chase travel points airbnb

A guide to the best credit cards for Airbnb stays

Home rentals are a popular alternative to hotels, and you may be considering an Airbnb for your next trip. While the topic of the best credit cards for hotel stays gets a lot of attention, it's a different matter for Airbnb stays. That's especially true when you consider that hotel chains have their own credit cards, yet Airbnb does not.

If you've decided to go the Airbnb route, which travel rewards credit card should you use to make the purchase? Let's take a closer look at your best options.

What is Airbnb?

If you're unfamiliar with Airbnb , the site offers a wide variety of lodging options when traveling. In many cases, Airbnb provides privately owned rooms, apartments, houses, boathouses and hotel rooms. They're available for both short- and long-term stays.

While prices are sometimes more affordable than equivalent hotel rooms, it should be noted that Airbnb is not exactly a hotel on a budget. There are tradeoffs: things such as room service, daily housekeeping and other full-service amenities aren't usually found. However, if you are searching for unique accommodations — or want the feeling of being in a home while away from home — Airbnb could be a good option. Groups and those traveling with others also tend to prefer Airbnb, since it's easy to reserve multi-bedroom lodging.

Beyond stays, Airbnb offers experiences. These can include tours, outdoor activities like whale watching, cooking classes or even a great photographer to snap photos for your Instagram during your next vacation.

Airbnb doesn't have a loyalty program, so the best way to make the most of these types of purchases is by using the right credit card.

Related reading: How to find the best Airbnb

Which credit card is best for Airbnb stays and experiences?

American express green card, chase sapphire reserve, chase sapphire preferred card.

• Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital one venture x rewards credit card.

You may see some familiar names among the cards listed above. That's because several of the best credit cards for Airbnb are on our list of the best credit cards for travel .

The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Earning rates on the top cards for Airbnb

A closer look at the best credit cards for airbnb.

Airbnb typically codes as "travel" on your credit card statement. This means it will trigger any bonus points or annual credits offered in the travel category . Here's a deep dive into the best cards for Airbnb.

Annual fee: $150 (see rates and fees)

Welcome offer: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership

Earning rates: You'll get 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on restaurant purchases , 3 points per dollar on transit including ride shares, subway swipes, tolls — and most importantly for Airbnb — plus 3 points per dollar on the broad category of travel, which includes things from flights, car rentals, hotels and home shares (yes, including Airbnb). You'll earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Why we like it: Other cards, including The Platinum Card® from American Express and American Express® Gold Card , have more limited travel categories that don't go beyond the scope of airfare and hotels . While the Platinum card has a higher bonus earning on airfare (5 points per dollar), it only applies to airfare booked directly with airlines or through the American Express Travel Portal (and the bonus earning potential is limited to the first $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year). In the Platinum's case, you'll also get 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel.

The Amex Green is the most flexible of the bunch when it comes to earning 3 Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent on Airbnb. Those 3 points equate to a 6% return based on TPG valuations . If you're flying to get to your Airbnb, you can also take advantage of an up to $189 Clear Plus annual statement credit and a $100 LoungeBuddy annual statement credit . Enrollment required for select benefits.

To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Green card .

Related: The best cards for airport lounge access

Annual fee: $550

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Earning rates: Besides getting a $300 annual travel credit (that can be used toward Airbnb), you'll get 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel — after using the $300 credit — and 3 points per dollar on dining at restaurants worldwide. Other bonus categories include 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and 5 points per dollar on flights booked in the portal. You can also earn 10 points per dollar on Chase Dining purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Why we like it: First and foremost, you get to use the card's $300 travel credit toward a broad range of travel purchases , including Airbnb. Earning 3 points per dollar on Airbnb makes this card is useful for earning maximum Ultimate Rewards on your purchases after exhausting your $300 travel credit. Those 3 points equate to a 6% return based on TPG valuations — the same as the Amex Green . Additionally, the 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points sign-up bonus is worth $1,200 based on TPG valuations.

To learn more, read our full review of the Sapphire Reserve .

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Related: 4 things to do once you get your Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual fee: $95

Earning rates: You'll earn 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel — which doesn't apply to the card's $50 hotel credit , though you must use this in the Chase travel portal , so Airbnb bookings aren't eligible — and also earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchases in the Chase travel portal. You can also earn 3 points per dollar on dining , select streaming services and online grocery (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs). Through March 2025, you can also earn 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides . Cardmembers earn 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Why we like it: Firstly, the card has a low annual fee while still possessing strong earning categories. This includes a broad range of travel purchases, such as bonus points on bookings made directly with Chase or Lyft rides, as well as 2 points per dollar with Airbnb. Those 2 points provide a 4% return based on TPG valuations . Additionally, the 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points sign-up bonus is worth $1,200 based on TPG valuations.

To learn more, read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred .

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Related: Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is more than just a starter card

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Sign-up bonus: Earn 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening.

Earning rates: You'll earn 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on the first $150,000 of combined spend on the card each anniversary year in the following categories: shipping purchases; internet, cable and phone services; advertising with social media and search engines and — most importantly for this discussion — on travel.

Why we like it: This is another Chase card that earns a fantastic 3 Ultimate Rewards points on travel, including Airbnb stays. Although the huge 100,000 Ultimate Rewards sign-up bonus is a great perk, it's important to note the card's hefty initial spending requirement. While this isn't a consumer card, getting approved for a business card may be easier than you think.

To learn more, read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred .

Apply here: Ink Business Preferred

Related: The best business credit cards

Annual fee: $95 (see rates and fees )

Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Earning rates: You'll earn 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent on almost everything with no annual cap, which means you're getting 3.7 cents' value (factoring in TPG's latest valuation ) every dollar in purchases.

Why we like it: The Venture card is an excellent choice for those who value a straightforward earning rate on all purchases, including vacation rental bookings and anything else you buy. In exchange for a $95 annual fee, this Capital One credit card earns you a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase you make, and you can even redeem your rewards to cover your Airbnb stay at a rate of 1 cent per mile. If you decide not to use your rewards for Airbnb bookings, you can use them to cover any travel purchases made with your card in the last 90 days or transfer them to its 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners .

Plus, the card currently offers a 75,000-mile bonus offer worth $1,388, according to TPG valuations . Add in the fact that Capital One has made some exciting additions to its program, and it's no surprise that this card is still one of our favorites here at TPG.

To learn more, read our full review of the Venture .

Apply here: Capital One Venture Rewards

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

Annual fee: $395 (see rates and fees )

Earning rates: You'll earn 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent on almost everything with no annual cap, which means you're getting 3.7 cents' value (factoring in TPG's latest valuation ) for every dollar in purchases. You can earn at higher rates when booking in the Capital One Travel portal , including 10 miles per dollar on hotel and rental car bookings and 5 miles per dollar on flights.

Why we like it: The Venture X card offers a straightforward 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases not booked in the travel portal, which includes a pack of gum or your next Airbnb booking. You can also redeem your rewards to cover your Airbnb stay at a rate of 1 cent per mile. If you decide not to use your rewards for Airbnb bookings, you can use them to cover any travel purchases made with your card in the last 90 days or transfer them to its 18 airline and hotel transfer partners . The card also provides numerous perks, such as a $300 annual travel credit for Capital One Travel bookings, reimbursement for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee and rental car elite status.

To learn more, read our full review of the Venture X .

Apply here: Capital One Venture X

Related: 6 things to do when you get the Capital One Venture X

Annual fee: $0, but you must have an Amazon Prime membership

Sign-up bonus: $100 Amazon gift card immediately upon approval.

Earning rates: You'll get 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases and 2% back at restaurants , gas stations and local transit and commuting (including rideshare). You will earn 1% back on other purchases.

Why we like it: How does the Amazon card make our list of best cards for Airbnb? Two words: Gift cards. Airbnb gift cards are available on Amazon, and you can easily get 3% back this way. First, use this card to buy Airbnb gift cards; then, use those cards to pay for your upcoming stay. You can redeem your 3% back on cash back, gift cards or travel rewards, and it's all worth the same. Note that Airbnb restricts, in fine print, the use of gift cards for long-term stays (28+ days).

To learn more, read our full review of the Amazon Prime Visa .

Apply here: Prime Visa

Related: Best credit cards for Amazon purchases

Maximizing your next Airbnb stay

One of the most important factors in making the most of your everyday spending is choosing the best travel rewards credit card for every purchase. This isn't always an easy task, as some cards earn valuable transferable points while others give bonus points for certain categories of purchases . Deciding what is more important is a personal decision.

For any Airbnb stay, though, see if you can double dip. For instance, you can easily earn bonus points or miles with programs like British Airways Executive Club, Delta SkyMiles or Qantas Frequent Flyer by clicking through their Airbnb shopping portals , regardless of what credit card you use to book.

These cards are all great options for Airbnb, but there are many others out there. For instance, if your local grocery store also sells Airbnb gift cards, you can use a card that earns bonuses at grocery stores to maximize your purchase. The same applies to office supply stores .

Since several credit cards offer annual travel credits , consider these as well. Using these credits can be a way to offset your travel costs when staying at Airbnb, since you can't transfer your points to Airbnb for award bookings.

Bottom line

Airbnb is a great lodging option for trips, as the platform represents a nice alternative to traditional hotels. I've personally stayed in dozens of Airbnbs throughout my travels and usually favor it over a chain hotel.

In addition to the unique properties you can book, there are also some solid credit card options that allow you to earn a decent haul of points or cash back. Just remember to review each listing's cancellation policy and reviews carefully before booking.

See also: 15 tips that will help you score the perfect Airbnb every time

Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox, Juan Ruiz and Ryan Smith.

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The 11 Best Credit Cards for Booking Airbnb or Vrbo Stays [2024]

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What To Look For in a Credit Card for Airbnb or Vrbo Stays

Card summary, chase sapphire reserve card (best for earning points & travel insurance), amex green card (best mid-tier card for travel), chase sapphire preferred card (best for overall value & travel insurance), capital one venture x card (best for premium benefits & travel insurance), capital one venture card (best for earning miles on every purchase), double cash card (best for cash-back & no annual fee), ink business preferred card (best for earning points & travel insurance), amex blue business plus card (best for cash-back & no annual fee), ink business unlimited card (best for earning points & no annual fee ), capital one spark miles card (best for earning miles), capital one spark miles select card (best for earning miles & no annual fee), final thoughts.

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Booking an Airbnb or Vrbo stay? Both companies offer an online marketplace for vacation rentals as an alternative to hotel bookings. But in addition to short-term rentals, you can also book experiences or long-term rentals.

