annual travel card prices

Best no annual fee travel credit cards of April 2024

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Travel rewards cards are a lot like gyms. The best ones may come with tons of added benefits (saunas, yoga class, etc.) but they also cost a lot, usually with a big financial commitment upfront. 

As a result, whether you’re considering a Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card (with its $95 annual fee) or a CrossFit membership, you probably have the same question on your mind: will I really use it enough to justify paying for it? 

While there aren’t any free gyms we know of, there thankfully are plenty of no-annual-fee travel rewards cards that require essentially zero commitment. And just like an ab roller or a Richard Simmons DVD, you can simply use them a few times, forget about them, and put them in a drawer until beach season. Or, you can stick with it and make them part of your daily routine—whatever works for you.

You’re also far more likely to see “instant results” with these cards, too. From 100,000-point welcome bonuses to rewards for paying rent, free travel insurance to 3X on gas, these cards offer way more than you’d expect for a fee of $0 per year. 

The best no-annual-fee travel cards for April 2024

Best overall: bilt mastercard, best for hotel rewards: ihg one rewards traveler credit card, best for airline rewards: united gateway℠ card, best for travel earnings: wells fargo autograph℠ card, best for flat-rate earnings: capital one ventureone rewards credit card.

The Bilt Mastercard allows you to earn points from paying rent and transfer them 1:1 to well over a dozen different travel partners including United MileagePlus and Marriott Bonvoy. Toss in some surprisingly robust travel insurance and you have our unconventional—yet logical—choice for the best overall no-annual-fee travel card of 2024.

Bilt Mastercard®

See Rates and Fees

Special feature

Rewards rates.

• 1x Earn 1X points on rent up to 100K/year
• 1x Earn 3X points on dining
• 2x Earn 2X points on travel
• 1x Earn 1X points on other purchases
• Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points
• Uniquely earns points on rent
• Rent Day bonus every first of the month offers double points (excluding rent)
• Robust travel transfer partners
• Cash redemption rate is poor
• No traditional welcome bonus
• Travel perks: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
• See this page for details
• Foreign Transaction Fee: None

Why we like this card: As mentioned, the Bilt Mastercard’s most compelling feature is that it allows you to pay rent with a credit card—even if your landlord doesn’t take plastic—and avoid the transaction fee paying rent by credit card would typically incur. Then, as long as you complete five transactions each month, you’ll trigger 1X rewards on your rent payments. 

Note that rewards on rent are capped at 100,000 points per year.

In terms of earning potential, if you pay the median ~$2,000 rent in the U.S., you could earn approximately 24,000 points per year which can be used to book travel in Bilt’s portal at a value of 1.25 cents per point or transferred to any of Bilt’s airline or hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. In other words, you could likely earn a domestic flight with United or a weekend stay at Hyatt, all for simply paying rent on time.

The Bilt card also provides trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay reimbursement, and primary rental car insurance (terms apply)—perks you wouldn’t typically find on a no-annual-fee credit card.

If you’re looking for a hotel rewards card that offers the most free nights for no annual fee, wait until you read about the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card. With a six-figure welcome bonus, up to 17X on stays and other compelling rewards, it’s currently the gold standard for no-fee hotel rewards.

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

Intro bonus.

• 17x Earn up to 17X points when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts 
• 3x Earn 3X points on dining, utilities, internet, cable, and phone services, select streaming services, and at gas stations
• 2x Earn 2X points on all other purchases
• Generous welcome bonus not typically seen in a $0 annual fee card
• Travel protections that are unusual for a no-annual-fee card
• Fourth night free on award bookings
• Limited redemption options outside of IHG
• IHG points are worth less than some other rewards currencies
• Silver status granted with the card has limited benefit
• Additional perks: Trip cancelation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection, ability to spend to Gold status
• Foreign transaction fee:None

Why we like this card: We like calling the IHG One Rewards Traveler card the “Liam Hemsworth” of travel rewards cards because it lives in the shadow of its big brother—the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card —but still delivers plenty of quality and substance in its own right (with no annual fee, to boot). 

For starters, you can get a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, potentially worth around $500 to $700 in IHG redemption. 

Plus, enjoy up to 17X points when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts, instant Silver Elite status and a handy bonus where you redeem points for three consecutive nights and get the fourth night in your stay free. So, if you book a three-night stay using your welcome bonus, you’ll essentially be getting a complimentary four-night stay at a nice IHG property for no annual fee. The IHG One Rewards program could be very rewarding for the right traveler.

Check out our full review of the IHG One Rewards Traveler .

As a no-annual-fee airline card, the United Gateway℠ Card currently edges out its rival the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card by offering a more generous welcome bonus and travel insurance that the Delta card does not provide. If you fly occasionally and would like to earn miles, but aren’t willing to make the commitment of $95 or more for a mid-tier airline card with more perks, the Gateway is a strong choice. 

United Gateway℠ Card

• 2x 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, including tickets, Economy Plus, in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, baggage service charges and other United purchases.
• 2x 2 miles per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services, taxicabs, train tickets, tolls, and mass transit.
• 1x 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
• Reward bonus categories outside of United Airlines
• Robust travel protections for a no-annual-fee card
• No baggage or expanded award availability benefits like with other United cards
• Subject to Chase 5/24 rule.
• United perks: 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
• Other perks: Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Why we like this card: The United Gateway card offers 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting plus 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Considering a United Mile is worth roughly around 1.2 cents these days, effectively earning 2.4 cents back on everyday purchases is a solid value proposition. 

You’ll also get a welcome bonus of 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. And, you can save with a discount of 25% back on United in-flight and Club Premium drink purchases. 

New cardholders will enjoy a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, after 21.99%–28.99% variable applies.

If the United Gateway card has a small lead on the Delta Skymiles Blue Amex at this point, it soars ahead (pun intended) when you look at the included travel and shopping protections. Both cards offer secondary rental car insurance, but only the Gateway includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty protection. 

So, if you’re seeking a no-annual-fee card you can use to rack up miles—and you either tend to fly United most of the time or you’re at minimum not devoted to a competing airline—the United Gateway is the card to beat.

Check out our full review of the United Gateway Card for more info.

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

With a generous welcome bonus in exchange for an attainable spend amount, 3X on travel, and a fancy name, you’d think the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card would command an annual fee of at least $95. But it doesn’t, making it a superb candidate for general travel use.

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

Why we like this card: The Wells Fargo Autograph offers unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans and even your landline bill too if you have one, plus 1X points on other purchases—all without charging an annual fee. And, to make traveling a little cheaper/less stressful, you’ll also get $600 worth of cell phone protection (minus a $25 deductible) as long as you pay your phone bill with this card and secondary rental car insurance. 

Cardholders can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to Wells Fargo’s first wave of transfer partners including Air France‑KLM Flying Blue, Avianca Lifemiles, British Airways Executive Club, AerClub, and Iberia Plus and 1:2 to Choice Privileges. 

But even if you aren’t a member of those loyalty programs, earning 3X on dining, travel, gas, and more is hard to pass up. You can redeem points at a value of 1 cent each to offset past purchases on your account, meaning you can wield the Autograph either as a no-annual-fee travel card or as a cash-back card effectively earning unlimited 3% back in a wide swath of useful categories. 

Check out our full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph .

Sometimes, you just want a card that offers a little more than 1X on every purchase—without having to worry about what this quarter’s rotating rewards are, or whether a specific merchant qualifies as “groceries” for the purposes of your card’s rewards. If you value simplicity and the lack of an annual fee in your travel card, you’ll probably be a fan of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and its straightforward rewards program.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Reward rates.

• 5x Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 1.25x Earn 1.25x miles on every other purchase
• Flexible travel rewards
• No foreign transaction fee
• Maximizing Capital One Miles requires a learning curve
• Cash redemption value is limited
• The VentureOne offers travel accident insurance, rental car coverage, extended warranty protection, exclusive access to events through Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment

Why we like this card: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards offers 1.25X miles per dollar spent on everyday purchases and 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. That’s pretty much all that you have to remember. You can also get a nice welcome bonus of 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, which is a solid payout for a very attainable spending target. 

Capital One Miles can be transferred to well over a dozen airline and hotel partners, most at a 1:1 rate. Partners include Air Canada’s Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Choice Privileges, Virgin Red, and Wyndham Rewards, among others. Other ways to book travel include redeeming miles through Capital One’s portal or making the purchase directly, paying with your card like normal, then using miles for a statement credit to cover the transaction. 

The Venture One also offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months (after that, the variable APR will be 19.99%–29.99%). There’s an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account during the first 15 months that your account is open , then 4% per transfer for any promotional APR offered after. 

Come to think of it, provided you have the excellent credit needed to apply, the VentureOne could make a great travel companion for a grad student given its simplicity, lengthy intro APR period and low spending threshold required to trigger the welcome bonus.

Check out our full review of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards .

Frequently asked questions

Which card is best for international transactions without extra charges.

Zero foreign transaction fees is actually a common benefit among travel rewards cards, including many with no annual fee. For example, neither the Bilt Mastercard nor the United Gateway card charges a foreign currency conversion fee. 

What is the best travel credit card for a young person? 

If you’re still paying rent, the Bilt Mastercard is an excellent choice since it can generate points from rent payments which can then be transferred 1:1 to well over a dozen airline and hotel partners. If you’d prefer a card with a welcome bonus, which the Bilt card lacks, the IHG One Rewards Traveler card currently offers a massive welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee card—potentially worth hundreds of dollars toward a future IHG hotel stay. 

Is a travel card with an annual fee worth it?

Using a travel rewards card with an annual fee can be worth it as long as you’re extracting enough points and benefits to justify paying the fee each year. If you travel infrequently or just want one less fee to worry about, consider one of the no-annual-fee cards on our list above. But, the best perks and protections are typically available on cards with annual fees.

For example, the Capital One Venture X card offers a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel. If you use that every year, you’ve gone a long way toward offsetting the $395 annual fee. You also get 10,000 bonus miles, worth at least $100 toward travel, every year starting on your account anniversary.

Methodology

To bring you our top picks for the best travel rewards cards with no annual fee, the Fortune Recommends surveyed more than a dozen cards currently available from today’s top issuers. From there, we ranked each one based on the following core categories and weights:

• Welcome bonus (10%): Some cards—even those with no annual fee—offer welcome bonuses that you can earn once you make enough purchases within a certain time frame, such as spending $1,000 within three months of account opening.
• Travel earnings (25%): These are the point rewards you’d earn by making travel-related purchases (e.g. 3X on hotels, 2X on airfare).
• Car rental insurance (15%): Many, but not all travel-centric rewards cards include an auto rental collision damage waiver, which allows you to decline a portion of the rental company’s insurance and save potentially up to $30 per day. We gave extra consideration to if a card offers primary rental car insurance versus secondary, because primary kicks in immediately in a covered scenario—whereas secondary only applies after your own, personal insurance. 
• Travel insurance benefits (15%): Some travel rewards cards automatically apply trip cancellation/interruption insurance, lost/delayed luggage reimbursement and even travel accident insurance on travel bookings made using the card.
• Gas earning (5%): Since road trips remain a common form of travel, whether or not a card offers points rewards at the pump factored into our rankings.
• Dining earning (10%): If a no-annual-fee travel rewards card offered 2X or more on restaurant purchases it favored well in this category.

The remaining 20% was based on the card’s main focus: hotel, airline or general travel rewards. 

• For general travel—points transferrable to partners (20%): Points are literally worth more if you can transfer them to certain partners, so a card’s ability to transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners factored into our rankings.
• For hotel rewards—free award night with booking (20%): Some hotel rewards cards offer a BOGO-like perk where if you redeem a certain number of nights with points you get an extra tacked on for free.
• For airline rewards—ability to spend towards status (20%): Most airline rewards cards allow you to earn miles, but not all of them count those miles towards your next loyalty status. If a card treated them as “qualifying miles,” it fared better in this category.

Lastly, just keep in mind that virtually every aspect of a travel rewards card—from the rewards to the welcome bonus and fee structure—is subject to change, which could impact how many miles or points you earn. 

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.  

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.  

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.

Guide to travel rewards credit cards

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• Best Credit Cards
• Balance Transfer
• No Annual Fee

On this page

• Our top picks
• Travel credit card details
• How travel cards work

Types of travel cards

• Pros and cons
• How to make the most of a travel card
• Alternatives to travel cards
• Our methodology
• Frequently asked questions

The Best Travel Credit Cards of March 2024

April 5, 2024

How we Choose

Whether you’re an occasional traveler looking to save on your next vacation or a frequent traveler looking for premium travel perks, there’s a travel rewards card for you. We’ll break down our top picks for the best travel rewards credit cards.

Best travel credit cards of April 2024

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best welcome bonus
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for flat-rate rewards
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for luxury travel
• American Express® Gold Card : Best for foodies
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card : Best first travel card
• Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card : Best for occasional travelers
• Citi Premier® Card : Best for everyday spending
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best for annual credits
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® : Best for pairing with Chase cards
• Credit One Bank Wander® Card : Best for fair credit
• Discover it® Miles : Best for no annual fee
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card : Best for gas and transit
• Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card : Best for travel credits
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card : Best for budget flyers
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for point value
• United Quest℠ Card : Best for United MileagePlus members

Additional Options:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Best hotel credit card
• American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®: Best no-annual-fee airline card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Rewards rate

At a glance, overall rating, why we like this card.

This card has one of the highest sign-up bonuses you’ll find with a mid-level travel card. Plus, it offers generous rewards for your travel and dining purchases and additional benefits like a 25% boost in points value when you redeem your rewards through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

• You'll find more benefits with this card than with other mid-level travel cards, including an anniversary boost and a hotel credit.
• Instead of the typical 1-cent–per-point value you might find on rival travel cards, you can enjoy 25% more value when you book travel through Chase Travel℠.
• Bonus categories are limited to travel and dining, so you have little flexibility in how you earn rewards.
• The card lacks attractive travel perks like airport lounge access or security precheck credits.

Bottom Line

If you are hoping to fast-track your way to your next trip, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers ample opportunities to earn rewards, along with a generous sign-up 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℠.
• 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

Rates & Fees

Capital one venture rewards credit card.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a great flat rate of 2X miles for all purchases and gives you ultimate flexibility for redemption, including for travel purchases booked outside of the Capital One portal non-travel rewards, such as gift cards (though you may get a lower value). You can also enjoy additional benefits, like an up to $100 credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, that can help offset the $95 annual fee.

• Simple earning structure and flexible redemption options
• Generous sign-up bonus
• Lack of large domestic travel transfer partners
• Low redemption value unless using select airlines

The Capital One Venture Card is a top-notch travel card that offers simplicity and valuable perks without the pricey annual fees associated with many premium cards in this category or skimping on rewards.

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

The Platinum Card® from American Express

See if you’re pre-approved for this card using our CardMatch tool .

This popular premium card from American Express comes fully-loaded with travel benefits, including luxury lounge access, Hilton Honors gold status (enrollment required), no foreign transaction fees and an impressive list of travel benefits that will help offset the $695 annual fee.

This card currently touts a generous welcome offer: You can earn 80,000 points if you spend $8,000 in your first six months of card membership, which we estimate to be worth around $800 when you book through AmexTravel (where points are worth around 1 cent each).

• Extensive list of travel credits and premium perks
• Ability to transfer points to a host of airline partners, including Delta Airlines
• Limited amount of bonus categories
• Expensive annual fee

For frequent travelers or those looking to make their dream vacation a reality, the Amex Platinum checks every box and provides generous travel credits to offset its high annual fee.

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

American Express® Gold Card

The Amex Gold card offers an industry-leading 4X points at restaurants (including U.S. takeout and delivery) and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) as well as 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com.

It also features dining benefits, such as an up to $120 in yearly statement credits on select restaurants, including Grubhub and The Cheesecake Factory, and up to $120 in Uber cash annually. In addition to the foodie-friendly rewards rate, this card offers a valuable introductory offer and travel perks like baggage and car rental insurance when you book with your Gold card.

• If you spend a lot on food and dining, its industry-leading rewards rate on restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases is hard to beat.
• Like the Amex Green card, you can transfer points to multiple air travel partners, including Delta Airlines, and hotel partners, like Hilton Honors.
• Its annual fee is pricier than what’s on some travel credit cards.
• You must redeem travel rewards through amextravel.com.

The Amex Gold is one of the best cards on the market with its generous rewards rate and lucrative introductory offer. If food and travel account for a large portion of your spending, this card’s value more than covers the $250 annual fee.

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

This card is ideal as a first travel card because you don’t have to strategize to offset an annual fee every year, but can still enjoy terrific travel benefits. You can redeem for various travel purchases like hotels, rental cars and flights either through Capital One’s travel portal or other travel websites. Plus, you can transfer your rewards to partner loyalty programs — adding more flexibility in your travel.

• No need to offset the cost of an annual fee
• Low minimum spend for sign-up bonus
• Lower rewards rate and less perks than cards with an annual fee
• Reduced value of your miles when you use the rewards for non-travel redemption options, such as statement credits or gift cards

This card offers a straightforward earning structure and an attainable sign-up bonus, allowing cardholders to rack up miles while not worrying about an annual fee.

• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card is a great choice for infrequent travelers who want ultimate flexibility when it comes to earning and redeeming rewards. Cardholders can redeem points for statement credit to pay toward travel expenses, like flights, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, rental cars or baggage fees. Additionally, you can redeem for dining purchases.

You can also take advantage of its sign-up bonus — 25,000 online bonus points if you spend $1,000 in your first 90 days, redeemable for a $250 statement toward travel and dining made on your credit card within the last 12 months, including on third-party sites like Expedia or Travelocity.

• Ultraflexible redemption policy that can cover some purchases outside travel
• Can redeem rewards as a statement credit months after the initial travel or dining purchase
• Rewards rate for travel purchases not as lucrative as others in this category
• Not the most valuable sign-up offer

Despite the fact that cardholders won’t be able to weigh spending toward a particular category to maximize their points, this card is a great fit for occasional travelers who still want to earn rewards but without having to pay an annual fee.

• 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.

Citi Premier® Card

If you can’t decide between a travel or general rewards credit card, the Citi Premier offers the best of both worlds with a rewards rate of 3X points for every $1 spent on air travel, hotels, restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets, as well as one point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10X points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.

The Citi Premier card is currently offering a valuable sign-up bonus of 60,000 points for spending $4,000 in the first three months in addition to its flexible redemption options and exclusive side benefits.

• Annual hotel credit when booked through thankyou.com or 1-800-THANKYOU
• Earn bonus rewards for select travel and everyday purchases
• Domestic airline transfer partner limited to JetBlue
• No travel insurance, which is typical for travel cards in this tier

The Citi Premier card is a smart choice for frequent travelers who want to use a single rewards card for the bulk of their everyday spending and offers premium perks for a reasonable annual fee.

• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
• 60,000 ThankYou® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Venture X is an instant top contender in the premium card market with its fully-loaded annual benefits that can be worth over $400. Yearly perks like bonus miles on your account anniversary (equal to $100 in travel) and a $300 travel credit when you book travel through Capital One Travel, can help cover the annual fee. Compared with other high-end travel rewards credit cards, the $395 annual fee is modest, and many travelers will come out well ahead.

• You can enjoy a fairly simple rewards structure with unlimited 2X miles in all purchase categories, in addition to bonus rewards in Capital One travel categories.
• The card offers statement credit for Global Entry and TSA Precheck, which adds to your overall savings.
• The sign-up bonus is generous, but it requires a high spend.
• While not unusual, you'll need excellent credit to be eligible for this premium card.

Travel rewards cards packed with this many features typically come with sky-high annual fees, but the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card delivers with luxury benefits and a more down-to-earth annual fee.

• 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

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Its flat rate and bonus categories, especially for the first 12 months, make it a great companion for premium Chase cards. If you want to rack up as many Chase Ultimate Rewards points as possible and then use them toward your next trip, then this card can help you get there. Plus, its welcome offer can help boost rewards.

• Its bonus earnings for the first 12 months boost your rewards and this card’s upfront value.
• You can pool this card’s rewards with certain Chase travel cards to get more redemption and transfer flexibility.
• Other cards have better travel benefits or welcome offers if you want as many rewards and perks as possible.
• You won’t get the full potential of this card without pairing it with a premium Chase card, which comes with annual fees.

This card’s true potential lies in pairing it with certain Chase travel cards. Make sure you use it to pool your Ultimate Rewards points for more value when redeeming for travel.

• Intro Offer: 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!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 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.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.

Credit One Bank Wander® Card

This is one of the only travel cards accessible to people with fair credit. It also offers a high rewards rate on a great mix of travel spending, including gas, airfare, hotels, resorts and bookings made through travel agencies. This will be especially appealing if you prefer booking directly with airlines and hotels to maximize loyalty rewards and elite status.

• People with fair-to-excellent credit can earn high rewards on eligible travel and everyday purchases like dining and gas.
• Frequent travelers can earn generous rewards even while working toward elite status with airline and hotel loyalty programs.
• It offers fewer perks compared to other mid-level travel cards with a similar annual fee and high variable APR.
• Points aren’t transferable and remain fixed at a value of 1 cent each when redeemed for cash back, which could prove limiting for frequent travelers who know how to maximize points for greater value.

This could be a top pick for travelers who struggle to qualify for cards with more travel perks and transfer partners.

• Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site
• Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas
• Earn 1x points on all other purchases
• Redeem your reward points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, flights, hotels, and more
• With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Free Online Credit Score and Credit Report summary, terms apply
• If you are a Covered Borrower under the Military Lending Act, you may get a different offer
• See Rates & Fees

Discover it® Miles

For a no-annual-fee card, Discover offers simplicity. You’ll be able to earn unlimited miles and have flexible redemption options like statement credits towards travel purchases or as cash deposits into your bank account. Plus, cardholders have a unique opportunity at the end of their first year when Discover will match every mile you earn.

• Appealing welcome offer that can essentially double all the miles earned at the end of the first year
• Competitive redemption value for cash back at 1 cent per mile
• Rewards earning potential takes a significant hit after your first year
• Can’t transfer miles to airline frequent-flyer programs

The Discover it® Miles card offers an impressive list of high-end travel perks and a generous first-year welcome offer for travel credit card newbies, but earning benefits drop off substantially after the first 12 months.

• Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers - only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
• Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
• No annual fee
• Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
• 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% - 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

It offers one of the best rewards rates you can get on everyday travel – including airfare, hotels, gas stations and transit – without paying an annual fee. And since it also rewards dining (another key everyday spending category), it makes for a terrific standalone rewards card.

• It has no annual fee and a high rewards rate for everyday spending categories.
• It earns bonus rewards in common spending categories like gas stations and restaurants as well as in harder-to-find categories like phone plans, making it an especially versatile option.
• Though the card earns bonus rewards in a great mix of everyday categories, it offers a lackluster rate on grocery purchases, which could limit its standalone value.
• Unlike some competing no-annual-fee travel cards, the Autograph doesn’t let you transfer points to airline or hotel loyalty programs, limiting the potential value of your rewards.

