Best Travel Credit Cards Methodology
Forbes Advisor considered dozens of airline, hotel and flexible-rewards credit cards to create this list of the best travel credit cards. The primary factors taken into consideration for all types were:
- Estimated annual earnings—25% to 50% depending on card category
- Welcome bonus—15% to 25% depending on card category
- Travel benefits—15% to 25% depending on card category
- Annual fee—5% to 15% depending on card category
- Consumer benefits—0% to 10% depending on card category
- Foreign transaction fee—0% to 5% depending on card category
The hotel earnings rate was weighted 25% for hotel credit cards and the airline earnings rate was weighted 15% for airline credit cards. Earning potential on each card is determined using average American spending amounts based on data from multiple government agency reports. We use the same data for all card calculations to ensure cards are compared equally.
The top travel rewards credit cards list is reevaluated at least every few months to determine if any cards need to be added or removed. Demand for travel rewards cards is high, and competition remains strong among issuers offering benefits aimed at meeting travelers’ wishes. This means card benefits get updated frequently, and we evaluate each card’s update to determine how it might fit into this list.
To learn more about our rating and review methodology and editorial process, check out our guide on how Forbes Advisor rates credit cards.
Travel Rewards Cards in the News
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve® got a complete redesign, which adds a ton of value—if you can use the new benefits. Its new benefits make it worth a second look if you had previously written it off.
- Airport lounge networks are opening new locations, including a fantastic Capital One Lounge in New York (JFK) and an American Express Centurion Lounge on the way at Tokyo Haneda (HND).
- You can extend the value of your travel rewards with these transfer bonuses.
Best Travel Credit Card Deals Right Now
If you want to replenish your stash of points to work toward booking your next dream trip, you may want to know which travel credit cards have the highest-value welcome bonuses as of August 2025. Below are the airline, hotel and flexible rewards travel cards with the highest welcome offers. Keep in mind that annual fees and additional benefits will vary, often significantly, so weigh the pros and cons of a particular card beyond just the bonus before you apply.
Up-to-date as of August 25, 2025.
| Card Category | Card Name | Annual Fee | Welcome Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Airline Card Welcome Bonus | Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card* | $395 | 100,000 bonus points and a Global 25,000 point Companion Award after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening |
| Best Airline Card Welcome Bonus Runner-up | Avianca Lifemiles American Express Elite Card* | $249 | 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening plus 40,000 miles after spending $25,000 in the first year |
| Best Hotel Card Welcome Bonus | $650 (Terms apply, see rates & fees) | 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after spending $6,000 in purchases within the first six months of account opening | |
| Best Hotel Card Welcome Bonus Runner-up | $250 (Terms apply, see rates & fees) | 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first six months of account opening | |
| Best Flexible Travel Card Welcome Bonus | $695 (Terms apply, see rates & fees) | a personalized offer as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on the card in the first 6 months of card membership (approval required, welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer) | |
| Best Flexible Travel Card Welcome Bonus Runner-up | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | $795 | 125,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening |
How Do Travel Credit Cards Work?
A travel rewards credit card accrues miles or points for each purchase made with the card. Every card has a different earning and redemption structure.
- A co-branded card, like one labeled with Marriott or Southwest, will earn rewards in the specifically named travel brand.
- General travel cards may instead earn flexible bank points, like those you see with Chase Ultimate Rewards® or American Express Membership Rewards®.
Here’s how credit card points and miles work:
- Earn rewards when you make purchases. Nearly all purchases on a card will earn rewards at the rate specified by the card. Rates may vary based on the type of purchase.
- Rewards are deposited into your account. Most cards update your rewards balance once per month after your billing statement closes. On co-branded cards, travel rewards are typically deposited into your existing airline or hotel account automatically.
- Consider your reward options. The value of airline and hotel points often depends on the specific redemption. Before you redeem points or miles, ensure you’re happy with the value you’ll receive
- Make a redemption. Depending on the redemption type, you might need to use your credit card issuer’s portal or your preferred travel partner.