Whether you use Airbnb or Vrbo, you’ll want to maximize every dollar you spend. But since both of these don’t fall under traditional hotel categories, it can be confusing to determine whether your bookings would earn bonus points.

This guide will show you the best credit cards for booking Airbnb or Vrbo stays.

The 11 Best Credit Cards for Booking Airbnb or Vrbo Stays

• Chase Sapphire Reserve ® — Best for Earning Points & Travel Insurance
• American Express ® Green Card — Best Mid-tier Card for Travel
• Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card — Best for Overall Value & Travel Insurance
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — Best for Premium Benefits & Travel Insurance
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — Best for Earning Miles on Every Purchase
• Citi Double Cash ® Card — Best for Cash-back & No Annual Fee
• Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card — Best for Earning Points & Travel Insurance
• The Blue Business ® Plus Credit Card from American Express — Best for Cash-back & No Annual Fee
• Ink Business Unlimited ® Credit Card — Best for Earning Points & No Annual Fee 
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business — Best for Earning Miles
• Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business — Best for Earning Miles & No Annual Fee

Airbnb and Vrbo (and other competing platforms) rarely count as hotels , so vacation rental stays don’t allow for hotel bonus earnings.

When looking for the best credit card for vacation rentals, find one that offers the highest rewards on general travel purchases. The definition of general travel is comprehensive and can vary from bank to bank.

Few credit cards offer bonus categories for general travel, so after these categories are exhausted, look next for the best credit cards for non-bonused spending.

After looking at rewards accrual structures, you should focus on the best travel benefits for your needs, including travel and purchase protections.

With that in mind, let’s get into our best credit cards for Airbnb or Vrbo stays. We’ll start with the best personal cards. Then, we’ll walk you through the best business credit cards for Airbnb or Vrbo stays should your business require travel.

The 6 Best Personal Cards for Airbnb or Vrbo Stays

Chase Sapphire Reserve ®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel SM
• 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass airport lounge access
• TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
• Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
• Rental car elite status with National and Avis
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• Member FDIC

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• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve

The best personal credit card to use for Airbnb or Vrbo stays is the Chase Sapphire Reserve card . The biggest reason why this specific card is the best choice for Airbnb or Vrbo is that it earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on dining and travel.

Chase defines travel very broadly, meaning your bookings on Airbnb and Vrbo will count and earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points .

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers an excellent welcome bonus offer, a generous up to $300 travel credit (which can be used for Airbnb and Vrbo stays), and numerous other benefits.

This credit card comes with up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit , the ability to earn 10x points per dollar on Chase Dining purchases, 10x points on hotel and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards , 10x points on Lyft purchases through March 2025 (plus 2 complimentary years of Lyft Pink All Access and a third year at 50% off when you activate by December 31, 2024), and a Priority Pass Select membership .

Also, you’ll enjoy a complimentary subscription to DoorDash DashPass (when activated by December 31, 2023) and car rental elite status benefits at Avis, National, and Audi on demand.

It doesn’t end there because you’ll enjoy the  best travel protections offered by a single credit card, consisting of primary auto rental collision damage coverage , trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, travel accident insurance, emergency medical and dental coverage, and emergency evacuation and transportation coverage.

Regarding other card benefits, you can utilize roadside assistance , purchase protection , return protection, and extended warranty coverage.

Why We Like Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

At Upgraded Points, we are huge fans of Chase Ultimate Rewards points because they can be used for various redemptions. This includes statement credits and cash-back, gift cards, merchandise, and booking travel through the Chase travel portal.

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you will receive 50% more value for travel booked through the Chase travel portal, which will net you a 1.5 cents per point value.

But our favorite way to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them to the Chase airline and hotel partners for business or first-class flights and luxury hotel stays . Indeed, transferring points to travel partners is one of the reasons why these points are some of the most valuable in the world, worth around 2 cents per point based on our estimations.

American Express ® Green Card

This card can provide a great way to accumulate Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit, and at restaurants.

The American Express ® Green Card is an excellent all-around travel rewards card thanks to earning 3x Membership Rewards ® points on eligible travel and transit purchases and at restaurants, access to American Express transfer partners, and a reasonable annual fee.

• 3x points per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide, on all eligible travel purchases, and transit purchases
• Up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits after you pay for a CLEAR ® Plus membership with the Card.
• Up to $100 in statement credits annually when you purchase airport lounge access through LoungeBuddy with the Card.
• Access to American Express transfer partners
• No foreign transaction fees
• $150 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your American Express ® Green Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on travel including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® Points on transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.
• $189 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express ® Green Card.
• $100 LoungeBuddy: No airport lounge membership? No problem! Purchase lounge access through the LoungeBuddy app using the American Express ® Green Card and receive up to $100 in statement credits annually.
• Payment Flexibility: When it comes to paying your bill, you have options. You can always pay in full. You also have the flexibility to carry a balance with interest or use Plan It ® to split up large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, up to your Pay Over Time Limit. You may be able to keep spending beyond your limit – you’ll just need to pay for any new purchases in full when your bill is due.
• Trip Delay Insurance: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per eligible account per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: No matter where you’re traveling, when you use your American Express ® Green Card there are no foreign transaction fees.
• $150 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR

American Express Membership Rewards

• Benefits of the Amex Green Card
• Travel Insurance Benefits of the Amex Green
• Amex Green CLEAR Plus Credit
• The Amex Green $100 LoungeBuddy Credit
• Is the Amex Green a Good Card for Frequent Travelers?
• Amex Gold vs Amex Green
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Amex Green
• Amex Transfer Partners
• Best American Express Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for CLEAR

The Amex Green card is one of our favorite cards because it offers rich rewards, unique travel perks, and more.

This premium card offers a great introductory welcome bonus offer to start your points accrual. The Amex Green card earns 3x Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide, on transit, and on all eligible travel purchases .

This card is the only card from American Express that offers bonus points on travel as a broad category. It includes airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, and vacation rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo.

It also boasts up to $189 in statement credits per year towards a CLEAR Plus membership and up to $100 in statement credits per year on LoungeBuddy purchases.

If you’re looking for travel coverage , you’ll find tons of value in this card thanks to its trip delay insurance, secondary car rental loss and damage insurance, and baggage insurance plan. Of course, you’ll find purchase protection and extended warranty coverage, which are common for these cards.

Why We Like Earning Amex Membership Rewards Points

The points you’ll earn on the Amex Green card are Amex Membership Rewards points .

Earning Amex Membership Rewards points is one of the most lucrative things you can do regarding rewards. In short, Amex has the most valuable transferable points, which can be used for incredible value when transferred to airline and hotel partners .

Other ways to redeem Amex points include travel booked through AmexTravel.com , gift cards, Amazon, cash-back, charitable donations, and more. However, we recommend transferring your points to airline and hotel partners.

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
• Excellent travel and car rental insurance
• 10% annual bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred 80k or 100k Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Score Requirements
• Military Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Preferred
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of the world’s most popular travel rewards credit cards and for a good reason!

This card is one of the best “starter” rewards credit cards because of its incredible welcome bonus, access to Chase Ultimate Rewards partnerships, and of course, the ability to earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on dining and on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), and 2x points on all other travel purchases (including Airbnb and Vrbo, which is why this is one of our top choices).

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also offers a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription (when activated by December 31, 2023) and no foreign transaction fees.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a card with better coverage for travel benefits . The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has primary rental car insurance , complimentary travel delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, roadside dispatch, and travel and emergency assistance.

And as you’re making purchases on the card, you’ll rest easy with purchase protection and an extended warranty on all your purchases.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Unlimited complimentary access for cardholder and 2 guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• 10,000 bonus miles awarded on your account anniversary each year
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Add authorized users for no additional annual fee ( rates & fees )
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees )
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

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The Capital One Venture X card is Capital One’s ultra-premium credit card. It can earn 2x miles on Airbnb and Vrbo bookings, as this card earns 2x on all eligible purchases.

In addition, there’s a annual credit of $300 for all bookings made through Capital One Travel .

Here is the earning structure on this card:

Every account anniversary, holders of this card will get 10,000 bonus Capital One miles, too!

The Capital One Venture X card confers a Priority Pass Select membership, access to Capital One Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges , a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, complimentary Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle status, travel insurance and protections , primary rental car insurance , cell phone insurance , extended warranty, no foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees ), and no-additional-charge for up to 4 authorized users ( rates & fees ).

Why We Like Earning Capital One Miles

Capital One miles are one of the major transferable currencies, which means that you can transfer your Capital One miles to airline partners for amazing flights in premium cabins.

You can redeem your miles for statement credits, travel purchases, gift cards, and more. However, we believe the best way to redeem your Capital One miles is for airline partner transfers.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card   is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Access to Capital One transfer partners
• $95 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Limited elite benefits
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
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The Capital One Venture card is one of our favorite credit cards for simple transferable rewards. With the Capital One Venture card, you’ll earn unlimited 2x Capital One miles on your purchases with no caps!

Since you don’t have to worry about bonus categories, you can bet that Airbnb and Vrbo stays will count!

This card also offers up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit and solid travel protections , including secondary car rental insurance, travel accident insurance, lost luggage coverage, roadside dispatch, and more.

Plus, you’ll enjoy cardholder benefits like zero fraud liability, purchase security, and extended warranty coverage.

Citi Double Cash ® Card

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

The Citi Double Cash ® Card  has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!

This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points . This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.

Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.

• Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
• Flexible redemption options
• No annual fee
• No bonus categories
• 3% foreign transaction fees
• Lack of premium travel benefits
• Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
• To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
• Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
• If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
• There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
• APR: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase
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The Double Cash card is one of our favorite credit cards because it earns 2% cash-back . You’ll earn 1% when you purchase and 1% when you pay it off (earned as ThankYou Points), with no caps!

That means that for your Airbnb and Vrbo stays, you can potentially earn 2% with no caps!

You can redeem points for cash-back in the form of a statement credit, direct deposit, or mailed check. Alternatively, you can redeem them for gift cards, travel, or shop with points at Amazon.com and more.

Other benefits include zero liability for unauthorized purchases and fraud protection.

Why We Like Earning Citi ThankYou Rewards Points

The ability to earn 2% with a $0 annual fee on Airbnb or Vrbo is fantastic.

When you pair your Double Cash card with a premium card like the Citi Premier ® Card , you can transfer ThankYou Points to the full catalog of travel partners and redeem them for flights like Singapore Airlines first class or Delta One Suites !

