Travel More Using Travel Credit Cards

Going on a trip can cost a lot of people money between flights, hotels, vehicle rentals, excursions, dinners and so much more. What if I told you, it was possible for part or ALL of your trip to be paid for? Yes, there is such a thing! Yet, to some people, it involves a frightening concept: credit cards. There is no better benefit of a credit card than the way you earn points from your purchases. Points earned on your credit card become your best friend when you want to travel, and you will never travel the same once you get your first card. After a lot of research, trial and error, and many of my own credit cards later, below is a list of the best credit cards to have for traveling and earning points towards your next trip. 

(P.S. I do not get paid for reviewing any of these cards! If you found any of this information helpful and decide to apply for a card, please use my referral code at the end of each credit card description to help me gain points WE can both use towards our next trips! Thank you in advance and enjoy!)

Chase Sapphire Preferred

The number one credit card you MUST have if you want to leverage points usage for travel. The number of flights, hotels, and excursions I was able to pay for with my points is unbelievable. For a low annual fee, the award program and the perks, is a traveler’s dream. I have recommended this card to all of my friends who travel and those who choose a different travel card over the Sapphire Preferred to have regretted it! Enough of my hyping up this card, let’s get to the details on why this is my first and foremost choice when choosing a travel credit card. 

The only cons I have for this card are when you book a flight through Chase Ultimate Rewards using your points and when you try to change your flight. I suggest transferring your points from Ultimate Rewards portal to the Airline Membership you are trying to book (if affiliated,) as the points ratio is better used with the airline than booking through Ultimate Rewards. I have also found it very difficult to change my flight or find a new flight the original one has been canceled when I book through Ultimate Rewards. I would not let this deter you from choosing this card though as the pros outweigh the cons. 

Card Details: 

• $95 annual fee – $100 a year is worth the money you’re going to save on flights, fees, and more. 
• Hard injury on credit score
• APR – 21.49% to 28.49%
• Welcoming Bonus Miles/ Credit: 60,000 miles ($750) after you spend $4,000 in first 3 months 
• Your points never expire.
• Complimentary Dashpass (at least 12 months) if card is activated before 12/31/2024
• Complimentary Instacart+ Membership (only 6 months) between 6/15/2022 to 7/31/2024

How to earn points (pts:$):

• 2x pts on Travel purchases (2:$1)
• 5x pts on Chase Travel Purchases (5:$1) through Ultimate Rewards
• 3x pts on Dining Purchases (3:$1) 
• 3x pts on online grocery purchases (3:$1) 
• Shopping: Certain retailers will offer extra points when you shop through Chase Shopping
• 10% Anniversary points: Each account anniversary you will receive 10% of your total spend of that year in points
• 5x pts on Lyft (5:$1) until March 2025
• 3x pts on select streaming services (3:$1) 
• 5x pts on Peleton purchases (5:$1) 
• Combine points if you have multiple cards with Chase

Rewards/ Points Usages: 

• Cash back on purchases
• Chase Experiences (live entertainment, sporting, and dining events), 
• Dining
• Statement credit
• Cash back (direct deposit), 
• Pay with points on Amazon or Paypal
• Gift cards

Travel Perks

• Transfer miles through travel partners (1:1)
• $50 Annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
• No Foreign Transaction Fees 
• Airline Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air France KLM, British Airways, Emirates, Iberia, Jetblue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic 
• Hotel Partners: Hyatt, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Bonvoy (50% bonus points) 

Click here to use my referral code and start earning points to your next trip!

Capital One Venture Rewards

This is the second-best travel credit card you could get your best bang for your buck. It is very similar to the Chase Sapphire Preferred and most people debate between the two. As you may have read previously, I decided to go with Chase, but many of my friends use the Venture card. A couple of perks that are worth getting the card include TSA PreCheck and/or Global Entry credit, but the rewards system is not as great. Below is a breakdown of what this card has to offer for travelers eager to use their points for their next trip.

As I noted for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, I would look into the flight change policy when using points or booking through Capital One Travel, especially if your booking is with two different airlines!

Card Details: 

• $95 annual fee 
• Hard injury on credit score
• APR – 20.99% – 28.99%
• Welcoming Bonus Miles/ Credit: 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 in first 3 months 
• 2 Complimentary Capital One Lounge passes to 100+ locations or their Partner Lounges
• Points do not expire

How to earn points (pts:$):

• 2x pts on every purchase (2:$1) 
• 5x pts on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 

Rewards/ Points Usages: 

• Transfer miles through travel partners, car rentals, hotels, ride-sharing apps, cruises and more, 
• Cash back on purchases
• Shop on Amazon with rewards
• Redeem through Paypal
• Statement credit 
• Gift cards

Travel Perks

• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• $50 experience credit, room upgrade & more for Lifestyle Collection hotel stays
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck 
• Airline Partners: Accor live Limitless, Aeromexico, Air France, Air Canada, Asia Miles, Avianca Life Miles, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Airlines 
• Hotel Partners: Choice Hotels. Accor Live Limitless

American Express Gold 

If you are an American, having an AMEX card is a goal to have in life considering their exclusive perks and amazing point system on everyday shopping. The one problem is that it usually comes with a cost. A lot higher than most travel credit cards, the annual fee for the AMEX Gold card is a little pricey. If you are in a certain income bracket and can afford the fee and high interest rates than this is a great card, but I still think the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card regarding travel rewards and perks. I believe that the AMEX Delta Rewards card is a better choice than the American Express Gold, but I will cover, and rank Airline credit cards in another post. If you spend a lot of money grocery shopping or even out at dinner and want an exclusive deal to events then the AMEX gold card is the right choice for you. 

