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Best American Airlines credit cards

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Best American Airlines Credit Cards for June 2024

Travelers who prefer American Airlines over other carriers can score lounge access, free checked bags and more with one of these credit cards.

Joe Van Brussel

Contributor

Joe Van Brussel is a freelance writer for CNET Money, where he deciphers obfuscatory credit card offers and breaks them down so consumers actually know what belongs in their wallet. He also covers other aspects of personal finance, from life insurance and loans to tax software and the impact of broader economic trends on individuals. Joe believes the United States will win the World Cup in his lifetime, and wishes New York City apartments came standard with thick, noise-reducing windows.

Liliana Hall

Associate Writer

Liliana Hall is a writer for CNET Money covering banking, credit cards and mortgages. Previously, she wrote about personal credit for Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She is passionate about providing accessible content to enhance financial literacy. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in journalism, and has worked in the newsrooms of KUT and the Austin Chronicle. When not working, she is probably paddle boarding, hopping on a flight or reading for her book club.

Courtney Johnston

Senior Editor

Courtney Johnston is a senior editor leading the CNET Money team. Passionate about financial literacy and inclusion, she has a decade of experience as a freelance journalist covering policy, financial news, real estate and investing. A New Jersey native, she graduated with an M.A. in English Literature and Professional Writing from the University of Indianapolis, where she also worked as a graduate writing instructor.

Jason Steele

Credit card expert and founder of CardCon

As a freelance personal finance writer since 2008, Jason has contributed to over 100 outlets including Forbes, USA Today, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News, Money.com and NerdWallet. As an industry leader, Jason has spoken at dozens of conferences and is the founder and producer of CardCon, an annual conference for credit card media. Jason also consults with individuals and small business owners to create customized plans to help them earn and spend travel rewards. He can be reached via his website; JasonSteele.com and on LinkedIn.

American Airlines offers several co-branded credit cards that earn AAdvantage rewards and travel perks like free checked bags and airport lounge access. Even if you fly a few times a year, you can save money and enjoy added benefits with one of these co-branded credit cards. But if you aren’t a loyal American Airlines traveler, a general travel credit card may offer a better range of benefits without limiting you to one airline.

With so many American Airlines credit cards available, choosing the right one can be challenging. Before you apply, consider what aspects of travel you value the most to gain the best value. If you travel infrequently, you likely won’t benefit from paying a high annual fee that’ll eat away at your rewards value. But if you’re an American Airlines loyalist, you might find the rewards make up for paying an annual fee.

Citi is an advertising partner.

Whether you hop on an American Airlines flight a few times a year or multiple times a month, you can benefit from having one of the airline’s credit cards in your wallet. There are a number of co-branded airline credit cards issued by both Barlcays and Citi, and each is tailored for different types of American Airlines travelers, each earning you AAdvantage miles and other perks. 

If you like to travel solo and only pack a carry-on, you won’t gain much out of the free checked bags benefit some AAdvantage cards offer -- but you may find a card with a good welcome bonus and rewards program . 

If you have kids or like to rest in an Admirals Club lounge between flights, the free checked bags offered by all co-branded cards the lounge benefit offered by the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®* might be more valuable to you than American Airlines AAdvnatage rewards miles and Loyalty Points.

If you have the travel bug or are already an experienced globetrotter, here are some of the best American Airlines credit cards available.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®* offers a good value for most travelers. It’s welcome bonus is competitive with other airline credit cards at this fee level, and the $99 annual fee is waived for the first year. You get 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, 2x miles at restaurants and gas stations and 1x miles on all other purchases.

This card also comes with other travel perks, including a free checked bag for you and up to four additional travel companions on the same reservation, preferred boarding and 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases. You also get a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount if you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your first year, and renew your card.

AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®

The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®* offers features similar to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, with a few drawbacks. We like that the welcome bonus is easy to earn: You get 50,000 AAdvantage miles when you make your first purchase and pay the annual fee in the first 90 days of card ownership. Most welcome bonuses make you spend hundreds -- or even thousands -- of dollars to unlock the welcome bonus, so this is quite accessible.

Aside from that, you’ll get free bags for up to five people (you and four travel companions), 2x AAdvantage miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, and up to $25 in statement credits for in-flight Wi-Fi annually. If you can spend $20,000 per calendar year on the card, you can also earn a Companion Certificate on each account anniversary. This will enable you to take one guest on a flight with you for $99 (plus taxes and fees).

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is geared toward extras and travel comforts rather than earning rewards miles. The AAdvantage Executive credit card, which has a $595 annual fee, offers cardholders access to American Airlines’ Admirals Club lounges, normally costing $850 annually. Keep in mind, a one-day pass costs $79, so unless you visit a lounge more than seven times per year, the AAdvantage Executive will not save you money if lounge access is your primary motivation.

This card also offers up to a $100 statement credit every four years for either TSA Precheck or Global Entry -- programs that can help you speed through airport security lines. You can also take advantage of a free checked bag for you and up to eight companions traveling on the same reservation. If you travel with between six and nine people often, this card can save you a significant amount of money compared to the Platinum Select.

For more details, see our full review of the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard .

Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®

The Business version of the Platinum Select is similar to its consumer counterpart, but it has a few key differences. The main differentiator is the welcome bonus -- 65,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first four months of card ownership. You’ll also get discounted Wi-Fi on flights and a personal travel assistant to help with arrangements.

As for rewards, you can earn miles in additional business-oriented categories, including cable and satellite providers, gas stations, telecom merchants and car rentals, but you’ll likely earn more with another business credit card if your goal is to maximize rewards.

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®

The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®* is a pretty basic American Airlines credit card, but its simplicity includes no annual fee . This card offers 2x miles on eligible American Airlines flights and 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases. It also offers a welcome bonus of 10,000 miles and a $50 statement credit after spending $500 in the first three months of card membership. The MileUp is an easy way to earn some extra AAdvantage miles and save some money on in-flight purchases, but it won’t get you any extra travel perks like some of the other cards on this list.

Generally, we don’t recommend using an airline credit card as your main credit card. That’s because the rewards offered aren’t as valuable as you can find in other competing cards.

Instead, think of airline cards as a way to improve your flight experience with perks and credits. They can be a great way to maximize flight purchases, but usually won’t offer the best overall value for other purchase categories.

Some of the perks might not seem glamorous at first glance -- like free checked bags -- but the benefits can add up over just a few flights. If you’re not an airline loyalist, though, travel credit cards can offer more widely applicable rewards categories and perks, without restricting you to specific brands.

If you are a frequent traveler and not tied to a particular airline, American Airlines credit cards have some competition. The co-branded cards from airlines like Delta and United generally offer better value overall through welcome bonuses, reward rates and other perks. “Miles with American Airlines may not be the most valuable rewards that you can earn,” credit card expert Jason Steele said. “When you earn transferable rewards, such as American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can convert those rewards to airline miles or hotel points with numerous partners.”

But if you’re already loyal to American Airlines, it may make sense to stick with an AAdvantage credit card or a general travel credit card -- the better rewards with other airlines won’t help you much if you don’t want to switch airlines.

Some AAdvantage cards offer annual credits, but they’re not easy to unlock. Most of the cards listed above offer an annual credit of some kind, but given the high spending thresholds required to unlock them, and their relatively low value, we don’t factor them in as a major attribute.

However, they can be relevant if you’re a high spender ($20,000 and up annually).

• Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard: $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card.
• AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard: $99 AA Companion Certificate (plus taxes and fees) for one guest after spending $20,000 on purchases in one year.
• Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard: Earn 10,000 additional Loyalty Points after you spend $40,000 in purchases or earn 50,000 Loyalty Points during the qualifying status year. If you earn 90,000 Loyalty Points or more in that same qualifying year, you’ll receive an additional 10,000 points. Total additional Loyalty Points that can be earned through this benefit is 20,000 in one qualifying year. **Starting March 1, 2024 on, you can earn an additional 10,000 Loyalty Points after earning 50,000 Loyalty Points or more in a qualifying year. If you earn 90,000 Loyalty Points or more in the same qualifying year, you’ll earn an additional 10,000 points, bringing the Loyalty Point bonus to a maximum of 20,000 per year.
• CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard: Earn a $99 American Airlines Companion Certificate (plus taxes and fees) for domestic travel after you spend $30,000 or more in purchases each card membership year and card membership is renewed.

The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card doesn’t offer any annual credits.

The Executive World Elite card offers up to 20,000 additional Loyalty Points after meeting the above requirements, but there are very few situations where that perk will be relevant toward bumping you up a status tier.

The reward rates can help you earn status -- though slowly -- since those extra miles also earn you extra Loyalty Points. For every mile earned, you earn one Loyalty Point. If you’re earning 2x or 3x miles on certain purchases, you’ll earn 2 or 3 loyalty points, respectively, instead of the 1x mile you’d earn if you were just an AAdvantage loyalty member without a credit card.

Before you apply, consider your annual budget and travel habits. If you travel enough to justify paying a higher annual fee, you’ll get greater rewards and perks. However, you want to avoid overpaying for a credit card. Here are a few things to consider:

• Do you fly American Airlines frequently? American Airlines credit cards are geared toward loyalists. If you aren’t tied to a particular airline, in this case American Airlines, you might prefer the flexibility of a travel credit card . 
• Will the rewards outweigh the annual fee? Airline credit cards with an annual fee typically offer premium benefits and higher reward rates, but they can eat a hole in your pocket if you don’t spend enough to cover the annual cost. If you can’t see the potential value in a card’s reward structure to pay the annual fee, you’re probably better off applying for a card without one. 
• Will you use the card’s travel perks? Most American Airlines credit cards offer benefits such as lounge access, free checked bags, annual travel credits, discounts on in-flight purchases and more. If you typically travel with only a carry-on or try to avoid the cost of airplane snacks, you might not find these perks useful.

Compare your normal spending to the benefits to see what nets you the best value.

Earning reward miles

Most airline credit cards measure your rewards in miles which are used to book future flights. The value of a mile may vary by airline, travel dates, destinations and various other factors. This makes airline credit cards particularly difficult to compare, though most airline websites offer booking portals that give real-time flight price estimates in points. You can multiply the rewards rate by your transaction amount to find how many miles you’d earn for each purchase.

Welcome bonus

A welcome bonus can go a long way toward covering future airfare. Before you opt for the card with the bigger welcome bonus, make sure you can meet the requirements to reach it. Some cards require you to make a few purchases to earn it, while others make you spend thousands of dollars within a few months.

While annual fees may seem like a hindrance, they often translate to higher welcome bonuses, rewards and better benefits. If you’re interested in a credit card with an annual fee, ensure you can earn enough with your normal spending to cover the annual fee. 

Free checked bags

Most airlines will charge you for checking luggage. However, many airline credit cards will waive the checked bag fee for you and your travel companions. If you travel often or with family, these savings could add up quickly.

Airport lounge access

If you spend a lot of time in airports, airport lounge access can be a huge boon. They offer quiet places to work, massages, snacks, beverages and other amenities. This benefit won’t be as valuable to infrequent travelers, but could be a make-or-break feature for frequent flyers. Typically this feature is associated with a higher annual fee.

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck

Many travel credit cards will offer a statement credit for the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck . Global Entry is for international travelers as it expedites customs and includes TSA PreCheck, which gets you through TSA security lines more quickly. Global Entry normally costs $100, while TSA PreCheck is $78. Both last for five years, after which the credit provided by your card will be replenished.

Priority Boarding

Priority Boarding allows you to board the plane ahead of other boarding groups. If you’re worried about overhead bin space, or are just eager to find your seat, it could be an important perk.

Companion Pass

The AAdvantage card family offers cardholders the opportunity to earn a companion pass after spending either $20,000 or $30,000 per calendar year, depending on which AAdvantage card you have. Once you’ve hit that spend requirement, you can purchase a companion pass for $99 plus taxes and fees. If you often travel with a family member or friend and spend a lot on travel each year, this perk could potentially net a few hundred dollars worth of value.

Issuer loyalty

If you don’t fly American Airlines frequently, no AAdvantage card will be worthwhile. You could choose another airline lineup -- like that of Southwest or United -- or opt for a more general travel credit card.

The airline itself does not provide the actual lending services, as most AA cards are issued by Citi or Barclays.

The easiest way to maximize the value you get from your AAdvantage card is to pick the card that best matches your spending and travel habits after accounting for the annual fee.

In addition to using your miles to fund your travels, be sure you’re taking advantage of all your card has to offer. That means using the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit if your card has one, and any priority boarding, waived check baggage fees or airport lounge access. Familiarize yourself with the terms, costs and rewards structure of your card.

Most importantly, use your card to earn the necessary number of Loyalty Points to achieve the next level of elite status. Having elite status with American offers you seat upgrades, fee waivers, mileage bonuses and priority service.

American Airlines AAdvantage miles can be redeemed for award flights operated by not just American Airlines, but also its OneWorld partners and other partners. This is where you’ll find the most value for your miles.

And although you can redeem your miles for other things, such as merchandise, hotel reservations and rental cars, you’ll receive little value per mile compared to most award flights.

The translation of miles into airfare varies depending on the airline, origin, destination, date, day, time and other factors. You can check to see how much your miles are worth for a given flight by dividing the number of miles it takes to cover a ticket by its dollar cost.

There are nearly 50 Admirals Club locations worldwide. For the latest list and updates on American Airlines airport lounges, check out the Admirals Club locations page .

In most situations, your first checked bag will cost $30, though some routes may charge more or less. Your second and third check bags will typically cost a lot more. American Airlines offers a list of its routes with associated baggage fees if you need more details.

A travel companion is defined as someone who’s traveling with you on the same reservation. This can be a family member, business partner or even an acquaintance, as long as you’ve booked your flights together.

A once fruitful option, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard®* from Barclays is no longer accepting new applications. This product is only being serviced for existing card members.

CNET reviews credit cards  by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different -- and the designated function of a card.

*All information about the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard, Citi / Aadvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard , Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card, CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard and AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

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Best American Airlines Credit Cards of June 2024

Some of the card offers on this site are from companies who are advertising clients of U.S. News. Advertising considerations may impact where and in what order offers appear on the site but do not affect any editorial decisions, such as which card products we write about and how we evaluate them. Terms apply.

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® : Best for Premium Benefits.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® : Best for Easy-to-Get Sign-Up Bonus.
• American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® : Best for No Annual Fee.
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® : Best for Small Business Owners.

By a variety of different metrics, American Airlines is the largest airline in the United States. It offers a number of rewards credit cards that can help you earn AAdvantage miles and other perks based on your spending. Below is a closer look at how these cards work and the benefits they offer.

U.S. News' Best American Airlines Credit Cards of June 2024

See all of our credit cards here .

On This Page

• Best American Airlines Credit Cards
• How American Airline Credit Cards Work

How Do American Airline Credit Cards Work?

The main reason to open an American Airlines AAdvantage rewards card is to earn miles and other savings on purchases with this airline. Earn miles by using your card to make purchases with American Airlines or other businesses that fall into select rewards categories, such as grocery stores and gas stations.

Then redeem miles to book flights with American Airlines, American Eagle, oneworld airlines and partner airlines. You can also use your points to reserve preferred seats, upgrade your flight cabin, buy or renew an Admirals Club membership, get exclusive services at select airports, or book a rental car, hotel or vacation. American Airlines also allows you to donate your miles to select charities.

Who Should Get an American Airlines Credit Card?

American Airlines cards come with plenty of perks, but they're best suited for certain types of customers. You should consider opening an AAdvantage rewards card if any of the following are true:

• You travel to AA destinations. You're able to enjoy the most perks from an American Airlines card if you travel on this airline regularly. For example, it wouldn't make sense to open one of these cards if your travel takes you often to Toledo, Ohio, or Ithaca, New York, where American Airlines does not stop.
• You're a frequent flyer. You earn the most AAdvantage points by spending money on American Airlines purchases. Plus, the perks of American Airlines cards are designed for people who spend significant time in airports. You should consider one of these cards if you fly often so you can take full advantage of the benefits they offer.
• Your spending matches rewards categories. In addition to American Airlines purchases, the highest-earning rewards categories include grocery stores, gas stations, telecommunications and others, depending on the particular card. If you tend to spend a lot in any of these areas, it could be helpful to open an American Airlines card that pays you back.

How to Choose the Best Credit Card for American Airlines

Each American Airlines credit card has its own rewards tiers, perks and fees. When choosing the right card, you should think about your spending habits and budget. For instance, you might want a basic card that helps you earn a couple of free flights per year. On the other hand, it may be worth paying a higher annual fee if you spend a lot on your card; the miles you earn and other perks, such as an Admiral Club membership and statement credits, may be worth it.

What Are the Alternatives to These American Airline Credit Cards?

• General travel rewards credit cards. Some of the best airline credit cards are general travel rewards cards . But there are also cards such as Chase Freedom Unlimited® that you can consider if you want to earn travel rewards that aren't as focused on air travel.
• Hotel credit cards. If your travel spending tends to focus on hotel stays, you can consider hotel credit cards . There is some overlap among the best airline, best hotel and best travel credit cards, but consumers loyal to a particular hotel chain can look into co-branded cards.
• Airline rewards programs. You can still earn in an airline's frequent flyer program even if you don't have a co-branded credit card.
• Competitor airlines cards. American Airlines doesn't have to be your only choice, as there are many options to choose from when looking for an airline credit card. Some of the top airlines, including United , Delta and Southwest, have their own rewards cards.

Best American Airlines Credit Cards Methodology

U.S. News has helped consumers make money decisions for decades. When we rate airline cards, we factor in overall issuer satisfaction, APR, cardholder benefits, and each card’s annual fee, foreign transaction fee and balance transfer fee. We also consider several factors related to rewards: ease and flexibility of redemption, airline rewards earning rate, rewards redemption value and sign-up bonus value. Satisfaction data is based on an annual nationwide survey.

How Many American Airline Miles Do You Need for a Free Flight?

The number of AAdvantage miles needed to earn a free flight depends on the destination and award level. The cheapest possible flight requires 7,500 points (MileSAAver level).

Do American Airlines Credit Card Miles Expire?

Yes, they can. If you're a current, primary AAdvantage credit card holder, your miles don't expire. However, the rules are different for non-cardholders who earn miles through the AAdvantage loyalty program. As of Sept. 8, 2022, you need to have mileage earning or redeeming activity once every 24 months in order to retain your miles. If you don't have any qualifying activity within a 24-month period, all of your miles expire. These rules don't apply to members under the age of 21.

What Credit Score Do You Need for an American Airlines Card?

The best rewards cards often require you to have a strong credit score in order to be approved. In general, a FICO score of 670 to 739 is considered good . The higher your score, the higher your chances of approval usually are.

How Much Are American Airlines Credit Card Points Worth?

The American Airlines redemption rate depends on many factors, such as your destination, the date and time of the flight, the cabin class and more. The value of one American Airlines mile is estimated at about 1.2 cents for the main cabin.

Can You Have More Than One American Airlines Credit Card?

Comparative assessments and other editorial opinions are those of U.S. News and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by any other entities, such as banks, credit card issuers or travel companies. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired.

Casey Bond , Contributor

Casey Bond is a personal finance reporter and editor who has contributed to U.S. News since 2013. A Los Angeles native, Casey graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in English. She is also a Certified Personal Finance Counselor. Read more

Emily Hayes , Editor

Emily Hayes is an editor on the Advice Products team at U.S. News & World Report. Prior to joining U.S. News in 2021, she worked for local news organizations in Florida, Alabama and Georgia. At U.S. News, she primarily edits content on credit cards, loans and banking. Read more

Mark Evitt , Senior Editor

Mark Evitt is a senior editor on the Credit Cards, Loans and Banking team at U.S. News, specializing in lending and banking content. He received his bachelor's in psychology from Tufts University and his master's in online journalism from the University of Southern California. Read more

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Emily Roth is an associate editor on the Credit Cards, Loans and Banking team at U.S. News & ... Read more

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Best American Airlines AAdvantage Credit Cards: Comparing Benefits & Perks

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Do you fly with American Airlines and want the benefits of an American Airlines-branded credit card? Or are you just looking for a card to help you accumulate AAdvantage miles for an upcoming vacation? Perhaps you’re a small business owner and want to make sure all or your expenses are earning miles.

Regardless, you’ll have plenty of choices when selecting an American Airlines-branded credit card that fits your travel and reward-earning priorities.

Citi issues 4 of these American Airlines-branded credit cards (which have a lot of perks and benefits), while Barclays issues the AAdvantage Aviator Cards.

Let’s look at the features and benefits of each card, how they can help you earn miles, and which cards can accelerate your path to American Airlines AAdvantage elite status.