The 5 Best Business Cards for Airbnb or Vrbo Stays

It’s easy to fall in love with any of the personal credit cards above and use them for Airbnb or Vrbo stays.

But if you happen to be traveling for business, you’ll want to use a business credit card that can keep your personal and business expenses separate. So in this next section, we’ll show you our favorite business credit cards for Airbnb or Vrbo stays.

Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

The Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card is a powerhouse for earning lots of points from your business purchases , especially for business owners that spend regularly on ads.

Plus the card offers flexible redemption options, including access to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners where you can achieve outsized value.

Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance , rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more.

• 3x Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases on internet, cable and phone services, shipping expenses, travel, and ads purchased with search engines or social media sites
• Cell phone protection
• Purchase protection
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Rental car insurance
• Extended warranty coverage
• No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access
• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• APR: 21.24%-26.24% Variable
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Our favorite business credit card for Airbnb and Vrbo is the Ink Business Preferred card .

This card offers a massive welcome bonus offer worth around $2,000. And as you look deeper, you’ll find that you will earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent, on up to $150,000 every cardmember year in these bonus categories:

• Advertising on social media and search engines
• Internet, cable, and phone

That means you’ll experience the same earning structure for Airbnb and Vrbo as you would with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. The main difference is that the Ink Business Preferred card has a cap of $150,000 in combined purchases, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve card doesn’t have a cap.

The other big difference is that this card’s annual fee is just $95 , which is just a fraction of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s $550 annual fee.

The Ink Business Preferred card also offers cell phone insurance , primary rental car insurance, trip interruption and cancellation coverage, trip delay coverage, purchase protection, extended warranty, and no foreign transaction fees. You can also add employee cards for no additional fee.

Between the huge welcome bonus offer, the best-in-class 3x earning categories on travel (up to $150,000 across all bonus categories), the travel benefits, and the modest $95 annual fee, it’s easy to see why the Ink Business Preferred card is our favorite business credit card for Airbnb and Vrbo stays.

The Blue Business ® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Earn Membership Rewards for your business spending the easy way: get 2x points for the first $50,000 in purchases per year.

As a business owner, getting a credit card that maximizes each dollar you spend does not have to be complicated or expensive. Especially when you opt for The Blue Business ® Plus Credit Card from American Express .

With the Amex Blue Business Plus card, you’ll earn 2x Membership Rewards points on everyday business purchases throughout the year (up to $50,000; 1x thereafter) and receive purchase protections and no-additional-charge employee cards all for no annual fee (see rates and fees ).

The simple and straightforward earning structure makes it a great fit for those looking to earn flexible rewards, without having to fixate on which purchases earn the most points.

Let’s take look at all that the Amex Blue Business Plus card has to offer.

• 2x Membership Rewards points per $1 on everyday business purchases (up to $50,000; 1x thereafter)
• Purchase protection and extended warranty protection
• No annual fee and employee cards at no additional cost
• No unique bonus categories and 2x earnings are capped at $50,000 in annual spend
• No elite travel benefits like lounge access or elite status
• Charges foreign transaction fees
• Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.49% - 26.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards ® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.
• You’ve got the power to use your Card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
• *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
• No Annual Fee
• Terms Apply
• APR: 18.49% - 26.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
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The Amex Blue Business Plus card is our runner-up choice for Airbnb and Vrbo stays. This superb credit card earns 2x Membership Rewards points on everyday business purchases, up to $50,000 spent every calendar year. Then, the card earns 1x thereafter.

This means that your first $50,000 in purchases every calendar year would earn 2x points, including Airbnb and Vrbo.

This card also offers no-additional-cost employee cards ( rates & fees ).

If you maxed out the $50,000 in bonus spending every year, you’d end up with 100,000 Amex points, worth around $2,200, according to our valuations. That’s equivalent to a 4.4% return on spend!

Ink Business Unlimited ® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.

As a business owner, you likely keep pretty busy and probably prefer a credit card that just keeps things simple.

If so, the Ink Business Unlimited ® Credit Card might be just the card for you. From zero annual fee to a flat cash-back rate, the card is a no-frills option that you don’t have to think twice about.

Don’t forget too, 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter

• 1.5% cash-back on all purchases
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter
• Employee cards at no additional cost
• Earn flexible rewards
• 3% foreign transaction fee
• Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards ® .
• Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
• With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
• APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
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The Ink Business Unlimited card offers superb benefits with $0 annual fee. With this card, you’ll earn 1.5% cash-back  with no caps on every purchase made for your business.

In addition, this credit card offers a fantastic welcome bonus offer and 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter .

If you have an Ultimate Rewards credit card, you can convert your 1.5% cash-back to 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points.

The card also has purchase protection, zero liability fraud protection, extended warranty coverage, unlimited employee cards with no additional fees, primary rental car coverage when traveling for business, and more.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The Capital One Spark Miles card is a low-annual-fee business card that earns 2x transferable miles on every $1 you spend. (Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a great option for business owners looking for an uncomplicated rewards card that earns double miles on every purchase they make and offers access to transfer partners, all for a low annual fee.

• Unlimited 2x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• 5x miles per $1 spent on hotel and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2 complimentary visits to a Capital One Lounge per year
• Up to a $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Free employee cards
• Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, $95 after that
• Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account
• Unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
• Skip the lines with up to a $100 statement credit on TSA PreCheck ® or Global Entry
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
• Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
• APR: 26.24% (Variable)
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The Capital One Spark Miles card is a great business credit card that earns straightforward 2x Capital One miles with no cap for Airbnb and Vrbo stays, similar to the Capital One Venture cards above.

You’ll also earn 5x miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel (does not include Airbnb or Vrbo), and receive a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit.

The Capital One Spark Miles card also has zero fraud liability, purchase protection, extended warranty, no foreign transaction fees, and roadside assistance.

Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business

(Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

The Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business is an excellent option for business owners looking for straightforward earning with no blackout dates, no seat restrictions, and no minimum when redeeming your miles.

• Earn a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
• Get unlimited 1.5 miles on every purchase with your business credit card with no blackouts or seat restrictions, and no minimum to redeem.
• Earn 5X miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel.
• Use your miles on flights, hotels, vacation packages and more—you can even transfer miles to any of our 15+ travel partners.
• We’ve got you covered with zero fraud liability if your card is lost or stolen. Plus, get automatic fraud alerts via text, email or phone call.
• 0% intro APR for 9 months; 18.24% – 28.24% variable APR after that.
• APR: 0% Intro APR for the first 9 months after account opening,Ongoing APR: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees:

The Capital One Spark Miles Select card is the $0 -annual-fee variant of the Capital One Spark Miles card. Instead of earning 2x Capital One miles with no cap, you’ll earn 1.5x Capital One miles with no cap.

The welcome bonus offer is usually lower than the Capital One Spark Miles card. However, the card still offers zero fraud liability, transfer partnerships, roadside assistance, extended warranty, purchase protection, and more.

There are plenty of credit cards out there. Finding the best credit card for Airbnb and Vrbo stays isn’t as easy as it looks.

There aren’t a lot of credit cards that offer bonus points for general travel, which Airbnb and Vrbo both fall under.

The best personal and business credit cards for these purposes belong to American Express and Chase, though Capital One and Citi offer decent options.

We hope you’ve found this detailed guide useful to help you figure out the best credit cards for Airbnb rewards and Vrbo stays.

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.

Enrollment is required through Capital One website or mobile app. Upon enrollment, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the American Express ® Green Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the American Express ® Green Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Blue Business ® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here . Information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is airbnb considered travel for credit cards.

In general, yes. That means that if you find a card that offers bonus points on general travel, then you should be able to earn bonus points on Airbnb purchases.

Do you need a credit card for Airbnb?

No, you do not. However, using a credit card is a spectacular way to earn rewards on spending you’d make anyway!

Which credit card is best for Airbnb?

We love the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, Amex Green card, Capital One Venture X card, Capital One Venture card, and Double Cash card for personal Airbnb purchases. If you’re booking an Airbnb for business, the best cards are the Ink Business Preferred card or the Amex Blue Business Plus card. Other cards are available, like the Ink Business Unlimited card, Capital One Spark Miles card, and Capital One Spark Miles Select card. Still, these generally don’t have excellent rewards like the Ink Business Preferred card would.

Can you use Chase points for Airbnb?

You can’t redeem Chase points for all Airbnb stays, but you might be able to do so at specific Airbnb properties that are listed on other websites and online travel agencies. You can also buy Airbnb gift cards at a value of 1 cent per point, but your points could be worth more with other redemptions.

Does Airbnb charge a foreign transaction fee?

Yes, Airbnb charges a 3% fee if the currency of your booking differs from your home currency. This is a currency conversion fee separate from a foreign transaction fee you might charge on your credit card. For example, if you’re based in the U.S. and stay in a property in France, you will pay a 3% conversion fee from U.S. dollars to euros. Unfortunately, there’s also no way around it — it’s entirely done on Airbnb’s end.

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About Stephen Au

Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.

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The Guide to Chase’s Travel Portal

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Who can use the portal?

Benefits of booking travel in the portal, is chase's travel portal worth using, does chase's travel portal price match, how to use chase's travel portal, what else you need to know, chase travel portal tips, recapped.

Chase's travel portal is one of the best features of having a Chase credit card. Earning Ultimate Rewards® with credit cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® can deliver big value if you know how to navigate Chase's travel portal.

Much like third-party booking sites like Orbitz or Expedia , you can use Chase's travel portal to book flights, hotels and cruises, among other things. You can redeem points to offset the cost of the trip or pay in cash. You won’t have to worry about blackout dates or award inventory caps like you may find when using airline miles or hotel points for the same trip since you are essentially buying travel with cash.

Within the portal, you can also redeem points for merchandise or transfer them to other travel loyalty programs if you are short on miles and points there. In short, having a flexible points currency like Chase Ultimate Rewards® is one of the smartest routes you can take in the miles and points game. Booking travel through Chase's travel portal is simple. Here’s what you need to know about the portal.

» Learn more: Chase Ultimate Rewards®: How to earn and use them

Not all Chase cards have the same benefits. Only some cards earn Ultimate Rewards® points; others may earn loyalty miles and points with an affiliated partner. For example, the United℠ Explorer Card earns United MileagePlus miles.

These are examples of cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® and give access to Chase's travel portal:

Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

Chase Freedom Unlimited® .

Chase Freedom Flex℠ .

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card .

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card .

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card .

on Chase's website

• 5 points per $1 on travel booked through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).

