Best Travel Credit Cards | Fly Cheaper & Earn More

Updated August 20, 2025

At Pointalize, we believe the right credit card can unlock smarter spending and bigger rewards.

That’s why we provide clear, independent guides and comparisons to help you make informed decisions.

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At Pointalize, we simplify the process by highlighting cards that deliver the strongest rewards, biggest bonuses, and best value for everyday spending. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to maximize premium benefits, our curated picks are designed to help you find the perfect fit for your wallet.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Best For

Pointalize: ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.8

Rewards Rate - Points

8x Travel booked through Chase Travel℠
4x Flights and hotels booked directly
3x Dining worldwide
1x All other purchases

Intro offer: 100,000 points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months

Annual fee: $795

Regular APR: 20.24% – 28.74% Variable APR

Recommended credit: 700–850 (Good to Excellent)

Travel Perks: Cell Phone Protection, Hotel Status, Lounge Access, Rental Car Insurance, Travel Insurance, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry

Visit issuer’s site directly See Rates & Fees

Pros

Generous sign‑up bonus of 100K points plus $500 Chase Travel℠ credit
High earning rates: 8X on travel booked through Chase, 4X on direct flights and hotels, and 3X on dining
Extensive travel perks including Priority Pass lounge access, travel insurance and primary rental car coverage
No foreign transaction fees

Cons

$795 annual fee is steep and recently increased
Most elevated earning rates require booking through Chase Travel℠
Sign‑up bonus has a high spending requirement

Pointalize Final Thoughts

The Chase Sapphire Reserve remains a top-tier travel card thanks to its generous welcome bonus, rich earning rates and comprehensive travel perks. Frequent travelers who can leverage the annual Chase Travel℠ credit and lounge access can easily justify the high annual fee. However, casual users may find it hard to maximize the portal‑based rewards, and the fee increase makes cost–benefit analysis essential.

Read the full review (Coming Soon)

Capital One Venture X® Rewards

Best For

Pointalize: ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.8

Rewards Rate - Miles

10x Hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One® Travel
5x Flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One® Travel
2x All other purchases

Intro offer: 75,000 miles after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months

Annual fee: $395

Regular APR: 21.24% – 29.24% Variable APR

Recommended credit: 740–850 (Excellent)

Travel Perks: Hotel Status, Lounge Access, Rental Car Insurance, Travel Insurance, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry

Visit issuer’s site directly See Rates & Fees

Pros

Robust earning rates: 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights booked via Capital One® Travel
Includes a $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles
Priority Pass and Capital One lounge access plus TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit
No foreign transaction fees

Cons

$395 annual fee, although partially offset by travel credits
Highest earning rates require booking through the Capital One® Travel portal
Approval often requires excellent credit and relatively clean credit history

Pointalize Final Thoughts

The Venture X is a premium travel card that combines high earning rates with valuable perks like lounge access, a $300 travel credit and 10K anniversary bonus miles. It offers simplicity on everyday purchases with 2X miles and no foreign transaction fees. While the $395 annual fee is substantial, savvy travelers who use the travel portal and perks can come out far ahead.

Read the full review (Coming Soon)

The Platinum Card® from Amex

Best For

Pointalize: ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.8

Rewards Rate - Points

5x Flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex® Travel
5x Prepaid hotels booked through Amex® Travel
1x All other purchases

Intro offer: Up to 175,000 points after $8,000 in purchases within the first 6 months

Annual fee: $695

Regular APR: 21.24% – 29.24% Variable APR

Recommended credit: 740–850 (Excellent)

Travel Perks: Hotel Status, Lounge Access, Rental Car Insurance, Travel Insurance, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry

Visit issuer’s site directly See Rates & Fees

Pros

Earns 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex® Travel and on prepaid hotels through Amex® Travel
Includes annual statement credits for airlines, hotels and other perks that can offset the fee
Complimentary lounge access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta) and Priority Pass lounges
Comes with comprehensive travel protections and elite status with Hilton and Marriott

Cons

$695 annual fee is among the highest of any consumer card
Many credits require enrolment and careful use to maximize value
Amex cards are not as widely accepted internationally as Visa or Mastercard

Pointalize Final Thoughts

The Platinum Card from Amex is packed with premium perks that frequent travelers can leverage for lounge access, elite hotel status and hundreds of dollars in travel credits each year. Its 5X earnings on flights and hotels booked through Amex® Travel make it one of the most rewarding cards for airfare and lodging. However, you need to maximize these benefits to justify the high annual fee, and Amex acceptance abroad can be limited compared with Visa or Mastercard.

