Best travel credit cards of December 2024

The Bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are transferable to numerous frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs.

Added Perks: Cardholders can earn a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel. .

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• Chase has a number of travel partners so there’s a lot of flexibility in how you’re able to redeem your rewards.
• This card earns bonus points on all travel purchases, not just with a specific hotel or airline brand.
• The card does not charge foreign transaction fees, so it’s great whether you’re traveling near or far!

CONS:

• While the welcome bonus is impressive, it might be hard for some cardholders to reach the spend threshold required to earn it.
• This card charges an annual fee, so if you’re just a causal spender you might find it difficult to offset this.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

The Bonus: Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel! That's some serious mile-earning potential!

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: This is a card with which you earn two miles for every $1 you spend on every purchase, and five miles for every $1 you spend on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Redeem miles for any flight or hotel stay, as well as car rentals, cruises and more.

Added Perks: Cardholders are eligible for a reimbursement of their Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, a perk worth up to $120 and not common among cards with this low of an annual fee.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• From airfare to grocery purchases this card earns bonus miles on it all. This is a great option for anyone looking to rack up rewards fast.
• This card offers reimbursement for most travel purchases so you aren’t limited to traveling with a specific airline or hotel brand. From Airbnb stays, to car rentals, to National Park campsite bookings, your miles are good to cover almost any travel purchase– even out-of-the-box ones!
• You can transfer miles to numerous leading airline and hotel loyalty programs, offering even more flexibility with how you redeem your rewards.
• This card does not charge foreign transaction fees so it’s great to use domestically as well as internationally.

CONS:

• This card charges an annual fee. If you’re a casual credit card spender you may find it difficult to offset this cost.
• If you’re loyal to a particular airline or hotel you might benefit more with a card that earns extra rewards on purchases with that brand.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

The Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Additionally, enjoy 10,000 bonus miles every year, starting on your first account anniversary.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on all other purchases.

Added Perks: Receive $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel and receive up to a $120 credit to cover your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• Earning 10,000 bonus miles every year on your account anniversary is a nice incentive for maintaining card membership.
• Don't be alarmed by the annual fee. It's actually quite modest as far as premium credit cards go, and the card offers a ton of perks to help offset the cost.
• Lounge access and travel credits are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this card's perks!

CONS:

• The annual fee is easy to offset if you'll utilize the card's numerous benefits, but if you don't travel often, you may find you have trouble offsetting the cost of the card.
• The annual travel credit is nice, but earning it means you'll need to do your travel bookings through the Capital One Travel portal. This may feel limiting for some cardholders.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

The Bonus: Receive 60,000 online bonus points – a $600 value – after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn unlimited two points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Added Perks: Cardholders receive up to $100 in airline incidental credits annually plus TSA PreCheck/Global Entry statement credits of up to $100 every four years. Plus, if you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client, you can earn 25% to 75% more points on every purchase.
• Receive up to $100 in airline incidental credits annually.
• Cardholders receive up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.
• This card does not charge foreign transaction fees so feel free to bring it along on your next international trip.

CONS:

• This card is designed with Bank of America customers in mind, so if this isn't currently your bank you may miss out on reward opportunities.
• It's manageable, but there is an annual fee to consider.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

The Bonus: You can earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. With this card, however, your points are worth 50% more when you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel℠, so that bonus alone could be worth $900 in travel.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining and 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Those Chase Ultimate Rewards points are transferable to numerous frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs and, as mentioned above, they're worth 50% more when you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel.

Added Perks: Cardholders are eligible for up to $300 each account anniversary year in travel reimbursement – that alone significantly helps to offset the annual fee. Additionally, you'll be eligible for a reimbursement of your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four years and you'll enjoy a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership that allows access to more than 1,300 airport lounges around the world.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• Points are worth a whopping 50% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel.
• Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass Select.
• Cardholders receive up to a $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
• This card offers some solid travel insurance protections such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, emergency evacuation and transportation coverage, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and more.

CONS:

• This card offers a lot of bang for its buck, but there’s no ignoring its sizable annual fee. If you don’t plan to use the card often enough to truly reap its benefits, this might not be the best option for you.
• There’s also an annual fee for each additional authorized user added to the account.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

Is the Platinum Card® from American Express Worth the Annual Fee? In addition to the opportunity to earn a hefty welcome bonus you get 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) as well as on prepaid hotels that you book through amextravel.com. The card comes with an annual $200 airline fee credit for incidental fees with a pre-selected airline, up to $200 annually in Uber Cash, up to $100 annually in statement credits at Saks Fifth Avenue or Saks.com, a Global Entry ($120) or TSA PreCheck ($85) application fee waiver every four or 4.5 years, respectively, and so much more. It's well known for access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, and Delta Sky Clubs when flying with Delta. Plus complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Hilton Honors™ Gold status. Terms Apply. Enrollment required for select benefits.

The Bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn 5X points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com (up to $500,000 spent annually) and on prepaid hotels booked through American Express travel. You earn one point per $1 spent on your other eligible purchases.

