Credit cards that offer travel points typically offer premium benefits and come with premium annual fees, making these cards worth their cost for frequent travelers.
Airline travel cards accrue rewards through airline loyalty programs while general travel cards offer flexible points that can be redeemed at their issuer’s travel portal or transferred to airlines and hotels for additional redemption options.
Airline credit cards
Travel credit cards typically offer points (usually miles) on eligible purchases that qualify as travel. This typically includes airfare, hotel stays and rental cars but some cards also award points for purchases like gas, parking, taxi fares or ferries. Once earned, these points can then be redeemed through their travel portal at either one cent each or for other valuable redemption options such as statement credits or gift cards.
Airline credit cards feature co-branded rewards programs with specific airlines, like Delta SkyMiles cards or American AAdvantage cards, that could benefit frequent flyers seeking airline-specific benefits like lounge access and free checked bags – plus elite status faster. Other travel credit cards offer flexible point currencies that can be redeemed with many airlines and hotel partners while typically incurring lower annual fees than airline cards.
Hotel credit cards
Hotel credit cards often come with benefits like free nights, resort credits and automatic elite status that make them worth their weight in gold for frequent travelers. Finding the appropriate card depends on your travel habits and hotel chain of choice – for maximum earnings rate and benefits choose one which rewards purchases made within that category at your chosen hotel chain.
Co-branded hotel credit cards can be an ideal choice for loyal customers of a specific brand like Hilton or Hyatt, providing generous sign-up bonuses and anniversary certificates, with some even waiving the annual fee for the first year. Or you could choose a general travel rewards card which earns flexible points that can be redeemed for hotel stays as well. These cards may even provide added perks such as built-in travel insurance coverage and airport lounge access with higher redemption rates than hotel loyalty programs.
General travel cards
If you want the benefits of travel cards without committing to one airline or hotel brand, general travel credit cards may be ideal. They feature more flexible redemption options than co-branded cards and often offer extra travel perks like complimentary checked bags and upgrades to hotel accommodations.
Airline- and hotel-specific cards give you points or miles that can only be redeemed with their partner, offering faster progress towards elite status tiers.
The best travel credit cards enable you to redeem rewards for flights, hotels, cruises, rental cars and more. Most also provide bonus points in specific spending categories like dining, groceries and drugstores – with some counting bus fares, tolls and parking as travel purchases! You may also choose statement credits or cash back as additional redemption options that may have lower values than travel rewards.
Transferable points
When selecting a credit card to earn travel points, it is essential to consider how you intend to redeem them. Many cards feature flexible rewards programs which enable cardholders to either use points as statement credits or book award travel through airline and hotel loyalty programs directly. Furthermore, some may provide bonus rewards rates on spending within specific categories, providing fast access to elite status within these loyalty programs.
Transferable points may often prove more valuable than miles for loyalty programs due to their flexibility in use and value; Chase Ultimate Rewards points, for instance, can be transferred to 11 airlines and three hotel chains, while Amex Membership Rewards and Citi Prestige Points have similar options. They can also be redeemed through credit card issuer travel portals for one cent each; making them invaluable in case there are no awards available or should a program devalue unexpectedly.
