worth when reserving award nights by way of World of Hyatt for the reason that program nonetheless makes use of an award chart and Class 1 Hyatt resorts begin at simply 3,500 factors per evening.
However Chase Sapphire Most popular Card members may also switch factors to different companions or redeem factors towards journey booked by way of Chase Journey at a fee of 1.25 cents every.
To study extra, learn our Chase Sapphire Most popular Card evaluation.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular Card
The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific
Welcome supply: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership.
Annual payment: $695 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: Despite the fact that my husband has the Amex Platinum, I utilized for The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific in 2019. I’ve saved the cardboard ever since for its assertion credit and lounge entry. The lounge entry advantage of this card turned extra essential when Amex modified its Centurion Lounge visitor coverage in 2023, as since then, my husband and I’ve every used our personal Platinum Playing cards to get into the lounge.
As for assertion credit (a lot of which require enrollment), I’ve loved the brand new as much as $50 per quarter assertion credit score for eligible purchases made with Hilton properties utilizing my card. I used my credit score within the first quarter of 2025 for a keep on the Hampton by Hilton Munich Metropolis Heart East and can use it within the second quarter on the Hilton Tallinn Park in Estonia. I joined the Hilton for Enterprise program to get entry to the $50 per quarter assertion credit and have since discovered this system provides some compelling charges.
I do not use all of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card’s advantages. For instance, I have already got larger tiers of Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors standing than the Gold standing supplied as a perk of my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card. Sadly, my cell service supplier (Google Fi) is not eligible for the as much as $10 monthly in U.S. wi-fi phone assertion credit supplied by the Amex Enterprise Platinum, and my enterprise does not use Adobe or Certainly (two different corporations for which cardmembers can take pleasure in assertion credit; as much as $150 yearly with Adobe and as much as $90 quarterly with Certainly).
I additionally not often put spending on my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card. Besides, the cardboard’s efficient annual payment is price paying for the lounge entry I obtain since I take advantage of the as much as $200 airline payment assertion credit score every calendar yr for incidental charges with one airline (I select American Airways), the as much as $50 per quarter Hilton Honors assertion credit and the as much as $199 every calendar yr Clear Plus assertion credit score.
To study extra, learn our Amex Enterprise Platinum Card evaluation.
Apply right here: The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific
Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card
Welcome supply: Earn 90,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening.
Annual payment: $95.
Whereas many different journey bank cards supply bonus earnings on flights, resorts or when reserving by way of their journey portal, the journey class on the Ink Enterprise Most popular is broad. So, I can earn 3 factors per greenback on wide-ranging journey bills, together with resorts, automobile leases, journey companies, toll roads, trains and buses.
Plus, I normally get nice worth when redeeming Chase Final Rewards factors. World of Hyatt is my most-used Final Rewards switch accomplice, however my husband and I lately transferred Final Rewards to United Airways to ebook a last-minute Aegean Airways flight from Athens, Greece, to Tirana, Albania, for simply 6,000 miles and $33 every.
To study extra, see our Ink Enterprise Most popular card evaluation.
Apply right here: Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
Welcome supply: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership.
Annual payment: $650 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: I’ve by no means significantly thought of making use of for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card, but when I had been a frequent Delta flyer striving for a selected Delta Medallion standing tier, it will actually be in my pockets.
Delta Reserve cardmembers get 2,500 Medallion Qualification {Dollars} every Medallion qualification yr. Plus, cardmembers earn 1 MQD per $10 of purchases made with their Delta Reserve card in a calendar yr. These two perks make it simpler to earn and keep Delta Medallion standing.
Cardmembers additionally take pleasure in 15 complimentary visits every Medallion yr to the Delta Sky Membership when flying Delta and may also unlock limitless Delta Sky Membership entry by way of the top of the following Medallion yr after spending $75,000 on purchases with the Delta Reserve card throughout a calendar yr. Plus, Delta Reserve cardmembers get 4 one-time visitor passes every Medallion yr.