There are many other intricacies to redeeming miles and points, so if you’re not confident about all your options, you’ll want to review the opportunities from your program before committing to a redemption.
Types of Travel Credit Cards
Not all travel credit cards are alike. Here’s how the various types break down so you can choose which type of rewards card is best for your unique circumstances.
Transferable Rewards Credit Cards
Airline Credit Cards
Hotel Credit Cards
Fixed-Value Credit Cards
Business Credit Cards for Travel
Is it better to choose a flexible travel rewards card or one branded to a specific airline or hotel?
Yanely Espinal
Credit Cards Expert
Clint Proctor
Credit Cards Lead Editor
Becky Pokora
Credit Cards Writer
If I had to choose, I’d say flexible travel rewards because it allows for much more versatility in your redemption options beyond just flights and hotel stays. But the best approach is to have both. You can maximize benefits from each card type by earning rewards across all of the spending you normally do, while getting perks with your favorite travel providers at the same time.
Credit Cards Expert
Since I’m not particularly loyal to any airline or hotel, I prefer the flexibility of general travel cards. I especially appreciate travel cards that offer transfers to travel partners. With flexible rewards, I can access 10 to 20 or more loyalty programs from a single card. This increases my chances of being able to take advantage of the best award deals that are available for my next trip.
Credit Cards Lead Editor
I love that most co-branded travel cards include benefits when booking with that brand. Free night certificates on hotel cards and free checked bags with airlines are valuable perks. Plus, even though earning a single type of point might seem limited, big hotel chains have more than a dozen brand choices and airlines may have 10 or more alliance partners, so you’ll still find plenty of versatility.
Credit Cards Writer
Pros and Cons of Travel Credit Cards
| Advantages of Travel Credit Cards | Disadvantages of Travel Credit Cards |
|---|---|
| Frequently offer large welcome bonuses | May have high annual fees |
| Earn travel rewards with every purchase | Bonus earning categories may be geared toward travel spending rather than everyday expenses |
| Opportunity to fast track toward elite status | Included benefits may be difficult to use |
| May offer travel-specific perks, like free checked bags, complimentary hotel nights or airport lounge access | May not have the option to redeem points at a fair value toward cash back, if your needs or preferences change |
How To Compare Travel Credit Cards
When comparing travel credit cards, items to consider include:
1. Annual fee
2. Foreign transaction fee
3. Sign-up bonus
4. Rewards rate
5. International acceptance
6. Travel protections
7. Perks
What’s your favorite travel credit card and why?
Adam Sterling
Credit Cards Expert
Robin Frankel
Credit Cards Writer
Becky Pokora
Credit Cards Writer
One of my favorite travel credit cards is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® because it has many useful benefits. Two benefits stand out in particular. First, it grants cardholders access to Sapphire Lounge by The Club locations, which are some of the newest airport lounges in the U.S. Second, it offers trip delay insurance, which covers travelers when their eligible trip is delayed by more than six hours.
Credit Cards Expert
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is my go-to for travel bookings. Between the high rewards rate, travel protections and transfer partners, it’s a no-brainer for me.
Credit Cards Writer
The Citi Strata Premier® Card is a favorite for me because you can earn at high rates on daily, non-travel expenses at home but then turn around and redeem your points for a nearly limitless number of travel redemptions.
Credit Cards Writer
How To Maximize Credit Card Points for Travel
You’ll need to take a multipronged approach to maximize your credit card rewards.
1. Choose a Card That Matches Your Spending and Travel Habits
You’ll want to use a card (or cards) that offer bonus points in spending categories that are meaningful to you. It’s also important to ensure the type of rewards you earn—whether that’s miles or points specific to a certain airline or hotel, or more flexible rewards—also lines up with your travel style.
I most commonly pull out my Citi Strata Premier® Card to earn bonus points on regular, daily expenses I have at home, like gas, groceries and dining. For other expenses that don’t earn at bonus rates on that card, my other go-to is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (rates & fees) since it earns 2X on everything, regardless of how a particular merchant codes the purchase. Both of these are flexible rewards cards, so I don’t need to be brand loyal with a specific airline or hotel. This works out best for me since I hop around brands based on which is best for a specific trip.