Best American Airlines AAdvantage Credit Cards

• Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite Mastercard ® — Best for AA Flight Discount
• Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Executive World Elite Mastercard ® — Best for Admirals Club Access & Global Entry Credit
• CitiBusiness ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® Mastercard ® — Best for Companion Certificate
• American Airlines AAdvantage ® MileUp ® — Best for Earning Miles With No Annual Fee
• AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Red World Elite Mastercard ® — Best for Welcome Offer
• AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Silver World Elite Mastercard ® — Best for AA Statement Credits
• AAdvantage ® Aviator ® World Elite Business Mastercard ® — Best for Welcome Offer for Business Owners

* The AAdvantage Aviator Silver card is not available for new applications. However, the card is available as an upgrade to cardholders who have an eligible AAdvantage Aviator Red card.

Each Citi American Airlines card comes with a generous sign-up bonus, the ability to earn AAdvantage miles on every purchase, and an array of travel benefits.

AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Card (Best for AA Flight Discount)

Status lovers will enjoy the variety of benefits that come with this card. From free bags to reduced-price inflight beverages, AA still flies in style.

Blue skies and fair winds make for a good day to fly! Choosing your airline can be difficult, since factors like location, time, and destination all go into whether or not you can fly somewhere.

An easy choice for many people is American Airlines, because they’re the largest airline in the world. If you’re an American, you’ve probably flown American Airlines at least once.

Frequent fliers tend to enjoy the treatment they can get, from boarding privileges to free bags to lounge access. There’s many reasons to fly with AA, and if so then getting a Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite Mastercard ® could be for you.

• Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
• Earn 2 AAdvantage ® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases
• Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage ® mile earned from purchases
• Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation
• Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
• APR: 21.24% - 29.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  0%

American Airlines AAdvantage Program

The sign-up bonus fluctuates, but your bonus miles will be awarded after you reach a spending threshold in the first 3 months after card approval. You’ll earn 2x miles with American Airlines and 1x miles on all other purchases when using the AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite card .

Travel perks include:

• Free checked bag on domestic itineraries for you and up to 4 traveling companions
• Priority boarding on all flights operated by American Airlines
• 25% savings in the form of a statement credit when purchasing food/beverages on board during your journey.

With no foreign transaction fees , this card can be a good choice for American Airlines travelers.

This card has a $99, waived for first 12 months .

AAdvantage Executive World Elite Card (Best for Admirals Club Access & Global Entry Credit)

Access to Admirals Clubs, tons of added benefits, and a way to spend towards elite status make this a great option for American Airlines loyalists.

The Citi ® /AAdvantage ® Executive World Elite Mastercard ® is a go-to card thanks to its exclusive perks and benefits for people who love to fly American Airlines. With a complimentary Admirals Club membership, free checked bags, inflight discounts, and the ability to earn Loyalty Points for every $1 you spend, there is plenty to love about the card.

• Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening
• Earn 10 miles per $1 spent on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars
• Earn 10 miles per $1 spent on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels
• $595 annual fee
• Doesn’t earn many miles on all other eligible purchases
• Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
• Admirals Club ® membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
• First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 

American Airlines AAdvantage Frequent Flyer Program

The AAdvantage Executive World Elite card may be a great choice for the frequent traveler who wants the benefit of travel perks and lounge access.

The sign-up bonus offers fluctuate, but this generous miles bonus will be awarded after you reach the designated spending threshold in the first 3 months after card approval. You’ll earn 2x miles on American Airlines and 1x miles on all other purchases.

• A free checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on domestic itineraries
• Priority check-in, boarding, and screening for the primary cardholder
• $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every 5 years

The card comes with a hefty $595 annual fee, but the welcome bonus bonus and Admirals Club membership more than offset this expense. A new membership to the Admirals Club costs between $750 and $850 (depending on your American Airlines AAdvantage program status), so the membership alone is worth the annual fee.

You’ll find that there are no foreign transaction fees charged on this card, and it comes with World Elite Mastercard benefits .

Hot Tip: With the new Loyalty Points program, you’ll be able to earn AAdvantage elite status just through credit card spending .

CitiBusiness Platinum Select Card (Best for Companion Certificate)

A low annual fee, a free checked bag, and tons of perks and discounts make this card valuable for business owners who travel.

With the CitiBusiness ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® Mastercard ® , you get a card that gives you perks like boarding privileges, free checked bags, and discounts on inflight purchases, while also earning more miles for your next award redemption.

• 2x miles per $1 spent on American Airlines purchases
• 2x miles per $1 spent on cable and satellite providers, at gas stations, on car rentals, and on select telecommunications merchants
• 1x mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• $99 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable rewards
• Designed for businesses
• For a limited time, earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ®  bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening.
• First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries to reduce travel costs and boost your bottom line.
• 25% savings on American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi when you use your card
• Earn 2 AAdvantage ® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations
• Earn 1 AAdvantage ® mile per $1 spent on other purchases
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

If you’re looking for a card that earns miles for your business expenses, the CitiBusiness Platinum Select card might be a good choice.

Of course, you’ll get started with a bank of miles from your sign-up bonus once you meet the initial spending threshold after card approval.

You’ll then continue to earn 2x miles on:

• All American Airlines purchases
• Business expenses (such as telecommunications merchants, car rental merchants, and at gas stations)

All other purchases earn 1x miles.

Since additional employee cards are issued for no extra charge, you can be sure all your business expenses (even purchases made by your employees) are earning miles. You can also use online tracking tools to keep tabs on your business expenses.

Travel perks for this card include:

• A free checked bag on domestic itineraries for you and up to 4 traveling companions
• Preferred boarding on all flights operated by American Airlines
• Onboard, cardholders receive a 25% savings rebated to their statement when purchasing food/beverages with the card

This card does not charge foreign transaction fees and comes with World Mastercard benefits. There is an annual fee of $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99 , which is waived for the first year.  

AAdvantage MileUp Card (Best for Earning Miles With No Annual Fee)

Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines flights and at grocery stores, all without needing to pay an annual fee.

The American Airlines AAdvantage ® MileUp ®  is perfectly suited for those looking for a way to earn more American Airlines miles and earn Loyalty Points, all without needing to pay an annual fee.

• 2x mile per $1 on American Airlines and grocery store purchases
• 1x mile per $1 on all other purchases
• 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases
• Other cards are more rewarding for frequent American Airlines flyers
• Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee
• Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
• No Annual Fee
• Earn 2 AAdvantage ® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
• Earn 2 AAdvantage ® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
• Earn 1 AAdvantage ® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
• Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flight
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  3%

The AAdvantage MileUp card  is a good choice for anyone wanting to earn more AAdvantage miles and earn Loyalty Points without paying an annual fee.

After earning the welcome bonus, you’ll continue to earn 2x miles on American Airlines and grocery store purchases and 1x miles on everything else.

Because this is an entry-level card, the only travel perk is the 25% rebate on inflight food and beverage purchases. If you’re looking for more exclusive travel benefits, you’ll need to look at one of the other AAdvantage credit cards.

AAdvantage Aviator Red Card (Best for Welcome Offer)

You’ll earn plenty of American Airlines frequent flyer miles on the AAdvantage Aviator Red card . That’s because you’ll jump-start your earnings with a generous sign-up bonus after making your first purchase within 90 days of card approval. You’ll continue earning with 2x miles on American Airlines purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases.

You can effectively buy miles at 2 cents each with the Flight Cents program that rounds up your card purchases to the next dollar, subject to a $500 per billing cycle cap (cardholders not wishing to participate should set their Flight Cents limit to $0).

When redeeming AAdvantage miles for a ticket, you’ll also have access to discounted round-trip or one-way travel (up to 7,500 miles less) when redeeming miles for MileSAAver award tickets on certain routes.

Further, if you spend $20,000 on the card during the year between your card anniversaries, you will receive a $99 companion ticket.

While traveling, you and up to 4 companions receive a free checked bag for domestic itineraries and preferred boarding when traveling together on any American Airlines-operated flights. You’ll also receive a 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases. Plus, enjoy a $25 per year statement credit for American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi purchases.

The card does not charge foreign transaction fees and comes with World Elite Mastercard benefits.

This card has an annual fee of $99.

AAdvantage Aviator Silver Card (Best for AA Statement Credits)

You cannot apply for the AAdvantage Aviator Silver card directly; it’s not open to new applicants. Instead, you must have the AAdvantage Aviator Red card first and then subsequently upgrade. The fee for this card is $199, but it does offer more benefits than the AAdvantage Aviator Red card.

The AAdvantage Aviator Silver card has greater earning capacity with:

• 3x miles on American Airlines
• 2x miles on hotels and rental car purchases
• 1x mile on all other purchases

You’ll receive all of the same benefits on the AAdvantage Aviator Silver card as you did on the AAdvantage Aviator Red card, plus several additional benefits:

• Free checked bag and preferred boarding benefits are expanded to include up to 8 traveling companions
• The $99 companion ticket benefit, earned after spending $20,000 on the card annually, is expanded to include 2 traveling companions
• $50 per year statement credits for American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi purchases
• $25 per day statement credits for American Airlines inflight food and beverage purchases
• The card comes with a $100 Global Entry application fee credit that resets every 5 years

AAdvantage Aviator Business Card (Best for Welcome Offer for Business Owners)

Need a credit card that will earn you rewards on your small business purchases? The AAdvantage Aviator Business card does that and more.

Sign-up bonuses fluctuate, but you’ll receive your bonus AAdvantage miles after meeting the required spending threshold. You’ll continue earning 2x miles on:

• Purchases with American Airlines
• Purchases with eligible office supply merchants
• Telecommunications expenses
• Purchases with car rental agencies

When traveling, you’ll receive:

• First checked bag free for you and up to 4 companions
• Preferred boarding
• 25% inflight savings on food/beverages
• No foreign transaction fees

Once you spend $30,000 on the card between card anniversaries, you’ll receive a $99 companion airfare certificate.

This card also offers free employee cards and zero fraud liability. Additionally, on your card account anniversary, you’ll receive a 5% mileage bonus applied to your account based on mileage earned from your spending.

The card comes with World Mastercard benefits and has a $95 annual fee.

By planning ahead, the miles you earn with your Citi and Barclays AAdvantage cards can take you just about anywhere in the world.

Off-peak travel awards are not pictured on this abbreviated award chart, which can save you plenty of miles. For example, a round-trip economy class ticket to Europe can be secured for 45,000 miles during off-peak travel times. A complete list of off-peak discounted award pricing can be found on this American Airlines AAdvantage flight award chart .

Head off for a weekend in Mexico or the Caribbean in coach class for as few as 25,000 miles round-trip for an off-peak award ticket or 50,000 miles round-trip in business class for a MileSAAver award ticket.

In addition to booking flights on American Airlines, you can now book flights on many Oneworld alliance partner airlines directly on AA.com using your American Airlines frequent flyer miles. Access the complete list of partner airlines with which you can book award tickets here .

Wondering which American Airlines-branded credit card is right for you? The AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is an obvious choice if you travel frequently on American Airlines and value travel perks and lounge access.

And if you’re a small business owner who travels on American Airlines, either the Citi or Barclays business credit cards will ensure all of your expenses are earning miles while providing additional travel perks.  

The information regarding the Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite™ Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Citi ® /AAdvantage ® Executive World Elite Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the CitiBusiness ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the American Airlines AAdvantage ® MileUp ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.  The information regarding the AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Red World Elite Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.  The information regarding AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Silver Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding AAdvantage ® Aviator ® World Elite Business Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i transfer american airlines miles to other airlines.

American Airline miles cannot be transferred to other airlines. However, you can use them to book flights on other Oneworld Alliance member airlines, some of which can now be booked online at AA.com . A complete list of partner airlines can be found here .

Can I have more than 1 American Airlines-branded credit card?

Yes, you can hold more than 1 American Airlines-branded credit card.

Is the American Airlines credit card worth it?

If you currently fly or plan to fly on American Airlines and value the associated travel perks, having one of the branded cards can certainly be worth it. The sign-up bonus, travel benefits, and ability to earn frequent flyer miles can more than offset the annual fee.

Which American Airlines credit card is the best?

The best American Airlines credit card for you depends on your spending habits, the level of travel perks you desire, and whether you’re looking for a business or personal credit card. Reviewing the features, benefits, and annual fee of each card will allow you to quickly match up the right card with your priorities.

How does the American Airlines credit card work?

You’ll earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles for each purchase you make on the credit card. These miles are deposited monthly to your AAdvantage frequent flyer account, and at that point, the miles are available for your use.

Do American Airlines credit card miles count toward elite status?

Yes. For each dollar you spend on an American Airlines co-branded credit card you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point which counts toward elite status.

Can I pay my American Airlines credit card online? How do I do that?

Once you receive your American Airlines credit card, you can set up an online account and track your purchases, manage your account, and make payments on your credit card. Adding your bank account information to the online credit card account allows you to easily make a payment online at any time.

When do AAdvantage credit card miles post?

Each month after your credit card statement closes, the miles you have earned for purchases on your American Airlines credit card during that statement period will be deposited into your AAdvantage frequent flyer account. Once they are in your account, the miles are available to use.

How do I cancel my American Airlines credit card?

If you need to cancel your American Airlines credit card, you can simply call the phone number on the back of the credit card. You can also sign in to your online credit card account and cancel via a secure message. Both of these methods ensure you are contacting the correct financial institution that issued your card, since cards are issued by both Citi and Barclays.

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About Christine Krzyszton

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.

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Credit cards

Best American Airlines credit cards of June 2024

Julie Sherrier

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Robin Saks Frankel

Updated 5:26 a.m. UTC June 3, 2024

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When it comes to American Airlines credit cards, there are many you could choose from — everything from a card with no annual fee to one with a high annual fee that confers lounge membership. Choosing the best American Airlines card becomes even more complex, given that the airline has cobranded cards issued by both Barclays and Citi.

The right American Airlines credit card for you will depend on how much you’re willing to pay in an annual fee (if any), what types of benefits you’re most likely to take advantage of and your spending patterns that could earn you more miles.

We analyzed all the American Airlines credit cards to curate a list of the very best cards that reward you for flying their airline. Here are our selections.

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®  *: Best American Airlines credit card.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®  *: Best American Airlines card for an easy welcome bonus.
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®  *: Best American Airlines card for businesses that spend a lot on gas.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®  *: Best American Airlines card for good benefits without a high fee.
• American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®  *: Best American Airlines card for earning miles with no annual fee.

Why trust our credit card experts

Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of credit cards and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best card for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.

• 35+ cards analyzed.
• 8 data points considered.
• 5-step fact-checking process.

Best American Airlines credit card

Citi® / aadvantage® executive world elite mastercard®.

The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Welcome bonus

Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, enjoy a complimentary Admirals Club® membership (a value of up to $850).

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Card details

• Annual fee: $595.
• Rewards: 10 AAdvantage miles per $1 on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars and eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels, 4 miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases. Then after spending $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year, cardmembers will earn a total of 5 miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of that calendar year, 1 mile per $1 on other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 70,000 miles after spending $7,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• APR: 21.24% to 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers.
• Foreign transaction fees: None.

Best American Airlines card for an easy welcome bonus

Aadvantage® aviator® red world elite mastercard®.

The information for the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Earn 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.

• Annual fee: $99.
• Rewards: 2 miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 50,000 miles after making a first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of account opening.
• APR: 0% intro APR on eligible balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, followed by a regular APR of 21.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable on purchases and balance transfer. Balance transfer must be completed within 45 days of account opening. Balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.
• Foreign transaction fees: 0% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
• Perks and benefits: Up to $25 back on in-flight Wi-Fi purchases per year, earn a companion certificate each year you spend $20,000 and meet account opening requirements, 25% inflight savings on food and beverages; first checked bag free and preferred boarding for you and up to four companions.

Best American Airlines card for businesses that spend a lot on gas

Citibusiness® / aadvantage® platinum select® mastercard®.

The information for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening

Editor’s take

• No annual fees.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Packed with American Airlines-related perks.
• There’s an annual fee after the first year.
• No low introductory APR period.
• Points may only be redeemed with American Airlines or its partners.
• Annual fee: $99, waived for the first 12 months.
• Rewards: 2 miles for every $1 on cable and satellite providers, select telecommunications merchants, eligible American Airlines purchases, car rentals and gas stations and 1 mile per $1 on other purchases. Also earn 1 loyalty point for every mile earned.
• Welcome bonus: 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first four months of account opening.
• APR: 21.24% to 29.99% variable APR on purchases .
• Other perks and benefits: No foreign transaction fees, first checked bag free when flying American, preferred boarding when flying American, 25% savings on eligible inflight purchases of food and beverage with American Airlines, 25% savings on inflight Wi-Fi purchases on American Airlines, annual companion certificate if you spend $30,000 or more on the card.

Best American Airlines card for good benefits without a high fee

Citi® / aadvantage® platinum select® world elite mastercard®.

The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

• Rewards: 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, restaurants and gas stations and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles after spending $2,500 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.
• APR: 21.24% to 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A balance transfer fee of $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.
• Foreign transaction fees: 0%.
• Perks and benefits: No limit on earned miles, free first checked bag, preferred boarding on American Airlines flights and 25% off American Airlines inflight purchases on food and beverages.

Best American Airlines card for earning miles with no annual fee

American airlines aadvantage® mileup®.

The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

• Annual fee: $0.
• Rewards: 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services, 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: 15,000 miles after making $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• APR: 21.24% to 29.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.
• Foreign transaction fees: 3% of each purchase transaction in U.S. dollars.

Why this card made the list

Those looking for elite benefits when flying with American Airlines should look no further than the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard . While it has the highest annual fee of any card on this list, it offers the most perks by a long shot. Cardholders get a membership to the Admirals Club, including the ability to bring up to two complimentary guests, and access to partner lounges. Buying a membership can cost more than the card’s fee, making this benefit alone a major selling point.

Other benefits include reimbursement for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years (up to $100), a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on AA flights, priority check-in and boarding benefits at the airport, Loyalty Point and miles-earning bonuses, hundreds of dollars in annual statement credits and travel protections that are almost nonexistent on other Citi credit cards.

Few credit cards offer a welcome bonus as easy as making a single purchase and paying the card’s annual fee, though the Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard provides other valuable benefits as well. Cardholders earn Loyalty Points toward elite status from their purchases, can earn statement credits from onboard Wi-Fi purchases, get a free first checked bag on AA flights, and even extend this benefit to up to four traveling companions.

Additionally, cardholders enjoy credits for onboard purchases and can earn a Companion Certificate for bringing someone on a flight for $99 plus taxes and fees, earned after spending $20,000 on purchases within a cardmember year.

The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum card offers perks similar to AA’s other small business card, which is offered by Barclays. What sets this card apart is the ability to earn higher rewards at gas stations and rental car merchants. If your small business spends significantly in these categories, it can really add up.

Cardholder benefits include preferred boarding, a free first checked bag for you and up to four companions, 25% savings on inflight purchases of Wi-Fi when using your card, food and beverage, and earning a Companion Certificate after spending $30,000 or more on purchases in a cardmember year and renewing the card (account must be open for one full billing cycle after account anniversary month).

The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select card offers many benefits people are looking for in an airline credit card, and it does so without a high annual fee. In addition to rewards on spending, you’ll earn Loyalty Points on purchases, get preferred boarding, 25% back on inflight food and beverage purchases and get a free checked bag on AA flights. The free baggage perk includes up to four companions on the same reservation. It also comes with a $125 American Airlines flight discount after spending $20,000 on purchases within a cardmember year and renewing the card.

The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® * The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. earns airline miles without having to pay an annual fee, plus Loyalty Points toward AA elite status from purchases and a 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases. However, in exchange for the lack of an annual fee, you won’t get free checked bags or priority boarding when flying with AA.

Methodology

Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings.

Factors we considered included:

• Annual fees.
• Rewards rate on American Airlines purchases.
• Rewards rate on other purchases.
• Welcome bonus.
• Any free checked baggage perks.
• Any airport lounge access.
• If the card had a foreign transaction fee.
• Any other flight-specific perks like baggage insurance, trip insurance, Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee credits.

How much are American Airlines miles worth?

American Airlines miles aren’t always worth a fixed amount. Thus, you may get more or less value depending on how you’re using them. However, you should aim for about 1.5 cents per mile in value when redeeming your miles. 

How do you calculate that value? Imagine a flight costs $170; alternatively, you see an award redemption for this flight costing 10,000 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. Subtract the cash element of the award ticket ($5.60) from the cash price of the ticket; that leaves you with the money you won’t spend if you redeem miles: $164.40. Divide that by the miles you would need to pay. Dividing 164.4 by 10,000 is 0.01644 — 1.644 cents per mile used. 

That’s above the 1.5 cents per mile value that we recommend, so this could be a good use of your miles. 

Clearly, you’ll need to do this math each time you want to use miles. Some flights will provide more value for redeeming your miles than others; international flights in business class are a good example of when you may redeem your miles for 3 or more cents apiece. But other flights within the U.S. or economy flights across an ocean also can provide good value for your miles when the cash cost is high but the cost in miles is more reasonable.

