Best Credit Cards for Travel
Picture this: you book a flight to Paris, a beach getaway in Mexico, or a family road trip, and the points you earned from everyday spending cover most of it. Travel credit cards promise big rewards, but many reserve their headline rate for trips booked on the issuer's own site, value their points anywhere from 0.5 to 1.5 cents each, and charge annual fees that may or may not pay for themselves. The cards below are ranked by the cash-equivalent rate you earn booking wherever you like, with any higher rate that depends on where you book listed separately, so you can see which ones actually deliver for your next trip.
Rankings are estimates based on published card terms. Actual rewards depend on your spending, redemption, and category qualification. How we rank.
The Top Contenders
#1
Earns 5% on travel with no spending cap.
Points are worth ~0.5¢ each, making the cash-equivalent rate ~2.5%.
Up to 26x at IHG hotels, 5x on travel, gas, and dining.
Annual fee: $99
Points value: ~0.5¢ each
Sign-up bonus: 140,000 points after $3,000 spend in 3 months
Perfect if: You want a strong rewards rate with no spending caps to worry about.
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#2
Earns 4% on travel with no spending cap.
Earns 8% only on travel booked through Chase Travel, Chase's own booking site. Flights and hotels booked direct earn 4%.
Points are worth ~1.5¢ each, making the cash-equivalent rate ~6.0%.
8x on Chase Travel, 4x on flights and hotels booked direct, 3x on dining.
Annual fee: $795
Points value: ~1.5¢ each
Sign-up bonus: 100,000 points after $6,000 spend in 3 months
Perfect if: You book through the issuer's own site and want premium perks to offset the fee.
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#3
Earns 4% on travel with no spending cap.
Earns 8% only on travel booked through Chase Travel, Chase's own booking site. Flights and hotels booked direct earn 4%.
Points are worth ~1.5¢ each, making the cash-equivalent rate ~6.0%.
8x on Chase Travel, 4x on flights/hotels direct, 3x on ads.
Annual fee: $795
Points value: ~1.5¢ each
Sign-up bonus: 200,000 points after $30,000 spend in 6 months
Perfect if: You book through the issuer's own site and want premium perks to offset the fee.
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The Rest of the Field
Hilton Honors American Express Card (#5):
3% on travel (~1.5% cash value),
no annual fee.
7x at Hilton hotels, 5x at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations.
Earns 7% only on stays at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 3%.
Wells Fargo Autograph Card (#6):
3% on travel,
no annual fee.
3x points on restaurants, travel, gas, transit, streaming, and phone plans.
How We Rank
Cards are ranked by the rate they earn in this category without conditions. A rate you only get by booking on the issuer’s own site, staying with one hotel chain, or shopping at one store does not count toward the ranking. It is listed underneath the card instead, so a card with a narrow high rate cannot outrank one that simply earns more everywhere. This ranking still does not account for the cash value of points (which varies by card and redemption method), spending caps, or annual fees. All of these are shown per card so you can factor them in.
For a personalized comparison that weighs your actual spending, accounts for caps, subtracts annual fees, and estimates real dollar value, use our calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which credit card gives the most travel rewards?
Booking wherever you like, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve Business lead at 4x on flights and hotels booked direct, worth about 6¢ per dollar once the points are redeemed. Several cards advertise more, up to 12x, but pay it only on travel booked through the issuer's own site.
Do travel card bonus rates require booking through the issuer?
Many do. The Chase Sapphire Preferred (5x), Capital One Savor (5x), and Citi Double Cash (5x) earn those rates only on travel booked through their issuer's own site. Booking direct with an airline or hotel earns less, so the rate worth planning around is the one that applies anywhere.
How much are credit card points worth for travel?
Point values vary significantly by card. Chase points are worth ~1.25-1.5 cents, Amex points ~1 cent, Capital One miles ~1 cent, and IHG points ~0.5 cents. Our rankings show the cash-equivalent value next to each rate.
Is a travel credit card worth the annual fee?
It depends on how much you travel and which perks you use. Many premium cards offset their fee with credits (e.g., $300 travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve). Enter your spending in our calculator for a personalized comparison.