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Being a seasoned traveler, I’ve come to appreciate how much the right travel credit card can transform a trip — earning miles on everyday purchases, then cashing them in for flights, lounge access, or a free hotel night.
A lot has changed since I first published this list: cards have relaunched, fees have shifted, and one of my longtime favorites got a total overhaul. Here’s my updated take for 2026, with a few new additions.
Right now my two daily-spend cards are the Capital One Venture X (personal) and the Chase Sapphire Preferred (business) — everything else in my wallet plays a more specific role, which is how I’d encourage you to build your own stack instead of chasing every offer you see. I’m also a military spouse now, which comes with real perks I didn’t have before (more near the end), and I’ve added two cards I hold as an authorized user rather than primary — the Amex Gold and Platinum — since that’s a common, underrated way people access these benefits.
All 14 travel credit cards below are ones I’ve personally used and tested.
1. Capital One Venture X
$395
75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months. Terms apply.
- 10X miles on hotels/rental cars and 5X on flights via Capital One Travel; 2X on everything else
- Capital One Lounge + Priority Pass access (1,300+ lounges worldwide)
- $300 annual travel credit + 10,000-mile anniversary bonus
- Up to $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit; $100 experience credit at Premier Collection hotels
One of my two daily-spend cards — most of my personal spending runs through it, and the lounge at Dulles (IAD) is still a favorite. Update: free guest access ended February 1, 2026 — guests now cost $45 (adult) / $25 (ages 2–17) at Capital One Lounges and $35 at Priority Pass, unless you spend $75K+/year. Even with that change, the $300 credit and 10K anniversary miles nearly offset the $395 fee on their own.
2. Bank of America Travel Rewards
$0
25,000 points (~$250 in travel) after $1,000 spend in 90 days. Terms apply.
- 1.5X points on everything, no expiration
- 3X when booked through the Bank of America Travel Center
- Preferred Rewards members earn 25%–75% more
My first-ever travel credit card, and still a solid no-fee starter option for anyone new to this. I don’t use it often anymore, but I keep it open for the credit history.
3.Bilt Card (Blue, Obsidian & Palladium)
$0 (Blue), $95 (Obsidian), $495 (Palladium)
Varies by tier. Terms apply.
- Earn points on rent and mortgage payments, no transaction fee
- Bonus categories vary by tier; points transfer to a long list of airline/hotel partners
- Payments now pull from a linked bank account instead of your credit line
The no-fee Bilt Mastercard I originally recommended is gone. Bilt relaunched in February 2026 as three tiers, and if you didn’t opt in by February 1, Wells Fargo (the original issuer) auto-converted your account into a no-fee Wells Fargo Autograph® Card instead (3X on dining, travel, gas, transit, streaming, and phone plans; 1X on everything else).
That’s what happened to me — my rent’s high enough that I never wanted my whole spending profile funneled through one card just to hit a minimum, and the relaunch felt more complicated than it was worth for how I used it. Still a solid option for renters who want simple points on their biggest bill; I may revisit one of the new tiers later.
4. Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
$0 first year, then $99
Up to 80,000 miles after $3,500 spend in 4 months. Terms apply.
- First checked bag free (you + up to 4 companions), preferred boarding
- 2X on eligible AA purchases, dining, and gas; 1X on everything else
- 25% off inflight food/beverage purchases
- $125 flight discount after $20,000 in annual spend; up to $180 back on Turo rentals through October 2026
A solid pick among travel credit cards if American is your go-to airline.
5. American Express Gold Card
$325
Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $8,000 spend in 6 months. Terms apply.
- 4X at restaurants worldwide (up to $50K/year) and 4X at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25K/year)
- 5X on prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
- $120 dining credit, $120 Uber Cash, $100 Resy credit, $84 Dunkin’ credit, complimentary Hertz Five Star status
I’m an authorized user here, not the primary — and it’s a generous setup: Amex adds your first 5 authorized users free, and they earn identical points to the primary, including the bonus categories. Just know the statement credits belong to the account, not each individual card.
6. The Platinum Card from American Express
$895
Up to 175,000 Membership Rewards points after $12,000 spend in 6 months. Terms apply.
