When you travel, one of the last events you want to experience is a declined credit card transaction. Carrying the best Visa credit cards for travel in your wallet means near-universal acceptance. Of course, you can also earn purchase rewards and enjoy a few other perks in the process.
Best Visa Credit Card for Travel Lovers
Here are some of the best Visa credit card options to consider:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
- The World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Chase Freedom Flex®
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
If you can only choose one Visa credit card, consider applying for this one first. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with the most rewards. It’s a premium travel credit card with these benefits:
- $300 annual travel credit
- Priority Pass airport lounge access
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- Trip cancellation/interruption coverage (up to $20,000 per trip)
- Points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel℠
- 1:1 airline and hotel point transfers
Plus, 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.
Your points can be most valuable when transferring them to airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. Some of the best transfer options include British Airways, Flying Blue, Emirates, United, Southwest Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. With no foreign transaction fees and all of the travel perks, this is one of the best international credit cards.
Additional Perks
Also, the Sapphire Reserve is a Visa Infinite product. This is the highest-tier Visa credit card you can have. Your initial credit limit will be at least $10,000. You will need excellent credit for this card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
A premium travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve isn’t for everyone. Your next-best option for travel rewards is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It has a $95 annual fee versus the Sapphire Reserve $550 annual fee.
Card benefits include:
- 25% award travel redemption bonus through Chase Travel℠
- 1:1 airline and hotel point transfers
- Primary rental car insurance
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance up to $20,000 per trip
- No foreign transaction fee
Also, enjoy Chase Sapphire benefits such as a $50 annual Hotel Credit, 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x points on dining, and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
If you care more about earning and redeeming points than the add-on travel perks, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
As an added bonus (for both aesthetics and strength), this card is one of the best metal credit cards you can have in your wallet.
New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases in their first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Priority Card
If you love Southwest Airlines, check out the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. This card earns Rapid Rewards points on all purchases, and you get other Southwest Airlines benefits:
- $75 annual Southwest travel credit
- 4 Upgraded Booking per year (when available)
- 7,500 anniversary Rapid Rewards points
- No foreign transaction fees
Additionally, get 25% back on inflight purchases.
Cardholders earn unlimited:
- 3x points on Southwest® purchases
- 2x points on local transit and commuting, including rideshares
- 2x points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming purchases
New Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card cardholders can earn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 4 months from account opening.
The Southwest Companion Pass® lets your travel companion fly alongside you for only the cost of fees and taxes.
The World of Hyatt Credit Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card is one of the best hotel credit cards for these benefits:
- One free anniversary night at any category 1-4 property
- Second free anniversary night after spending $15,000 in a year
- Earn 4x Hyatt points on Hyatt purchases
- Earn 2x Hyatt points on flights booked directly from the airline, restaurants, local transit and commuting, and fitness clubs or gym memberships
- All non-bonus purchases earn 1 point per $1
- No foreign transaction fee
Hyatt points are some of the most valuable hotel points. You can book a Category 1 property award night for 5,000 points.
Additionally, cardholders can enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as their account is open.
New The World of Hyatt Credit Card cardmembers can earn a signup bonus of up to 60,000 World of Hyatt Bonus Points. Earn the first 30,000 points by spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2x Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1x Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
Chase Freedom Flex
The information for the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you crave cash rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex® is one of the best cash back credit cards. You earn 5% back on the first $1,500 spent on rotating bonus category purchases each quarter (once activated). Cardholders also earn:
Cardholders earn:
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1% back)
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
- 1% on all other purchases
There isn’t an annual fee. This is also one of the best cash back credit cards you can have in your wallet.
You can redeem your points for cash, travel, and gift card rewards and are worth 1 cent each. Transferring them to your Chase Sapphire card means you can capture the travel redemption bonus or 1:1 point transfers.
New Chase Freedom Flex® cardholders can earn a $200 bonus after they spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is the best overall small business credit card. You earn 3x points on the first $150,000 spent on travel, online advertising, shipping, and Internet, cable, and phone services.
Your points are worth 25% more when booking award travel on Chase Travel℠. You can transfer your points to the 1:1 Chase Travel℠ partners too.
New Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card cardholders can earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
The bonus, along with the bonus points for business purchases, are part of the reason that this is one of the best small business credit cards.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card
For a business credit card with no annual fee, the Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns up to 5% back on purchases. Get 5% on the first $25,000 in combined annual spending at office supply stores, and Internet, phone and cable services. The first $25,000 in annual purchases at gas stations and restaurants earn 2% back. All remaining spend earns 1% back.
This is one of the best no annual fee small business credit cards.
Your points can be redeemed for cash, travel, and gift cards. However, this card doesn’t offer a travel redemption bonus or 1:1 point transfers.
Summary
Many rewards credit cards have the Visa label on it. Starting with this list of credit cards makes it easy to narrow down your search for the best Visa credit card that works for you. Which one will you choose?
FAQs
Are Visa credit cards good?
Visa credit cards are some of the best credit cards you can own. Banks offer Visa-issued credit cards for any credit score. In the United States, you will find more Visa credit cards than American Express, Discover, or Mastercard.
One reason it’s a good idea to have a Visa credit card is that most merchants around the world accept Visa or Mastercard credit cards as payment. They are less likely to accept American Express or Discover.
The best Visa credit card can be the rewards card that has the best purchase rewards and additional benefits. Each bank offers different benefits that help you maximize your common purchases and daily habits.
What is the most prestigious Visa credit card to have?
The most luxurious Visa credit card is the J.P. Morgan Reserve Card. It’s made from a palladium alloy but is also very hard to qualify for. You must be a J.P. Morgan client and receive a special invitation.
So, the best Visa credit card open to everyone is the Chase Sapphire Reserve. It’s a premium travel rewards credit card with perks including a $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass lounge access, and a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
You also earn 3x points on dining and 1x points for everything else. Your points are worth 1.5 cents each for award travel booked on the Chase travel portal. You can transfer at a 1:1 ratio to airline and hotel partners. Some of the best partners include United, Southwest, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and World of Hyatt.
What does Visa Signature card mean?
Like an airline or hotel loyalty program that has different membership levels, Visa credit cards have different benefit levels. A Visa Signature card is the second-highest tier. Many of the best Visa credit cards are a Visa Signature.
Some of the built-in benefits include:
- Minimum $5,000 initial credit limit
- Secondary rental car insurance
- Rental car discounts
- Luxury Hotel Collection discounts and on-site amenities
- Extended warranty protection
The bank may also offer additional benefits. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers primary rental car insurance. Many Visa Signature credit cards require a minimum 670 credit score to have the best approval odds.