This card could be a great fit for occasional travelers who want to earn rewards on everyday spending and have the flexibility to redeem for cash back.

• Select "Apply Now" to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
• Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
• $0 annual fee.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus credit card is ideally suited for entry-level travelers. Even if you only fly occasionally with Southwest airlines, you can easily boost rewards and receive a generous welcome offer. The perks for this card rival those found in higher-tier cards, such as getting the first two checked bags for free and two EarlyBird Check-In® each year.

• Can almost cover the annual fee with 3,000-point anniversary bonus
• Valuable perks on a domestic airline with a reputation for being customer-friendly
• Does not include certain perks often found with travel cards, such as priority boarding or a fast track to elite status
• Lacks airline partners and international travel options

For those already integrated into the Southwest ecosystem, this card offers generous bonus opportunities and access to unique, customer-friendly perks for a reasonable annual fee.

• Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 3,000 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
• Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
• 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

This card from Bank of America offers great value for a $95 annual fee card, especially if you already bank with them. If you are a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you’ll be rewarded with an additional 25 percent to 75 percent redemption bonus on all your earnings.

In addition, this card offers some of the strongest travel insurance benefits you can get, up to a $100 annual statement credit that you can use for airline incidental expenses, an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, and a points program that rewards spending in a variety of categories.

• The $100 annual statement credit you can use towards airline expenses and the application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry more than offset the $95 annual fee.
• Preferred Rewards members receive some of the highest rewards rates among any travel or cash back credit cards.
• If you’re not a Preferred Rewards member, the benefits of the card are not as robust compared to other cards with similar annual fees.
• The $100 airline incidental credit only covers qualifying incidentals and not actual flight costs.

The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card combines the benefits of a cash back card and premium travel card and is an especially good value for those with existing Bank of America accounts.

• Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
• Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5-3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87-2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend.
• Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill® accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
• Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years.
• Travel Insurance protections to assist with trip delays, cancellations and interruptions, baggage delays and lost luggage.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Low $95 annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

For those looking for a premium credit card with generous travel perks and a top-tier sign-up bonus, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is considered to be one of the best options on the market. And with no blackout dates, expiration dates for points or point limits, the card offers major redemption flexibility.

The sign-up bonus is worth a whopping $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠ after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months, so you are getting more than a cent per mile value. With the $300 annual credit for travel purchases, generous earning structure and impressive list of additional perks, seasoned travelers have plenty of opportunity to offset the steep $550 annual fee.

• Wealth of travel perks and rewards categories
• Increase your point value by 50% by redeeming them for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Required spend of $300 on travel annually before travel category rewards rates apply
• Lower rewards value for merchandise

While the price of admission for Chase’s premium travel card is steep, the bonuses and wealth of luxury travel perks will be worth it in the long run for experienced travelers.

• 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

United Quest℠ Card

If you like to regularly travel on United Airlines (or their partner airlines) then this card is worth a look. Not only do you earn enhanced bonus miles for United purchases, other travel and select everyday purchases, you also get an impressive amount of airline-specific perks. This includes anniversary credits and free first and second checked bags for you and one companion.

• Impressive sign-up bonus and anniversary credits
• Easy to earn miles with popular bonus categories like dining and select streaming purchases
• High annual fee for infrequent United flyers
• No airport lounge access

The United Quest Card is a terrific option for semi-frequent United travelers, but cardholders should plan to redeem United miles at least twice a year to take full advantage and offset the annual fee.

• Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 PQP after qualifying purchases
• Earn 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
• Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining and select streaming services
• Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Free first and second checked bags - a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) - and priority boarding
• Up to a $125 United® purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year (terms apply)
• Earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases)

The information about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card, the American Express® Green Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by CreditCards.com and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

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.

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.

Comparing the best travel credit cards of 2024

Editor’s picks: best travel credit card details, best welcome bonus: chase sapphire preferred® card.

• Best features : This card packs in plenty of value that is rare for only $95 a year. It comes with a high sign-up bonus, generous rewards program and competitive redemption values.
• Biggest drawbacks : You may need to look beyond the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you prefer luxury features like TSA PreCheck, priority boarding, travel credits and lounge access.
• Alternatives: The Citi Premier® Card has a similar annual fee and a generous welcome offer too. Travelers who want to book travel outside of credit card portals and who spend a lot on gas and in-store grocery purchases may get better value out of the Premier card.
• Bottom line : A modest annual fee, impressive sign-up bonus and ultra-flexible rewards redemption give this card great short- and long-term value for travelers who don’t need a ton of luxury perks.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

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

• Best features : For a reasonable annual fee, this popular Capital One credit card offers standout rewards with an easy rewards structure and versatile redemption options. You can transfer miles to over 15 loyalty programs or redeem for statement credit toward travel.
• Biggest drawbacks : Capital One doesn’t have many domestic travel transfer partners. This can make it harder to maximize the value of your miles when booking domestic flights.
• Alternatives : If you’re looking to earn at a flat-rate but aren’t too pleased with the Venture card’s $95 annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ), the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a suitable alternative. Although cardholders only earn 1.25X miles on all purchases, the card still comes with a sign-up bonus of 20,000 miles for spending $500 in the first three months. This is a smaller bonus and a lower rewards rate than the Venture card, but it’ll also be easier to obtain, making this an ideal option for modest spenders.
• Bottom line : This card is a great option if you’re looking for an easy way to earn high travel rewards on all purchases. But if you’re after top-drawer travel perks, you may want to look elsewhere.

Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for luxury travel: The Platinum Card® from American Express

• Best features : This premium card comes fully-loaded. You can enjoy luxury lounge access, elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy hotels (upon enrollment) and even travel consultants to help plan your trip. A laundry list of travel credits can also help offset the card’s annual fee.
• Biggest drawbacks : The card only earns bonus rewards on flights and prepaid hotels. You might earn more with cards that offer bonus points or miles on both travel and everyday essentials. Plus, some of the credits – like the card’s luxury fitness credit or Walmart+ credit – don’t have broad appeal, making it harder to offset the high $695 annual fee.
• Alternatives : Unlike the Platinum card, the American Express® Gold Card lets you earn high bonus rewards for purchases made in categories beyond travel, including restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases. It also comes with a lot of the same benefits as the Platinum card, such as car rental insurance, purchase protection and Hotel Collection benefits, all for a much smaller $250 annual fee.
• Bottom line : If you can take advantage of its many perks, this card should tick all the right boxes for big spenders and frequent travelers looking for luxury travel perks, particularly complimentary airport lounge access.

Read our American Express Platinum Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for foodies: American Express® Gold Card

• Best features : Traveling foodies, rejoice – this card offers an industry-leading 4X points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. You’ll also earn 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then one point per dollar) and 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com. Trips with common carriers that are booked with your Gold card are covered for baggage insurance worth up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and $500 for checked bags.
• Biggest drawbacks : The annual fee is $250, pricier than other travel rewards cards with mid-level travel perks. And unless food is a significant portion of your spending, the card’s rewards rate and food delivery credits may not be the best fit.
• Alternatives : The Citi Premier® Card comes close to matching the Amex Gold with its rewards rates, but its annual fee is much lower (just $95).
• Bottom line : If you’re a frequent traveler who makes dining out a staple of their vacations and staycations, you’ll get a lot of value with this card.

Read our American Express Gold Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best first travel card: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

• Best features : The VentureOne card is a basic travel card for beginners who want to earn flexible rewards but aren’t ready to commit to an annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ). VentureOne cardholders can earn bonus miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 1.25X miles on every other purchase. You can transfer these miles to numerous airline and hotel partners.
• Biggest drawbacks : Other no-annual-fee travel cards offer better perks and higher rewards rates than the VentureOne’s 1.25X miles.
• Alternatives : The Bilt Mastercard® is a unique no-annual-fee card that earns points on rent payments without the processing fees. But the card is also a great beginner travel card, offering bonus rewards on travel and dining (points are transferable too). Plus, if you wait until the first of the month, your patience will be rewarded with double points on all non-rent purchases for 24 hours (on up to 10,000 bonus points). That’s a whopping 6X points on dining, 4X points on travel and 2X points on all other non-rent purchases. You must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points.
• Bottom line : Budget-friendly travelers can get a decent amount of value out of this starter travel card, but if transferring rewards to travel partners isn’t a priority for you, a flat-rate cash back card may be more lucrative.

Read our Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for occasional travelers: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

• Best features : This card will appeal to infrequent travelers who don’t typically book through travel portals. Instead, you can redeem your points for any travel and dining purchases made on your credit card within the last 12 months. And if you’re a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn up to 25% to 75% more points on every purchase.
• Biggest drawbacks : The best rewards are reserved for Bank of America customers with savings or investment accounts. If that’s not you, you can likely find another card that rewards your travel purchases at a higher rate.
• Alternatives : The Capital One VentureOne also does not charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fee ( See Rates and Fees ), but even casual travelers can benefit from its valuable purchase and travel protections.
• Bottom line : The Bank of America Travel Rewards card is a solid choice for occasional travelers focused on earning some rewards and avoiding an annual fee.

Related : Is the Bank of America Travel Rewards card worth it?

Read our Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for everyday spending: Citi Premier® Card

• Best features : For a modest annual fee, cardholders earn 3X points, not only on air travel, hotels and dining but also supermarket and gas station purchases, two of the most popular everyday spending categories. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10X points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024. Its sign-up bonus is on par with competitor offers, and cardholders get an annual hotel credit, making it easier to offset the card’s annual fee.
• Biggest drawbacks : If you want to transfer your points to get more value out of your rewards, JetBlue is the only domestic carrier on Citi’s list of airline partners, which can make it harder to book domestic travel.
• Alternatives : The Chase Sapphire Preferred is similar but may be a more attractive option due to its travel protection coverage. Plus, Chase’s Travel℠ program includes a robust list of airlines and hotel partners.
• Bottom line : Someone looking to earn rewards on travel and everyday expenses will appreciate the versatility of the Citi Premier Card, not to mention its generous welcome bonus.

Read our Citi Premier Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for annual credits: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

• Best features : Cardholders can take advantage of this card’s yearly credits to help offset its annual fee and enjoy additional perks like lounge access. And when you book through Capital One Travel, you’ll earn some of the highest rewards available for hotels, rental cars and flights.
• Biggest drawbacks : You’ll have to book your travel through Capital One Travel instead of directly through an airline or hotel to get the best value out of this card.
• Alternatives: The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best travel cards for lounge access and other luxury perks. Frequent travelers who can take advantage of all those perks can easily offset the card’s high annual fee.
• Bottom line : The Venture X should appeal to both frequent travelers who want to earn more than just 1 mile per dollar on all non-travel purchases and luxury travelers who want to enjoy premium travel without paying the typical sky-high annual fees.

Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for pairing with Chase cards: Chase Freedom Unlimited®

• Best features: Its 1.5% rate on general purchases makes it a great catch-all card as part of your overall travel rewards strategy. You can use this card with certain Chase cards to get more Chase Ultimate Rewards points, one of the most valuable credit card points.
• Biggest drawbacks: It has a 3% foreign transaction fee, so if you were planning to use this card abroad on your travels, it can be more costly.
• Alternative(s): The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of Chase’s premium travel cards, with solid earning rates on dining and travel. For a modest $95 annual fee, it comes with top-of-the-line travel benefits, increases points redemption value through the Chase travel portal and can transfer points to Chase travel partners.
• Bottom line: If you already have a Chase travel card — or are planning to get one in the future — this card is a must-have for maximizing travel rewards.

Read our full Chase Freedom Unlimited® review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for fair credit: Credit One Bank Wander® Card

• Best features : Even people with fair credit can take advantage of the card’s bonus rewards in a variety of travel categories. Many travel cards only earn generous bonus rewards for airline or hotel purchases or for travel booked through the issuer’s travel portal. But the Wander card is more flexible, giving you more freedom to book travel the way you like.
• Biggest drawbacks : There are no transfer partners, so your points are worth a maximum of 1 cent each. Plus, the card has fewer perks compared to other mid-level cards with a similar annual fee.
• Alternatives : Your options are limited if you’re looking for another travel card open to people with fair credit. But many Capital One cards like the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® or the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card could help you rack up a lot of rewards that you can use to help cover the cost of travel. You can also take advantage of convenient and cost-saving features found in the Capital One Travel Portal.
• Bottom line : This card is a solid pick for credit-builders who also want to earn travel rewards.

Read our Credit One Bank Wander® Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for no annual fee: Discover it® Miles

• Best features : The Discover it® Miles offers simplicity and flexibility without the annual fee. All purchases earn a fairly average 1.5X miles. But Discover sweetens the deal by matching all the miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. Instead of travel, you can also redeem rewards online with Amazon or when you pay with PayPal (though redemption value might be lower).
• Alternatives : The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is another solid no-annual-fee travel card ( See Rates and Fees ). It not only offers a flat rate of 1.25X miles on every purchase, but also 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. That could make it easier for frequent travelers to earn rewards. It also has a number of travel and consumer protections that you won’t find with most entry-level travel cards, including the Discover it ® Miles.
• Bottom line : This card skips the annual fee and the generous first-year welcome offer is ideal for budget-friendly travelers or someone looking for their first travel credit card.

Read our Discover it ® Miles review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for gas and transit: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

• Best features: This card’s mix of bonus categories should be a terrific fit if you’re looking for a low-cost way to earn rewards on both everyday travel and big trips. You’ll earn rewards at a great rate on everything from gas and transit to airfare and hotels, without worrying about maximizing point values or offsetting an annual fee.
• Biggest drawbacks: Its list of perks is just okay, even for a no-annual-fee travel card. You’ll miss out not only on benefits like expedited security screening and lounge access, but also the ability to transfer points to airline and hotel loyalty programs.
• Alternatives: Though it may earn rewards at a lower rate, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card could be a great alternative. Its streamlined, flat-rate rewards program is a great fit if you’re new to earning miles, and the card gives you the flexibility to transfer miles to Capital One airline and hotel partners, which could boost their redemption value.
• Bottom line: The Autograph card is a great option if you want to earn rewards on everyday travel and need the flexibility to redeem for both travel and cash back.

Read our Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for budget flyers: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

• Best features : This entry-level airline card has some of the same popular features as more expensive Southwest consumer travel cards, including a chance to earn the Southwest Companion Pass® – one of the most coveted perks in all of travel rewards. If you earn 135,000 points in a year, you can pick a companion to fly with you for free (except for taxes and fees) for up to two years on any Southwest flight that you purchase with cash or points.
• Biggest drawbacks : Unlike some other airline cards, this no-frills card doesn’t earn bonus points in popular everyday categories like gas or grocery stores. Plus, the card’s anniversary bonus of 3,000 points is lower than the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card’s bonus.
• Alternatives : The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card may be a better fit for budget travelers. It comes with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year (then $150) and a chance to earn bonus miles faster thanks to practical bonus categories including restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. It also has a number of convenient features like priority boarding and a chance to earn a $200 Delta flight credit. Plus, Delta and its partner network are much more extensive than Southwest.
• Bottom line : The Rapid Rewards Plus card is a decent choice for occasional Southwest flyers looking for a cheap rewards travel card. But if you fly Southwest frequently and want to double your anniversary points while avoiding foreign transaction fees, consider upgrading to the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and its higher annual fee of $99.

Read our Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for travel credits: Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

• Best features : Along with perks like an annual credit up to $100 for airline incidentals, which includes seat upgrades and airline lounge fees, this card offers a credit of up to $100 to cover the cost of a TSA Precheck or Global Entry application. That perk isn’t always included on travel cards at the $95-annual-fee level. You can also redeem for cash back as a deposit into Bank of America® checking or savings accounts or for gift cards and purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
• Biggest drawbacks : Unlike many travel rewards cards with an annual fee, this card doesn’t let you transfer rewards to partner airline or hotel loyalty programs to squeeze more value out of your points. Plus, the card’s best rewards rates are reserved for people with large savings or investment accounts with Bank of America.
• Alternatives: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has greater flexibility for travelers who want to transfer their points to airline or hotel travel partners. It also comes with better redemption value if you book travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal and travel protections.
• Bottom line : This card could be a good fit for heavy packers who can take advantage of the airline incidental fee credits or people who already have a Bank of America account. Those who are loyal to one airline or don’t bank with Bank of America may not find much value in this card.

Read our Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for point value: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Best features : This top-of-the-line card comes with a wealth of travel perks, including a sign-up bonus worth $900 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠ (60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months). In addition to the $300 travel credit, you can try out services like Instacart+ and DashPass for free for one year.
• Biggest drawbacks : Despite the annual credit and elevated bonus categories, the card’s $550 annual fee might be challenging to offset every year.
• Alternatives : If you’re looking for a card with annual credits and luxury lounge access, The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a wider network but carries a slightly higher annual fee of $695.
• Bottom line : Frequent travelers who can take full advantage of the Sapphire Reserve card’s perks and bonus categories can also enjoy the card’s boosted value on travel redemptions.

Related : Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Ch ase Sapphire Reserve

Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best for United MileagePlus members: United Quest℠ Card

• Best features : Even semi-frequent United flyers can come out ahead with this mid-tier airline credit card, thanks to all the ways the card’s perks can offset its $250 annual fee. That includes multiple anniversary credits, priority boarding, checked baggage fee waivers and the up to $100 credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry application fee.
• Biggest drawbacks : Unlike other airline cards with a high annual fee, the United Quest doesn’t offer complimentary lounge access. Plus, the sign-up bonus has a high spend requirement: You’ll need to spend $4,000 in the first three months to earn the sign-up bonus of 60,000 miles plus   500 Premier Qualifying Points.
• Alternatives : If the annual fee doesn’t fit your budget, the United℠ Explorer Card is worth a look since it has a $0 intro annual fee (then $95 annually), but still carries a generous sign-up bonus, priority boarding, purchase and travel protections and an up to $100 credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry application fee.
• Bottom line : The United Quest Card packs in a lot of perks and value, making it a solid pick for loyal United travelers looking for an enhanced travel experience.

Read our United Quest℠ Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details .

Best hotel credit card: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

• Best features : This card offers great long-term value for frequent travelers who stay at the world’s largest hotel chain a few nights or more per year. You get plenty of chances to offset the $95 annual fee, including a free night every year after your account anniversary (up to 35,000 points) and a high rewards rate in the popular, practical bonus categories of travel, grocery, gas and dining purchases, as well as a flat rate of 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Biggest drawbacks : You can only use your rewards with Marriott hotels. So if you don’t frequent the brand, you’ll be better served by a different hotel credit card or a general-purpose travel rewards card, which offers greater flexibility in how you redeem your rewards.
• Alternatives : If you’re not loyal to one hotel chain, the Chase Sapphire Preferred should give you more redemption options. It earns bonus points on travel, dining and select online grocery purchases – points that can be redeemed in a variety of ways, including for travel, or transferred to one of Chase’s airline or hotel partners. And when you redeem for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal, your points have 25% more value.
• Bottom line : Travelers who stay at Marriott frequently enough to offset the $95 annual fee will appreciate this card. But depending on your spending habits and the hotel features that matter most to you, you may get greater value with another Marriott card .

Read our Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card review .

Best no annual fee airline card: American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card

• Best features : This no-annual-fee airline card gives households a chance to earn miles on more than just travel. You’ll earn 2X miles not only on eligible American Airlines purchases, but also at grocery stores, which increases the card’s earning potential for the average consumer. The MileUp card also has a low spend threshold for its sign-up bonus: Spend just $500 in your first three months and you’ll earn 10,000 miles and a $50 statement credit.
• Biggest drawbacks : This card lacks a number of cost-saving perks found with other airline cards, including a free first checked bag for you and additional passengers and a chance to earn travel credits for your spending. Depending on how often you fly and how many people you travel with, you could actually save more money with a travel card that charges an annual fee.
• Alternatives : The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has a similar rewards rate and charges no annual fee for the first year, then $150 thereafter. That gives you time to test out perks you won’t find with the MileUp card, like priority boarding, a first checked bag free for you and eight additional passengers and a chance to earn a $200 flight credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year.
• Bottom line : This card is worth a look if you’re loyal to American Airlines but only fly occasionally and are looking for a no-annual-fee credit card . But if you want the flexibility to fly with different carriers while still earning high rewards, you may get better value out of a general-purpose travel rewards card.

Read our American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp review .

How do travel credit cards work?

Travel rewards credit cards let you earn points or miles you can redeem for travel purchases. Some offer a flat rate on general purchases, but many offer bonus rewards for typical travel purchases or everyday spending categories, like restaurants, gas or even groceries.

Earning points or miles is usually as easy as swiping your card, and some cards provide limited-time offers and sign-up bonuses to add more incentives. The basics of points and miles cards are pretty much the same. You earn and accumulate rewards by making purchases with your card, and redeem for a discount on your next trip.

Your redemption options will vary by card. Most require that you redeem points or miles for travel purchases. (Some let you redeem for gift cards or cash back, but it might be at a lower value.) You can typically redeem points or miles by booking future trips through a designated portal, like Amextravel.com or Chase Ultimate Rewards, or transferring rewards to an issuer’s travel partners to book flights or hotel stays. Some allow you to redeem for a statement credit on travel purchases made within a certain time frame.

Your redemption options will vary by card. Typical options include:

• Booking new travel
• Transferring points or miles to a travel partner
• Statement credit for past travel purchases

Redeeming for travel often yields the best value, while non-travel options like gift cards might have a lower redemption value. You can typically redeem points or miles by booking future trips through a designated portal, like Amextravel.com or Chase Ultimate Rewards, though some let you redeem directly with the airline or third-party travel agency.

General travel credit cards + –

General travel or general-purpose credit cards aren’t tied to or co-branded with a particular airline or hotel. They are best for any traveler who values flexibility in how they earn and redeem rewards.

Depending on the card, you can earn higher points not only on travel-related purchases, but also in popular categories like groceries, gas and dining. You can redeem the points you earn in many different ways, like statement credits and travel. A 1-cent-per-point value is typical, but points may be worth less when used for non-travel options or more if transferred to the right travel partner.

Transferring your points over to an airline or hotel loyalty program can help you strategize so you can get the most out of your points. However, average point values vary from program to program, so you’ll need to test out different routes and carriers to see how far your points can take you before you transfer points between loyalty programs.

Some of the most popular rewards programs for general travel credit cards include:

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Capital One Travel
• Citi ThankYou Points

Is a general travel credit card worth it?

Co-branded cards usually feature high-value airline or hotel perks. Examples like automatic hotel elite status, companion passes or free checked bags could be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

But general travel cards give you more flexibility to choose how you travel and where you stay. Plus, plenty of general travel cards come loaded with valuable benefits not tied to specific airlines and hotels — especially if you’re willing to pay an annual fee.

Most general travel cards carry higher rewards rates compared to airline cards with similar annual fees, which gives you a chance to earn more rewards faster. And you’ll have a number of redemption options that make each of your points worth at least 1 cent, which is worth more than the rewards you’ll earn with most hotel rewards programs and some airline rewards programs.