Strategies to maximize your American Airlines credit card

To maximize the rewards offered by your credit card, you should first choose one that earns bonus miles in categories where you regularly spend money. All of the cards on this list provide extra earnings on American Airlines purchases, but some provide elevated rewards in certain spending categories. Consider how much you spend with AA annually and whether the extra miles will offset the extra cost from a card charging an annual fee of around $100 to one approaching $600.

The AAdvantage Executive card also earns 10 miles per $1 spent on rental cars and hotels booked through AA’s special portals; if you regularly make bookings this way, this can provide significant bonus earnings. But if you have elite status with hotel or rental car programs, booking through these portals won’t be ideal. Take the tradeoffs into consideration, as you’ll likely forgo your elite perks here. Plus, if you travel several times a year on American Airlines, the savings you’d realize in baggage fees offered by certain AA cards may also play into your decision.

Choosing the best American Airlines credit card

The key to obtaining value from a credit card is ensuring that the benefits and perks offer more value than the annual fee. This applies to any credit card — not just those from American Airlines.

And just because a credit card doesn’t charge an annual fee doesn’t automatically mean you’re getting positive value out of it. The AAdvantage MileUp Card is a good example. You earn AA miles from your purchases, but don’t get free checked bags or priority boarding. 

Conversely, if you fly American Airlines regularly, but don’t have the elite status necessary to access the Admirals Club or don’t typically fly in premium cabins, then accessing this lounge for free food and drinks before your flights could provide significant savings when you consider the expensive price tag on food at airport restaurants. An annual membership to the Admirals Club can cost as much as $850, so paying $595 for the annual fee on the AAdvantage Executive card can provide savings over buying a membership. 

Whichever American Airlines credit card you’re considering, ensure that the annual fee costs less than the value of the benefits you’re receiving. For example: If you regularly check a suitcase on flights, consider how much getting a free checked bag could save you over the course of a year.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

You will with almost every American Airlines credit card that charges an annual fee. The no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard doesn’t offer this perk. 

Only one American Airlines co-branded credit card offers Admirals Club lounge access. It’s the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard. While this card has a $595 annual fee, that’s less than the cost of buying an Admirals Club lounge membership outright. No American Airlines credit cards offer memberships to other lounges, such as Priority Pass or The Centurion® Lounge .

There is nothing preventing this in the Admirals Club rules. However, the rules do state that employees have the right to ask people to leave the lounge if their behavior is “inappropriate, undignified, [or] disruptive.” If lounge staff decide that your sleeping is disruptive to others, such as putting your feet on furniture or snoring loudly, this could be an issue.

You also should note that most lounges aren’t open around the clock. If you’re wondering about sleeping in the lounge overnight, this most likely isn’t possible. Some Admirals Club lounges do offer quiet areas to rest as well as shower suites.

The highest status in American Airlines AAdvantage is Executive Platinum. There are three tiers below this, and Executive Platinum requires earning 200,000 Loyalty Points during the qualification year. Loyalty Points can be earned from paid flights, hotel bookings in the AA portal, credit card purchases, the online shopping mall, and more. 

Executive Platinum members get three free checked bags, unlimited complimentary seat upgrades within North America, complimentary food and drinks (even when flying in economy), priority check-in and boarding, free same-day flight changes and standby priority, and even a special customer service line only for Executive Platinum members.

*The information for the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® and Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Ryan grew up in Ohio but has lived in half a dozen states and multiple continents before recently returning to the U.S. and settling in southern California. After someone at his hostel in China said, “I flew here for free using points,” Ryan was hooked. In December of 2023, he completed his goal of visiting every country in the world. Ryan has been around points and miles for several years and has published content at Miles to Memories, AwardWallet, The Points Guy and Forbes Advisor. He also holds Brazilian citizenship and speaks fluent Portuguese. His wife joins him on many of his trips, and they enjoy snowboarding, scuba diving, seeing animals in the wild and hunting for vegan tiramisu. When not traveling, Ryan is probably answering questions from his family about how he travels so much and whether this points and miles stuff is illegal.

Julie Stephen Sherrier is a personal finance writer and editor based in Austin, TX. She is the former senior managing editor for LendingTree, responsible for all credit card and credit health content. Before joining LendingTree, Julie spent more than a decade as the managing editor and then editorial director at Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She also served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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Frequent flyers can benefit from getting a credit card that is co-branded with a major issuer and their favorite airline. Not only can co-branded airline credit cards make it easy for consumers to earn more miles in their favorite program, but they can score elite benefits like priority boarding, free checked bags, discounts on in-flight purchases and airport lounge access.

The best American Airlines credit cards make it easy for frequent flyers to earn more miles in the American AAdvantage program and enjoy a more convenient flying experience. The right American Airlines credit card for you depends on how frequently you fly, your preferred rewards structure, perks and more, so keep reading to learn which option might work best for you.

Bankrate’s picks for the best credit cards for American flyers in 2020:

• Best for no annual fee: American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card
• Best welcome bonus offer: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
• Best for frequent flyers: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
• Best for business owners: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®

American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card

• Earn 10,000 American Airlines miles and a $50 statement credit when you spend $500 on your card within three months of account opening
• Earn 2X miles on grocery store and eligible American Airlines purchases and 1X miles on everything else
• No annual fee
• Cardholder benefits include 25 percent off in-flight food and beverage purchases when you pay with your credit card

Why it’s the best American Airlines card with no annual fee

The AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard is the only co-branded American Airlines credit card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. This makes it a good option for anyone who flies infrequently. You’ll earn a bonus of 10,000 miles and a $50 statement credit when you meet a minimum spending requirement of just $500 within the first three months, but you can also quickly earn miles via regular spending — especially since you earn double miles on grocery purchases.

The only real cardholder benefit you’ll receive with this card is the 25 percent discount on in-flight purchases of food or drink. With that in mind, you may want to consider another card on this list if elite travel perks are important to you.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

• Earn 50,000 miles when you spend $2,500 on purchases within three months of account opening
• Earn 2X miles on restaurants, gas stations and eligible American Airlines purchases and 1X miles on everything else
• $99 annual fee, waived the first 12 months
• Cardholder benefits include a first checked bag free you and up to four travel companions on domestic American Airlines itineraries, preferred boarding when you fly American and 25 percent off in-flight food and beverage purchases

Why it’s the best bonus offer

The bonus offer on this card is generous since you can earn it without paying an annual fee the first year. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® offers you  50,000 miles when you spend $2,500 on your card within three months of account opening, and that’s easily enough for two round-trip domestic flights within the U.S. on dates with MileSAAver availability.

You’ll also earn 2X miles on gas stations, restaurants and eligible American Airlines purchases, which can help you rack up rewards quickly. As a bonus, you’ll get elite perks like preferred boarding, a first checked bag free on domestic flights and a discount on in-flight purchases — all of which can improve your travel experience tremendously. You won’t pay foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad, either.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

• Earn 50,000 miles when you spend $5,000 on your card within three months of account opening
• Earn 2X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1x miles on everything else
• $450 annual fee
• Major cardholder benefits include Admirals Club membership (valued at $650), up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, a first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights, priority boarding, priority check-in at the airport and more

Why it’s the best card for frequent flyers

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is best for frequent flyers since cardholders receive Admirals Club airport lounge access every time they fly with the airline. This can make travel considerably more comfortable and worry-free, and the benefits only compound when you travel more frequently for work or leisure.

The $450 annual fee for this card is steep, but it can actually be a bargain when you consider the fact that Admirals Club membership alone is worth $650. Also keep in mind that you’ll get up to a $100 application fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, a first checked bag free on domestic AA flights, priority boarding and more.

If you’re in pursuit of elite status with American Airlines, you’ll be happy to know this card gives you 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles when you spend $40,000 within a calendar year. This card also comes with no foreign transaction fees.

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®

• Limited time offer: Earn 70,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on your card within four months of account opening
• Earn 2X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, gas station purchases, cable and satellite providers, select telecommunications purchases and car rental merchants, as well as 1X miles on everything else
• $0 annual fee the first year, then $99
• Cardholder benefits include a first checked bag free on domestic AA flights, for you and up to four travel companions, 25 percent back on in-flight food, beverage and Wi-Fi purchases and preferred boarding

Why it’s the best business card option

The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® is specifically geared to small business owners and entrepreneurs since it lets you earn miles on your business purchases. The bonus categories on this card reflect that fact, and it’s easy to see how you could rack up a meaningful number of miles simply by using this card for your business expenses throughout the year.

The welcome bonus is also extremely generous, and you won’t have to pay an annual fee during the first year. This card also comes with no foreign transaction fees, and you can earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate for domestic main cabin travel after you spend $30,000 on your card each cardmembership year and cardmembership is renewed.

Consider travel cards with flexible point offerings

If you prefer to fly American Airlines but you’re worried about being tied down to a single frequent flyer program, you may want to consider flexible travel credit cards in place of — or in addition to — an airline credit card. This is based on the idea that many travel credit cards let you transfer points to multiple airlines or even use points to book travel through a portal with any airline you want.

As an example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card lets you earn points that can transfer at a 1:1 ratio to airlines like United, Southwest, British Airways or JetBlue. However, you can also use these points to book airfare with any airline through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, and you’ll even get 25 percent more value out of your points when you earn them and redeem them for travel with this card.

Other flexible rewards programs include American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards. Both let you earn points you can use to book airfare with any airline (including American Airlines) through their respective portals, but you can also transfer these points to airline partners if you prefer. If you’re curious about travel credit cards that let you book airfare in a variety of ways, make sure to compare cards in each of these programs.

• Chase Ultimate Rewards guide
• American Express Membership Rewards guide
• Citi ThankYou Points guide

How to pick the right American Airlines credit card for your needs

Keep in mind you don’t have to pick between a flexible travel credit card and an airline credit card. In fact, many consumers opt to sign up for both. That way, they can maximize the bonus categories with each card and enjoy the frequent flyer perks or benefits their airline card offers. As you compare cards specifically for American Airlines, here are some tips that can help you determine the best option for you.

Decide if you want to pay an annual fee

A few co-branded American Airlines credit cards waive the annual fee for the first year or don’t charge an annual fee at all. Make sure to compare credit cards in terms of their fees before you decide.

Do you need a card for personal expenses, business purchases or both?

Determine if you want to earn American AAdvantage miles on your personal expenses, your business expenses or both. You can have a personal American Airlines credit card and a business credit card if you want to.

Compare cards’ frequent flyer perks

Do you want to pay $450 per year in order to access Admirals Clubs at select airports, or would a card with fewer benefits suffice? Make sure to check which cards have the benefits you care about, whether that includes priority boarding, free checked bags or something else.

Pay attention to earning rates and bonus categories

The rewards rate each card offers can help you determine which might help you earn more miles over time. If a certain card comes with a bonus category you happen to spend a lot of money in, then that’s definitely worth considering.

The information about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

American Airlines AAdvantage rewards program guide

What’s the value of your American Airlines miles?

Guide to American Airlines Admirals Club

Guide to the American AAdvantage online shopping portal

Guide to American AAdvantage dining program

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Access the exclusive benefits, miles, and rewards you enjoy as a cardmember.

Enjoy elite travel benefits and enhance every journey

Aadvantage® aviator® world elite silver mastercard®.

Unlock travel rewards and benefits with every purchase

Aadvantage® aviator® world elite red mastercard®.

Soak it in with 2X AAdvantage® miles on American Airlines purchases

Aadvantage® aviator® world elite blue mastercard®.

Earn AAdvantage® miles on your purchases with no annual fee**

Aadvantage® aviator® world elite mastercard®.

Earn AAdvantage® miles on Business Expenses  

Aadvantage® aviator® world elite business mastercard®, earn aadvantage® miles on business expenses.

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16 Best Travel Credit Cards of June 2024

ALSO CONSIDER: Best credit cards of 2024 || Best rewards credit cards || Best airline credit cards || Best hotel credit cards

The best travel credit card is one that brings your next trip a little closer every time you use it. Purchases earn points or miles you can use to pay for travel. If you're loyal to a specific airline or hotel chain, consider one of that company's branded travel credit cards. Otherwise, check out our picks for general-purpose travel cards that give you flexible travel rewards without the restrictions and blackout dates of branded cards.

250+ credit cards reviewed and rated by our team of experts

80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

100+ categories of best credit card selections ( See our top picks )

Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics ( Methodology )

NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity .

Show summary

NerdWallet's Best Travel Credit Cards of June 2024

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best for Max flexibility + big bonus

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for Flat-rate rewards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best for Travel portal benefits

Chase Freedom Unlimited® : Best for Cash back for travel bookings

American Express® Gold Card : Best for Big rewards on everyday spending

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card : Best for Bonus rewards + no annual fee

The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for Luxury travel perks

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card : Best for Business travelers

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card : Best for Triple points on multiple categories

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card : Best for Flat-rate rewards + no annual fee

Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for Bonus rewards + high-end perks

World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best for Best hotel card

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card : Best for Travel rewards for rent payments

United℠ Explorer Card : Best for Best airline card

PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card : Best for Credit union benefits

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card : Best for Booking directly with airlines/hotels

Best Travel Credit Cards

Find the right credit card for you..

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

Max flexibility + big bonus

Flat-rate rewards, travel portal benefits, cash back for travel bookings, big rewards on everyday spending, bonus rewards + no annual fee, luxury travel perks, business travelers, triple points on multiple categories, flat-rate rewards + no annual fee, bonus rewards + high-end perks, best hotel card, travel rewards for rent payments, best airline card, credit union benefits, booking directly with airlines/hotels, full list of editorial picks: best travel credit cards.

Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Our pick for: Flat-rate rewards

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the best-known general-purpose travel credit card, thanks to its ubiquitous advertising. You earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus and other worthwhile perks ( see rates and fees ). Read our review.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Our pick for: Flat-rate rewards + no annual fee

One of the best no-annual-fee travel cards available, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card gives you a solid rewards rate on every purchase, with points that can be redeemed for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Bank of America® has an expansive definition of "travel," too, giving you additional flexibility in how you use your rewards. Read our review.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Our pick for: Bonus rewards + high-end perks

The high annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives many potential applicants pause, but frequent travelers should be able to wring enough value out of this card to more than make up for the cost. Cardholders get bonus rewards (up to 10X) on dining and travel, a fat bonus offer, annual travel credits, airport lounge access, and a 50% boost in point value when redeeming points for travel booked through Chase. Points can also be transferred to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Read our review. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Our pick for: Max flexibility + big bonus

For a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns bonus rewards (up to 5X) on travel, dining, select streaming services, and select online grocery purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. The sign-up bonus is stellar, too. Read our review. 

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

Our pick for: Booking directly with airlines/hotels

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card stands out among general-purpose travel cards because it pays its highest rewards rates on travel bookings made directly with airlines and hotels, rather than requiring you to go through the issuer's travel agency, where prices might not be competitive. The points are flexible, you get a good bonus offer, and the card comes with a few other nice perks. Read our review.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Our pick for: Bonus rewards + no annual fee

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers so much value, it's hard to believe there's no annual fee. Start with a great bonus offer, then earn extra rewards in a host of common spending categories — restaurants, gas stations, transit, travel, streaming and more. Read our review.

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Our pick for: Triple points on everyday categories

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card earns bonus points on select travel, supermarkets, dining, gas stations and EV stations. There's a solid sign-up bonus as well. Read our review.

U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card

Our pick for: Road trips

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is one of the most generous cards on the market if you're taking to the skies or the road, thanks to the quadruple points it earns on travel and purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations. It's also a solid card for everyday expenses like groceries, dining and streaming, and it comes with ongoing credits that can offset its annual fee:  $0 intro for the first year, then $95 .  Read our review .

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Our pick for: Travel portal benefits

Capital One's premium travel credit card can deliver terrific benefits — provided you're willing to do your travel spending through the issuer's online booking portal. That's where you'll earn the highest rewards rates plus credits that can make back the bulk of your annual fee ( see rates and fees ). Read our review.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Our pick for: Cash back for travel bookings

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® was already a fine card when it offered 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Now it's even better, with bonus rewards on travel booked through Chase, as well as at restaurants and drugstores. On top of all that, new cardholders get a 0% introductory APR period and the opportunity to earn a sweet bonus. Read our review.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Our pick for: Luxury travel perks

The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a hefty annual fee, but travelers who like to go in style (and aren't afraid to pay for comfort) can more than get their money's worth. Enjoy extensive airport lounge access, hundreds of dollars a year in travel and shopping credits, hotel benefits and more. That's not even getting into the high rewards rate on eligible travel purchases and the rich welcome offer for new cardholders. Read our review.

American Express® Gold Card

Our pick for: Big rewards on everyday spending

The American Express® Gold Card can earn you a pile of points from everyday spending, with generous rewards at U.S. supermarkets, at restaurants and on certain flights booked through amextravel.com. Other benefits include hundreds of dollars a year in available dining and travel credits and a solid welcome offer for new cardholders. There's an annual fee, though, and a pretty substantial one, so it's not for smaller spenders. Read our review.

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card

Our pick for: Travel rewards on rent payments

The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card stands out by offering credit card rewards on rent payments without incurring an additional transaction fee. The ability to earn rewards on what for many people is their single biggest monthly expense makes this card worth a look for any renter. You also get bonus points on dining and travel when you make at least five transactions on the card each statement period, and redemption options include point transfers to partner hotel and loyalty programs. Read our review.

PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card

Our pick for: Credit union rewards

With premium perks for a $95 annual fee (which can be waived in some cases), jet-setters will get a lot of value from the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card . It also offers a generous rewards rate on travel purchases and a decent flat rate on everything else. Plus, you’ll get travel credits and a Priority Pass membership that offers airport lounge access for $32 per visit. Read our review.

United℠ Explorer Card

Our pick for: B est airline card

The United℠ Explorer Card earns bonus rewards not only on spending with United Airlines but also at restaurants and on eligible hotel stays. And the perks are outstanding for a basic airline card — a free checked bag, priority boarding, lounge passes and more. Read our review.

» Not a United frequent flyer? See our best airline cards for other options

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Our pick for: Best hotel card

Hyatt isn't as big as its competitors, but World of Hyatt Credit Card is worth a look for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road. You can earn a lot of points even on non-Hyatt spending, and those points have a high value compared with rival programs. There's a great sign-up bonus, free nights, automatic elite status and more. Read our review.

» Not a Hyatt customer? See our best hotel cards for other options.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Our pick for: Business travelers

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card starts you off with one of the biggest sign-up bonuses of any credit card anywhere: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. You also get bonus rewards on travel expenses and common business spending categories, like advertising, shipping and internet, cable and phone service. Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Learn more and apply .

Are you in Canada?

See NerdWallet's best travel cards for Canada.

OTHER RESOURCES

How travel rewards work.

Modern-day adventurers and once-a-year vacationers alike love the idea of earning rewards toward their next big trip. According to a NerdWallet study , 68% of American adults say they have a credit card that earns travel rewards.

With a travel rewards credit card, you earn points or miles every time you use the card, but you can often earn more points per dollar in select categories. Some top travel credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , offer bonus points on any travel spending, while the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card grants bonus points when you use the card at Marriott hotels, grocery stores, restaurants or gas stations.

Not all points and miles earned on travel rewards credit cards are the same:

General-purpose travel credit cards — including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , the American Express® Gold Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — give you rewards that can be used like cash to pay for travel or that can be exchanged for points in airline or hotel loyalty programs. With their flexible rewards, general-purpose options are usually the best travel credit cards for those who don't stick to a single airline or hotel chain.

Airline- and hotel-specific cards — such as the United℠ Explorer Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Card — give points and miles that can be used only with the brand on the card. (Although it's possible in some cases to transfer hotel points to airlines, we recommend against it because you get a poor value.) These so-called co-branded cards are usually the best travel credit cards for those who always fly one particular airline or stay with one hotel group.

How do we value points and miles? With the rewards earned on general travel cards, it's simple: They have a fixed value, usually between 1 and 1.5 cents per point, and you can spend them like cash. With airline miles and hotel points, finding the true value is more difficult. How much value you get depends on how you redeem them.

To better understand what miles are worth, NerdWallet researched the cash prices and reward-redemption values for hundreds of flights. Our results:

Keep in mind that the airline values are based on main cabin economy tickets and exclude premium cabin redemptions. See our valuations page for business class valuations and details about our methodology.

Our valuations are different from many others you may find. That’s because we looked at the average value of a point based on reasonable price searches that anyone can perform, not a maximized value that only travel rewards experts can expect to reach.

You should therefore use these values as a baseline for your own redemptions. If you can redeem your points for the values listed on our valuations page, you are doing well. Of course, if you are able to get higher value out of your miles, that’s even better.

HOW TO CHOOSE A TRAVEL CREDIT CARD

There are scores of travel rewards cards to choose from. The best travel credit card for you has as much to do with you as with the card. How often you travel, how much flexibility you want, how much you value airline or hotel perks — these are all things to take into account when deciding on a travel card. Our article on how to choose a travel credit card recommends that you prioritize:

Rewards you will actually use (points and miles are only as good as your ability to redeem them for travel).

A high earning rate (how much value you get in rewards for every dollar spent on the card).

