From spring break trips and airline flights home, credit cards designed specifically for student travel can help ease expenses. Offering attractive rewards and no foreign transaction fees, as well as accepting college students with limited to no credit history history.
Look for a card with quarterly-rotating categories such as dining and gas expenses that will allow for frequent travel purchases. Remember that missed or late payments could harm your credit score.
Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students
Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card is designed for frequent travelers who want to earn valuable rewards without needing to keep track of bonus categories or calendars. With 1.5 points earned per dollar spent equating to approximately 1.5% cash back, this card provides students with easy and consistent rewards without needing to keep track of categories or calendars.
This card stands out as it doesn’t impose foreign transaction fees that could eat away at rewards you earn – an advantage for college students traveling abroad. Furthermore, this credit card also comes standard with zero fraud liability coverage and the option to check FICO scores.
This card comes with an impressive sign-up bonus: Earn 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 within 90 days, redeemable for a $250 statement credit towards travel purchases. Plus, point redemptions are hassle-free; no blackout dates, airline or brand restrictions and they don’t expire!
Capital One VentureOne
Capital One VentureOne could be an excellent way to get into miles collecting with no fees attached; its sister card, Venture X Rewards card offers 1.25x miles for every purchase made and 5x miles when booked through Capital One Travel.
Redeeming points for statement credit enables you to cover almost every travel expense imaginable — flights, hotel stays, car rentals, bus and train rides, cruises, timeshares and more! In addition, Capital One loyalty partners may enhance their value even further by accepting transferred miles as transfer credits.
This card requires excellent credit to qualify, but prequalify can help determine your chances for approval prior to applying. Plus, TPG estimates 20,000 miles will be awarded after spending $500 within three months – worth an approximate total value of $370!
Discover it(r) Miles
Discover it(r) Miles is an ideal travel rewards card if you prefer not paying an annual fee. There are no spending limits or rotating bonus categories, with an unlimited 1.5X miles rate on purchases across all categories. Redeem miles towards travel purchases or cash in your account anytime; each mile equals 1 cent.
The card features no foreign transaction fees and comes equipped with a complimentary FICO score as well as an on/off switch that protects against unauthorized usage of your account. Furthermore, you have the option to automatically freeze it if you won’t need your funds for some time.
Discover doesn’t provide many travel perks such as trip delay insurance or lost baggage coverage; moreover, there may not be enough transfer partners for Discover to maximize its rewards program’s value for you. However, for students with good to excellent credit this card should still be worth consideration.
Discover it(r) Student Chrome
Discover it Student Chrome is an ideal credit card option for college students and one of few that doesn’t require having an excellent FICO score to qualify. Furthermore, its no penalty APR policy for late payments gives new credit-builders some room to learn how to responsibly use a card.
Discover’s 2% cash back on rotating categories is appealing, yet millennials who dine out frequently or drive frequently may want to consider other cards with higher rewards for these expenses. Additionally, Discover requires activating certain categories in order to earn this bonus – which only pays out up to $1,000 every quarter.
Discover it Student Chrome does not charge an annual fee and waives your first late payment fee (though subsequent charges of $41 apply). Furthermore, this card does not incur foreign transaction fees and could come in handy should you plan on traveling overseas while attending college.