- 5X on flights booked directly or via Amex Travel
- 1,550+ lounges: Centurion, Priority Pass Select, up to 10 Delta Sky Club visits/year
- Up to $300 twice a year in Fine Hotels + Resorts or Hotel Collection credits
- Up to $200/year Uber Cash + Uber One credit; up to $25/month across select streaming/digital subscriptions
- $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years
Also an authorized user here, not primary. Worth knowing: a free Companion Platinum Card skips lounge access, while the $195/year Additional Platinum Card includes it. I get real lounge access, so mine’s the paid version — check which one applies to you. Honestly, the biggest perk of being added as a spouse has been Centurion Lounge access — it’s a completely different experience than a standard airport lounge, and it’s the one benefit that made the $195 add-on fee an easy yes for us.
Why Gold and Platinum work so well together: both cards earn the same Membership Rewards currency, so your points pool into one balance no matter which card you use. Gold covers the categories Platinum doesn’t reward well — 4X on dining and groceries — while Platinum handles flights, hotel credits, and lounge access. Between the two, you’re covering most everyday and travel spend without much overlap, and everything you earn feeds the same pot of points.
7. Hilton Honors American Express Cards
Hilton Honors American Express Card
$0
100,000 points + $100 credit after $2,000 spend in 6 months (ends 7/29/26)
- 7X at Hilton, 5X at U.S. restaurants/supermarkets/gas, 3X on everything else
- Complimentary Silver status (Gold at $20K annual spend); no foreign transaction fees
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
$0 first year, then $150
130,000 points after $3,000 spend in 6 months (ends 7/29/26)
- 12X at Hilton, 6X at U.S. restaurants/supermarkets/gas, 4X on U.S. online retail, 3X on everything else
- Complimentary Gold status, $200 annual Hilton credit ($50/quarter), free weekend night after $15K annual spend
I started with the Surpass Card for the stronger earning and Gold status, then downgraded to the no-fee version once I didn’t need the extra perks — a good playbook if you want to ladder a hotel-focused travel credit card down over time.
8. Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
$350
Up to 100,000 miles (80,000 + 20,000) within 6 months (ends 7/15/26). Terms apply.
- 3X on Delta purchases and direct hotel bookings; 2X at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets; 1X on everything else
- First checked bag free worldwide, plus — new since June 2026 — a second bag free on domestic flights
- Zone 5 priority boarding; $120 Global Entry or up to $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years; no foreign transaction fees
- Annual companion certificate, now also redeemable toward Delta Vacations packages
The companion certificate is the reason I keep this travel credit card in my wallet. You can get a Main Cabin round-trip within the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America for just taxes and fees ($22–$250). I’ve used mine for trips to South Dakota and Wisconsin, both surprisingly pricey to reach from the DC area otherwise.
9. United Gateway / Explorer Card
United Gateway Card
$0
Up to 40,000 miles (30,000 + 10,000 for an authorized user)
- 5X on United flights, 2X on other United purchases, 2X gas, 2X local transit, 1X else
- 2 checked bags/year after $10K spend; 25% back on United inflight purchases
United Explorer Card
$0 first year, then $150
Up to 60,000 miles (50,000 + 10,000 for an authorized user)
- 9X on United flights, 3X on other United purchases, 2X hotels (booked direct) and dining, 1X else
- Free first bag (+1 companion), priority boarding, 2 United Club passes/year
- $120 Global Entry/TSA/NEXUS credit every 4 years, plus $500+ in newer partner credits (United Hotels, rideshare, Avis/Budget, Instacart, JSX)
Both cards got a real overhaul in 2026, not just a fee bump — Explorer’s fee jumped from $95 to $150, but earning and credits jumped too. Run your own numbers before assuming either is a straight upgrade from a few years ago. Still, these are two of the stronger no-annual-fee-to-start travel credit cards for anyone loyal to United.
10. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card
$95
125,000 points + 1 Free Night Award after $3,000 spend in 3 months. Terms apply.
- 6X at Marriott hotels from the card alone (up to 17X combined with your Bonvoy membership and status)
- 3X on gas/groceries/dining (up to $6K/year), 2X on everything else
- 15 Elite Night credits, a Free Night Award each anniversary (up to 35,000 points), automatic Silver Elite status
The annual free night alone justifies the fee for me — usually good for a $100–$300 stay.
11. IHG Rewards Club Premier Card
$99
Up to 185,000 points. Terms apply.
- 5X on travel, gas, and dining; 3X on everything else — at IHG hotels specifically, that stacks up to 26X total with your membership and status
- Free night certificate (up to 40,000 points) each anniversary
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years; up to $50/year United TravelBank Cash
Same story as Marriott — one of the easier travel credit cards to justify thanks to that annual free night worth $100–$300.