Assertion credit just like the as much as $240 Resy credit score (for purchases at U.S. Resy-affiliated eating places or different Resy purchases), the as much as $120 ride-hailing credit score (on U.S. ride-hailing purchases) and the as much as $200 Delta Stays credit score may also present worth. Enrollment required for choose advantages.
The cardboard provides many extra perks, so take a look at our Delta Reserve Amex Card evaluation to see if it is best for you.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card
Welcome supply: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first six months of cardmembership.
Annual payment: $0 introductory annual payment for the primary yr, then $150 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: If you’re paying checked bag charges or stressing about discovering overhead bin house when flying Delta, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card may help. It provides Zone 5 precedence boarding and a primary bag free on Delta flights for you and as much as eight different vacationers in your reservation.
The cardboard additionally provides numerous different advantages that present worth. For instance, the TakeOff15 profit means you may robotically pay 15% fewer miles when redeeming for journey on Delta-operated flights. Plus, the cardboard provides a $100 Delta Stays credit score that provides you as much as $100 again per yr as an announcement credit score after you employ your Delta Gold Amex to ebook pay as you go resorts or trip leases by way of Delta Stays. In 2024, I used the Delta Stays credit score from one other Delta bank card for a $148 in a single day keep in Male, Maldives, earlier than heading to a non-public island resort.
In the event you totally use the Delta Stays credit score every year, the annual payment on the Delta Gold Amex could also be price paying even for those who solely use a number of of its different advantages sometimes. See our Delta Gold Amex Card evaluation for extra particulars.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Specific Card
American Specific Gold Card
Welcome supply: Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first six months of cardmembership.
Annual payment: $325 (see charges and charges).
Standout advantages: The American Specific Gold Card is fashionable with many shoppers because of its food-focused advantages and incomes charges.
On the incomes facet, Amex Gold Card members earn 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback). These incomes charges are troublesome to beat, particularly contemplating the caps on incomes are comparatively excessive for many shoppers’ spending patterns.
On the advantages facet, Amex Gold Card members can take pleasure in as much as $10 in Uber Money for U.S. purchases every month (Amex Gold have to be added to your Uber account and you’ll redeem with any Amex card), as much as $7 in Dunkin’ assertion credit score every month (at U.S. Dunkin’ areas), as much as $10 in assertion credit score every month for purchases with Grubhub, The Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, Goldbelly, Wine.com or 5 Guys, and as much as $100 in assertion credit for U.S. Resy-affiliated and different eligible Resy purchases every calendar yr.
I haven’t got the Amex Gold since I spend important time exterior the U.S. Though the Amex Gold might be helpful for vacationers, it turns into much less helpful for those who spend a lot time overseas that you may’t get good worth from the month-to-month assertion credit (most of which you’ll be able to solely use throughout the U.S.).
Enrollment required for choose advantages.
Nevertheless, the cardboard is fashionable for a cause, so learn our Amex Gold Card evaluation for extra particulars.
Apply right here: American Specific Gold Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome supply: Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 on purchases inside three months from account opening.
Annual payment: $0.
The cardboard provides a 0% introductory annual proportion fee for 15 months on purchases and stability transfers, with a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR afterward. In the event you use this supply, make certain you can repay your stability in full by the top of the introductory APR interval. In spite of everything, the rewards you may earn with this card will not be worthwhile for those who pay curiosity and charges.
You may redeem miles you earn along with your VentureOne card to cowl latest journey purchases at a fee of 1 cent per mile. Nevertheless, you may possible get extra worth once you redeem miles by transferring them to pick out airline and resort loyalty applications.
To study extra, see our Capital One VentureOne card evaluation.
Study extra: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card
What to think about when selecting a journey bank card
There’s lots to think about when selecting a brand new journey bank card. Listed here are a number of of the highest features to think about.
Most popular rewards
Maybe an important facet to think about when selecting a journey bank card is the rewards you may earn. Most journey bank cards earn resort factors, airline miles or transferable rewards.
Whereas the easiest way to redeem resort factors and airline miles is normally with a selected program — for instance, the easiest way to redeem Delta miles is for award flights booked by way of the Delta SkyMiles program — transferable rewards provide you with extra flexibility. You may normally redeem versatile rewards at a hard and fast fee for assertion credit or journey reserving, however you can even switch your rewards to pick out resort and airline loyalty applications.