• 2 points per $1 on other travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

Point value in the travel portal: 1.25 cents apiece.

• 10 points per $1 on Chase Dining, hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Chase.

• 5 points per $1 on air travel purchased through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on other travel and dining not booked with Chase.

Point value in the travel portal: 1.5 cents apiece.

• In the first year, 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 4.5% cash back on drugstores and restaurants, and 3% on all other purchases on up to $20,000 in spending.

• After that, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% cash back at drugstores and restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Point value in the travel portal: 1 cent apiece.

Point value in Chase travel portal: 1 cent apiece.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Earn points on paid reservations

The primary reason you may want to book travel via Chase's travel portal is that you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® on paid reservations. You can earn 5x points on airfare booked within the portal and 10x points on hotels and car rentals.

That can really add up, but beware that when booking hotels with Chase Ultimate Rewards®, you are not eligible to earn points with the hotel loyalty program or reap elite status benefits since it is using a third-party service. The tradeoff can vary by property, but using Chase's travel portal is especially helpful when booking unaffiliated hotels or hotel brands where you usually do not collect points or have elite status. In those instances, you are less likely to be passing up the perks of points earning and elite status.

Earn points on airfare even for redemptions

When booking airfare through Chase, you do earn miles no matter if you pay with cash or points. This makes using points for airfare via the travel portal more beneficial than redeeming for a hotel.

Earn bonus points for restaurant bookings

You can even earn bonus points when making restaurant bookings through the portal. This can be a great way to enhance your trips with great dining in advance rather than chatting with your hotel concierge.

Shop for the best value redemption

Since the value per Chase Ultimate Rewards® points is relatively constant, using the travel portal may not always be the best option. You may be able to spend fewer points if you book the same trip with the specific airline or hotel's points instead of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. This is more common with itineraries with high cash prices, like a hotel night that's particularly expensive. Always compare the cost of using traditional miles and points over using Chase points to see which offers better value. In some cases, you may want to transfer Chase points to partner programs to squeeze more value from them.

One example where that could be exceptional value is for expensive business class tickets that also have award availability. Let’s say you’re looking for a United business class ticket between Newark and London. If the cash cost of a one-way ticket is $2,505, that will cost you 250,500 Ultimate Rewards® points when redeeming at a value of one penny per point. In this example, it may be worth redeeming MileagePlus miles instead.

For this flight, the one-way mileage cost is 91,700 miles. Even if you don’t have enough United miles, you could transfer that amount from Chase Ultimate Rewards® (since they are partners), and save yourself a nice chunk of Chase points in the process. It is always best to compare the cash cost with the redemption cost using both Chase and the airline or hotel’s own loyalty program.

» Learn more: The best Chase transfer partners — and the ones to avoid

Chase's travel portal can be worth using in specific scenarios.

Redemptions: You hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and want to make a redemption. The first two cards get an elevated point value of 1.5 cents apiece when redeeming points and booking travel in the portal; the latter gets 1.25 cents apiece.

Bookings. You hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and want to earn bonus points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® typically earn 5x points per $1 spent on all travel purchased through Chase's travel portal, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns 5-10 points per $1 spent on Chase Dining, hotel stays, rental cars and air travel purchased through Chase's travel portal.

Otherwise, you might be wise to book travel directly with the airline, hotel or rental car company, which can simplify cancellations or changes to your bookings. You can do this with cash, card or by transferring points to one of Chase's transfer partners.

» Learn more: The guide to Chase transfer partners

Despite being powered by Expedia — an online travel agency that includes a Price Match Promise — Chase's travel portal does not offer customers a price matching benefit.

Capital One Travel has price drop protection that will advise you when to buy and refund you if the price of your flight drops by a certain amount after purchase.

Once logged into your Chase account, you’ll find a sidebar on the right of the page with your Chase Ultimate Rewards® balance. Once you click on it, it brings up a variety of options for how to spend your points. Choose “travel” to take you to the standard booking page where you can enter your plans for flights, cruises, rental cars, hotels or other activities.

Depending on the card you have, your points are worth between 1-1.5 cents per point. The best value card is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , which offers 1.5 cents in value per point to redeem through the portal, while the Chase Freedom Unlimited® only values points at a penny per point. This means that Chase determines the number of points you’ll need to redeem for an award based on the cash cost of the travel you are trying to book.

It’s easy to search for the travel you want. Chase has partnered with Expedia to run the search engine, but this has limited the search function a bit with some low-cost airlines no longer appearing. Be mindful of this when making a reservation (perhaps check to see if the airfare is similar to the basic economy or main cabin price on the airline’s website first).

The advanced options button lets you sort by airline and class of service.

Much like other online booking engines, once you find the travel plans you like, you enter your personal details. The best part of using the travel portal is that you can pay in full with points, cash or use a mix of points and cash. You can adjust the amount of points you want to spend for your trip and the website will display how much remaining cash you owe. If you need more points, you can transfer them from other Chase Ultimate Rewards® earning accounts you may have to boost your balance.

The process for booking hotels or car rentals is similar to reserving a flight, giving you the option to use a mix of cash or points.

To book a cruise with points, however, you’ll have to call Chase directly.

Another exception is when making a reservation at Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection properties, you can only make a cash reservation (you pay upon checkout) and cannot redeem Ultimate Rewards® points. You may still want to reserve through the portal, though, since it means you are eligible for additional perks like daily breakfast for two and a special amenity that varies by the hotel.

You can also reserve activities at home or your destination and pay for them in cash or with points. These include tours, museum visits and other local experiences.

Chase may charge a service fee on certain reservations. You will want to weigh whether this small charge is worth the benefit in Chase Ultimate Rewards® points you may use.

Many hotel companies offer member-only rates to entice you to book directly with them rather than through a third party. You’ll want to weigh whether earning Chase Ultimate Rewards® points is more valuable than the difference in the lowest rate booked directly with the hotel company.

When making any reservation through Chase's travel portal, you will be at the mercy of its own policies when it comes to changing or canceling a ticket. You will have to contact Chase directly to adjust your plans since you made it independently of the airline or hotel company. This can make it especially difficult with last-minute travel plan changes.

» Learn more: Advanced tips for redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards

With a little comparison shopping for your travel plans, you can squeeze exceptional value from points via the Chasee's travel portal. They can be redeemed like cash for travel, but always be sure to compare a reservation using Chase points to the cost of using hotel or airline points.

Sometimes, it may be less advantageous to use Chase points since you will lose out on travel-related perks. Other times, you’ll come out ahead since you can save cash using points, which is helpful when there is no award availability for your preferred travel plans.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

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

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1%-5% Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.

$200 Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

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How to book airbnb with points: skip the big hotels and go boutique.

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I’ll let you in on a little secret that is not too popular in the points-and-miles world: I hate big brand hotels. When I stay at these hotels, I feel like I am stuck in a corporate box with no personality. I much prefer staying at vacation rentals such as Airbnb or small boutique or locally owned hotels.

Why I prefer Airbnb and boutique hotels

How to book small, locally-owned hotels with points, how to book airbnb and vacation rentals with points, my experiences booking with airbnb, how to not get scammed with airbnb, the bottom line.

Many of the big brand hotels tend to be situated in a hotel-specific zone, whereas the smaller hotels or vacation rentals can be integrated into neighborhoods that are simply unable to house a larger property. For example, on a recent trip to Amsterdam, my family and I stayed in an Airbnb apartment in the de Pijp neighborhood (my favorite in that city), one block away from the famous and beautiful Albert Cuypmarket . This location simply wouldn’t be possible in a large chain hotel.

There are other reasons I prefer small boutique hotels and vacation rentals to chain hotels:

• Having much more space, usually two or three bedrooms plus a living room, kitchen, and even a dining room — which is great when you’re traveling with a family
• The ability to cook our own food in a full kitchen
• Amenities that are often useful while traveling, such as a washer and dryer
• Fun extras, such as private pools or balconies with a particular view
• The personal touch of vetted and experienced hosts who frequently offer extra help to make sure you have a great stay — we have even had hosts babysit for us!

There are also reasons points-and-miles enthusiasts tend to stay at big-brand hotels. One is that they can use their points and free-night certificates for their rooms. They can also earn “status” with these kinds of hotels, and that will get them perks such as upgrades to premium suites and access to executive lounges.

But the truth is — if you are a points-and-miles earner, you don’t need to feel hemmed into the big hotels. If you prefer to stay in vacation rentals or small, locally owned hotels, you can still earn and use points and miles with your travels.

In this article, I will detail how to book these properties with points and miles. I will also share my pro tips for how to book with Airbnb, so you minimize your chances of getting scammed.

How to book with Chase Ultimate Rewards

Even if you prefer a more intimate experience to your lodging, you can still book your stays using credit card points. One of my favorite ways to book small, locally-owned, or boutique hotels is using Chase Ultimate Rewards points .

To do this, I first research small hotels on review-based sites such as TripAdvisor and then narrow down which properties I would like to book. Since the Chase Travel site is now powered by Expedia, when you log in to Chase Travel and start browsing hotels, the results are exactly the same as what you would see when browsing Expedia, except you will see the price per night in both money and Ultimate Rewards points.

Additionally, if you are logged in through your Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , you will be able to get more for each point you redeem. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can redeem your points for 50% more. Basically, that means your points are worth 1.5 cents each, instead of 1 cent. The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a similar redemption bonus, but not quite as much — you can redeem your points at a value of 1.25 cents per point.

As an example of what you can book using this method — on a trip to San Miguel De Allende, Mexico, I found a locally owned hotel with great reviews called Casa Mia Suites. The cash price for this hotel was $95 per night. This translated into 6,344 Ultimate Rewards points per night.

For this, we received a one-bedroom suite with two double beds, a kitchen, a dining area, a living room, and a balcony overlooking a traditional Mexican courtyard. For additional savings, we used the kitchen to cook our own breakfasts after buying food from the grocery store. This cost us about $2 per day for all four of us. And, to top it off, this adorable little hotel was right in the heart of San Miguel, about two blocks from the main plaza.

How to book with American Express Membership Rewards

You can also find similar boutique hotels on Amex Travel and use Membership Rewards points to book them. The value of Membership Rewards rates is usually about 1 cent per point, so this is less than you would get using Chase Ultimate Rewards, but the site often has sales on their lodgings where they will offer a certain percentage off. This could equate to the same points price for the same hotel in Chase Ultimate Rewards.

