Top Travel Rewards Credit Cards: Maximize Miles, Points, and Benefits
Pack your bags and earn rewards for traveling. We chose the best cards for airline, hotel and other perks to help you save money.
Lisa Gerstner
- No annual fee
- Worth the Annual Fee
- Flexible Redemptions
- Luxury Travel Rewards
- Dedicated Airline Cards
- Dedicated Hotel Cards
- Best Dining Cards
- How Do Travel Rewards Cards Work?
- What are Travel Rewards Worth?
- How to Compare Travel Credit Cards
- Is the Annual Fee Too High?
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Travel Card
- Best Bonus Deals
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We may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. We may not cover every available offer. Our relationship with advertisers may impact how an offer is presented on our site but our editorial selection of products is made independently. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. We calculate a typical annual reward for each card, assuming $36,000 spent annually and less any annual fee. Interest rates, fees, rewards and other terms listed in this article are subject to change. Before you apply for a credit card, check its current terms and conditions with the issuer.
A travel rewards credit card can be an excellent companion, whether you travel often or just take the occasional vacation. With every purchase, you can use a travel card to collect points or miles that you can redeem for flights, hotels, or other travel bookings. Many travel rewards cards come with extra benefits, too, from free entry into airport lounges to statement credits toward application fees for TSA PreCheck and other programs that expedite security screening at the airport.
You may notice that our list of the best cards differs from many other reviewers. That's because we crunch the numbers on a wider variety of cards, such as those issued by credit unions and smaller banks.
If you’d rather have a card that offers cash back or another type of reward, see our article on the best rewards credit cards. If you just want a smoking-hot sign-up bonus for new cardholders, jump to our current travel credit card bonus deals list.
Know what kind of travel card you want? Jump to these sections, below to see our top three picks in each category. We listed cards alphabetically in each category.
- No Annual Fee
- Worth the Annual Fee
- Flexible Travel Redemptions
- Luxury Travel
- Airline Cards
- Hotel Cards
- Dining Cards
- Best Travel Card Bonus Deals Right Now
Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards With No Annual Fee
With these cards, you reap points or miles without paying an annual fee. You will still need to consider foreign transaction fees if you plan to do a lot of international travel.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Sign-up bonus: Sign-up bonus: $300 back if you spend $500 in the first three months
Receive 5% cash back on purchases you make through Chase Travel; 3% back at drugstores and restaurants and on eligible delivery services; and a solid 1.5% cash back on everything else. Redeem points at one cent per point for travel purchases, statement credits, direct deposits into your bank account or Amazon purchases. You can pool points you earn through this card with those earned through some other Chase credit cards, too. For example, if you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred card, you can transfer all your points to Chase’s hotel and airline travel partners.
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature
Sign-up bonus: 20,000 bonus points if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
Cardholders earn five points per dollar spent on prepaid rental cars and hotels booked through U.S. Bank’s Travel Center; four points per dollar on other travel expenses, as well as on the first $1,000 charged quarterly at gas and EV-charging stations; two points per dollar at grocery stores and restaurants and on streaming services; and one point per dollar on other spending. Plus, get a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership that provides four free visits a year to participating airport lounges and a statement credit of up to $100 to offset a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
Wells Fargo Autograph Visa
Sign-up bonus: 20,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first three months
With this card from Wells Fargo, you’ll earn three points per dollar spent on travel, gas, phone plans, streaming services and restaurants. You'll also earn one point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Redeem points at a rate of a penny each for statement credits, gift cards (in $25 increments) or travel purchases.
Best Travel Cards Worth the Annual Fee
With a high payback on travel spending and some perks on the side, these cards make the annual fee worth paying. Note that Chase, Wells Fargo and American Express offer cards praised for their rental car insurance coverage.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee: $95
Limited-time offer: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.
