The best travel credit cards of 2023

If you plan to travel this year, it pays to have a travel credit card in your wallet.

With such Reward cardYou can save on travel expenses while enjoying additional benefits, annual credits and travel protection. Whether you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime whirlwind vacation or a summer family road trip, applying for the right card now is the time to save money and stress, whether you’re booking or traveling.

Below, we’ve rounded up our picks for the best travel credit cards today.

Start by comparing the top travel credit cards you may qualify for right now.

The 6 best travel credit cards of 2023

Our top travel credit cards include options for both beginners and seasoned travelers. These cards offer a variety of perks, rewards and expenses to help you maximize your spending at home and abroad.

Choose a card with reward categories and redemption options that match your spending and travel preferences to find the best option for you. And remember, the best way to maximize any value Rewards credit card Paying off your balance in full and on time each month helps you maintain good credit and avoid high-interest credit card debt.

Best sign-up bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Right now, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card isn’t just one of the best travel cards around — it’s also offering one of the best sign-up bonuses you’ll find on any card. After spending $4,000 within three months of account opening, you can earn 80,000 bonus points. And since Sapphire Preferred points are worth 25% more when you use them to travel through Chase, you can get up to $1,000 in value just from the bonus.

For additional benefits, this card offers a $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked with Chase, a 10% annual points bonus each year, a free year of DoorDash DashPass (valid through December 31, 2024), bonus points on Lyft rides (valid through March 31, 2025), and more. .

• Annual Fee: $95
• Awards: 5x on travel purchased with Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x on dining and 2x on other travel purchases

Best Daily Rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has one of the most straightforward rewards structures for travel rewards, with a flat rate on everything you buy. The Venture Card also benefits from flexible redemptions. You can use miles to book travel through the Capital One portal, transfer to partners or as a statement credit for travel purchases made within the last 90 days. When you sign up, you can earn a bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months.

• Annual Fee: $95
• Awards: 2x miles for every dollar you spend, plus 5x miles when you book hotels or rent a car with Capital One Travel

Best for dining out: American Express® Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card is a great option for anyone who spends a lot on food. Benefits include up to $120 in annual Uber Cash ($10 per month) and up to $120 in dining credits ($10 per month) at select Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and Shake Shack locations. When you sign up, you can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first six months. Terms for selected benefits apply and registration is required.

When you’re ready to redeem your rewards, transfer your points at a 1:1 rate to partners or book travel with American Express — as well as standard redemption options like statement credits and gift cards.

• Annual Fee: $250 (see rates and fees)
• Awards: 4x Membership Rewards at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and US supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases, then 1x), plus 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com and 1x points on everything. (Rules Apply)

For premium benefits: Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers travelers seeking both convenience and luxury. It charges a hefty $695 annual fee but offers many premium benefits in exchange (see rates and fees).

To get started, you’ll earn 80,000 bonus points when you spend $6,000 in the first six months of account opening. Lesser known perks include airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and more. And, to top it all off, annual travel credits include:

• Credit up to $20 per monthly statement for eligible digital entertainment services
• Up to $200 statement credit on prepaid Good Hotels + Resorts or hotel suite bookings with American Express Travel (minimum two-night stay required)
• Save $155 in Walmart+ credit on your card’s monthly membership fee
• Up to $200 in airline payment credit with your choice of airline
• Up to $200 Uber Cash and Uber VIP status
• $300 Equinox credit toward Equinox+ or gym membership
• $189 CLEAR® credit
• Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit.

• Annual Fee: 695 dollars
• Awards: 5X Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year), 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel, and 1 point on other purchases.

Best for annual credits: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase’s premium travel credit card option, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, also has a lot to offer many travelers. The card comes with a $300 annual travel credit — which itself goes a long way toward offsetting the annual fee. You also get Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership; Up to $100 application fee credit every four years for international entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck and more.

You can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within three months of account opening. Like the Sapphire Preferred Card, this card gets a higher rate for redemptions. Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive a 50% points boost when redeeming points with Chase Ultimate Rewards, making the bonus worth up to $900.

• Annual Fee: 550 dollars
• Awards: 10x points on hotels and car rentals and 5x points on flights purchased with Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on other travel (this value starts after you use $300 in travel credit) and dining and 1 point per dollar on all purchases

Best of all, earn it® Miles without an annual fee

If you’re looking for an option without an annual fee, the Discover it Miles card offers solid rewards value and a welcome bonus. Not only will you earn on every dollar you spend — which you can use for any purchase on your card statement — but Discover will double the total rewards you earn in the first year. With the Cashback Match First Year Bonus, you’ll get an unlimited match for every mile you earn in the first year the account is open.

• Annual Fee: $0
• Awards: 1.5x miles for every dollar you spend

What to consider before opening a travel credit card

Choosing the right travel card can depend on how you spend your money and how you want to travel.

First, you’ll want to decide what type of travel card you’re using. Want to maximize your spending at home for future travel? Then a travel card with daily rewards but bigger redemption options, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture, may be the best choice.

If you want to earn rewards when you book travel for future travel, on the other hand, you’ll want to focus on top-earning travel rewards. The Platinum Card from Amex or Chase Sapphire Reserve can be good options.

Another thing to consider is the annual fee. While travel cards with high annual fees have a lot to offer, make sure you’re actually using the benefits before applying. If you don’t like arriving at the airport early and rarely fly with destinations, for example, airport lounge access may not be worth much. With the right travel card, the value of your benefits and rewards should more than cover the cost of the annual fee.

Finally, explore all of your redemption options. Many travel credit cards are most useful when you use your points or miles toward travel. This includes bookings on your provider’s portal or transfers to airline and hotel partners. Check the value of your points when you make certain redemptions — Chase Sapphire cards, for example, offer higher value when shopping for travel — and review travel partners to make sure they include your preferred travel brands.

Learn more about top travel credit card options today.

Bottom line

A travel credit card is one of the best tools you can use to save on your next vacation. But time is important. Apply in plenty of time to start earning your sign-up bonus and bank rewards back on your trip. Then, you can enjoy annual benefits and ongoing rewards to keep getting long-term value from your card.

The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise verified by any of the entities involved in the post.