Best Travel Credit Cards for May 2024

Inflation is pushing up prices nearly everywhere, and travel is no exception. If a vacation seems harder and harder to fit into your budget, there is one tool that can help—a travel credit card.

The right card can help you earn points, and ultimately free trips, on your everyday purchases. A travel card can also make traveling less stressful by making it easier to snag expedited security clearance and status upgrades.

While there are some attractive no-fee travel cards, for the most part an entry-level card will run you about $95 a year. These cards typically offer a smattering of perks like limited lounge visits or nominal credits, while offering you the chance to accumulate points or miles when you spend, especially on travel.

Premium cards—which can cost up to $700 a year—also offer ways to build miles, but the emphasis is on luxury benefits like extensive travel credits and unlimited access to coveted airline lounges.

Just how much travel can you really earn? The average value of rewards points is about 1 cent per point, so 100,000 points (which you can earn with a sign-up bonus plus a few months of spending with most of the cards on this list) will get you $1,000 in free flights or hotel stays.

With flight prices dropping in the past year, that could amount to two or three round-trip flights domestically—in other words, a long way toward a free family vacation.

Here’s a look at the best travel rewards cards of June 2024.

Best overall

Card benefits

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is our top choice because it combines a relatively modest annual fee with a flexible rewards plan that makes it easy to earn plenty of miles, even if you are a beginner to the rewards game.

While most travel cards offer a higher earning rate on certain categories of spending—like dining or airfare—the Venture offers a flat rate of 2 miles per dollar on general purchases. That means you don’t have to keep track of spending categories to make sure you are racking up plenty of miles. If you spend $3,000 per month (our estimate for the average Wall Street Journal reader), you can earn 72,000 miles per year. Add that to a  $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year and 75,000-mile bonus for spending $4,000 in the first three months, and you’ve brought in 147,000 miles the first year.

Redeeming those miles is easy too. You can redeem via the Capital One Travel portal, or opt to spend on any travel site and get the same 1-cent-per-point value. Those 147,000 miles then become $1,470 in money you can spend on flights, hotel stays or other travel purchases.

The Venture card does charge a $95 annual fee, but benefits including Hertz Five Star status and up to $100 toward a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four years can help recoup some of that cost.

Pros and cons

Pros

• High, flat-rate earning on general purchases
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee 
• Large sign-up bonus

Cons 

• Capital One has fewer travel partners with a favorable transfer rate than Chase or American Express 
• $95 annual fee 

Is it a good choice for you?

The Capital One Venture card is an ideal choice if you’re the kind of spender who likes to put all their purchases on a single credit card. Its flat earning rate makes it easy to earn miles this way without tracking your spending by category.

If you prefer to book your travel directly with airlines or hotels or through third-party sites rather than a credit card issuer portal, the Capital One Venture also has the benefit of offering the same point value no matter where you book your vacations.

Best for stretching your points

Card benefits

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a favorite among travel card enthusiasts—and for good reason. At $95 per year, its annual fee is in the same class as the Capital One Venture, but with a little extra legwork, Chase Travel℠ points can take you further than Capital One miles.

While the Venture focuses on flexibility—allowing you to redeem your miles anywhere for the same value—Chase emphasizes its proprietary travel portal. And if you are willing to book through the portal, you can make your rewards go a bit further.

If you redeem your points through Chase Travel, they are worth 1.25 cents per point. That means the 60,000-point sign-up bonus for spending $4,000 in the first three months can be worth over $750 in travel—which is higher than Venture’s offer. Plus, Chase has a long list of transfer partners that you can potentially stretch your points with, including Southwest Airlines and Marriott Bonvoy.

The Sapphire Preferred Card’s earning rate is more focused on particular categories; cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase, 3 points on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases, 2 points on general travel purchases and 1 point on everything else.

Pros and cons

Pros 

• $50 Chase Travel hotel credit helps offset annual fee 
• Higher earning rate on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases 
• Points are worth more when redeemed through Chase 

Cons 

• Lower point value if you book travel on other sites
• $95 annual fee

Is it a good choice for you?

You’ll get the most out of the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you spend a lot on dining, streaming services, online grocery purchases and travel, as those purchases earn the most points. You’ll also need to be willing to book your trips through the Chase travel portal or compare the point values of transfer partners to maximize this card’s potential. But if you’re willing to do these things, the Sapphire Preferred can be a lucrative option.