Capital One Venture provides five miles per dollar on hotels, rental cars or vacation rentals that you book through Capital One Travel and two miles per dollar on all other purchases. When you book a stay through Capital One's Lifestyle Collection of boutique hotels worldwide, you receive a $50 experience credit, which you can use for dining, drinks or activities. Other perks include a statement credit of up to $120 to offset the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees and five-star status with Hertz, so you can skip the long lines at the airport and gain access to your car promptly.
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Annual fee: $95
Sign-up bonus: 60,000 points if you spend $4,000 in the first three months
Travelers rake in ten miles per dollar spent on rental cars, hotels and attractions booked through Citi Travel. You'll also get three points per dollar spent on air travel, restaurants, electric-vehicle charging, gas stations and supermarkets, and one point per dollar on all other purchases. Each year, cardholders get a $100 discount on a hotel booking of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through Citi Travel. Points are worth a penny each for travel bookings or transfers to participating airline or hotel partners.
PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature Card
PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature Card
Annual fee: Annual fee: $95, waived for existing PenFed Honors Advantage Members
Sign-up bonus: 50,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days
This card offers plenty of travel rewards. If you're a PenFed Honors Advantage Member, you'll earn 4x points on every travel purchase and 3x points on dining. To qualify, you need to be current or former military or open a PenFed Access America checking account. Nonmembers get three times the points on travel and double the points on dining. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar spent. You'll also get a $120 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years, plus a $100 annual statement credit for travel-related fees, like baggage, lounge passes, or in-flight food and drinks. To qualify, you'll need to join PenFed by opening a savings or checking account with a $5 deposit.
Best Cards for Flexible Travel Redemptions
Redeem points for travel bookings or transfer them to a broad range of partner airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Annual fee: $95
Sign-up bonus: 75,000 points if you spend $5,000 in the first three months
Earn five points per dollar on purchases you make through Chase Travel; three points per dollar spent on restaurants, grocery stores and select streaming services; two points per dollar on all other travel purchases. You'll also get an annual $50 hotel credit on your cardmember anniversary for stays booked through Chase Travel. Points are worth 1 cent apiece for travel redemptions through Chase, or you can transfer them to the loyalty programs of participating partners, such as British Airways, JetBlue, Hyatt, IHG, Southwest, United and Marriott.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Annual fee: $95
Sign-up bonus: Five free nights after you spend $3,000 in three months
Receive six points for every dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program (separately, you can also earn up to 11 points per dollar as a member of Marriott's loyalty program). You also earn three points per dollar on the first $6,000 in annual combined spending at gas stations, grocery stores or dining. And get two points per dollar on all other purchases. Cardholders get a free night after each yearly anniversary of opening their card, with a redemption level of up to 35,000 points. Redeem points for stays at Marriott properties or transfer them to more than 35 airlines and all the domestic carriers like Delta or American at a ratio of three Marriott points per mile.
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Annual fee: $95
Sign-up bonus: Earn 3 free nights after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, 2 free nights after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 6 months
Cardholders can earn up to nine points per dollar spent on eligible Hyatt hotels when you're a World of Hyatt member. You'll also earn two points per dollar spent on airline tickets, restaurants, gym memberships and one point per dollar on everything else. Receive a free night at any category 1-4 Hyatt hotel after your card anniversary. You can also earn another free night by spending $15,000 in a year. Redeem points through travel transfer to major airlines like British Airways, American Airlines, Air France, United and more. Or, redeem your points for upgraded rooms.
Best Cards for Luxury Travel Rewards
Frequent travelers can more than overcome the high annual fees on these cards by taking advantage of a bevy of perks.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee: $395
Intro offer: 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.
Capital One’s premium credit card comes with a lower annual fee than many of its competitors, and it offers some attractive benefits. Cardholders receive access to airport lounges in the Priority Pass network as well as Capital One’s own lounges. Plus, get a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel and a yearly 10,000-mile anniversary bonus, worth $100; the value of those two perks combined offsets the card's annual fee.
