cash and travel

Best cash back credit cards for travel

Advertiser disclosure.

We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence.

Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.

• Share this article on Facebook Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter Twitter
• Share this article on LinkedIn Linkedin
• Share this article via email Email

• • Rewards credit cards
• • Credit card comparisons

• • Travel credit cards

The Bankrate promise

At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for how we make money . The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

At Bankrate, we have a mission to demystify the credit cards industry — regardless or where you are in your journey — and make it one you can navigate with confidence. Our team is full of a diverse range of experts from credit card pros to data analysts and, most importantly, people who shop for credit cards just like you. With this combination of expertise and perspectives, we keep close tabs on the credit card industry year-round to:

• Meet you wherever you are in your credit card journey to guide your information search and help you understand your options.
• Consistently provide up-to-date, reliable market information so you're well-equipped to make confident decisions.
• Reduce industry jargon so you get the clearest form of information possible, so you can make the right decision for you.

At Bankrate, we focus on the points consumers care about most: rewards, welcome offers and bonuses, APR, and overall customer experience. Any issuers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide to consumers at each of these levels. At each step of the way, we fact-check ourselves to prioritize accuracy so we can continue to be here for your every next.

Editorial integrity

Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy , so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.

Key Principles

We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers.

Editorial Independence

Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU — the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.

How we make money

You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.

Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.

We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.

Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home lending products. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range, can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.

Key takeaways

• If you travel two or more times per year, or if you plan to travel more in the future, you might find a lot of value in a travel credit card
• If you don't travel frequently, you might find more value in strategically using a cash back credit card to cover travel-related purchases
• Many cash back cards offer travel-related perks like bonus rewards on travel purchases, no foreign transaction fees, access to the issuer's travel portal and limited-time offers on select travel purchases

Once you’ve got the travel itch, you know it’s time to plan your next getaway. But if you only travel occasionally, a travel credit card might not be the right fit for you. Sure, travel cards often come with incredible welcome bonuses, higher rewards rates, annual statement credits, airport lounge access and other major perks, but they also tend to come with high annual fees, which can be hard to recoup if you don’t use enough card benefits each year.

In that case, it might make more sense to use a cash back credit card to help fund your next vacation. Many cash back cards offer rewards on both everyday spending and travel spending, and you can redeem your rewards for statement credits to cover travel-related expenses. Plus, some cash back cards also come with access to an issuer’s travel portal, no foreign transaction fees and other travel benefits.

Below, we’ll go over some of the best cash back credit cards for travel, along with some tips and considerations.

Chase Freedom Flex: Best for rotating bonus categories

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ * offers 5 percent cash back on activated, rotating bonus category purchases each quarter (on up to $1,500, then 1 percent back). These bonus categories change each quarter, but the annual calendar often includes gas stations or other travel-related categories.

This card also earns 5 percent cash back on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel purchases; 5 percent cash back on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025); 3 percent cash back on dining and drugstore purchases; and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases. This card also comes with no annual fee, trip cancellation and interruption insurance , travel and emergency assistance services and the ability to redeem rewards for travel through Chase.

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Best for higher rewards on everyday spending

With the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express , you’ll earn 6 percent cash back on U.S. supermarket purchases (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1 percent back); 6 percent cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions; 3 percent cash back on transit and at U.S. gas station; and 1 percent cash back on everything else. Also, note that you’ll get a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, after which an annual fee of $95 applies.

With this card, you can save up your cash back earnings and redeem them for a statement credit to cover travel purchases like hotels or flights. Plus, this card also comes with access to Amex Offers , allowing you to earn more rewards on qualifying purchases with select brands (including travel brands like hotels), along with access to the American Express Travel portal .

Citi Double Cash Card: Best for flat cash back

If you’d prefer a simpler rewards strategy, the Citi Double Cash ® Card is one of the best flat-rate cards on the market. This card comes with no annual fee, and you’ll earn up to 2 percent cash back on all purchases — 1 percent back as you make purchases and 1 percent back as you pay for purchases. That’s $20 in rewards for every $1,000 you spend on your card. Over time, you can earn enough rewards to cover a flight or hotel (in the form of a statement credit to your account).

This card also allows you to redeem your rewards for travel through the Citi travel portal , though it’s important to note that you won’t be able to transfer your rewards to Citi travel partners since this card only earns basic Citi ThankYou points .

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for entertainment and international travel

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is, by far, one of the best cash back credit cards for international travel. It comes with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, along with impressive rewards rates on entertainment and select travel purchases. You’ll earn 10 percent cash back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases (through Nov. 14, 2024); 8 percent cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 3 percent cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming subscriptions and grocery store purchases (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target); and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases.

This card also comes with travel-related benefits like travel accident insurance, 24-hour travel assistance services and complimentary concierge services, which can help you with any travel, dining and entertainment plans. Plus, cash back rewards can be redeemed for Capital One Travel reservations (not including taxes and fees).

How to use cash back credit cards for travel

Look for cards that offer cash back on everyday expenses and travel.

Numerous cash back cards offer rewards on both everyday expenses and travel purchases, so look for a card with bonus categories that fit well with your everyday and travel spending. And don’t forget: If you have a cash back card that offers rewards on dining and gas, for example, you’ll still earn rewards on dining and gas purchases when you travel. However, with some cards, you’ll only earn rewards on U.S. category purchases, so be sure to check the fine print of your credit card agreement for any terms or limitations.

Redeem cash back as a statement credit to cover travel expenses

With a cash back credit card, you can redeem your cash back to cover a wide variety of travel-related expenses. For instance, you could save up your rewards until you reach $100 to $200 in cash back. Then, you could redeem your rewards for a statement credit to cover hotel bookings, flights, rideshares, dining out or any other travel-related expenses you have.

Check your issuer’s limited-time offers program for travel deals

Most credit cards come with access to an issuer’s limited-time offers program, which allows you to earn more rewards when you make eligible purchases with participating merchants. For example, you might find offers on hotel bookings with a specific chain (such as 10 percent back on a booking or $100 off a booking when you spend $300 or more) or offers for purchases made with travel-booking sites or rideshare companies.

See if you have access to your issuer’s travel portal

In order to stay competitive, many cash back credit cards now offer access to issuer travel portals . These portals may offer exclusive deals on travel or other benefits. For example, some cash back cards offer boosted rewards rates for select purchases made through a travel portal, while others allow you to redeem your rewards for travel purchases through the travel portal.

If you travel abroad, look for a card with no foreign transaction fees

Many cash back credit cards include a foreign transaction fee (usually 3 percent) on any purchases you make outside of the United States. If you travel abroad frequently, it would be worth getting a card with no foreign transaction fee so you don’t cancel out the rewards you’ll earn with your card. For instance, all Discover and Capital One credit cards come with no foreign transaction fees.

Is a cash back card for travel right for you?

While you can use the rewards you earn from a cash back credit card to help fund your vacation, make sure that you’re truly better off with a cash back card rather than a points or miles credit card .

For instance, if you travel two or more times per year, or if you plan to travel more frequently in the near future, it would be worth looking at some of the top travel credit cards available. Travel credit cards frequently come with perks like high welcome bonuses, travel protections, annual statement credits for travel-related purchases or airport lounge access. Just make sure that you’re able to recoup the cost of membership through card spending or benefits if you pick a card with an annual fee.

If you’re just starting to travel more frequently — or if you’re not sure if a travel card is right for you — there are a number of entry-level travel cards with low annual fees or no annual fees . That way, you can test out the travel card space to see if it’s right for you before committing to a card with a higher annual fee.

The bottom line

If you don’t travel that frequently, getting a travel credit card doesn’t make sense. Instead, you might find more value in strategically using a cash back credit card to cover travel-related purchases. With the right cash back card , you might even get some travel-related card perks such as bonus rewards on travel purchases, no foreign transaction fees, access to the issuer’s travel portal and limited-time offers on select travel purchases.

*The information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

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.

Why you should have a 2% cash back card

How to choose a cash back credit card

Best Cash Back Credit Cards of 2024

The Best Cash-Back Travel Rewards Cards

By Eric Rosen

Condé Nast Traveler has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Condé Nast Traveler and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. We don't review or include all companies, or all available products. Moreover, the editorial content on this page was not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are entirely those of Condé Nast Traveler's editorial team.

UPDATE: Welcome offers for the cards listed below may be out of date. Confirm the current welcome offers on each card issuer's site.

Travel rewards credit cards come in many forms: Some are co-branded with a specific airline or hotel chain , while others accrue points that can be transferred to travel partners through the issuer’s own loyalty program , like Chase Ultimate Rewards. And then there's a third type: One that earns fixed-rate points that can be redeemed for cash back on travel and other purchases.

That third type is especially useful for consumers who don’t have the time or inclination to search for airline and hotel awards, and just want to earn a solid return on their spending. What’s more, fixed-value cash-back points are more versatile than airline miles and hotel points—you can use them on a wider range of travel expenses than standard travel rewards cards, like car rentals, train tickets, and campground fees.

Here are the top nine rewards credit cards for earning cash back towards travel, and why each is especially useful.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Earning and cash-back value: The Venture Rewards card earns two miles per dollar on every purchase, but five miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Each mile can be redeemed for statement credits toward travel purchases such as airline or train tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, taxis and cruises, or retail gift cards at a rate of one cent apiece, so your return on spending is a sterling two percent.

Annual fee: $95

Sign-up bonus: 50,000 bonus miles (worth $500) when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months.

Why it’s worth considering: In addition to redeeming miles for cash back, cardholders can also transfer their miles at a rate of two Capital One miles to 1-1.5 airline miles to 15 airline partners such as Air Canada, JetBlue, and Singapore Airlines. Capital One waives foreign transaction fees and will reimburse you for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application once every four years. Beware, though: While travel and gift card redemption rates are one cent per mile, if you redeem miles for statement credits toward other purchases, such as a restaurant bill or a grocery tab, you only get a half-cent in value.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Earning and cash-back value: Cardholders earn 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases and 10 miles per dollar on Hotels.com bookings through January 2020. Miles can be redeemed at one cent apiece toward travel and gift cards.

Annual fee: $0

Sign-up bonus: 20,000 bonus miles (worth $200) when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months.

Why it’s worth considering: If you're looking for a CapitalOne card, the VentureOne is a great no-fee alternative to the Venture. It still has a solid rate of return and waives foreign transaction fees. Stick to travel and gift-card redemptions since you only get half the value by redeeming for other purchases.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Earning and cash-back value: Cardholders earn 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases, plus five points per dollar on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and three points per dollar on drugstore purchases and dining. Points can then be redeemed at a rate of one cent apiece for travel or any other purchase.

Why it’s worth considering: A potential first-year return on spending of 3% for a card with no annual fee is reason enough to apply. And if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve too, you can combine your cash-back points with the ones you earn with them. That means the ability to transfer your points to the Ultimate Rewards program’s airline and hotel partners like Southwest and United, or get a better rate of return on your cash-back redemptions for travel bookings made through the Chase travel site (1.25 cents per point with the Preferred and 1.5 cents with the Reserve).

Learn more about applying for the Chase Freedom Unlimited here .

Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard

Earning and cash-back value: This card earns two miles per dollar on all purchases. Miles can be redeemed for a broad array of travel expenses, including airline tickets and hotel stays, but also taxes and fees on tickets, incidental charges like room service, as well as purchases like cruises, train fares , and car rentals. The redemption rate is one cent per mile but you get a 5% mileage refund, so your return on spending is more like 2.1%.

Annual fee: $89, waived the first year.

Sign-up bonus: Usually 50,000 miles (worth $500) after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. However, it was recently as high as 70,000 miles after spending $5,000 in the first 90 days.

Why it’s worth considering: the Barclaycard Arrival Plus is a top choice for international travel since it waives foreign transaction fees and has Chip + PIN capability, making it more compatible with machines in other countries. Its World Elite Mastercard benefits include a $10 credit for every five Lyft rides taken each calendar month, and $5 off Postmates orders of $25 or more.

Learn more about applying for the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard here .

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

Earning and cash-back value: This card earns two points per dollar on travel purchases and 1.5 points per dollar on everything else. Depending on how much you have in deposits with Bank of America and Merrill Lynch through their Preferred Rewards banking tiers, you can boost your earnings 25% to 75%. ( Read more about the terms on Bank of America's website, here. ) Points can then be redeemed for cash back as a statement credit, for gift cards or purchases through the Bank of America Travel Center, or as a deposit to a Bank of America account—all at a rate of one cent apiece. That means your rate of return could be as high as 3.5%, depending on your purchases and deposits.

Caitlin Morton

Stacey Lastoe

Meaghan Kenny

Sign-up bonus: 50,000 bonus points (worth $500) after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days.

Why it’s worth considering: In addition to waived foreign transaction fees, cardholders can enjoy $100 in statement credits for airline incidentals like checked bags or upgrades each year, and a reimbursement of up to $100 for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck applications once every four years.

Learn more about applying for the Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card here .

SunTrust Travel Rewards Credit Card

Earning and cash-back value: This card’s earning structure includes unlimited 3% cash back on travel purchases, 2% back on dining, and 1% on everything else.

Sign-up bonus: $250 statement credit after making $3,000 in qualifying purchases in the first three months.

Why it’s worth considering: Waived foreign transaction fees, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application reimbursement every five years, and the ease of redeeming points for simple cash back are all reasons to get the SunTrust Travel Rewards card.

Learn more about applying for the SunTrust Travel Rewards Credit Card here .

Citi Rewards+

Earning and cash-back value: Cardholders earn two points per dollar at supermarkets and gas stations for the first $6,000 per year, and one point per dollar on everything else. Plus, your earnings are rounded up to the nearest 10 points on each purchase—so if you spend a dollar, you still earn 10 points. Those points are worth one cent apiece when redeemed for gift cards, cash back, or travel booked through ThankYou.com. Plus, you get 10% of your points back on the first 100,000 you redeem each year.

Sign-up bonus: Earn 15,000 points (worth $150) after spending $1,000 in the first three months.

Why we love it: Depending where you spend money, the Citi Rewards card can be a top earner thanks not only to its category bonuses, but also that rounding-up feature. If you have a more premium Citi card that earns ThankYou points , like the Prestige, you can also transfer the points you earn with this one to the program’s 15 airline partners, including Air France/KLM, JetBlue, and Virgin Atlantic.