Best premium card

Card benefits

Travelers hoping to add a bit of luxury to their trips—in the form of airport lounge access, elite status or ample credits toward travel purchases—will need to enter the world of premium travel credit cards. While most of these options come with annual fees upward of $500, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers the opportunity to dip your toe in luxe benefits for a more modest $395 annual fee.

Similar to the Venture card, the Venture X offers a flat 2 miles per dollar on general purchases. It also offers an outsize earning rate of 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One and 5 miles on flights booked through the portal.

In terms of premium benefits, the Venture X comes with up to $300 in credit for travel booked through the Capital One portal each year—reducing the fee to $95 if you can regularly take advantage of it. Cardholders also get Priority Pass lounge access, with more than 1,400 locations across the globe to relax in, and a credit for their PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.

While there aren’t quite as many elite perks as you’d find on a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or The Platinum Card for American Express, you can’t beat the value for the annual fee.

Pros and cons

Pros

• $300 annual travel credit for travel booked through Capital One
• Priority Pass lounge access for cardholder and unlimited guests 
• Flat earning rate on general purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee
• Travel credit can’t be used on bookings outside Capital One 

Is it a good choice for you?

While it’s easy to offset the $395 annual fee on the Venture X, you still need to be willing to foot the upfront cost. Similarly, if you aren’t the kind of person who already spends $300 on travel per year or visits airports enough to take advantage of lounges, then the perks on this card don’t offer you as much value.

That said, if premium perks like rental car status appeal to your style of travel, this is the least expensive option among premium travel cards.

Best for lounge access

Card benefits

At $695 per year, The Platinum Card from American Express is one of the most expensive cards on the market. Still, for travelers who like to add a bit of luxury to their vacation, the card is also packed to the brim with credits and premium perks.

For one, the Platinum Card offers the most comprehensive lounge access available on a credit card, including access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, the independent network of more than 1,400 lounges offered by many cards; Delta Sky Clubs when you fly with the airline; and the Centurion Lounge, an ultraplush offering directly from American Express. These extra memberships get you into a few dozen extra lounges across the country compared with other premium cards—and hundreds more internationally.

Other perks include up to $200 per year in credits on incidental purchases with an airline you select each year; up to $240 per year on digital entertainment credits with select providers including Disney+, The Wall Street Journal and more; up to $200 in Uber cash per year; up to $300 per year in credits toward an Equinox gym membership; and much more.

In addition to offering up to $100 statement credit toward TSA PreCheck or up to $85 statement credit toward Global Entry, this card is one of the few that also offers up to $189 for a membership to CLEAR® Plus, the biometric data-based alternative for expedited security screening.

Pros and cons

Pros 

• Hundreds of dollars in potential statement credits 
• Comprehensive airport lounge access
• Automatic elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors

Cons 

• $695 annual fee
• Many credits require enrollment or are doled out in monthly installments 
• Low earning rate on nontravel purchases

Is it a good choice for you?

For the frequent traveler, perks like TSA PreCheck and Clear, lounge access, and elite status with multiple programs can add some luxury to your experience.

But with a $695 annual fee, you’ll want to make sure you can take advantage of the card’s myriad credits. If you don’t already spend heavily on digital entertainment or airline fees and don’t shop at Saks, the fee might be a lot harder to justify.

Also keep in mind that the earning rate on nontravel purchases is low, so infrequent travelers will have a difficult time accruing enough points for a free flight. If you only travel occasionally, you’re likely better off with a card that costs less and offers a higher earning rate.

Best for no annual fee

Card benefits

It’s rare to find a travel credit card that doesn’t charge an annual fee, but the Wells Fargo Autograph Card℠ is just that, and with a solid rewards rate to boot. The 20,000-point introductory bonus for spending $1,000 in the first three months is easier to achieve than many of the other offers on this list, and worth $200 in travel.

The card also earns 3 points per dollar on restaurants, travel, gas stations, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1 point per dollar on everything else. With so many bonus categories, it can be relatively easy to rack up rewards even if you travel infrequently and stockpile them for a future vacation. Not to mention, you can redeem your points for cash without losing any value, so infrequent travelers can still cash out on rewards in years they aren’t planning a vacation.