You'll rack up 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One earn you five miles per dollar, and all other purchases earn two miles per dollar.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee: $795
Sign-up bonus: 125,00 bonus points after you spend $6,000 in the first three months
Last year, Chase raised Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee by $245 but revamped its perks, too. New benefits include a biannual credit of $250 for stays at hotels in Chase's The Edit collection, a $300 statement credit for Stubhub purchases or dining through Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables, free Apple TV and Apple Music (a $288 annual value) and a $120 Peloton annual statement credit.
And cardholders still earn a $300 credit annually on travel purchases and a statement credit of up to $120 after you apply for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS. You '’’ll also enjoy access to Chase’s own airport lounges as well as those in the Priority Pass Select network, plus access to travel designers to customize your trips based on your unique interests.
Travelers receive eight points per dollar on all purchases through Chase Travel; four points per dollar on flights and hotel stays; three points per dollar on dining; and one point per dollar on all other purchases. Redeem points for up to two points per cent on select Point Boost flights or hotels through Chase Travel, with 1.5 points per cent for the rest of travel bookings. You can also redeem points for a transfer to travel partners or statement credits at a rate of one cent per point.
American Express Platinum Card®
The Platinum Card from American Express
Annual fee: $895
Welcome offer: You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
While the annual fee has increased, so have the perks. New for the Platinum card is an annual $400 Resy credit, broken down into $100 statement credits quarterly when you use your card at Resy restaurants worldwide. There's also an annual credit of $300 Lulemon credit (broken down into $75 statement credits each quarter) and a $200 Oura ring credit.
In addition to these newer perks, cardholders can also benefit from elevated rewards. You'll earn up to a $600 annual credit for bookings through Amex Travel, access to Global Lounge Network (with over 1,550) lounges worldwide, a $200 airline statement credit, a $209 Clear Plus credit and up to a $200 annual credit for Uber purchases. You can also take advantage of a $300 annual Digital Entertainment Credit for select streaming or newspaper services.
Earn five points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or at Amex Travel (on up to the first $500,000 charged annually) and on prepaid hotel reservations through Amex. All other purchases earn one point per dollar. The highest point redemption is transferring membership points to participating travel partners, where you can earn up to 2 cents per point. You can also redeem points for purchases through Amex Travel at a ratio of one cent per point.
Terms Apply. See rates and fees.
Best Dedicated Airline Cards
If you’re loyal to a certain airline or hotel chain, you may be a good candidate to use a credit card that provides points or miles from your preferred loyalty program. Such cards often provide perks such as complimentary checked baggage or free hotel stays each year, too. See whether our picks of the top airline and hotel rewards cards are a good match for you. And note that if you would rather not pay an annual fee, many of the hotels and airlines mentioned here offer no-fee cards, too, but they come with fewer perks.
Traveling with a friend or loved one? Check out our assessment of the best airline credit card bonuses that come with a free ticket.
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Annual fee: $350
Welcome Offer: Earn 90,000 miles if you spend $3,000 in the first six months
Cardholders earn three miles per dollar spent on Delta flights and hotel purchases, two points per dollar on dining and groceries, and one point per dollar on other purchases. You also receive a Companion Certificate. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). We like this card because cardholders can receive a 15% discount on Delta flights booked through the app or through Delta's website, accelerated Medallion status benefits with a 2,500-point benefit and $1 MDQ per $20 spent, a free checked bag on flights, Zone 5 priority boarding and a 20% discount on all in-flight purchases. See rates and fees
Read more at Earn Delta SkyMiles Worth up to $1,200 Plus a Complimentary Ticket.
JetBlue Plus Card
Annual fee: $99
Sign-up offer: 60,000 points if you spend $1,000 and pay the annual fee in the first 90 days
This card makes traveling rewarding by offering six points per dollar on JetBlue purchases. You'll also earn two points per dollar on restaurant and qualifying grocery store purchases and one point per dollar on other spending. Cardholders earn a free checked bag for themselves and up to three other passengers. Plus, gain 10% of your points back when you use them to book and travel on a JetBlue flight, and receive an annual statement credit of $100 if you use your JetBlue card to purchase a package from JetBlue Vacations.