2. Use Your Credit Card To Cover as Many Expenses as Possible
You’ll need to use your credit card to make payments regularly to earn a meaningful number of points. Using credit instead of debit or cash can also offer extra purchase protections, which is another perk. Just remember: Credit cards have high APRs and other potential fees, so you’ll only want to use them if you expect to pay the balance off quickly. Otherwise, your potential rewards earnings will be offset by the cost of interest charges.
3. Learn Your Redemption Options
Maximizing your travel credit card rewards involves learning the ins and outs of your card’s related loyalty programs since some redemptions can be worth more than others. On co-branded airline and hotel cards, this might mean reading award chart prices or doing a little research on available options for your specific trip before clicking the “Redeem Now” button.
For flexible rewards cards, you may also want to dig into the value per point for different redemptions. Some points are worth 1 cent each toward cash redemptions, but others may only be worth half a penny each unless used for travel. That’s a significant difference if you’re cashing out a lot of points! Additionally, both programs have different partner lists if you want to transfer your miles.
Most often, I transfer miles from my credit card to an airline to book international airfare. I’ve taken time to learn the sweet spots of each program, where I might find a better ticket at a lower price. But I’ve also learned one major reality of rewards travel: The best value is sometimes the ticket that’s available to your destination on your dates, even if it’s not the fanciest, fastest or absolute lowest price. Value is subjective, so make sure to customize options to your needs.
What is the most underrated benefit of travel credit cards that is often overlooked?
Jerod Morales
Credit Cards Editor
Troy Liu
Credit Cards And Loyalty Programs Expert
Becky Pokora
Credit Cards Writer
Some of the benefits of travel cards I rely on that don’t get much attention are the travel and purchase protections. I always make sure to book travel with a card that includes things like trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay protection and lost or delayed baggage benefits. It’s not always a substitute for separate travel insurance, but it can go a long way to getting compensation when travel goes awry.
Credit Cards Editor
I feel cellphone insurance is overlooked by some travelers and followed by travel insurance coverage. Many credit cards even cover the trip if you just pay taxes on a reward ticket.
Credit Cards And Loyalty Programs Expert
Free nights, big bonuses and statement credits get all the attention but one perk that goes unnoticed is the option to add authorized users to your card account at a reduced cost. That extends benefits like airport lounge access to a household member, even if they’re not traveling with you.
Credit Cards Writer
Are Travel Credit Cards Worth It?
Generally speaking, yes, travel credit cards are worth it if you travel regularly. You’ll be able to earn rewards on every purchase and later redeem those rewards toward future trips—often at a higher yield than cash back. Many travel cards also include benefits to enhance your travel experience along the way to add even more value.
Find The Best Credit Cards For 2025
No single credit card is the best option for every family, every purchase or every budget. We've picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers.
To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the easiest travel credit card to get?
Most travel credit cards require good to excellent credit scores (a good credit score starts at 670 according to the FICO scoring model). Travel cards with no annual fee are typically easier to be approved for than ultrapremium travel cards with high annual fees.
How many travel credit cards should I have?
The number of travel credit cards you should have depends on how often you travel, which benefits you value, your financial situation and whether you’re willing to spend time tracking multiple cards. Frequent travelers can find value in holding at least one travel card but may consider holding several. For example, having both an airline card and a hotel card can provide complementary benefits and the ability to earn rewards for all aspects of your travel plans.
How can you travel for free with credit cards?
Travel with credit card points can save you a lot of money on travel compared to paying full price. A combination of welcome bonus offers, the rewards you earn from everyday spending and included statement credits can add up to hundreds of dollars in value toward free travel.
Alternatively, you might have airline companion certificates or hotel free night certificates, which work more like a coupon. In either case, you’ll need to learn the rules of your specific program to maximize your card’s travel benefits and get the most possible value.