Pros and cons

Pros 

• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fee 
• High earning rate on popular spending categories

Cons 

• No travel credits, lounge access or similar perks 
• Modest sign-up bonus

Is it a good choice for you?

The Wells Fargo Autograph is a good choice for the infrequent traveler or more modest spender. With no annual fee, you won’t have to worry about maximizing perks or earning a ton of points to cover that cost. Still, its earnings on common spending categories like restaurants and gas mean you could easily still earn enough to enjoy a free flight every now and again.

The other perk is that your Wells Fargo Autograph points can also be redeemed for cash back without losing value, so even if you don’t travel that often, you can still make use of your rewards.

Other cards to consider

Still looking for the right card to suit your needs? These are worth taking note of.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

For travel credits, in particular, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a good choice. It costs $550 per year, but comes with up to $300 in travel credits for a wide range of purchases. Unlike alternatives like the Venture X, these credits can be used whether you purchase travel through the Chase portal or outside sites. Qualifying charges also run the gamut, from flights to Uber rides. Credits are automatically applied as you make purchases, too—no redemption required.

Similar to the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it takes a bit of work to get the full value out of the Sapphire Reserve. Points can be worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed through Chase Travel℠ or transferred to travel partners, but they are only worth 1 cent when redeemed for outside travel.

American Express® Gold Card

Another alternative is the Amex Gold Card, particularly because it comes with a high earning rate on purchases most people make regularly. Cardholders can earn 4x points per dollar on restaurant purchases worldwide (up to $50,000 in purchases), 4x points on up to $25,000 in purchases per year at U.S. supermarkets, 3x points for flights booked with Amex or on AmexTravel.com and 1x point on other eligible purchases.

This generous earning rate means you can rack up American Express Membership Rewards points even when you aren’t traveling, just with your regular trips to the grocery store. Plus, it comes with up to $120 in dining credits at a smattering of restaurants (including the Cheesecake Factory, Five Guys and Grubhub, among others, enrollment required), helping to cover the annual fee.
 

How travel cards work

All of our picks for the best travel credit cards offer flexible travel points or miles, meaning you can spend rewards on various kinds of purchases with the issuer travel portal, directly with airlines or hotels, through third-party booking platforms and more.

If you are loyal to a particular airline or hotel network, there are also cards that offer points and miles in those rewards programs’ currency. While less flexible, these rewards are often earned at a much quicker rate and can get more or less than 1 cent per point in value depending on the program.

How airline credit cards fit in

The best airline credit cards offer cardholders the opportunity to earn miles with a particular airline’s rewards program—like American Airlines AAdvantage or Delta SkyMiles. In addition to higher earning rates on purchases made directly with the airline, these cards come with frequent flier-tailored perks such as a free checked bag, priority boarding or statement credits on in-flight purchases.

How hotel credit cards fit in

Similarly, the best hotel credit cards earn more points when you stay with a certain hotel brand—like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. Common perks with these cards include automatic elite status with the hotel rewards program, which could offer things like late checkout, free breakfast or high-speed Wi-Fi. It’s also common to get one or more free reward nights per year with a hotel credit card, especially if it charges a higher annual fee.

How to choose a travel card

When deciding which travel credit card is the best for you, consider the following factors:

• Annual fee: Most entry-level travel credit cards charge an annual fee of about $95, but you can find options ranging from $0 to almost $700. Consider how much you want to spend as well as how much of that can be offset by benefits and rewards. 
• Earning categories: You won’t earn many points or miles if you don’t do a lot of spending in a card’s bonus categories. If a card earns more on dining or travel purchases, make sure you spend enough on these purchases to accumulate rewards. Otherwise, consider a card with a flat earning rate on all purchases. 
• Benefits: While perks like lounge access and travel credits sound great, they can tempt you into spending money you wouldn’t have otherwise. If you are the kind of traveler who takes advantage of these benefits, the right card can actually save you money. But if you travel frugally or infrequently, they probably aren’t worth it for you. 
• Redemption options: Almost all travel credit cards offer the most value for your points when you redeem for travel, though that value may vary depending on whether you book through the issuer’s travel portal, directly with hotels and airlines, or through any other site. Many cards also allow you to transfer points to various hotel and airline rewards programs, though the value of your points or miles varies greatly across these. Think about where you’d like to redeem your rewards, and then make sure you’ll get a good value out of them when you do. 