Learn more about applying for the Citi Rewards+ Card here .

Discover it Miles

Earning and cash-back value: Earn an unlimited 1.5 miles per dollar on all purchases, which can be redeemed for one cent apiece for travel or for cash as a direct deposit to your bank account. Your final return on spending: 1.5%.

Sign-up bonus: Discover will match the miles you earn at the end of your first year, which effectively gives you a 3% return on spending for your first year.

Why it’s worth considering: No annual fee, a great rate of return, and a simple earning/redeeming formula that applies to all purchases—not just travel—make the Discover it Miles card a no-brainer. Discover typically isn't accepted as broadly as Visa and Mastercard, though.

Learn more about applying for the Discover it Miles Card here .

U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card

Earning and cash-back value: Earn three points per dollar on travel and mobile wallet purchases, and one point per dollar on everything else. Cardholders can redeem points for 1.5 cents apiece on airfare, hotels, and car rentals (or lower values for other purchases). If used mostly for travel, your rate of return is a considerable 4.5%.

Annual fee: $400

Sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 points (worth $750 toward travel) after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days.

Why it’s worth considering: The annual fee is high, but in return, cardholders enjoy $325 in travel statement credits annually, 12 complimentary Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi passes each year, a 12-month Priority Pass Select membership for airport lounge access , reimbursement for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application every four years, and waived foreign transaction fees.

Learn more about applying for the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card here .

Condé Nast Traveler has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Condé Nast Traveler and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

This story was originally published in July 2019. It has since been updated with new information.

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

15 Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024

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

A travel rewards credit card brings your next trip a little closer every time you use it. Each purchase earns points or miles that you can redeem for travel expenses. If you're loyal to a specific airline or hotel chain, consider getting one of that company's branded credit cards. Otherwise, check out the general-purpose travel cards on this page, which give you flexible rewards that you can use without the restrictions and blackout dates of branded cards.

Some of our selections for the best travel credit cards can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you'll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.

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 April 2024

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best for Flexibility + point transfers + big sign-up bonus

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

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

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

Chase Freedom Flex℠ : 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 — bonus rewards + big sign-up offer

Citi Premier® Card : Best for Triple points on multiple categories

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

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

World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best for Hotel credit card

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card : Best for Travel rewards for rent payments + no annual fee

United℠ Explorer Card : Best for Airline card

Best Travel Credit Cards From Our Partners

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.

Flexibility + point transfers + big sign-up bonus

Flat-rate travel rewards, travel portal benefits, cash back for travel bookings, big rewards on everyday spending, bonus rewards + no annual fee, luxury travel perks, business travelers — bonus rewards + big sign-up offer, triple points on multiple categories, flat-rate rewards + no annual fee, and for balance transfers, bonus travel rewards + high-end perks, hotel credit card, travel rewards for rent payments + no annual fee, airline card, 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, and for balance transfers

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 travel 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: Flexibility + point transfers + big sign-up 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℠ 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 Premier® Card

Our pick for: Triple points in multiple categories

The Citi Premier® Card earns bonus points on airfare, hotels, supermarkets, dining and gas 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.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate, as well as on travel booked through Chase, at restaurants and at drugstores. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending matches the categories — and for a lot of people, it will — you can rack up hundreds of dollars a year. There's a fantastic bonus offer for new cardholders and an intro APR offer, too. 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: 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: United Airlines + best domestic 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: Hotel credit 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: Small business — bonus categories + big sign-up offer

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 April 4 , 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.

About the author

Sara Rathner

UponArriving

How Much Cash Can You Travel With? (TSA & International Rules) [2023]

So you have a load of cash and you want to transport it across the country or perhaps even internationally. But exactly how much cash are you allowed to travel with?

In this article, I will break down everything you need to know about traveling with cash including important rules and limitations when flying.

I’ll also cover a number of key considerations you will want to think about before taking your cash with you when going through TSA or even traveling internationally.

Table of Contents

How much cash can you travel with?

There are no limits on the amount of cash you can travel with but there are some major considerations you need to think about when doing so.

If you are traveling domestically, your primary concern is avoiding forfeiture of your cash.

If you are traveling internationally, forfeiture is a concern but you should also be focused on remembering to declare the value of your currency and monetary instruments totaling above $10,000. Keep reading to find out more.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Legal risks of traveling with cash

TSA is concerned about dangerous threats such as explosives and not with enforcing laws and penal codes. (This is why they do not  check for arrest warrants .)

Your cash money does not present a dangerous threat and so there should be no legitimate concern about it harming other passengers on the plane.

However, in the past there have been reports of TSA agents initiating the process for seizing cash from passengers under the suspicion that it is money gained from an illegal activity or money that is intended to be used on illegal activity.

Think drugs, weapons, and organized crime activities.

The seizing of cash can be accomplished under a number of different statutes including 21 U.S. Code § 881(a)(6) which governs forfeitures.

It states that you have no property right for:

(6) All moneys, negotiable instruments, securities, or other things of value furnished or intended to be furnished by any person in exchange for a  controlled substance  or  listed chemical  in violation of this subchapter, all proceeds traceable to such an exchange, and all moneys, negotiable instruments, and securities used or intended to be used to facilitate any violation of this subchapter.

It’s possible that if a TSA agent spots a lot of cash on you or in your bag (especially a lot of smaller bills like $20 bills) they could refer you to authorities (i.e., DEA) for some type of questioning.

The authorities may check to see if you are on some type of watchlist but even if you are not they may still deem that your cash is subject to civil forfeiture, which means that it will all be taken from you.

This can happen even if you have not been charged or convicted of any crime.

Some dogs that patrol airports have a nose for cash and a lot of cash has come into contact with illegal narcotics.

In fact, a study by Yuegang Zuo of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2009 found that about  90 percent of banknotes contain traces of cocaine . Traces of other drugs have also been found on cash like codeine, amphetamines and methamphetamines .

That means that “false positives” could be triggered, which could potentially be used as further evidence about your illegal activity (reportedly dogs don’t usually sniff out these faint traces).

If your money is seized you should have the opportunity to petition the process and to retrieve your funds.

It’s an odd legal proceeding where your cash is literally the defendant: “United States of America v. $50,000 in United States currency.”

That’s important because it means that the legal burden of proof is at the civil level which only requires it to be more likely than not that you were up to no good.

This petition process may not be very fun, could last a long time, and could be very costly. For example, you will likely need to hire an attorney which might cost you as much money as you have at stake.

Your success rate could also be very low.

In March 2017, the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General reported that over the course of 10 years, the DEA only returned money in 8% of cases.

And if you do get your money back, if you owe taxes or judgments, those will likely have to be paid out first.

For these reasons, I would try to limit the cash I take through TSA security to maybe just a couple of thousand dollars (If that).

Personally, the most cash I ever carry on me is a couple of hundred bucks.

This may be problematic for people who want to gamble at their destination or who are looking to do things like purchase a car with cash but you should make alternative arrangements to receive your cash at your destination if possible.

Tips for traveling domestically with cash

If you are thinking about traveling through TSA with cash my advice would be the following:

Keep the amount as small as possible

First, avoid bringing more than $2,000 in cash if possible. That should be well below the level considered to be suspicious, as the lowest amount I saw subject to forfeiture was $6,000.

Also, try to avoid $20 bills since those are customarily used in drug deals.

Notify a TSA agent

If you do bring cash consider notifying a TSA agent when you enter the line and see if you can get some type of private or secondary screening.

If you have TSA Pre-Check , an agent might consider you to be less likely to be engaged in criminal activity but that is not a guarantee.

But note that cash has been seized in cases where people notified a TSA agent themselves so this is not a full proof method.

And it goes without saying but do not attempt to conceal the cash on your body such as strapping it to your chest because the full body scanners will find this quite easily.

Avoid checked baggage

You might be thinking about putting the cash in your checked baggage but that is not a good idea.

For one, if the cash was detected you will not be there to explain the situation and you may be caught off guard later when you are brought in for questioning by the DEA.

Second, if your cash is detected it’s possible that an unethical TSA agent could simply decide to take your cash.

And finally, if your luggage is lost you will not be able to retrieve that cash and cash is almost always an exception to baggage insurance policies.

Bring documentation

If you are traveling with a lot of cash because you want to purchase a vehicle or take care of some other transaction make sure that you have all of the supporting documentation already with you in case you are brought in for questioning.

Presenting anything less than an airtight explanation for transporting cash can mean instant forfeiture.

Avoid transporting suspicious items

It is a good idea to avoid transporting other items such as marijuana along with your cash since that will only reinforce the image that you are up to some type of criminal drug activity.

This is even the case if the state you are flying out of has legalized marijuana.

Consider your criminal history

And finally, if you have any type of criminal history — especially cases related to drug infractions — the odds of you encountering an issue with forfeiture go up.

That’s because it will be that much easier for them to make a case against you. Remember, we are talking about a civil court burden of proof — not criminal court.

So you should really reconsider bringing a lot of cash if that applies to you.

The International cash limit of $10,000 and the need to declare

US Customs and Border Protection is clear that you can transport “any amount of currency or other monetary instruments into or out of the United States.”

The caveat is that if the amount of currency exceeds $10,000 or it’s for an equivalent then you will need to file a  FinCEN Form 105  (“Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments”) with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

This is a pretty simple form to fill out and basically just requires you to input the following information:

• Contact information including passport number
• Export/import information
• Shipping information if applicable
• Details of the currency or monetary instrument

You can file this form electronically at  FinCEN Form 105 CMIR, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (dhs.gov) but you can also file it in paper form.

In addition, if you are entering the United States you must declare if you are carrying currency or any other monetary instruments if they total over $10,000.

You can make this declaration on your Customs Declaration Form (CBP Form 6059B) and then file a FinCEN Form 105.

Do not blow off this requirement because failing to declare could mean forfeiture of your money and some pretty serious criminal penalties.

And remember each country has its own policy regarding traveling with cash so you have to make sure you are in compliance with the country you are headed to.

Monetary instrument

Unless you went to law school for three years you might be wondering what a “monetary instrument” is as it’s found on the  FinCEN Form 105 .

US Customs and Border Protection defines it as:

• Traveler’s checks in any form
• All negotiable instruments (including personal checks, business checks, official bank checks, cashier’s checks, third-party checks, promissory notes, and money orders) that are either, in bearer form, endorsed without restriction, made out to a fictitious payee, or otherwise in such form that title passes upon delivery
• Incomplete instruments (including personal checks, business checks, official bank checks, cashiers’ checks, third-party checks, promissory notes, and money orders) signed but with the payee’s name omitted
• securities or stock in bearer form or otherwise, in such form that title passes thereto upon delivery.

In this article we are mostly focused on cash which would most definitely fall under “currency.”

Specifically, 19 CFR § 1010.100(m) defines “currency” as the coin and paper money of the United States or of any other country that:

• (1) is designated as legal tender, (2) circulates, and (3) is customarily used and accepted as a medium of exchange in the country of issuance. 
• Currency includes U.S. silver certificates, U.S. notes, and Federal Reserve notes. 
• Currency also includes official foreign bank notes that are customarily used and accepted as a medium of exchange in a foreign country.

The big take away here is that this restriction applies to cash of the US and also other countries.

The cash of pretty much every developed country is going to meet the requirements for currency listed above so it doesn’t matter if you are transporting Great Britain Pounds, Euros, etc.

Keep in mind that each form of currency and monetary instrument counts separately, as well. So if you have $6,000 in cash and a $5,000 traveler’s check, you are above the limit.

And members of a family residing in one household entering the United States that submit a joint or family declaration must declare if the members are collectively above the $10,000 limit.

So if a husband has $4,000 and the wife has $7,000, that family must declare because they are collectively above the limit.  

Items that don’t count as currency

Some items related to currency do not officially count as currency but you still may have to declare them as “merchandise.”

For example, coins of precious metals, including silver and gold, do not fall into the definition of “monetary instrument” or “currency.” 

However, coins of precious metals must be declared as merchandise if they are acquired abroad.

Other articles of precious metals (including gold bullion, gold bars, and gold jewelry) also do not fall into the definition of “monetary instrument” or “currency.”

However, these articles must also be declared as merchandise if they are acquired abroad.

They also have a list of excluded items which includes:

• Warehouse receipts and bills of lading
• Monetary instruments that are made payable to a named person, but are not endorsed or which bear restrictive endorsements
• Credit cards and prepaid cards
• Virtual currencies including Bitcoin

So if you are traveling around with credit limits above $50,000 or a nice stash of cryptocurrency you don’t have to worry about declaring those items.

Factors to consider when traveling with cash

When you are traveling chances are you are going to want to spend some money on various expenses like dining and excursions. It is highly recommended to use a good travel rewards credit card for these expenses for a few reasons.

Getting through security

If you have a bag full of cash money, that bag is going to have to get through security at some point. This may be at the airport, a train station, etc.

As explained in detail above, if a screening agent notices that you have wads of cash in a bag this could potentially raise a red flag and a worst-case scenario of you losing your cash and never getting it back.

The theft risk

Traveling with cash is risky whether you keep that cash on you or you stored in your hotel room.

If you are walking around with cash on you there is always that chance that you could run into a thief. This could be someone who could pick pocket your wallet or cash right out of your clothes or bag.

Or in a more serious case, this could be someone who holds you up with some type of weapon and forces you to handover your cash.

If you are going to travel with cash on your person it’s recommended to have some type of hidden wallet and a dummy wallet in your pocket. Your dummy wallet will have a small amount of cash, perhaps a duplicate credit card and even a duplicate ID to make it look as realistic as possible.

The idea is that if someone were to take that dummy wallet they would only get away with a minimal amount of your valuables. You could then have your real stash of cash hidden beneath your clothing.

If you choose to store your cash in your hotel room you also need to be careful. Putting your cash into a hotel safe is not quite as secure as you might think . In some cases you may actually want to just hide your cash somewhere in the room where a thief would not think to look.

Either way you go, carrying a lot of cash on you is a risk that you need to weigh very carefully.

Travel insurance

You can get travel insurance by paying for your excursions and travels with a good travel credit card.