Read more in JetBlue Credit Card Offer Worth $650.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Visa
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Annual fee: $229
Sign-up bonus: Earn Companion Pass® through 2/28/27 and 40,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
If you’re a frequent flier on Southwest Airlines, consider this card, which offers a free checked bag for you and up to eight other passengers, an annual 7,500-mile bonus on your card's anniversary and a 10,000-mile Companion Pass qualifying boost points each year which can help you reach the 135,000-point threshold necessary to have a cardholder's companion fly for free, aside from taxes and fees. You'll receive four points on every dollar spent on Southwest flights; double the points on restaurant and gas stations, and one point per dollar on other purchases.
Read more at Southwest Credit Cards Launch $1,275 Bonus Offer and learn how Kiplinger readers raved about the card.
Best Dedicated Hotel Cards
Frequent guests of hotel chains associated with these cards can get great value from them, earning extra points for hotel stays and certain other purchases. Plus, enjoy benefits such as free-night awards and elevated loyalty status.
Best Western Rewards Premium Visa Signature
Best Western Rewards Premium Visa Signature
Annual fee: $89
Save on Best Western hotel stays with this card, which offers ten points for every dollar spent at the hotel chain’s properties, four points per dollar on gas station and grocery store purchases, and two points per dollar on other purchases. You'll earn a free night on your annual account anniversary and another free night each year that you spend $10,000 or more on the card. If you pay for stays with your points, you can qualify for a bonus of up to 80,000 points, worth $400.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Annual fee: $150
Intro bonus: Earn 130,000 Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/2026.
If you frequently stay at Hilton properties, you can get a lot of value out of this card, which offers 12 points per dollar on Hilton purchases; six points per dollar on dining and gas; four points per dollar on retail purchases; and three points for every dollar spent on other items. The Surpass card also grants you complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, a $50 statement credit each quarter for Hilton purchases, and a complimentary night after you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year.
Terms apply. See rates and fees.
IHG One Rewards Premier
Annual fee: $99
Sign up bonus: Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months.
Bundling perks with your IHG status can help you earn up to 26 points per dollar on stays at IHG properties, which include Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, Crown Plaza, Holiday Inn and Regent. You also earn five points per dollar spent on travel, dining and fuel, and three points per dollar on other purchases. Extra benefits include automatic IHG Platinum Elite status, a complimentary night on your cardmember anniversary (at a redemption level of up to 40,000 points), and a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points when you spend $20,000 in a year.
Want more ways to earn points? The World of Hyatt Business credit card offers a similar welcome. Read more in World of Hyatt Launches Offer Worth up to $1,380.
Best Dining Rewards Cards
Frequent diners can enjoy cash back and other perks using these cards. For other everyday expenses like gas and groceries, see our guide to the best cash back credit cards.
American Express® Gold Card
Annual fee: $325
Intro bonus: You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
This card rewards diners with 4 points per dollar spent on the first $50,000 in annual restaurant charges worldwide. You'll earn three times the points on flights booked through Amex Travel, double the points on prepaid hotels and one point per dollar on all other purchases. And if you prefer to cook at home, you won’t miss out, receiving four points per dollar on up to $25,000 in annual purchases at U.S. supermarkets. After, it's one point per dollar spent on both.
You can also earn $50 in semi-annual credits for spending at restaurants that participate with the Resy platform, a $7 monthly credit for purchases at Dunkin’ Donuts, and $10 in monthly statement credits when you use the card at participating partners such as Grubhub, Goldbelly and Five Guys.
