Are Travel Credit Cards Worth It?

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If one of your goals in 2024 is to take a few more trips and have a few more adventures, having a travel credit card can help you get more out of your spending and planning. Many of the #1 travel credit cards to choose from provide an array of rewards and benefits, such as free bags, room upgrades, rental car protection, and even travel insurance. Are travel credit cards worth it? See below and decide for yourself.

Are Travel Credit Cards Worth It?

A travel credit card can easily be worth it through the signup bonus alone, but keeping them will depend on whether the benefits justify paying the annual fee. Even if you only travel once a year and if you’re willing to redeem the points for that trip, travel cards are worth it. However, no credit card is worth it if you can’t easily redeem the points. Travel cards that earn miles are worth it because airline miles are worth earning and redeeming.

The average redemption value for most cash and travel credit cards is 1 cent each. However, travel redemptions can get a higher value through travel redemption bonuses and by transferring points to an airline or hotel loyalty program.

Your award travel redemption options can include the following:

• Book upcoming travel: Redeem points through the credit card travel portal for forthcoming trips at a fixed redemption rate.
• Travel statement credits: Can redeem points to reimburse recent travel purchases.
• Point transfers: Can transfer points to participating airline and hotel loyalty programs. Booking directly from the carrier can help you get a better redemption value.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card makes each point worth 25% more for travel redemptions than cash rewards. This card also lets you transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to many airline and hotel programs.

When comparing redemption options, decide if you want the opportunity to redeem your points for multiple travel brands instead of a specific airline or hotel.

Co-brand airline and hotel credit cards require you to redeem your purchase rewards for award travel with that specific loyalty program. So, for example, earning points with an IHG credit card isn’t worth it if you stay at Marriott Bonvoy properties.

Is It a Good Idea To Get a Travel Card?

Yes, it’s a good idea to get a travel card, especially if you have an upcoming trip you want to plan for or if you want to use rewards to book a future trip.

Are There Additional Travel Benefits on Your Travel Card?

Many travel credit cards offer some additional card benefits that can help reduce your out-of-pocket expenses and stress as you travel.

Additional travel benefits can include:

• Travel statement credits
• Free checked baggage (airline credit cards)
• Hotel night certificates (hotel credit cards)
• Accelerated loyalty program status
• Airport lounge access with credit cards
• Travel Insurance

Premium travel credit cards can offer the most benefits. However, these cards also have the highest annual fees. Therefore, you will need to decide if you can use the additional benefits. If so, are these perks worth more than the annual fee?

Avoid Expiring Travel Miles

Having a co-brand airline or hotel credit card can prevent your travel points from expiring due to account inactivity. As long as your credit card account remains in good standing, your existing points balance won’t expire for most programs.

As loyalty programs can require more points for award flights and reward nights, it’s still a good idea to redeem your points as soon as possible. Doing so helps you avoid point devaluations.

Related: Our Favorite Credit Card Rewards To Earn With In 2024

You’re Comfortable Paying an Annual Fee

Most travel credit cards charge an annual fee. However, this is how you can access enhanced redemption options and several built-in perks.

There are no annual fee travel credit cards available too. However, you may not earn as many points on purchases and have fewer card benefits.

Want a Large Signup Bonus

Travel credit cards are more likely to offer a higher signup bonus than cash-back credit cards.

In most cases, new card member bonuses are worth between $500 and $1,000 if you can spend at least $3,000 in 3 months.

What about cash-back cards? The best bonuses offer $200 cash back with a $500 minimum spending in the first 3 months.

Is It Worth It To Get A Travel Credit Card?

We’ll go over several reasons why you should or shouldn’t get a travel credit card. But before we do, here’s a preview of some of the best cards you may want to consider or have considered before.

• Best overall thanks to flexibility: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best for earning at least 2x miles on all purchases: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Card with food perks: American Express® Gold Card
• Best for frequent travelers: The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Card for Incidental Fees: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

1. Travel Credit Card Benefits

Each travel credit card offers different perks. The points you earn on purchases are usually more valuable for award travel than cash rewards or gift cards.

Travel credit cards with an annual fee may also offer additional travel benefits. Cards with higher annual fees, like premium travel credit cards, which tend to provide more benefits.

There are three different types of travel credit cards.

Airline Credit Cards Worth It?

