Travel credit cards provide various advantages, from no foreign transaction fees and high rewards rates for dining, gas, streaming services and cell phone plans, to car rental coverage and purchase protection policies. Cardmembers also enjoy special insurance policies like car rental protection.
Discover which card best meets your daily spending by assessing how you use money every day and selecting one with bonus categories that complement your preferences.
General rewards cards
General rewards cards offer travelers looking to accumulate points without planning an imminent trip a way of quickly amassing points without breaking the bank, offering high point-earning rates on daily spending like dining, streaming services and gas purchases. They may even come equipped with benefits like airport lounge access, free checked bags or trip insurance – perfect for travelers without specific travel goals in mind.
Chase Freedom Unlimited card provides rewards of 5% back for quarterly bonus categories that up to $1,500 is spent in; 3% for dining and drugstore purchases (including takeout and delivery); and 1.5% on all other spending. There’s also no annual fee, an easy earning structure and you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points onto premium Chase cards to boost the value.
Citi ThankYou Premier card is another attractive choice that earns 2% back on all purchases and provides travel-related perks, plus can be used to redeem ThankYou points for airfare, hotels and rental cars through an airline portal.
Airline- and hotel-specific cards
Airline and hotel credit cards allow you to earn points or miles that can be redeemed for free flights or hotels, with many offering generous sign-up bonuses that help meet spending requirements while giving you even greater returns for your money.
These cards often charge annual fees, but their benefits could easily outweigh this expense. Look out for features such as free checked bags, priority boarding, in-flight food and beverage purchases and in-flight purchases of food and beverages. Consider also how card issuers allow users to redeem points such as through shopping portals or airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Some credit cards impose foreign transaction fees that can amount to as much as 3% or more of each purchase, making them unsuitable for international travel. Cards without such fees such as the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Credit Card make international travel simpler: approval can typically come within 48 hours and requires only a security deposit as collateral which becomes your line of credit.
Fair credit cards
While top-of-the-line rewards cards typically require excellent or good credit, there are travel cards designed specifically to those with fair or average credit available as alternatives. When shopping for such a card, ensure it reports to at least one of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) and offers a path to upgrading.
Consider applying for a card offering 0% intro APR and no or low annual fees; pay the balances off every month in full to improve your credit scores and avoid incurring interest charges.
Capital One Platinum Credit Card offers an attractive solution with no fees or security deposits, providing access to a higher credit limit after six months of on-time payments and providing free access to both your credit score and budgeting tools via mobile phone apps. Check out our review for more details!
Choosing a card
When selecting the ideal credit card, it’s essential to take both your spending habits and travel goals into account. Ascertaining how you plan on redeeming rewards (lounge access, checked bags, Global Entry/TSA Precheck etc.) makes selecting one easier – student cards often offer soft credit checks without negatively affecting scores making them more accessible than premium travel cards – yet which card will best meet these criteria is key in finding what fits for you?