Terms apply.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
With this card, you'll earn 3% back on restaurant spending as well as on entertainment and grocery-store purchases, as well as on eligible streaming services. You'll also receive 5% back when you book hotels, vacation rentals or rental cars through Capital One Travel. For all other purchases, earn 1% back on every dollar spent. Redeem your cash back for statement credits or cash back at a one cent per point ratio. If you have the Capital One Venture X card, you can transform the 3% cash back into miles to use through Capital One Travel or participating travel partners.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Sign-up bonus: $200 back if you spend $500 in the first three months
Cardholders earn 3% back on all dining purchases and 5% back on purchases made through Chase Travel. All other spending earns you a solid 1.5% back. You'll also receive a complimentary six-month DashPass membership, giving you access to takeout and delivery services through DoorDash or Caviar.
Redeem your points for cash back, travel or gift cards at a rate of 1 cent each. If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve account, you can also pool your points with those you earn from that card and transfer the points to a participating travel partner, such as United, Southwest, IHG One Rewards, Air Canada Aeroplan, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, and more.
How Do Travel Rewards Cards Work?
Travel rewards credit cards offer points or miles on your purchases and may also offer other travel-related benefits. There are three main types of travel credit cards, including general travel cards, airline cards and hotel cards.
General travel credit cards
General travel rewards credit cards aren't linked to a specific airline or hotel loyalty program. Instead, you'll earn points or miles with the card issuer's rewards program. Examples include American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
General travel rewards programs typically allow you to redeem your rewards for travel through their online portal and may also offer other options, including cash back, gift cards and online shopping. They may even allow you to transfer your rewards to partner airline and hotel programs.
These cards typically won't give you travel perks with a specific airline or hotel brand, but you may get general travel benefits, such as travel credits, airport lounge access and more.
Airline credit cards
These credit cards are co-branded with a specific airline, such as Delta Air Lines or United Airlines. You'll earn miles or points that you can use to book award flights with that airline or for other travel-related purposes.
Airline credit cards also typically offer perks when you fly with a co-branded airline. Examples include priority boarding, free checked baggage, inflight discounts and companion passes.
Hotel credit cards
Like airline cards, hotel cards are co-branded with a particular hotel brand, such as Hyatt or Marriott. You'll earn points with that specific hotel chain's loyalty program, which you can use to book award stays, on-property experiences and other travel.
You'll also typically get perks with that hotel brand, which may include a free anniversary night certificate and elite status, which can come with benefits like room upgrades, late checkout and free premium Wi-Fi.
What are Travel Rewards Worth?
The value of the points or miles you earn with a travel credit card will vary depending on the rewards program and sometimes even the card. General travel programs typically offer predictable redemption rates. For example, you may earn one cent per point on travel bookings, one cent per point on gift cards and half a cent per point for cash back.
With airline frequent flyer programs and hotel loyalty programs, redemption values can vary depending on several variables. With an award flight, for instance, the departure and arrival airports, flight dates and cabin will influence how much your points or miles are worth. With hotel programs, your stay dates, the property category, location and room type can impact your value.
To get an idea of how much value you're getting per point, divide the cash price of an airline ticket or hotel stay by the number of points or miles required to book it. For example, if you can book a $300 flight with 15,000 miles, divide $300 by 15,000, giving you a value of two cents per point. You can also check Bankrate for the estimated value of travel program points or miles.
How to Compare Travel Credit Cards
If you're thinking about a travel credit card, it's important to choose one that's aligned with your travel habits and goals. Here are some of the factors to consider when shopping around and comparing your options:
- Welcome bonus: Consider how much value you can get with the card's upfront bonus and whether you can meet the minimum spending requirement to earn it.
- Rewards rates: Travel credit cards may offer a flat rewards rate on all purchases or a tiered rewards structure, with bonus rewards on certain spending categories. Try to pick a card that allows you to rack up as many points or miles based on where you spend your money.
- Redemption options: Consider how much flexibility you'll get with your rewards. If your goal is to get free flights or hotel stays with a particular airline or hotel brand, pick an airline or a hotel credit card. If you want more options, however, consider a general travel credit card.