Here’s a look at some of the top features your general travel card may offer:

• Annual travel credits : Premium cards like the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve reward cardmembers with annual travel credits worth hundreds of dollars, which you can use to offset previous travel costs or book new travel through the card’s travel portal.
• Airport lounge access : A number of mid-level and premium travel cards offer discounted or complimentary airport lounge access for you and your guests. Users can enjoy amenities like complimentary food and drinks, showers or even spa treatments. Popular airport lounge networks include Priority Pass lounges and the exclusive American Express Global Lounge Collection.
• Luxury hotel benefits : Your card issuer may offer Visa or Mastercard’s luxury hotel collection benefit. This perk can lead to room upgrades, free breakfast, food or beverage credits and late check-out. This is typically offered with credit cards with Visa Signature or Infinite benefits or cards with Mastercard World or World Elite benefits, though you’ll have to check with your card issuer to be certain.
• Car rental elite status : With the right general travel rewards card, you can not only rent a car but also get discounts and status upgrades that let you skip the lines when renting and returning, as well as vehicle upgrades based on availability and other exclusive perks.

Airline travel credit cards + –

Airline credit cards are co-branded cards that carry the name of the card issuer and a particular airline. They’re a great fit for travelers who regularly fly with a particular airline and can take advantage of the perks found within its rewards program.

Some of the most popular airline rewards programs include:

• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
• American Airlines Aadvantage
• Southwest Rapid Rewards
• Delta SkyMiles
• United MileagePlus

Like general travel cards, airline rewards cards can earn rewards on a variety of purchases, but your redemption options are more limited. To get the best value, you’ll typically want to redeem your rewards for flights with the airline or one of its partners.

Is an airline credit card worth it?

They offer less flexibility and might have an annual fee, but airline cards can make your travel experience easier and save you a lot of money, even after you factor in the cost of an annual fee.

Here’s a look at some of the top airline credit card benefits:

• Free checked bags :   Avoid paying a fee for your first checked bag and a travel companion’s bag. Many airlines charge $30 to $35 per checked bag, per trip, so the savings can add up, especially if you’re traveling with a large family.
• Fast track to elite airline status : Frequent flyers looking for an enhanced flying experience will have to spend thousands of dollars and spend a lot of time in the air to unlock the top-of-the-line perks that come with elite status. But the right airline credit card can cut down on the eligibility requirements and may even come with automatic elite status or welcome offers and additional credits that get you elite status faster.
• Travel companion pass : Earning an airline companion pass takes some work, but if you qualify you can bring a passenger along on a future flight for free (though you’ll still have to pay taxes and fees). Some airlines even offer companion passes that let you bring a guest with you on any flight you book for a year or more.
• Priority boarding : This perk helps you quickly board a plane and get your carry-on stowed away in an overhead bin before it fills up.
• In-flight discounts : This perk helps you save on drinks, snacks and other extras purchased on your flight. You’ll typically enjoy a discount of 20% to 25% off.

How to choose an airline

It’s best to select a card co-branded with an airline that you will use frequently, which typically means choosing an airline that flies out of an airport close to where you live, or one that you use the most. Smaller hubs may have limited options, but you should check to make sure that the airline you want has routes at your preferred airport. For example, Southwest does not fly out of Newark Airport, so if Newark is your primary airport another co-branded airline card might be a better fit.

Hotel travel credit cards + –

Hotel credit cards are co-branded cards that earn points you can redeem for stays with a specific hotel chain. Some of the most popular hotel rewards programs include:

• Marriott Bonvoy
• Hilton Honors
• IHG One Rewards Club
• World of Hyatt

Is a hotel credit card worth it?

Like airline credit cards, hotel credit cards can pack in a lot of brand-specific perks to reward your loyalty. Some cards offer supersized rewards rates, typically for hotel-related purchases. These earning rates can make it easier to quickly rack up points for future visits.

On top of the high-earning potential, hotel travel cards may also come with some of the following benefits:

• Free night : Many hotel cards automatically reward you with a free night at select properties every year on your anniversary. Others give you a chance to earn a free night after you spend a certain amount on the card.
• Room upgrades : Your card could automatically qualify you for room upgrades when available, giving you more space or better views.
• Elite hotel status : Some of the best hotel cards come with automatic elite status, making you eligible for exclusive perks, while others put you on a fast track to achieve higher levels of elite status.

How to choose a hotel

While you should pick an airline card based on frequency and availability, choosing a hotel card might come down to personal preference. You’ll find most hotel chains concentrated in mid-to large-size cities, so you can select a hotel group that works best for your needs. Hotel chains often include a price range from luxury to budget friendly. For example, Marriott includes both Fairfield Inn & Suites and the Ritz-Carlton in its suite of hotels. So, whether you splurge on one trip or save costs on another, you can still earn rewards.

However, if you happen to travel a lot to very remote cities, you might want to ensure that your preferred hotel chain has a location there.

Business travel credit cards + –

Business travel cards are a terrific option if you own a company or work as a freelancer and travel often for work. They can be co-branded or a general travel card.

Some of the more popular business cards include:

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express review
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Is a business travel card worth it?

Business travel cards offer a competitive rewards structure similar to other travel cards, but you can typically earn bonus rewards in business categories, like purchasing software and office supplies. Not only can business travel cards help keep your work and personal expenses separate, but they can also help you cut down on business costs.

You might see these benefits on a business travel card:

• Bonus rewards on large purchases : Some cards will offer an elevated rewards rate for big purchases, so you can earn miles or points for big-ticket items.
• No fee for employee cards : You can rack up even more points or miles when you add employees as authorized users at no additional cost. This action can also be a great way to track company spending.
• Account management tools: To help manage your company budget, business travel cards might come with apps or programs that could ease record keeping, like the ability to upload receipts quickly or link to a spreadsheet.
• Travel and hotel perks : Like other travel cards, you can often enjoy annual benefits, like a hotel reward night, lounge access or statement credits.

Co-branded travel cards versus general travel cards

The biggest difference between co-branded cards and general travel cards is flexibility. Co-branded cards are ideal for brand loyalists who prefer to commit to one particular airline or hotel group. They often come with perks that you might not find on general travel cards (like elite status or free checked bags), but how you earn and redeem rewards is limited to that specific brand.

For instance, you might feel locked in to book a pricier room with a co-branded hotel card even if there are more affordable options.

With general travel cards, you have more freedom to select flights or hotels that fit into your schedule and price range, but you might lose out on some perks. If you prefer flexibility, a general travel card might work better for you. If you enjoy more elite perks or are a fan of a particular brand, you might consider a co-branded card.

Pros and cons of travel credit cards

• Travel for less: Money-saving benefits, such as high travel reward rates, sign-up bonuses and travel credits, can help bring down the overall cost of travel.
• Generous perks: The best travel cards feature perks like room or seat upgrades, free hotel stays, statement credits and lounge access that might enhance your overall travel experience.
• Fast track to elite status: Elite status, which offers maximum program benefits for airlines or hotels, often takes time to earn. Some travel rewards cards help cut down on the qualification period, or they offer automatic elite status, which means you can start earning elite status benefits sooner.
• Earn points as a loyalty member along with rewards : If you are a loyalty member, then you can earn loyalty points with that hotel or airline brand as well as travel reward points when you book with a travel credit card.
• No foreign transaction fees : Most travel cards don’t charge a foreign transaction fee, which can help cut down costs when traveling abroad.
• Complex rewards programs: Keeping up with the travel rewards card program rules can be confusing, especially when redeeming or transferring points to a travel partner. It takes careful planning and calculation to ensure you are maximizing the value for your rewards.
• Limited redemption outside of travel: Travel cards typically provide the best value when redeeming for travel. While some cards offer redemptions for non-travel options, such as statement credits or gift cards, these are typically worth less.
• High annual fees: Determining whether an annual fee is worth it can be difficult, and many of the best travel credit cards have yearly costs starting from $95 to $100. Premier travel cards could have annual fees in the $200 to $700 range.
• Higher interest rates : Typically, travel cards carry a higher ongoing APR, so if you carry a balance every month, then a low-interest credit card or balance transfer card might be a better fit.
• Typically best only for frequent flyers : Since most travel cards offer the most elevated bonus rates for travel, such as flights, hotels and car rentals, you won’t reap its maximum benefits unless you fly often.

Who should get a travel credit card

• Frequent flyers . If you spend lots of time up in the air or staying at hotels, you can absolutely benefit from the rewards and perks that come with a travel credit card. But if you’re new to travel or only travel occasionally, look for no-annual-fee cards or ones with simple rewards categories. All globetrotters can appreciate the lack of foreign transaction fees many travel cards offer.
• Brand loyalists . Fans of particular airlines and hotel chains can reap some serious rewards with their go-to brands. Loyal customers can rack up an incredible amount of hotel points or flight miles using a card like the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless.
• Luxury travelers . Vacationers looking for top-shelf travel perks may have to pay to carry their card, but The Platinum Card from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer benefits that can easily offset their annual fees. You’ll find high-end earnings rates on your purchases to back it up. Take advantage of exclusive add-ons, like access to airport lounges, free checked bags, specialty offers and more.
• Road trippers . Some travel cards earn rewards on purchases at gas stations and hotel stays, which can be valuable if you’re on the road a lot. A hotel credit card like one in the Hilton Honors program or Marriott Bonvoy may be a great choice if you regularly take cross-country trips and stay at hotels.

Who should skip a travel credit card

• Fans of low-maintenance credit cards. While flat-rate travel cards are available, travel cards with fixed bonus categories or a tiered rewards structure often have the best rewards rates. The card that’s most fitting for you will depend on your spending habits. If you aren’t ready or willing to strategize to get the most out of your travel card, a more straightforward rewards credit card may be a better fit.
• Someone looking for flexibility . Cash back credit cards are usually more versatile and might work best for infrequent travelers or people with higher non-travel-related expenses. They can help you maximize your earnings on everyday categories like supermarkets, gas, transit, streaming services or online purchases. Mostly, redeeming can be far less complicated and far more flexible. Depending on the credit card, redemption options may include statement credit, direct deposit, check and travel.
• Someone prone to overspending . The best travel rewards credit cards can help you save a lot of money but only if you avoid a balance. Since rewards cards typically come with higher interest rates, paying your balances in full can save you money and create the best value. If you can’t, you run the risk of losing more money to interest charges than you earn in rewards. You may even fall into credit card debt. If you aren’t able to pay your balances in full, consider a low-interest credit card .

Do you know how much your points or miles are worth?

Choosing a card based solely on the number of miles or points you stand to earn can be a costly mistake. Redemption values can vary, and points and miles do not always transfer on a 1-to-1 basis, meaning 1,000 “miles” earned do not always translate to 1,000 miles of travel.

For example, the Citi Premier card has a sign-up bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in your first three months of account opening. With the Premier card, most redemption options have a baseline value of 1 cent, so this offer can be worth at least $600. But based on Bankrate’s latest point valuations , we estimate that the right high-value transfer partner could boost your point value up to 1.9 cents on average. That could make your sign-up bonus worth an incredible $1,140.

Compare that to a card like the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which offers a sign-up bonus of 140,000 points after spending $3,000 within the first three months. Since IHG Rewards are estimated to be worth 0.7 cents on average based on our points valuation, that comes out to a value of $980 dollars.

Understanding the true value of your rewards program can help you to maximize value and select the card that offers the best rewards for your spending habits.

How to calculate the value of your points and miles

To find the value of your points and miles, divide the cost of paying cash for the booking (such as the plane ticket or hotel room) by the number of points or miles required. Then compare this number to Bankrate’s points and miles valuation for the airline, hotel or credit card rewards program.

For example, if a flight on Southwest Airlines costs $800 out of pocket or 50,000 miles, the value is 1.6 cents per mile ($800 divided by 50,000 miles equals $0.016 or 1.6 cents). Since this is slightly higher than our estimated value of 1.5 cents per mile, you’re getting a good deal if you book this flight.

But if you redeem for a gift card instead and find a $25 card costs 10,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards miles, your value drops to 0.25 cents per mile ($25 divided by 10,000 miles equals $0.0025 or 0.25 cents). Since this is far below the 1.5-cent-per-point value you should look for, you’re better off using cash for this gift card and saving your points for a better deal.

How to compare travel credit cards

Deciding which travel credit card is best for you can be difficult. Many cards have similar redemption options, earn rewards in the same categories or cost more than you’re willing to pay for an annual fee. The right card for you will provide value with both perks and rewards rates that match your needs and align with purchases you already make.

To find the right one, you may find it helpful to compare several cards at once so you can see which one offers the best value for your personal finances and travel habits.

• Are you an occasional or frequent traveler? Frequent travelers typically have an easier time taking advantage of the numerous perks found with a travel card. If you travel less frequently, then a cash back card may make more financial sense.
• Are you loyal to a certain airline or hotel? If you’re a fan of a particular airline or hotel chain, you can enjoy specific benefits with that company’s co-branded travel card, like companion pass or annual hotel credits. A general-purpose card, however, gives you flexibility to choose any travel partner when traveling.
• What travel perks and protections matter most to you? Higher rewards status with hotels or airlines, access to airport lounges or automatic elite status are a few examples of travel perks a card might offer. You can also have more peace of mind with any travel protections that a travel card might provide, like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost baggage insurance and 24/7 global assistance. Make sure to look for a card that has the features that matter most to you.
• Do you have to change your spending habits to earn and redeem rewards?  Rather than tailoring your spending to match a card’s bonus categories, you might choose a card that already rewards your typical spending habits. Also, watch out for restrictions like spending limits, which can hinder your ability to earn maximum rewards. And when redeeming, make sure your card provides the best value. Some travel cards don’t provide the best value when redeeming for non-travel-related options, such as gift cards or statement credits.
• Does the card have sign-up bonuses and annual fees?  A card’s welcome offer can boost your first year earnings. Look for the spend requirement to ensure you can meet it without overspending. Additionally, a card’s annual fee can be a significant factor. Cards with high annual fees often offer some of the best rewards and perks, but if you can’t offset the fee every year it might not be worth it.
• How does the card’s international acceptance and foreign fees measure up?  For people who frequently travel internationally, this detail can be a game changer. A card without a foreign transaction fee can help budget your trip. But you also want to make certain that the card has broad international coverage. Some cards, like Discover, while working on their international network, might be riskier to carry abroad.

How to make the most out of your travel credit card

Whether you’re planning a quick getaway or extended trip, your rewards from a travel credit card can either enhance your experience or save you money. If you have your eye on Walt Disney World or a small family gathering, you can use these strategies now to experience an elevated trip in the future.

• Score a welcome offer . To make the most of your purchases and capitalize on travel rewards, seek out a welcome offer with an affordable spend requirement. Some of the top sign-up offers could be large enough to help you score free travel.
• Take advantage of the card’s bonus rewards categories . Find a travel rewards card that offers bonus points for purchases you already make to supercharge your earnings. For example, if your weekly work plans include lunch outside of the office, you could earn 3 points for every $1 spent at restaurants as a Citi® Premier cardholder, maximizing your earnings potential.
• Consider a travel card that earns transferable points . Transferable points are points earned with one travel card that can be redeemed with another participating program. Based on Bankrate’s latest point valuations, the right high-value transfer partner could be the best way to maximize your rewards earnings.
• Don’t forget your credit card benefits . Your travel credit card could have hidden credit card perks that make travel more enjoyable and save you money, such as complimentary breakfast at hotels or free checked bags. In just one trip, a family of four could easily offset a card’s annual fee through baggage fees alone. Other benefits, such as lost baggage coverage, not only reimburse you for clothing, toiletries or medication you had to purchase because of delayed or lost luggage, but provide additional peace of mind while traveling.
• Consider a credit card combination . Pair your travel card with another credit card that earns high rewards in areas you spend the most to maximize value. You may even be able to combine cards within the same rewards program. Chase, American Express, Capital One and Citi all offer some of the best credit card combinations that can help you rack up transferable rewards.
• Skip the foreign transaction fees . Make sure to take along a card that skips this common overseas charge, typically 3% charge anytime you use the card internationally. You can avoid this by choosing a travel credit card that waives foreign transaction fees, such as the Capital One and Discover credit cards.

Alternatives to Travel Credit Cards

If you don’t want to commit to a travel card, but still want to earn travel rewards, then you have options.

• A cash back credit card lets you earn cash rewards, which you can often redeem for a statement credit to cover travel and other purchases.
• A card with a 0% intro APR might work better for people planning a large purchase. It can help you budget for a trip, as long as you can pay off the balance before the intro offer period ends.
• A no-annual-fee card that also carries no foreign transaction fees might suit infrequent travelers. With this type of card, you can still save on trips abroad without worrying about added fees or offsetting costs every year.

In the news: What is credit card travel insurance?

Travel insurance, or trip insurance, is a policy providing reimbursement or resources if something goes wrong during your trip. The coverage of the trip insurance varies depending on if it’s provided through a credit card or purchased as a separate policy.

Credit cards may provide a form of trip insurance when you use your card to pay for trip-related expenses. Credit card travel insurance can cover everything from trip cancellation and trip interruption, to lost luggage and car rental loss and damage insurance.

In some cases, the coverage provided by the credit card may be enough to cover your needs for a travel-related event. But confirm the benefits before you travel and make sure it offers the right coverage, for example, if you are traveling internationally or need a “cancel for any reason” policy.

How we picked the best travel cards

Research methodology : We analyzed 300 travel rewards credit cards to identify the best offers currently on the market. The major factors we considered include:

• Rewards rate : Does the card offer a competitive rewards rate for the travel category? For general purpose travel cards, this rate is generally between 1.25X to 2X rewards. For co-branded hotel or airline credit cards, we looked for a rate between 3X and 10X points on brand purchases, plus a competitive rate in other bonus categories.
• Welcome offer : Annual fee travel credit cards, in particular, may offer a welcome bonus valued between $500 to $900. We considered the value of the sign-up bonus, alongside the required spend to receive it.
• Additional travel perks : We considered whether the card offers additional travel benefits beyond base rewards. For instance, for airline credit cards, we considered whether they offered priority boarding, a free checked bag or lounge access. For hotel credit cards, we considered whether they offered upgrade opportunities for Wi-Fi and free hotel stays with a card anniversary. For premium travel credit cards, we considered whether the card touted travel credits, travel insurance and other benefits that justified the high annual fee.
• Rates and fees : Travel credit cards do tend to carry annual fees and higher APRs than low-interest credit cards. However, we considered how a card’s APRs compared to the current credit card industry average and whether any fees could be avoided or recouped by its travel rewards and benefits.

All criteria used : Rewards rates, rewards categories, sign-up bonus, point values, transfer partners, redemption options, redemption flexibility, annual fee, other rates and fees, travel credits, airport lounge access, travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, concierge service, other travel benefits, travel portal functionality, credit needed, customer service, events or other perks

More information on travel credit cards

For more information on all things travel cards, continue reading content from our credit card experts:

• Cash back vs. points
• Trip cancelation reimbursement by credit card
• No foreign transaction fee credit cards

Frequently asked questions about travel credit cards

What is the difference between points and miles on a credit card + –.

When you’re shopping for a travel credit card, you’ll likely have two rewards currencies to choose from: points and miles.

Credit card points are the more flexible of the two options, usually allowing you to redeem your rewards for flights or hotel stays with a number of brands. Some cards allow you to redeem points for cash back, gift cards or merchandise, but often at a lower value than a travel redemption.

Credit card miles usually refer to frequent-flyer miles with a particular airline, such as Delta or United. If you have a miles-earning card, this usually means you can only redeem your miles for flights with one particular airline, though there are exceptions. These types of cards are also called co-branded cards and often come with additional perks like free checked bags.

What credit score do you need for a travel credit card? + –

Travel credit cards often feature higher rewards rates and numerous benefits, which typically means the odds of approval are higher for someone with a good or excellent credit score — usually around a 670 FICO score or higher.

But someone with bad or fair credit still has options. Although the credit card may not be labeled specifically as a travel rewards card, cards like the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card don’t require great credit and offer rewards in travel categories like hotels and rental cars.

Do travel points and miles expire? + –

Typically, rewards won’t expire for the life of the account. However, each card is different so it’s always best to read your card’s terms and conditions. For instance, some cards do have rewards that expire after a period of inactivity. In some cases, you could forfeit your rewards by missing a payment or canceling a card . Every card comes with its own set of rules, so always read the fine print.

How many miles do you need for a free flight? + –

The miles you’ll need for a free flight depend on the type of card you have, its rewards and redemption structure and whether it offers bonus value on travel redemptions.

For example, If you book through Amex, your points are worth 1 cent apiece on travel redemptions. That means if a flight costs $500, you’ll need 50,000 points to book. However, with Chase Ultimate Rewards, points are valued at 1.25 cents, so a $500 trip would need only 25,000 points.

What purchases are part of the travel category for travel credit cards? + –

How purchases are categorized depends on both the merchant and the issuer and may vary from card to card. Typically, bookings for airlines, hotel stays and rental cars will fall under travel. However, some cards, such as the Bank of America Travel Rewards card, broaden the category to include other types of purchases like timeshares, campgrounds and parking garages.

Check the issuer’s website or contact the issuer directly to get a complete list of what is considered travel for your specific card.

About the Author

Jeanine Skowronski

Jeanine Skowronski is a credit card expert, analyst, and multimedia journalist with over 10 years of experience covering business and personal finance. She has previously served as the Head of Content at Policygenius, Executive Editor of Credit.com, Deputy Editor at American Banker, Staff Reporter at TheStreet and a columnist for Inc. Magazine.

About the Editor

Robert Thorpe

Robert Thorpe is an editor for CreditCards.com

About the Reviewer

Stephanie Zito

Stephanie Zito is a professional traveler, humanitarian and credit card points collector sharing savvy travel tips she has learned firsthand from more than 20 years of circling the globe as a backpacker, expat and premium traveler in more than 125 countries and all seven continents.

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How to Compare Travel Credit Cards

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Regardless of whether you’re just starting to look into travel cards or already have a few under your belt, understanding how to compare travel credit cards can quickly get complicated. From cardholder benefits to annual fees, each card is unique.

So how do you know which ones you should get? Let’s take a look at the different aspects of travel cards, some of the best travel credit card perks and how to figure out which ones are right for you.

What to consider when you compare travel credit cards

Your travel credit card selection will ultimately come down to the following four factors: The size of the welcome bonus, the card's benefits and rewards, how you'll earn points and the card's overall cost (or annual fee).

Welcome offers

Banks want your business. In the highly competitive U.S. credit card market, this means they’ll need to stand out in order to attract your attention. One of the ways they do this is by offering welcome bonuses.

Welcome bonuses can vary, but they usually feature a one-time lump sum of bonus points after making enough purchases on your card in a specific amount of time. You can find offers ranging from 15,000 points all the way up to 180,000 points — but not all bonuses are created equal.