Airline credit cards are worth it when you fly a specific airline frequently or when you have a trip you need miles from an airline. Co-brand airline credit cards let you earn frequent flyer miles on purchases. You may also get these perks:

• Free checked bags
• In-flight purchase discounts
• Airport lounge access
• Priority boarding
• WiFi credits

Enrollment may be required.

Hotel Credit Cards

Co-brand hotel credit cards earn hotel loyalty points on purchases and usually offer upgraded loyalty status. Some cards also offer free anniversary nights and on-site amenity credits.

Enrollment may be required.

Flexible Travel Credit Cards

Most flexible travel credit cards won’t have as many additional perks as branded airline or hotel credit cards. But you can have an easier time redeeming credit card points for travel purchases.

This card type can be better when you’re not loyal to a specific airline or hotel. You can also earn bonus points whether you book travel directly from a carrier (e.g. Southwest, Hilton, Airbnb) or a third-party booking site (i.e., Expedia, Hotwire).

These cards don’t offer airline or hotel-specific perks but can offer free travel insurance benefits. A few cards with an approximate $95 annual fee can reimburse the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck for one applicant.

Premium travel credit cards can offer airport lounge access, but you usually will need to pay a minimum $450 annual fee.

Related: The Best Miles Credit Cards for Travel

2. Reasons to Get a Travel Credit Card

Here are some of the reasons to get a travel credit card.

Travel Points Can Be More Valuable Than Cash

Cash rewards credit cards make it easier to redeem your rewards. You might be able to request a monthly statement credit to minimize your statement balance, for instance.

However, most cash rewards have a 1-cent redemption value. And you may not be able to earn as many points on purchases.

Travel credit cards can earn more on your big purchases or most common expenses. The redemption value can be at least 1 cent per point or more. Award flights tend to have the highest redemption values.

Can Redeem Travel Points Regularly

It’s a good practice only to use credit cards to easily redeem your points regularly.

Credit card rewards programs and travel loyalty programs can change their redemption prices or redemption options with minimum notice.

Just like the price of groceries or a gallon of gas costs more than in the past because of inflation, an award flight or reward night can require more points. Using a card that lets you redeem your points for at least one trip a year can help you avoid point devaluations and getting stuck with a mountain of points.

Additional Travel Benefits

Cards that offer extra travel perks like free checked bags, travel fee credits, or on-site amenities can help you save money and get a better quality stay.

You will need to decide if the value of these benefits is worth more than the annual fee.

Valuable Signup Bonus

Travel cards tend to have more valuable signup bonuses than cash rewards cards. These bonuses are useful if you can redeem the extra travel miles.

No Foreign Transaction Fee

Many travel credit cards no longer charge a foreign transaction fee, making them a great option for international travel. A few cash rewards cards waive this fee. However, the fee is up to 3% for many.

3. When to Avoid Travel Credit Cards

A travel credit card isn’t always a great option, even if you love to travel.

Annual Fee

Most travel credit cards charge an annual fee of at least $95, while many cash-back cards don’t have an annual fee. The point redemptions and additional benefits will need to be more valuable than the annual fee.

Several no-annual-fee travel credit cards may fit your travel needs.

Otherwise, using a cash-back credit card and requesting a cash statement credit is the better option.

Restrictive Redemption Options

Co-brand travel credit cards only let you redeem your travel rewards with that specific airline or hotel.

A general travel credit card has more flexibility. You may be able to redeem your points for recent travel purchases as a travel statement credit or for booking upcoming travel.

However, if you’re not traveling soon and want to burn your points, the redemption value for cash rewards is usually lower.

Cannot Earn the Signup Bonus

The signup bonus for travel cards can be larger than cash credit cards, but you may need to spend as much as $5,000 in the first 3 months instead of $500 in the first 3 months.

A signup bonus shouldn’t be the only reason to apply for a new credit card, but you should apply for cards with a minimum spend you can achieve.

Best Travel Credit Cards That Are Worth It

There are plenty of high-quality travel credit cards to choose from. Below are some of our favorites, as they make it easy to earn and redeem points.

Their additional benefits can add extra value too. None of these cards charge a foreign transaction fee.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can be the best travel credit card for domestic travel.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns unlimited:

• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards® (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit)
• 3x points on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out)
• 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart®, and wholesale clubs)
• Also 3x points on select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel purchases
• 1x point per $1 spent on all non-bonus purchases 

There is a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit. Plus, on each account anniversary, you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. So, if you spend $25,000 on purchases, you’ll get 2,500 bonus points.