12. JetBlue Card
$0
10,000 points after $1,000 spend in 90 days. Terms apply.
3X on JetBlue purchases, 2X at restaurants and grocery stores, 1X on everything else, plus 50% off eligible inflight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.
Still one of the best no-fee travel credit cards on this list if you fly JetBlue regularly. (There are pricier Plus and Premier tiers now too — I’ve stuck with the free version.)
13. Chase Sapphire Preferred
$95
100,000 points after $6,000 spend in 3 months — up from 60,000 for years. Terms apply.
- 5X on travel via Chase Travel; 3X on dining, vacation rentals, gas/EV charging, and select streaming/online groceries; 2X other travel, 1X else
- $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each anniversary; up to $120 Global Entry/TSA/NEXUS credit every 4 years
- A free year each of DashPass and Apple TV+
My business daily-spend card and one of the more well-rounded travel credit cards on this list for that reason. A big part of why I love it: Chase’s transfer partners are genuinely strong — 10 airlines (United, Southwest, Air Canada Aeroplan, the Avios programs, and more) and 4 hotels (Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, and Wyndham, added in early 2026), all at 1:1 except for one caveat below. That flexibility is what makes points earned on this card feel useful no matter how my travel plans shift.
One flag: the 10% anniversary points bonus is gone in 2026, and Hyatt transfers now go at a worse 4:3 ratio — factor that in if you lean on Hyatt redemptions.
14. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card
$99 (up from $69)
80,000 points after $1,000 spend in 3 months — up from 50,000. Terms apply.
- 2X on Southwest purchases, plus 2X at gas stations/groceries (up to $5,000/year), 1X else
- 3,000 anniversary points every year, plus 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points added annually
- First checked bag free
I got this card for the Companion Pass and route fit — now that Southwest charges for bags generally, the free first bag matters more too. Just note the fee jumped from $69 to $99 this year. Still one of the better travel credit cards if the Companion Pass is the goal.
A Few Tips for Managing Your Travel Credit Cards
A few habits make any travel credit card in your wallet work harder for you:
- Pay on time, every time. Late payments trigger fees and hurt your score; a clean history makes it easier to qualify for future credit.
- Keep accounts open. More available credit and a longer account history both help your credit score.
- Use points tools to maximize rewards. Point.me, The Points Guy, Monkey Miles, MaxRewards, and AwardWallet all help you find the best way to redeem or transfer points. Pointhound surfaces discounted flight bookings (often 40–90% off), and Thrifty Traveler sends cash-and-points flight deal alerts straight to your inbox.
- Use your Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. The Capital One Venture X, Delta SkyMiles Platinum, Chase Sapphire Preferred, IHG One Rewards Premier, United Explorer, and Amex Platinum all reimburse this. Global Entry runs about $120 (includes TSA PreCheck); TSA PreCheck alone ranges $77.95–$85 depending on provider.
- Check your card’s app for deals. Amex and Chase both run rotating statement-credit offers on dining, hotels, and retail — worth a quick check before a big purchase.
Special Benefits for Military
This part is new since I last updated this post: I’m a military spouse now, and it’s one of the biggest factors in how I choose travel credit cards today — arguably bigger than any single card’s rewards rate.
Thanks to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and the Military Lending Act (MLA), military families get real, tangible perks that most people don’t know to ask for. The distinction that matters: under the MLA, active-duty servicemembers and their DEERS-enrolled dependents can often get a $0 annual fee automatically on cards opened while the sponsor is on active duty. Under SCRA, if a card was opened before your spouse’s active-duty start date, you can request a waiver — and often a full refund — of fees paid since then. Capital One, Chase, American Express, Citi, and U.S. Bank all honor these protections for spouses, not just servicemembers.
I’ve personally had fees waived and refunded on my own travel credit cards through this process, giving me access to lounges, credits, and elite status that other people pay hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars a year for. If you’re a military spouse, it’s worth a call to your card issuer. You’ll typically apply by mail, fax, or in person with proof of your spouse’s active-duty status, and most issuers respond within two billing cycles.
As always, terms apply to every sign-up bonus mentioned here — offers change often. Get out and go with the right travel credit card in your pocket, and make the most of every adventure!
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Post updated July 2026.