So if for some reason you purchase a nonrefundable hotel or tour and then you have to cancel because you get sick or for some other covered reason, you can get fully reimbursed for your purchase. In some cases this could put thousands of dollars back in your pocket.

But if you paid for something like your hotel with cash there is a good chance that you will simply be out of luck and get hit with the loss.

Also, you might struggle to even be able to pay cash for certain travel expenses like rental cars .

Foreign conversion fees

When you convert your cash into a foreign currency you will be paying some type of conversion fee and in some cases may be dealing with a subpar rate, especially at those kiosks .

Certain types of ATM cards will allow you to withdraw cash in the local currency with minimal fees but the best way to make purchases abroad is to simply have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.

Travel credit cards are great about offering rewards on purchases made abroad.

You don’t have to look very far to find a credit card that will earn you extra bonus points on flights, hotels, and even your tours and events. Earning extra points on dining, even when dining abroad, is also easy with cards like the Amex Gold Card.

By paying with cash you are missing out on all of these valuable rewards.

Traveling with a lot of cash can be problematic because that is often how actors travel who are engaged in criminal activities.

Your best bet is to avoid bringing a lot of cash but if you must, try to bring as much supporting documentation as possible and be prepared for questioning and the possibility of you having to fight against the government to retrieve your money.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Overview

How to best use cash while traveling abroad

We talk a lot about using cards here at TPG -- both credit cards that can earn valuable travel rewards and travel debit cards that can help you avoid foreign transaction fees . If you are paying the bill at a large five-star hotel, you will probably be able to pay by card.

But there are plenty of situations when traveling that using cash is unavoidable. Tipping a bartender, buying a drink from a corner shop or a meal at a small, rural family-run restaurant are all situations that may all need physical cash.

So here are some tips for using cash while traveling.

Wait until you reach your destination to exchange cash

You may have seen cash machines at airports offering cash in multiple currencies. Convenient, right? You will pay dearly for that convenience.

The machine will either impose fees for withdrawals in foreign currencies, or more likely give you an awful rate. Similarly, those currency exchange booths located conveniently airside at airports while you wait for your flight will also give below market rate for your cash.

You will usually receive a better rate if you wait until you arrive at your destination to physically exchange foreign currency for local currency.

Related: How to avoid hidden costs when traveling

Shop around

Like shopping around for souvenirs or duty-free alcohol, you might find slightly different rates for the same currency exchanges depending on the location or retailer. If you're in the arrivals hall of an airport and need to exchange cash to pay for a taxi into town and there are multiple currency exchange booths, it's worth spending a few minutes quickly comparing their rates. They may be very similar, but the difference between one booth offering even 1% higher can be worth checking — especially if you are exchanging a large amount.

Ensure you are comparing like-for-like -- one booth offering a surprisingly good rate might be slugging you with a large transaction fee while the other, slightly higher rate may be fee-free.

Related: Where's the cheapest duty free? We checked 50 airports to find out

Have enough, but not too much cash on you

Should you take enough cash with you for the whole trip and exchange it at the destination for the best rate? While this would avoid foreign cash machine fees, the more cash you are carrying with you, the greater the risk something could happen to it. I would not recommend a big night out on the town with $500 (or the local equivalent) in cash in your wallet. This isn't smart traveling. Using hotel safes can help to keep the money more secure.

You want to have enough money on you for what you need, but not so much that it becomes a liability. I would generally keep enough cash to last a couple of days of incidentals (that I cannot use my card for). I would not keep a week's cash in my pocket -- I don't need it all there and then, so don't want to risk something happening to it.

Be aware of cash machine fees

This is where it can get tricky. You may have a card that allows cash withdrawals abroad where your card issuer may not charge a cash withdrawal fee. It is critical to know if you will still be charged a fee by the cash machine operator itself. Most foreign cash machines will charge a fee for withdrawing cash. In Thailand, for example, you could be looking at a fee as much as $6 per withdrawal.

Some travel and debit card operators may waive/absorb this fee as part of its product offering, though many will pass this on to the cardholder.

The best way to check is in the fees and charges section of your card's terms and conditions. If there is wording along the lines of "we do not charge fees of our own, however, you may be charged a fee by the cash issuer", that means there could be a substantial fee each time you withdraw cash. If there is, this is likely to be a fixed fee per withdrawal, rather than based on the percentage of cash you withdraw. In this case, it may save to either bring cash in your home currency with you (to exchange at your destination) or make less frequent, larger withdrawals to reduce the fees you are paying.

Liquidate your coins

If you do end up with cash at the end of your trip, you can usually exchange it back or to another currency if you are traveling on to somewhere else. However, currency exchangers will usually not accept coins and deal in notes only. If you end up with a handful of foreign coins at the end of a trip, try and use them up -- it can be a good use to purchase a small souvenir or snack at an airport as you are leaving the country rather than getting home, not being able to use them and then they sit in a drawer forever.

Related: How to avoid the most elaborate travel scam I've ever seen

Try and use cards where you can

Though this guide is about using physical cash, it's worth noting that there are many benefits to using cards overseas where possible. It's worth asking at places like restaurants if you can pay by card, even if it isn't obvious if you can.

Cards are convenient -- you don't have to worry about exchange rates or the safety of carrying big wads of cash with you. You can avoid fees and maybe even earn rewards. Always select to pay in local currency if using a card to get a market rate. Choosing your home currency will give you a worse rate.

Related: What is dynamic currency conversion and why should you avoid It?

Bottom line

Cash can be a frustrating but necessary evil of traveling. At some destinations you can use cards instead but there are many places, especially in developing areas, where cash is still king. There are costs and complications involved which are part of traveling, but with these tips, you should be able to minimize them.

• Sign in

Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Our Bank of America® travel rewards credit cards can get you closer to your next vacation.

From flexible travel points to cruise rewards to vacation packages or air miles, we've got a travel or cruise line credit card that's right for you. Start planning your next trip by applying for a Bank of America® travel rewards credit card online today.

We're sorry, this page is temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Unavailable

One or more of the cards you chose to compare are not serviced in English.

Continue in English Go back to Spanish

• Remove  {CARD_NAME} from compare list

Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards

$200 online cash rewards bonus offer and 3% cash back in the category of your choice.

No annual fee †

Show More Show Less Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

• 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter) and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases Calculate rewards
• Choose which category you want to earn 3% cash back in: gas and EV charging stations ; online shopping, including cable, internet, phone plans and streaming ; dining; travel; drug stores and pharmacies; or home improvement and furnishings. To change your choice category for future purchases, you must go to Online Banking, or use the Mobile Banking app. You can change it once each calendar month, or make no change and it stays the same .
• 0% † Intro APR for your first 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 18.24% to 28.24% will apply. 3% † Intro balance transfer fee for the first 60 days your account is open. After the intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for all future balance transfers is 4% .
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards ® members earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means the 3% choice category could earn 3.75% - 5.25% and the 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs could earn 2.50% - 3.50% , for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter, and the 1% for all other purchases could earn 1.25% - 1.75% . Not enrolled? Learn more about Preferred Rewards Cash Rewards .
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page, if you visit a Bank of America financial center or call the bank. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Bank of America ® Unlimited Cash Rewards

$200 online cash rewards bonus offer, show more show less bank of america ® unlimited cash rewards credit card.

• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases Calculate rewards
• No limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open
• 0% † Intro APR for your first 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account. After that, a Variable APR that's currently 18.24% to 28.24% will apply. 3% † Intro balance transfer fee for the first 60 days your account is open. After the intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for all future balance transfers is 4% .
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards ® members earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 1.87% - 2.62% cash back on every purchase. Learn More About Preferred Rewards .

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card

BankAmericard ®

Save on interest, show more show less bankamericard ® credit card.

• 0% Intro APR † for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days of opening your account. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 16.24% - 26.24% will apply. 3% † Intro balance transfer fee for the first 60 days your account is open. After the intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for all future balance transfers is 4% .
• No Penalty APR. Paying late won't automatically raise your interest rate (APR). Other account pricing and terms apply † .
• Access your FICO ® Score for free within Online Banking or your Mobile Banking app.

† Terms & Conditions  for BankAmericard ® credit card

Bank of America ® Travel Rewards

25,000 online bonus points offer (a $250 value) and no annual fee †.

No annual fee †  and no foreign transaction fees †

Show More Show Less Bank of America ® Travel Rewards credit card

• Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases everywhere, every time and no expiration on points as long as your account remains open Calculate rewards
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want with no blackout dates and pay yourself back with a statement credit towards travel and dining purchases
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards ® members earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 1.87 to 2.62 points for every $1 you spend, everywhere, every time. Not enrolled? Learn more about Preferred Rewards Travel Rewards

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Travel Rewards credit card

Bank of America ® Premium Rewards ®

60,000 online bonus points offer — a $600 value.

Low $95 annual fee † and no foreign transaction fees †

Show More Show Less Bank of America ® Premium Rewards ® credit card

• Earn unlimited points , that don't expire as long as the account remains open – 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points per $1 on all other purchases . Calculate Rewards Premium Rewards
• Get up to $200 in combined Airline Incidental and TSA PreCheck ® /Global Entry Statement Credits. Plus, access to world class travel benefits: travel and purchase protections, luxury hotel collection and concierge service.
• Redeem for cash back as a deposit into Bank of America ® checking or savings accounts, for credit to eligible Merrill ® accounts including 529 accounts, as a statement credit to your credit card, or for gift cards and purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards ® members earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5 to 3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87 to 2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend. Not enrolled? Learn more about Preferred Rewards Premium Rewards

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Premium Rewards ® credit card

Bank of America ® Premium Rewards ® Elite

75,000 online bonus points offer — a $750 value.

$550 annual fee † and no foreign transaction fees †

Show More Show Less Bank of America ® Premium Rewards ® Elite credit card

• Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases , and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases . No limit to the points you can earn and points don't expire as long as the account remains open. Calculate Rewards Premium Elite Rewards
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards ® members earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5 to 3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87 to 2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend.
• Get up to $550 in combined Airline Incidental, TSA PreCheck ® /Global Entry, and Lifestyle Statement Credits . Plus, a suite of luxury benefits to fit your lifestyle: full-service concierge, airport lounge and experience access, premier hotel amenities, travel and purchase protections.
• You choose how you want to be rewarded . Redeem points for travel, cash back, a statement credit, distinctive experiences or gift cards. Plus, save 20% on airfare when you pay with points through the Bank of America Travel Center.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page, if you visit a Bank of America financial center or call the bank . You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Premium Rewards ® Elite credit card

Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards for Students

3% cash back in the category of your choice, show more show less bank of america ® customized cash rewards credit card for students.

• 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter) and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Choose which category you want to earn 3% cash back in: gas and EV charging stations ; online shopping, including cable, internet, phone plans and streaming ; dining; travel; drug stores and pharmacies; or home improvement and furnishings To change your choice category for future purchases, you must go to Online Banking, or use the Mobile Banking app. You can change it once each calendar month, or make no change and it stays the same .
• Online $200 cash rewards bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening
• When handled responsibly, a credit card can help you build your credit history, which could be helpful when looking for an apartment, a car loan, and even a job. Access your FICO ® Score for free within Online Banking or your Mobile Banking app.

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students

Bank of America ® Unlimited Cash Rewards for Students

Start building your financial future while earning unlimited cash back, show more show less bank of america ® unlimited cash rewards credit card for students.

• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card for Students

BankAmericard ® for Students

Save on interest, a great choice when you’re just starting out, show more show less bankamericard ® credit card for students.

• Your card comes with our $0 Liability Guarantee and chip technology for additional security when used at chip-enabled terminals

† Terms & Conditions  for BankAmericard ® Credit Card for Students

Bank of America ® Travel Rewards for Students

Start building your financial future.

No annual fee † and no foreign transaction fees †

Show More Show Less Bank of America ® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students

• Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases everywhere, every time and no expiration on points as long as your account remains open. Use your card to book your trip how and where you want with no blackout dates and pay yourself back with a statement credit towards travel and dining purchases.
• 25,000 online bonus points after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students

Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards Secured

Help build your credit while earning 3% cash back in the category of your choice, show more show less bank of america ® customized cash rewards secured credit card.

• 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter) and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Choose which category you want to earn 3% cash back in: gas and EV charging stations ; online shopping, including cable, internet, phone plans and streaming ; dining; travel; drug stores and pharmacies; or home improvement and furnishings. To change your choice category for future purchases, you must go to Online Banking, or use the Mobile Banking app. You can change it once each calendar month, or make no change and it stays the same.
• Open your account with a security deposit ($200-$5,000) . Upon credit approval your required deposit is used, in combination with your income and your ability to pay, to help establish your credit line. We'll periodically review your account and, based on your overall credit history (including your account and overall relationship with us, and other credit cards and loans), you may qualify to have your security deposit returned. Not all customers will qualify.
• Build up your credit history – use this card responsibly and over time it could help you improve your credit score.
• Your financial health. Our Priority. Bank of America – Outstanding Customer Satisfaction with Financial Health Support – Banking & Payments, 2 years in a row
• Secured card products are not eligible for a new account bonus offer, like a cash rewards bonus offer, and introductory APRs are not available.

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards secured credit card

Bank of America ® Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured

Help strengthen or build your credit and earn unlimited cash back, show more show less bank of america ® unlimited cash rewards secured credit card.

• Build up your credit history — use this card responsibly and over time it could help you improve your credit score

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Unlimited Cash Rewards secured credit card

BankAmericard ® Secured

Help establish, strengthen - or even rebuild your credit with a card that's simple and convenient, show more show less bankamericard ® secured credit card.

• Open your account with a security deposit ($200-$5,000). Upon credit approval your required deposit is used, in combination with your income and your ability to pay, to help establish your credit line.
• We'll periodically review your account and, based on your overall credit history (including your account and overall relationship with us, and other credit cards and loans), you may qualify to have your security deposit returned. Not all customers will qualify.
• Secured card products are not eligible for a new account bonus offer, like a statement credit, and introductory APRs are not available.

† Terms & Conditions  for BankAmericard ® secured credit card

Bank of America ® Travel Rewards Secured

Help strengthen or build your credit and earn unlimited points, show more show less bank of america ® travel rewards visa ® secured credit card.

• Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases everywhere, every time and no expiration on points as long as your account remains open. Use your card to book your trip how and where you want with no black out dates and pay yourself back with a statement credit towards travel and dining purchases.
• Open your account with a security deposit ($200-$5,000). Upon credit approval your required deposit is used, in combination with your income and your ability to pay, to help establish your credit line. We'll periodically review your account and, based on your overall credit history (including your account and overall relationship with us, and other credit cards and loans), you may qualify to have your security deposit returned. Not all customers will qualify.
• Build up your credit history — use this card responsibly and over time it could help you improve your credit score.
• Secured card products are not eligible for a new account bonus offer, like a bonus points offer, and introductory APRs are not available.

† Terms & Conditions  for Bank of America ® Travel Rewards Visa ® secured credit card

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature ®

Limited time online offer: 70,000 bonus miles plus alaska's famous companion fare™, show more show less alaska airlines visa signature ® credit card.

• 70,000 Bonus Miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening. Plus, celebrate your account anniversary with Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ every year that you spend at least $6,000 on purchases with your card.
• Free checked bag for any cardholder who purchases airfare with their card, and up to 6 additional guests traveling on the same reservation. Plus you'll enjoy priority boarding when you pay for your flight with your card , so you can get to your seat quicker.
• 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 purchases including rideshare. Earn unlimited 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned on card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America ® account.
• Flexibility with no blackout dates on Alaska Airlines flights when booking with miles or a companion fare.
• 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.

† Terms & Conditions  for Alaska Airlines Visa Signature ® Credit Card

Susan G. Komen ® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Help fight breast cancer and get a $200 online cash rewards bonus offer, show more show less susan g. komen ® customized cash rewards credit card.

• 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter) and 1% cash back on all other purchases Calculate rewards Cash Rewards
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards ® members earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means the 3% choice category could earn 3.75% - 5.25% and the 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs could earn 2.50% - 3.50% , for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter, and the 1% for all other purchases could earn 1.25% - 1.75% . Not enrolled? Learn more about Preferred Rewards

† Terms & Conditions  for Susan G. Komen ® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Free Spirit ® Travel More World Elite Mastercard ®

Online offer: 50,000 bonus points + a $100 companion flight voucher.

$0 introductory annual fee for the first year. After that it's just $79 †

Show More Show Less Free Spirit ® Travel More World Elite Mastercard ®

• Earn 3 points per $1 spent on eligible Spirit purchases, 2 points per $1 spent on eligible dining and grocery store purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Earn 50,000 bonus points plus a $100 Companion Flight Voucher after making at least $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening
• Receive a $100 Companion Flight Voucher each anniversary after making at least $5,000 in purchases within the prior anniversary year
• No limit to the points you can earn, no points expiration as long as your card account is open, and no redemption fees as a primary cardholder

† Terms & Conditions  for Free Spirit ® Travel More World Elite Mastercard ®

Allways Rewards Visa ®

Online offer: 25,000 bonus points.

Low $59 annual fee † and no foreign transaction fees †

Show More Show Less Allways Rewards Visa ® card

• Winner: Best Airline Credit Card , USA Today's 10Best Readers Choice Awards!
• Online Offer: Earn 25,000 Bonus Points – equal to $250 off a future Allegiant trip when you redeem points, after you make $1,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening
• 3 points per $1 on Allegiant purchases, 2 points per $1 on qualifying dining purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• No blackout dates, no destination restrictions and no minimum points redemption

† Terms & Conditions  for Allways Rewards Visa ® card

Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard ®

Online offer: 50,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases.

Low $89 annual fee † and no foreign transaction fees †

Show More Show Less Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard ®

• Online Offer: 50,000 Bonus Miles after you make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening
• 3 Miles per $1 spent directly on Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and SkyTeam member airlines purchases
• 1.5 Miles per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 60 XP upon approval to help advance to the next status for more generous perks

† Terms & Conditions  for Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard ®

Royal Caribbean Visa Signature ®

Online offer: 25,000 bonus points, show more show less royal caribbean visa signature ® credit card.

• Get 25,000 MyCruise ® bonus points after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening, worth $250 in onboard credit
• Earn 2 MyCruise points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases with Royal Caribbean® and our sister brand, Celebrity Cruises®
• Earn 1 MyCruise point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
• Redeem your points for onboard credit, stateroom upgrades and cruise vacations on Royal Caribbean ® and our sister brand, Celebrity Cruises ®

† Terms & Conditions  for Royal Caribbean Visa Signature ® Credit Card

Norwegian Cruise Line ® World Mastercard ®

Online offer: 20,000 bonus points, show more show less norwegian cruise line ® world mastercard ®.

• Online Offer: 20,000 bonus points after you make $1,000 or more in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. That's enough for a $200 onboard credit or $200 off your next Norwegian cruise .
• Earn 3 WorldPoints ® points per $1 spent on Norwegian purchases, 2 WorldPoints points per $1 spent on eligible air and hotel purchases and 1 WorldPoints point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Redeem points for hundreds of rewards like cash, gift cards, hotels stays, car rentals or Norwegian redemptions
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards ® members earn a 25% - 75% points bonus on every purchase, applied to the base earn of 1 point per $1. Not enrolled? Learn more about Preferred Rewards Travel Rewards

† Terms & Conditions  for Norwegian Cruise Line ® World Mastercard ®

Celebrity Cruises Visa Signature ®

Show more show less celebrity cruises visa signature ® credit card.

• Earn 2 MyCruise ® points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases with Celebrity Cruises ® and our sister brand, Royal Caribbean ®
• Redeem your points for onboard credit, stateroom upgrades and cruise vacations on Celebrity Cruises ® , and our sister brand, Royal Caribbean ®

† Terms & Conditions  for Celebrity Cruises Visa Signature ® Credit Card

Preferred Rewards makes your credit card even better

When you enroll in the Preferred Rewards program, you can get a 25% — 75% rewards bonus on all eligible Bank of America ® credit cards.

Plus, as a Preferred Rewards member, you enjoy real benefits and rewards on your everyday Bank of America ® banking and Merrill investment accounts. And as your qualifying balances grow, so do your benefits.

Learn more about Preferred Rewards

See if you’re pre-selected for card offers

Answer a few quick questions to see what offers are waiting for you.

It will only take a minute and won’t impact your credit score.

Check offers

Understanding credit is key to your financial health

Selecting a credit card.

Choosing a credit card can be overwhelming. We’ve compiled some important considerations to help you pick the best credit card for you.

Managing your credit card

Get the most out of your credit card. Find out how you can take advantage of all the opportunities that may be available to you as a cardholder.

Paying down your debt

By following a few simple steps, you can help ensure you’re headed in the right direction when it comes to managing your credit card debt.

Improving your credit

Better credit habits can lead to a better credit score. If you’re looking to improve your credit, check out some of our helpful tips.

Connect one on one with a credit card specialist

Unofficial Guide to Cash, Credit Cards, and ATMs for International Travel

How much money should I bring when I travel? Should I exchange currency before I go overseas? What’s the best way to carry cash when I’m abroad? What ATM cards or credit cards are best for international travel?

In this post, we’ve put together our best tips for money and travel .

Note: These tips are based on our own independent travel and research. Certain particulars will only apply to travelers from the States – though many of the concepts can apply more widely.

These are simply tips, not guarantees, as “your miles may vary.” Please do your own research and consult with a professional to determine what may be best for your individual needs.

Updated: February 2024. Originally published: 2017.

Tips for Foreign Currency

Get a No-Fee ATM card.

There are a couple different debit cards that eliminate ATM fees .

We have the Fidelity Cash Management ATM card which works at any ATM with a Visa, Plus, or Star logo. You do need a Fidelity Cash Management account to get the card.

With this no-fee card, we don’t have to worry how much an ATM charges for withdrawals (fees can be significant in some places!). Fidelity reimburses any ATM fee that we might get charged, so there’s no cost to us.

The only hassle we’ve found is that we have to wait a couple days when transferring money into the Fidelity account from another bank. Fortunately, we can make transfers online, so it just requires a little foresight whenever we might need to increase funds for withdrawal.

Use your no-fee ATM card to withdraw foreign currency upon arrival.

As soon as we land at the airport in a foreign country, we make a cash withdrawal at an ATM to get our foreign currency.

Airports pretty much always have ATMs – though the one you want may not be in the most convenient location. For example, in Cancun, the only ATM after you exit customs gives out US dollars only, so you have to go for a trek to find an ATM that gives Mexican pesos.

Check if your card company has an ATM locator so you can see where they’ll be in advance.

I can think of only two circumstances where I’d want to get foreign currency before a trip : – If you’ve done some research on your destination airport/border crossing and you have concerns about getting foreign currency from an ATM on the spot. – If you need a large amount immediately after arrival that exceeds the ATM daily withdrawal limit.

Use cash and credit cards with no foreign transaction fees to make purchases.

We only use our ATM card for withdrawing cash. For all other purchases in the country, we either use that cash or our travel credit cards.

You may find that other countries use credit cards a lot less than we do in the States. In certain regions, like Europe, they require credit cards to have an embedded chip.

Do a quick google search to learn how widely credit cards are used in the destination .

Our preference is strongly weighted to use our credit cards whenever possible because 1) we earn miles and 2) they have zero foreign transaction fees.

Out of the travel cards with no foreign transaction fees, we use whichever card will get us the most points .

Each card rewards different categories of spending. To keep track, we actually put a little strip of sticky note on each card to remind us how many points we get in different categories for that particular card.

If all things are equal, the card we use most is the Chase Sapphire Preferred – email us if you’d like our referral link.

Bring $100 US as back up

The actual amount of your back up really depends on your comfort level and your typical spending.

This US cash serves as an emergency stash in case everything goes wrong. If the ATMs aren’t working or your cards get stolen, it’s good to have some cash on hand that you can exchange if you really need to.

Remember to keep cash on your person when you travel – don’t put it in checked baggage.

Also try to keep it separate from your other payment methods so that if a wallet gets lost or stolen, you haven’t lost absolutely everything.

We put this tip in from experience because one time when we arrived in Vietnam, the cost of visas on arrival had gone up with our knowledge and the only ATM inside the building didn’t work with our card. (Fortunately, we found some friendly travelers willing to loan us money for our visa until we could access the ATM outside.)

Inform your card company before you travel

Whether its calling in or submitting a travel notice on your online account, it’s important to inform your card issuer of where you’ll be.

Both ATM and credit card companies monitor your account for fraudulent charges, and charges made in unfamiliar places can be one of those red flags. If you forget to do this, you may find your account frozen. 

Usually you’ll just need to call in and verify that the charge you made was indeed legitimate, but it can be a big pain if you’re in the middle of a necessary purchase.

(Some banks like Chase no longer use travel notices, but many do.)

Use apps on multiple currency trips

If you’re going to multiple countries with different currencies, it can get confusing to remember how much things cost. We’ve been using the Currency app to quickly translate costs to USD. 

Carry your money carefully

To keep our cash and cards safe, we travel with a diversion safe – this can be any hollow object that doesn’t look valuable. Ours looks like a shaving cream can and the bottom unscrews so we can put bills inside.

For day-to-day stuff, we’ve given up on the traditional money belt and instead use a Flipbelt and sneaky hidden pockets inside our clothes (see our reviews on these products here ).

It’s also a good idea to keep credit cards in an RFID sleeve that protects info from being scanned without your knowledge.

The other trick we use in case of theft is keeping money and cards in more than one place . That way, if a wallet gets stolen or a pocket gets picked, at least we still have back up somewhere else.

Have an exit strategy

As mentioned before, currency exchanges are not a good deal, so it pays (literally) to strategize a bit with your spending in your last few days abroad.

We try to estimate how much cash we’ll need for daily meals and to get ourselves back to the airport. That way we can plan to withdraw roughly the right amount and leave with our pockets as empty as possible.

We try especially hard to get rid of coins toward the end. Any left over coins after you leave are pretty worthless except as souvenirs.

Have more money & travel questions or suggestions? We’d love to hear from you and continue adding to this post for future readers.

You might also like: Our SafetyWing Travel Medical Insurance Review Personal Safety Tips for Travelers A Checklist for International Travel

Similar Posts

Inspiring and Useful Online Courses for Travelers – CreativeLive Review

Not too long ago, we discovered a really cool online course site called CreativeLive. While many of their video classes are geared toward creatives – photographers, crafters, entrepreneurs – we wanted to share several of the best ones that would especially interest intentional travelers. How CreativeLive Works CreativeLive brings in experts to record live, video workshops and…

Free Self Guided Walking Tour of Florence Italy: One or Two Day Itinerary

If you’re visiting Florence, Italy for just one or two days – or you want to get to know the main attractions of the city quickly – this free self guided walking tour of Florence is perfect for seeing Firenze by foot. You’ll find two versions of our suggested Florence walking tour itinerary in this…

Best things about Georgetown Penang (Plus street art + street food map)

George Town, Penang, Malaysia was recommended to us by fellow nomads. Now that we’ve been, we think Georgetown is the best place to visit in Southeast Asia for first time backpackers, couples, and new nomads. In this post we’ll share: – 6 Reasons why George Town is where to go in Southeast Asia for the…

Best Travel Water Bottles for 2024

Finding the best water bottle for traveling is essential for staying healthy and hydrated on the road while reducing single-use plastic bottles that are bad for the environment. Now more than ever, you should be using a travel water bottle with a covered spout. Why do travel water bottles matter in 2024? With an infectious…

Simple Rules for Intentional Travel

  Guest author, Ingrid, with a family in Northeastern India. Conversation on a street corner evolved into a home cooked meal and meeting the entire family. While exploring Asia for the first time this past spring, I couldn’t help but categorize locals into two distinct groups: people who seemed happy and interested in me (the…

5 Hidden Gems of Yangon, Myanmar

In South East Asia, Myanmar is one of those places that many people want to see because it is still a fairly new destination on the tourist circuit, given the recent change in government circumstances. While guidebooks and travel blogs are improving by leaps and bounds, these are a few diamonds in the rough that…

One Comment

These are good tips. I have a trip out of the US in a few days, and I will keep this article in mind.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Traveling with Cash? Readers Answer Common Questions

Anti-theft Products , LUGGAGE , Travel Accessories

Support TFG by using the links in our articles to shop. We receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) so we can continue to create helpful free content. We earn from qualifying purchases made to the featured retailers. Thank you, we appreciate your support!