Read the full review (Coming Soon)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best For

Pointalize: ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.8

Rewards Rate - Points

5x Travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
3x Dining, online grocery purchases and select streaming services
2x Other travel purchases
1x All other purchases

Intro offer: 75,000 points after $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months

Annual fee: $95

Regular APR: 19.99% – 28.24% Variable APR

Recommended credit: 690–850 (Good to Excellent)

Travel Perks: Rental Car Insurance, Travel Insurance, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry

Visit issuer’s site directly See Rates & Fees

Pros

Substantial sign‑up bonus of 100K points with a modest $5K spend requirement
Strong earning structure: 5X on travel booked through Chase, 3X on dining, online groceries and select streaming, and 2X on other travel
Low $95 annual fee and no foreign transaction fee
Comes with primary rental car insurance and trip cancellation coverage

Cons

Highest earning rate applies only to purchases through Chase Travel℠
Fewer premium perks compared with the Sapphire Reserve
Requires good credit to qualify

Pointalize Final Thoughts

The Sapphire Preferred remains an excellent entry‑level travel card thanks to its generous sign‑up bonus and rewarding categories on travel and dining. Its $95 annual fee is easy to justify if you redeem points for travel through Chase or transfer to partners. While it lacks some of the ultra‑premium perks of its sibling Reserve card, it offers solid value for most travelers.

Read the full review (Coming Soon)

Amex® Gold Card

Best For

Pointalize: ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.8

Rewards Rate - Points

4x Restaurants worldwide
4x U.S. supermarkets (≤ $25k/yr, then 1x)
3x Flights (airlines or Amex® Travel)
2x Hotel Collection via Amex® Travel
1x Other purchases

Intro offer: Up to 100,000 points after $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months

Annual fee: $250

Regular APR: 21.24% – 29.24% Variable APR

Recommended credit: 700–850 (Good to Excellent)

Travel Perks: Rental Car Insurance, Travel Insurance

Apply @ Amex at issuer’s secure site See Rates & Fees

Pros

Generous 4X rewards at restaurants worldwide and on U.S. supermarket purchases (up to $25K per year)
Includes up to $120 dining credit and $120 Uber Cash each year when enrolled
Solid 3X earnings on flights booked with airlines or Amex® Travel
No foreign transaction fees

Cons

$250 annual fee may be high for casual spenders
Supermarket bonus capped at $25,000 in purchases per year
Requires enrollment to use monthly credits effectively

Pointalize Final Thoughts

The Amex Gold card hits a sweet spot for foodies and travelers with 4X rewards at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets and 3X on flights. Its dining and Uber credits help offset the $250 annual fee, and there’s no foreign transaction fee. However, you need to take advantage of the credits and higher multipliers to make the fee worthwhile.

Read the full review (Coming Soon)

Capital One Venture Rewards

Best For

Pointalize: ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.8

Rewards Rate - Miles

5x Hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One® Travel
2x All other purchases

Intro offer: 75,000 miles after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months

Annual fee: $95

Regular APR: 21.24% – 29.24% Variable APR

Recommended credit: 700–850 (Good to Excellent)

Travel Perks: Rental Car Insurance, Travel Insurance, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry

Visit issuer’s site directly See Rates & Fees

Pros

Strong 75K‑mile welcome bonus with a manageable spending requirement
Earns 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One® Travel and 2X miles on all other purchases
Offers TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit and no foreign transaction fees
Simple, flat earnings make it easy to understand

Cons

$95 annual fee with limited travel perks compared to premium cards
Highest earning rates require booking through the Capital One® Travel portal
Miles redemption value depends on how you use Capital One transfer partners

Pointalize Final Thoughts

The Capital One Venture Rewards card is a solid choice for travelers seeking straightforward earnings: 2X miles on every purchase and 5X on hotels and rental cars booked through the portal. Its generous sign‑up bonus and TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit enhance the overall value. While it lacks some luxury perks, it’s easy to use and has a reasonable annual fee.

Read the full review (Coming Soon)

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Best For

Pointalize: ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.8

Rewards Rate - Points

10x points on hotels, car rentals, attractions via cititravel.com
3x points on air travel and other hotel purchases
3x points on dining, supermarkets, gas & EV charging
1x point on all other purchases

Intro offer: 60,000 points after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months

Annual fee: $95

Regular APR: 20.24% – 28.24% Variable APR

Recommended credit: 700–850 (Good to Excellent)

Travel Perks: Rental Car Insurance, Travel Insurance

Visit issuer’s site directly See Rates & Fees

Pros

Earns up to 10X points on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked via Citi® Travel
3X points on air travel, restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations
$100 annual hotel credit for a single hotel stay of $500 or more booked through Citi® Travel
No foreign transaction fees

Cons

Requires booking through Citi® Travel to maximize rewards
$95 annual fee and no first‑year waiver
Citi ThankYou transfer partners may not always provide the highest redemption value

Pointalize Final Thoughts

The Citi Strata Premier offers versatile ThankYou points and strong earning rates across travel and everyday categories. The 10X hotel and car rental earnings through Citi® Travel and 3X on dining, supermarkets, gas and flights make this a well‑rounded travel card. The $95 fee is reasonable for the benefits, though travellers must book through Citi’s portal to unlock its highest rewards.