For example, using the hotel described above:

• Chase Travel might offer the hotel for $95 a night or 6,344 Ultimate Rewards Points when booking with your Chase Sapphire Reserve at a value of 1.5 cents per point. (6,344 x .015 = $95.16)
• American Express Travel may offer the same room at the same hotel but “on sale” for $63.44 a night, which would translate into 6,344 Membership Rewards points at 1 cent per point. (6,344 x .01 = $63.44)

Both these booking options come out to the exact same amount of points, so it’s worth checking both sites if you have Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards.

Also, some boutique hotels participate in the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program , which you get access to with  The Platinum Card ® from American Express . Hotels in this program offer perks such as free breakfast and late checkout.

Both the American Express ® Gold Card and Amex Platinum Card also get you access to The Hotel Collection, which showcases smaller hotels you can book with Membership Rewards. You will also receive a $100 property credit and a room upgrade when you book a room through The Hotel Collection for at least two consecutive nights.

Learn more with our full American Express Gold Card review.

How to book using a card with statement credit redemptions

Other ways to book small, non-chain hotels with points include using a credit card that has statement credits as a redemption option, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . To take advantage of this card’s rewards, you would pay for the hotel either directly through their site or through a third-party website such as Hotels.com. Then use just your accumulated rewards points to issue a statement credit toward the charge after it appears on your credit card account.

Some third-party booking sites will offer their own perks and rewards as well. For example, with Hotels.com, you get every tenth night you book for free. With a card like the Capital One Venture, you will be able to take advantage of both the ability to redeem points to cover travel purchases and the perks you would get by booking through a program such as Hotels.com. 

So far, there is no “points system” available to book short-term apartments and home rentals on platforms such as Airbnb, but there are some ways you can still use points to book these properties.

One way to book a vacation property with points is through the Chase Travel portal using Chase Ultimate Rewards points. When you log in to Chase Travel, you can search for “vacation rentals.”

You can book these short-term rental properties using your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points at the same 1.5 or 1.25 cents per point ratio, depending on if you logged in with your Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve Card . Some of these properties may also be listed with Airbnb or Vrbo, so it’s good practice to also look at those sites and cross-reference them to read the reviews and compare prices.

A second way to use points is to book the property with a card that allows you to redeem points to cover travel purchases, similar to what I just explained with small boutique hotels. You can use a card such as the Capital One Venture Card or the Bank Of America ® Travel Rewards Credit Card . With these cards, Airbnb bookings code as “travel” purchases, so you will be able to cover the purchase with rewards.

It is important to note that as of this writing, Vrbo and HomeAway do not code as “travel” with credit cards such as the Capital One Venture – they code as “real estate,” so you will not be able to cover them with rewards as a travel purchase.

This is important to know and is one of several reasons it may make sense to book your vacation rental with Airbnb , despite the problems that have recently been brought to light in the media. But before I get to my advice about that, I want to share some of my Airbnb experiences in case you’re not quite convinced it can be a special way to travel.

If you’re not totally sold on how amazing and unique staying in an Airbnb can be, here are examples of some of our favorite Airbnbs we’ve stayed in over the years. And, by the way, the average price for these stays was about $120 a night, including taxes and all fees.

A two-bedroom townhouse in the Albaycin neighborhood of Granada, Spain, with a rooftop balcony overlooking the Alhambra, three bathrooms, a washer and dryer, and lots of extras from the hosts, including bottles of wine, olives, and beach supplies.

A two-bedroom private villa with a private pool in Costa Rica, two blocks from the beach.

A two-bedroom apartment in the heart of Madrid with a huge outdoor terrace.

This two-bedroom apartment has a washer and dryer and is steps away from one of the best bakeries in Paris, France, on Rue Mouffetard.

A condo in Grand Cayman with a pool overlooking the ocean.

So maybe you’re thinking about trying an Airbnb on your next big trip. But there’s no ignoring the fact that a lot has been written lately about how people use the Airbnb platform to scam consumers.

For example, one scam is to put a sham listing up, then cancel at the last minute, and then offer the weary and desperate traveler a different, less nice accommodation. This bait-and-switch tactic has existed in the travel world for probably a hundred years, and I have also heard of this happening to people when they book a small, local hotel online (“We have no rooms here, but we have something at our other hotel”). So while this is in no way just an Airbnb phenomenon, I am not surprised these scammers have found their way to the home-sharing platform. As long as there is a way to scam the system, people will figure out how to do so.

This is a real shame because all my experiences with legitimate Airbnb hosts have been outstanding. These are real people who rent out their guest house or apartment in the building they own while they live downstairs. The hosts I’ve met when booking through Airbnb couldn’t be nicer or more accommodating. In fact, in the past year, I have joined several Facebook groups for Airbnb hosts since my family will soon begin renting out our own vacation property — and the horror stories I’ve seen about guests are worse than anything I’ve ever heard about hosts.

For example, guests will try to scam hosts out of a free stay by saying there are “bugs” in the house or by sending a picture of moldy coffee grounds in a coffee pot when no such thing has occurred. The moldy coffee host later realized it wasn’t even their coffee pot in the pic! Not to mention the horrible property damage that happens more frequently than you can imagine.

Many hosts are tentative to call these guests out for their terrible ways for fear of a bad review. Suffice it to say, that bad behavior goes both ways, and scammers and both sides should not ruin it for the rest of us. You can book safely with Airbnb and have a wonderful stay — I’ve done it many times.

Here is my tried-and-true Airbnb booking advice:

• Only book with “Superhosts.” This is one way Airbnb has tried to weed out the bad guys. Superhosts are verified through the site and have never had any issues with their bookings. They are also not allowed to cancel your booking, or they will lose their superhost status.
• Read every review. I know this sounds daunting, but it shouldn’t take too long. Every review should be glowing or, if anything sounds negative, there should be a rationale for it. For example, if someone says, “The neighborhood was noisy,” but the neighborhood is in fact in a lively part of town, that is not the host’s fault, and you would just have to consider whether you want to stay there, as with any type of lodging.
• Try not to book properties with reviews that say, “the host canceled the reservation xx days before the booking.” This is a red flag that they are using the bait-and-switch tactic described above.
• Book early and with sites that are a “rare find.” If Airbnb says, “This is a rare find. Paul’s place is usually booked,” this is a good sign. The reason you want to book as early as possible with Airbnb is that, unlike with hotels, each property is usually one-of-a-kind, so once it’s gone, it’s gone. If I know I want to stay at an Airbnb for a particular trip, I usually get on the site and book right after I have booked my plane tickets. This is especially important if you are looking at a popular holiday break week, such as between Christmas and New Year's. I have booked a year in advance quite often.
• Have a conversation with your host before you book. I usually ask whether they have anyone they can recommend to babysit, what local activities they recommend for kids, if they have restaurant recommendations, or if there are nearby grocery stores. You will get a sense through that conversation if the person is a legit host or a scammer. The good ones respond promptly and talk like real people.
• What about those cleaning fees? Yes, it is true the nightly price Airbnb shows is not the “true” price once you add on the cleaning fees. But there is an easy way to deal with this. There is a widget you can download for Chrome called the Airbnb Price Per Night Corrector . After you install this, you will see the accurate price per night when you search for stays on Airbnb.
• Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount on Airbnb , especially if you book last minute. Hosts are often happy to offer a discount to fill the space.

I hope this post helped give you the confidence to book some out-of-the-box lodgings for your next adventure. To me, the benefits of having a large and unique space, the special attention of the hosts, and the ability to stay more “like a local” far outweigh any potential for being scammed (and if you follow my guidelines, you will greatly reduce that possibility).

To sum it all up, the experiences we have had at our favorite Airbnbs or small hotels make up some of our best travel memories. Make sure you've picked the best travel credit card that will help you book some of these experiences with points. 

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Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases

• Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases
• Longer intro APR on qualifying purchases and balance transfers
• No foreign transaction fees
• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

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God Save The Points

Elevating your travel

You Can Now Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points For Airbnb Stays!

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Maybe it’s a private pool, an outdoor space, or an extra bedroom for friends. There are millions of reasons why Airbnb continues to gain in popularity, haggling included , but when it comes time to pay, there’s never been an amazing way to use points.

Sure, you could use points at ineffective rates, but who wants to do that? Now, many Chase Sapphire cardholders won’t have to.

Airbnb is now officially a Chase ‘Pay Yourself Back’ option, and will be into 2022 at the earliest, creating an amazing way to stay where you want, and split up costs with points covering some, none, or all, with ease.

Using Chase Ultimate Rewards Points For Airbnb

Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders now have a fantastic new way to use points for Airbnb stays at great rates, even after they’ve made the purchase.

Chase ‘Pay Yourself Back’ allows Sapphire Reserve cardholders to use points for purchases they’ve already made in select categories at a rate of 1.5 cents per point. Rather than 100,000 points covering $1000 in purchases, 100,000 points covers $1500 in purchases, and so forth.

For Sapphire Preferred cardholders, the rate is 1.25 cents per point, so 100,000 points covers $1250 worth of purchases.

You can use points to pay for some, or all, of a transaction on your account. Airbnb just officially became an option, joining charitable giving, dining purchases and purchases made at luggage brand ‘Away’ . This means if you made a $150 purchase on dining, or Airbnb, Away or a charity, just 10,000 points would settle it for you.

What’s nice is that you can pay afterward. If you’re out to dinner, you pay as usual at the restaurant, then once the charge hits your account, you can wipe it off with points. The same now applies for Airbnb.

How It Works: Chase Ultimate Rewards For Airbnb

Now that Airbnb is officially a part of ‘Pay Yourself Back’, you can book your Airbnb stays like normal, and then use points later on to either soften the blow by removing some of the transaction with points, or all.

You choose how many points you want to use, and the Chase Ultimate Rewards site tells you how much that will cover.

Chase tipped this ‘Pay Yourself Back’ feature as a temporary measure during times when travel wasn’t easy for people, but dining was, yet all indications are that it will continue to exist and evolve in different ways for a long time to come.

The new Airbnb offering is set to run through March 31st, 2022, but could easily be extended, the same way categories like dining have been. Any Airbnb purchases which hit your account before this date, even for stays later on, can be covered at the great rates ‘Pay Yourself Back’ offers.

Exciting Way To Use Points

Hotels are wonderful, but they aren’t for everyone right now. Having the opportunity to use points at strong rates for more purchases is absolutely “winning” for all Chase Sapphire cardholders.

And don’t forget, there’s currently a 100,000 point welcome for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, which is incredible !