Are you unsure about how much money to carry when traveling?  We have got you covered, with answers to all of your questions about traveling with cash from our readers. You’ll also learn how to keep your cash and cards safe so you can enjoy your vacation!

Traveling with Cash

Table of contents.

Travel Fashion Girl help! A reader asks:

I’m traveling from the U.S. to London, and my fiancé and I are a little lost on what is best for carrying money. He wants to carry a couple thousand dollars to London and exchange when we get there. I, on the other hand, would rather carry a smaller amount, and then take out money from an ATM when we arrive in London. However, I know there are a lot of transaction and ATM fees that come with this option. Please advise on what would be best!

Any time you travel, you have a lot to plan for and think about. What to do about money during travel — such as when and where to take it out — can be confusing. It’s important to keep your cash safe without sacrificing convenience or costing too much in fees. We answer these questions about traveling with cash for you:

RFID Blocking Leather Wallet

Should I Take Out Money at My Bank Before I Travel?

Particularly if you’re traveling to a remote destination, you want to have at least some cash on hand. This is useful and handy in case your ATM or credit card isn’t working or you can only use cash.

For example, say an ATM machine is down at the airport, and you need to take a cab from the airport to your hotel. Having cash on hand will hold you over until you can use your card.

What’s the Best Way to Carry Money While Traveling?

Keeping your money safe is more of a precautionary measure than something you should be paranoid about. In almost nine years of full-time travel, I have only had something stolen once, and it was my fault because I left $500 in cash on the unlocked exterior pocket of my backpack. While most travelers enjoy their adventures without trouble, it’s still good to follow a few tips to  keep your money safe while traveling .

When carrying cash on you, don’t carry it in a pocket or in an open bag. I recommend using an anti-theft device. I’ve tried a lot over the years, and I’ve found two main anti-theft devices I like to use to protect my items.

The best way to carry cash when traveling is to use a money belt for cash and a bra stash to store credit cards and additional cash if needed. One reader says, “I wear a bra stash pocket with my ID and two credits cards, as well as extra local cash for emergencies. It makes me feel better and safer!”

Another reader says, “I wear a money belt on my butt across my hips and under my underwear. It sounds bulky, but it’s a lot cooler in the summer months!”

Read how to wear a money belt with a dress!

How Much Cash Should I Carry When I Travel?

While you want to take some cash with you to your destination, we and our readers recommend not taking too much.

One reader says, “I made the terrible mistake of listening to my boyfriend, against my better judgment, and someone stole $4,000 I had in cash.”

Another shares, “You don’t need to take that much cash unless you are going to really remote areas. I used credit cards everywhere we went. I usually take $500 to $700 max.”

If you’re headed to a popular destination, like a big European city, you may only need $100 or $200. However, you might want to take more cash if you’re headed to a rural or remote location.

During your travel, you should only carry enough cash in your wallet each day to cover that day’s expenses. Keep extra cash and credit cards in a secret money belt or bra stash.

Watch this video with anti-theft travel tips!

Should I Use Cash or Card When Traveling?

Most travelers like to have a mix of both, and there are benefits to both. There are plenty of credit and debit cards that either don’t charge international fees or charge minimal fees. One of the best is Charles Schwab, which doesn’t have any foreign transaction fees or ATM fees, no matter where you are in the world. With this debit card, you can get foreign currency at an airport ATM upon arrival! One reader says, “I have a Charles Schwab account, which lets me take local currency out of ATMs around the world and refunds any potential fees. It is the very best option for frequent travelers, and I recommend it to everyone.” Another reader adds, “Get a Charles Schwab account for travel only, and they will not charge ATM fees. Then use the ATM as you need to to get cash out.” Most destinations in Europe accept and prefer credit cards, too. If you don’t have a card like the Schwab one, you also likely will want to bring your ATM card so you can take out cash. Not all shops or restaurants will accept cards.

Read about how to avoid theft while traveling !

How Do I Get Money at My Destination?

There are a number of places where you can visit an ATM or bank to take out or exchange money . Exchange rates are typically best at your destination. Research ahead of time to see which ATMs are available at your destination airport and what their fees are.

ATMs at airports usually don’t have great exchange rates. Airport currency exchange booths are particularly notorious for offering bad exchange rates and are definitely not the best place to exchange foreign currency.

If you must use one of these, only exchange or take out a small amount of money. Then, use a bank or ATM at your earliest convenience. Once you’ve settled into your hotel, look for a nearby ATM machine or bank where you can withdraw the remainder of the money you need, and store it safely in your accommodation.

You also can contact your bank before your trip to ask for recommendations. They also can suggest banks and types of ATM machines that offer the best rates.

Traveling to a top destination like Paris or London? Check out my packing e-books !

How Do I Keep My Money Safe While Traveling?

The best way to travel with money and keep your cash safe is with anti-theft travel accessories . As mentioned above, we and our readers are fans of using money belts and bra stashes. Here are our favorites.

Compass Rose RFID Secret Bra Wallet

Best Bra Stash

Secret bra stashes have completely changed my travel safety strategy. I created my own version, the Compass Rose Secret Bra Wallet , to be soft and comfortable enough to wear even in the heat and humidity of Rome in the summer. This is the ONLY bra stash made with an extra long strap to fit DD+cup sizes and a range of bra band widths. PLUS, it’s also the only bra stash with RFID protection.

Fasten it to your bra strap, on your bra band under your arm or in between your bra cups, or attach it to your belt loop tucked into your pants. You can even attach it to some underwear styles, too. Tuck it in underneath your bra for extra security — that’s how I wear mine.

Follow these steps if you are pickpocketed when traveling abroad !

Venture 4th Travel Money Belt

Best Money Belt

While there are a variety of brands offering security accessories, our readers love the Ventu r e 4th money belt. It’s made with RFID protection and water-resistant ripstop nylon. It also offers a variety of neutral colors to blend in seamlessly underneath clothing instead of brights that can show through your tops.

Make sure you don’t wear the money belt outside of your clothing. It’s not a fanny pack, and it advertises to thieves exactly where to find your cash. Travel money belts are meant to be worn hidden under your clothing.

Here’s our list on the best money belts and anti-theft travel accessories!

Travelon Luggage Anti-Theft Cross-Body Bag

Best Anti-Theft Bag

It’s also best to travel with an anti-theft bag, which you can use to carry your other belongings. These anti-theft travel bags are specialized travel purses that have safety features like lockable zippers, slash-proof materials, and sturdy straps to prevent thieves from breaking in. We and our readers rave about Travelon for offering some of the best theft-proof bags.

While Travelon has a number of styles, we love the brand’s anti-theft cross body with two pockets. It has a slim design featuring slash-proof fabric, an adjustable, cut-proof shoulder strap, and zippers with a latch for extra security. It also comes with RFID blocking card slots.

You can also try one of the top  anti-theft travel bags !

Travelambo Rfid Blocking Passport Holder Wallet

Best Travel Wallet

It’s important to note that anti-theft products don’t replace your need to use a wallet. Keep enough money for the day in your wallet and use an anti-theft product such as a money belt or bra stash to store EXTRA cash and cards only .

We love this wallet because it offers RFID protection and has so many slots for easy organization. It’s slim but longer, so it can double as a clutch for a fancy evening out.

Find out how to wear a neck wallet while traveling!

What are your tips for traveling with cash? Share your comments below!

For more anti-theft travel tips, please read:

• Best Money Belts and Anti-theft Travel Accessories
• The Best Anti-theft Travel Bags for Women
• Best Passport Holder Will Protect Most Valuable Item
• How To Keep Your Passport Safe While Traveling

LIKED THIS POST? PIN THIS PIC TO SAVE IT!

I hope you enjoyed this post on traveling with cash. Please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Thank you so much for all of the great suggestions. Your link to the Travelambo RFID is no longer valid, so you might want to reattach it.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Auto Insurance Best Car Insurance Cheapest Car Insurance Compare Car Insurance Quotes Best Car Insurance For Young Drivers Best Auto & Home Bundles Cheapest Cars To Insure
• Home Insurance Best Home Insurance Best Renters Insurance Cheapest Homeowners Insurance Types Of Homeowners Insurance
• Life Insurance Best Life Insurance Best Term Life Insurance Best Senior Life Insurance Best Whole Life Insurance Best No Exam Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance Best Pet Insurance Cheap Pet Insurance Pet Insurance Costs Compare Pet Insurance Quotes
• Travel Insurance Best Travel Insurance Cancel For Any Reason Travel Insurance Best Cruise Travel Insurance Best Senior Travel Insurance
• Health Insurance Best Health Insurance Plans Best Affordable Health Insurance Best Dental Insurance Best Vision Insurance Best Disability Insurance
• Credit Cards Best Credit Cards 2024 Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Best Rewards Credit Cards Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards Best 0% APR Credit Cards Best Business Credit Cards Best Credit Cards for Startups Best Credit Cards For Bad Credit Best Cards for Students without Credit
• Credit Card Reviews Chase Sapphire Preferred Wells Fargo Active Cash® Chase Sapphire Reserve Citi Double Cash Citi Diamond Preferred Chase Ink Business Unlimited American Express Blue Business Plus
• Credit Card by Issuer Best Chase Credit Cards Best American Express Credit Cards Best Bank of America Credit Cards Best Visa Credit Cards
• Credit Score Best Credit Monitoring Services Best Identity Theft Protection
• CDs Best CD Rates Best No Penalty CDs Best Jumbo CD Rates Best 3 Month CD Rates Best 6 Month CD Rates Best 9 Month CD Rates Best 1 Year CD Rates Best 2 Year CD Rates Best 5 Year CD Rates
• Checking Best High-Yield Checking Accounts Best Checking Accounts Best No Fee Checking Accounts Best Teen Checking Accounts Best Student Checking Accounts Best Joint Checking Accounts Best Business Checking Accounts Best Free Checking Accounts
• Savings Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Best Free No-Fee Savings Accounts Simple Savings Calculator Monthly Budget Calculator: 50/30/20
• Mortgages Best Mortgage Lenders Best Online Mortgage Lenders Current Mortgage Rates Best HELOC Rates Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders Best Home Equity Loan Lenders Best VA Mortgage Lenders Mortgage Refinance Rates Mortgage Interest Rate Forecast
• Personal Loans Best Personal Loans Best Debt Consolidation Loans Best Emergency Loans Best Home Improvement Loans Best Bad Credit Loans Best Installment Loans For Bad Credit Best Personal Loans For Fair Credit Best Low Interest Personal Loans
• Student Loans Best Student Loans Best Student Loan Refinance Best Student Loans for Bad or No Credit Best Low-Interest Student Loans
• Business Loans Best Business Loans Best Business Lines of Credit Apply For A Business Loan Business Loan vs. Business Line Of Credit What Is An SBA Loan?
• Investing Best Online Brokers Top 10 Cryptocurrencies Best Low-Risk Investments Best Cheap Stocks To Buy Now Best S&P 500 Index Funds Best Stocks For Beginners How To Make Money From Investing In Stocks
• Retirement Best Gold IRAs Best Investments for a Roth IRA Best Bitcoin IRAs Protecting Your 401(k) In a Recession Types of IRAs Roth vs Traditional IRA How To Open A Roth IRA
• Business Formation Best LLC Services Best Registered Agent Services How To Start An LLC How To Start A Business
• Web Design & Hosting Best Website Builders Best E-commerce Platforms Best Domain Registrar
• HR & Payroll Best Payroll Software Best HR Software Best HRIS Systems Best Recruiting Software Best Applicant Tracking Systems
• Payment Processing Best Credit Card Processing Companies Best POS Systems Best Merchant Services Best Credit Card Readers How To Accept Credit Cards
• More Business Solutions Best VPNs Best VoIP Services Best Project Management Software Best CRM Software Best Accounting Software
• Manage Topics
• Investigations
• Visual Explainers
• Newsletters
• Abortion news
• Coronavirus
• Climate Change
• Vertical Storytelling
• Corrections Policy
• College Football
• High School Sports
• H.S. Sports Awards
• Sports Betting
• College Basketball (M)
• College Basketball (W)
• For The Win
• Sports Pulse
• Weekly Pulse
• Buy Tickets
• Sports Seriously
• Sports+ States
• Celebrities
• Entertainment This!
• Celebrity Deaths
• American Influencer Awards
• Women of the Century
• Problem Solved
• Personal Finance
• Small Business
• Consumer Recalls
• Video Games
• Product Reviews
• Destinations
• Airline News
• Experience America
• Today's Debate
• Suzette Hackney
• Policing the USA
• Meet the Editorial Board
• How to Submit Content
• Hidden Common Ground
• Race in America

Personal Loans

Best Personal Loans

Auto Insurance

Best Auto Insurance

Best High-Yields Savings Accounts

CREDIT CARDS

Best Credit Cards

Advertiser Disclosure

Blueprint is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service focused on helping readers make smarter decisions. We receive compensation from the companies that advertise on Blueprint which may impact how and where products appear on this site. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Blueprint. Blueprint does not include all companies, products or offers that may be available to you within the market. A list of selected affiliate partners is available here .

Credit Cards

Why I got the Citi Custom Cash Card this year instead of another travel rewards card

Kevin Payne

Julie Sherrier

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

Robin Saks Frankel

Published 6:27 a.m. UTC March 27, 2024

• path]:fill-[#49619B]" alt="Facebook" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
• path]:fill-[#202020]" alt="Email" width="19" height="14" viewBox="0 0 19 14" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">

Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy .

megaflopp, Getty Images

Citi is a Blueprint partner. 

I love travel rewards . They have played a pivotal role in our family’s travel plans for over a decade. We’ve redeemed countless points and miles for flights, hotel stays, vacation rentals, Disney World tickets and other travel experiences. 

As a credit card writer, I’ve covered a wide range of cards over the years. While I’ve reviewed and written about dozens of cash-back cards, it wasn’t until this year that I added one to my wallet. I was recently approved for the Citi Custom Cash® Card . Although it’s not the flashiest card, it’s been a godsend this year. 