Each point is worth 25% more when redeemed for award travel booked on the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. You can also transfer your points on a 1:1 basis to airline and hotel programs, including Southwest Airlines, United, World of Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy.

This card also has some of the best trip protection and rental car collision damage waiver benefits for a travel card.

New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Member FDIC

The annual fee is $95.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 2x miles per $1 on all purchases. However, if you want to earn a few more miles on travel, good news—earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 

Each mile is worth 1 cent each when redeemed as a travel statement credit for recent travel purchases or booking upcoming travel. You can also transfer miles to airlines and hotels.

One additional card benefit is Global Entry or TSA PreCheck reimbursement. Cardholders can get a reimbursement of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

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, with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

The annual fee is $95.

American Express Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card is a mid-premium product that maximizes travel and dining purchases. It earns 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earns 4X Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Plus, earn 3X Membership Rewards® Points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

$120 Dining Credit

Another perk is the ability to earn up to $10 in statement credits on a monthly basis when you use your Gold Card to pay at the following dining establishments (enrollment is required):

• Grubhub
• The Cheesecake Factory
• Goldbelly
• Wine.com
• Milk Bar
• Shake Shack (only at participating locations)

This perk can save you up to $120 annually.

The welcome bonus is the ability to earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months. It’s also available with a Gold or Rose Gold card design.

The annual fee is $250 (See Rates and Fees).

The Platinum Card from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express can be a good fit for frequent flyers.

Cardholders 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.

Cardholders can 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 they pay with the Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.

Also, 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 Card.

Access to The Centurion® Network is also a perk.

Other Platinum Card from American Express Benefits

In addition to enjoying TSA PreCheck or Global Entry access, cardholders can also enjoy CLEAR perks. Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card.

The annual fee is $695 (See Rates & Fees) but can be offset with the perks, which are valued at over $1,400.

Welcome Bonus Offer

New The Platinum Card® from American Express cardmembers can earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $8,000 on purchases on their new Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. And you may be eligible to earn a bonus of up to 100,000+ Amex points. 

Summary of Are Travel Credit Cards Worth It?

Travel credit cards are worth it if you want to earn travel miles and regularly use travel benefits. However, you will need to make sure you can get more value from the points/miles and built-in perks than the annual fee. A cash-back credit card can be a better option despite these cards not being as exciting.

FAQs

Are travel cards a good idea?

Travel credit cards can be a good idea and better than cash rewards credit cards if you can redeem the points at least once a year and use the other benefits. The total rewards value can exceed a cash rewards credit card with the same spending habits.

For example, the free checked bags perk can easily be worth more than the airline credit card’s annual fee. Or a free anniversary night can be worth more than a hotel credit card annual fee.

However, a cash rewards card can be better if you struggle to redeem the points or don’t want to pay an annual fee for a credit card. Most cash rewards cards have no annual fee. It’s hard to compete with a cash statement credit or bank account deposit.

Are travel credit cards better than cash-back cards?

Travel credit cards can have more valuable rewards than cash credit cards. For example, travel points can be worth 1 cent or more, while most cash rewards are worth 1 cent each.

Travel cards can also earn more points on bonus purchases than cash cards. However, the rewards program for each card type varies.

Also, travel cards can be more likely to offer additional benefits like free checked bags, accelerated loyalty status, or amenity credits. The credit card charges an annual fee, but these perks’ redemption value can exceed the fee amount if you use them regularly.

Cash-back cards with no annual fee can be better if you travel infrequently or the annual redemption value of your points and card benefits are lower than the travel card fee.

Related: 5 Easiest Travel Credit Cards to Try For (and Get Approved)

Is it worth getting a frequent flyer credit card?

A co-brand airline card can be worth it if you want to earn frequent flyer miles for a specific airline. You must be comfortable only being able to redeem your purchase rewards for award flights with that specific airline or airline alliance.

You may also only decide to use the card enough so that the value from the additional benefits like free checked bags, preferred boarding, and in-flight purchase discounts exceed the annual fee. But you may use another card for your non-airfare spending.

If you don’t want to earn frequent flyer miles or the add-on benefits are not worth the annual fee, a flexible travel rewards card or a cash rewards card can be a better fit.

Related Articles:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Rewards
• Amex Gold vs. Amex Platinum
• The Best Metal Credit Cards (Reliable, Durable, Sleek, and Secure)

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here. 

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

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