Once one leading reward card offers a better way to use points, it’s typically only a matter of time until others do too. It could be a very exciting year in the points game, after all!

Gilbert Ott

Gilbert Ott is an ever curious traveler and one of the world's leading travel experts. His adventures take him all over the globe, often spanning over 200,000 miles a year and his travel exploits are regularly... More by Gilbert Ott

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Save on Airbnb with Credit Card and Airline Rewards

T raveling families and groups can generally save on Airbnb and VRBO rentals compared to hotels. And longer stays are often cheaper when booked at vacation rentals. However, if you’re a frequent traveler and you’ve racked up points or miles on travel rewards credit cards or through other loyalty programs, you typically won’t be able to use them to book a vacation rental. But you can harness Airbnb and VRBO co-branded loyalty programs to earn even more points, which you can use for airfare or other travel expenses.

Here’s a guide to earning and redeeming points or miles by booking an Airbnb or VRBO.  And not to get too existential, but are Airbnbs really cheaper than hotels? We have answers.

How to earn points or miles on an Airbnb stay

Two airline loyalty programs will allow you to earn points or miles for Airbnb stays . 

• Earn Delta SkyMiles® : Book your Airbnb stay through a special portal provided by the SkyMiles program and enter your SkyMiles member number. Earn one mile for each dollar spent on your Airbnb rental, excluding taxes and fees. Each Delta SkyMile is worth about 1.2 cents, according to Bankrate . If you pay with a SkyMiles American Express Platinum Card , you can double the miles you earn and get a 15% discount on Delta flights (booked with the card). 
• Earn British Airways Avios points : Book your Airbnb stays or Airbnb Experiences through the British Airways Airbnb program website . Be sure to enable cookies and follow other directions on the site. You will earn two Avios for each Dollar, Euro or British Pound you spend. Each Avio is worth about 0.7 cents . Use a credit card with British Airways as a travel partner to maximize your rewards. For example, book using cards issued by Capital One and those that offer American Express Membership rewards, Bilt Rewards , Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy points . 

Earn rewards for a VRBO stay

VRBO , the vacation rental competitor to Airbnb, also has partnerships that can earn you rewards .

United MileagePlus : Book your VRBO property through the United/VRBO portal to earn three United MileagePlus miles for each dollar spent at VRBO. MileagePlus miles are each worth about 0.9 cents . Access the portal through the terms and conditions page of the program .

One Key Rewards : VRBO participates in the One Key Rewards program. When you sign up for the free program, you earn OneKeyCash when you book eligible travel on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. One Key bookings earn 2% points back for each dollar spent. You can use these rewards on future bookings . If you book on Expedia.com, you may be able to use your travel card or enter your airline loyalty program to stack your rewards. 

Can you redeem rewards for an Airbnb or VRBO stay?

Some travel experts may recommend buying Airbnb gift cards with reward credit card redemptions, but that approach is complicated and rarely worth the trouble. Others may suggest cashing out miles or rewards to pay for Airbnb or VRBO rentals, but that's a waste of rewards that will likely get a better return when spent on travel. For example, if you have a lot of Chase Ultimate Rewards, you could cash them out for one cent per point to pay for an Airbnb rental, but depending on your card, you might get 1.25 or 1.5 cents for purchasing other travel on the card.

If your travel credit card has an annual travel credit, you may be able to get credit for your Airbnb or VRBO purchase. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card provides $300 in travel credits per year, allowing you to get reimbursed for up to $300 in Airbnb or VRBO expenses. Be sure to check with your credit card company that these vacation rentals will qualify for the travel credit, as terms change often.

Another way to make your Airbnb or VRBO stay count is to use a flat-rate cash back credit card ; at least you will earn 2% or 3% back on your stay.

Are Airbnb and VRBO rentals cheaper than hotel rooms?

It has been a given that vacation rentals like Airbnb would save money over a hotel room. That assumption, at least for one or two travelers, may now be wrong. A 2023 study by the U.K. consumer website, Which? , found that a hotel room is cheaper than a one-bedroom Airbnb or VRBO rental in 38 of 50 destinations. 

However, the study did not consider how much travelers could save by having a kitchen in a vacation rental. For those staying in expensive cities like London or Paris, eating in can save substantially over dining out. And many vacation rentals have washing machines and dryers. If you're in a hotel, you could pay a premium to have a laundry service wash your clothes. Or you might have to trek to a laundromat  — the last thing anyone wants to do on their vacation.

The study also failed to compare the cost of large vacation rentals to the corresponding number of hotel rooms. Families often opt for vacation rentals because they tend to get a better deal than on multiple hotel rooms.

However, the outlook for Airbnb and VRBO properties is in flux, especially in large cities.

Given the tight housing market and lack of affordable housing in the U.S. and abroad, several cities are trying to reduce the number of vacation rentals, which could raise prices in the long term. 

For example, New York City implemented strict short-term rental rules last September, saying that the 10,000 such units diminished the city's supply of rental housing. By the end of September, the city had approved just over 400 applications from landlords seeking to register their apartments legally as Airbnb or VRBO properties, according to Gothamist . 

Other locations are changing development laws to discourage Airbnb or VRBO. The city of Providence, RI has approved a new housing development with the caveat that the apartments can never be used for vacation rentals .  

Vacation rentals have also piled on the fees in recent years. Those fees for cleaning a property after you leave or for extra guests can add up. And starting on April 1, Airbnb is adding a 2% cross-currency fee . This fee applies to guests who book rentals in a different currency than that of the host country. 

To Airbnb or not to Airbnb?

If you are traveling as a large family or group, Airbnb or VRBO may still be your cheapest bet in some locations, especially if you plan on doing your own cooking and laundry. But with current market conditions and fees, it makes sense to compare the price of a vacation rental with a hotel. 

• 5 Ways to Save Money on Vacation Rental Properties
• New Airbnb Camera Ban, 2% Cross-Currency Fee Coming Soon
• Would You Buy Airbnb's New 'Rooms' Option? Why I'll Still Be in a Hotel
• 5 Great Places to Buy a Vacation Home

Beginner’s guide to travel rewards: How to travel with credit card points and miles

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.  

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

When you read articles about travel rewards, you’re often regaled with tales of how the writer traveled in first class to Asia in a private suite drinking champagne for $5.60. You’re right to read that with skepticism. While using travel rewards, airline miles, and hotel points can allow you to travel well outside of your weight class, it’s well worth it to dig into the details before opening up a wallet-full of credit cards. Here’s how to enjoy the fruits of travel rewards responsibly.

Types of travel credit cards and how they work

Travel rewards credit cards—as opposed to cash-back credit cards or credit cards that don’t earn rewards at all—can generally be divided into the following three categories:

• Cards that earn flexible points.
• Cards that earn airline miles.
• Cards that earn hotel points.

We’ll delve deeper into the specifics of each type of card in the sections below.

Flexible travel credit cards

A credit card that earns flexible travel rewards is not tied to one specific airline or hotel chain. Instead, the points can be transferred to the loyalty programs of the airlines and hotel chains that your card offers as partners. Then, you redeem your points for flights or stays booked directly with the airline or hotel chain.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card is an example of a popular travel card that earns flexible points. This card comes with more than a dozen transfer partners and points transfer at a 1:1 rate (meaning each point you transfer from your credit card to a partner program nets you one airline mile or hotel point on the other end). Partners include United Airlines, World of Hyatt , and more. 

Issuers of flexible travel cards may also provide a portal you can book travel through. For example, cardholders with the Chase Sapphire Preferred have the option of booking flights, hotel stays and more through Chase Travel℠, in which case each Chase Ultimate Rewards point (the rewards currency the card earns) is worth 1.25 cents.

If this is what you’re looking for, a card from our list of best travel credit cards might be a fit for your needs. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

Intro bonus.

Rewards Rates

• 5x 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit)
• 3x 3x points on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
• 2x 2x points on travel purchases not booked through Chase
• 1x 1x points on other purchases
• 5x 5x points on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025 (that's 3x points in addition to the 2x points you already earn on travel)
• Valuable welcome bonus
• Extensive list of transfer partners
• Extra value on travel redemptions
• No premium travel perks
• Has an annual fee
• Additional perks: $50 annual hotel credit, trip cancelation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, complimentary Doordash and Instacart+ membership along with quarterly Instacart+ credits
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Airline-specific credit cards

An airline credit card is tied to a specific airline’s loyalty program, and earns miles you can use to book or upgrade flights with that airline and its partner airlines. For example, consider the United SM Explorer Card . The miles you earn with this card are deposited into your MileagePlus loyalty account, and you can redeem them to book flights on United Airlines or with United’s partners in the Star Alliance.

Cards of this type may offer airline-specific perks—such as free checked bags, priority boarding, an annual companion certificate, and more. If you fly a particular airline regularly, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars per year through the right card’s benefits.

If you think this is what you need, check out our list of best cards for earning airline miles .

Or if you already have an airline in mind that you’re loyal to, and just need help selecting a card for that specific airline, one of the following guides is likely to have what you’re looking for:

• Best American Airlines credit cards
• Best Delta Air Lines credit cards
• Best Southwest Airlines credit cards
• Best United Airlines credit cards

United SM Explorer Card

• 2x 2x miles on dining (including eligible delivery services), hotel stays, and United® purchases (including tickets, inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, Economy Plus® and more)
• 1x 1x miles on all other purchases
• Free first checked bag benefit.
• Expanded award availability on United Saver flights.
• No foreign transaction fee.
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year (then $95) annual fee
• Subject to Chase 5/24 rule.
• United perks: 25% back on in-flight purchases checked bag benefit, expanded Saver award ticket availability
• Travel perks: TSA/Global Entry credit, trip cancellation and interruption protection

The beginner’s guide to using frequent flyer miles

Hotel-specific credit cards

Hotel credit cards are tied to a specific hotel chain, such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, etc. When you spend with these cards, they earn points that deposit into their respective loyalty program.

Often, when picking a hotel card, the perks matter just as much or even more than the rewards. For example, the right card might provide you elite status, a free night certificate, and statement credits you can use for certain expenses at eligible properties within the chain’s portfolio.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card illustrates these sorts of perks well. Cardholders get automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status just for holding the card, as well as a Free Night Award every account anniversary good for properties worth up to 35,000 points per night.