You’ll want to consider how you’re going to redeem those points well before you send in your application. Are you a frequent flyer? A co-branded airline card may be a good option for you. Do you prefer a certain hotel chain? You may want to direct your attention toward hotel cards instead. Make sure you can and will use the bonus points on offer before you sign up.

Some card issuers limit how often you can sign up for new credit cards — and even how many times you’re allowed to receive a welcome offer. Research this before applying.

Some of the best travel credit card offers out there are with credit cards that offer flexible point currencies, such as American Express Membership Rewards , Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Citi ThankYou points . The points these cards earn can transfer to a number of partners, such as airlines and hotel chains. These cards thereby give you more flexibility and ultimately help you avoid pigeonholing yourself into earning points or miles that can only be redeemed with a single loyalty program.

» Learn more: The best travel credit card welcome bonuses right now

Benefits and rewards

Another way card issuers try to differentiate themselves is by the perks they offer. You’ll find a different range of benefits based on the type of card you’re getting. No-annual-fee and mid-tier cards (those costing an annual fee of $100 or less) inherently offer fewer perks than their more expensive cousins, premium travel cards. These credit cards may cost hundreds to renew every year.

When comparing travel credit card rewards, consider how many of these benefits you can realistically maximize — let alone use. For example, several different travel credit cards come with TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits , but you only need one membership every four years. If you already have one card that offers this credit, then target other benefits when applying for another travel rewards card.

The same can be said of cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express . As a top-tier card, you’ll enjoy complimentary elite status with hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton . Enrollment required. However, the card also comes with a $25 monthly Equinox credit that may not fit into your existing lifestyle. Terms apply.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Earning bonus points

Once you’ve earned your welcome bonus, the best way to increase your points balance is by putting purchases on the card itself. Each individual card will offer varying amounts of bonus points for different spending categories. Sometimes these are called bonus categories.

You’ll need to decide how diligent you want to be about earning points. Are you fine with switching out cards in order to maximize your bonus points? Or are you content with keeping a select few on hand and leaving some other cards' rewards on the table?

Based on what you decide, you’ll want to compare the earning structure for the travel cards you’ll own. Some, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , offer a flat 3x points on a broad category of travel-related expenses. Others, like The Platinum Card® from American Express , will give you an objectively better 5x points on airfare and hotels — but will restrict how you earn based on how you book your travel. You’ll also face an annual cap of $500,000, after which you’ll earn just 1x point per dollar.

Annual fees

Most travel credit cards aren’t free. True, there are some entry-level cards that’ll provide limited benefits and no annual fee, but the best perks are offered on cards that will cost you money.

Active duty military members can have their credit card annual fees waived by major banks such as American Express and Chase.

The question here is: How much are you willing to spend? Some of the most expensive travel credit cards will charge you upwards of $500 per year. In return, you’ll get best-in-class rewards and the ability to maximize bonus points on your spend.

If you’re not looking to lay out a lot of cash, mid-tier cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can offer similar but less extensive rewards with a much cheaper annual fee. Figure out the budget you’re comfortable spending each year and take a look at cards that fit your needs.

» Learn more: Best no annual fee travel credit cards of October 2021

If you’re looking to compare travel credit cards …

Each travel credit card is unique, and the best way to figure out which one is right for you is by comparing them. Decide what’s important to you, whether it’s a large welcome offer, the ability to earn plenty of points or a whole slew of cardholder benefits, and pick out cards that match what you’re willing to pay.

Not all cards are right for every person, but with the range of available travel credit cards on the market today, odds are you’ll find one that suits your lifestyle.

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

on Chase's website

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%-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!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x 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.

75,000 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.

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London Underground Tickets & Travelcards

The Travelcard is a transport pass for London that gives you unlimited travel in London within certain zones . The prices vary according to the number of zones you need to travel through. Central London is in zone 1.

Travelcards are valid for 1 day, 7 days, 1 month or 1 year.

The passes are valid for travel on all types of transport in London including:

• the Underground (the tube)
• the local suburban trains within London
• the Elizabeth Line (not west of West Drayton)
• the Docklands Light Railway (DLR)
• the London Overground
• the buses all over London. A Travelcard for any zone allows you to use the buses in all zones (zones 1-6)

The 3 Day Travelcard, weekend Travelcard, Zone 1-2 & 2-6 One Day Travelcards are no longer available.

Visiting London for 1-7 days? See our guide to London’s transport tickets & passes . The Travelcard may not be the best ticket for your stay.

Single Underground Tickets

Single paper tickets on the London underground are expensive if you buy them from a tube station ticket machine:

• £6.70 for one journey in zone 1 (central London) and between zone 1 and zones 2 to 6
• See single ticket prices for all zones .

One Day Travelcards: 2024 prices

Using a Pay as you go Oyster card or a contactless card are the cheapest ways to pay for travel if you’re in London for 1-5 days. The daily cap is £8.50 per day for zones 1-2

If you really don’t want to use an Oyster card or don’t have a contactless card, the One Day Travelcard is the next best money-saving pass.

The paper Off peak One Day Travelcard for zone 1-6 is  £15.90. This is expensive, but still cheaper than paying the full cash fare for 3 underground trips in central London (3 x £6.70 = £20.10 ).

One Day Travelcard fares from 3 March 2024

Peak v anytime travelcards.

One Day Travelcard prices are different if you travel during peak or off-peak times:

Anytime Travelcard Valid for travel at anytime. Off-Peak Travelcard For travel after 9.30am Monday–Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

Top Tip: An Off-Peak One Day Travelcard for zones 1–6 costs  £10.40 with a Railcard .

Weekly Travelcards: 2024 prices

If you stay in London for 6–7 days and use the underground, trains, and buses every day, the weekly Travelcard is the most cost-effective travel pass.

The one-week pass including central London (zones 1-2) is  £42.70.

• It can start on any day of the week
• It’s valid for travel at anytime; there is no peak or off-peak rate.

Most places sell weekly Travelcards loaded onto a plastic Oyster card. There’s a £7 fee for the Oyster card.

Your fare on an Oyster card will automatically cap at the weekly Travelcard fare (this is already available on contactless cards). The cap starts on Monday and ends Sunday, so it mainly benefits Londoners or those working in London.

Weekly Travelcard fares from 3 March 2024

• See weekly Travelcards prices for all other zones (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)

Monthly Travelcards: 2024 prices

For longer stays in London, monthly Travelcards are available. You won’t save much compared to buying 4 x weekly Travelcards – but you’ll save time renewing it. Like the weekly Travelcard, it can start on any day of the week and is valid for travel at any time. See monthly Travelcard prices for all other zones (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)

Monthly Travelcards from 3 March 2024

Where to buy travelcards.

One day, weekly and monthly Travelcards are available from:

Underground stations

Travelcards are available from all underground station ticket machines (there are no longer any underground tickets offices). The busier stations in central London have staff to help you use the machines.

Local shops and newsagents

Travelcards are also available from Oyster ticket stops . These are newsagents and local shops licensed to sell London transport tickets and Oyster cards. One Day Travelcards are not available from Oyster ticket stops.

London train stations

One Day Travelcards are available from all London train station ticket offices and ticket macines. Paper weekly and monthly Travelcards are no longer available from train stations . They are available to buy, but they are loaded onto an Oyster card and may only be available from ticket machines, not ticket offices.

London Transport Visitor Centres

TfL Visitor Centres at Victoria train station, Kings Cross/St Pancras International station, Heathrow Terminal 2 & 3 tube staion, Liverpool St station & Piccadilly Circus tube station.

How to use a Travelcard

On the underground.

If you have a paper One Day Travelcard or single ticket from a ticket machine, insert the card into the slot on the front of the ticket barrier. The barrier opens when you take the ticket from behind the yellow reader, on the top.

If you have a paper One Day Travelcard, just show it to the driver when boarding the bus.

See How to use an Oyster card if you have a weekly Travelcard on an Oyster card.

Top Tip: Do you want a cheaper way to travel around central London? If you only travel by bus , it costs £5.25 per day or £24.70 per week.

Related pages

• Guide to London’s transport tickets
• Weekly and monthly Travelcards for zones 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
• Oyster card
• How to use a contactless card to pay for transport
• Bus tickets & passes
• London Transport zones

Last updated: 22 February 2024

Transport tickets & passes

• Guide to London's transport tickets
• One day & weekly Travelcards
• Zone 2–6 weekly Travelcards
• Bus tickets & passes
• Oyster single tickets
• Oyster card refunds
• Contactless cards
• Child tickets & passes
• Local train tickets

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7 premium travel cards that are worth the high annual fee

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Premium credit cards may scare many people away with their $400+ annual fees. Still, travel rewards enthusiasts know that despite the high price tag, these cards can offer exceptional value — and in many cases, their benefits can offset those expensive fees.

With many premium travel credit cards available, we've gone through the perks for some of the best to see if paying their annual fees makes sense. And depending on your particular travel needs, you'll probably find that having at least one of these cards in your wallet is well worth the high cost.

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What These Premium Cards Have in Common

These cards feature some sort of airport lounge access , which by itself tends to cost as much as, or more than, the cards' annual fees. In addition, all of these cards offer numerous travel insurance and purchase protection policies, as well as some sort of concierge service that offers personalized assistance for booking travel, making dining reservations, buying gifts or completing virtually any other task you could ask someone to do over the phone. They all waive foreign transaction fees , which means they are great to use while traveling overseas.

What to Look for in a Premium Credit Card

Since all of these credit cards offer lounge access, you need to investigate which lounges are in each network to find the ones that suit your travel needs. These might include the primarily domestic lounge networks of American, Delta and United, the lounges that are part of Priority Pass , American Express's Centurion lounges , or a combination of the three.

You'll also want to see whether the card has a competitive rewards program. Ironically, some of these cards offer fewer bonus earning categories than other, less expensive cards from the same issuer. Generally, the main reason to get a premium card is for the perks and not the points , though some notable exceptions exist. Either way, you should still aim to collect points that you will eventually use, even if you won't be earning at a lucrative rate.

Speaking of perks, you should closely examine all of the benefits offered by each card and evaluate how useful they may be to you. For example, the upgrade priority on flights with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is only useful if you actually hold Delta Medallion status. Finally, many of these cards come with credits toward airline fees and/or the $100 application fee for the Global Entry program , so be sure to consider those savings when evaluating whether paying the annual fee is justified.

I've listed what I think are the top seven premium cards on the market right now. Here's the shortlist, but below you'll find more details about each.

1. Chase Sapphire Reserve 2. The Platinum Card® from American Express 3. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® 4. United Club Infinite Card 5. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card 6. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Credit Card 7 . Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

The information for the Hilton Aspire 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.

The Details

Here's a detailed look at each of the cards listed above, including their benefits, welcome bonuses and other factors to consider.

1. Chase Sapphire Reserve

Current welcome offer: Earn 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Benefits: Receive a $300 annual credit that covers virtually all travel expenses . The card earns 10x points on Chase Dining reservations and hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards. It accrues 5x total points on air travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on other travel and dining purchases and 1x on other eligible purchases.

Cardholders get a value of 1.5 cents per point when they redeem through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal (compared to 1.25 cents per point when you hold other Ultimate Reward-earning cards). Get up to $100 statement credit toward a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee once every four years. Cardholders can register for Priority Pass Select lounge membership and make hotel bookings with extra perks available via the Luxury Hotel & Resort collection .

Annual fee: $550

Is it worth getting? Thanks to those bonus categories, the Sapphire Reserve is a no-brainer for those who spend a lot on travel and dining — especially for those who are able to book through Ultimate Rewards. The incredibly generous $300 annual travel credit effectively lowers the annual fee to $250. On top of the lounge access and the valuable Ultimate Rewards transfer partners , this card is an excellent choice for many travelers.

Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card review

2. The Platinum Card® from American Express

Current welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $6,000 in the first six months of card membership (although you might receive a targeted offer with a higher welcome offer).

Benefits: Up to $200 annual airline incidental fee statement credits with one U.S. airline the cardmember selects. Up to $200 in annual Uber Cash ($15 per month and $35 in December). Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee . Up to $200 in hotel statement credits on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or the Hotel Collection , which requires a minimum two-night stay, bookings each year. Up to $300 in Equinox statement credits annually. Up to $240 in digital entertainment statement credits (up to $20 per month for Peacock, The New York Times , Audible and SiriusXM purchases). Up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credits (split into $50 semi-annually). Up to $189 back via statement credit each calendar year on CLEAR Plus membership . Access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta, Priority Pass lounges and Amex Centurion Lounges. Enrollment required for select benefits.

This card earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on airfare booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 on purchases per calendar year) and 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com and 1x points on other eligible purchases. Those points transfer to 18 different airlines and three hotel partners .

Annual fee: $695 (see rates and fees)

Is it worth getting? Longtime cardholders swear by this card, which was one of the first premium cards offered. This card partners with multiple lounge networks , including the small but growing list of Amex Centurion Lounges .

When it comes to earning bonus points, this card used to come up short, but it now offers an outstanding 5x points on airfare — equal to a 10% return based on TPG's valuations . The 5x on hotels is less impressive since you're limited to prepaid bookings made through Amex Travel, but it's still a huge improvement over the card's previous earning rates. Of course, you'll now need to see if the new annual fee is worth it for you . Still, this card is a no-brainer if you can maximize the many other benefits like Uber credits, hotel credits, Equinox credits, digital entertainment credits, and lounge access.

Related: The Platinum Card from American Express review

3. Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

Current welcome offer: Earn 80,000 bonus miles when you spend $5,500 in the first three months of account opening, although you might receive a targeted offer for more.

Benefits: Full Admirals Club membership , which allows you (and immediate family or up to two guests) to access lounges even when you're not flying on American Airlines. Up to a $100 Global Entry application fee credit once every five years. Priority check-in, security screening and boarding on American Airlines flights. One free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation. A 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases.

For a limited time, earn 4 points per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases through 12/31/22. After that, earn 2 points per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 point per dollar elsewhere.

Annual fee: $450

Is it worth getting? While this card may not offer the same value as the two listed above, overall, it's a good option for those who fly American Airlines regularly. It's an easy way for occasional AAdvantage flyers to enjoy nearly all of the perks of elite status from day one. Or, if you are looking for a way to maintain status until early 2023, this card could be the perfect opportunity.

Related: Admirals Club membership — Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard review

4. United Club Infinite Card

Current welcome offer: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Benefits: The main perk of this card is that you'll receive full United Club membership. Your first and second bag fee is waived for you and one companion on the same reservation flying United, and you'll receive Premier Access travel services, including priority check-in, boarding, security and baggage handling. Similar to many other premium cards, you'll also receive up to $100 towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees once every four years. Cardmembers receive 25% back on United inflight purchases and expanded access to saver award seats .

The card accrues 4 miles per dollar on United purchases, 2 miles per dollar on all other travel purchases, 2 miles per dollar on dining and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. This card also offers the opportunity to earn Premier-qualifying points if you are chasing elite status. You'll earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 you spend on purchases, up to 3,000 PQPs in a calendar year.

Annual fee: $525

Is it worth getting? This card makes sense for frequent United travelers and those who want elite status perks before attaining elite status. No other credit card offers unlimited United Club access, so this card is a good option if you consider getting a membership anyway. Finally, this is one of the few premium credit cards that truly offers more rewards from spending than similar, less expensive cards.

Related: Best for loyal flyers — United Club Infinite Card review

5. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Current welcome offer: Earn 80,000 SkyMiles and 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $5,000 in purchase within the first three months of card membership. Offer ends 11/10/2021

Benefits: Access for the cardmember only to American Express's Centurion Lounge and Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta (plus two one-time Delta Sky Club guest passes each year). Flight benefits like one free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight travel companions booked on the same reservation, priority security screening and boarding, upgrade priority over those in the same elite status level and discounts on in-flight purchases. Up to $100 statement credit toward a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application once every four years (4.5 for PreCheck). The absolute best perk — which can truly make this card significantly better than any of the other premium airline credit cards -- is the annual companion certificate which is good for one round-trip itinerary within the 48 contiguous United States (except for folks who live in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands) in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+ or first class. You're only responsible for taxes and fees on the second ticket, up to $75.

Additionally, the card can help you earn status quicker. Typically, you'll earn 15,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) when you spend $30,000 in a calendar year, up to four times per year. But, for 2021, you'll receive a 25% bonus on MQMs earned. This means you'll earn an additional 3,750 MQMs on top of the 15,000 MQMs you'll already earn per $30,000 spent on the card.

If you can spend $25,000 on the card in the calendar year, it'll also waive your Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) requirement towards Platinum, Gold, or Silver Medallion Status.

Annual fee: $550 (see rates and fees)

Is it worth getting? For Delta flyers, this card could be well worth getting for the companion ticket alone. It's also nice that the card offers access not only to its own Sky Clubs but also to Centurion Lounges. It is also the most generous of the premium airline credit cards when it comes to handing out elite-qualifying miles based on spending. However, if you don't fly Delta regularly, there's little reason to consider this card.

Related: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card review

6. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Current welcome offer: Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within your first three months of card membership.

Benefits: Automatic Diamond elite status , which confers space-available upgrades, 100% bonus on points earned for stays, executive floor lounge access, welcome amenities, fifth night free on award stays and a daily food and beverage credit . Priority pass lounge access for you and two guests. Enrollment required for select benefits.

Cardholders can also receive up to $500 in statement credits each year to help offset the fee: up to $250 in statement credits toward eligible purchases at participating Hilton Resorts each cardmember year and up to $250 in airline fee credits with your U.S. airline of choice per calendar year. But, the best benefit for many is the opportunity to earn up to two free weekend reward nights. You'll receive one weekend night redeemable at almost any Hilton property worldwide after opening your account and on your cardmember anniversary each year. Earn a second weekend night when you spend $60,000 on the card in a calendar year. And due to the pandemic, many certificates have been extended and are currently not limited to just weekends .

All points earned through eligible purchases will be counted through Dec. 31, 2021, and posted to the Hilton account between May 1 and Dec. 31, 2021 -- will count toward elite tier qualification and lifetime Diamond status .

Annual fee: $450 (see rates and fees)

Is it worth getting? If you are looking for instant top-tier hotel status, then the Hilton Honors Aspire card is the best option — with Diamond status automatically granted, there's no need to spend any time or money chasing status. Then, if you know you'll be able to use both $250 statement credit opportunities, this effectively outweighs the annual fee. If you stay at Hilton properties even just a few times a year, this is a card that should absolutely make its way into your wallet.

Related: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire credit card review

7. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Current welcome offer: Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.

Benefits: Annually, cardmembers will receive an award night certificate that can be redeemed at any participating Marriott property costing up to 50,000 points for the night. Based on TPG's current valuations , this alone is worth $400. You'll also receive up to a total of $300 in statement credits on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program each account year. This includes anything from room rates to incidentals charged to the room, which immediately allows you to think about the annual fee at just $150 for the year. You'll also receive automatic Gold elite status (which gives space-available room upgrades and a 25% point-earning bonus) and 15 qualifying nights towards status each year.

Other perks include a Priority Pass Select membership , which gives you and two guests unlimited access to more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, as well as up to $100 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees once every four years (4.5 for PreCheck). Enrollment required for select benefits.

Annual fee: $450 (see rates & fees)

Is it worth getting? You can easily receive a more significant value than the card's annual fee with the statement credit and annual night certificate. Add on the airport lounge access and Global Entry credit, along with the other benefits; this is a great card to have if you are loyal to Marriott. Or, even if you just stay at Marriott properties a few times a year, as long as you can max out your annual night certificate , this card is still worth it.

Related: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card review

Bottom Line

As you can see, a card's annual fee doesn't always correspond to its value. While the cards above offer many benefits to help offset the annual fee, some are clearly only a fit for select travelers. If you're looking for a card that offers a diverse array of useful perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Amex Platinum are probably your best bets, though the airline and hotel cards on this list can be a good fit if you're loyal to those brands.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, click here. For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Aspire, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex, click here.

Additional reporting by Jennifer Yellin.

London Travelcard Prices 2024 - One Day, Weekly & Monthly Pass

• Adult travelcards
• Child travelcards

What is a travelcard?

How long does a travelcard last.

• Anytime and off-peak
• Where to buy travelcards
• Are travelcards the cheapest way to travel?
• Where to use travelcards
• Using travelcards on the bus
• Using travelcards on the train
• Which is best: travelcards or Oyster?

Travelcard prices for children

London travelcards come in two different types. The cheapest version just covers buses and trams, whilst the more expensive one includes the trains as well.

Travelcards bought at a National Rail station (the big overground hubs like Waterloo , shown with a symbol on the London underground map ) are printed on orange paper. Travelcards bought at an underground station are printed on pink paper. Other than the colour of the paper, there is no difference between the two. It’s also possible to load a travel card onto a blue Oyster card . (Note: It is not possible to load them onto a Visitor Oyster card or contactless card .)

If you buy a pass that includes the trains then you will also have to choose which fare zones you want it to cover. If you buy a one day travelcard then you’ll only have three options: zones 1-4, zones 1-6 or zones 1-9. If you buy a weekly, monthly or annual travelcard then you can choose a combination of different zones between 1-9.

Important note: there are no trams in central London, only in zone 3 and beyond (in places like Beckenham, Croydon and Wimbledon). So if you buy a zone 1-2 travelcard then you won’t find any trams to travel on.

What are the benefits of a travelcard?

• London travelcards can cover one day, one week, one month or one year, depending on how long you’re staying in London
• They’re very easy for tourists to understand: you simply choose the zones and dates you want it to cover, pay once, and then you can make an unlimited number of journeys between those dates
• Depending on which one you buy, travelcards can be valid on the tram, bus , Docklands Light Railway, London Underground , London Overground, TFL Rail and National Rail
• You can also benefit from a discounted fare on the cable car and Thames Clipper riverboat

What are the downsides of a travelcard?

• Depending on how many journeys you make, you might find that Oyster prices and contactless prices are cheaper than travelcard prices
• You’re only allowed to travel in the fare zones you chose at the start. If you later decide to travel outside the zones then you’ll have to buy a completely separate ticket
• Two people are not allowed to share one travelcard
• If you lose a paper travelcard then there’s no way of replacing it, or getting your money back

A travelcard lasts for one day , one week , one month or one year , and you choose which one you want when you buy it. You can then travel as many times as you like during that period.

You always have to choose a start date when you buy it. The date can be in the future, but it’s not possible to buy a dateless card.

One Day Travelcards (Anytime) – Valid for the date shown on the ticket, plus any journeys that start before 4.30 AM the next morning

One Day Travelcards (Off-peak) – Valid for the date shown on the ticket, but only after 9.30 AM on Mon-Fri, plus any journeys that start before 4.30 AM the next morning

Weekly, Monthly & Annual Travelcards – Valid between the start date and end date shown on the ticket. And they all have to be consecutive days (it’s not possible to buy a 7 day travel card that skips a day in the middle, for example).