A sign-up bonus (a windfall of points for meeting a spending requirement in your first few months).

Even with these goals in mind, there are all kinds of considerations that will influence your decision on a travel rewards credit card.

Travel cards are for travelers

Travel cards vs. cash-back cards.

The very first question to ask yourself when choosing a travel credit card is: Should I get a travel card at all? Travel credit cards are best for frequent travelers, who are more likely to get enough value from rewards and perks to make up for the annual fees that the best travel credit cards charge. (Some travel cards charge no annual fee, but they tend to offer lesser rewards than full-fee cards.) A NerdWallet study found that those who travel only occasionally — say, once a year — will probably get greater overall rewards from cash-back credit cards , most of which charge no annual fee, than from a travel card.

Flexibility and perks: A trade-off

Co-branded cards vs. general travel cards.

Travel credit cards fall into two basic categories: co-branded cards and general travel cards.

Co-branded cards carry the name of an airline or hotel group, such as the United℠ Explorer Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card . The rewards you earn are redeemable only with that particular brand, which can limit your flexibility, sometimes sharply. For example, if your credit card's co-branded airline partner doesn't have any award seats available on the flight you want on the day you want, you're out of luck. On the other hand, co-branded cards commonly offer airline- or hotel-specific perks that general travel cards can't match.

General travel cards aren't tied to a specific airline or hotel, so they offer much greater flexibility. Well-known general travel cards include the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . Rewards on general travel cards come as points (sometimes called "miles" but they're really points) that you can redeem for any travel expense. You're not locked into using a single airline or hotel, but you also won't enjoy the perks of a co-branded card.

Evaluating general travel credit cards

What you get with a general travel card.

The credit cards featured at the top of this page are general travel cards. They're issued by a bank (such as Chase or Capital One), carry only that bank's name, and aren't tied to any single airline or hotel group. With these cards, you earn points on every purchase — usually 1 to 2 points per dollar spent, sometimes with additional points in certain categories.

Issuers of general travel cards typically entice new applicants with big sign-up bonuses (also known as "welcome offers") — tens of thousands of miles that you can earn by spending a certain amount of money on the card in your first few months.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit card sign-up offers

What do you do with those points? Depending on the card, you may have several ways to redeem them:

Booking travel. With this option, your points pay for travel booked through the issuer's website, using a utility similar to Orbitz or Expedia. For example, if points were worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed this way, you could book a $400 flight on the issuer's portal and pay for it with 40,000 points

Statement credit. This lets you essentially erase travel purchases by using your points for credit on your statement. You make travel arrangements however you want (directly with an airline or hotel, through a travel agency, etc.) and charge it to your card. Once the charge shows up on your account, you apply the necessary points and eliminate the cost.

Transferring to partners. The card issuer may allow you to transfer your points to loyalty programs for airlines or hotel chains, turning your general card into something like a co-branded card (although you don't get the perks of a co-brand).

Cash back, gift cards or merchandise. If you don't plan to travel, you can burn off your rewards with these options, although you'll often get a lower value per point.

Airline and hotel cards sharply limit your choice, but they make up for it with perks that only they can offer, like free checked bags or room upgrades. General travel cards, on the other hand, offer maximum flexibility but can't provide the same kinds of perks, because the banks that issue them don't operate the airlines or hotels. Still, there are some noteworthy perks on general travel cards, including:

Travel credit. This is automatic reimbursement for travel-related spending. Some top travel credit cards offer hundreds of dollars a year in travel credit.

Trusted traveler reimbursement. More and more travel credit cards are covering the application fee for TSA Precheck and Global Entry, programs that allow you to move through airport security and customs more quickly.

Airport lounge access. Hundreds of lounges worldwide operate separately from airlines under such networks as Priority Pass and Airspace, and several general travel cards offer access to these lounges.

Points programs

Every major card issuer has at least one travel card with a points program. American Express calls its program Membership Rewards, while Chase has Ultimate Rewards® and Citi pays in ThankYou points. Wells Fargo has Wells Fargo Rewards, and U.S. Bank has FlexPerks. Bank of America® travel cards offer points without a fancy name. Travel cards from Capital One, Barclays and Discover all call their points "miles."

These programs differ in how much their points are worth and how you can use them. Some offer the full range of redemption options, including transfers to loyalty programs. Others let you use them only to book travel or get statement credit.

» MORE: Travel loyalty program reviews

Evaluating airline credit cards

What you get with an airline credit card.

Airline credit cards earn "miles" with each purchase. You typically get 1 mile per dollar spent, with a higher rate (2 or more miles per dollar) on purchases with the airline itself. (Some airline cards have also begun offering extra miles for purchases in additional categories, such as restaurants or car rental agencies.) These miles go into the same frequent-flyer account as the ones you earn by flying the airline, and you can redeem them for free flights with the airline or its alliance partners.

Co-branded airline cards typically offer sign-up bonuses (or welcome offers). But what really sets them apart are the perks they give you. With some cards, for example, the checked-bag benefit alone can make up for the annual fee after a single roundtrip by a couple. Common perks of airline cards include:

Free checked bags. This commonly applies to the first checked bag for you and at least one companion on your reservation. Some cards extend this perk to more people, and higher-end cards (with higher annual fees) may even let you check two bags apiece for free.

Priority boarding. Holders of co-branded airline credit cards often get to board the plane early — after the airline's elite-status frequent flyers but before the general population. This gives you time to settle in and gives you a leg up on claiming that coveted overhead bin space.

In-flight discounts or freebies. You might get, say, 25% off the cost of food and beverages during the flight, or free Wi-Fi.

Airport lounge access. High-end cards often include a membership to the airline's airport lounges, where you can get away from the frenzy in the terminal and enjoy a complimentary snack. Some less-expensive airline cards give you only limited or discounted lounge access; others give you none at all.

Companion fares. This perk lets you bring someone with you for a lower cost when you buy a ticket at full price.

A boost toward elite status. Miles earned with a credit card, as opposed to those earned from actually flying on the airline, usually do not count toward earning elite status in an airline's frequent-flyer program. However, carrying an airline's high-end card might automatically qualify you for a higher tier within the program.

The biggest U.S. airlines — American, United and Delta — offer an array of credit cards. Each airline has a no-annual-fee card that earns miles on purchases but provides little in the way of perks (no free bags or priority boarding). Each has a high-end card with an annual fee in the neighborhood of $450 that offers lounge access and sumptuous perks. And each has a "middle-class" card with a fee of around $100 and solid ongoing perks. Southwest offers three credit cards with varying fees; smaller carriers may just have a single card.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best airline credit cards

Choosing an airline

Which airline card you get depends in large part on what airline you fly, and that's heavily influenced by where you live. Alaska Airlines, for example, has an outstanding credit card, but the airline's routes are concentrated primarily on the West Coast. So it's not a great option for those who live in, say, Buffalo, New York, or Montgomery, Alabama.

If your local airport is dominated by a single airline, then you're probably flying that carrier most (or all) of the time by default. Delta, for example, is the 800-pound gorilla at Minneapolis-St. Paul and Salt Lake City. United has the bulk of the traffic at Newark and Washington Dulles. American calls the shots at Charlotte and Dallas-Fort Worth. That airline's credit card may be your only realistic option. If you're in a large or midsize market with frequent service from multiple airlines, you have more choice.

» MORE: How to choose an airline credit card

Evaluating hotel credit cards

What you get with a hotel card.

Hotel credit cards earn points with each purchase. As with airline cards, you typically get more points per dollar for purchases from the co-brand partner, and some cards also give bonus points in additional categories. (Hotel cards tend to give you a greater number of points overall than airline cards, but each individual point is generally worth less than a typical airline mile.) Similar to the airline model, the points you earn with the card go into the same loyalty account as the points you earn from actually staying at a hotel. You redeem your points for free stays.

Hotel cards usually offer a sign-up bonus, but like airline cards, they really make their bones with the ongoing perks. Common perks on hotel cards include:

Free nights. Several cards offer this perk, which can make up for the card's annual fee. You may get a free night automatically every year, or you may unlock it by spending a certain amount within a year. In the latter case, it comes on top of the points you earn for your spending.

Upgrades and freebies. Cardholders may qualify for automatic room upgrades when available, or free or discounted amenities such as meals or spa packages.

Early check-in/late check-out. No one likes having to cool their heels in the hotel lobby waiting for 3 o'clock to check in. And no one likes have to vacate their room by 11 a.m. when their flight doesn't leave till evening.

Accelerated elite status. Some hotel cards automatically bump you up a level in their loyalty program just for being a cardholder.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best hotel credit cards

Choosing a hotel group

If you decide to go the hotel-card route, you'll need to decide which hotel group gets your business. Hotels aren't as market-concentrated as airlines, so if your travels take you mostly to metropolitan areas, you'll have a decent amount of choice. Keep in mind that even though there are dozens of nationally recognizable hotel brands, ranging from budget inns to luxury resorts, many of them are just units in a larger hotel company, and that company's card can unlock benefits across the group.

Marriott, for example, includes not only its namesake properties but nearly 30 other brands, including Courtyard, Fairfield, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton and Westin. The Hilton family includes DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn and Waldorf-Astoria. InterContinental includes Holiday Inn, Candlewood, Staybridge and Crowne Plaza. Wyndham and Choice have more than 15 mid-tier and budget-oriented brands between them.

HOW TO COMPARE TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS

No travel rewards credit card is going to have everything you want. You're going to be disappointed if you expect to find a high rewards rate, a generous sign-up bonus, top-notch perks and no annual fee. Each card delivers value through a different combination of features; it's up to you to compare cards based on the following features and choose the best travel credit card for your needs and preferences.

Most of the best travel cards charge an annual fee. Fees in the range of $90 to $100 are standard for travel cards. Premium cards with extensive perks will have fees of $450 or more. Weigh the value of the rewards and perks you'll get to make sure they'll make up for the fee.

Can you find good cards without an annual fee? Absolutely! There are no-fee options on our list of the best travel credit cards, and we've rounded up more here . Just be aware that if you go with a no-fee travel card, you'll earn rewards at a lower rate, your sign-up bonus will be smaller, and you won't get as many (if any) perks.

Rewards rate

Rewards can be thought of in terms of "earn rate" and "burn rate".

The earn rate is how many points or miles you receive per dollar spent. Some general travel cards offer flat-rate rewards, meaning you get the same rate on all purchases, all the time — 2 miles per dollar, for example, or 1.5 points per dollar. Others, including most co-branded cards, offer a base rate of maybe 1 point per dollar and then pay a higher rate in certain categories, such as airline tickets, hotel stays, general travel expenses or restaurant meals.

The burn rate is the value you get for those points or miles when you redeem them. The industry average is about 1 cent per point or mile. Some cards, particularly hotel cards, have lower value per point on the "burn" side but give you more points per dollar on the earning side.

When comparing rewards rates, don't just look at the numbers. Look at the categories to which those numbers apply, and find a card that matches your spending patterns. Getting 5 points per dollar seems great — but if those 5X points come only on purchases at, say, office supply stores, and you don't spend money on office supplies, then you're getting lousy value.

Sign-up bonus

Travel cards tend to have the biggest sign-up bonuses — tens of thousands of points that you earn by hitting a certain amount of spending. But there's more to consider when comparing sign-up bonuses than just how many points or miles you earn. You must also take into account how much you have to spend to earn the bonus. While cash-back credit cards often require just $500 to $1,000 in spending over three months to unlock a bonus, travel cards commonly have thresholds of $3,000 to $5,000.

Never spend money you don't have just to earn a sign-up bonus. Carrying $3,000 in debt for a year in order to earn a $500 bonus doesn't make economic sense — the interest you'll pay could easily wipe out the value of the bonus.

Finally, keep in mind that the biggest bonuses will come on cards with annual fees.

Foreign transaction fees

A good travel card will not charge a foreign transaction fee. These fees are surcharges on purchases made outside the U.S. The industry standard is about 3%, which is enough to wipe out most if not all of the rewards you earn on a purchase. If you never leave the U.S., then this isn't much of a concern, but anyone who travels abroad should bring a no-foreign-transaction-fee card with them.

Some issuers don't charge foreign transaction fees on any of their cards. Others charge them on some cards but not all.

International acceptance

Not all travel credit cards are great companions for international travel. While Visa and Mastercard are good pretty much worldwide, you may encounter limited acceptance for American Express and, especially, Discover, depending on the destination. This doesn't mean world travelers should dismiss AmEx and Discover. Just know that if you take one of these cards with you overseas, you'd be smart to bring along a backup in case you run into acceptance problems. (Having a backup card is good advice within the U.S., too, really.)

Travel protections

Consider which travel protections — car rental insurance , trip cancellation coverage , lost baggage protection — are important to you.

"Rewards" are what you get for using a credit card — the points earned with each transaction and the bonuses you unlock with your spending. "Perks" are goodies that you get just for carrying the card. There's a very close correlation between the annual fee on a card and the perks you get for carrying it. Cards with no annual fee are all about rewards and go very light on perks. Premium cards with annual fees of $450 or more are laden with perks (although sometimes their rewards aren't too special). Midtier cards (in the $100 range) tend to have solid rewards and a handful of high-value perks.

Assuming you take advantage of them, the perks often make up for the annual fee on a card quite easily. This is especially true with co-branded cards. Free checked bags can pay for an airline card several times over, and a free night is usually worth more than the fee on a hotel card. When comparing the perks of various cards, be realistic about which ones you will and won't use. Sure, that card may entitle you to a free spa package the next time you're at a five-star hotel, but how often do you stay at five-star hotels?

SHOULD YOU GET A TRAVEL CARD? PROS AND CONS

Pros: why it's worth getting a travel card.

The sign-up bonus gives you a big head-start on travel. Bonuses on the best travel credit cards typically run $500 or more — enough for a roundtrip ticket in many instances.

Perks make travel less expensive and more relaxing. You won't have to worry about cramming a week's worth of clothes into a carry-on if your travel credit card gives you a free checked bag (or automatically reimburses you for the bag fee). Hate the crush of travelers in the terminal? Escape to the airport lounge. Renting a car? Use a travel card that provides primary rental car insurance.

Rewards get you closer to your next trip with every purchase. Spending money on the mundane activities of daily life has a silver lining when you know that every $1,000 you spend will knock $10 or $20 off the cost of that future beach vacation or trip home to see Mom and Dad.

No foreign transaction fee can mean big savings. Take just any old credit card with you on vacation outside the U.S., and $1,000 worth of purchases can cost you $30 off the top due to the foreign transaction surcharge. Good travel cards don't charge this fee.

"Double dipping" gives you more points on travel purchases. Buy a plane ticket or book a hotel room, and you'll earn loyalty points or miles regardless of how you pay. Use the right credit card, though, and you'll earn even more points and miles on top of those.

Strategic redemption can multiply your value. With cash-back credit cards, 1 cent is worth 1 cent, and that's just how it goes. The points and miles on many travel credit cards have variable value based on how you redeem them — booking travel with them vs. transferring them to a partner, booking domestic vs. international flights and economy vs. business class, staying at budget hotels vs. high-end resorts, and so on.

Cons: Why a travel card might not be for you

The best cards charge annual fees. In many cases, the value you get from a credit card more than makes up for the annual fee. But some people are dead set against paying a fee under any circumstances. If that's you, your options in travel cards will be sharply limited, and you won't get the perks that provide a big portion of the value on many cards.

Sign-up bonus spending requirements can be steep. A bonus worth $500, $600 or $700 is attractive, but only if you can afford to earn it with spending you were going to do anyway. If you have to amass thousands of dollars in debt and then pay interest on it, it's not worth it.

Travel cards aren't ideal for infrequent travelers. In the first year with a travel card, you're probably going to come out ahead: You can earn a big sign-up bonus, and several popular cards waive the first year's annual fee, too. In subsequent years, though, you'll break even on that fee only if you use the card enough to make up for it (with the rewards you earn and redeem and the perks you use). Infrequent travelers are more likely to get more total rewards from a cash-back card with no annual fee.

Cash back is simpler and more flexible. Some travel cards allow you to redeem your rewards only for travel. Others give you poor value unless you redeem for travel. Still others have complicated redemption options, making it hard to get the most out of your rewards. With cash-back credit cards, you can use your rewards on anything, you know exactly how much your rewards are worth, and redemption is usually simple.

Rewards cards tend to charge higher interest rates. If you regularly carry a balance from month to month, a travel credit card — or any rewards credit card — probably isn't your best choice. The interest you pay is eating up the value of your rewards. You're better off with a low-interest card that reduces the cost of carrying debt.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TRAVEL CARD

Maximize your rewards with the following tips:

Plan your credit card application around a big purchase to earn the sign-up bonus.

Seize every opportunity to pick up the tab, especially if your travel credit card pays bonus rewards on dining; your friends can pay you back while you collect rewards.

Redeem rewards for travel instead of gift cards, merchandise or (in most cases) cash back to get the best value.

Join the loyalty program associated with a co-branded card — a frequent-flyer or frequent-guest program.

Shop for essentials in your card’s online bonus mall or through its exclusive offers, if available, to get extra rewards.

OTHER CARDS TO CONSIDER

It’s worth considering whether a travel credit card is even right for you in the first place. A NerdWallet study found that cash-back credit cards often earn more money — even for many travelers.

If you carry a balance from month to month, the higher interest rates typically charged by rewards cards can cancel out any rewards earned. If you have a good credit score, you're better off with a low-interest credit card that can save you money on interest.

A good travel credit card shouldn't charge foreign transaction fees, but there are good non-travel cards that also don't charge them. See our best cards with no foreign transaction fee .

If you value transparency and flexibility in your rewards, you can't go wrong with a cash-back card — and you can still use the rewards for travel, if you want.

Finally, if you're still not sure what's right for you, take a look at our best rewards credit cards for options beyond travel and cash back.

NerdWallet's Sam Kemmis contributed to this article.

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page .

Last updated on June 7 , 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet's Credit Cards team selects the best travel rewards credit cards based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of travelers. Factors in our evaluation include each card's annual fee, foreign transaction fees, rewards earnings rates, ease of use, redemption options, domestic and international acceptance, promotional APR period, bonus offers, and cardholder perks such as automatic statement credits and airport lounge access. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

Travel credit cards earn points (sometimes called miles) each time you buy something. The standard earning rate is 1 to 2 points per dollar spent, and many cards give you extra points for certain purchases, particularly travel expenses. The value of a point depends on the card that earned it and how you redeem it, but a good rule of thumb is to assume each point is worth an average of about 1 cent.

Your points accumulate in a rewards account, where you can use them to pay for travel. Most cards let you book travel directly using a portal similar to those at online travel agencies or on airline and hotel websites, but instead of paying cash, you pay with your points. Depending on the card, you may also have the option of booking travel any way you want, paying for it with the card and then cashing in your points for a credit against those expenses.

Points and miles are just different names for the same thing: the currency used in a travel rewards program. Some travel credit cards call them points, some call them miles.

Airline frequent flyer programs have long used the term “miles” to refer to the rewards you earn for flying. That’s because at one time, you really did earn rewards according to how many miles you flew — the longer the flight, the more miles you earned. Nowadays, most domestic airlines give out “miles” based on how much you spend, not how far you fly, so they’re really just points. (There are a few exceptions, though, notably Alaska Airlines.)

Especially when it comes to redeeming your rewards, there’s no difference between points and miles. The number of points or miles you need is based mostly on the cost of what you’re redeeming them for. It takes more than 500 miles (value about: $5) to get a free 500-mile flight!

The value of a point or mile depends on the card you earned it with and how you redeem it. A common rule of thumb is to assume that each point or mile is worth an average of 1 cent, although you can certainly get a much higher (or lower) redemption value. See our travel loyalty roundup page for NerdWallet’s current valuations for airline miles and hotel points.

Travel credit cards fall into two main categories: co-branded and general-purpose.

• Co-branded travel cards carry the name of an airline or hotel chain. The rewards you earn on the card can typically be redeemed only with that brand (or maybe its partners). Co-branded cards limit your flexibility, but because they are issued in partnership with an airline or hotel, they can give you special perks, like free checked bags or room upgrades.

• General-purpose travel cards are issued by a credit card company and are not directly tied to any particular airline or hotel. They earn points in the issuer's own program, such as American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards® or Citi ThankYou. These points are a lot more flexible, as you can use them to pay for a range of travel expenses, including flights on any airline or stays at any hotel. However, they don’t offer the airline- or hotel-specific perks of co-branded cards.

Travel cards — like rewards cards in general — typically require good to excellent credit for approval. Good credit is generally defined as a credit score of 690 or better. However, credit scores alone do not guarantee approval. Every issuer has its own criteria for evaluating applications.

Business travel can earn credit card rewards just like leisure travel. Credit cards that earn rewards for travel purchases don't distinguish between one or the other — meaning, if a card pays 3X points on airfare, for example, it's going to pay it no matter why you're buying the ticket. There are also travel credit cards specifically designed for business operators, with benefits and perks better aligned with their needs.

