If you love to travel, you must have the best travel credit card. The right travel credit card makes your journeys rewarding and fruitful. From having travel insurance and enjoying lounge access to earning points on hotel stays and flights, the best travel credit card offers you a tonne of perks and benefits.
There are different types of travel credit cards that come with various rewards programs and sign-up bonuses. On the other hand, there is a general travel card that offers you the ultimate flexibility. Moreover, you can also opt for an airline-branded card if you choose to avail perks and benefits from a specific airline. Today, in this blog, you will get to know everything about the best travel credit card.
The Best Travel Credit Cards in Jan 2025
There are different kinds of travel credit cards available that you can choose to go for according to your preference. Choose the best travel credit card from the below-give lists.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
If you use this card, you are supposed to earn an additional 1.5% cashback (upto $300 cashback) on all your purchases. You also get to enjoy 6.5% cashback on travel purchases through Chase Travel. Moreover, it comes with 3% cashback on drugstore purchases.
| Best Feature | Flexible cashback rewards |
| Intro Bonus | Earn an additional 1.5% cashback on all purchases. |
| Required Credit | Good-excellent (670-850) |
| Regular APR | 19.49% – 28.24% Variable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
United Gateway℠ Card
This is one of the credit cards, as it comes with amazing benefits. It provides 2 miles per dollar on United Airlines purchases, gas station purchases, local transit, and commuting. Other eligible purchases earn you 1 mile per dollar. On top of that, you also get a 30,000-mile introductory bonus once you spend $1,000 on your purchases in the first 3 months.
| Best Feature | United Airlines travel rewards |
| Intro Bonus | 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. |
| Required Credit | Good-Excellent (670-850) |
| Regular APR | 20.99% – 27.99% Variable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
This card offers amazing travel benefits and a base of two miles per dollar on all your purchases. If you are among frequent travelers, you can use the Capital One Travel site to earn more than enough in rewards to make up for the $395 annual fee. Earn at least two miles per dollar on purchases every day, and rake in 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
| Best Feature | 75,000-mile sign-up bonus. |
| Intro Bonus | Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Required Credit | Excellent (740-850) |
| Regular APR | 19.99% – 29.24% (Variable) |
| Annual Fee | $395 |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
This is another best credit card offering you a lot of benefits. It is a good all-around travel credit card for earning unlimited miles. Every dollar you spend earns 2 miles, which you can redeem on travel, including car rentals, flights, vacation rentals, and more. You can even earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Plus, receive up to a $120 statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
| Best Feature | Travel rewards |
| Intro Bonus | 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. |
| Required Credit | Good-excellent (670-850) |
| Regular APR | 19.99% – 29.24% (Variable) |
| Annual Fee | $95 |
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Using this card, you earn 2 miles per dollar on all Delta purchases and 2 miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide. All other eligible purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. Get a 20% discount on Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and headsets that you make with your card. You have all the good reasons to go for this best travel credit card.
| Best Feature | Delta Air Lines rewards |
| Intro Bonus | Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. |
| Required Credit | Good-excellent (670-850) |
| Regular APR | 19.99% – 28.99% Variable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
This card provides a unique take on travel rewards. It lets you earn a $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases. You are also supposed to receive three points on travel purchases after spending $300 annually. When you redeem your points for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal, you obtain 50% more point value. Points also transfer to travel partners on a 1-to-1 basis.
| Best Feature | Travel rewards with an annual travel credit. |
| Intro Bonus | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Required Credit | Excellent (740-850) |
| Regular APR | 21.49% – 28.49% Variable. |
| Annual Fee | $550 |
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
This card earns you four points per dollar on travel and at gas stations and EV charging stations, two points per dollar at grocery stores and on dining, grocery delivery, and streaming services; and one point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. You also get to earn five points per dollar when you book hotels and car rentals directly through the Altitude Rewards Center. This card also offers four points per dollar on travel purchases.
| Best Feature | Travel portal bonus points. |
| Intro Bonus | It lets you earn $20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible Net purchases in the first 90 days. |
| Required Credit | Good-excellent (670-850) |
| Regular APR | 17.74% – 28.74%. |
| Annual Fee | $0 annual fee for the first year. You are required to pay $95 annually thereafter. |
Choice Privileges® Mastercard®
It provides extensive rewards for staying at Choice hotels as a Choice Privileges member. This card lets you earn additional points for common rewards categories, like grocery stores and gas stations. It earns five points per dollar on stays at participating Choice Hotels® properties. You’ll also earn three points per dollar for purchases made at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, and phone plan services. New cardholders can earn 40,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months.
| Best Feature | |
| Intro Bonus | |
| Required Credit | |
| Regular APR | |
| Annual Fee |
Hilton Honors American Express Card
If you wish to obtain the benefits from Hilton other other hotel brands, this card could be a natural travel rewards choice. You earn seven Hilton Honors bonus points per dollar on Hilton purchases, along with five points per dollar at U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. restaurants.
| Best Feature | Hefty points on hotel stays. |
| Required Credit | Good-excellent (670-850) |
| Regular APR | 19.99%, 24.24%, or 29.24% (Variable) |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
The Benefits of Using the Best Travel Credit Card
There are plenty of perks and benefits of using the best travel credit card. Some of the advantages are described below.
Lucrative Sign-Up Bonuses
Most credit cards come with sign-up bonuses that benefit you immensely. As compared to other cards, the best credit card offers you bonuses that blow others out of the water.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Most of the travel credit cards do not charge you any transaction fee. It thus lets you save a lot of money in the process. Hence, if you are planning to go on your next international trip, then having the best credit card would make a huge difference for you.
Higher Redemption Value and Better Earning Rates
These cars also accrue points and miles at higher rates on travel-related spending than other rewards credit cards. If you redeem those rewards for travel, you could get more value out of them than if you redeemed them for other rewards, like statement credits, cash back, or gift cards.
Conclusion
It would be extremely beneficial for you to use the best travel credit card. This is how you would be able to gain a rewarding experience during your journey. You are required to compare features between various international travel credit cards to choose the best credit card for you.
A travel credit card is your tool to turn your international travel into a smooth and hassle-free experience. The perks and benefits that you get are immense. So what are you waiting for? Apply for a suitable travel credit card for yourself today.
FAQs
Why Should You Use the Best Travel Credit Cards?
Ans: Using these credit cards ensures you several features, perks, and benefits to make your international journey smooth and hassle-free.
How to Choose the Best Credit Cards for Travel?
Ans: Do some prior research to find the best credit card for travel. This is how you would be able to grab some amazing features like low or no foreign transaction fees and various travel rewards.
Do You Need to Pay Any Annual Fee for Best Travel Credit Cards 2024?
Ans: Most of the cards come for free for you in this regard. You may have to pay some annual fee for some specific travel credit cards.
Can You Use the Best Travel Rewards Credit Card in Airport Lounge?
Ans: Yes, you certainly can use the best travel card while accessing the airport lounge.
Is It Worth Using the Best Credit Card for International Travel?
Ans: You are entitled to get a lot of benefits for using credit cards for travel.