Can two people share one travelcard?

No . Two people are not allowed to share one travelcard between them. And you can’t share an Oyster card that has a travelcard loaded on to it either.

What time is Anytime and Off-Peak?

Anytime – Anytime is valid for the dates shown on the ticket, and up to 4.30 AM the following morning. (So if your travelcard expires on the 10th, you can actually travel up to 4.30 AM on the 11th.)

Off-Peak – Off-Peak travelcard holders are restricted to travelling after 9:30 AM on Mon-Fri, but can travel at anytime during the weekend or on a public holiday.

Is it cheaper to use a travelcard?

Travelcards are not always the cheapest way to travel in London.

1-Day Travelcards – The Oyster daily cap and contactless daily cap are always cheaper than a one day travelcard (by around two-thirds).

Weekly Travelcards – Weekly travelcards are always cheaper than buying seven one day travel cards, but whether it works out cheaper than the Oyster card weekly cap depends on how many journeys you make. If you make two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six of the days, then a weekly travelcard is likely cheaper. But the only way of knowing for sure is to add up all your journeys on a calculator (sorry!).

Monthly Travelcards – Monthly travelcards are always cheaper than buying four weekly travel cards.

Annual Travelcards – Annnual passes give you 12 months travel for the price of ten and a half.

Where can you use a travelcard?

Buses – All travelcards are valid on TFL buses , regardless of which zones they cover. That’s because buses don’t have zones. So if you buy a zone 1-4 travelcard then you can ride the trams and trains in zones 1-4, but you can ride the buses all the way out to zone 6.

Trams – Bus & Tram travelcards don’t have zones, so they’re valid on all the buses, and all the trams. But Train, Bus & Tram travelcards are only valid on the trams if they cover zones 3 and beyond, because there aren’t any trams in zones 1-2.

London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, TFL Rail, National Rail – A Train, Bus & Tram travelcard is valid on all of these trains as long as it covers the right zones (you choose which zones you want when you buy it). The exceptions are the Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express and Stansted Express, Heathrow Connect to Hayes and Harlington, and high-speed Southeastern services between St. Pancras and Stratford .

IFS Cloud Cable Car – You can’t actually use your travelcard to ride the cable car , but if you present it at the ticket window you’ll get a 25% discount off the price.

Thames Clipper – You can’t use it on the Thames Clipper river boat service either, but if you show it at the window you’ll get a 33% discount off some of the fares.

Where can you buy a travelcard?

Day Travelcards (for Bus & Tram only) – It’s not possible to buy a day travelcard for the Bus & Tram from the TFL website. It’s not possible to buy one in advance either. You can only purchase them on the day of travel from a train station or London Visitor Centre.

There are seven Visitor Centres in London: Euston station , King’s Cross , Liverpool Street , Paddington , Piccadilly Circus , Victoria and Heathrow airport.

These will always come as a paper ticket.

You can also buy a Bus & Tram pass from an Oyster Ticket Stop, but these ones will be put onto an Oyster card instead. Oyster Ticket Stops are just normal shops (usually newsagents) which have a blue Oyster sticker in their window. (Note: The usual £7 deposit will apply if you need to buy a new Oyster card, which will come on top of the day travelcard price. It is not possible to load a travelcard onto a London Visitor Oyster Card .)

Day travelcards do not require a photocard.

Day Travelcards (for Bus, Tram & Train) – Paper tickets for the Bus, Tram & Train are available to buy online from the TFL website and from train stations and Visitor Centres.

Group Day Travelcards – Group Day Travelcards can be ordered from the TFL website . They only last for one day and you need to be travelling in a group of at least ten people during off-peak hours (after 9:30 AM Mon-Fri, or any time during the weekend).

Weekly Travelcards – Weekly Travelcards can be bought online at TFL’s Visitor Shop , You can also have it loaded onto your Oyster card at a train station, Oyster Ticket Stop, London Visitor Centre or TFL’s Oyster website (but you need to set up an Oyster account with them first).

Weekly travelcards do not require a photocard.

Monthly Travelcards – Monthly Travelcards can be loaded onto your Oyster card at train stations, Oyster Ticket Stops, London Visitor Centres and TFL’s Oyster website .

Annual Travelcards – Annual travelcards can be loaded onto your London Oyster card at TFL’s Oyster website , and most London Overground, TFL Rail and National Rail stations… but not London Underground stations, London Visitor Centres or Oyster Ticket Stops.

What zone travelcard do you need?

Most tourists will choose a travelcard that covers zones 1-2, which covers the touristy heart of London.

Zone 3 is for places like Highgate Cemetery , Kew Gardens , Wimbledon and London City Airport . Zone 4 will take you to Wembley Stadium . And if you’re flying into Heathrow then you might need a zone 1-6 travelcard.

How do you use a travelcard on a bus?

Using a travelcard on a London bus is easy. If you have a paper travelcard then just show it to the driver as you board the bus.

If you have an Oyster travelcard then touch it against the big round yellow reader by the front door (some buses also have Oyster readers by the middle door and back door). There’s no need to touch the travel card down again when you leave the bus – you only have to do that for trains.

How do you use a travelcard on a train?

Using a travelcard on the London Underground is easy. If you have a paper travelcard then just insert it face-up into the slot at the front of the barrier. The same ticket will then pop out of the slot on the top. The gate won’t open until you remove your travelcard from that slot.

If you have an Oyster travelcard then all you have to do is wave it in front of the big round yellow reader and the gate will open automatically.

Which is better: Travelcards or Oyster?

TFL travelcards are very easy to understand – you simply choose the starting date, the duration, which zones you need (probably just zones 1-2 if you’re here on holiday), and then you pay just once and can make an unlimited number of journeys until the travel card expires.

The downside is that travelcards are only available for fixed periods – either one day, one week, one month or one year – so if you’re visiting for a different number of days then you’re better off buying an Oyster card .

Train travelcards are also limited to the zones you buy it for, so if you decide to make an extra journey out of the blue then you’ll have to buy a completely different ticket, whereas the pay-as-you-go credit on an Oyster card can be used in all zones.

Your comments and questions

CC Hi, I want to know if I buy the one day card does it means it lasts 24 hrs? Or just till midnight of the day I purchase it?

Staff Hi CC. It actually lasts until 4.30 AM the next morning. So if it's dated for the 1st, it will last until 4.30 AM on the 2nd.

Leanne Hi there, I am travelling to London with 3 children aged 8, 10 & 11 and will need a travelcard that will cover us all. We have a few things planned but im not sure of which travelcards I need and for which zones? We will need to travel from Paddington station to Waterloo, and will be visiting the Cambridge Theatre and also Knightsbridge. Is it possible to buy a 3 day ticket that will cover those areas? Ive not been to London before so would like to plan as much as I can in advance. Thank you

Staff Hi Leanne. It's not possible to buy a 3-day card unfortunately - they only come as 1-day or weekly cards (or monthly). And the only travelcard that covers multiple people is the Group Day Travelcard, but that's for a minimum of ten people. The good news is that your 8 and 10 year old will travel for free on the tube, so I recommend that you use your contactless bank card, and you get an Oyster card for your 11 year old. That's because contactless and oyster fares are cheaper. The most you will pay each day is the 'daily cap' for zone 1, which is less than the cost of a 1-day travelcard (all of the places you mentioned are inside zone 1). Unfortunately you will also have to pay a £5 deposit the first time you buy a new Oyster card - but you can claim that back at the self-service ticket machine at the end if you want.

Leanne Thank you very much, that's very helpful

Csaba Is it possible to buy a new Oystercard and put a 7-day Travelcard on it at the newsagents generally? Do I have to have a minimum pay-as-you-go balance on it if using a Travelcard loaded onto my Oystercard?

Staff Hi Csaba. You can just have the travelcard on your Oyster card if you want. There's no need to have any pay-as-you-go credit on there as well, but you can do that as well if you want. You should be able to do it at any newsagent displaying the Oyster symbol in their window - not all of them have it.

Lafont If I have a travelcard on my Oyster card for zones 1 and 2, and I want to visit Hampton Court, how to proceed.

Staff Hi Lafont. Hampton Court is in zone 6, so you just need to add some pay-as-you-credit onto the same card to cover zones 2-6. You can see that fare here - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php . When you tap it down on the gate the computer will recognise that the travelcard already covers zones 1&2 and just use the credit for the extra bit.

Pamela Laurie I need only a paper 1 day Oyster ticket, is it over 24 hours from when you buy it? ie. 12am one day till 12 am next day ?

Staff Hi Pamela. You buy it for a particular date. It will then last for the whole of that date, and up to 4.30 AM the next morning.

Ch What time can you use your travelcard from on a Sunday?

Staff Hi Ch. If it's a 1-day card then it's all day Sunday, right up to 4.30 AM Monday morning. If it was a midweek one then it would be different, because there are two cards available midweek: anytime and off-peak. The off-peak ones wouldn't start until 9.30 AM

Awi If I buy a zone 1-6 travelcard from Vauxhall rail station will that entitle me to the National Rail 2for1 promotion? Thanks

Staff Hi Awi. You have to be careful because you need a National Rail paper ticket for the 2for1 offer. Don't buy it from the underground station because then it will be a TFL ticket. That won't be valid. Buy it upstairs from the National Rail windows, and make sure they give you a paper ticket rather than putting it on an Oyster card, because that won't be valid either.

Diane Can you use a one day travelcard on any of the London tour buses?

Staff Hi Diane. No, sightseeing tour buses have got nothing to do with normal buses, so you'll have to buy a ticket from them.

Cathy If I buy a weekly travelcard from a train station, will the start day to use to card be the day I buy it? Or can I tell the counter staff which day I would like to start to use the travelcard? For example, I want to buy the paper travelcard at London Paddington Station on July 1st and I would like to start using it on July 6th. Is it possible? Thanks for your help.

Staff Hi Cathy. Sure. You can tell them which date you want it to start. It doesn't have to be the same day that you buy it. Paper tickets will then have the start date printed on the front.

Elle Hi, With weekly travelcards, do I need to get an identity card to go with it? Thanks

Staff Hi Elle. Not if you're an adult, no. You only need to provide a passport photo for monthly and annual travelcards, but not weekly ones. And a child would need a photocard

Ray Does the one day travelcard include journeys to Heathrow? Thank you Ray.

Staff Hi Ray. You have to choose the zones when you buy it. If you choose the one that covers zones 1-6 (or 1-9) then it will.

Cozzieanne Hi there, I'm soon going to be travelling four times a week from Ealing Broadway to Leytonstone station on the Central Line. If I buy an annual Zones 2-9 travelcard, does that mean that I can get on and off at literally any stop, on any line, at any time, as long as I'm within those zones? And does it include buses? Thank you! Cozzieanne

Staff Hi Cozzieanna. A zone 2-9 travelcard won't get you from Ealing Broadway to Leytonstone on the central line, because that journey goes straight through zone 1, so you'll need a zone 1-9 instead (actually, you only really need a 1-3 for that journey, unless you've got some other plans out to zone 9 that you haven't mentioned). A zone 1-9 travelcard will let you get on and off at any stop within zones 1-9, at any time, as many times as you like. And you can use it on the bus as well.

Graham Can a London Travelcard be used on both the Underground and on Network Rail trains? I'm planning to travel from Baker Street to Monument on the Circle Line, then from London Bridge to Waterloo East on normal Network Rail. Is the Travelcard valid for both journeys?

Staff Hi Graham, It works on both the underground and National Rail trains within the zones you buy it for. So assuming your travelcard covers zone 1 (which all those journeys are in), then it will be fine

Harmeen I just want to know that if I opt for a weekly travelcard for Zone 1 and 2, how many trips am I allowed in a week?

Staff Hi Harmeen. As many as you like. There's no limit with travelcards

Lailiyah McInnes Can I buy weekly travel card to London zone 1-2 and5? And how much the cost weekly and monthly .I just from Bromley south to Victoria to Fulham

Staff Hi Lailiyah. You can buy one for zones 1to5 (price is in the table above), but not zones 1,2+5. They don't sell one for just zone 5 on its own either. If you really wanted to then you could put a zone 1-2 travelcard on your oyster card, and then top it up with some pay-as-you-go credit as well. Then every time you tap it down on the gate the computer will recognise that you have a travelcard for zones 1-2, and only take the fare for zones 2-5 from the pay-as-you-go credit

Heather Is there a student discount on Oyster cards.

Staff Hi Heather. There is a discount, but you have to apply for an 18+ Student Oyster photocard to get them. All the details are here - tfl.gov.uk/​fares/​free-and-discounted-travel/18-plus-student-oyster-photocard

amar Can I use oyster card on traine

Staff Hi Amar. You can, yes. But it depends what train you’re talking about. It has to be within the Oyster zones. If you're talking about putting a travelcard onto an oyster card, then the train will have to be in the zones you buy the travelcard for

Jerry I need Travelcard from zone 2 to 8. How can I get one?

Staff Hi Jerry. It sounds a bit bonkers, but they don't sell travelcards for zones 2-8. You can get one for zones 1-8, or zones 2-9 instead which is a bit cheaper

Jerry I don`t understand why I have to pay more for something what we don`t need.

Staff Maybe you could try using a contactless card instead, because there's a cap for zones 2-8 on that. But if you want the weekly cap then it only works from Mon-Sun (not Tue-Mon, or any other combination of 7 days) - city-guide.london/​transport/​contactless-cards.php

Bob Scrivener Where do you find a zone map?

Staff Hi Bob. Here's one - content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf

Nigel Hi, I plan to come to London in the Autumn. It looks as if I’ll need to travel in zones 1-3 between my University and accommodation. Can you advise what the weekly cost is for a travel card

Staff Hi Nigel. All the prices are shown in the table above - at the moment it's £43:50 for zones 1-3

Karen Wilce Are there any concessions

Staff Hi Karen. If you mean senior concessions then you can get something called a Freedom Pass or a 60+ Oyster card, but you need to live in a London borough to qualify. If you live outside London then you can get a Senior Railcard. There are more details here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

Theresa I have a monthly travel card zones 1 to 4, but i need to get to zone 6, what do i need to do.

Staff Hi Theresa. Assuming that it’s on an Oyster card, all you have to do is go up to a ticket machine and load some pay-as-you-go credit on to it. When you tap down on the gate the computer will recognise that the travelcard already covers zones 1-4 and just charge for the extra zones. You can see the price on our Oyster card page - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

Anita Ganea My daughter is a 2nd year university student living in London, travelling to university and also to her place of work. She has now got a student oyster card and also has a 1/3 16-25 railcard. Does she have to link these to get the full benefits of the oyster card. I said that her travel will be a 1/3 cheaper if she gets the oyster card but obviously if she uses it as a pay as you go it is still the same, why is this?

Staff Hi Anita. She needs to get the railcard loaded onto her Oyster card, then she can use the Oyster card like normal and it will charge the discounted fares. She needs to take both cards to a London Underground station and then ask a member of TFL staff to load it on. You can usually find one standing behind the ticket barriers. Bear in mind that she doesn't get a discount on all Oyster fares, just off-peak ones, and zone 1-9 travelcards (if bought together with another National Rail ticket) - full details here 16-25railcard.co.uk/​using-your-railcard/​travel-times-tickets/

Steven Gatting Hi folks,,, returning uk resident arriving with Family from US for 7 day visit covering all areas on tube. Kis are 10. 14 and 16 . Shall I just get 7 day travel cards.Will be making plenty travel around the tube on all days. Thanks Steve Gatting

Staff Hi Steven, if you’re staying seven days then a weekly travelcard usually works out cheapest if you’re making at least two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six days, but it depends what zones you buy (most people only need zones 1-2). Your 10 year old will travel for free, but bear in mind your 14 and 16 year olds will have to pay for adult passes because it won’t be worth paying out extra for photocards to qualify for the kid prices.

Michael Just to make sure it will work: I want to buy a weekly 1-2 zones paper travel card at Paddington railway station. All I need is to bring £37 and paper-sized photo, right? No need to buy Oyster card or something like that?

Staff Hi Michael. You can only get a paper travelcard if it’s a 1-day travelcard. Weekly ones will go onto an Oyster card. If you don’t have an Oyster card you’ll have to go to an Oyster Ticket stop shop (newsagent) in the National Rail part of Paddington (and pay £5 deposit for a new card on top). The underground bit only has self-service machines. If you do have an Oyster card then you can load it on at a self-service machine. You don’t need a photo

Selina Rahman Hi, If I want to travel from Woodford to Bermondsey by train and then bus from Bermondsey to Bricklayer's Arms by bus, can I buy a weekly oyster card from zone 2-4? If not, please suggest how I can make this journey with the most economical option? Thanks,

Staff Hi Selina. Thats okay for Woodfood to Bermondsey (assuming you don't choose a route that passes through zone 1). theres more than one bricklayers arm’s in london so we don't know which one you're talking about, but it should be alright because buses don’t have zones. all travelcards are valid for bus travel in zones 1-6, regardless of which zones they cover

Polya Genova Why when I transfer via Wimbledon from Streatham to Fulham Broadway I am overcharged for zone 1.??? I notice 3 times on my way going but mot charge in my way back. The pink rider was no clear sound.

Staff Hi Polya. You're only supposed to tap down on the pink readers if your journey would normally take you across London through zone 1, and you're changing trains to bypass zone 1. But the journey you're doing wouldn't normally go through zone 1 anyway, so I would stop tapping down on the pink reader and see if that helps - just tap down at the beginning and end of your journey instead

Lorraine I am travelling to london from Leigh on sea going to Wood Green station / Shepherd’s Bush there are 6 of us all together 2 adults 4 chikdren under 11 years we have bought the Kidszania tickets What would be the cheapest fares to travel on the tube

Staff Hi Lorraine. your national rail tickets would be separate, but if all four kids are under 11 then they travel for free on the tube, and the adults should just use their contactless cards to pay (oyster is the same price as contactless, but you have to pay a £7 deposit to get hold of the cards)

MR JOHN ROZNOWSKI Is there any discount for ENCTS pass holders who live outside London?

Staff Hi John. Not if you want to buy a travelcard, but you should be able to use it to travel for free on TFL buses (with time restrictions) if it has the red rose symbol on it. Theres some more information here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-bus-fares.php

Engrid Hello, Do children travel for free with a parent who purchases a travel card?

Staff Hi Engrid. Only if they’re under 11. They travel for free with a fare paying adult - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Pauline My partner and myself are travelling on Avanti train from Lancaster for the day.Can we buy I day travel cards when we buy our train tickets in Lancaster. Thankyou

Staff Hi Pauline, we cant really help with what’s for sale in Lancaster, but we doubt that the train company will sell them. But you’d be better off just using your contactless card to pay anyway (assuming that you both have one), because the ‘daily cap’ for contactless is half the price of a 1-day travelcard - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php

John Evans RAIL CARDS OR SENIOR BUS PASS Are they valid with one day travel card off peak

Staff Hi John. A senior bus pass with the red rose symbol lets you travel for free on TFL buses, with time restrictions, but you cant use them to buy a travelcard, A Senior Railcard will give you a discount on “Anytime Day Travelcard Zones 1-9 when bought as part of ticket to London from outside London (subject to minimum fare)” - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

James allison Is their a pensioner discount

Staff Hi James. Not for travelcards, no, unless you have a senior railcard as mentioned in the comment above. But you can travel for free on the buses and trains if you have a freedom pass or 60+ oyster card (with time restrictions). More info here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

Paul Hoelzley Good afternoon, We are Canadian seniors (82 & 76) and will be in London for 5 days early January 2023. Could you kindly help us and advise us on what is the cheapest card to use during our stay. There seem to be so many different choices and fares and this is very confusing to us. Thank you for taking the time to answer our question (s). Regards, Paul H.

Staff Hi Paul. A Visitor Oyster card will be the cheapest, and you can buy it online before you go and have it delivered to you in Canada - more information about that here: city-guide.london/​transport/​visitor-oyster-cards.php . You’ll have to choose how much credit you want on it, so just work out which fare zones you’ll be travelling through each day (most tourists just need zone 1), and look at the ‘daily cap’ for that zone in the fares chart. That will be the maximum you will be charged that day. Add up all the daily caps for the five days, and thats how much credit you’ll need. Alternatively… you can just buy a weekly travelcard when you arrive in London. You’ll lose a little bit of money, but its a lot less complicated because you can make unlimited journeys for the whole week

Mark Hi, we will be travelling to London from Melbourne in September. Four adults For five full days. We are flying into Gatewick. What is the best way to get to accommodation near Hyde park and where should we get recommended pass?

Staff Hi Mark. I would buy tickets for the Gatwick Express into Victoria on their website, and then get Visitor Oyster Cards for everyone and have them delivered to Australia before I travel. Oyster cards have the cheapest fares, and you can use them on the tube to wherever it is you're staying around Hyde Park. Info about where to get Visitor Oyster cards here - city-guide.london/​transport/​visitor-oyster-cards.php

Ali Need a travel pass ticket in London for tube and buss

Staff Hi Ali. We've explained how you can get one on this page

Jordi Hello, I'm going to travel to London for a 7 days in July. 2 adults and 1 of 14 years. We move for zones 1-3. Wich is the best option? and Where can I buy better?

Staff Hi Jordi. It depends how many journeys you're making. If you make two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six of the days, then a weekly travelcard should be cheaper. Otherwise the adults should use their contactless cards if they're from the UK, or Oyster cards if they're from abroad (which have the same fares as contactless, but you have to pay a £5 deposit on top). The 14-year old should get an Oyster card and have the 'Young Visitor Discount' applied to it, as explained on this page - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Keith Morgan How much will a 1-6 zone one day travelcard for 2 adults and two children with a family railcard

Staff Hi Keith. You dont get a discount if you buy the travelcard on its own. You need to be coming into London on another train. According to their terms: “With your Railcard you can get 1/3 off Anytime Day Travelcard when bought as part of your journey to London from outside London Zones 1-9 (subject to a minimum fare which is currently £20,30)” - familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/​help/​faqs/

DEREK SPELLER Good afternoon.......we are travelling into Heathrow from Canada in August and staying in Paddington. The London Transport Travelcard will allow us onto the Tube at Heathrow but NOT the Heathrow to Paddington Airport Train.....am I correct?

Staff Hi Derek. That's correct, yes. You can use an Oyster card on the Heathrow Express, but not a travelcard. If you want to use a travelcard on the tube from heathrow to paddington then you'll have to get one covering zones 1-6

Muraleedharan vp Which are the places covered by differrnt zones?

Staff Zone 1-2 covers the central touristy part of London, which is good enough for 99% of tourists. but maybe you'll want zone 3 for kew, and zone 6 for heathrow

Reda Weekly travel card zone 2 to zone 4. Travelling from zone 4 to zone 4 without crossing zone 1 , why I got charged £2.50 at the end of the day.

Staff Hi Reda. Is the travelcard loaded onto an Oyster card? £2.50 is a zone 1 fare, so the only thing I can think of is that you didn’t tap out at the end.