Here’s why I opted for Citi Custom Cash instead of another travel rewards card. 

our partner

Blueprint receives compensation from our partners for featured offers, which impacts how and where the placement is displayed.

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

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.

Editor’s Take

• No annual fees.
• Easy-to-redeem cash-back rewards.
• Introductory APR period.
• Charges foreign transaction fees.
• There’s a balance transfer fee.
• Limited cash-back reward categories.

Card Details

• Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou ®  Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
• No Annual Fee
• Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.

It comes with an attractive intro APR offer 

The primary reason I decided to get the Citi Custom Cash Card was its intro APR offer. It comes with a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and from the date of the first transfer for balance transfers within the first four months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. There is a balance transfer fee of 5% of each balance transfer with a $5 minimum.

I had no interest in doing a balance transfer and, normally, an intro 0% interest rate wouldn’t matter because I pay my balances on time and in full each month. However, I knew our family had several large financial obligations coming up. Having the option to finance those purchases for up to 15 months without incurring interest charges provided additional flexibility if we needed it. 

Have your eye on a Citi card with a balance transfer offer? Here’s how to do a balance transfer with Citi .

It earns elevated cash-back rewards across a range of eligible categories

While plenty of cash-back cards feature intro APR offers, what drew me to the Citi Custom Cash was its unique bonus rewards structure. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent each month and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

These are the 10 eligible spending categories where you can earn 5% cash back, up to the $500 monthly billing cycle maximum:

• Restaurants.
• Gas stations.
• Grocery stores.
• Select travel.
• Select transit.
• Select streaming services.
• Drugstores.
• Home improvement stores.
• Fitness clubs.
• Live entertainment.

Our monthly budget almost always includes several of these categories, so it’s easy for us to max out our rewards potential every billing cycle. The best part is that I don’t have to activate or opt into these categories or track my rewards. Citi automatically assigns the bonus cash back designation to my top eligible spend category each month. 

It features an easily attainable bonus offer 

Earning welcome bonuses is one of the simplest ways to earn a ton of rewards quickly. Typically, you have to meet a specific spending requirement within a certain time period to earn that bonus. With the Citi Custom Cash Card, you’ll earn $200 cash back, in the form of 20,000 ThankYou points, after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. 

While that’s not the lowest spending requirement I’ve seen to earn a bonus, I hit the mark in the first month without straying from our typical monthly spending. That’s a nice chunk of cash back in my pocket for purchases our family was going to make anyway.

It has no annual fee

There’s nothing wrong with paying an annual fee, especially if you get enough value from a card’s rewards and benefits to offset the cost. But it’s also nice to have in your wallet a valuable credit card that doesn’t charge an annual fee . 

The Citi Custom Cash doesn’t offer many extra benefits, so it’s hard to say if I would value it as much if it included a yearly fee. 

How I am using Citi Custom Cash as part of my overall credit rewards strategy

So far, I’ve only redeemed rewards earned from Citi Custom Cash as statement credits, but it offers other redemption options, such as cash back via direct deposit or check, gift cards, travel and Shop with Points at Amazon.com. 

Cash back rewards come in the form of ThankYou® points . And, because I already have the Citi Premier® Card * The information for the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , Citi lets me pool my points together and take advantage of another valuable redemption option—point transfers to Citi’s hotel and airline transfer partners.

Wondering how to use your Citi ThankYou points for travel? Read our complete guide to the ThankYou travel portal .

The Citi Custom Cash offers few additional card benefits beyond its rewards and intro APR offer. But because I have multiple rewards credit cards, I can already access a full suite of perks, like travel and consumer protections, annual credits, partner perks and elite status upgrades. I don’t need those types of benefits from my new cash-back card. 

It’s not a perfect card by any means. The bonus cash back is capped at the first $500 in your top eligible spending category each billing cycle. So far, we’ve maxed out our bonus cash back potential every cycle. The base cash-back rate on all other purchases is low, so I use the Citi Custom Cash for spending in a specific category and rely on other cards with higher rewards rates when spending in other categories. 

The Citi Custom Cash does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee, but since I have several other rewards cards that don’t charge a fee for international purchases, it’s not a dealbreaker.

Final verdict

Cash-back rewards like those earned with the Citi Custom Cash don’t get much love from travel rewards enthusiasts because they’re perceived to offer less value. But regardless of point valuations and the perceived “best” way to earn and redeem rewards, value is in the eye of the beholder. 

Often, it’s better to survey your current circumstances to see if there might be a credit card that fits your needs better than those generally regarded as the best rewards cards. By adding the Citi Custom Cash to my wallet, I have a more diverse card selection to choose from without having to pay another annual fee. 

Read more: How to choose the right credit card for you .

*The information for the Citi Premier® Card 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.

Kevin Payne is a personal finance and travel writer who covers credit cards, banking, and other personal finance topics. In addition to Forbes, his work has been featured by Bankrate, Fox Business, Slick Deals, and more. He is the budgeting and family travel enthusiast behind Family Money Adventure. Kevin lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife and four kids.

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.

You might be a small business owner and not even know it

Credit Cards Jason Steele

Chase Freedom Flex benefits guide 2024

Credit Cards Julie Sherrier

6 ways to maximize the Citi Double Cash Card

Credit Cards Ben Luthi

How to use the Citi trifecta to maximize your rewards

Credit Cards Ryan Smith

Hilton Honors American Express business card unveils new profile, plumps up annual fee

Credit Cards Carissa Rawson

Why my Citi Double Cash Card keeps getting better

Credit Cards Lee Huffman

Is the Citi Premier worth the annual fee?

Credit Cards Juan Ruiz

6 little known perks of the Citi Custom Cash Card

Credit Cards Harrison Pierce

Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Worth it?

Credit Cards Tamara Aydinyan

Breeze Airways releases new Breeze Easy credit card with lofty rewards, up to 10 points per $1

Credit Cards Stella Shon

6 little-known perks of the Citi Diamond Preferred Card

Guide to Wells Fargo Rewards: How to earn and redeem points for travel and other uses

Best ways to use Citi ThankYou points

Credit Cards Michael Dempster

Why the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select is the best card for earning elite status

Top credit card combinations to maximize your rewards

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

10 Smart Ways to Carry Money While Traveling

Christine Sarkis

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis .

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times , Conde Nast Traveler , and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008 . She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : The Trtl Pillow . It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto : Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : Aisle all the way.

Email Christine Sarkis at [email protected] .

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Carrying money on vacation is a balancing act between safety and utility. Making money difficult to access deters thieves, but when it comes time to pay for something, you still want to be able to get to it without stripping off clothes or playing hide-and-seek with a bag’s hidden pockets. With that in mind, here are 10 tips that will help you carry money safely and elegantly while traveling.

Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them.

Divide Money

Even if you disregard all other advice about carrying money, take this tip to heart: Whenever possible, divvy up your travel cash and even credit cards into multiple safe spots. If you have all your money in one place, it only takes one incident for a thief to totally wipe you out.

When possible, leave all the cards and cash you won’t need immediately in a secure location in your hotel or vacation rental. And when you’re out and about, keep some of your money attached to your person (see below for ideas about how to wear money securely), and some in a bag you carry. If you’re smart about how you distribute your funds, you’ll still have enough money to get to a police station or back to your hotel in the event your bag gets lost or snatched.

The Best Credit Cards for Travelers

Favor On-Body Storage

Under-clothing storage accessories have come a long way since neck pouches and money belts came onto the scene. Though those classics are still effective, newer options include bra stashes , as well as long johns , underwear , and undershirts with built-in pockets for safe storage. On-body storage accessories are particularly useful if you’re sleeping somewhere that doesn’t have a secure place for cash and other valuables.

Note that on-body storage isn’t a good wallet alternative, since fishing around under your clothes for money advertises where you’re hiding the goods.

Keep Small Bills Handy

Changing or withdrawing large amounts of money minimizes the fees you’ll pay to get local currency, but it also means you’ll be traveling with far more cash—and larger bills—than you’d likely have on you at home. In addition to dividing your money, it’s also wise to make smaller denominations of currency easily accessible. That way, you won’t pull out the local equivalent of a $100 bill while attempting to buy a 30-cent souvenir. You also won’t have to reach down into your jeans to get more money from an under-clothing money pouch.

Make money preparation part of your morning routine: As you’re packing your bag, make sure you’ve got a variety of small bills and coins at the ready for purchases such as food, souvenirs, and attraction entry fees. Squirrel away larger bills in your under-clothing money pouch , or tuck them into a secure part of your wallet or bag.

3 Incredible Money-Saving Tips from a Flight Attendant

Carry an Anti-Theft Bag

If garbage-bag commercials have taught us anything, it’s that some bags are tougher than others. The same goes for travel purses , backpacks , and bags —some, designed specifically for travel, have features such as cut-proof, steel-cable-reinforced shoulder straps; slash-proof fabric; and locking zippers.

Since elements like these slow down thieves, anti-theft bags can do a decent job deterring opportunistic pickpockets. Anti-theft bags are available online from Arden Cove , Pacsafe , Travelon , and other retailers. Consider your purchase an investment that might save you some money.

Trim Your Wallet

Are you going to need your library card when you’re 6,000 miles from your local branch? Probably not. Before you leave, take the time to go through your wallet and take out everything except the necessities (a primary credit card and a backup, an identification card, an insurance card, etc.). Not only will it help you travel lighter, but if your wallet does get lost or stolen, you’ll have fewer items to replace.

How to Save Money on Gas: 8 Easy Tricks

Use a Dummy Wallet

If you’re traveling in a place known for pickpockets or muggings, consider getting a cheap wallet that looks real enough to use as a decoy that you can keep in your pocket or bag. Pad the wallet with some small bills and make it look more real by slipping in one or two of those sample credit cards you get with offers in the mail. A dummy wallet can stop pickpockets before they get to your real wallet.

Buy a Travel Wallet

In addition to a dummy wallet, you might also consider a wallet that you reserve specifically for travel. There’s one simple reason for this: If you’re the type of person whose day-to-day wallet is packed with cards—gym memberships, prepaid coffee cards, frequent-buyer punch cards, and the like—the card pockets are likely to be stretched out and won’t be able to securely hold just an item or two. By keeping a travel-only wallet at the ready, your cards will have snug pockets that they can’t slip out of accidentally.

As an added bonus, you won’t have to unpack and repack your day-to-day wallet; you can simply transfer what you need for your trip to your travel version.

Is It Better to Pay in Local Currency or USD When Given the Option Abroad?

Adapt to the Local Money Culture

Being prepared to pay your way on vacation means different things depending on where you are. In a cash economy, you’ll need to make sure to have a variety of bills and coins on hand at all times, but your credit cards will likely just collect dust.

However, in much of Europe and parts of Asia, where automation is common and chip-and-PIN credit card technology is standard, having a compatible credit card will come in very handy, especially if you find yourself at an unattended gas station late at night or a train station after hours. Also keep in mind that in some countries, U.S. dollars are an official or unofficial secondary currency, so it’s wise to keep a few greenbacks at the ready.

Use Money Alternatives

In high-traffic settings such as metro stations and close quarters like bus lines, it’s nice to be able to forgo cash or credit card transactions and rely instead on a multi-use ticket or other cash alternative. If you’re in a city where the public transportation system offers multi-use cards (for instance, London’s Oyster card or San Francisco’s Clipper card) or where you can buy a bunch of tickets at once for a discounted price, then take advantage. You’ll reduce your chances of losing your wallet simply by retrieving and stowing it fewer times.

Where to Get the Best Exchange Rate When You Need a Foreign Currency

Stow Valuables Securely

Sometimes the best way to carry money is not to carry it at all . Hotels’ in-room safes are generally pretty secure, and if you’ve got an item (or a wad of cash) you’re particularly nervous about, check to see if the hotel has a safe-deposit box behind the desk. If you do use a hotel lockbox of any sort, remember to retrieve your items when you leave. In the rush to pack up and depart, out of sight can easily mean out of mind—until you’re on your way to the airport. If you’re a forgetful type, leave a colorful note on top of your suitcase .

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2016. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Madrid to Malaga: 8-Nt Southern Spain...

Luxe, 12-Night Spain, France, Monaco &...

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati

Trending on SmarterTravel

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Frugal Traveler

Credit Card Swipe Fees Are Going Down. Are Points Going With Them?

A new agreement by Visa and Mastercard to reduce fees charged to merchants may drain the lucrative rewards that grant free travel to many credit card users.

By Elaine Glusac

Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist, focusing on budget-friendly tips and journeys.

On Tuesday, the largest credit card companies in the United States reached an agreement with merchants to reduce the so-called swipe fees retailers pay for accepting credit card payments, potentially saving the retailers $30 billion.

These fees also help fund the credit card rewards programs that many travelers redeem for things like free flights and hotel stays, leading points hawks to wonder: Are loyalty programs at risk?

Here’s what we know so far about the changes.

What are the terms of the deal?

Last year, credit card payments generated an estimated $72 billion in fees paid by merchants, which are generally passed along to customers in the form of higher prices. For nearly 20 years, merchants have been seeking reductions in the fees they pay Visa and Mastercard for handling transactions where the cards are used.

The proposed settlement , awaiting approval in a federal court, reduces and caps those fees for five years. It would also allow merchants to potentially charge consumers more based on the card they pay with. For example, a person paying with a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which costs $550 a year, could be charged more than someone paying with the more basic Chase Sapphire Preferred card, with an annual fee of $95.

Why does it matter?

The majority of the fees collected go back to the banks that issue the credit cards. Those banks have used the funds to push premium credit cards that offer loyalty points, which can be redeemed for free travel and other perks. The cards with the biggest benefits tend to be those that charge higher swipe fees.

While the reduction in the fees collected sounds small — averaging at least .07 percent — they represent an estimated $30 billion over the five-year term of the deal, which banks could try to make up by reducing points perks.

“It’s reasonable to think that,” said Brian Kelly, the founder of the Points Guy , a news site devoted to maximizing credit card points.

While he speculated that banks will be able to “find other ways to make up the difference,” he acknowledged that a points squeeze could emerge.

“Opportunities to earn probably aren’t going to flourish,” he said.

The idea that merchants could charge more to the holders of premium, perks-rich cards, which are expensive, might also deter consumers from using them. Some experts question the viability of the practice given the potential for consumer backlash.