Where things get complicated is when you're not arranging the travel yourself. With credit card points, the rewards go to the cardholder. So if you arrange travel through your employer and the cost goes on the "company card," then the company card gets the points. Put it on your own card and get reimbursed later, and you get the points. (And if you have a company card with your name on it? That may come down to company policy.)

When redeeming travel rewards, you want to get as much value as possible. If you can get more value by using your rewards than by using cash, then it's smart to do so. (And of course, the reverse also applies.) NerdWallet has calculated the baseline values of most major credit card points, airline miles and hotel points. When you get a value that exceeds these baselines, go ahead and use your rewards. If not, consider using cash.

For example, say you could book a trip by paying $400 cash for a ticket or by redeeming 50,000 points or miles. In that case, your points would be getting you a value of 0.8 cents apiece (50,000 x 0.8 cents = $400). If the baseline value of each point is 1 cent, then you're better off paying cash and saving the points for when you can redeem them for 1 cent or better.

That said, you don't want to be overthinking it and hoarding points indefinitely in search of the deal to end all deals. Like any other currency, travel rewards lose value over time. That flight that costs 50,000 points today might cost 55,000 next year. Do you have enough points to get you where you want to go, when you want to go, in the way you want to get there? If so, don't let fractions of a penny stop you from booking your trip. It's your money, and you get to decide how to spend it.

A number of travel credit cards come with "travel credits," which reimburse you for specific expenses. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® , for example, has a $300 annual travel credit; several cards offer credits toward things like airline fees or hotel bookings; and a bunch of cards have a credit for the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry .

The less restrictive a credit is, the easier it is to redeem. The easiest travel credit to redeem is one that:

Applies to a broad range of expenses. Some credits are very fickle. You may get $200 a year in "airline credit," but it applies only to incidental fees (not airfare) on a single airline that you have to choose ahead of time. A card may offer hundreds of dollars in credit toward travel, but you have to go through the issuer's booking portal, where rates may be more expensive and options more limited. Other credits, however, are broad and open-ended: $300 on any travel expense, $100 toward any airline booking, and so on.

Shows up automatically on your statement. Your issuer's system should be able to recognize qualifying expenses and then apply the credit to them without you having to do anything. If the only way to receive the credit is by calling a phone number or submitting receipts or other documentation, that makes it harder to redeem, which in turn makes it less likely that you'll redeem (and that may be the point).

About the author

Sara Rathner

14 best travel credit cards of June 2024

The best travel credit cards offer an array of premium perks and benefits . For both occasional travelers and frequent flyers, adding a travel credit card to your wallet is a great way to earn rewards and save money on every trip you take. At The Points Guy, our team has done the legwork and curated a selection of the best travel credit cards for any globe-trotter, whether you prefer to backpack through mountains or settle into a luxury villa for some relaxation. From generous travel credits to premium lounge access, we’ve chosen the cards packed with the best benefits to elevate your next travel experience.

Check out our list below and discover which travel credit card from our partners makes the best addition to your wallet for all of your adventures.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best for beginner travelers
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for earning miles
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best for premium travel
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card : Best for maximizing business purchases
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for lounge access
• American Express® Gold Card : Best for dining at restaurants
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card : Best for no annual fee
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for business travel
• Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card : Best for unlimited point earning
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for travel credits
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card : Best for variety of bonus categories
• American Express® Business Gold Card : Best for flexible rewards earning
• Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card : Best for travel rewards beginners
• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card : Best for Alaska Airlines miles

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Comparing the best credit cards, more details on the best credit cards, credit pointers with brian kelly, what is a travel credit card, helpful tools, how we rate cards, how to maximize travel credit cards, how to choose the best travel credit card, ask our experts, pros + cons of travel credit cards, frequently asked questions.

• Airport Lounge Access

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards credit card on the market. Offering an excellent return on travel and dining purchases, the card packs a ton of value that easily offsets its $95 annual fee. Cardholders can redeem points at 1.25 cents each for travel booked through Chase or transfer points to one of Chase’s 14 valuable airline and hotel partners. Read our full  review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card .

• You’ll earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases, 2 points per dollar on all other travel and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
• Annual $50 Chase Travel Hotel Credit
• Premium travel protection benefits including trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental insurance and lost luggage insurance.
• The card comes with a $95 annual fee.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

When it comes to simplicity and strong rewards, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a solid choice for most travelers. You’ll earn earns 2 miles per dollar on every purchase with no bonus categories to memorize, making it an ideal card for those with busy lives. Read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .

• This flexible rewards card delivers a solid sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles, worth $1,388 based on TPG valuations and not provided by the issuer.
• You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories.
• Rewards earned are versatile as they can be redeemed for any hotel or airline purchase for a statement credit or transferred to 15+ travel partners.
• Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
• Capital One airline partners do not include any large U.S. airlines.
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

If you can maximize the  $300 credit toward Capital One Travel, the Venture X’s annual fee effectively comes down to $95, the same annual fee pegged to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ). Add in a 10,000-mile bonus every account anniversary (worth $185, according to TPG valuations ) and lounge access, and the card may become the strongest option out there for a lot of travelers. Read our full  review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card .

• 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary
• $395 annual fee
• $300 credit annually, only applicable for bookings made through Capital One Travel portal
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card’s sign-up bonus is among the highest we’ve seen from Chase. Plus earn points across the four bonus categories (travel, shipping, advertising and telecommunication providers) that are most popular with businesses. The card comes with travel protections, shopping protections and will also have primary coverage when renting a car for business purposes for you and your employees. Read our full  review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card .

• One of the highest sign-up bonuses we’ve seen — 100,000 bonus points after $8,000 worth of spend in the first three months after card opening.
• Access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal for points redemption.
• Reasonable $95 annual fee.
• Bonus categories that are most relevant to business owners; primary car insurance.
• Perks including cellphone and purchase protection; extended warranty; trip cancellation/interruption insurance; trip delay reimbursement.
• Yearly cap on bonus categories.
• No travel perks.
• Subject to Chase's 5/24 rule on card applications.
• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Amex Platinum is unmatched when it comes to travel perks and benefits. If lounge access, hotel elite status and annual statement credits are important to you, this card is well worth the high annual fee. Read our full  review of the Platinum Card from American Express .

• The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. TPG values it at $1,600.
• This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, and more than $1,400 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. (enrollment required)
• The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway.
• The $695 annual fee is only worth it if you’re taking full advantage of the card’s benefits. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost.
• Outside of the current welcome bonus, you’re only earning bonus rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so it’s not a great card for other spending categories.
• The annual airline fee credit and other monthly statement credits can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards.
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

American Express® Gold Card

This isn’t just a card that’s nice to look at. It packs a real punch, offering 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar). There’s also an up to $120 annual dining credit at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com ,  Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations, plus it added an up to $120 annually ($10 per month) in Uber Cash, which can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. All this make it a very strong contender for all food purchases, which has become a popular spending category. Enrollment is required for select benefits. Read our full review of the Amex Gold .

• 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar)
• 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel.
• Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of account opening.
• Weak on travel and everyday spending bonus categories.
• Not as effective for those living outside the U.S.
• Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits.
• Few travel perks and protections.
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

If you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of travel rewards, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a great way to get started. With no annual fee and a simple 1.25 miles per dollar on all your purchases, you won’t have to keep up with multiple bonus categories — just earn rewards on everything you purchase! Coupled with the 20,000-mile sign-up bonus, you can use your rewards to book travel, transfer to Capital One’s loyalty partners and more. Read our full review of the  Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card .

• No annual fee.
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 within the first three months from account opening.
• Use your miles to book or pay for travel at a 1-cent value, or transfer your miles to loyalty programs to gain potentially even greater value for your rewards.
• Earn 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other credit cards can offer you higher rewards for your common purchase categories.
• Capital One airline transfer partners do not include any large U.S. airlines.
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a great card for frequent travelers looking to add a touch of luxury to their business trips. While the card does come with a high annual fee, you’re also getting a ton of valuable benefits in return. They include generous annual travel credits, unparalleled lounge access that includes Amex Centurion Lounges and more. Read our full  review on The Business Platinum Card from American Express .

• Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4.5 years (enrollment is required)
• Up to $400 annual statement credit for U.S. Dell purchases (enrollment required)
• Gold status at Marriott and Hilton hotels; access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and Hotel Collection (enrollment required)
• Steep $695 annual fee.
• High spend needed for welcome offer.
• Limited high bonus categories outside of travel.
• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card offers healthy reward earning rates on top of uncapped point-earning meaning the sky's the limit — especially if you strategize and spend in popular categories.

• No foreign transaction fees
• Uncapped earning potential
• $50 annual statement credit
• Solid point earning rates in popular categories
• This card features an annual fee
• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
• Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
• $95 annual fee.
• Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
• Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
• Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of our top premium travel cards. With a $300 travel credit, bonus points on dining and travel purchases and other benefits, you can get excellent value that far exceeds the annual fee on the card. Read our full  review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card .

• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners.
• 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchases through the Ultimate Rewards portal, 5 points per dollar on flights booked through the Chase Travel portal, 3 points per dollar on all other travel and dining, 1 point per dollar on everything else
• 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel directly through Chase Travel
• Steep initial $550 annual fee.
• May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph card packs a punch for a no-annual-fee product, with an array of bonus categories plus solid perks and straightforward redemption options. Read our  full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph here .

• This card offers 3 points per dollar on various everyday purchases with no annual fee. It also comes with a 20,000-point welcome bonus and an introductory APR offer on purchases. Plus, you'll enjoy up to $600 in cellphone protection when you pay your monthly bill with the card. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Despite the lucrative earning structure, Wells Fargo doesn't offer any ways to maximize your redemptions — you're limited to fixed-value rewards like gift cards and statement credits.
• Select "Apply Now" to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
• Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
• $0 annual fee.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.

American Express® Business Gold Card

The Amex Business Gold card is a solid choice for high-spending small businesses with the flexibility to earn 4 points per dollar in the two categories where you spend the most. The card is ideal for businesses who value simplicity above all. Read our full  review of the American Express Business Gold Card .

• You'll earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar in the top 2 spending categories each month (on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year).
• Hefty $375 annual fee.
• There may be better options for small businesses who don't spend a lot.
• Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
• Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
• Your Card – Your Choice. Choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
• *Terms Apply

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card is a great starter card thanks to its no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees when you travel internationally. Earning and redeeming is effortless, with no confusing bonus categories to keep track of and the ability to redeem your points for all of your travel needs. Read our  full review of the Bank of America Travel Rewards  card.

• 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases
• No annual fee
• Bank of America does not offer airline or hotel transfer partners like other banks such as American Express, Chase or Capital One.
• No travel and purchase protections.
• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 19.24% - 29.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card

There’s a lot to love about the Alaska Airlines credit card, in part due to its highly valuable loyalty program: Alaska Airlines MileagePlan. Whether you’re a loyal Alaska flyer or a points maximizer looking to diversify your rewards portfolio, this card has a lot to offer. For starters, you’ll receive Alaska’s Famous Companion Pass each year from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year, free checked bags for you and up to six guests on your itinerary, 20% back on in-flight purchases and more. Plus, Alaska has joined the oneworld alliance, opening up endless redemption opportunities. Read our  full review of the Alaska Airline credit card.

• Free checked bag for you and up to six guests on your reservation.
• Alaska discounts, including 20% back on in-flight purchases.
• Limited Time Online Offer—60,000 Bonus Miles!
• Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
• Get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
• Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases. Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases. And earn unlimited 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don’t expire on active accounts.
• Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.
• Free checked bag and enjoy priority boarding for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation, when you pay for your flight with your card — Also available for authorized users when they book a reservation too!
• With oneworld® Alliance member airlines and Alaska’s Global Partners, Alaska has expanded their global reach to over 1,000 destinations worldwide bringing more airline partners and more ways to earn and redeem miles.
• Plus, no foreign transaction fees and a low $95 annual fee.
• This online only offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

You’ll earn a solid return on dining and travel (6% back and 4% back, respectively, based on TPG valuations ) on top of your generous sign-up bonus, and you also have access to some of the best travel protections offered by any travel rewards credit card.

We’ve long suggested the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card   as an excellent option for those who are new to earning travel rewards because it lets you earn valuable, transferable points  with strong bonus categories and a reasonable annual fee.

“The Chase Sapphire Preferred has remained a top card in my wallet for years. Between the consistently strong sign-up bonus, low annual fee and continual improvements that have been made over the years, it’s hard for any other mid-tier rewards card to compare. I love that I can earn bonus rewards on travel, dining, streaming and online grocery purchases — all with just one card. Plus, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are valuable and easy to use whether you’re new to points and miles or an expert.” — Madison Blancaflor , senior content operations editor

To add more luxury to your travel experience, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . Though it comes with a higher annual fee, you’ll enjoy Priority Pass lounge access plus a $300 annual travel credit.

With the Capital One Venture, you’re earning 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which makes it easy to rack up rewards without having to juggle different bonus categories or spending caps. And with flexible redemption options and a manageable annual fee, this card is an excellent choice if you’re looking to keep just one credit card in your wallet for all spending.

Those looking to earn flexible rewards should use the Capital One Venture card as it allows you to redeem miles for a fixed value or transfer the miles you earn to 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners , including Avianca, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines.

“The Capital One Venture is a great card that can add value to pretty much anyone’s wallet. I use it to earn 2 miles per dollar on the purchases that fall outside of my other cards’ bonus categories. The annual fee is low, Capital One miles are easy to redeem and the card does come with a few nice perks — including TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee reimbursement.” — Madison Blancaflor , senior content operations editor

Even if you’re a casual traveler, consider jumping to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card  (see  rates and fees ). The card’s up to $300 annual credit for purchases made with Capital One Travel immediately covers the higher annual fee — and that’s not even considering the added perks you’ll enjoy.

At $395 per year (see rates and fees ), this premium card is cheaper than all of its competitors without sacrificing the breadth of valuable perks it includes. Cardholders will get unlimited visits to Capital One’s premium network of lounges and 1,300-plus Priority Pass lounges worldwide  and able to bring up to two guests for no additional charge.

For frequent travelers, the Capital One Venture X is a must-have and is well worth the $395 annual fee. If you travel frequently with your significant other, family or friends, you can even add some authorized users for no additional cost. This will grant them their own lounge access (and the ability to bring up to two guests for no fee), among many other benefits, making this a huge cost-saver for those who travel in groups.

“With an annual fee that is $300 less than The Platinum Card® from American Express (see Amex Platinum rates and fees ), the Capital One Venture X card is my favorite travel credit card. The card comes with an annual $300 Capital One Travel credit, which I use to book flights. That effectively brings the annual fee down to $95 per year (see rates and fees ). Cardholders enjoy a Priority Pass Select membership. Authorized users — you geta number of them at no cost — also enjoy their own Priority Pass Select membership. I use my Venture X card to earn 2 miles per dollar (a 3.7% return at TPG’s valuations ) in spending categories where most cards would only accrue 1 mile — like auto maintenance, pharmacies and medical bills.” — Kyle Olsen , former points and miles reporter

Those turned off by the Venture X’s annual fee could opt for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card , which has a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees ), identical sign-up bonus and similar earning and redemption options.

The Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 in combined travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services and advertising purchases made on social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. TPG’s most recent valuations  peg the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents apiece, so you’ll get a fantastic return of 6% on purchases in these categories.

If you spend a lot on business travel or social media advertising, you’ll be able to earn significant points using the Ink Business Preferred card .

“I originally signed up for the Ink Business Preferred primarily for its sign-up bonus. But, over the last year, I’ve found myself making it my go-to card when booking travel. After all, the Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar spent on travel and provides excellent travel protections, including trip delay protection and rental car insurance.” — Katie Genter , senior writer

If you don’t want to worry about maximizing specific purchases and are looking for a lower spending requirement to earn a sign-up bonus, consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card , which offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases and carries no annual fee.

The Amex Platinum is a stellar premium travel card that can provide amazing redemptions . Besides the welcome offer, it comes with more than $1,400 in credits each year and various lounge access options. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Anyone looking for luxury travel benefits will find that the ton of annual statement credits make the annual fee worth it. Plus, you’ll get unparalleled lounge access , automatic Gold status with Hilton and Marriott, and extra perks with Avis Preferred , Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and National Car Rental Emerald Club . Enrollment is required for select benefits.

“While this card has a high annual fee, it more than justifies itself for frequent travelers like me. The lounge access options that come with the Platinum are unrivaled by competitors. I put all of my flights on this card to earn 5 points per dollar spent and trip protection insurance. I make sure to take full advantage of the Uber, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hulu/Disney+ and Clear credits (enrollment is required). And, honestly, pulling a Platinum card out of your wallet to pay for something does feel pretty fancy.” — Matt Moffitt , senior credit cards editor

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card  can be a great alternative to the Amex Platinum, with a notably lower annual fee, similar perks and a more rewarding earning rate on everyday purchases.

The Amex Gold earns 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants, with no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees ), meaning you’ll get an 8% return on purchases (based on TPG’s valuations ). While a few other cards temporarily offer higher return rates on dining, this is the best option for long-term spending, making it one of the best dining cards and best rewards cards .

Those looking for a great return on dining and purchases at U.S. supermarkets will get a lot of value from this card.

“Groceries and dining at restaurants are two of my top spending categories, and I love that the Amex Gold rewards those purchases with 4 points per dollar. When you factor in the $10 dining credit and $10 in Uber Cash each month, the $250 annual fee is a net cost of $10.” — Senitra Horbrook , former credit cards editor

For those who dine out a lot and also want additional bonus categories and other valuable perks for a lower annual fee, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

The no-annual-fee Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see  rates and fees ) has the same redemption options as its sibling card (the Venture Rewards card) but with a lower rewards rate and fewer perks. The miles earned on the card can also be transferred to airline and hotel partners, a benefit not usually seen with a no-annual-fee card.

The VentureOne is a strong card to have in your arsenal and great if you are budgeting. After all, there aren’t many no-annual-fee cards with the ability to transfer points and miles directly to travel partners, so it’s a big bonus that this card offers that (see rates and fees ).

“I wanted a credit card that earns Capital One miles without an annual fee, and this is a winner (see rates and fees ). It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some other cards, but I’m happy earning 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases without paying a fee to keep this card year after year. I’ll never cancel this card.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

For a small annual fee, many travelers could benefit from the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . You’ll earn at least 2 miles per dollar on all purchases and receive a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership.

There are certain ways to earn bonus points for spending on the Amex Business Platinum Card, but it’s the array of perks on the card that make it a great option. Beyond airport lounge access and automatic hotel elite status, there are a number of statement credits that are specifically targeted to common business expenses.

If you travel for business frequently, this card could help you upgrade your experience in the air and on the ground while saving you money on select business-related services. And the current welcome bonus is just the icing on the cake.

“I find that the annual perks and credits vastly outweigh the large annual fee. And that’s even without using some of them. By using the benefits with Priority Pass and Amex lounges, the airline incidental credits, plus the statement credits for Clear, our cellphone plan and restocking my home printer with ink and paper from Dell (enrollment required), I get more value out of the card than it costs to keep it. Plus, it earns my favorite points — American Express Membership Rewards — earning 5 points per dollar on flights and hotels booked with Amex Travel.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

For less-frequent travelers, consider the American Express®  Business Gold Card , which offers 4 points per dollar spent on your top two spending categories each month on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter).

The Autograph Journey offers cardholders the chance to earn elevated rates across travel categories including 5 points per dollar spent on hotels, 4 points per dollar on airline purchases and 3 points per dollar on restaurants and 'other travel' which includes timeshares, car rentals, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites and campgrounds. On top of this, cardholders also get the added benefit of earning a flat rate of 1 point per dollar on other purchases for a $95 annual fee.

If you travel frequently and are looking for a card to help you rack up points you can redeem for future travel, this card is a decent option. Additionally, those looking for a way to fill gaps in their points earning strategy will benefit from the flat 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases outside of the main travel categories.

Another great perk the Autograph Journey features is an annual $50 statement credit triggered by an airline purchase of at least $50. This is on top of elevated earning rates in the certain travel categories and a solid welcome offer for new applicants. There's also no foreign transaction fees on the Autograph Journey card making it a good first travel card as well as a decent supplemental card to add to your travel credit card roster.

If you're looking for a more general use credit card with no annual fee, consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (see  rates and fees ). It earns a flat rate of 2% cash rewards on purchases making an excellent choice to help fill gaps in your reward earning strategy. The best part? Like the Autograph Journey card, the Active Cash Card doesn't put a cap on the amount of cash back you can earn.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with an annual $300 travel credit to offset a variety of expenses — such as airfare, hotels, rental cars, transit and more. You’re also getting an up-to-$100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit  once every four years along with Priority Pass Select membership. And Chase’s slate of transfer partners allows plenty of opportunity to get the maximum value from your points.

Those looking for elevated earning rates and extensive travel protections should have this card in their wallet. The 50% redemption bonus when you use your points to pay for travel through the Chase portal  is also a nice perk.