- Redemption values: If you're comparing two different cards, one may offer a higher welcome bonus and more points per dollar spent than the other. However, if the value of those points is lower than what you'd get with the second card, you might actually get less value.
- Perks: Think about how you want to use your credit card to elevate your travel experience, then seek out perks that can help you accomplish that objective. And don't forget about trip protections, which can save you some money if things don't go as planned on a vacation. For example, cards issued by Chase and American Express offer some of the best rental car insurance benefits.
- Annual fee: Travel credit cards tend to charge annual fees, but some can run in the hundreds of dollars. Consider how much you're willing to pay each year for a credit card's rewards and benefits.
- International acceptance: If you pick an American Express or Discover credit card, you may have trouble using your credit card abroad. In this case, you can either bring a Visa or Mastercard credit card as a backup or simply get a Visa or Mastercard in the first place.
Is the Annual Fee Too High?
Even if you generally like to avoid credit card annual fees, it can be worth paying one in exchange for great benefits. To determine whether an annual fee is worth it to you, consider the following:
- Calculate the value of the card's welcome bonus to see how many years' worth of the fee it covers.
- Add up the monetary value of the card's benefits, making sure to include only benefits you'll actually use.
- Consider the benefits that are difficult to assign a monetary value — rewards flexibility, trip protections or airport lounge access — and what they're worth to you.
- Estimate how much value you'd get in rewards each year based on your spending habits.
Some travel credit cards offer enough value to cover the cost of the annual fee in benefits alone. If a card charges an annual fee and is scant on perks, it might not be worth the cost.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Travel Card
Once you pick a travel rewards credit card, here are some tips to help you maximize its value:
- Make sure you earn the bonus: You'll typically have three or six months to meet the minimum spending requirement to earn a credit card's welcome bonus. Note, however, that the clock starts when you're approved, not when you receive the card. Track your spending to ensure that you earn the bonus points or miles.
- Use your card for everything: Try to use your credit card for everything that you can use it for. Just be sure to avoid overspending for the sake of earning rewards — the value you get likely won't make up for the extra cost.
- Pay in full every month: Make it a goal to pay off your balance in full every month to avoid paying interest, which can neutralize the value of the rewards you earn.
- Get to know your card benefits: You can find most of the card's benefits on the card issuer's website, but make sure you read through the benefits guide you receive with your card, so you know everything about its perks.
- Research the best ways to redeem: Each program is different in how you can redeem rewards, and some may offer outsized value if you redeem them in a certain way. For example, you may be able to get more value by transferring your general travel points or miles to an airline or hotel loyalty program than if you were to redeem them with the card issuer's rewards program.
- Avoid getting too many cards: Having multiple rewards credit cards can help you maximize different bonus rewards categories and card benefits, but if you get too many cards, it can be difficult to keep track of everything. There's no correct answer to how many credit cards you should have, so it's important to consider your preferences and organizational skills to determine the right amount.
Best Travel Card Bonus Deals Right Now
- Hilton Honors Bonus Offer Worth $780
- Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Offer worth $875
- United Airlines Card Launches $900 Limited-Time Offer
- Wyndham Bonus Offer: 10 Nights Free
- Capital One Venture Rewards Launches $1,000 Bonus Offer
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Launches $750 Bonus Offer
- Best Airline Credit Card Bonuses with a Free Ticket
- Southwest Credit Cards Launch $1,275 Bonus Deal
- Earn Delta SkyMiles Worth up to $1,200
- Jet Blue Credit Card Offer Worth over $650
Or search for a credit card that meets your needs on this tool from Bankrate.
All information about the American Express EveryDay® credit card, the Platinum Card from American Express, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card from American Express, the Hilton Honors American Express card, and the American Express Gold Card has been collected independently by Kiplinger. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view of the best deals and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities.
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Sean is a veteran personal finance writer, with over 10 years of experience. He's written finance guides on insurance, savings, travel and more for CNET, Bankrate and GOBankingRates.
- Lisa GerstnerEditor, Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine
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