B Walker Can I purchase a weekly anytime travel card as ticket? Not plastic oyster

Staff Hi B Walker. Only if you buy it online from the TFL shop - visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/​en/​london-travelcard . If you buy it anywhere in London then it will be loaded onto an Oyster card.

Veronica We are a family of five traveling into London Kings Cross on 7th Oct children are aged 15,15,14, We are staying for 9 nights at Twickenham and will be travelling in/out London and going to attractions. What would be the best travel option?

Staff Hi Veronica. We always recommend that adults use their contactless bank card. (oyster cards have the same fares, but you have to pay a deposit on top.) and then get oyster cards for the kids. but get the ‘young visitor discount’ applied to the oyster cards when you arrive in London, which is explained here - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Veronica Which zone is Twickenham in. Should I order the child oyster card before we arrive and do they require a photo

Staff Its in zone 5. you can order it in advance if you want to, they don’t require a photo. its all explained on our oyster card page - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

PEDRO Do foreign children between 11 and 15 have a discount with the one-day travelcard? I think no...

Staff Hi Pedro. They can do, but only if you get them an Oyster Zip photocard as well. But you have to pay extra for those, which will wipe out any savings you make. So we dont recommend getting one if its just a one-off visit - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Alex If I buy a travelcard at Heathrow and need to travel to Hammersmith but only on the next day do I need to make another journey (in zones 1 and 2), can I buy a 7 day travelcard at the same time as buying some PAYG but somehow POST-DATE the 7 day travelcard so it is only active from the NEXT day?

Staff Hi Alex. You can do. You always have to choose the start date when you buy a travelcard so i would do that first, then load some credit on after. Another way is to just buy a zone 1-2 travelcard at heathrow, from the first day, and load some extra credit on to cover the zones 2-6 bit

Alex Hello again. Travelling from Buckhurst Hill to Hampton Wick with a Zone 1-2 Travelcard and PAYG. I see this necessitates a National Rail Journey from Zone 1 to 6. Will it cost a Zone 1 to 6 fare from PAYG despite the travelcard because it's National Rail and not Overground/Underground? Does one have to check in/check out at a station on the border of zones 2-3? Pink card reader or something?

Staff As long as the National Rail station is within the oyster zones (which your stations are) then you can pay with a travelcard and oyster - theres no difference. you dont have to tap down on a pink reader. you only use those if you're making a detour to avoid zone 1, on a journey that would normally go through zone 1. you just have to tap down at the beginning and end of your journey like normal

ELHAMUDDIN ZAHID Hello I am student and have class two days a week and live in zone 5 which option will be cheap for me. Many thanks

Staff Hi Elhamuddin. The easiest and cheapest thing to do is to just use your contactless card - city-guide.london/​transport/​contactless-cards.php

Alex Hi. I just phoned up TFL and got my PAYG balance refunded (£8:70) from my oyster into bank account. I'm no longer on London and couldn't do it at machine in London as I still had a valid travelcard on my last day! Now the oyster card has been removed from the app! Is the card still valid should I return to London in the future? Or did refunding the PAYG balance cancel the card? I paid £7 for the card. Perhaps they canceled the card and refunded the £7 as well as the £8:70?

Staff Hi Alex. The card gets voided at the same time as the refund, so you wont be able to use it anymore. The deposit would have been converted into PAYG credit after 12 months, but if you've had it less than that then you don't get it back.

JOHN Hello everyone, I have a crucial to me question that puzzles me when I try to buy online a London weekly anytime travelcard for my planned trip to London next month, i.e. November 2022, landing at Heathrow airport. As far as I understand, a 7-Days (weekly) London anytime travelcard does not have a peak, or, off-peak option (As 1-day travelcards do). They are valid throughout the whole day (And, if I am not mistaken valid until 04:30 am of the next day after their expiry). I am trying to buy the card from abroad (within EU) prior my arrival & ordering it to be mailed to my home country. I choose adult, Ticket Duration = 7 Day (only option), Ticket Zone = Zones 1-6, Then it requires me to choose (Under: “Admission)” an option, BUT, the only option available in the: “Peak”. Then date of first use which I provide and then the total price is £70.30. Question is, in the field entitled: “Admission” the only option being: “Peak”, What do they mean by the word: Peak ? If I choose Peak (the only option available) will I purchase a weekly anytime travelcard that I will be able to use throughout the whole day, OR, will I be able to ONLY use it during Peak hours (i.e. prior 09:30 am) which does NOT make any sense as a 7-Days (weekly) anytime travelcard (As the name clearly states) is valid throughout the whole day ? I am at a loss. What do they mean by the option: Peak ? Can somebody please help me ? Many thanks in advance for your time & effort. Looking forward to your reply/assistance. Many thanks & Best Regards

Staff Hi John. The way they've worded it does look a bit confusing (they should have called it 'anytime') but it will definitely be valid for an entire week, both off-peak and peak hours. That's the only version you can buy for a weekly travelcard.

JOHN Many thanks for your reply ref London weekly anytime travelcard. Much appreciated. If I land to Heathrow during weekend will I be able to buy a London weekly anytime travelcard from Heathrow Visitor Center, OR, from a Heathrow ticket machine ? In this case do I need an oyster card ? Can I use the very same card to travel (By tube and/or overground rail) from, AND, to Heathrow airport (E.g. Heathrow to Waterloo)? In the latter case, are there any specific tube/overground trains I cannot use, i.e. express ? Many thanks in advance for your time & effort. Looking forward to your reply/assistance. Many thanks & Best Regards

Staff You won't be able to buy a paper travelcard at Heathrow, but you will be able to get one loaded onto an Oyster card. Assuming that you haven't got an Oyster card already, that will add another £7 deposit on top. But if you do get an Oyster card then you may as well forget the travelcard and load some credit onto it instead, and pay normal Oyster fares, which might work out cheaper depending on how many days you're staying. Oyster credit can be used on buses and trains in all the zones, including Heathrow. But if you catch the Heathrow Express then the credit will be used to pay the normal Heathrow Express fare instead (rather than a cheaper Oyster fare - you'd have to catch the tube for that). More info about all that here - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php - If you want a paper travelcard then your only option is to get it from the TFL site and have it posted to you.

Matt Greer Are weekly travelcards discontinuing in January 2023? If so, what is replacing it for tourist weekly travel?

Staff Hi Matt. There was talk about scrapping them last year as well, but nothing has happened so far. If they do disappear then people will have to use the weekly cap on Oyster and contactless instead (which is the same price as a weekly travelcard). So tourists will have to buy an Oyster card.

Eva Ticket type Hi, I found Super Off-Peak Day Travelcardincludes London Travelcard with Travel conditions Same day return off-peak travel including unlimited bus, tube, tram and DLR journeys around London. I would like to use with the 2 for 1 promotion wisiting London Eye. I would like to be sure that this train ticket is accepted by them. thank you

Staff Hi Eva. It has to be from a National Rail station rather than an underground station (so it has to be printed on orange paper), and you have to book the London Eye in advance rather than turn up on the day. You can check the ticket here - daysoutguide.co.uk/​travel-by-train/​is-my-ticket-valid-for-2for1-and-other-offers

Muhammad Athar Masood I am coming to London on March 29 and shall stay here upto April 11. During my stay, I intend to travel in almost all zones of the city using bus, tube, tram or train whichever convenient. Please guide me if should buy a Travle Card or an Oyester Card.

Staff Hi Muhammad. Price-wise you're probably going to be better off with an Oyster card rather than a travelcard, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Have a read of this page which explains them all - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-contactless-travelcard-comparison.php

Sandr Hi, Me and my husband are coming to London with our kids age 8,15,16.We will be there one week.Is the seven days travelcard best options for us?

Staff Hi Sandr. Travelcards usually work out cheaper if you make 2 or more journeys on each of the 7 days, or three or more on 6 of the days. Otherwise you’ll be better off with Oyster cards (unless you have UK bank cards, then you can just use contactless instead)

Sandra Thank you very much for your answer.We surely will be using it more than 2 times a day.And my daughter age 8 doesn't have to have a travelcard?My daughter age 15 has a child travelcard?Does it have to be with a photo? Thanks for your help.

Staff You can only get a child travelcard if you have a child photocard, but you have to pay extra money for those which means you’d wipe out all the savings. So its not worth it. Your 8 year old travels for free. Its all explained on our child fares page - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Kathe Conway Hello, riding here i am curious, i will be in london for seven days thinking it is best to get a travel card, can you buy this at Heathrow ? Also if for one day I am traveling to zone four does it make more sense just to buy a single trip that day? sorry so confusing :)

Staff Hi Kathe. You can get it loaded on to an oyster card, but youll need the oyster card first. You can have a paper one posted to you if you order it online (even abroad - its all described in the ‘Where can you buy a travelcard?’ section above). If you want to use it from heathrow into central london that would be zones 1-6, which would also cover zone 4. You wouldnt be travelling zones 1-6 all week though, so it would be a bit of a waste of money. I would probably recommend getting an oyster card instead, which you can get from heathrow - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

Giuluano Hi there, how much cost me a travel card zone 1to 6 on Sunday?

Staff Hi Giuluano. Sunday is off-peak so get the off-peak one - 15,20

Richard Can I buy the 1 day Travelcard at any national trainstation (planning for Knockholt)? As this is a requirement for 2for1

Staff Hi. Richard. You can, yes (assuming you mean one of the stations in London). But you have to get it from the windows/machines upstairs, in the National Rail part of the station. If you go downstairs to the London Underground part then it will be printed on different paper, which is no good for the offer.

Richard Thanks. Indeed we drive from SevenOaks to Knockholt national railstation, with our Diesel from the Netherlands, which I want to leave outside LEZ. Thus parking in Knockholt (which is in Zone 6) and then use for the Saturday and Sunday the 2 day paper travelcard. This should allow our group of 6 to have the cheapest means of transportation into London, benefitting from 2FOR1, as long as we purchase the cards at Knockholt national Railwaystation (Can we purchase them at this station!? ). Can you confirm this is the best strategy? Thx

Staff Knockholt is in zone 6, so they should sell them. Its not the cheapest way of travelling (using contactless/oyster would be cheaper) but you’d make all the money back and more from doing the 2-for-1 offer, so it sounds like a good plan. You can buy the off-peak ones if youre travelling at the weekend. And its definitely a lot cheaper than driving into london. If youre talking about this saturday and sunday remember the coronation is on, so everywhere will likely be packed

JOSE CARVALHO If I have a travelcard card for zones 1 and 2, and I want to go Canning Town (zone 2/3) and return, how to proceed.

Staff Hi Jose. if you coming from the direction of zone 1 or 2, and get off at Canning Town, then you're fine, your travelcard will cover the whole journey. If you’re going into zone 3 and your travelcard is on an oyster card, then you can just load on some extra pay-as-you-go credit to cover the fare for zone 2-3 (which can be seen here - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php )

Lynn I am arriving in London from overseas and need just one train ticket from Paddington Station to Kings Cross Station. What is the best way to pay for this trip please

Staff Hi lynn. If it's just a one-off then I would buy a single ticket from the self-service machine in the station

Derek Scriven Is there still a concession on 1 day travelcards with a senior railcard?

Staff H Derek. There is, but only this specific one - "Anytime Day Travelcard Zones 1-9 when bought as part of ticket to London from outside London" - senior-railcard.co.uk/​using-your-railcard/​travel-times-tickets/

Richard I want to find out about the cheapest weekly cost for travel card from Brockley station to Reading.

Lala If I want to travel to London zones 1-6 and I need the weekly travel cards, how much is it and how do I buy it? I also have a 16-25 Railcard, can it be applied when buying?

Staff Hi Lala. the prices for zone 1-6 are all shown in the table at the top. The different ways to buy it are described under ‘Where can you buy travelcards’. The railcard wont get you a discount on a weekly travelcard. The only travelcard you can get a discount on is a “one day travelcard, zones 1-9, when bought together with a National Rail ticket to London (when coming from outside London)”

ALAN Can I use a Rail Travel Voucher issued by Transport for Wales for a cancelled journey to buy a TFL Travelcard?

Staff Hi Alan. I wouldn't imagine so, but it's probably best to ask Transport for Wales - tfw.wales/​help-and-contact/​rail/contact-us

Edward Gould Do I need a photo for an annual season travel card

Staff Hi Edward. You’ll need to get an oyster card and register it on the TFL website. You’ll then be able to buy the annual travelcard through that website and load it straight onto your card

Malcolm Oates What is price of off-peak one day travelcard zones 1-6 for a senior railcard holder. it was 34% off.

Staff Hi Malcom. The normal price is £15,20 and the discount would only apply if you bought the ticket as part of a longer National Rail journey from outside zones 1-9 - senior-railcard.co.uk/​about-the-railcard/​using-your-railcard/

Tahira If I bought a Train, Bus & Tram Travelcard covering zones 5-6, what buses would be covered? Will it always be buses up to zone 6? Or is my case different?

Staff Hi Tahira. Buses don't have zones, so whichever train travelcard you buy it will always cover buses in train zones 1-6

Steve Hi, I’m traveling to Leicester square on the Friday bank holiday from Bedford with two adults and two 15 year olds just for the day. Do we just get the one day travel card or is there a better option. Tia

Staff HI Steve. The fares will be cheaper if you just use your contactless card. But you’ll have to have one card each. if your kids don’t have one then I would get them one day travelcards - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-contactless-travelcard-comparison.php

Steve Thank you for your help

Ron Travelling from Richmond to Stratford using Overground line Do I need to use pink reader anywhere to get cheaper fare using contactless? Thanks

Staff Hi Ron. You need to avoid zone 1, so it will make the journey a lot longer. If you want to do it then you could change onto the Overground at Gunnersbury and tap the pink reader there (don't go through any ticket barriers, because that would end your journey)

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London Travelcard prices for public transport pass in 2024

Transport pass for 1 day, 7 days, 1 month or much longer for buses, trains & underground.

The London Travelcard is the original pass for public transport in London. It is very simple to understand. You pay up front for a ticket which gives you unlimited rides for a stated number of calendar days. These days are consecutive, the pass ends 7 days after the first journey.

You can currently buy Travelcards for periods of 1 day, 7 days, 1 month or 1 year.

Unless you are going to make just one single journey on public transport in London then you should really be looking to either purchase an Oyster card , contactless payment card or a London Travelcard transport pass, and not pay for single tickets.

For example, paying cash for a single Underground journey in central London is more than double the price of the same journey with an Oyster Card.

Where can you use Travelcards   Fare zones   Peak & off-peak   Where to buy   Prices 2024   Benefits   Concessions   Child fares   Groups

Where you can use a Travelcard

The Travelcard pass covers:

- The London Underground network

- The London red local bus network

- The railway network in Greater London

- Docklands Light Railway, TFL Railway and Overground Railway

- 33% discount on many scheduled river services .

You cannot use your Travelcard on the Heathrow Express train as the group are not part of the Transport for London network.

You can use your Travelcard on the London Underground, TFL Rail Heathrow and London red bus services from Heathrow.

Other airports

Gatwick, Southend, Stansted and Luton airports are outside London beyond the scope of London public transport so the buses and trains from these airports are not covered by Travelcard (though you can use Oyster cards from Gatwick & on Heathrow Express. City Airport is serviced by the Docklands Light railway (DLR) and is covered.

The London public transport system is divided up into zones that radiate from the centre. Nearly all the hotels and the main sights are in Zone 1.

Heathrow Airport is in Zone 6 and the furthest zone out is Zone 9.

For the vast majority of visitors you will only travel in the two most central zones 1 and 2. The Underground map (link below) has the stations and their zones marked.

Some stations like Turnham Green are in two zones. You use whichever zone for these stations is most beneficial in working out your fare.

Although with a Travelcard you have unlimited journeys for a flat fee, the price you pay for your Travelcard is determined by the fare zones you want to travel in. The more fare zones you want covered, the more expensive the Travelcard.

London's red buses do not have zones. In fact with a Travelcard if you have a Travelcard for zones 1 and 2 you can travel in all the other zones as well using London's red buses.

London Underground Map & Rail Network Map with price zones (PDF)

Use our links below to see the London price zone maps for both the Underground and Rail network. You will be able to clearly see the zones marked across the map and then look where your station of interest sits within which zone. This is an easy way to work out the potential price of travel in London, by looking at the places you want to visit and seeing which London zone they sit within.

Most major attractions sit within zone 1-2 but there are other attractions further out from central London you may want to visit, as an example Hampton Court (zone 6) or Wimbledon (zone 3).

Peak & off peak travel for 1-day Travelcards

A 1 day Travelcard comes in a choice of peak and off peak variants, the price differential is substantial.

The peak travel period is if you travel between 4.30am and 9.29am Monday to Friday.

For a 1 day Travelcard only, if you want to travel during this time you need to purchase the 'Peak' period 1 day Travelcard product, otherwise the much cheaper off peak Travelcard will do.

Note: For 1 day, an Oyster card is often much cheaper than a 1 day Travelcard, never more expensive.

Travelcards for 7 days or longer are valid at all times.

Travelcards are valid for calendar days, not 24 hours from when you first use. However you can use your Travelcard the day after the last day if your journey departs before 4.30am.

Where you buy, photo ID & varying formats of Travelcards

If you buy Travelcards from a railway ticket office (not Underground) they come on card and will have a rail logo on (just like the image at the top of the page). If you buy a 7 Day Travelcard (child or adult) or a longer duration Travelcard you will need a rail photocard. This is made up on the spot and is free of charge, but you have to bring your own passport size photo. You cannot use the rail photocard as ID at non-rail ticket outlets.

If you buy Travelcards in advance online from TfL (see banner link below) the Travelcards also come as card tickets but you do not need photo ID both for children and adults.

If you buy Travelcards from anywhere else, including Underground and DLR stations, 1 day Travelcards come on a card, but all other Travelcards come loaded on an Oyster card. Children between 11 and 17 years require an Oyster ID Photocard to buy Travelcards at concession fare rates for 7 day durations or longer. Adults do not need photo ID.

Best place to buy Travelcards

The most convenient place to buy Travelcards for visitors are Underground stations, including Heathrow Airport. You can pay cash or credit card.

However there are no longer manned ticket offices at Underground and DLR stations. You have to buy from a ticket machine.

If you prefer a person to serve you there are also many Oyster Ticket Stops all over London in neighbourhood stores, newsagents etc that display a sign in their window or stations run by the railways (not the London Overground, Underground or TFL Rail Stations).

If you feel nervous purchasing a public transport pass from a ticket machine after entering a strange country, you can buy Travelcards online from TfL (see link below) and have them delivered to your home address internationally.

BUY VISITOR OYSTER CARD & TRAVELCARD FOR LONDON

Visiting London? Save time and money on London public transport

• Visitor Oyster Card • Travelcard for 1 day anytime / off-peak or 7 days anytime • Group day travelcards available

London Travelcard Prices from 3 March 2024 - March 2025

London travelcard vs oystercard - what is the difference.

Travelcards are a flat rate travel pass where you have unlimited rides in the selected zones for the time period purchased. You can use your travelcard across the London Network (with a few exceptions), so the travelcard covers your complete travel for a set time period and for a set fee paid up front.

Oyster / Contactless payment cards are charged on a per journey basis but there is a daily maximum you can be charged. This is called the price cap. Once you hit this 'price cap' through all the individual fares adding up, you are no longer charged for any subsequent journeys made that day.

A good example is the daily Oyster/Contactless payment cards price cap is less than the cost of a 1 day Travelcard, so travel over one day is cheaper. Over longer periods Travelcards can work out cheaper depending on your travel. For instance a 7 Day Travelcard is less expensive than an Oyster or Contactless payment card if you travel 3 or more times each day for 6 days or more in a 7 day calendar period.

This is a detailed area and can be confusing, so we created a dedicated page Comparing Travelcards and Oystercards , this page looks in detail at the difference between a travelcard, Oystercard and contactless payment cards to help you find the best fit for your visit.

Benefits of using Travelcards with Oyster card

Most visitors will just travel in the central zones 1 and 2. If you are staying more than 5 days in Central London then a 7 day Travelcard zone 1-2 is probably going to be cheaper than just an Oyster card. However a Travelcard on its own with fixed travel zones is not very flexible for the occasional trip outside these zones.

7 day Travelcards can be loaded onto your Oyster card and be used in combination with Oyster on a Pay As You Go basis for a single journey.

Note this flexibility is not available on Visitors Oyster cards or contactless payment cards and is not available for Travelcards purchased from railway stations and online.

A typical example is someone arriving and departing at Heathrow Airport in zone 6 and spending say 6 days in the centre of London (zones 1-2) before flying out.

By purchasing an Oyster card at Heathrow Airport Underground Station and buying a 7 day Travelcard zone 1-2 (electronically loaded onto the Oyster by the ticket machine) plus a minimal amount of Oyster cash both Oyster card and Travelcard will will work seamlessly together.

The 7 day Travelcard zone 1-2 will cover all travel in the central zones 1 and 2. Then on the Underground airport transfer journeys the Travelcard still covers the section of the journey in zones 1 and 2 but the Oyster will kick in automatically to cover the section of the journey in zones 3 to 6 at the lowest cost using the cash on the Oyster. You do not physically have to do anything it is all automatic.

Similarly, if you are staying in London for 9 days you might buy an Oyster card and use it on a PAYG basis for 2 days and have a 7 day Travelcard loaded and use that for the remaining 7 days.

Seniors concessions

There are no seniors fares for visitors. If you reside in London and are of pensionable age you can get a Freedom pass giving free travel. If you are 60+ and live in London the Seniors Oyster ID Card that makes free bus travel available. You can apply online or get a form from your local Post Office.

Anybody with an English National Concessionary bus pass can use that on London's red buses too and travel free of charge.

If you have a railways Seniors Railcard you can get your 1/3 discount on off-peak Oyster fares. You have to ask a member of staff to load the concession onto a standard Oyster card (note, not a Visitors Oysters card) at an Underground station after showing your Seniors Card.

If you have a railways Seniors Railcard you can also buy 1 day off-peak zone 1-6 Travelcards at with the discount applied.

Child concessions

This is a very complex subject and is covered in detail in the table below.

In crude terms a child is defined as under 16 years old, but in the last couple of years it has been possible to get child fares after jumping through a few hoops up to the age of 17.

Children under 11 can travel free on the London Underground, DLR and buses without a ticket. If a child is between 11 and 15 years old you require an Oyster 11-15 Photocard (which has a fee see below). This allows 11 to 15 year olds to travel at child fares on the Underground, DLR, Overground and some trains, free on the buses.

A child is defined as under 16 years old, but in the last couple of years it has been possible to get child fares after jumping through a few hoops up to the age of 17.

You can only buy child Travelcards on-demand universally for 1 day Travelcards. You cannot load child Travelcards onto an Oyster without an Oyster ID card. You can buy 7 day child Travelcards at the Visit Britain online shop, TFL's online shop , and at railway stations (who require a passport photo).