This means to switch rewards corresponding to Amex Membership Rewards factors, Capital One miles and Chase Final Rewards factors to different applications — usually at a 1:1 ratio — lets me keep away from devaluation in a selected program by ready till I wish to ebook a selected award flight or evening earlier than I switch my factors or miles.
Advantages
One other essential facet to think about when selecting a journey card is its advantages. For instance, I renew my Amex Enterprise Platinum Card every year not for the rewards I earn when making purchases with it however for the advantages it gives. Particularly, I get lots of worth from the lounge entry I take pleasure in as a advantage of my numerous journey playing cards.
Advantages might be significantly compelling with resort bank cards, a lot of which supply elite standing and a free evening certificates every year once you renew. In lots of circumstances, the free evening certificates can supply extra worth than the cardboard’s annual payment. Likewise, airline bank cards normally supply perks like a complimentary checked bag, earlier boarding and an elite standing increase.
Welcome bonus
If you are going to apply for a brand new journey bank card, it is price contemplating the welcome bonus. You can select a card primarily based on the presently accessible welcome bonuses. Or, you may wait to use for a card when it is providing an elevated limited-time supply. You can additionally verify CardMatch to see whether or not you are presently focused for particular provides.
Associated: The very best bank card welcome bonuses
Spending habits
Take into account how nicely a journey bank card’s bonus classes match your spending habits. Particularly, contemplate what kinds of purchases you would be placing on the cardboard for those who had been to use. Additionally contemplate whether or not you’d have the ability to spend sufficient on the cardboard throughout the first few months after you signal as much as meet the minimal spending necessities for the welcome bonus.
Annual payment
Lastly, you may possible additionally wish to contemplate the annual payment when selecting a journey bank card. Particularly, contemplate whether or not the earnings and advantages you may get will present extra worth than the price of the annual payment. In the event you do not consider you may get sufficient worth from the advantages and earnings, then the cardboard possible is not a very good match for you.
How we selected the most effective journey bank cards
TPG selected the most effective journey bank cards primarily based on a number of components, together with incomes charges, advantages, welcome bonuses and the general worth we count on a client can acquire by having and utilizing the cardboard.
Redemption choices for journey bank cards
Your redemption choices will rely in your particular journey bank card, however you must normally redeem resort factors for resort stays and airline miles for award flights.
Transferable rewards like Chase Final Rewards factors have extra redemption choices. I extremely suggest researching and understanding the alternative ways to redeem — and calculating the cents per level you’d get by way of every redemption technique — earlier than redeeming any rewards. However know that, typically, you may wish to redeem transferable rewards by transferring them to airline or resort companions. Check out TPG’s month-to-month valuations and goal to get at the least our valuation in worth when redeeming.
My go-to switch accomplice for Chase Final Rewards is World of Hyatt. I’ve transferred Chase factors to Hyatt to ebook aspiration stays at Miraval Austin, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives and Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa.
However I’ve gotten excessive redemption charges even when redeeming Hyatt factors for lower-category stays. For instance, I booked 5 off-peak nights on the Class 1 Story Resort Signalfabriken in Sweden, which price $1,012 or 17,500 factors, giving me a redemption fee of 5.78 cents per level. I additionally booked 5 peak nights on the Class 1 Hyatt Regency Cape City, which price $2,086 or 32,500 factors, giving me a redemption fee of 6.42 cents per level.
In brief, transferable factors can allow you to journey higher and/or with extra consolation with out paying more cash.
Backside line
Journey bank cards have let me unlock elite standing, perks and award redemptions that in any other case would not be doable. Take into account what perks or rewards forex you need when deciding which journey bank card to use for. Make sure to contemplate all of your redemption choices earlier than you redeem, maintaining TPG’s valuations in thoughts to evaluate whether or not you are getting good worth out of your redemption.
Associated: Why transferable factors and miles are price greater than different rewards
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta Reserve Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta Gold Amex Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold Card, click on right here.