Your ideal credit card depends on your spending habits and priorities; top cards provide a range of perks, protections and redemption options.
Consider whether or not you want to focus your spending in accordance with bonus categories on your card, or redeem for gift cards or statement credits instead. In addition, think carefully about transfer partners which could maximize the use of earned miles.
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve
If you’re in search of a premium travel card that provides high returns across multiple categories and premium benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve could be an ideal solution. This renowned card boasts an attractive rewards program and $300 annual travel credit plus extensive perks such as airport lounge access, CLEAR membership reimbursements and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursements – making it one of the best cards out there.
Ultimate Rewards points earned with your card can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards or travel through Chase Travel Portal at 1.5 cents per point; alternatively you may transfer them to various airline and hotel loyalty programs where they could be worth much more.
This card comes with a high annual fee, but can easily outweigh it within just a few trips each year. If you have excellent credit and want a powerful travel rewards card, consider this card as one of your options.
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase Sapphire Preferred stands out as one of our go-to cards for credit card beginners due to its generous sign-up bonus, everyday spending rewards and travel protection features. Cardholders earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025 (through March 31, 2025) as well as 3X on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart or wholesale clubs).
Ultimate Rewards points offer multiple uses; they can be redeemed for travel bookings through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal at an increased rate of 25% and transferred 1:1 into airline and hotel loyalty programs. Cardholders also enjoy complimentary travel benefits like primary car rental insurance, trip interruption and cancellation coverage and an annual statement credit of $50 in their hotel account statement.
If you like this card, consider upgrading it to the Chase Sapphire Reserve which comes with a $300 annual travel credit, access to Priority Pass lounges and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus fee credits of up to $100 every four years. But beware; the Sapphire Reserve may require a hard credit pull under Chase 5/24 rule and may necessitate hard pull.
3. Capital One Venture
Capital One Venture is the card issuer’s premier travel card, designed for travelers who value simplicity in earning and redeeming miles. Offering a fixed one-cent per mile redemption option, this card makes redemption effortless – directly transfer miles directly to airline and hotel transfer partners (such as Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Executive Club or Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles) or book via Capital One Travel portals.
The card also offers an outstanding welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within three months, equivalent to around $750 in travel costs – one of the best card welcome bonuses on the market and helps offset its annual fee.
Capital One not only rewards users with two miles per dollar spent, but purchases from various travel merchants – such as airfare providers, hotels, rental car companies, restaurants, cruise lines, limousine services and tour operators – also qualify. Making it an excellent way for users to accrue and redeem miles quickly and effortlessly.
4. American Express Platinum
American Express’ Platinum Card is like an extravagant suitcase filled with high-value travel perks. At $695 annually and offering benefits such as travel credits, airport lounge access and purchase protections – making it one of the best premium cards available to frequent travelers.
New Platinum cardholders who meet eligibility can enjoy an 80,000-point welcome bonus, which could be worth at least $800 in travel bookings through American Express Travel. When combined with its 5x earnings on airfare and hotels booked through Amex Travel, this welcome bonus easily makes up for its annual fee within one year.
The card also comes equipped with valuable potential benefits, including complimentary CLEAR Plus membership for fast security and Global Dining Access through Resy, which grants access to exclusive restaurant reservations. Some of these perks require enrollment in order to activate them; as is often the case with ultra-premium cards, this one also requires good to excellent credit in order to gain approval.