Is the new agreement related to the Credit Card Competition Act?

The legal actions that led to the new credit card agreement date back to 2005. But the newer Credit Card Competition Act , proposed in 2023, aims to introduce more competition in the credit card payment system. By creating a cheaper alternative pipeline for processing payments, the proposed legislation is seen as a greater threat to rewards programs.

Responding to the just-announced agreement between the credit card companies and retailers, Senator Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, and the lead sponsor of the Credit Card Competition Act, released a statement urging the act’s passage.

“I fear that this deal only provides temporary concessions negotiated by a few lawyers behind closed doors,” he said in the statement.

Other experts said the agreement may ease the pressure on Congress to pass the act.

“I think it’s a way for Visa and Mastercard to show that they are making a good-faith effort to help out merchants by lowering the fees they’ve been complaining about for 20 years, and hopefully enough to let senators know they’re doing their part,” said Chris Hassan, the social media and brand manager for Upgraded Points , a website that tracks credit card benefits.

Separately, the proposed merger between Capital One and Discover, which is pending federal approval, could introduce more competition among credit cards and potentially improve rewards for holders of those cards.

What should I do now?

The points and payments systems won’t change until the agreement is approved, which is expected in late 2024 or early 2025, according to a news release from Mastercard.

But the topic should remind travelers of the reality of playing with points: The rules always change. Values tend to fall as redemption levels rise, which companies issuing these currencies are free to adjust at will.

If you have points, spend them, say experts like Sara Rathner, a travel and credit card specialist at the financial website NerdWallet . “They’re not a trophy to dust and admire.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

R&K Insider

Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel, what they eat, where they stay. Free to sign up.

A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.

• Credit Cards
• All Credit Cards
• Find the Credit Card for You
• Best Credit Cards
• Best Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best 0% APR Credit Cards
• Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
• Best Credit Cards to Build Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
• Find the Best Personal Loan for You
• Best Personal Loans
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans
• Best Loans to Refinance Credit Card Debt
• Best Loans with Fast Funding
• Best Small Personal Loans
• Best Large Personal Loans
• Best Personal Loans to Apply Online
• Best Student Loan Refinance
• Best Car Loans
• All Banking
• Find the Savings Account for You
• Best High Yield Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Checking Accounts
• Best No Fee Checking Accounts
• No Overdraft Fee Checking Accounts
• Best Checking Account Bonuses
• Best Money Market Accounts
• Best Credit Unions
• All Mortgages
• Best Mortgages
• Best Mortgages for Small Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for No Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for Average Credit Score
• Best Mortgages No Origination Fee
• Adjustable Rate Mortgages
• Affording a Mortgage
• All Insurance
• Best Life Insurance
• Best Life Insurance for Seniors
• Best Homeowners Insurance
• Best Renters Insurance
• Best Car Insurance
• Best Pet Insurance
• Best Boat Insurance
• Best Motorcycle Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Event Ticket Insurance
• Small Business
• All Small Business
• Best Small Business Savings Accounts
• Best Small Business Checking Accounts
• Best Credit Cards for Small Business
• Best Small Business Loans
• Best Tax Software for Small Business
• Personal Finance
• All Personal Finance
• Best Budgeting Apps
• Best Expense Tracker Apps
• Best Money Transfer Apps
• Best Resale Apps and Sites
• Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Apps
• Best Debt Relief
• Credit Monitoring
• All Credit Monitoring
• Best Credit Monitoring Services
• Best Identity Theft Protection
• How to Boost Your Credit Score
• Best Credit Repair Companies
• Filing For Free
• Best Tax Software
• Best Tax Software for Small Businesses
• Tax Refunds
• Tax Brackets
• Taxes By State
• Tax Payment Plans
• Help for Low Credit Scores
• All Help for Low Credit Scores
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
• Personal Loans if You Don't Have Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Building Credit
• Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score Lower
• Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower
• Best Mortgages for Bad Credit
• Best Hardship Loans
• All Investing
• Best IRA Accounts
• Best Roth IRA Accounts
• Best Investing Apps
• Best Free Stock Trading Platforms
• Best Robo-Advisors
• Index Funds
• Mutual Funds
• Home & Kitchen
• Gift Guides
• Deals & Sales
• Best of Wellness Awards 2024
• Sign up for the CNBC Select Newsletter
• Subscribe to CNBC PRO
• Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Terms Of Service
• CNBC Sitemap

Follow Select

Our top picks of timely offers from our partners

Find the best credit card for you

Robinhood gold card announced — earn 3% cash back everywhere, this card isn't open to applications yet, but you can get on the waitlist..

The investing app Robinhood is making headlines with the announcement of the Robinhood Gold Card . This credit card features a minimum of 3% cash back on all purchases and there's even a limited-edition 10-karat gold version. When compared to other cards, that rewards rate is typically capped after a certain amount of spending or to a specific category of purchases (i.e. gas or dining), but with this card you'll be able to earn 3% cash back on all purchases — with no limit on the amount you can earn.

It's not open for applications yet, but you can add yourself to the waitlist . While it's technically a no-annual-fee card , it's only open to Robinhood Gold members, which costs $5/mo or $50 a year.

Below, CNBC Select has the details on what you need to know about the card's features and benefits.

Robinhood Gold Card

5% cash back on travel purchased through the Robin travel portal; 3% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Requires a Gold membership which costs $5 a month or $50 a year

Regular APR

20.24% - 29.99% variable

Balance transfer fee

Foreign transaction fees.

Terms apply.

• High cash-back rate on everyday purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• Robinhood Gold subscription required

Robinhood Gold Card benefits

On top of the 3% cash back everywhere, cardholders also receive 5% cash back on travel purchases made through the Robinhood travel portal. Other benefits include:

• Trip interruption protection
• Travel and emergency assistance
• Roadside Dispatch
• Visa Signature Concierge
• Rental car collision damage waiver
• Purchase security
• Return protection
• Extended warranty protection

If you're on the Robinhood Gold Card waitlist and refer 10 people to both sign up for a Robinhood Gold subscription and join the Gold Card's waitlist too, you are eligible to receive a 10-karat gold version of this card. Learn more at Robinhood .

Compare investing resources

Robinhood gold membership benefits.

Robinhood offers a 1.5% APY on uninvested cash sitting in your brokerage account , but once you upgrade to a paid Gold membership you'll receive a 5% APY on those balances. Gold members also receive a 3% match on eligible contributions to a Robinhood IRA . If you can take advantage of these perks, the Gold subscription fee may be worth it, and the benefits you receive from a Robinhood Gold Card are icing on the cake.

Robinhood Retirement

Minimum deposit and balance.

There is a $20 minimum to invest in the portfolio Robinhood recommends to you

Robinhood doesn't charge any management fees or commission fees for the IRA account. However, an IRA Match Early Withdrawal Fee may apply in some circumstances

The Robinhood IRA offers a 1% match on eligible contributions up to IRA contribution limits. Limitations apply.*

Investment vehicles

Traditional IRA and Roth IRA

Investment options

Stocks and ETFs (users can invest in Robinhood's selection of 5–8 recommended ETFs, pick their own, or do a combination of both). According to the website, eligible users will soon be able to trade options in their IRA

Educational resources

Robinhood offers education materials on their website

Terms apply. Does not apply to crypto asset portfolios.

*The IRA Match is automatically added after eligible contributions from an external bank account. Keep the contributions in your IRA for at least 5 years from the date you contribute.  IRA Match FAQ . Other fees may apply. See Fee Schedule  for more details.

This membership tier also comes with a handful of other features such as larger instant deposits and access to Morningstar research and NASDAQ Level II market data.

Alternate cards to consider

If you don't want to wait for the Robinhood Gold Card to open for applications or you aren't interested in joining Robinhood Gold, these alternate cards can help you start earning rewards right now.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases and new card members can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after meeting the card's spending requirement (spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months). This card earns 1% less than the Robinhood Gold Card on non-bonus spending, but it has no annual fee and you have to pay at least $50 a year for a Robinhood Gold membership. To earn $50 in rewards at 1%, you have to spend $5,000, so you'll get a head start on earning cash rewards back with the Active Cash Card , especially when you factor in the welcome bonus.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate

20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers

3% intro for 120 days from account opening then BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Excellent/Good

See rates and fees , terms apply.

The Discover it® Cash Back earns 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in rotating quarterly categories (when you activate), then 1% cash back (which you also earn on all purchases outside of the quarterly categories). The welcome offer makes this card even more enticing because it matches the cash back new cardmembers earn for the first year. With this offer, you're effectively earning 10% cash back from spending that qualifies for the rotating bonus categories for the first year, and then 2% cash back on all purchases for the remainder of that year.

Discover it® Cash Back

Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases-automatically.

Discover will match all the cash back earned for all new cardmembers at the end of your first year.

0% for 15 months on purchases

17.24% to 28.24% Variable

3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*

Good / Excellent

* See rates and fees , terms apply.

Read our Discover it® Cash Back review.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Compare investing products

Bottom line.

Robinhood has announced a new cash-back credit card that will be available for its Gold members. The Robinhood Gold Card will earn at least 3% cash back on all purchases, which is an exceptional return for everyday purchases. A Robinhood Gold membership is relatively affordable compared to most credit card annual fees, which will make this card one of the best cash-back credit cards once it opens for applications.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of financial products .  While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Cash Back, click here .

• How to get the student loan interest deduction Ana Staples
• Here's how to file your taxes at the last minute Liz Knueven
• Cash App Banking offers a 4.50% APY and no fees Elizabeth Gravier

Are airlines making more money from frequent flyer programs than actually flying planes?

When it comes to the airline industry, most people would imagine that air travel is at the core of their business model.

It turns out frequent flyer or loyalty programs are equally as important to their business — and just as lucrative.

And there's no need to fly to participate.

In Australia, the Qantas Frequent Flyer program has more than 14 million members while the Velocity program run by Virgin Australia has more than 11 million members.

So Australians are clearly drawn to these frequent flyer clubs — but what exactly is in it for the consumer and are they really worth it?

How it all began

Up until the mid 1980s, the extent of Australian loyalty programs was generally a 'buy 10, get one free' coffee card or entertainment books filled with coupons.

But in the mid 1980s, things started to get more sophisticated.

Ganesh Sitarmaran, the author of Why Flying is Miserable and How to Fix it, tells ABC RN's The Money that there was a notable shift in frequent flyer programs when American airlines began partnering with banks to offer branded credit cards.

Shopping with these cards means gaining points that could then be used to redeem flights. It was a move that intrinsically linked airlines with banks.

Another major shift came in the 1990s when airlines started offering a range of fare classes beyond first class, business class or economy.

"So this meant that you had a lot more complexity to the structure of fares that were being offered," he says.

With varying fare prices, airlines quickly realised that loyalty programs needed to reward customers for the money they spent rather than the flights taken or the distance travelled.

And it was then, Mr Sitarmaran says, that airlines became more than just airlines.

"In a way, it turned airlines into something more like financial institutions."

Making something out of nothing

When banks create credit, they make it out of nothing. As Mr Sitarmaran explains, airlines are essentially doing the same thing with loyalty points.

"They take these points that they've created and they sell them for real money to banks with co-branded credit cards," he says.

Banks then charge customers annual credit card fees to access these co-branded cards, which accumulate points.

Yet the points sold to the bank are at zero cost to the airline until the points are redeemed, if ever.

"So valuable are the loyalty programs that some US airlines have been able to use the future earnings from them as collateral to borrow more money," Mr Sitarmaran explains.

"According to some analyses, airlines are making more money off of their mileage programs or their loyalty programs than they are from actually flying planes," he says.

It's easy to see in practice.

According to Qantas' 2023 half yearly reports, loyalty programs brought in $1 billion in revenue (more than double the 2019 revenue) and $220 million in operating profit.

Similarly, Virgin's Velocity recorded $330 million in loyalty program revenue and $77 million in operating profit last financial year.

With a broad spectrum of ways to earn and use points (that don't depend on flying), it shows how these schemes can help buffer airlines through financially turbulent periods, like the pandemic.

Mr Sitaraman says no one could've anticipated the scale and influence of these frequent flyer programs.

"I don't think the Wright brothers, when they invented the aeroplane in 1903, thought this is where we would end up."

Are there benefits for members?

Although airlines are making something out of nothing, Daniel Sciberras, editor-in-chief at Point Hacks, warns they have considerable power over their value when customers redeem them.

"Because they create them, they also decide how much this currency is worth," he says.

Therefore, if airlines increase the number of points required to take a flight or buy a particular product, Mr Sciberras says they can also devalue your points.

Another thing worth considering is data collection, says Choice consumer data advocate Kate Bower.

"Reward schemes work to gather data and then monetise that data," she says.

Choice is concerned that the relationships that airlines have with other companies is often opaque, so it's hard for consumers to know where their data might end up.

Philip Shelper, CEO of Loyalty and Reward Co, designs and implements loyalty programs for major brands.

He explains that the priorities of these programs is to keep customers coming back, boost brand advocacy and, most importantly, collect data.

"[The aim is to] make the experience of shopping with them a more personalised and more relevant one," Mr Shelper says.

However, Ms Bower argues that personalised marketing can disadvantage the consumer, as it can make it increasingly difficult to compare prices.

"To be able to get a fair comparison of price is something we should have in a fair market," she says.

Ms Bower says this is particularly relevant when it comes to airline pricing, given the dynamic pricing system. This is when prices change in response to real-time supply and demand.

Professor Leona Tam at UTS Business School suggests consumers stop regarding these schemes as frequent flyer programs and instead think of them as loyalty programs.

"Loyalty is basically a psychological commitment to a company or to a brand and often it would come with a superior view about how good a product or service is provided by this company," Professor Tam explains.

And companies should work for that loyalty.

Instead, for any company the cost to maintain an existing customer is far less than recruiting a new one, Professor Tam says.

"They want you to be on autopilot because in fact, they want you to put them as your top of mind every time you think about an airline," she says.

Professor Tam believes this loyalty is being tested with the current cost of living pressures.

"People are comparing more and coming into a more thoughtful decision-making process," she says.

"They are being tested big time."

How to benefit from these schemes

Mr Sciberras says there are two different aspects that consumers need to consider when signing up to loyalty programs.