If you’re looking for a card to help you earn almost-free hotel stays, check out our recommendations for best hotel credit cards . Alternatively, if there’s a hotel chain that is already your favorite home away from home, these specific lists may have what you’re seeking:

• Best Hilton credit cards
• Best Hyatt credit cards
• Best IHG credit cards
• Best Marriott credit cards

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

• 6x 6X points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• 3x 3X points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• 2x 2X points per dollar on other purchases
• All information about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected independently by Fortune Recommends™.
• Generous free night welcome bonus
• Robust bonus category
• Ability to earn a free night via card spending
• Free night welcome bonus is less flexible than a points welcome bonus
• Marriott points aren’t as valuable as other points currencies
• Charges an annual fee
• Additional perks: Trip cancelation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection, ability to spend to higher status

Are there travel credit cards with no annual fee?

Yes, there are travel cards with no annual fee on the market—some of them pretty dang good, especially considering the price tag is $0 per year to hold them. For example, the Bilt Mastercard and the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card are two no-annual-fee cards that let you earn points you can transfer to airline and hotel partner programs.

That said, it’s true many of the most popular travel cards on the scene do charge annual fees, often in exchange for more premium benefits. A card that grants airport lounge access will generally run you hundreds of dollars, such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and its $395 annual fee. The Platinum Card® from American Express is perhaps the most famous luxury travel card, charging $695 per year but offering extensive lounge access and numerous statement credits.

Mid-range travel cards provide a happy medium for those seeking more perks than you can get with a no-annual-fee card but not ready to shell out for a premium travel card. Some may even waive the annual fee in the first year. Examples of strong mid-tier travel cards include the American Express® Green Card —priced at $150 per year—and the United Explorer, charging a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year (then $95).

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

All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Fortune Recommends™

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Intro bonus.

• 3X 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans
• 1X 1X points on other purchases
• No annual fee
• 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that's a $200 cash redemption value)
• Points transfer to partners
• Car rental insurance is secondary
• No travel insurance
• Transfer partners are limited
• Additional perks: Cell Phone Protection: Provides up to $600 in cell phone protection when you pay your monthly cell bill with your Wells Fargo Autograph card. Coverage is subject to a $25 deductible and limited to two claims every 12-month period.
• Foreign transaction fee: N/A

Top perks of travel credit cards

While benefits vary dramatically from card to card, there are a few types of benefits you’re likely to encounter and that you may want to look for when choosing a new card to apply for.

• Travel-related statement credits. Take for example the aforementioned Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Preferred. The former offers a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel while the latter offers a $50 annual credit for hotel stays booked via Chase Travel. These credits alone go a long way toward offsetting each card’s annual fee ($395 for the Venture X, $95 for the Sapphire Preferred). 
• Travel insurance. The Sapphire Preferred is a great example here as well. Cardholders can travel with a little extra peace of mind knowing that if they pay with this card, they’ve got trip cancellation and interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip, trip delay reimbursement up to $500 per ticket, baggage delay insurance up to $100 a day for up to five days, and primary rental car insurance .
• Elite status. Maybe you really like the sound of certain perks that come with having elite status in your favorite hotel chain’s or airline’s loyalty program. For example, travelers with Hilton Gold status get a daily food and beverage credit or continental breakfast (varies by brand and region). In that case, maybe you’d want to open the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card , which includes Gold status among its benefits.
• Airport lounge access. While cards with airline lounge access as a perk tend to charge expensive annual fees, you can still end up better off than paying for a lounge membership by itself. For example, if you really want to get into United Club lounges, you might find it a better value to pay $525 for the United Club℠ Infinite Card rather than the $650 a general MileagePlus member would pay for United Club membership. 
• A free night or a companion pass. With some cards, a free night certificate or a companion ticket can cover the cost of the annual fee in one fell swoop. Let’s look at the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (different from the Amex Platinum mentioned earlier) as an example. The annual fee is $350 but you get a Companion Certificate each year good for a domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flight. If you travel with a friend regularly, this could save you hundreds of dollars. But do note that you’re responsible for covering government-imposed taxes and fees.

To view rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card , see this page

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, see this page

How to choose the right travel card for you

Asking a few questions can help you determine if a card is a fit:

• Does the rewards currency suit your needs? If you want flights, collect airline miles. If you want hotel stays, collect hotel points. And if you want both, collect transferable points. Just make sure you’re earning rewards you can actually use. For example, don’t open a Hyatt credit card if there aren’t any Hyatts where you want to vacation or a Southwest Airlines card if you want to fly to Asia.
• If there’s a welcome bonus, can you hit the spending target? Most travel credit cards offer a welcome bonus of some kind, typically one where you earn bonus points or miles for spending a certain amount on purchases in a specified time period. For example, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card —the big sibling of the Autograph card mentioned elsewhere—offers 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 in the first three months. If you open a new travel card with a welcome bonus spend requirement that’s unrealistic for your financial situation, you’re leaving rewards on the table. 
• Will you actually use the card’s benefits? This is particularly crucial to consider with statement credits. For example, the American Express® Gold Card ’s dining statement credit of up to $120 per year may sound great, but not if you don’t have any of the eligible merchants (Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations) in your area or you never dine with these merchants. 
• Does the card’s rewards program fit your lifestyle? This should be fairly obvious, but in most cases, you’ll want to make sure the card you’re applying for offers rewards in a category that makes up a substantial portion of your budget. So, while someone who frequently eats out at restaurants will probably love the Bilt Mastercard’s elevated rewards on dining, someone who always cooks at home won’t benefit as much. 
• If there’s an annual fee, does it seem reasonable to you? This isn’t to say you shouldn’t pay an annual fee, or even that you shouldn’t pay for a card with an expensive annual fee. But if you do pay for a mid-tier or premium travel card, you should receive more than the cost of the annual fee through rewards and perks. Someone who uses the Capital One Venture X’s annual $300 travel credit has already almost recouped the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card annual fee, but someone who prefers to book directly with airlines and hotels and refuses to book via a portal might never use that credit. Every so often, do the math for your own needs and see if you’re getting value out of the cards you’re carrying.

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

Glossary of travel card-related terms

Here are a few terms you’ll find useful as you get into traveling with points and miles:

• Award travel. This refers to using points and miles to book hotel stays and flights.
• Transferable points. Consider this the same as the flexible rewards we explained above. You earn points that your credit card issuer allows you to transfer to various airline and hotel partners, rather than being tied to one airline or hotel chain.
• Welcome bonus. You may also hear this called a welcome offer or a sign-up bonus. Welcome bonuses reward new cardholders after opening an account, typically by offering bonus points or miles for spending a certain amount in a specified time frame. 
• Foreign transaction fee. This is a fee, typically around 3%, that some credit cards charge for using your card abroad. Most travel cards charge no foreign transaction fee, though there are exceptions. We recommend making sure you’re taking a card with no foreign transaction fee if you’re planning a trip outside the United States.
• Award chart. If an airline or hotel chain offers a chart showing the number of points you need to redeem for various types of flights or stays, you’re looking at an award chart. Fixed award charts used to be more common in the past, with many programs nowadays using dynamic pricing. More on that in the next entry.
• Dynamic pricing. Essentially, dynamic pricing means the number of points or miles you’ll need to redeem for a flight or stay varies based on factors such as seasonality and demand. There isn’t a set cost for the award ticket or room that you wish to book, in this case—it can and likely will fluctuate. 
• Chase 5/24 rule. This is an unwritten rule that affects applications for Chase-issued credit cards (including co-branded airline and hotel cards). Basically, it means that if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months, you’ll get denied if you apply for any Chase credit cards. For this reason, you may hear travelers who collect points and miles talking about their Chase 5/24 status.

How to maximize your travel rewards

Maximize your rewards-earning potential.

We mentioned this before, but pick a credit card that rewards categories you normally spend in. If you dine out at restaurants frequently, you may find a card such as the Bilt Mastercard or Chase Sapphire Preferred allows you to satisfy both your inner foodie and your inner travel rewards lover. But if you tend to spend more at supermarket, consider the American Express Gold Card.

Meanwhile, someone who makes a lot of hard-to-categorize purchases might prefer a card that earns rewards at a flat rate on every purchase, like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Venture X.

It may even be worth carrying multiple credit cards that compliment each other. For example, one might carry the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Freedom Flex℠ , and Chase Freedom Unlimited ® . With this setup, you’d use the Sapphire Preferred for purchases like travel and dining, use the Freedom Flex for its rotating categories, and the Freedom Unlimited for your more random purchases. 

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Reward Rates

• 5x Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x Earn 2x miles on every purchase
• Flexible travel rewards
• No foreign transaction fee
• Maximizing Capital One Miles requires a learning curve
• Cash redemption value is limited
• The Venture offers travel accident insurance, rental car coverage, extended warranty protection, exclusive access to events through Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment

Redeem your rewards wisely

At the risk of stating the obvious, redeem airline miles for flights and hotel points for hotel stays. If your card offers redemption choices such as shopping for merchandise with your rewards, beware that you’ll probably get a subpar value. 

Similarly, with a card that earns flexible points, transfer them to airline or hotel partners or use them to book travel in your issuer’s portal.

As a rule of thumb, strive to get a value of 1 cent or more per point or mile redeemed with most airline programs. Hotel program values are more variable so it helps to do a bit of research before booking. To calculate that value, divide the cash price of the purchase by the points required, then multiply by 100. For example, a redemption with a cash price of $500 and an award cost of 26,000 points means you’re getting a value of roughly 1.9 cents per point. (To get even more nitty gritty, subtract the cost of any taxes and fees from the cash price before you do the calculation.)

If you’re someone who values luxury, know that you can often get the highest cents-per-points value when springing for high-end properties or business class and first class flights. But of course, it’s not just the math that matters, but the utility.

Travelers who just want to fund a simple holiday vacation with their points can do so, and shouldn’t feel the need to spend more points just for a higher cent-per-point number. Consider not just the retail cost when valuing points, but the actual amount you would be willing to pay. If a flight costs $5,000 but you could reasonably get where you want to go for $1,000 you’ll be better served going with the lower number as your cost basis. 

Finally, learning how airline alliances work can help you leverage both your airline miles and your flexible points. The three major alliances to be aware of are Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance. As just one example of how this can help you get where you want to go, both Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic are part of SkyTeam—so if you have a credit card that lets you transfer points to Virgin, you can search through Virgin for partner space on Delta flights. 

The takeaway

Travel credit cards can unlock experiences you might otherwise never have had access to. By learning how to earn and redeem airline miles, hotel points, and flexible rewards you can transfer, the sky’s the limit on where your travels can take you.

Frequently asked questions

Why am i being charged money for an award ticket.