Card Details: 

• $250 annual fee 
• Hard injury on credit score
• APR – 21.24%-29.24%
• Welcoming Bonus Miles/ Credit: 60,000 pts after you spend $4000 in your first 6 months
• Points do not expire
• $120 Uber Cash ($10 each month) 
• $120 Dining Credit for Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
• AMEX preferred access to premium seats for select cultural and sporting events 

How to earn points (pts:$):

• 4x pts on restaurants worldwide 
• 4x pts on supermarkets (up to $25k a year) 
• 3x pts flights books directly through amextravel.com 
• 1x pts on every purchase (2:$1) 
• 4x pts on every Uber Eats purchase 

Rewards/ Points Usages: 

• Shopping with points partners, 
• Gift cards, 
• Travel and hotels
• Statement credit
• Entertainment (concerts, shows, exclusive hotels), 

Travel Perks

• 1:1 ratio when transferring points to affiliated partners (although some require a minimum point transfer)
• No Foreign Transaction Fees 
• $100 experience credit when you book your stay through The Hotel Collection (minimum 2-night stay) 
• Airline Partners: Aer Lingis, Aero Mexico, Air Canada, Airfrance KLM, ANA, Avianca, Asia Miles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Finnair, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, jetBlue, Qantas, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic 
• Hotel Partners: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Radisson Rewards

BILT Mastercard

If you rent an apartment or home, you know that your monthly payments go to waste and no points are earned if you are submitting payment by check, directly from your bank account or with your card (if you decide to pay the charge fee). There is nothing worse than knowing you are losing money without getting something in return (aka points), until BILT. BILT was the card made for renters and a way to earn points while making those dreadful monthly payments. I recently have been approved for the card and can’t wait to put it into use and start earning points to use towards miles. Although not my first choice in acquiring points for travel, this is the easiest way to rack them up and help pay for a vacation. 

Card Details: 

• $0 annual fee
• Hard injury on credit score
• Receive a credit card and an account and routing number.

How to earn points (pts:$): 

• 1x pts on rent
• 1x pts on all purchases
• Fitness (10x pts for Soul Cycle) 
• 2500 pts for referrals (when they’re approved) 
• 3x pts on Dining for BILT restaurants (listed in the app based on your current location) 
• 1x pts on groceries
• 5x points on Lyft (5:$1)
• Add Current cards to your wallet (3 cards up to 300 pts max). 

Rewards/ Points Usages:

• Shopping
• Dining (will show restaurants near your location)
• Rideshare
• Soul Cycle Classes
• Buying A Home

Travel Perks

• 1:1 point ratio when transferring points to airline or hotel membership account if BILT is affiliated with that partner
• Travel: Transfer points, flights, hotels, cars & activities
• Airline Partners: Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Air Canada, Emirates, United Airlines
• Hotel Partners: World of Hyatt, IHG

Click here to use my referral code and start earning points to your next trip!

Chase Freedom

If you are not willing to spend an annual fee on a credit card and want to gain a good amount of points on your purchases, then the Chase Freedom card would be the best credit card to apply for. It uses the same rewards program as The Chase Sapphire card, but instead of earning points you will get cash back. I have received 50/50 feedback on how members like this card, but most people are disappointed when they want to use it solely for traveling. If you are looking for a return of money rather than earned points it’s a great card to have, but the perks are not as significant as the Chase Sapphire. Below is a summary of what the Chase Freedom card has to offer. 

Card Details: 

• $0 annual fee 
• Hard injury on credit score
• APR – 0% intro APR for 15 months, 20.49%-29.24% after intro period 
• Cash back rewards do not expire
• Welcoming Bonus Miles/ Credit: $200 bonus after you spend $500 in the first 3 months
• 3% of USD fee on foreign transactions.

How to earn cash back: 

• 5% cash back on travel bookings through Ultimate Rewards (after your first year) 
• 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases (after your first year)
• 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. 

Travel Perks

• Airline Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air France KLM, British Airways, Emirates, Iberia, Jetblue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic 
• Hotel Partners: Hyatt, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Bonvoy (50% bonus points) 

Overall, any one of these choices are great if your sole purpose of earning points/cash back is for traveling. Some cards come with better perks or exclusivity, but depending on your credit score, income, or the amount of traveling you do, make sure to pick the one that best serves its purpose for you! In my opinion, all of these cards are great for living the desk life and in another post, I’ll explain what airline credit card (yes, I have more than one credit card and honestly way too many to count.)  You could also choose to apply for one to use on its own and see how it can benefit you if you already have an airline card and/or one of the travel cards above.

Happy travels and happy spending!  

Chase Sapphire Preferred Referral Code: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/6j/BQVYM5CDAE

BILT Referral Code: https://www.biltrewards.com/card/referral/X9HU-XOEZ