If you are a short term visitor (in London for up to 14 days) with kids between 11-15 you can take advantage of the Young Visitor Discount. This means you can get half price fares on an Oyster card on a temporary basis for your child without going through the hoops and expense of getting an Oyster ID card. You do need to read carefully the rules of this scheme though.

Children's Fare Concessions

Group tickets - 1-day group travelcard for groups of 10 or more.

This in scope is the same as a 1-day off-peak Travelcard for zones 1-6 and 1-9 providing unlimited travel on all services after 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.

The pricing is particularly attractive if you have kids in the group and those staying in one of the outer zones, however if you are staying in the centre of London zones 1 to 3 it will be cheaper to purchase individual Oyster cards.

If you are a group of 10 or more then do check out this product. Click through on the blog link right for more details.

Qualifying for the Railways 2 for 1 promotion by using Travelcards

The railways sponsor a hugely popular and long running promotion that allows those people using the train to visit leading attractions to get two people admitted for the price of one.

When visiting London you can you can get 2 for 1 admission to many of London's major sights including the Tower of London. The full list is very long and covers all of Great Britain. If you have train tickets to London and you are doing some sightseeing its a very worthwhile promotion to look into.

If, like many visitors, you are not using the national train services to get to London but are using a Travelcard to ride the London Underground to get around then there is a loophole in the scheme whereby if you buy your Travelcard from a railway station ticket office you qualify for the 2 for 1 promotion. There are a few further hoops to jump through, but the rewards can be significant, so its worth checking out.

Railways 2 for 1 promotion more details

Using your travelcard to gain access to trains

To gain access to the trains of all types, and again to exit a station you have to pass through automatic barriers (pictured right). There is always one wide ticket barrier for wheelchairs, pushchairs and people with large suitcases.

If you have a card Travelcard you insert the Travelcard into the ticket slot, the barrier will check that your Travelcard is valid for both date and zones travelled and then return it to you and open the barrier.

If you have a Travelcard loaded onto an Oyster card you swipe the Oyster card over a bright yellow pad, the barrier will check validity and then open the barrier. This process is repeated at the destination station.

On buses there are no ticket barriers. Inspectors may check the validity of your Travelcard at any time.

Oyster Fares Central

Daily Caps and Travelcards (2022)

This page details all the London wide caps and travelcards which apply to rail travel. These caps apply to all modes: National Rail, Underground, Overground, TfL Rail and DLR. The only rail services within zones 1-9 which are not covered are the Heathrow Express services between Paddington and the Airport; and Southeastern high-speed between St Pancras International and Stratford International; where Oyster and contactless can be used, but fares charged are additional to any caps. Travelcards are only valid to/from Stratford International if marked Plus HS1.

The first table lists all the daily caps. All Railcards refers to those that can be added to Oyster: 16-25, 26-30, Senior, Forces, Disabled and Annual Gold cards. Most refers to the same list apart from Disabled.

The second table lists all the paper travelcards. Note that there is no off-peak zone 1-4, use the zone 1-6 instead.

The third table lists the different season ticket prices. There are no single zone travelcard seasons. If the required combination isn’t shown (eg 5-7) then the price is the same for a larger zonal coverage (in this case 4-7). If only zone 2 is required then choose 2-3, for only zone 6 it is 5-6. Adult and Child (5-15) travelcards can be bought on paper. 16+, Jobcentre, Apprentice and Student 18+ travelcards all require the appropriate Oyster photocard to be held.

* Annual seasons are not available on Jobcentre Oyster cards.

+wj Travelcard seasons for zones 2-9 and 4-9 also include Watford Junction.

Are travel cards with high annual fees worth the money?

When the pandemic hit, expensive credit cards tailored to frequent travelers had to pivot quickly to non-travel perks or risk losing customers who were paying hundreds of dollars in annual fees to earn benefits and rewards geared toward going places.

JPMorgan Chase, Capital One and other premium credit card issuers loaded up on partnerships with companies focused on life indoors. “When the pandemic first hit, it felt like every travel card was piling into everyday benefits — groceries and also things like streaming services, food delivery,” said Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst for CreditCards.com. 

Now, with travel and entertainment booming, high-fee cards, including Chase’s Sapphire Reserve ($550 annual fee), Capital One’s Venture X ($395 annually) and American Express’ Platinum card ($695 a year) have returned to offering their most lucrative rewards to those who don’t stay home. 

It’s hard to know how much of the $164 billion credit card industry belongs to premium travel cards. Issuers don’t break out their data. But overall, “we’re seeing pretty sharp increases in both spending on the cards in the travel sector, as well as redemptions for travel,” said John Owens, the general manager of Elan Credit Card, a division of U.S. Bancorp that runs credit card programs for 1,300 community banks and credit unions. 

For certain frequent travelers, high-fee cards can easily pay for themselves and be worth much more than their triple-digit fees over the course of a year. The challenge for the uninitiated is to get beyond the glossy marketing, the perk sprawl and the sheer allure of spending, to weigh the benefits against the costs.  

“Reward centers in the brain that are sensitive to pleasure are specifically activated by the possibility of purchasing something with a credit card,” said Drazen Prelec, an economics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. “If you use the card for happy experiences, that card acquires some of the associations with the purchases you’ve made. … That gives it kind of a psychological glow.”

That glow is one reason travel cards, with their promise of easy luxury, exotic locales and rich incentives, can feel a lot more enticing than getting cash back on a trip to a big box store with a no-fee card. 

The most visible and common incentives are rewards points, which are ladled on by the thousands and can be worth hundreds of dollars. American Express, for instance, is offering a signing bonus of 100,000 points for the Platinum card. The Sapphire Reserve card comes with 50,000 points. The Venture X comes with 75,000 reward miles. Certain airlines have

Rewards points are “what I like to call a buffer currency,” Prelec said. “It doesn’t feel like you’re spending money.”

Even if it did, it could be hard to determine how much. 

Points have traditionally been valued at a penny apiece, but now their worth can depend on a host of factors, and because plans have become so complicated, using points to pay for airline tickets and hotel rooms, for instance, can be like chasing moving targets. 

Credit card companies prefer to keep cardholders in their ecosystems, and typically reserve the maximum rewards points, as well as the highest possible “exchange rate,” for travelers who book through their proprietary portals. Take Venture X’s 75,000-point signing bonus, for instance, is worth $750 when used toward flights, hotels and other services booked through Capital One’s travel portal. If the cardholder wants to trade the points for a statement credit or check and spend the reward outside the portal, they’re worth $375. 

Another powerful selling point for travel cards is an annual credit for travel purchases. The Sapphire card credits users a total of $300 at the end of the year for anything that qualifies as a travel expense. Venture X also offers a $300 annual travel credit, but the travel has to be booked through Capital One’s portal, “which is a little bit of a stumbling block for some people,” said Rossman of CreditCards.com. 

This is why partnerships can sometimes be as important as points, when it comes to calculating the value of a card. Some travel cards partner only with certain hotel chains or airlines, which can affect the value of the cards themselves, as well as the cardholders’ ability to take advantage of other perks connected to particular airlines, like free baggage fees, upgrades and access to airport lounges. 

Travelers who prefer to book directly with hotels or airlines or prefer to use third-party channels like Travelocity also might not derive as much benefit from the cards as people willing to use the issuers’ travel portals, where similar discounts may not be available. 

To attract younger users, and retain existing ones, card companies have also added restaurant programs, with benefits including first dibs on reservations at certain trendy restaurants in big cities or pop-up events featuring famous chefs. “I think these cards are catering to a more affluent young professional type, the kind of people who tend to eat out a lot,” Rossman said. 

But dining perks are mainly a way to score bonus points, or to use them, and they may not directly defray the cost of the card. Also, they’re frequently available in some form with cards that have lower annual fees, or none at all. 

And for premium travel cards, the fees aren’t the only higher costs. According to CreditCards.com, the current annual percentage rate for a rewards credit card is 16.17 percent, compared to 13.28 percent, on average, for low-interest cards.  

“If people pay more for something, they are more likely to use it," said Ali Besharat, an associate professor of marketing and co-director of the Consumer Insights and Business Innovation Center at the University of Denver. They see it as a "justified expense," he said.

Martha C. White is an NBC News contributor who writes about business, finance and the economy.

Are travel cards still useful even if you don’t travel much?

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Travel picked up this summer, as people all over the world regained confidence in travel since the start of the pandemic. And though COVID-19 continues to play a role in how we re-adjust our everyday lives, some individuals are still weighing whether or not they are ready to jump back into the groove of travel.

So how does this affect our travel credit cards? No need to give up on these valuable pieces of plastic quite yet. Travel credit cards tend to come with a hefty annual price tag that can be hard to justify if you aren’t traveling. However, these cards can be worth it if you are taking advantage of all the other benefits they have to offer.

Let’s take a look at how to get the best value out of your travel credit cards this year and if it is still worth earning points now if you likely won’t be using the rewards until 2023.

Decide if your high annual fee cards are still worth it

Before you set your focus on earning rewards for future travel, it would be smart to look in your wallet and decide which cards will serve you best for the rest of the year.

I, personally, have travel rewards cards that I keep solely for the travel benefits. The Platinum Card® from American Express grants me access to Amex Centurion Lounges and Priority Pass lounges, and the United℠ Explorer Card covers bag fees on United flights.

I also have cards that I keep because they’re great for earning flexible points towards travel, like my Chase Sapphire Reserve® . It earns 3X on general travel and restaurant purchases, 10X points on Lyft purchases (through March 2025), 10X points on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards, 10X points on hotel stays and car rentals through Ultimate Rewards, 5X points on air travel through Ultimate Rewards (after you earn the $300 annual travel credit) and 1X points on all other purchases. The rewards transfer to many travel partners I like, and it gets me into Priority Pass lounges.

These are all valuable cards, but the annual fees add up. So if you’re not traveling for a while, you’ll need to ask yourself if you’re still getting enough value out of the card’s benefits and rewards to cover the cost of the annual fee. The Sapphire Reserve card alone charges a $550 annual fee. For someone who travels often and looks for ways to maximize their Ultimate Rewards, the annual fee can be more easily justified.

For example, if two years ago I knew I wouldn’t be traveling for another year, I’d likely cancel my Platinum card or request to downgrade it to a card with no annual fee that still earns Membership Rewards to save myself the $695 annual fee, because I wouldn’t really be able to take advantage of any of the card benefits that I care about. I might also cancel the United card since I wouldn’t care about free bags this year. I’d keep my Chase Sapphire Reserve, which would allow me to transfer any Ultimate Rewards points I’d earned to United miles when I’m ready to fly again.

Your goal is to keep the cards that serve you and help you build the reward points arsenal you’ll need when it comes time for planning travel again.

Saving up rewards for future travel

Every reward point earned today puts you one step closer to free future travel in a post pandemic world.

Once you’ve decided which cards you’re keeping, you can quickly get to work on maxing out the value from your spending. Since you’re not traveling and won’t be earning additional traditional points from staying in hotels or flying on planes, you’ll have to rely on savvy spending, stacking up deals to earn double or triple bonus points and making sure you’re taking advantage of all the perks travel cards have added in response to the pandemic.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® is a great starter travel card that only carries a $95 annual fee. It offers 3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 5X points on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and Lyft Rides (through March 31, 2025), 2X points on other travel and 1X points on other purchases.

It wasn’t until recently that the Sapphire Preferred boosted its dining and grocery shopping rewards to 3X points. So, even if you aren’t traveling at this very moment, the Sapphire Preferred card is a well-rounded bonus category card that can make it easier to stockpile travel points for the future with every dining and grocery purchase.

Limited time travel card perks

While the last few years have thrown a curveball at travel lovers, added credit card travel perks are one of the small wins that we’ve had. Of course, I’d rather be traveling now — but knowing that I can earn 3X points on selected streaming and online grocery purchases on my Chase Sapphire Preferred card is at least something that makes me smile.

There are so many new special offers and limited-time promotions that issuers have added to different travel rewards credit cards that I certainly can’t list them all here. So take some time to look at the benefits on every card you own. Some limited time offers are particularly lucrative, such as sign-up bonuses and monthly statement credits.

Take advantage of these extra benefits like your future in travel depends on it. I personally try to max out that supermarket benefit each month. I’m single and don’t actually spend that much on groceries, but I’m also creative. Sometimes I offer to shop for my older neighbor who pays me back in cash. I keep the points and she stays out of the crowded supermarket, so we both win.

The bottom line

Even though it seems far away, the world will still be out there and ready to welcome visitors when the time comes for you — and all of us — to get back to traveling. For now, keep earning all the points you can!

*Information about the United Explorer Card has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been reviewed by the issuer. This offer is no longer available on our site.

Related Articles

The pros and cons of travel credit cards

Are rewards credit cards worth it?

How do travel credit cards work?

Are travel credit cards worth it?

Getting around London: Pay as you go and Travelcard prices

London is big. We get it. So working out how to get from A to B can be slightly intimidating.

To help you with your travel planning and budgeting, we've laid out the best ticket options (and how much they cost*) for your time in London. Pay daily or buy a weekly London Travel card - it's up to you.

Daily Travel Card Prices

If you only need to use public transport for a day or two of your trip, TFL's (Transport for London) day pass with a price cap is all you need to know about. It's priced as a London day travel - one day travel pass. Tap in using your bank card as much as you wish throughout the day and you'll never be charged more than the daily London tube prices cap and they can be used for bus travel as well.   

Weekly Travel Card Prices

If you have a week in the city and you know you're going to be bouncing between the London Underground and those iconic red buses, purchasing a weekly London ticket could save you a few pennies. 

*The above prices are controlled by TFL and are subject to change.

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Frugal Traveler

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

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

By Elaine Glusac

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

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

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

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

What are the terms of the deal?

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

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

Why does it matter?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What should I do now?

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

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

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

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

Open Up Your World

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is the No. 1 most-recommended travel credit card in America

M arketWatch Picks highlights items we think you’ll find useful; the MarketWatch News staff is not involved in creating this content. We might earn a commission from links in this content. Learn more

If you’re like the vast majority of us, you probably have plans to travel this year. Nearly nine in 10 Americans in a recent TripIt survey said they’ve already traveled in the past three months.  Of those who are planning a vacation in 2023, one in four said they expect to pay for one of those trips with credit card rewards, according to a Forbes Advisor survey. 

To help with that endeavor, we’ve pulled together the 10 most recommended travel rewards credit cards for May 2023 (more details below). To create this ranking, our team scours the internet in search of credit card recommendations from 16 of the most-trusted financial sites in America, including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal’s Buy Side, CNBC, Money, and more (full methodology below). We then rank these accounts based on the total number of recommendations. Here are the top picks:

• Most recommended: Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card
• Best for flat-rate rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Best for high-end travel: Capital One ® Venture X ®
• Best for annual cash: The Platinum Card ® from American Express
• Best for dining rewards: American Express ® Gold Card
• Best for no-fee travel: Discover it® Miles 
• Best for luxury travel: Chase® Sapphire Reserve Card
• Best for occasional travelers: Bank of America ® Travel Rewards credit card
• Best for everyday purchases: Citi Premier® Card
• Best no-fee rewards: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

There is little question rising inflation has left its impact on travel costs this year. The price of  airfare surged 17.7% over the past 12 months, dining out climbed 8.8% and lodging costs rose 7.3%, over the period. That said, NerdWallet credit cards expert Sara Rathner says the right travel card can potentially help offset some of the rising costs. “If you’re loyal to a specific airline or hotel brand, carrying the brand’s credit card can get you access to really helpful extras like free checked bags, priority boarding, discounts on in-flight food and beverage purchases, room upgrades, late checkout and more,” Rathner says, adding however that “if you don’t stick to any one airline or hotel, a general travel rewards credit card can give you a lot of flexibility since you can redeem those points in a variety of ways.”

Most recommended 

Winner: 13 ‘best of awards’

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card  

A high introductory bonus for newcomers, solid rewards package, and credit available on nearly all facets of travel; it doesn’t take long to see why the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card is the most recommended card of May 2023. There’s even points for Lyft rides and spending at supermarkets. 

Rewards: Earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards ® , excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the card’s $50 Annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, and earn 2x points on all other travel. You can also earn 5x points on Lyft rides when you travel through March 31, 2025 (or 3 points in addition to the 2x points earned for travel. For streaming services and online supermarket purchases, you can earn 3x points, and 1x point for each dollar spent on all other purchases. 

Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points — the equivalent of $1,000 — toward travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards ® when you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. 

Annual fee: $95

Regular APR: 20.74% to 27.74%, variable APR based on creditworthiness. 

Intro APR: None

Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is higher

Foreign transaction fee: None

Credit requirements: 670-850 (Good to Excellent)

• Good bonus for newcomers 
• Flexible redemption options 
• Good travel coverage
• High intro bonus 
• Dining rewards
• Has an annual fee
• Complex rewards package
• Does not offer Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• No intro APR
• Best rates are only for bookings through Chase

Best for flat-rate rewards - Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

It doesn’t take long to see why this card from Capital One was one of the most recommended for March. With unlimited two miles per $1 on every purchase and five miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars, the points here add up fast. What’s more, new cardholders can also earn 40,000 bonus miles for spending $1,000 in the first three months of opening an account.

Rewards rate: 2 unlimited miles per $1 on every purchase and 5 unlimited miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

Welcome bonus: 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening an account

Regular APR: 20.74%, 25.74% or 28.74% variable APR based on creditworthiness. 

Intro APR: N/A

Balance transfer fee: 0% at the regular transfer APR

• Good rewards package
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit up of to $100 every 4 years
• Comes with travel accident and car rental insurance
• 3% fee on transferred balances that post to your account during a promotional APR period
• No introductory APR
• $95 annual fee
• Rental car insurance is secondary

Best for high-end travel - Capital One® Venture X®

This card from Capital One really has it all. Earn points for hotels, flights and all other purchases; take advantage of its solid sign-up bonus; and enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges for you and your guests. There is also a premium rental car program with Hertz and rewards for hotels when booked through Capital One Travel. All in all, we really love the Capital One ® Venture X ® credit card and it’s easy to see why it’s so highly recommended. 

Rewards: Unlimited 2x miles on all eligible purchases, 5x on flights, and 10x on hotels and rental cars when booked through the Capital One ® Travel portal. Receive a $100 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ® and a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel. Just for resigning, the Capital One ® Venture X ® also delivers an additional 10,000 miles, equal to $100, after your first year. 

Welcome bonus: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening an account

Annual fee: $395

Regular APR: 21.74%, 25.74% or 28.74% variable APR based on your creditworthiness. 

Balance transfer fee: None at the transfer APR 

Credit requirements: 740-850 (Excellent)

• Unlimited miles 
• Good travel credits and perks
• Access to Hertz President’s Circle for car rentals
• Access to Capital One Lounges for you and 2 guests per visit
• High requirements for sign-up bonus
• Excellent credit required

Best for annual cash - The Platinum Card® from American Express

Yes this card has one of the highest annual fees in the ranking, but it may just be what you’re looking for. Like most travel rewards cards, this one comes with points for flights and hotels, and also cash back on entertainment as well as online and in-person shopping rewards at Walmart; all of which can add up to as much as $1,500 in annual statement credits. In addition, there is a sizable sign-up bonus and you can also apply for a preferred metal card design.  Enrollment required for select benefits. Terms apply. See rates and fees. 

Rewards: Earn a $200 hotel credit, $200 airline fee credit, $155 Walmart+ credit, $240 digital entertainment credit, $200 in Uber Cash, $300 Equinix Credit and SoulCycle at-home bike credit, each year. You can also earn a $189 CLEAR credit to help move faster through security checkpoints and a $100 statement credit annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com.

Welcome bonus: Earn 125,000 Membership Rewards ® points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership. You can also earn either the classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu metal card design.

Annual fee: $695

Regular APR: 20.74% to 28.74% variable APR based on creditworthiness and other factors determined at the time of account opening. 

Balance transfer fee: N/A

• Large number of travel credit and perk options
• Points are transferable to airlines including Delta Airlines
• Great sign-up bonus 
• WIde range of airline and hotel partners 
• Annual fee is among the highest in the category
• Limited bonus categories 
• Redeeming and maximizing credits can be complicated 

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

Best for dining rewards - American Express® Gold Card

Earn points for flights, rides and shopping with this top-ranked credit card. Rewards here are also good at restaurants and on takeout and deliveries in the U.S., grocery shopping at U.S. supermarkets, and all other everyday purchases. Cardholders also have access to premium seating at cultural and sporting events. Enrollment required for select benefits. Terms apply. See rates and fees . 

Rewards: 4x Membership Rewards ® points at restaurants around the world and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases) per year. 3x Membership Rewards ® points for flights booked with amextravel.com and 1x point on all other purchases. There is a $120 dining credit and $120 annual Uber Cash credit for both rides in the U.S. and food purchases on UberEats. 

Welcome bonus: 90,000 Membership Rewards ® points — depending on the offer — after spending $4,000 within the first six months of card membership. 

Annual fee: $250

Regular APR: 20.74% to 28.74% variable APR based on creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. 

• Points are transferable to various airlines including Delta Airlines
• Good rewards for U.S. supermarkets
• $120 dining credit
• $120 Uber Cash
• Points at U.S. supermarkets 
• Relatively pricey annual fee
• Few travel perks
• Rewards must be redeems via amextravel.com
• $250 annual fee

Best for no-fee travel - Discover it® Miles

Earn 1.5x miles for every dollar spent and the balance never expires. Miles used here are also redeemable for hotel rooms, rental cars, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more without blackout dates. Even more, Discover also matches your miles earned at the end of the first year, so be sure to use this one a lot right out of the gate.

Rewards: Earn 1.5x miles on every dollar with purchases and redeem miles to pay any part of your monthly bill, including your minimum payment.

Welcome bonus: Welcome offer matches every mile you earn at the end of your first year

Annual fee: $0

Regular APR: 16.74% to 27.74% variable APR

Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from date of account opening that post to your account by  June 10, 2023, then the standard purchase APR of 16.49% variable to 27.49% variable applies, based on your creditworthiness.

Balance transfer fee: 3% intro fee for the amount of each transfer that posts to your account by Aug. 10, 2023 with the previously mentioned 0% intro APR balance transfer offer. After that, the rate becomes 5% of the amount of each transfer.

Foreign transaction fee: N/A

• No annual fee
• First year miles match is a unique bonus offer
• No blackout dates
• Redeem rewards for cash back
• No limit for earning miles
• Earned miles do not expire 
• Rewards are not as good after the first year
• Miles can be transferred to airline frequent-flyer programs
• Does not include Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit offerings
• No access to airport lounges

Best for luxury travel 

Winner: 9 ‘best of awards’

Chase ® Sapphire Reserve Card

If you don’t mind paying the annual fee, the Chase ® Sapphire Reserve Card just might be the tool for you. With this card in your wallet, you can easily earn cash towards travel and points for flights, hotels and dining, and a whole lot more. This one ultimately pays for itself with its high rewards package and attractive introductory offer. It’s easy to see why this credit card is among the most recommended on the market. 