“I’ve had the Sapphire Reserve for years, and it’s going to stay in my wallet for the near future. I get $300 off travel every year along with great earning rates on travel and dining (3 points per dollar) and various trip protections that can reimburse me when things go wrong. And by leveraging other cards in the Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, I’m able to maximize the earnings across all of my purchases.” — Nick Ewen , director of content

If you just can’t stomach the Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual fee, go for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  instead. It has similar perks, redemption options and travel protections — for a much lower $95 per year.

The Wells Fargo Autograph is a great no-annual-fee card that offers quality earning categories and travel and shopping protection.

Travel card beginners who are looking to get into points earning should consider the Wells Fargo Autograph, which offers a welcome bonus, 3 points per dollar on a variety of everyday spending categories and cellphone protection.

If you’re just getting into the travel credit card world and are not sure travel cards are for you, consider the Wells Fargo Autograph, which will allow you to earn bonus points on travel spending without the commitment of an annual fee.

If you’re looking to earn transferable reward points but still maintain a similar earning structure, consider the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees ). The card earns 3 points per dollar on dining and 2 points per dollar on travel purchases for no annual fee. Plus, Bilt points can be transferred to any of its multiple travel partners. 

The American Express Business Gold card comes packed with perks and benefits, but its most unique feature is the ability to shift your monthly bonus categories. Cardholders will automatically earn 4 points per dollar in their top two spending categories on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter), so if your business spending varies month to month, you won’t have to commit to a bonus category.

The American Express Business Gold card is an excellent choice for business owners who are looking for a premium business card with premium business perks like monthly office supply statement credits, travel and shopping protection and access to The Hotel Collection.

The American Express Business Gold is an excellent choice for small businesses that have changing bonus categories but still want more premium business perks and benefits.

If you still want to earn Membership Rewards points without paying an annual fee, consider The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (see rates and fees ), which earns 2 Membership Rewards points on all business purchases (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card operates similarly to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . You’re earning flat-rate rewards across all spending, and then you can use those rewards as a statement credit to cover eligible travel purchases.

It’s perfect for low-budget beginner travelers  who want a card with no annual fee and a simple way to earn and redeem points.

“I’m happy earning 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases on a card without an annual fee. I can’t pay for everything in life with transferable points, and it’s nice to have a card with fixed-value points for those situations. I use this card for travel purchases where I need to pay in cash, then I can reimburse myself with the points.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

If you’re interested in a card with transferable miles that still has no annual fee (see  rates and fees ), consider the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card .

The Alaska Airlines Visa earns 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases; 2 miles per dollar on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services and transit (including local ride share purchases); and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. You get a free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six guests on your reservation, an annual Companion Fare on your account anniversary and 20% back on all inflight purchases.

Whether you live on the West Coast or not, the Alaska Airlines Visa is a good cobranded airline card to consider adding to your wallet. The Seattle-based airline is mostly limited to North American routes, but international destinations through Oneworld partners make this card valuable for all travelers.

“With new benefits, this card is even more valuable to me — even with its higher annual fee. It provides a free first checked bag, discounts on inflight purchases and priority boarding. My favorite feature, however, is the annual Companion Fare. I get hundreds of dollars in annual value from this perk.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

If you’re not looking to collect airline-specific miles, a general travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card might be a better option.

Travel rewards credit cards earn points, miles or cash back that are redeemable for travel expenses or are geared toward travel spending. The cards on this list are some of the best credit cards to book flights , hotels and more with their many perks and rewards . 

Travel credit cards offer rewards on different purchases that can help you book flights, hotels and more for little to no out-of-pocket expenses. Some cards also provide valuable perks and benefits that upgrade the overall travel experience — from Global Entry application fee credits to lounge access to complimentary elite status . If you have the right card (or cards) in your wallet, the sky is the limit on where your travels can take you — literally.

Additionally, it’s often advantageous to travel with more than one credit card for a variety of reasons. Carrying a backup credit card when you travel can provide peace of mind in the case of bank or issuer problems or if you have a card flagged for fraud while you travel. (In this case, knowing if your card requires you to set up travel alerts for lengthy travel could be worthwhile).

Are you new to travel rewards? Check out our beginner’s guide to all things points and miles . You’ll learn about top loyalty programs, how to maximize your credit card strategy to reach your travel goals and so much more.

Related: The complete history of credit cards, from antiquity to today

We have researched various types of travel credit cards to help you figure out which one is best for you.

Travel vs cash back credit cards

A travel credit card is a card that is geared toward travel spending and a cash-back credit card is a card that earns cash back on purchases made with the card.

Generally, when we are talking about travel credit cards we refer to cards that earn points and miles like the Platinum Card from American Express or the Hilton Honors Aspire card. The Platinum Amex earns transferable points which can be used with any of Amex's travel partners while the Hilton Honors Aspire card only earns Hilton points which can be redeemed at Hilton properties. These cards do not earn cash back on any purchases.

Cash back cards generally offer cash back as a flat rate or feature bonus categories that earn an elevated cash back rate. Select cash-back cards can also be a great travel card such as the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express which offers 3% cash back on transit including rideshare, trains, buses, and more. Even though it is a cash-back card, the Blue Cash Preferred offers an elevated return on select transportation which potentially makes it a solid travel card option.

How do travel credit cards work?

Travel credit cards work like other reward credit cards: They help you earn rewards, primarily points and miles, on your purchases. This section will primarily focus on transferable rewards credit cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card® from American Express, as they are what are typically considered travel credit cards.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

How to earn transferable points

Transferable points credit cards earn points or miles when you make a purchase on the cards. These points and miles can then be transferred to travel partners for rewards like flights, hotel stays and more. Different cards will have different currencies, but they are generally called either “points” or “miles” (depending on the issuer). All transferable reward credit cards, airline credit cards and hotel credit cards will have their own currency that is redeemable for travel rewards. 

Travel cards have varying rates for different purchase categories. For example, the American Express® Gold Card card earns 4 points per dollar spent on restaurants but only 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or Amex Travel. While the Amex Platinum may be a better card for travel as it earns 5 points per dollar spent on flights (booked directly with airline or Amex Travel and up to $500,000 per calendar year), the Amex Gold can be a good addition for Platinum holders who spend a lot of money on dining out.

Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

How to redeem points and miles  

Once you’ve decided on a travel credit card and earned a welcome bonus, it’s time to put those points or miles toward free travel. There are many ways to redeem your rewards with travel credit cards. Many cards feature an online booking portal through which you can use your rewards to book things like flights, hotels and car rentals. Before booking your flight, you should consider doing a  flight portal comparison to ensure you're getting the best redemption. Others allow you to transfer your points or miles to individual loyalty programs. Depending on the redemption, this could unlock even more value.

There are plenty of ways to ensure you don’t make mistakes with your travel rewards . For instance, be sure you do your research with your rewards to get a high-value redemption and make sure your accounts are in good standing so you don’t risk losing them.  

Related: Tips and tricks to get maximum value from your Capital One miles

It’s up to you to decide whether a specific trip is worth spending your rewards. You can use TPG’s monthly valuations to help you determine if the price of your flight or hotel room is worth your points and miles. Some travels are more affordable in cash, but you can always save your points to splurge on a business-class flight to Europe or an overwater bungalow at a luxury resort. 

How to use travel credit card portals  

In the world of travel credit cards, the four major players are American Express, Capital One, Chase and Citi. These issuers also have their own travel portals which can be used to earn and redeem points for travel. 

Some issuers, like Capital One and Chase , offer an incentive to book travel through the bank’s portal but it is not always worth booking through a portal. 

We do not recommend booking hotel travel through card portals as it typically does not honor elite-status benefits or elite-qualifying stay credits. 

Luckily, flights typically allow you to earn bonus points through a card issuer’s portal and with the airline. Keep in mind that this does not apply to all cards. When purchasing in cash, there generally is little variance in booking through a portal or on the airline’s website so if your travel credit card offers incentives to book through the portal , it can be a great way to earn extra points. 

Related: Ultimate guide to the Citi travel portal

Points and miles redemptions will have a fair variance, especially if there are incentives to book through the travel portals. Overall, travel portals can be a great addition to your points redemption journey if properly used. Always remember to compare the price or redemption value of booking through a portal or directly with an airline. 

Booking through a portal may make matters complicated if you ever need to change or cancel your flight. 

Related: Battle of the credit card travel portals: Which is the best for booking flights?

Types of travel credit cards

Travel credit cards are cards that are geared towards travel spending. Luckily, there are many types of travel credit cards which means there is a good option for any traveler. Typically, when talking about travel credit cards, we are referring to transfer rewards credit cards, airline credit cards and hotel credit cards. There are additional types of travel credit cards that are less popular but can still be a good option for the right traveler.

Transferable rewards credit cards earn points and miles that can be redeemed through a card’s rewards program directly or by transferring them to a travel partner . Many of our best travel credit cards fall under this category because they are the most valuable type of points you can earn. Transferable rewards give you the flexibility to redeem your rewards in a way that will be most beneficial to you. Examples of top transferable rewards cards are the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Airline cobranded cards earn a specific type of airline miles. These cards also generally come with perks specific to that airline. For example, an airline card may offer free checked bags , a certain number of elite-qualifying miles to help you reach status, priority boarding privileges, inflight discounts and more.

Hotel cobranded cards work like airline cards. You’ll earn rewards that are redeemable for a particular hotel program, such as Hilton or Marriott. Hotel cards come with their own benefits, such as complimentary elite status or free award-night stays. In addition, hotel cards can help you stack your earnings on hotel stays with the hotel’s program.

For example, if you have a Marriott credit card , you’ll earn bonus points for every dollar spent at participating Marriott properties on top of the 10 base points you get as a member of the Bonvoy program. This can really amplify the rewards you can earn when you use your hotel card to pay for your booking.

The points and miles world can be confusing for new credit card users but it doesn’t have to be. While transferable rewards cards are arguably the best way to earn points and miles for travel, they can also be incredibly confusing. Fixed-value credit cards and cash-back credit cards are good alternatives for beginners who are looking to get into the travel credit card world.

Fixed-value cards earn points or miles that are always redeemed for the same value. For example, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card earns points worth 1 cent each. These cards are great for beginners who haven’t quite gotten the hang of maximizing transferable points or casual travelers who are looking for their first travel credit card . Fixed-value credit cards are often the best travel credit cards for beginners. 

As more hotels and airlines move to a dynamic pricing model where award pricing shifts dramatically, fixed-value rewards programs are becoming more popular.

Another great credit card option for casual travelers or credit card beginners is cash-back credit cards. You don’t have to worry about points, transfer partners or maximizing your rewards with these cards. Cash-back cards provide a percentage of cash back on your spending and provide a simple way to save on your upcoming travels. 

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ) is a great option for beginners to travel rewards. It earns unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and has no annual fee.

Travel credit card benefits

Some travel cards offer automatic elite status with various programs when you sign up and can also accelerate the journey to elite airline status by converting points to air miles. If you are loyal to a particular hotel brand, status with that brand will be valuable. You’ll be entitled to room upgrades, resort credits, early check-in, late checkout and more. If you’re not loyal, it won’t. The same goes for elite status with an airline — you’ll get lounge access, upgrades, increased baggage allowance, etc. When comparing the perks of various cards like elite status, be realistic about which ones you will and won’t use.

One of the coveted perks of premium travel credit cards is complimentary airport lounge access. Many premium travel credit cards come with Priority Pass lounge access , a membership that allows access to airport lounges across the world. These lounges are a great place to relax before your flight or have a snack during a long layover. Amenities will vary between lounges but most lounges provide wifi, private seating and refreshments. Be sure to check the priority pass guest policy as many lounges allow you to bring a complimentary guest (or guests).

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are both expedited screening programs for travelers. TSA PreCheck is reserved for expedited security screening for domestic flights and Global Entry provides expedited customs screening for international travelers when entering the United States. 

The application fee for TSA PreCheck is up to $85 and $100 for Global Entry. If you are approved for the program, the membership is valid for 5 years. Many travel credit cards will offer statement credit for the application . 

What TPG readers have to say about their favorite travel credit cards

Fan favorites among top travel credit cards include those that earn both points and miles. In addition to helping offset the cost of travel — whether it’s for rental cars, hotel stays or flights — some TPG readers love that travel cards also offer travel insurance (including protections for things like delayed or lost baggage). We asked our readers which credit card has made the biggest impact when they travel and why — here are their responses.

Note: Responses have not been edited.

“Allowed me to justify staying at nicer hotels and just overall leveling up with how I travel.” — Jackie C via Facebook  

“ Venture X for me - lounge access and my first long haul biz [sic] class flight on points! Changing my travel game for the better!” — Lauren R via Facebook

“Can't beat the flexibility of the $300 travel credit from the Chase Sapphire Reserve .” — Armando S via Facebook

• Awards vs cash calculator Compare the cost in points or miles to cash.
• CardMatch™ Get prequalified offers in less than 60 seconds.

Earn the welcome bonus

One of the best ways to maximize your travel credit cards is to earn the welcome bonus . Most travel credit cards will offer a welcome or sign-up bonus that allows cardmembers to earn points or miles that would otherwise require a very high spend. Welcome bonuses are a crucial part of a card’s value, so before you apply for your next travel card, be sure to plan for how you will meet the spending requirement. Ideally, you would align large purchases with your card opening so that you don’t need to spend frivolously to earn that lucrative welcome bonus .

Use a travel card that matches your travel style

There is a travel credit card for everyone, but not every travel card is the best fit for your wallet . Consider what type of traveler you are, whether you have any brand loyalty and what perks you are looking for from your next credit card. If you travel often and in luxury, consider premium cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve® . These cards are loaded with tons of luxury perks like lounge access and automatic elite status . 

Alternatively, if you’re a more thrifty traveler who likes to maximize your travel earnings, consider a mid-tier travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . These cards allow you to earn points on your travel, and while they don’t come with a long list of luxury perks, they’re much more cost-effective for a traveler on a budget .

And even beginners don’t have to veer away from travel cards, since many products out there offer an introduction to the travel rewards world without incurring an annual fee.

It’s important to consider where you’re looking to go when you book trips, as certain cards are especially useful for international travel . Plus, if you’re someone who frequents the skies (such as a digital nomad), there are certain credit cards best for long-term travelers .

Knowing what your travel style is like will help you determine what type of travel card you need.

Use loyalty programs to stack your rewards

You don’t have to limit your earnings to just travel credit cards . Many airlines and hotel chains have loyalty programs that can be used in conjunction with your travel card to unlock added perks when doing business with a specific brand. In addition, many travel credit cards allow you to transfer points from your card to your eligible loyalty programs . This can open up nearly endless redemption options, including award chart sweet spots that can get you the most maximized redemptions for your points and miles.

• 1 Sign-up bonus Choosing a card with a healthy sign-up bonus will help jumpstart the possibility of unlocking elite status across different areas, including airline and hotel loyalty programs.
• 2 Annual fee Premium travel credit cards typically feature higher annual fees. Double-check that the card you choose suits your spending habits and travel needs before applying.
• 3 Bonus categories It also helps to check which bonus categories a card offers to ensure that they align with your spending, whether it’s at restaurants, at grocery stores or on streaming subscriptions.

What's your favorite travel credit card — and why?

• Using credit cards responsibly can help build your credit score
• Travel credit cards can earn cash back, points or miles on every dollar you spend.
• Travel credit cards can provide purchase, theft and fraud protection.
• Travel credit cards provide perks like travel insurance, complimentary hotel stays and more.
• Credit cards can encourage overspending.
• Carrying a balance and using your card irresponsibly can damage your credit score
• The cost of borrowing on credit cards is higher than traditional loans
• Having too many card applications can negatively affect your credit score
• Travel credit cards may be too complicated (or expensive) for those who aren’t frequent travelers.

Generally speaking, you need at least a very good credit score in order to get many popular travel credit cards. According to FICO, the scoring model used by most lenders, this is a score of at least 740. However, there’s no hard-and-fast rule, as each individual credit card issuer looks at a variety of factors in addition to your credit score when deciding whether to approve or decline your application.

Thankfully, there are a number of ways to check your credit score for free , so you can get an idea of where you stand before wasting an application (and a hard inquiry on your credit report) for a card for which you’re unlikely to qualify.

Points and miles are simply two different ways to describe the same thing: the rewards you earn on a credit card. As an example, many popular Capital One credit cards earn miles, whereas cards that participate in Chase Ultimate Rewards accrue points. There’s no appreciable difference between the two words.

This gets a little more complicated when you begin discussing cash-back credit cards. Some of these show earnings with a dollar amount, while others show cash-back rewards in points. However, here too there’s no significant difference. It’s simply how the card issuer chooses to describe the rewards you’re earning.

It depends entirely on your typical travel habits. Many popular travel credit cards feature rewards, benefits and redemption options that only come into play when you’re actually on the road. This includes perks like airport lounge access,  rental car insurance  or statement credits for certain travel purchases. Ultimately, you should look at how much value you expect to get out of a given travel card in one year. Then, compare that to the card’s annual fee to make sure you’re getting at least that much value.

It depends. Generally speaking, you should aim to use your rewards from travel credit cards for travel-related purchases – like flights or hotel rooms. However, everyone has a different version of what “value” looks like here. Some travelers are perfectly content redeeming 25,000 miles for a $250 economy flight. Others would rather save up and use 100,000 miles for a $5,000 business-class ticket. The important thing is to avoid redemptions like gift cards or merchandise, since those typically offer poor value for your points and miles.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine whether you want to keep cash in your pocket by using rewards for a particular purchase instead.

Many of the luxury travel cards on this list offer hundreds of dollars in annual travel statement credits. However, not all annual travel statements are created equal. While some cards feature easy redemptions, other cards feature redemptions that come with more restrictions. 

Out of the various cards that offer annual travel credits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve has the easiest redemption process for travel credits . The Chase Sapphire Reserve's travel credit covers a broad selection of charges, including flights, hotels, campgrounds and more. Additionally, the travel does not have to be booked through Chase’s travel portal, and the statement credit will automatically post when you make an eligible purchase. 

14 Best Travel Credit Cards of June 2024

Best travel cards main takeaways.

• Money has evaluated hundreds of credit cards, comparing their fees, benefits, welcome offers, travel insurance policies and more.
• The top credit cards for travel offer high rewards on travel purchases, which can be redeemed for airfare, hotel nights, cash back, statement credits or more.
• Our picks feature the best travel cards for every budget and include no-annual-fee, low-annual-fee, premium and business cards.

Why Trust Us?

Our editorial team has spent well over a thousand hours analyzing, evaluating and comparing the top credit card offers in the market. We carefully vet each card’s fine print in order to understand their features, limitations and potential benefits for consumers. We review cards independently, ensuring our content is accurate and guided by editorial integrity. Read our full methodology to learn more.

• 46 travel credit cards evaluated
• 10+ data points used, including ongoing fees, reward programs and welcome offers
• 100+ sources reviewed

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings.com for our coverage of credit card products. Money and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Our top picks are listed strictly in alphabetical order.

Our Top Picks for Best Travel Credit Cards

Best no-annual-fee travel credit cards.

• Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card – Best no-annual-fee travel card for flat rate rewards
• Bilt Mastercard® – Best no-annual-fee travel card for paying rent
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card – Best no-annual-fee card for travel partners
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® – Best no-annual-fee travel card for domestic travel
• Discover it® Miles Credit Card – Best no-annual-fee travel card for simple rewards
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card – Best no-annual-fee travel card for everyday spending

Best low-fee-annual-fee travel credit cards

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card – Best travel card for flat-rate rewards
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – Best travel card for flexible rewards

Best premium travel credit cards

• American Express® Gold Card – Best travel card for dining
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card – Best low-cost premium travel card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Best premium travel credit card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express – Best travel card for lounge access

Best business travel credit cards

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express – Best business travel card

Best airline travel credit cards

• United℠ Explorer Card: Best airline credit card

Best Travel Credit Cards Reviews

Best no-annual-fee travel credit cards.

• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fees
• Earns 1.5x points on all purchases
• No bonus category for travel
• Few benefits compared to other cards
• Limited redemption options

Why we chose it: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card is an easy-to-use card best suited for travel reward beginners or those who are already Bank of America customers.

Some cardholders can earn up to 75% more points if they are Bank of America Preferred Rewards members — that’s up to 2.62 points for every dollar spent.

However, the card doesn’t offer hotel and airline point transfer partners, travel insurance or extended warranty and purchase protection. Additionally, you can only redeem your points as statement credit to cover travel and dining purchases.

All information about Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Money.com

• No annual or foreign currency conversion fee (Click herehttps://www.wellsfargo.com/credit-cards/bilt/terms/">here; for rates and fees)
• Use it to pay your rent and earn rewards without incurring any processing fees
• You can earn double points on all purchase categories (except rent payments) on the first of every month (up to 10,000 points)
• Earn 2x points on travel (when booked directly through an airline, hotels, car rental agencies and cruise lines)
• No welcome bonus or introductory APR period
• Points redeemed for statement credits are worth 0.55 cents each
• You must make at least five transactions in a statement period to earn points
• Rent payments can only be made to one rental property per month

Why we chose it: The Bilt Mastercard® lets you earn travel rewards on rent payments without incurring any processing fees — unlike most credit cards that typically charge around 2.5% to 2.9% per rent payment.