Added Perks: Cardholders will save money with up to $200 annually in Uber savings via a $15 per month in Uber Cash ($35 in December) as well as up to $200 each year in airline fee credit with your pre-selected airline. Terms Apply. You can also take advantage of complimentary access to airport lounges around the globe and a reimbursement for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. If you're staying close to home, you can take advantage of up to $300 annually in credit for qualifying Equinox memberships; up to $240 annually for purchases with Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal; up to $200 in statement credit each year when you use your card on prepaid bookings with American Express Travel at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay required) properties; and more.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• Enjoy a $200 airline fee credit, up to $200 per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one qualifying pre-selected airline.
• Cardholders receive up to a $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
• Enjoy access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world.
• This card offers a few travel insurance protections such as car rental loss and damage insurance and baggage insurance plans.
• This card does not charge foreign transaction fees so it makes a great international travel companion.
• Enrollment may be required for select benefits.

CONS:

• This card carries a hefty annual fee. It offers a lot of benefits to offset its cost, but if you don’t travel enough to utilize these benefits, the cost likely won’t be worth it.
• If you anticipate needing to carry a balance, you might want to consider another option. Unlike typical credit cards, this card allows you to carry a balance for certain charges, but not all.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

PROS:

• The match bonus Discover offers is unique, and has the potential to reward you big time. If you plan your spending right, you have the potential to walk away with thousands of extra miles at the end of your first year as a cardholder.
• You can redeem your rewards for travel credit or cash back.
• No annual fees or foreign transaction fees.

CONS:

• While the mile match bonus has potential to pay off big, it requires patience. If you’re looking to earn a welcome bonus that you can use almost immediately, this might not be the card for you.
• Because of the match bonus, you effectively earn three miles per dollar spent, but after your first year as a cardholder, the 1.5X earn rate might not seem as desirable.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

The Bonus: Limited time offer: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn 4X points per $1 spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year; 4X points per $1 spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year; 3X points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com; 2X points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com; and 1X point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.

Added Perks: Take advantage of up to $10 total monthly in statement credits when you use your card to pay for purchases at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Five Guys locations (enrollment required). Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• The rewards rate on restaurant purchases and at U.S. supermarkets is quite high, making it a solid option for anyone who spends heavily in those categories in addition to travel.
• This card does not charge foreign transaction fees so it’s a great option for trips abroad.
• Hotel Credit up to $100 - book through The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel and get a $100 hotel credit when you stay at least two consecutive nights.
• Enrollment may be required for select benefits.

CONS:

• Unlike typical credit cards, this card allows you to carry a balance for certain charges, but not all.
• The AnnualFees annual fee isn’t horrendous; however, if you don’t travel often, it likely won’t be worth it.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

Bonus: For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com. Plus, earn 10 points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com

Annual Fee: AnnualFees

Rewards Rate: Earn 10 points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com; three points per $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations; and one point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Added Perks: Enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, through CitiTravel.com, once per calendar year.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• This card does not charge foreign transaction fees so it's a good one to use abroad.
• Transfer ThankYou® Points to participating airline loyalty programs to get flights fast. There is no fee, and the minimum transfer is only 1,000 points.
• Points can also be redeemed for gift cards including for department and home stores, restaurants, and more. Or, use ThankYou® Points to shop online at Amazon.com or BestBuy.com.
• Enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, through CitiTravel.com once per calendar year. This alone offsets the annual fee.

CONS:

• This card does carry an annual fee, so that's something to consider if you were hoping for a no-annual-fee credit card.
• If you prefer the flexibility of cash-back rewards, you might want to consider another card.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

Bonus: Receive 25,000 online bonus points after spending just $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days; that's worth $250 in statement credit to cover your travel or restaurant purchases.

Annual Fee: AnnualFees

Rewards Rate: Earn a simple-to-remember 1.5 points for every $1 you spend, with no caps or categories to worry about. Furthermore, if you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client, you will earn 25%-75% more on every purchase depending on your tier.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• No foreign transaction or annual fees.
• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on every purchase, plus additional points depending on your tier if you're a Preferred Rewards client.
• Redeem your rewards to cover restaurant purchases, one of travel's biggest expenses and one you can't often use credit card rewards to offset.

CONS:

• There’s no annual fee, which is great, but travel cards with annual fees do tend to offer more in the way of perks and features. If you're a regular traveler and can justify an annual fee, you stand to enjoy more perks and possibly earn more rewards.
• For a card with no annual fee, the rewards rate is fine. However, if you’re looking to take a trip fast using rewards, it might take a while to rack them up at a 1.5 points per $1 rate.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

Welcome Bonus: Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after you spend $2,500 on your new card in the first three months.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn 2 AAdvantage® bonus miles for every $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants and on eligible American Airlines purchases.

Added Perks: You and four companions traveling with you can check your first bags for free on domestic American Airlines itineraries. You'll also enjoy 25% off in-flight food and drink purchases on American Airlines flights when you use your card. Plus, earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after your spend $20,000 or more on your card in an anniversary year and renew your card.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation.
• Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines flights.