How to spend your rewards

Perhaps the most fun part of having a travel credit card is cashing in on free travel. Travel cards typically let you redeem points and miles for a variety of rewards—including cash back, gift cards and more—but you’ll almost always get the best value by booking a flight or hotel stay.

The typical value of a travel card rewards point is about 1 cent per point, meaning 100,000 miles equates to $1,000 to use toward travel. How far this will take you depends on current flight and hotel room prices.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates the average domestic airline round-trip fares for top origin cities as the following:

With the right card, you should easily be able to earn 100,000 points in the first year, thanks to introductory bonuses—scoring you between two and three round-trip flights, depending on where you live.

The number of points you earn in future years will depend on how much you spend in the card’s bonus earning categories.

You also might get more than 1 cent of value for your points if you choose to transfer them to your issuer’s airline or hotel travel partners, as the value of those rewards are less fixed than credit card points. Southwest points, for example, have an average value between 1.33 and 1.65 cents per point, depending on the estimate. If you transfer 100,000 Chase points to Rapid Rewards, you could get closer to $1,500 worth of flights.

Book summer trips with your travel card for extra protection

If you’re starting to book your summer travel plans, it’s important to make sure you’re paying for the bills with the right card. Not only can the best travel cards help you earn points or miles on these purchases, but they can also provide protections in case something goes wrong. That’s because many include one or more kinds of travel insurance as a complimentary benefit.

There are many kinds of travel insurance, but some of the most popular offered on a credit card are trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage loss or delay insurance and rental car insurance. All of these can save you money in covered instances, as long as you paid your bill with the card and followed the terms and conditions.

For instance, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers primary car rental insurance for cardholders who pay for their rental with their card and waive the rental company’s collision and damage waiver. If you get in an accident in your rental car, you can then use your Chase card’s insurance to cover the cost without having to consult your primary car insurance provider first. Other cards, like the Capital One Venture, offer secondary rental car insurance and require you to file a claim with your normal insurance provider.

When you are approved for a new travel credit card, take a few minutes to flip through the guide to benefits the issuer sent you for any protections you might have and what situations qualify.

Factor airport lounge access into your summer travel planning

Booking summer travel in the next few months? Travel cards can make your experience smoother with perks like lounge access or discounts on premium security programs. But before trying to use these services, you need to make sure you understand the terms or conditions associated with your particular card’s perks.

Credit card lounge access, in particular, is a popular perk among frequent travelers. These escapes offer reliable Wi-Fi, free food and drink and generally less hustle and bustle than the main terminal. One popular lounge access membership offered on a credit card is Priority Pass Select, which comes on cards including The Platinum Card from American Express and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Actually using the benefit requires some forethought, however. You’ll need to enroll in the perk before your membership kicks in and may need to carry a separate membership card with you. Other terms apply as well, like the number of guests you can bring in without additional charge or if authorized users are also granted membership. The Amex Platinum allows up to two complimentary guests, while the Capital One Venture X does not restrict guest access.

To ensure you can get all the perks out of your travel card, check your particular card’s guide to benefits for applicable terms before you plan your upcoming vacation.

Don’t pay foreign transaction fees

Many of our favorite travel credit cards have a perk you might not think to look for: no fees for foreign transactions. Most credit cards charge about 3% on purchases made in other countries, which can add up quickly if you swipe your card often. For those with international travel on the books this summer, a card with no foreign transaction fee can save you a lot of money without having to sacrifice the opportunity to earn rewards.

Say, for instance, you make $100 in purchases per day while on vacation. That’s an extra $3 per day just to put your purchases on credit, or more than $20 for a week-long trip. You could opt to pay with cash instead, but you will likely have to pay an ATM or conversion fee to score the local currency, and you won’t be able to earn any rewards on those purchases. Using a card with no foreign transaction fee lets you put that money back into your travels.

How we picked

To pick Buy Side from WSJ’s Best Travel Card, we looked for cards with a comparatively low annual fee, competitive perks, generous rewards rate and flexible points redemption. Focusing on flexible travel cards for consumers, rather than business cards, airline cards or hotel cards, we compared more than 20 credit cards to find the options that are easiest to use while offering value for the cost.

To find out more about how we rate credit cards—and to meet our panel of experts—you can also check out Buy Side from WSJ’s full best credit cards methodology.

More credit cards