Rewards: Earn $300 in statement credits as reimbursement for travel purchases each year. After meeting that threshold, earn an additional 5x points on flights when you use Chase Ultimate Rewards ® card, 10x points on hotels and car rentals, and 3x points on all other travel purchases. Your points are also worth 50% more when you redeem them via the Ultimate Rewards. There are also 10x points on Chase Dining SM and 1x point per dollar spent on all other purchases. What’s more, receive Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ® or NEXUS Fee Credit access, earn exclusive reservations at popular restaurants, 10x points on Lyft, complimentary DoorDash and DashPass subscriptions, a $10 monthly statement credit from Gopuff, as well as VIP access and early ticket sales to sporting events, festivals and more.

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points — the equivalent of $900 — toward travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards ® when you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.  

Annual fee: $550; and additional $75 for each authorized user

Regular APR: 21.74% to 28.74% variable APR based on your creditworthiness. 

Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

• Great travel perks and rewards 
• Point value can be increased by 50% after redeeming through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• Excellent credit required 
• High annual fee

Best for everyday purchases - Citi Premier® Card

In addition to earning solid points at airports and hotels, the Citi Premier ® Card also comes with a large lineup of everyday perks. To be sure, redeemable points here amount to 3x for every $1 spent at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and even matches on other purchases. Just be sure to qualify for the intro bonus and claim your $600 in gift cards to add to your perks.

Rewards: Earn 3x points per dollar at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels; and 1x point per dollar on all other purchases. There is also a $100 annual hotel savings benefit for this card when you spend $500 or more when booked through thankyou.com.

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening and redeem them for travel rewards or in the form of a $600 gift card at thankyou.com.

Regular APR: 20.74% to 28.74% variable APR based on your creditworthiness

Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

• Great lineup of travel partners
• Earn points for everyday purchases
• Contactless pay option
• Travel insurance is not offered

Best for occasional travelers - Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

The points here are pretty straightforward. Earn 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases everywhere. What makes this card unique is you can also redeem your point for statement credits to pay for travel and dining purchases. 

Rewards: Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent

Welcome bonus: Earn 25,000 online bonus points after making a minimum of $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. That can be redeemed as a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.

Regular APR: 17.74% to 27.74% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers

Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days. After that the variable APR will be 17.74% to 27.74%. 

Balance transfer fee: 3% of the amount of each transaction

• Flexible redemption policy
• No annual fees
• Rewards program is not as travel-focused as other options
• Not the best sign-up bonus offer

Best no-fee rewards - Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

This is one of the most comprehensive plans for earning travel points available today. Earn a high 3x rewards points for every $1 on travel (hotels, motels, timeshares, car rentals, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites and campgrounds), transit (rail, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, parking and garages), gas (including both gas stations and electric charging stations), dining (restaurants, drinking places and fast food), phone plans and popular streaming services (including Apple TV+, Sling TV, Prime Video and more ). All other purchases earn 1x points for every $1 spent.

Rewards: Unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas and transit, as well as on streaming services and cell phone plans, and 1x on all other purchases. 

Welcome bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points (a $200 cash value) when you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening

Regular APR: 

Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening and a variable APR afterwards of 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74%, based on your creditworthiness.

Balance transfer fee: $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, or whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening. After that it is 5% for each transfer with a $5 minimum

• No membership fees
• 3x points for ever dollar spent is among the highest available ways to earn
• $600 cell phone protection against damage or theft with a low $25 deductible
• No foreign transaction fees
• No intro APR bonus for balance transfers
• 5% balance transfer fee after the 120 intro period

Our methodology for choosing travel rewards credit cards

To create this ranking, our team scours the internet in search of credit card recommendations from industry experts to bring you the very best of the best, including Forbes , The Wall Street Journal , NerdWallet , Business Insider , CNN , CNBC , Bankrate , Money , U.S. News , WalletHub , The Ascent/Motley Fool , CreditCards.com , Compare Credit , Credit Karma , Value Penguin and LendingTree . We then rank these accounts based on the total number of recommendations. Winners are determined by the number of times they appear on any of these experts’ lists. Simply put, credit cards that appear the most will be deemed the winner! In the event of a tie, we select our choice for the card with the best deal. 

What is a rewards credit card? 

Credit cards that are most commonly known as rewards credit cards offer some kind of benefit for its use. Typically these rewards include cash back, points or miles earned when you spend money on the card. There are of course limits with these rewards and you are often given a variety of ways to use or spend these rewards — often with gift cards, dollars or points. 

What is an annual percentage rate (APR)?

The annual percentage rate, also known as the APR, is the yearly interest that is charged to credit card holders or borrowers. This is essentially the cost of funds over the term of a loan or income earned on any given investment, including fees or any other costs that come with a given transaction. 

How is APR calculated?

The calculation for APR is made by multiplying the periodic interest rate by the number of periods in a given year that it should be applied. Here is a helpful calculation provided by Investopedia: 

APR=((Fees+Interest Principal/n)×365)×100

Interest=Total interest paid over life of the loan

Principal=Loan amount

n=Number of days in loan term

How much can I expect to pay in interest with an average credit card? 

The average credit card interest rate today is 24.10%, according to a Forbes report .  If you had a credit card balance of $500 at 24.10% APR, you would theoretically owe $10 in interest at the end of a 30-day billing cycle period. Check out this useful calculator from NerdWallet for help running the numbers on your own credit card balances. 

How often do rates change? 

First, it’s important to understand the three types of interest rates for credit cards: variable, fixed and promotional. The frequency at which credit card interest rates change depends on the type of rate a credit card has:

• Variable rates: The interest rate for a card with a variable rate fluctuates over time because it is tied to a benchmark interest rate or index that periodically changes. 
• Fixed rates: A fixed rate remains stable during a set period of time and can sometimes become variable at the end of the period. These rates do not fluctuate due to inflation or changes in the prime index.
• Promotional : Credit cards that offer a promotional rate typically require that you meet some sort of balance requirement to earn a temporary interest rate. Much like a fixed rate offer, these promotional periods typically come to an end and one day revert back to a variable rate. 

How do I choose the best credit card?

Choosing the best credit card for your needs really comes down to preference and how much you intend to spend. Some key factors to consider here are fees, interest rates, your credit score and your monthly spending habits. The annual percentage rate (APR), which changes depending on the bank and card you ultimately choose, will also vary based on your score; the higher your score, the better the rate you will receive. 

What is a good credit score? 

Anything from 670 to 739 is considered a good credit score. Scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.

Best credit cards for travel insurance in 2024

Travel insurance benefits offered through credit cards can include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, travel delay coverage and lost luggage reimbursement. You must pay for travel with a common carrier with your respective card for complimentary travel insurance benefits to apply. While credit cards with travel insurance can help protect your trip, they come up short when it comes to protection for emergency medical expenses.

Our top recommendations

• card_name : Best travel insurance benefits overall.
• card_name : Best travel insurance benefits, runner-up.
• card_name : Best for premium benefits.
• card_name : Best for luxury travel.
• card_name : Best for food spending.
• card_name : Best for flat-rate rewards.
• card_name : Best with no annual fee.
• card_name : Best airline credit card for travel insurance.
• card_name : Best for Marriott Bonvoy.
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card : Best for Hilton Honors.

card_name : Best travel insurance benefits overall

Chase sapphire reserve®, why we like it.

• Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to airlines and hotels.
• Get 50% more value for travel booked through Chase.
• Comes with $300 travel credit each year.
• Includes airport lounge access.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Comes with generous travel insurance benefits.
• annual_fees annual fee.
• High variable APR.
• Requires very good or excellent credit.

Travel insurance benefits:

• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.
• Trip interruption coverage worth up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.
• Trip delay coverage worth up to $500 per ticket (six-hour delay required).
• Baggage delay coverage worth up to $100 per day for five days.
• Lost luggage reimbursement worth up to $3,000 per passenger.
• Travel accident insurance worth up to $1 million.
• Primary rental car coverage worth up to $75,000.
• Emergency medical and dental benefits worth up to $2,500 when you're at least 100 miles from home.
• Emergency evacuation coverage worth up to $100,000.

The card_name Card has the best selection of travel insurance benefits of any credit card on the market today by far. Its coverage is broad and rewarding with included benefits for medical expenses and emergency evacuation you don't see from other travel credit cards.

This card also earns valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, merchandise or travel through Chase with 50% more value. Points also transfer 1:1 to airline and hotel partners like British Airways, Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt.

card_name : Best travel insurance benefits, runner-up

Chase sapphire preferred® card.

• Points transfer 1:1 to Chase airline and hotel partners.
• Get 25% more value for points when booking travel through Chase.
• Other flexible rewards options.
• Excellent earning rate for everyday purchases.
• Comes with a $50 annual hotel stay credit.
• Requires very good to excellent credit.
• No luxury travel benefits.
• Trip interruption insurance worth up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.
• Trip delay insurance worth up to $500 per ticket (12-hour delay required).
• Baggage delay insurance worth up to $100 per day for five days.
• Travel accident insurance worth up to $500,000.
• Primary rental car insurance worth up to the actual cash value of the car.

The card_name offers similar travel insurance protections as the Reserve, but with fewer benefits and some lower coverage limits. However, the annual fee on this card is just annual_fees , and users still earn valuable and flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

This makes the card_name a good option for frequent travelers who want the chance to transfer their rewards to airline and hotel partners but want to keep costs down. Customers can also use their points to book travel through the Chase portal, or they can redeem for cash back, gift cards or merchandise.

card_name : Best for premium benefits

Capital one venture x rewards credit card.

• Earns flexible miles that transfer to Capital One airline and hotel partners.
• $300 annual travel credit.
• Airport lounge membership included.
• Excellent rewards rate for eligible travel purchases.
• Lower annual fee than other premium cards with airport lounge access.
• High APR if you carry a balance.
• Excellent credit required.
• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to $2,000 per person.
• Trip interruption coverage worth up to $2,000 per person.
• Lost luggage reimbursement worth up to $3,000 per covered trip ($2,000 per bag in New York).
• Trip delay insurance worth up to $500 per ticket (six-hour delay required).
• Primary auto rental coverage worth up to $75,000.

The card_name is a Visa Infinite card, so it includes a range of travel insurance protections you won't find with other cards. This flexible travel credit card also earns Capital One miles that can be used to book travel through Capital One or transferred to Capital One airline and hotel partners. Additional flexible redemption options include gift cards, statement credits, merchandise and more.

Other reasons to love this card include its $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge membership, cell phone protection and Hertz President's Circle status.

card_name : Best for luxury travel

The platinum card® from american express.

( Rates & Fees )

Insurance disclosures

• Trip Delay Insurance - Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance - The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• Premium Global Assist Hotline - You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial, or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
• Cell Phone Protection - Coverage for a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions, and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• Extended Warranty – When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. 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.
• Return Protection - With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
• Purchase Protection - Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
• Baggage Insurance Plan - Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
• Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance - Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
• Earns flexible Amex Membership Rewards points.
• $1,500+ in statement credits each year.
• Broadest airport lounge membership available today.
• Very good to excellent credit required.
• Statement credits can be difficult to use.
• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to $10,000 per trip (maximum benefit of $20,000 each 12-month period).
• Trip interruption coverage worth up to $10,000 per trip (maximum benefit of $20,000 each 12-month period).
• Trip delay coverage worth up to $500 per trip (six-hour delay required).
• Secondary rental car insurance worth up to $75,000.

‌ card_name doesn't offer as many travel insurance benefits as other premium travel credit cards on our list, but it does offer more statement credits and the broadest airport lounge membership available from a credit card. This card also earns flexible American Express Membership Rewards points that can be used for travel through Amex, point transfers to Amex airline and hotel partners, gift cards and other flexible options. Terms apply.

card_name : Best for food spending

American express® gold card.

Trip Delay Insurance - Up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

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

Global Assist Hotline - You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility.

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

Extended Warranty - When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year.

• Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Purchase Protection - Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. 

Baggage Insurance Plan - Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance - Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply.

• Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
• Points transfer to Amex airline and hotel partners.
• Comes with up to $240 in statement credits each year.
• Generous rewards for food spending and airfare.
• High APR can apply.
• Baggage insurance plan worth up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and up to $500 for checked bags ($10,000 aggregate coverage limit for residents of New York).
• Secondary auto rental coverage worth up to $50,000 per rental agreement.
• Trip delay insurance worth up to $300 per covered trip (up to two claims allowed per 12-month period).

The card_name offers a few important travel protections, plus generous rewards for big food spenders. In addition to its impressive rewards rates for purchases at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, this card also comes with up to $240 in credits per year that can apply to select dining purchases and Uber rides or Uber Eats food deliveries.

Cardholders with the card_name also earn American Express Membership Rewards points that are highly flexible and valuable when it comes to travel redemptions.

card_name : Best for flat-rate rewards

Capital one® venture® rewards credit card.

• Earns flexible rewards with Capital One.
• Miles transfer to Capital One airline and hotel partners.
• Excellent flat rewards rate.
• Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership included.
• Primary auto rental coverage worth up to the actual cash value of a vehicle if you don't have your own insurance (secondary coverage if you have your own insurance)
• Lost luggage reimbursement worth up to $3,000 per trip ($2,000 per bag for New York residents)
• Travel accident insurance worth up to $250,000

The card_name offers a few travel insurance benefits that can help protect your trip. Cardholders also earn flexible Capital One miles that can be used to book travel through Capital One or transferred to airline and hotel partners. Rewards can also be used for statement credits, gift cards and other flexible options.

The annual_fees annual fee on this card makes it a steal when you consider the sign-up bonus you can earn, along with perks like a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership.

card_name : Best with no annual fee

Chase freedom unlimited®.

• Generous cash back rate for everyday purchases.
• Comes with intro APR offer.
• Rewards points are flexible.
• Points do not transfer to Chase airline and hotel partners.
• High variable APR after intro offer.
• Charges foreign transaction fees.
• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to $1,500 per passenger and $6,000 per covered trip.
• Trip interruption coverage worth up to $1,500 per passenger and $6,000 per covered trip.
• Secondary auto rental coverage.

The card_name is an excellent choice for infrequent travelers who want protection for trip cancellation and interruption first and foremost. This card doesn't charge an annual fee, and it features incredible cash back rates in several everyday spending categories. Users even get an intro_apr_rate,intro_apr_duration and balance_transfer_intro_apr,balance_transfer_intro_duration , which can help them save on interest payments for more than a year.

card_name : Best airline credit card for travel insurance

United quest℠ card.

• Earns United miles that are redeemable for flights with United and Star Alliance partners.
• Comes with frequent flyer benefits.
• Earn PQP toward elite status.
• annual_fees annual fee applies.
• Rewards inflexibility.
• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to $1,500 per traveler and up to $6,000 per covered trip.
• Trip interruption coverage worth up to $1,500 per traveler and up to $6,000 per covered trip.
• Baggage delay insurance worth up to $100 per day for three days (six-hour delay required).
• Trip delay reimbursement worth up to $500 per ticket (12-hour delay or overnight stay required).
• Primary auto rental coverage worth up to the cash value of the vehicle.

While the card_name requires a annual_fees annual fee, this card comes with a robust selection of travel insurance benefits and frequent-flyer perks. Users also earn United miles that can be used for flights with United and partners to more than 1,200 destinations in 186 countries around the world.

This card also gives members the chance to earn PQP toward elite status with the United MileagePlus program.

card_name : Best for Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott bonvoy brilliant® american express® card.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance - The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

Premium Global Assist Hotline - You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility.

• If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Return Protection - With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won't take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories.

Purchase Protection - Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply.

Baggage Insurance Plan - Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance - Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply.

• Automatic Platinum Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy.
• Includes a range of travel benefits and statement credit offers.
• Comes with airport lounge membership.
• Generous welcome bonus and earning rates.
• Trip cancellation insurance worth up to $10,000 per covered trip and up to $20,000 per eligible card per 12-month period.
• Trip interruption insurance worth up to $10,000 per covered trip and up to $20,000 per eligible card per 12-month period.
• Trip delay insurance worth up to $500 per trip (six-hour delay required) with a maximum limit of two claims per 12-month period.
• Baggage insurance plan worth up to $2,000 for checked bags and up to $3,000 for both checked and carry-on luggage ($2,000 per bag in coverage for New York residents with aggregate limit of $10,000).

The card_name offers a suite of impressive benefits Marriott Bonvoy enthusiasts will love, including annual dining credits, automatic Platinum Elite status, and a $100 property credit. Other cardholder perks help justify the annual_fees annual fee, including Priority Pass Select membership and the credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership.

This card also includes more travel insurance benefits than many other hotel credit cards on the market today.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card : Best for Hilton Honors

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

• Comes with automatic Hilton Diamond status.
• Range of hotel benefits and statement credits included.
• Comes with Priority Pass Select membership.
• Free night award each year.
• Several flight benefits included.
• $550 annual fee.

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers a robust selection of benefits for air travel, airports and stays with the Hilton brand. While the $550 annual fee is high, perks like airport lounge membership, annual hotel stay credits and a free night award each year can more than make up for it. The included travel insurance benefits for this card are also generous, and they can be well worth having if you need to file a claim.

Best credit cards for travel insurance 2024: Comparison

How we chose the best credit cards for travel insurance.

To find the best credit cards for travel insurance, we looked at cards based on their included insurance benefits first and foremost. We gave preference to cards that offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage, as well as insurance for lost or delayed bags and travel delays.

We also looked for credit cards that offer the most lucrative rewards structures and welcome offers, as well as flexibility within their designated rewards programs. Other factors we took into consideration include annual fees and interest rates.

Choosing the best credit card for travel insurance: Where to begin

The best credit card for travel insurance can vary from person to person, and assessing each card based on the most important factors can help you in your search. Consider the following criteria as you select a credit card for your next trip.

Travel insurance benefits

The credit cards in this ranking offer complimentary travel insurance protections, although you have to pay for travel with your card for a trip to be covered. These benefits can include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay insurance, primary auto rental coverage and more. Some cards even offer limited coverage for emergency medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation.

Annual fees

Credit cards with the most benefits tend to charge annual fees of $395 to $695. Meanwhile, there are some credit cards with travel insurance that charge $0 to $95 per year.

Either way, you'll want to make sure any annual fee you pay is worth it based on the travel insurance benefits, rewards and other perks you receive.

Travel perks and features

Decide if you want premium travel benefits like airport lounge access, expedited airport security or annual travel credits. If you do want a travel credit card with all the bells and whistles, prepare to pay several hundred dollars in annual fees each year.

Customer satisfaction rankings

You can also look at customer service rankings from different card issuers to determine the quality of customer service you'll receive. Consider the customer service scores below from J.D. Power's 2023 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study , which were assigned by using responses from 31,418 credit card customers from August 2022 through June 2023.

Eligibility by credit score

Note that the majority of credit cards with travel insurance require very good or excellent credit. If you have poor credit or fair credit, you should focus on improving your credit score and financial health before you apply.

Rewards programs

Finally, consider the rewards rates for cards you're looking at and the type of rewards you'll earn. You'll find that credit cards with travel insurance can earn cash back, flexible rewards for travel, airline miles or hotel points.

What does travel insurance from a credit card cover?

Credit cards with travel insurance can offer different protections with their own unique coverage limits and policy limitations. The most common types of travel insurance you can get with a credit card include:

• Trip cancellation coverage : This coverage can reimburse you for prepaid travel expenses when you must cancel a trip for a covered reason like the death of an immediate family member or a sudden illness.
• Trip interruption coverage : Interruption insurance can reimburse you for prepaid travel expenses when a trip must be interrupted for a covered reason, such as falling ill during your vacation.
• T rip delay coverage : This coverage can pay for sudden hotel bills or meals when a trip is delayed by at least six or 12 hours or a delay forces an overnight stay.
• Baggage delay insurance : Baggage delay coverage can pay for clothing, toiletries and other essentials when your bags are delayed by at least six or 12 hours.
• Lost luggage reimbursement : Insurance for lost luggage can reimburse you for your baggage and belongings when your luggage is lost in transit while in the care of a common carrier.
• Rental car coverage : This protection can be primary or secondary to your own insurance, and policy limits apply.
• Medical and dental expense coverage : This protection can pay for emergency medical and dental expenses you incur when traveling away from home.
• Medical evacuation coverage : This type of travel insurance can pay for transportation in a helicopter, an ambulance or a plane when you must be medically transported due to a health emergency.
• Travel accident insurance : This coverage can kick in if you lose your life or are accidentally dismembered during a covered trip.

Pros and cons of credit card travel insurance

Credit card travel insurance comes with its share of benefits that cannot be denied, but there are downsides that come with relying on a credit card for travel insurance protection as well.

Consider these pros and cons:

Pros of credit card travel insurance

• Complimentary coverage : The biggest upside of credit card travel insurance is the fact it's offered for free. You just have to pay for travel with your credit card (or your rewards points in some cases) for coverage to apply.
• Coverage limits can be high : Some credit card insurance protections come with high limits that are enough to cover most trips.
• Can apply to family members : The best coverages apply to the primary cardholder and other companions they're traveling with, including family members.

Cons of credit card travel insurance

• Low coverage limits in some cases : Some cards have relatively low travel insurance limits that may not provide enough protection when you need it most.
• Limited coverages with some cards : Some credit cards with travel insurance only have a few kinds, so they may leave you without important protections you need.
• Minimal protection for emergency medical expenses : Only one credit card offers travel insurance for emergency medical expenses (the card_name ), and this coverage is only worth up to $2,500 when you're traveling more than 100 miles from home.

Do you need additional travel insurance?

Whether you need to buy travel insurance that applies independently of what your credit card offers depends on the type of trip you're taking and how much it costs. If you're driving a few towns away to stay in a hotel, for example, you may be fine with credit card travel insurance. The same is true if you're flying to another state for a relatively inexpensive vacation.

If you're traveling internationally where your own health insurance won't apply, however, you'll likely want to purchase a travel insurance plan that includes robust protection for emergency medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation. Expensive trips may also need travel insurance with higher limits than you can get with credit card coverage.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Do credit card companies sell travel insurance.

Credit card companies do not sell travel insurance, but plenty of reputable travel insurance providers do. If you're ready to compare plans, you can check out companies like Allianz, Travelex and World Nomads.

Is travel insurance worth it for international travel?

Travel insurance is essential for international travel if you want to have coverage for emergency medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation. After all, U.S. health plans do not work overseas, nor do government healthcare programs like Medicare.

Does my Visa card cover travel insurance?

The travel insurance protections you get with a credit card depend on the exact card you have.

How do I know if my credit card covers travel insurance?

Read over your credit card's guide to benefits to find out which protections are already included. You can also call your card issuer to inquire about coverage, but make sure they send you the information in the mail.

For rates and fees of the card_name , please visit URL .

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