You can use the card to pay rent without worrying about surcharges. Once you get approved for the card, all you have to do is set up an account through the Bilt app or website and use your assigned routing and account number to pay rent through your usual payment portal. You can also use your card even if your landlord only accepts checks, and Bilt will send a check on your behalf.

Additionally, Bilt doubles the card’s rewards rates on the first of every month, which means you can earn 6x points on dining, 4x points on travel and 2x points on other purchases (up to 10,000 points per month). However, this bonus doesn’t apply to rent rewards.

On the downside, the Bilt Mastercard® doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, and points redeemed for statement credits are only worth 0.55 cents each.

• Can transfer your miles to 16 travel partners
• Earns 5x miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Doesn't earn bonus points on airfare
• No domestic travel partners

Why we chose it: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a great option if you’re looking for a no-annual fee travel credit card with a simple rewards structure.

You can use your miles to book travel through the Capital One Travel portal or as a statement credit to cover travel purchases made from airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies and more.

You can also transfer your points to one of Capital One’s 16 travel partners, which include international airlines such as Avianca and British Airways. This option is notable since travel credit cards with no annual fee don’t typically offer the option to transfer your reward to airline and hotel partners.

However, the card’s list of bonus categories is limited compared to some other no-annual-fee credit cards, and Capital One doesn’t offer bonus points on airfare booked through Capital One Travel.

• Includes trip cancellation/interruption and car rental insurance
• Features a high flat cash back rate combined and popular bonus categories
• 3% foreign transaction fee

Why we chose it: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the best credit card for traveling domestically. It offers a 1.5% flat cash back rate on most purchases plus it has several appealing bonus categories, including travel and dining.

This card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, that is, on any transactions made in currency other than US dollars. However, if you mostly travel within the U.S., this card is an excellent option.

For one, you’ll earn an additional 1.5% on each of the card’s bonus categories during the first year of card membership (or up to the first $20,000 spent).

Also, although using this card abroad is not recommended, you can still use it to book international trips while you’re home, and you’ll earn 5% cash back if you book it through Chase Travel℠.

You can redeem your rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and even transfer them to other cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. It’s also worth noting that this card is one of the few no-annual-fee credit cards with rental car coverage and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

• No annual or foreign transaction fees
• Discover matches the total miles you earned at the end of the first year
• Earns 1.5x miles on all purchases
• See your FICO score on the Discover mobile app, online and on statements
• Few benefits compared to other travel cards
• Doesn't include extended warranty or purchase protection

Why we chose it: The Discover it® Miles Credit Card is a no-frills card ideal for travelers who don’t want to keep track of bonus categories, earning caps or redemption values.

The card earns a flat 1.5x miles on all eligible purchases without any annual caps. You can redeem your miles for statement credits and account deposits at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can also use your rewards through Amazon and PayPal checkout with the same value.

Also, the card’s welcome bonus is easily one of the best in the market: Discover matches every mile you’ve earned at the end of your first membership year — without any spending requirements.

However, while the Discover it® Miles Credit Card is a great starter travel card, its lack of bonus categories could hinder your reward-earning potential in the long run. Additionally, Discover cards aren’t as widely accepted internationally as Visa Signature and World Mastercard, for example.

All information about the Discover it® Miles Credit Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

• Earn 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, select streaming services and cell phone plans
• Includes cell phone protection plan
• No airline or hotel transfer partners
• Doesn't include travel insurance
• Netflix and HBO are not eligible for streaming bonus

Why we chose it: The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is the best travel reward card for everyday spending, offering high rewards on several popular spending categories, including travel, dining, gas, streaming services and cell phone plans.

Its travel bonus category is particularly noteworthy because you can earn points regardless of where you make your reservations, whether it’s directly with an airline or through a third-party travel site like Booking.com. (Most travel credit cards limit travel rewards to bookings made exclusively through the card issuer’s travel portal.)

The card also includes rental car insurance and a cell phone protection plan when you use it to pay your monthly bill.

All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

Best Low-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Cards

• Earn 2x miles per dollar on most purchases
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R)
• Includes travel accident and car rental insurance
• Fewer bonus categories than other cards with a similar annual fee ($95)
• Doesn't offer travel rewards for flights
• Car rental insurance is secondary

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the best credit card for travel miles if you want to earn a high reward rate and not worry about bonus categories.

The Capital One Venture Rewards is ideal for those who want to get the most out of their spending without worrying about tracking bonus categories and spending caps.

You can redeem your miles on the Capital One travel portal and as statement credits to cover travel purchases at a value of one cent per mile. Additionally, you may transfer your miles to more than 15 airline and hotel partners.

However, keep in mind that Capital One doesn’t have domestic travel partners, which can be a drawback if you mainly travel within the U.S.

• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel purchases through Chase TravelSM
• Receive a point bonus each account anniversary
• Includes primary rental car insurance
• Earn 3x per $1 on dining, including eligible delivery and takeout meals, select streaming services and grocery purchases
• $95 annual fee
• Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck(R) application fee credit

Why we chose this card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best travel credit card for frequent travelers who want to earn valuable rewards while paying a low annual fee.

The card features six reward categories that offer outstanding rewards on flights, hotels, restaurants and more. You can redeem your points for statement credits, account deposits, gift cards and more. But you can get the most bang for your buck by redeeming them for travel purchases through the Chase Travel℠ portal, which increases your point’s usual one-cent value by 25%.

You can redeem your points for statement credits, account deposits, gift cards and more. But you can get the most bang for your buck by redeeming them for travel purchases through Chase Travel℠, which increases your point’s usual one-cent value by 25%.

You can also transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 travel partners at a 1:1 ratio (one Chase point equals one hotel point or airline mile). These include popular airlines and hotels like JetBlue, Southwest, United, Marriott and Hyatt.

Best Premium Travel Credit Cards

• Earns 4x points on restaurants worldwide, takeout and food delivery within the U.S.
• Up to $120 in annual dining credits, issued as a $10 statement credit per month for select restaurants (enrollment required)
• Up to $120 as Uber Cash annually ($10 per month) for food delivery orders and rides in the U.S. after you add the American Express(R) Gold Card to your Uber account
• Earn 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x)
• High annual fee ($250)
• Includes few travel perks and insurance policies compared to similarly priced cards

Terms apply. Please click here for applicable rates and fees.

Why we chose it: The American Express® Gold Card is ideal for foodies, offering a high reward rate at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, takeout and food delivery. (Terms apply.)

The American Express® Gold Card also offers statement credits worth up to $240 combined — almost enough to offset the card’s $250 annual fee. These include:

• Up to $120 every year in dining credits ($10 per month) for select restaurants and food delivery services. The list includes Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and Shake Shack (Enrollment required)
• Automatically get $10 monthly in Uber Cash to use on Uber Eats or Uber rides in the U.S. (after you add the American Express® Gold Card to your account)
• $100 credit for dining, spa services and other activities when you book a two-night minimum stay at a hotel from The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel
• Terms apply

However, note that the American Express® Gold Card offers fewer travel perks than some other premium cards — for instance, it doesn’t offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance or TSA PreCheck® or CLEAR® Plus fee credits.

• 10,000 bonus miles every year
• Statement credit of up to $300 for bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Up to a $100 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R)
• Skip the line and get car upgrades when renting a car with Hertz
• High annual fee ($395)
• Fewer bonus categories than other premium cards
• No domestic airline transfer partners

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the best credit card for travel miles if you want to earn a high reward rate and not worry about bonus categories.

The Capital One Venture X also includes noteworthy perks such as:

• 10,000 bonus miles every year (starting on your first anniversary)
• $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
• Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges worldwide with Priority Pass™ Select and Plaza Premium Group
• Authorized users at no extra cost (many cards have an annual fee of $75 or more for each additional user)

All in all, the Venture X is a solid option that can easily compete with other premium travel cards, especially considering its more affordable annual fee.

• Up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year to cover travel purchases
• Transfer your points to 14 travel partners (including United, Southwest, JetBlue and Marriott)
• Points worth 50% more when redeemed for travel expenses through Chase TravelSM
• Comprehensive travel insurance coverage, including emergency dental insurance
• High annual fee ($550)
• Doesn't include a cell phone protection plan

Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the best credit card for travelers looking for a high reward rate on travel and additional benefits like comprehensive travel insurance and airport lounge access worldwide.

Your points are worth 50% more when you redeem them for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal. This means each point is worth 1.5 cents per point instead of one cent, like most travel cards. Also, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® provides several high-end benefits such as:

• $300 annual travel credit to cover travel-related purchases like airfare, hotels, car rentals, rideshares, buses, trains, tolls and/or parking
• Access for you and two guests to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide (after a one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select)
• Statement credit of up to $100 every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or Nexus

The Sapphire Reserve does have a $550 annual fee. But if you take advantage of the $300 annual credit and other perks, the benefits can definitely outweigh its cost.

• Access to the widest network of airport lounges of any card
• Complimentary elite status in the Marriott and Hilton hotel loyalty programs
• Hundreds of dollars in annual statement credits for travel, dining and more
• High annual fee ($695)
• Doesn't include baggage delay, travel accident and primary rental car insurance
• Limited bonus categories

Terms apply. Click here for rates and fees.

Why we chose this card: The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a list of premium benefits that no other travel card offers, including the widest network of airport lounges and room upgrades at Hilton and Marriott hotels. (Terms apply.)

The Platinum Card® from American Express features an impressive list of high-end travel benefits, including:

• Complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges, including Priority Pass, Delta SkyClub and Amex’s own Centurion lounges (enrollment required)
• Gold status in the Marriott and Hilton loyalty programs, which makes you eligible for room upgrades, free breakfast and late checkouts (enrollment required)
• $200 back each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings made through American Express Travel and paid with your Platinum Card® (Hotel Collection bookings require a minimum two-night stay)
• Up to $200 per year when incidental fees, such as checked bags, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® (with one selected qualifying airline)
• Complimentary premium status in Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®, and/or National Car Rental® Emerald Club (must enroll through your Amex online account using your card)

The Platinum Card® from American Express does have a hefty $695 annual fee. However, for people who travel often and will take advantage of its annual credits and travel perks, it might almost pay for itself.

Best Business Travel Credit Cards

• 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
• Around $1,000 in yearly statement credits for select business purchases
• Access to a wide network of airport lounges (terms apply)
• Around $600 in perks in Fine Hotels + Resorts(R) locations booked through American Express Travel (for stays of two nights)
• Secondary rental car coverage**

Why we chose it: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express features an extensive list of benefits that make it an ideal travel and business credit card.

With this card, you can access over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, comprehensive travel insurance and extra amenities at hundreds of hotels, like daily breakfast and free internet access. Additionally, you get a $200 credit to cover baggage fees, in-flight refreshments and more and up to $100 for Global Entry or $85 for TSA PreCheck® every four or 4.5 years respectively. (Terms apply.) (Enrollment required.)

The card also offers several yearly statement credits for business-related purchases that include up to $400 per year ($200 between January and June and $200 between July and December) for U.S. purchases with Dell.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express does have one of the steepest annual fees ($695) among travel credit cards, but its extensive list of benefits makes it a no-brainer for business owners who travel frequently.

Best Airline Travel Credit Cards

• Free first checked bag for you and a companion
• Up to $100 as a statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck(R) or NEXUS every 4 year
• 25% back as a statement credit on food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights
• Complimentary priority boarding for you and companions traveling on the same reservation
• $95 annual fee (after the first year)
• No intro APR period
• Rewards are only valuable when used with United

Why we chose it: The card_name has a low annual fee and gives you valuable benefits that make up for it, such as priority boarding for everyone on the reservation and a free checked bag for you and one companion.

Other perks the card includes are:

• Two one-time passes for United Club℠ airport lounges each account anniversary year
• 25% back as a statement credit on in-flight purchases like food, beverages and Wi-Fi
• Up to $100 every four years to cover the cost of TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or NEXUS
• Comprehensive travel insurance (auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and trip delay reimbursement)

The United℠ Explorer Card earns miles on United purchases, including tickets, inflight food, beverages, Wi-Fi and more. You also earn rewards at restaurants and select hotel stays.

You can use your miles to book flights on United Airlines or its partners, including Avianca, Lufthansa and Air Canada. You can also redeem them for seat upgrades, inflight Wi-Fi passes and more — although United miles are usually more valuable when used for airfare.

Travel Credit Cards Guide

The best credit cards for travel do more than offer high reward rates on flights and hotel stays. They also provide rewards for everyday spending and perks such as travel insurance , airport lounge access and annual statement credits.

Here’s a rundown of how these cards work:

What is a travel credit card?

Travel credit cards offer benefits and rewards geared towards individuals who travel frequently or want to earn travel benefits.

They provide high rewards for travel-related expenses such as flights, hotels, rental cars and dining. You can then use these rewards (in the form of points or miles) to book travel reservations. Some cards also let you transfer your rewards to hotel and airline partners or redeem them for statement credits, cash back, gift cards and more.

On top of the rewards, these cards often feature several travel-related perks, such as no foreign transaction fees, hotel discounts, travel insurance, free checked bags and airport lounge access.

How do travel credit cards work?

Travel credit cards give you a certain number of points or miles per dollar on eligible purchases. They often offer around 5x points or more for airfare, hotel rooms, rental cars and more. Some cards may also count parking, bus fares, taxis, tolls and ferries as travel purchases.

Besides travel, you’ll typically get bonus points in additional spending categories. For example, some cards may offer 3x points per dollar on dining, groceries, drugstores or streaming services. All other eligible purchases usually get at least one point (1x) per dollar.

You can then redeem your points for flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and more. Card issuers also usually let you redeem your points for non-travel options like statement credits, cash back or gift cards.

How to use credit card points for travel

Travel credit cards have rewards programs through which you can earn points (or miles). Well-known point programs include Chase Travel℠, American Express Membership Rewards® and Citi ThankYou® Rewards.

To redeem your points, go to your card’s rewards program portal. You’ll usually be able to access it through your online account on the issuer’s website or app.

Once you log in, you’ll get several redemption options, including travel. To make a reservation, select whether you want to book a flight, hotel, car rental or other available options and enter your trip details, including travel dates and number of travelers.

How much are points and miles worth

Points are usually worth one cent each. However, some issuers increase their value if you redeem them for travel. For example, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card points are worth 1.25 cents when used to book flights through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

Points may also be worth less than a cent, depending on how you redeem them. For example, some cards allow you to use your points at Amazon checkout. While this might sound convenient, this option may bring down the value of points to around 0.8 cents.

Some cards also allow you to transfer your rewards to select airline and hotel partners. Typically, you can transfer rewards to these loyalty programs on a 1:1 ratio, meaning that 1,000 credit card points are worth 1,000 loyalty program points.

Difference between points and miles

You’ll earn points or miles depending on which travel credit card you have. For example, Chase travel credit cards earn points, while Capital One travel cards earn miles. Miles and points typically have similar value (around one cent each) and redemption options.

However, keep in mind that several cards that earn miles are tied to a specific airline — like the United℠ Explorer Card. In this case, you can only use your rewards for purchases with the issuing airline such as flights, seat upgrades, inflight dining and more.

Pros and cons of travel credit cards

• Some cards offer up to 10x points per dollar on travel purchases.
• Many have additional bonus categories for dining, grocery shopping and more.
• They may include travel benefits like priority boarding, airport lounge access and late hotel checkouts.
• Points or miles can also be redeemed for cash back, statement credits, gift cards and more.
• Highest reward rates are usually limited to purchases made through the card issuer's travel portal.
• They might not offer high rewards on spending outside of the travel category.
• Some of the best ones can have steep annual fees and require good to excellent credit
• Redeeming points or miles for anything other than travel can reduce their value to less than one cent per dollar.

Types of travel credit cards

Here’s a rundown of the differences between the three main types of travel credit cards:

Airline credit cards

Airline credit cards are ideal for people who regularly fly with the same airline. These cards earn miles you can redeem for flights, seat upgrades, inflight dining, airport lounge access and other travel-related purchases but typically only with the issuing airline.

Some of the best airline travel credit cards include benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding and discounts on in-flight purchases.

Hotel credit cards

With hotel credit cards, you can only redeem your points for stays, discounts and other benefits with one particular hotel chain.

For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns points for Hilton’s loyalty program, which you can redeem for free nights in the company’s properties, including Hilton Garden Inn and Waldorf Astoria hotels.

Hotel credit cards may also offer complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, late checkouts and bonus points for purchases made during your stay.

General travel credit card

General travel credit cards are more flexible than airline or hotel cards. They aren’t affiliated with a single airline or hotel chain, so their points can be used to book flights, hotel stays, rental cars and more from different companies.

These cards may also offer useful perks for frequent travelers, like airport lounge access. They can also cover the cost of a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership, which allows you to skip the long lines at airport security or customs.

How to choose a travel credit card

Picking the best travel rewards credit card boils down to how often you travel, which cardmember perks you’d benefit the most from and the categories you spend the most on.

Here are some factors to keep in mind when choosing the best card for you:

• Do you travel often? A travel rewards credit card offers high reward rates on travel spending, and you’ll get the most bang for your buck when you use their points on flights, hotels and car rentals. If you don’t take trips often but want to pile up rewards, a cash-back credit card might be a better fit.
• Assess your everyday spending. Many travel cards have additional bonus categories other than travel, like dining, supermarkets, streaming services and drugstores. Consider your day-to-day spending habits and pick a card with bonus categories that fit your lifestyle.
• Consider the card’s annual fees. No-annual-fee travel cards usually have few travel benefits. The best travel credit cards charge annual fees of at least $90 and can go as high as $700. However, these are often best for those that travel enough to take advantage of their benefits.
• General travel card vs co-branded cards. General travel cards have more flexible redemption options. On the other hand, co-branded cards are often tied to a specific airline or hotel, which can limit your options. Still, they do provide valuable perks like free checked bags, in-flight discounts and hotel upgrades.
• Compare extra travel perks. Some cards offer extras like annual statement credits for flights and hotels or upgrades when renting cars. Take the time to compare each card’s roster of add-ons and pick one that will best suit your travel plans.
• Compare insurance policies. The best credit card travel benefits include insurance policies that cover travel accidents, rental cars, trip cancellations and more. These policies can vary widely based on the issuer and the card’s annual-fee tier.
• Beware foreign transaction fees. Most travel credit cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees. Some cash-back cards may offer outstanding rewards for travel purchases but charge around 3% fees on purchases outside the U.S.
• Look beyond welcome offers. A 60,000-point welcome bonus can be enticing. However, it shouldn’t be your deciding factor, especially if you’ll end up paying a high annual fee without getting your money’s worth.

How to get the most out of your travel credit card

Here are some other tips to maximize your card’s rewards and benefits:

• Use your card as often and strategically as possible. This way, you can earn points or miles with each purchase and redeem them for free or discounted flights, hotels and more. (Remember to pay your card off in full each month to avoid interest charges and credit card debt .)
• Consider adding an authorized user to your account. They’ll earn points with every purchase they make, and those will get added to your overall total. However, make sure to pick someone who will use the card responsibly since you’ll be legally liable if they ever fail to pay their monthly bills.
• Redeem your rewards for travel through the card issuer’s website. This redemption option usually offers the highest value compared to gift cards or merchandise, for example.
• If your card offers travel protections (like travel accident or luggage insurance), use it to pay for your passenger fares. This way, you could be reimbursed in the event of an accident or lost luggage, for example.
• Use your airline or hotel card to sign up for the company’s frequent flyer or frequent guest loyalty program. You’ll often earn extra points or miles when you’re a member and use your co-branded card to pay for flights, hotel stays and more.
• If you can transfer points from other credit cards to your travel card, take advantage of this feature. This way, you can accumulate extra points for travel booking and sometimes even increase their value.

Best Travel Credit Cards FAQs

What is the best travel credit card, what is the best credit card for international travel, how to travel for free with credit cards, what is the best credit card for travel miles, what is a welcome bonus on a credit card, how we chose the best travel credit cards.

We ranked the best credit cards for travel based on their annual fees, benefits, reward rates and redemption flexibility.

Fees: We compared interest rates and foreign, cash advance and balance transfer fees for more than 50 credit cards. We also considered their annual fee, looking for those that offered the most for the money.

Ongoing benefits: Intro APR and bonus offers are attractive, but they can only get you so far. We focused on cards with year-round benefits such as travel insurance or cell phone protection plans.

Reward rates: We preferred cards that allow you to earn extra points from travel expenses, as well as those that provide significant bonus rewards in popular spending categories, like dining, supermarkets or streaming services.