You’re likely seeing the passenger fee, which is a government-required security fee. This is generally $5.60 per person for a one-way flight or $11.20 per person for a round-trip flight departing from a domestic airport on a U.S.-based airline. Taxes from other countries, airline surcharges and other fees may also come into play when booking an award ticket. 

Can I pay for part of my booking with points and part of it with cash?

Most likely, yes. It’s common for rewards programs to let you pay for part of a flight or hotel stay with cash and part of it with points. But note this may not always yield the best value for your points.

What credit score is needed to get a travel card?

Issuers generally like to see a good or better credit score when you apply for a rewards credit card—that’s typically considered a FICO Score of 670 or higher. To be on the safe side, it’s a good rule of thumb to make sure your credit score is 700 or higher before hitting the “apply” button. If you’re not sure what your credit score is, there are a variety of ways to check for free, such as signing up for an account with the credit bureau Experian .

Are points and miles or cash back better?

First, we should note that the distinction between reward types is not always cut and dry. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points—a flexible travel currency that you can transfer to airline and hotel loyalty programs, use for bookings through Chase Travel℠, or redeem as cash back to a bank account at a value of 1 cent each.

So, what the rewards are called is not the most important thing. Rather, it’s how you can redeem them. With a travel card, you should have options for using your points or miles to book award flights or stays. With a cash-back card, you’ll probably just be taking your rewards as a deposit to your checking account or a statement credit against your card’s account balance.

As to which is better, it depends on your preferences and how often you travel. Someone who is looking to leverage credit card rewards to make travel more affordable, and is willing to learn how to find good award travel deals, should opt for a travel card. But someone who never travels, or who values simplicity above all else, will benefit more from a cash-back card.

What’s the best first travel credit card?

This depends entirely on your financial habits and travel needs. However, the Bilt Mastercard (even if you don’t need to earn rewards on rent) is one of our top picks if you’re looking for a no-annual-fee travel card. That’s because it earns elevated rewards on dining, provides travel protections such as trip delay reimbursement you don’t usually find on cards without an annual fee, and lets you transfer your rewards to more than a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.  

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefits guide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.  

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE : The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends ™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.

What the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card offers

• How other travel cards compare to the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card
• 3 key benefits cardholders get from the Autograph Journey 

Move Over, Chase Sapphire Preferred. This New Travel Credit Card Is Turning Heads

Wells Fargo's newest card has one key advantage over the gold standard in travel cards.

Holly Johnson

Contributor

Holly Johnson is a credit card expert and writer who covers rewards and loyalty programs, budgeting, and all things personal finance. In addition to writing for publications like Bankrate, CreditCards.com, Forbes Advisor and Investopedia, Johnson owns Club Thrifty and is the co-author of "Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love."

Tiffany Connors

Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a senior editor for CNET Money with a focus on credit cards. Previously, she covered personal finance topics as a writer and editor at The Penny Hoarder. She is passionate about helping people make the best money decisions for themselves and their families. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and has been a writer and editor for publications including the New York Post, Women's Running magazine and Soap Opera Digest. When she isn't working, you can find her enjoying life in St. Petersburg, Florida, with her husband, daughter and a very needy dog.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card * -- Wells Fargo’s latest and best travel card -- recently launched with an impressive set of features. Its competitive rewards, welcome bonus and redemption options take aim at incumbent travel credit cards from Chase, American Express and Capital One.

What gives Wells Fargo’s first foray into the point-transfer space an edge is that you don’t have to book travel in a portal to earn the highest rewards rates. 

Here’s why we think the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey could go toe-to-toe with some of the best travel credit cards, plus three insider tips to help you decide if you should add it to your credit card lineup.

Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect with the Autograph Journey:

• Earn 60,000 welcome bonus rewards points after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of account opening.
• Earn unlimited 5x points on hotels, 4x points on airlines, 3x points on other travel and dining and 1x on other purchases.
• Receive an annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other benefits include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside dispatch and cell phone insurance.
• $95 annual fee.

How other travel cards compare to the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

3 key benefits cardholders get from the autograph journey .

Here’s a rundown of four facts we discovered about the Autograph Journey that you should know when deciding whether to apply.

1. You can transfer points with Wells Fargo point-based cards

The launch of the Autograph Journey also marks the first transferable points program from Wells Fargo, which joins other card issuers like Chase and Capital One, which have their own pooling programs .

Autograph Journey will be able to do a points transfer with the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card . This is especially notable since the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers bonus rewards in different categories than the Autograph Journey. 

For example, the Autograph card earns unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1x points on other purchases. So you can maximize your point earning across different categories, then transfer your points to your Autograph Journey account to access premium travel redemptions.

2. It offers more options for earning bonus miles on travel than some competitors

The Autograph Journey will offer more flexibility than many travel rewards cards when it comes to earning more points on travel purchases. For example, cardholders earn unlimited 5x points on hotels booked directly with hotel brands and 4x points on airfare booked with airlines. 

This helps the card stand out from other popular travel credit cards that offer the most bonus points only if you book travel through their portals. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * only offer the highest bonus rewards on travel booked through Capital One Travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers its highest rate of 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, whereas other travel purchases earn 2x points.

Autograph Journey cardholders also earn a minimum of 3x points on other travel purchases, which could include rental cars, cruises and travel booked through online travel agencies like Expedia and Priceline.

3. The card may grow in value as more transfer partners join

The Autograph Journey Card will earn flexible travel rewards points that transfer to a selection of airline and hotel partners, similar to Amex Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards . While the list of transfer partners is limited, Wells Fargo stated in its initial press release that “more partners will continue to be added throughout the year.”

Points transfers could dramatically change the value proposition of the Autograph Journey, especially if new partners include domestic airlines and popular hotel loyalty programs. 

Wells Fargo point transfers will be available to new cardholders starting on April 4. For now, Wells Fargo transfer partners include the following:

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After writing about hundreds of credit cards, these two are still my favorite, 6 reasons the chase sapphire preferred should be your next credit card, 3 steps to take when your flight is canceled or delayed, 8 best credit card strategies to maximize earnings in 2024, as a foodie who enjoys a night out on the town, this credit card gives me plenty to savor.

* All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.

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Credit Cards

Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my first ever rewards card

Sarah Li Cain

Robin Saks Frankel

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

Grace Pilling

Published 6:03 a.m. UTC April 15, 2024

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I first started learning about the world of rewards credit cards from friends and bloggers and knew I wanted in. The challenge was that it took me a long time to build my credit , and I wanted to be sure I picked the right card. After some research, I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as my first rewards credit card. Yes, there are other cards with lower (or no) annual fees, but I have squeezed a ton of value from this credit card.

Here are the reasons why I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

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

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

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

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

1. I wanted flexible redemption options

Learning about travel rewards and how to redeem points as a beginner all those years ago felt extremely intimidating. I wanted to earn rewards that offered plenty of redemption options and where I could learn at a pace that felt accessible to me. Initially, I ignored the airline and hotel transfer partners and decided I would focus on how I would use my Ultimate Rewards® points through the Chase Travel℠ portal. 

Taking this route eased my fears about how to book flights and hotels using rewards. I was also happy that I didn’t have to feel loyal to one airline or hotel chain like I would have with a cobranded rewards card. After booking a few trips through the Chase travel site, I took the time to learn about the issuer’s travel loyalty transfer partners (there are 14 in total). But I still liked choosing which method — booking through Chase Travel or transferring points — was better for me to squeeze the most out of my points. 

Some travel rewards redemptions offer more value than others. Here’s some of the best ways to use Chase points .

2. The annual fee is accessible, even for occasional travelers

When I opened the Sapphire Preferred card, my family wasn’t traveling much. We were still settling into our new home, my husband had started a new job and I was juggling taking care of my young child with my freelance career. I aimed to earn enough rewards from the card to nab heavily discounted hotels and the occasional flight when we visited family once or twice a year.

At $95, the annual fee felt affordable to us. A pricier card with lounge access wasn’t important, because we didn’t fly enough to feel that feature would be worth it. However, the Sapphire Preferred’s $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit was, since we stop and stay overnight on our cross-country drives during the summer. 

3. I was able to earn the welcome bonus easily

My family and I mostly used credit cards to pay for bills like utilities and groceries. Looking over our expenses, we could easily spend thousands of dollars over a span of several months. The minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus — 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening — was well within our reach. Plus, I paid off my credit cards each month, meaning we didn’t pay any interest and our rewards earnings didn’t cost us extra. 

The minimum spend is higher than some rewards cards, though lower than luxury ones — my family and I were able to hit the minimum spend in a little over two months. Considering I earned $750 worth of travel if I booked through Chase Travel (which I was mostly doing in the beginning anyway), it was well worth it.

4. There are no foreign transaction fees

My mom and sister live in Canada where I grew up, so I make the annual trek with my family to visit them along with several other close friends. I knew that whatever credit card I signed up for, I wanted no foreign transaction fees when using it in another country. My last credit card did charge fees for transactions overseas, and though they may not seem like much on their own, they do add up.

This benefit alone didn’t convince me to sign up for the Sapphire Preferred but it was certainly a welcome benefit in addition to all the others. 

5. Why I keep the Sapphire Preferred even years later

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has stayed in my wallet for the last six years and I don’t plan on canceling it anytime soon. The initial signup bonus earned my family several hotel nights when we visited family and friends. In subsequent years we took advantage of the $50 annual hotel credit and other benefits, such as primary rental car insurance , to make the annual fee worth it. 

Over the years I’ve added two other Chase cards to the mix — the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . I pool the points I earn from these two credit cards with my Sapphire Preferred because the Preferred offers a 25% points boost when booking travel through Chase. Since I have a family of three to book travel for, I want to use all the advantages I can get. 

Considering a rewards card? Here’s how to choose the right credit card for you.

*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit 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.

Sarah Li Cain is a finance and small business writer currently based in Jacksonville, Florida whose articles have been published with outlets such as Fortune, CNBC Select, the Financial Planning Association and Zillow.

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.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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Costa Rica Adventures Part 1: Manuel Antonio Travel Party of 5

• Places & Travel

Listen in to hear how we travel hacked flights to Costa Rica for our family of 5. We also share the AirBnB we stayed in and the tours we did (links below). Chase Ink Business Cards - we have all 4 of these cards Chase Sapphire Preferred / Chase Sapphire Reserve World of Hyatt Chase Business Card The AirBnB in Manuel Antonio/Quepos  Mauro Beach and Wildlife - Guided tour through Manuel Antonio National Park Chocolate and Coffee Tour

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