CONS:

• The bonus mile earning opportunities are somewhat limited. If you’re not loyal to American Airlines or don’t eat out often or have high gas expenses, you might be better off with a more general travel credit card.
• It’s offset the first year, but there is an annual fee to think about moving forward.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

Welcome Bonus: New cardholders can 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Rack up three points per $1 on Southwest purchases as well as two points per $1 on local transit and commuting (including rideshares) and on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming and one point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Added Perks: Card members will have their loyalty rewarded with 6,000 bonus points each year after the cardholder anniversary.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• Enjoy 6,000 bonus points after your cardmember anniversary.
• This card does not charge foreign transaction fees so it's a great one to use when traveling abroad.

CONS:

• It's manageable, but there is an annual fee to consider.
• This card doesn’t offer some of the benefits found on some other airline cards, such as access to airport lounges or discounted reward travel options.
• Frequent international travelers might find Southwest’s offerings to be limited.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

The Bonus: Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn 7X Hilton Honors points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands. Earn 5X points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations. Earn 3X points for other eligible purchases on your card.

Added Perks: Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year. Enrollment required for select benefits.

Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• The earn rate is very solid for a card with no-annual-fee. Not only does this card generously reward you for stays within the Hilton portfolio, but it also offers bonus rewards on everyday purchases as well as on all "other" eligible purchases, which is rare for no-annual-fee cards.
• If you plan to travel internationally, this is a great card to travel with as it does not charge foreign transaction fees.
• If you frequently stay at Hilton hotels, earning 7X points on purchases charged directly with eligible properties is an easy way to rack up rewards fast.
• Spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
• Enrollment required for select benefits.

CONS:

• As is usually the case with brand-specific credit cards, you’ll reap the most benefit if you’re truly loyal to those brands. If you aren’t, you would likely be better off with a more general travel rewards card.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

The Bonus: Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn three points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent each year on travel; shipping costs; Internet, cable, and phone services; and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines. After reaching the spending cap, and on all your other purchases, you'll earn one point per $1 spent. When you redeem your points for travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal, they're worth 25% more.

Added Perks: Pay your cellular bill on your card and you'll be protected against covered damage and theft to the phone (subject to a deductible and terms). The protection applies to the primary phone as well as the other phones listed on the account. Furthermore, this card features a number of travel perks like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, roadside dispatch service, and auto rental collision damage waiver.

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• For a card with such an affordable annual fee, it offers a really nice welcome bonus. Sure, the spend threshold to receive it is a bit high, but considering the fact that the bonus is worth $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel, it’s worth planning ahead to make sure you do what you need to do (within reason, of course) to earn it.
• This card is great for travel thanks to no foreign transaction fees, trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, auto rental collision damage waivers, and more.
• Pay your cell phone bill with your card and enjoy cell phone insurance for the primary cardholder and employee phones on the same account.

CONS:

• The welcome bonus offered with this card is huge, but the spend threshold to receive it is a bit high. If your business doesn’t regularly spend much, or doesn’t have a large purchase on the horizon, this might not be the card for you.
• There is an annual fee, but at AnnualFees, it’s quite modest for the amount of perks offered with this card.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.

The Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases within your first three months of card membership.

The Annual Fee: AnnualFees

The Rewards: Earn five points per $1 spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com. You'll also earn an extra half-point (so, 1.5 points) per $1 spent on purchases of $5,000 or more (up to a cap) as well as on eligible purchases with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers. Earn one point per $1 on your other eligible purchases. Additionally, when you Pay with Points for a first or business class flight with any airline through amextravel.com, or book any class ticket through the portal on your pre-selected airline, you'll receive 35% of your points back to use on a future redemption (up to 1 million points back each year).

Additional Perks: Save money with up to $200 in statement credit each year to cover incidental charges with your pre-selected airline. You'll also be able to wait for your flights in comfort thanks to complimentary airport lounge access. And, you'll be eligible to have your Global Entry ($120) or TSA PreCheck ($85) application fee reimbursed via statement credit once every four years or 4.5 years, respectively. Enrollment required for select benefits

Credit Needed: CreditScoreNeeded

PROS:

• Get 50% more Membership Rewards points. That’s an extra half point per dollar on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more (up to a cap) and on eligible purchases in select business categories.
• Enjoy a 35% airline bonus. Use Membership Rewards Pay with Points for all or part of a flight with your selected qualifying airline, and you can get 35% of those points back, up to 1 million bonus points per calendar year when you book on amextravel.com.
• This card gives you access to airport lounges across the globe, a perk road-weary business travelers will appreciate. Enrollment required for select benefits
• No foreign transaction fees.

CONS:

• There are a lot of benefits to help offset it, but the annual fee is substantial. If you don’t expect to use the card enough to offset this fee, you might be better off with a lower-annual-fee card.
• The welcome bonus for new cardholders is a great offer, but the spending threshold may be out of reach for some users.

*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.