"There's the earning points and then redeeming points — and you want to do both right," he says.

He says if customers are using a points-earning credit card, then the balance should be paid off in full each month.

"If you're going to get interest charged on your account, any benefit you get on the points is negated," he says.

If you do pay off your balance, he advises using that credit card for all purchases.

"Even your daily coffees, they all add up," he says.

Then, when it comes to using your points, make sure you know the program.

"Know the programs well to maximise the earning opportunities, but also know the best ways to redeem your points," he says.

He adds that using points on flights is usually better value rather redeeming those points for products.

So, is it worth it?

Mr Sciberras says every time a customer uses a points-linked credit card, the airline makes money from transaction fees.

He points out most people rationalise collecting points via their credit card because they would be making that purchase, such as grocery shopping, regardless so why not earn points while doing that?

But what it means for those who use cash is that they can be paying higher prices as transaction fees are often included into the cost of products.

And unfortunately you don't get a different price if you pay in cash.

"And so there's something quite regressive about the system as a whole," he says.

So it's hard to say whether the benefits outweigh the costs, particularly when it comes to data privacy, says Kate Bower from Choice.

"The majority of people will just sign up … tap and forget and they won't know where their data ends up or where it will end up in the future."

RN in your inbox

Get more stories that go beyond the news cycle with our weekly newsletter.

• X (formerly Twitter)

Related Stories

When it comes to real value, there's just one loyalty card worth keeping.

'Everyone else basically subsidises the smart people': The problem with frequent flyer points

How airlines make money from frequent fliers

• Air Transport Industry
• Consumer Confidence
• Melbourne Airport
• Sydney Airport
• Travel Preparation and Advice

I grew up with older parents. I waited to have my own kid, too, and was able to buy a house and travel.

• I grew up with older parents, and it ended up being the right choice for me, too.
• In my 20s, I had time for a full social life. I also built up my career and traveled. 
• When I met my husband, we had some time to settle into our marriage before we had our son. 

"Why are you so much older than my friend's mom?" my son asked one day after a playdate with one of his pals. While I knew being a good decade older than many of the parents at my kid's school could lead to this question, I wasn't quite sure how to answer.

I grew up with older parents — my mom was 32 and my dad was 39 when they had me. It never occurred to me that my parents were any different from other kids' moms and dads, despite their gray hair and wrinkles.

Once I graduated from college , I began receiving invites to friends' weddings, followed shortly after that by baby shower invitations. While I felt thrilled for my friends, I also knew I was nowhere near being ready for marriage and motherhood.

I wanted to enjoy my 20s child-free

During my 20s, I wanted to focus on me. I began working long hours at the local newspaper, working my way up to a reporting gig on the nightlife beat. Single and childless , the job felt perfect for me, and it gave me a chance to hone my reporting and writing skills without worrying about how my unconventional schedule affected anyone else.

Outside work, I had a full social life . My free time was occupied with after-work happy hours, karaoke nights, and shopping excursions with my friends. And while I did spend time dating, finding a husband wasn't really on my radar until my late 20s.

Related stories

I also knew I wanted to travel as much as my limited budget would allow during my 20s, and I made regular road trips with friends as well as longer excursions around the country and abroad.

My husband and I waited to have kids once we met

When I finally met my husband , we dated for several years before marrying. And once we married, we knew we wanted to wait a few years to have kids to give ourselves time to settle into married life and enjoy our time together as a twosome.

During that time, we bought a house, traveled, and filled our spare time with concerts, parties, and quiet dinners at home. We knew that becoming parents would change our lifestyle, so we wanted to have time to enjoy the freedom of being child-free.

That time also allowed us to continue to advance in our careers and start building savings that we didn't have during our 20s. By the time we felt ready to start trying for a baby — when I was nearly 35 and my husband 37 — we felt confident that we were both as emotionally and financially prepared as possible for parenthood.

It took some time to have a child, but I'm glad we waited

But after months of negative pregnancy tests, I began to question my decision to wait to have kids . Research has found that a woman's ability to conceive after the age of 35 drops significantly. After nearly a year of trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant, testing determined I had a luteal phase defect — an inability of the uterine lining to thicken enough to support a pregnancy.

With that diagnosis, my doctor prescribed hormone therapy that allowed me to get and stay pregnant with my son. And once I got pregnant, my over-35 status put me and my baby at greater risk of complications such as birth defects.

Thankfully, I had a pretty uneventful pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy baby right before my 36th birthday. As I settled into motherhood, I wondered if I would've been better equipped for the long, sleepless nights and busy days of parenting an infant if I had the energy level of a woman a decade my junior. But while I still wish I had more energy for my son, I manage well enough to be an active mom.

Though I certainly experienced some of the cons of putting off parenthood , ultimately, I'm glad I waited to become a mom. Like my own parents, I feel settled and confident in my ability to raise and provide for a child. And though our social life is different now, my husband and I don't feel like we're missing out on anything as individuals or a couple.

So when my son asked that question, I only had one answer: "I'm older because I waited until I was ready to become a mom." While that age differs for everyone, waiting worked for me.

Watch: Here's what descendants of 5 former presidents say about the role age plays in politics

• Main content

Fisker loses customers’ money, Robinhood launches a credit card, and Google generates travel itineraries

Hey, folks, welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s newsletter recapping the notable happenings in tech over the past few days.

This week, TC’s auto reporter Sean O’Kane revealed how EV startup Fisker temporarily lost track of millions of dollars in customer payments as it scaled up deliveries, leading to an internal audit that started in December and took months to complete.

Elsewhere, Lorenzo reported how Facebook snooped on users’ Snapchat traffic in a secret project known internally at Meta as “Project Ghostbusters.” According to court documents, the goal was to intercept and decrypt the network traffic between people using Snapchat’s app and its servers.

And Manish wrote about the resignation of Stability AI founder and CEO Emad Mostaque late last week. Mostaque’s departure from Stability AI — the startup known for its popular image generation tool Stable Diffusion — comes amid an ongoing struggle for stability (pun intended) at the company, which was reportedly spending ~$8 million a month as of October 2023 with little revenue to show for it.

Lots else happened. We recap it all in this edition of WiR — but first, a reminder to  sign up  to receive the WiR newsletter in your inbox every Saturday.

Fisker suspended:   Fisker’s bad week continued with a halt in the startup’s stock trading. The New York Stock Exchange moved to take Fisker off the exchange, citing its “abnormally low” stock levels.

AI-powered itineraries: In an upgrade to its Search Generative Experience , Google has added the ability for users to ask Google Search to plan a travel itinerary. Using AI, Search will draw on ideas from websites around the web along with reviews, photos and other details.

Robinhood’s new card: Nine months after acquiring credit card startup X1 for $95 million, Robinhood on Wednesday announced the launch of its new Gold Card, powered by X1’s technology, with a list of features that could make Apple Card users envious.

At AT&T, mum’s the word: The personal information of some 73 million AT&T customers spilled online this week. But AT&T won’t say how — despite the hack responsible having happened over three years ago.

Booming Copilot: Copilot, the budgeting app, has raised $6 million in a Series A round led by Nico Wittenborn’s Adjacent. The app is benefiting partly from the death of Mint, Intuit’s financial management product.

Liquid assets:   In a piece looking at the wider VC-backed beverage industry, Rebecca and Christine note canned water startup Liquid Death’s recent $67 million fundraise, which brought the company’s total raised to more than $267 million. Talk about liquidity.

HVAC venture: Dan Laufer, a former Nextdoor exec, has raised $25 million from Canvas Ventures and others for PipeDreams, a startup that acquires mom-and-pop HVAC and plumbing companies and scales them using its software that helps with scheduling and marketing.

Is Nvidia the next AWS?:   Ron writes about how there’s lots of parallels in Nvidia’s and AWS’ growth trajectories.

This week on Equity , the crew dug into Robinhood’s new credit card, Fisker’s latest woes and even Databricks’ new AI model that it spent $10 million to spin up. They also spotlit two companies building startups focused around kids, and, to wrap up, looked at a new $100 million fund that seeks to back innovative climate tech.

Meanwhile, on Found , Allison Wolff, the co-founder and CEO of Vibrant Planet, a cloud-based planning and monitoring tool for adaptive land management, discussed why the wildfires we’re seeing today are hotter and spreading more quickly than we can contain and how proper land management can help foster lower, slower-burning fires.

And on Chain Reaction , Jacquelyn interviewed Scott Dykstra, CTO and co-founder of Space and Time. Space and Time aims to be a verifiable compute layer for web3 that scales zero-knowledge proofs, a cryptographic action used to prove something about a piece of data without revealing the origin data itself.

Bonus round

Spotify tests online learning: In its ongoing efforts to get its 600 million+ users to spend more time and money on its platform, Spotify is spinning up a new line of content: e-learning. Beginning with a rollout in the U.K., the (traditionally audio) streaming platform is testing the waters for an online education offering of freemium video courses.

• Apartment Rental
• Hotels On Map
• Recommended Hotels
• Most Popular Hotels
• History of Moscow Hotels
• Package Tours
• Sightseeing Tours
• Tours of Golden Ring
• River Cruises
• Business Travel
• Free Visa Support
• Conference Services
• Incentive and Business Travel
• Guide and Interpreter services
• About Moscow
• Sightseeing in Moscow
• Museums of Moscow
• Theaters of Moscow
• Visitor Information on Moscow

Travel Tips

• Communication
• Getting around

Money Matters

• Travel preparation

Any visitor coming to a foreign country for the first time should be informed about money matters. The necessary things to know are: the currency, which is used in the country you visit, an exchange rate and the places, where you can exchange money at favorable rate. Note that there are a lot of ways to exchange money in Russia and it is very important to choose the most convenient and secure of them. You are also required to know about the customs, concerning such things as filling out a customs declaration and less important points as, for example, tipping.

The official Russian currency is the rouble, which is equal to 100 kopecks. The denominations of coins are 1, 5, 10 and 50 kopecks and 1, 2 and 5 roubles and notes of 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 roubles. The Russian rouble was rapidly devaluated during the Russian financial crisis in 1998, but today it is quite stable at approximately 30 roubles for one dollar and 35 roubles for one euro. Note that prices for goods in Russia are often quoted not only in roubles, but also in dollars and sometimes in euros.

Crossing the Russian border you fill out a customs declaration, where you should declare valuable items and money you bring with you in Russia. You can freely bring money if it doesn't exceed $10,000. If your cash-in-hand is more than $1,000, the sum must be declared in writing. If you need to bring more than $10,000 in cash you will have to obtain a special form from the National Bank of Russia. The process can take up to several days. Note that you cannot leave the country with a sum more than stated in the declaration you have filled out upon arrival. There is a list of prohibited items you cannot import or export. The list includes weaponry, radioactive and other harmful materials; printed materials, films, records, scripts and other stuff containing propaganda of war, racism, discrimination, etc.

The best places to exchange currency of any foreign country for roubles are commercial banks, exchange offices and hotels. Most of banks are open from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Some of exchange offices are open round-the-clock.

CREDIT CARDS

Most hotels, shops and restaurants accept the major types of credit cards, including American Express, Visa and Diners Club. Sometimes you could be asked to show your passport or identifying documents, using a credit card. Nevertheless, be ready to have some cash at hand in case your credit card won't be accepted, because the troubles in using credit cards are not rare in Russia. There will be surely no need in local store credit cards, used in your country.

CASH DISPENSER

One can get money in local currency, using cash dispensers (ATM's), which are widely spread in Moscow. Note that depending on the Russian bank, which maintains a cash machine, you will be charged a 1%-4% commission fee.

TRAVELER'S CHECKS

Traveler's checks haven't become popular in Moscow yet, but some exchange offices and banks accept them. Note that you will be charged a commission fee for cashing a traveler's check.

Like any other megapolis in the world, Moscow is a quite dangerous city, and visitors should pay extra attention to their personal safety and take care of their belongings. Note that in the street or at the metro station you can be stopped by the regular police (the militsia), who patrol areas checking some peoples' documents. You'd better carry your passport and registered visa with you at all times just in case.

In restaurants, where waiters serve visitors, tipping is usually expected. In fast food restaurants, cafes or bars, where you order your food at a counter, there is no need in tipping. Usually tipping can be 5 to 10 % of your total bill.

The Moscow Hotels Russia provides travelers with the most useful and up-to-date information on the best hotels of Moscow. With the help of our website you can easily reserve a room in any hotel of Moscow through our online reservation system. In addition to hotel reservations, we offer a full range of travel services. We serve both corporate and leisure clients and strive to satisfy every customer.

• Articles   >

Moscow, Russia – Money and Laundry

There are change kiosks (Obmyen balooti) every few steps it seems, they usually post their exchange rates on big signs outside. Just put your dollars in the drawer, and they will push back rubles, or vice versa. Sometimes you can change German DM in these places too. These kiosks generally offer better rates of exchange than the banks and they’re faster too. Sometimes theyÂ’ll give you a receipt and sometimes not!

Prices are marked in p (rubles) or Y.E. Y.E. stands for units of exchange, which really means dollars. Although the price is in US$, it will be converted into rubles when you pay.

Credit cards are not widely accepted; don’t count on them for your money. As well, there have been a lot of scams recently where card numbers and PINs were electronically stolen from ATMs.

AMEX cheques in US dollars are a good way to keep your cash safe. There is one AMEX office at Sadovaya-Sukharevskaya ul.21a, M. Mayakovskaya. Cash your cheque into US dollars, then convert them to rubles at a change kiosk on the street – AMEX doesn’t offer a great dollar-ruble rate.

Cash or cheques in other currencies will be rather inconvenient to change and often at poor bank rates.

Laundry Contrary to popular belief there is at least one Laundromat in Moscow and I’m happy to say I’ve found it!

11 ulitsa Vavilova 7:00 to 22:00 Monday to Saturday Tram #39 from M. Lenninsky Prospekt or M. Universitet

Head up the short flight of stairs and go in the unmarked white door. One load costs about $1.50, which includes low-quality soap and use of the centrifuge, the dryer and the presser.

Hopefully you won’t pack dry-clean only clothes on this trip. There are do-it-yourself facilities but you’ll feel pretty toxic when you’re done.