Travel credit cards provide travelers with high reward rates, along with amenities such as lounge access and elite status that make journeys simpler and more comfortable.
Choose the card best suited to your spending habits by considering its airline and hotel partners as well as any benefits provided by its issuer.
General travel credit cards
Finding the appropriate travel credit card requires careful consideration of both your spending habits and travel goals. A co-branded card might be ideal if you value certain airline or hotel brands’ benefits such as expediting membership tier advancement or annual free stay certificates for hotels.
General travel credit cards offer flexibility and convenience when it comes to earning and redeeming points, typically not requiring exceptional credit to get rewards on all purchases, with zero foreign transaction fees, airport lounge access, TSA PreCheck global entry statement credits and TSA PreCheck statement credits available as travel perks. They may even come equipped with travel accident, trip cancellation and rental car collision damage waiver policies to make life even simpler!
Airline or hotel credit cards
Airline and hotel credit cards often feature rewards that tie directly into their frequent flyer programs, with free checked bags and airport lounge access as perks. Some cards even allow you to redeem miles for statement credits, gift cards and merchandise! General travel credit cards tend to offer greater flexibility for earning and redeeming points across a range of airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Airlines or hotel credit cards often make sense for people who are loyal to a specific brand and appreciate its perks; however, these cards may not suit everyone. Before choosing one of these cards, consider your spending habits, compare perks with annual fees, as well as whether or not it charges foreign transaction fees that could prove costly when traveling overseas.
Cash back credit cards
Travel credit cards often offer rewards for every dollar spent, allowing users to redeem those rewards against airfare, hotel stays and other travel-related purchases; others offer gift cards, merchandise or cash back as rewards. Furthermore, some cards provide travel protection such as accident and luggage coverage.
Your card value depends on your spending habits, so when selecting one you should carefully weigh its advantages against its annual fee. Some cards also impose foreign transaction fees of approximately 3% of each purchase which can significantly diminish its worth.
Some travel credit cards are co-branded with airlines or hotels, providing special status in their loyalty programs. In addition, these cards may provide extra perks that would otherwise go unused with general rewards cards; such as complimentary checked bags or automatic membership in an airline’s loyalty program.
International travel credit cards
Selecting the ideal credit card for international travel can save money in terms of lounge access, elite status benefits and trip cancellation insurance coverage, not to mention rewards points that you can redeem for free travel or other benefits. Some cards even waive foreign transaction fees altogether which is an added savings for travelers.
American Express’ Platinum Card (terms apply; see rates and fees) is an ideal card for travelers seeking an incentive-laden credit card that rewards vacation spending and dining expenses, with no foreign transaction fees and valuable travel protection features like lost luggage reimbursement and accident coverage.
Consider these cards when travelling internationally: Bank of America Travel Rewards Card (terms apply; see rates and fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Both offer excellent rewards earning rates with no foreign transaction fees and multiple travel protection features.