Redemption flexibility: Our picks don’t limit your redemption options to just travel. Some let you use your points for Amazon purchases, for example. We also preferred issuers that allowed cardholders to transfer their points to airline and hotel partners.

Summary of Money’s Best Travel Credit Cards of June 2024

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Money.com and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

To see rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, visit this link . Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express, visit this link . Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, visit this link . Terms apply.

* Insurance disclosures for American Express Cards on this page:

Trip Delay Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Baggage Insurance Plan: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Global Assist Hotline: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

** Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

*** Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

© Copyright 2024 Money Group, LLC . All Rights Reserved.

This article originally appeared on Money.com and may contain affiliate links for which Money receives compensation. Opinions expressed in this article are the author's alone, not those of a third-party entity, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For more information, read Money’s full disclaimer .

Your go-to credit card

Aaa travel advantage visa signature ® credit card.

Meet your go-to credit card for everywhere you go. Using your  AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ®  Credit Card , you can take advantage of cash back on a wide range of purchases and experiences.

With purchases, earn $100 statement credit when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of opening. 3

 Use the AAA Travel Advantage card to start earning:

• 5% cash back  on gas purchases and electric vehicle-charging stations 1
• 3% cash back  on travel, restaurants, grocery store, and purchases at AAA 1
• 1% cash back  on all other purchases 2
• No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees 4

With the AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ® Credit Card you can earn 5% cash back on the first $7,000 spent on gas & electric vehicle-charging purchases in a calendar year, then 1% thereafter. 

Credit card offers are subject to credit approval. 

AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ® Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association and used under license.

1 Offer is exclusive to AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ® Credit Card holders enrolled in the AAA Travel Advantage program. For offers associated with a specific category, earnings will only be awarded if the merchant code for the purchase matches a category eligible for the offer. Each merchant is assigned a code by a third party that indicates the merchant’s area of business. Comenity Capital Bank does not have the ability to control assignment of merchant codes. Maximum of $350 USD in cash back in a calendar year on the 5% category, and earn 1% cash back on all net eligible purchases thereafter. Excludes third-party insurance and offers, automobile extended warranties, and trip insurance. Cash back can be redeemed as statement credits, direct deposit, rewards and qualifying purchases at participating AAA locations. This rewards program is provided by Comenity Capital Bank and its terms may change at any time. For full Rewards Terms and Conditions, please see AAA.com/AdvantageTravelTerms.

2 Offer is exclusive to AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ® Credit Card holders enrolled in the AAA Travel Advantage program. Cash Back can be redeemed as Statement Credits, Direct Deposit, Rewards and qualifying purchases at participating AAA locations.

3 Valid one time only. Offer is exclusive to AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ®  Credit Card holders enrolled in the AAA Travel Advantage program. Maximum of $100 statement credit per account.

4 For new accounts, as of January 2024: Variable Purchase APR of 19.24% to 33.24% based on your credit worthiness at the time of account opening and the Prime Rate. Balance Transfer APR of 26.99%. Variable Cash Advance APR of 34.24%, based on Prime Rate. Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Balance Transfer Fee of the greater of $10 or 5% of the transfer. Cash Advance Fee of the greater of $10 or 5% of the advance.

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Two Easy Ways To Give The Gift Of Travel

Give the gift of travel.

An American Airlines gift card is the perfect gift for any occasion. You can have your card delivered by mail or email that can be used toward the purchase of a ticket to hundreds of exciting destinations. Terms and Conditions apply.

Choose the right gift card for you:

Virtual Gift Cards

• Available to use in 72 hours
• Sent directly to your recipient through email
• Option to send directly to yourself and forward to your recipient
• Ability to buy multiple cards to be emailed to multiple addresses
• Customizable options for different occasions and personalized messages to your recipient
• No expiration date

Plastic Gift Cards

• Delivery in 4 - 5 business days ($4.95 shipping and handling charges apply)
• Space to add a personalized message to your recipient
• Ability to buy multiple cards and personally deliver them to your recipients (if buying multiple cards in the same order, gift card denominations must be the same)
• Signature required for delivery!

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• At the airport

Checked bag policy

Checked bag allowances.

Changes to bag allowances and fees have been updated as of February 20, 2024.

Travel within / between the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands – 1st checked bag fee is $40 ($35 if you pay online) and the 2nd checked bag fee is $45.

Travel to / from Canada, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and Guyana – 1st checked bag fee is $35 and the 2nd checked bag fee is $45.

All bag fees are non-refundable and apply per person, at each check-in location, each way, even if you purchase or get an upgrade that includes free checked bags. If you believe you've been incorrectly charged for bag fees, contact an American representative for help or file a refund claim within 45 days.

• Bag limitations
• Bag and optional fees

How many bags can you take?

Check up to 10 bags on american airlines operated flights if your trip is:.

• Transatlantic
• Transpacific

Check up to 5 bags on American-operated flights if you’re traveling to / through / from:

• Mexico / Caribbean / Central America*
• South America*
• Bag regions

*There are seasonal and year-round bag restrictions

We calculate the size limits of your bag by adding the total outside dimensions of each bag, length + width + height.

For all regions, except to / from Australia or New Zealand, your checked bag allowance is:

• Dimension: 62 in / 158 cm
• Weight: 50 lbs / 23 kgs
• For First / Business, weight is 70 lbs / 32 kgs for complimentary bags and 50 lbs / 23 kgs for excess charged bags

For all confirmed customers on flights to / from Australia or New Zealand:

• Weight: 70 lbs / 32kgs for complimentary bags and 50 lbs / 23 kgs for excess charged bags
• Oversize and overweight bags

What it will cost

In some cases, you won't have to pay the fees for up to 3 bags when traveling on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines. If you qualify for complimentary bags based on your AAdvantage ® status or one world ® status, the benefits are based on your highest status level at time of ticketing or check-in.

If your status level is:

• Higher at ticketing than at check-in, show your ticket receipt to the airport agent
• Lower at ticketing than at check-in, current benefits will automatically apply

Free checked bags may not apply to codeshare flights operated by our partners. Visit the website of the airline operating your flight for details.

Other airlines

1st checked bag is complimentary for:

• Eligible AAdvantage ® Aviator ® and Citi ® / AAdvantage ® cardmembers (on domestic American Airlines operated itineraries)
• AAdvantage Gold ® status
• GOL Diamond Smiles members
• oneworld ® Ruby

or when traveling to these destinations:

• El Salvador*
• New Zealand^
• South Korea^
• Transatlantic*

*Excluding Basic Economy

^Excluding Basic Economy for tickets issued on / after June 7, 2023

1st and 2nd checked bags are complimentary for:

• AAdvantage Platinum ® status
• one world ® Sapphire members
• Confirmed Domestic First customers
• Confirmed Business customers
• Confirmed Premium Economy customers

1st, 2nd and 3rd checked bags are complimentary for:

• Confirmed Flagship ® First and Flagship ® Business Plus customers*
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum ® status
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro ® status
• one world ® Emerald
• Active U.S. military and / or dependents with ID traveling on orders (1st - 5th bags free of charge)**
• Active U.S. military with ID on personal travel**

*Applicable only to Flagship ® First International, Flagship ® First Transcontinental and Flagship ® Business Plus. AAdvantage Executive Platinum ® status, AAdvantage Platinum Pro ® status and oneworld ® Emerald members traveling in Flagship ® First may check a 4th bag at no charge

**Free checked bags apply when traveling on American marketed and operated itineraries. Free checked bags don't apply to codeshare flights operated by our partners.

Save time, pay online

Don’t wait in line at the airport – get the best price available and check up to 3 bags when you check-in on aa.com or in the app.

Pay for your checked bags online within 24 hours of departure and receive the best price available for travel on domestic flights within and between the U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, and select markets in the Caribbean and Central America.

For tickets issued on / after February 20, 2024, save $5 on the 1st checked bag fee for travel within and between the U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information about paying for your bags online, visit our customer service FAQs.

Customer service FAQs

All published bag fees apply at each check-in location and are base rates according to travel dates and destination; applicable taxes are not shown.

All bag fees are non-refundable and apply per person, each way, even if you buy or get an upgrade that includes free checked bags. If you believe you were incorrectly charged for bag fees, contact an American representative for help or file a refund claim within 45 days.

^Main Plus includes 1 extra free checked bag in addition to the Main Cabin allowance (max of 2)

^^A $30 1st checked bag fee and a $40 2nd checked bag fee applies for tickets issued on / before February 19, 2024. A $40 1st checked bag fee ($35 if paid online) and a $45 2nd checked bag fee applies within / between the U.S. (including HI / AK), Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands for tickets issued on / after February 20, 2024. Otherwise, a $35 1st checked bag fee and a $45 2nd checked bag fee applies for tickets issued on / after February 20, 2024.

*Free bag excludes Basic Economy: For Basic Economy travel to / from Haiti, a $30 1st bag fee applies for tickets issued on / before February 19, 2024 and a $35 1st bag fee applies for tickets issued on / after February 20, 2024. For Basic Economy travel to/from Panama / Colombia / Ecuador / Peru a $45 1st bag fee applies. For Basic Economy travel to / from South America (excluding Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname) a $45 1st bag fee applies for tickets issued on / before September 19, 2023 and a $60 1st bag fee applies for tickets issued on / after September 20, 2023. For Transatlantic Basic Economy travel, a $75 1st bag fee applies. For Transpacific Basic Economy travel for tickets issued on / after June 7, 2023 a $75 1st bag fee applies and for tickets issued on / before June 6, 2023 there is no 1st bag fee.

**For travel to / from Panama and South America (except Guyana and Suriname), a $65 2nd bag fee applies for tickets issued on / before September 19, 2023 and a $100 2nd bag fee applies for tickets issued on / after September 20, 2023.

Flights departing Canada

Find out how much you'll pay for checked bags and other fees on roundtrip and one-way flights departing Canada, displayed in CAD.

Bag and optional fees - Canada

If your region isn’t listed, we can still help:

• Reservations and ticket changes

Through checked bags

We only through check bags if all your tickets are in the same reservation and you’re connecting to another American Airlines or one world ® flight.

Each passenger traveling to Cuba may only check up to 2 bags* with a maximum weight of 70 lbs / 32 kgs per bag, plus 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item.

• Carry-on bags

*Seasonal exceptions apply to Havana, Cuba effective for travel on / after March 14, 2023

*For travel to Cuba, a $30 1st bag fee applies to Basic Economy and Main Cabin for tickets issued on / before September 19, 2023. For tickets issued on / after September 20, 2023 a $30 1st bag fee applies to Basic Economy and there is no 1st bag fee for Main Cabin. For tickets issued on / after February 20, 2024 a $35 1st bag fee applies to Basic Economy and there is no 1st bag fee for Main Cabin.

**For travel to Cuba, a $200 2nd bag fee applies seasonally for travel from November 16 – January 9. A $150 2nd bag fee applies otherwise. Excludes Main Plus for tickets issued on / after September 20, 2023.

^Main Plus includes 1 extra free checked bag in addition to the Main Cabin allowance (max of 2).

What else can you travel with?

• Mobility and medical devices
• Traveling with pets
• Special items and sports equipment

Restricted items

There are some items that are only allowed in checked bags or your carry-on. Check to see how to pack and travel with restricted items.

Flying on a partner airline?

Find helpful information if your trip includes 1 or more flights with our partner airlines.

• British Airways
• Japan Airlines
• Qatar Airways

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Find a car with the safety features you want and get upfront pricing information

AARP® Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford

$577 average member savings

AARP® Motorcycle Insurance Program from Foremost®

Discounts on coverage, roadside assistance and more

AARP SafeTrip™ App

Get insights into how you drive and how you could improve

AARP Smart Driver™ Course

Members can take the course at a discounted rate

Allstate Roadside

Roadside protection starting at $5.50/month

How to adjust your fit for maximum safety and comfort

Collectible Vehicle Insurance from The Hartford

Coverage designed specifically for classic and collectible cars

Exxon™ Mobil™

Savings on fuel and more with Exxon Mobil Rewards+™

Recreational Vehicle Insurance from The Hartford

Specialized protection for your RV, motorhome or trailer

Smart DriverTEK™

Take a 90-minute workshop on what technology to look for when shopping for a new car

Valvoline Instant Oil Change

15% off drive-thru, stay-in-your-car oil changes

We Need to Talk

Free online seminar on helping a loved one hang up the keys

Restaurants (21)

Auntie Anne’s

10% off in-store, in-app and online orders

Bonefish Grill®

10% off dine-in or curbside carryout orders placed by phone

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.®

10% off dine-in and to-go orders

Carrabba's Italian Grill®

Chart House®

Members save 10% off in-store, in-app and online orders

Coupons for Local Restaurants

Find delicious discounts at your favorite nearby restaurants

Denny's

15% off dine-in and pickup orders

Joe's Crab Shack®

Landry's® Inc. Restaurants

10% off dine-in and to-go orders placed by phone at Landry's brands

Landry's Seafood®

10% off dine-in and to-go orders placed by phone

McAlister's Deli

McCormick & Schmick's®

Moe's Southwest Grill

Outback Steakhouse®

Papa John’s

20% off regular menu prices on online orders

Rainforest Cafe®

Saltgrass Steak House®

Schlotzsky's

The Oceanaire® Seafood Room

Shopping & Groceries (11)

Coupons for Local Stores

Save on clothing, gifts, beauty and other everyday shopping needs

$20 off a Walmart+ annual membership

Flowers & Gifts

25%-30% off flower bouquets

25% off sitewide and 30% off select items

25%-30% off gourmet gift baskets and chocolate treats

25%-30% off all plants

5% off shipping and 15% off other eligible services

Daily Harvest

$50 off your first order and 10% off all future orders of complete meal solutions

Naked Wines

$120 off and complimentary shipping on your first customized wine order

Insurance (23)

Coverage up to $150,000 that ends at age 80

Up to $50,000 in coverage with no premium increases

Up to $25,000 in coverage with no premium increases

AARP Life Insurance Options from New York Life

Customized plans to supplement your retirement savings

10% off monthly premiums

Vehicle and Property

AARP® Homeowners Insurance Program from The Hartford

Up to 20% off when you bundle your home and auto policies

AARP® Mobile Home Insurance Program from Foremost®

Insurance for nearly every type of mobile and manufactured home

ATV, Golf Cart & Snowmobile Insurance from The Hartford

Customized coverage for recreation vehicles

Boat & Personal Watercraft Insurance from The Hartford

Customized coverage for your boat or watercraft

Renters Insurance from The Hartford

Coverage for those renting an apartment, condo or house

Technology & Wireless (12)

AARP® Identity Theft Protection powered by Norton™

Up to 53% off identity and device protection plans

AARP Perks™ Browser Extension: Find AARP Member Benefits Online

Install AARP Perks™ and earn up to 750 AARP Rewards points

AARP Personal Technology Resource Center

Articles, tips, videos and more to help you stay tech savvy

AARP Tech Guides

40% off select technology how-to guides

Alexa Emergency Assist from Amazon

25% off emergency assistance subscription plans

$10 off per line per month on the AT&T Unlimited Premium® PL plan

5% off monthly fees and 30% off accessories

Two lines of unlimited talk, text and data for $55/Month

GrandPad, Powered by Consumer Cellular

5% off a monthly subscription

Norton™ 360

Up to 69% off device protection plans

Norton Ultimate Help Desk

15% off on-demand, remote computer troubleshooting

The UPS Store® Online Printing Services

20% off online printing services

Finances (28)

Banking & investments.

8-Month No-Penalty CD from Marcus by Goldman Sachs®

Fixed rate for a guaranteed return on an exclusive 8-month term

AARP® Annuity Marketplace powered by Blueprint Income

Access to an online marketplace of annuities, plus a free income check-up

AARP® Digital Banking from Marcus by Goldman Sachs®

Digital banking services for AARP members

AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® from Barclays

3% cash back on gas station and eligible drug store purchases

AARP® Travel Rewards Mastercard® from Barclays

3% cash back on airfare, hotel stays and car rentals

High Yield Savings from Marcus by Goldman Sachs®

Rate bonus on high-yield online savings account

Financial Planning

1040 Income Tax Calculator

Estimate your annual income taxes

Volunteer or get help with your taxes

AARP Members Only Access to Special Money Content

Access AARP money Smart Guides, articles and special reports

AARP Money Map™

Get your finances back on track with a free action plan

Closing the Savings Gap™

Listen to this podcast series focused on women saving for retirement

Interview an Advisor™ Tool

A free resource to help you assess a financial advisor

Money Tools

Free tools and calculators to help you plan and save

Savi Student Loan Repayment Tool

Get a free repayment and forgiveness eligibility review

Trust & Will Estate Planning

20% off trusts and wills

Fraud Prevention

AARP Fraud Watch Network™

Free tools and resources to help you spot and avoid scams

AARP Fraud Watch Network™ Helpline

Call for Help / Report Scams: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, M–F

Fraud Resource Center

Use our tip sheets to spot and avoid common scams

The Perfect Scam℠ Podcast

Profiling America's biggest scam stories

AARP Social Security Resource Center

Answers to top questions about Social Security retirement benefits

Retirement Calculator

Find out how much you will need to retire when and how you want

Retirement Resources

Find your personal path to retirement

Social Security Calculator

Find out the best time to claim Social Security

Social Security Q&A Tool

Get answers to your Social Security questions

Home & Real Estate (9)

AARP Foundation Local Assistance Directory

Find local food, housing, health and employment services

AARP HomeFit Guide

Download a free guide with smart ways to make a home age-friendly

AARP® Real Estate Benefits by Anywhere

$300-$7,200 benefit on home purchases and sales

ADT™ Home Security

Savings on monthly home security monitoring

$36 or more off any home warranty plan

Home Resource Center

Tips and resources for aging in place, decluttering, DIY projects and more

Family Caregiving (10)

AARP Family Caregiving

Guides, tips and support for family caregivers

AARP Family Caregiving Guides

Download a free guide with simple steps to help create a caregiving plan

Care to Talk™

Spark meaningful discussion with customized conversation cards

Connect2Affect

Take the Isolation Assessment to understand how connected you are

Lifeline Medical Alert Service

15% off medical alert service plus free shipping and activation

Long-Term Care Calculator

Compare costs of long-term care options near you

Work & Jobs (4)

AARP Job Board

Search job opportunities for experienced workers

AARP Resume Advisor℠

Free resume review and members save on writing packages

AARP Skills Builder for Work℠

Free course to get you started gaining in-demand job skills

AARP Work & Jobs

Find a range of useful tools, insight and inspiration

Community (10)

AARP Chapters

Connect with AARP members in your community

AARP Near You

Local events and things to do in your community

AARP Programs

Boost your skills with workshops, events and seminars

Volunteering

AARP Driver Safety

Help others get on the road to safety as a Driver Safety instructor

AARP Foundation

Volunteer to help struggling adults meet their needs

AARP Foundation Experience Corps

Tutor and mentor a child in your community learn to read

AARP State Offices

Volunteer with your AARP state office

Create the Good

Find nearby volunteer opportunities that interest you

Magazines & Resources (8)

AARP Bookstore

40% off select AARP guides and books

AARP Bulletin

Timely news and insights on topics important to people 50-plus

AARP E-Newsletters

Sign up for our e-newsletters on topics that matter to you

AARP Members Only Access to Special Content

Access curated AARP entertainment articles, essays, videos, films and more

Learn, earn and redeem points for rewards with our free loyalty program

AARP The Magazine

The definitive lifestyle publication available to AARP members only

Member Benefits Text Alerts

Unlock more value: Get updates and be the first to know about new benefits

Advocacy (3)

AARP Foundation Litigation

Learn how AARP defends the rights of older Americans

Advocating on important issues in your state

Government Advocacy

A committed advocate on important issues

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• First-time home buyer resource center
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• Seller's marketplace
• See what your home is worth
• Learn how to sell your home
• How to select an agent
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• Selling your home? Don't neglect these 6 maintenance tasks - or else
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• Renters resource center
• Should I rent or buy?
• Debunked! 8 myths about renting you should stop believing immediately
• Rental report
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• Get pre-approved
• Mortgage rates
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• For veterans

Mortgage calculator

Refinance calculator.

• How much house can I afford
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• 6 ways home buyers mess up getting a mortgage
• Mortgage guide
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• Search for real estate agent
• 6 reasons you should never buy or sell a home without an agent
• Difference between agent, broker & Realtor ®
• Listing vs. buyer agent
• How to find a REALTOR ®
• Real estate agents reveal the toughest home buyers they've ever met
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• 2024 housing market predictions
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• Veterans home buyer guide
• USDA home loan guide
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• Real estate videos
• Housing resources

Mortgage Rates

Mortgage tools, affordability calculator, rent or buy calculator, veteran home loan center, mortgage tips.

5 Most Common Questions About Mortgages—Answered

Learning the Lingo: Mortgages Explained, From ARMs to Points

Expert Home-Buying Advice for Our Nation's Veterans

How to Buy a Home With Bad Credit (Yes, You Can)

Mortgage Rates by State

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Mortgage Rates by Loan Type

• 30 year fixed
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