As I continue my quest to travel on credit card points, my list of personal best travel credit cards is constantly evolving. I\u2019m big on my American Express cards as I get so much value out of them\u2014the AmEx Platinum<\/a> is my go-to with the Gold a close second\u2014though the Chase Sapphire Reserve<\/a> is always a top contender, too. That said, the annual fees on these credit cards are spiking dramatically, so you truly need to weigh the benefits you\u2019ll get out of them before you make a choice.<\/p>\n This post was last updated October 2025.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n In the past three years, we used points to take three major vacations to Europe<\/a>, travel to Thailand and Qatar<\/a> for three weeks, spend nearly a month in Australia, and take smaller trips to Tucson and Hawaii on points<\/a>. And our miles continue to mount: We accumulate north of one million points annually, and no that is not the amount we are spending either.<\/p>\n Note:<\/strong> The below information pertains to American travelers, as credit card rewards are specific to the country of residence. If you live in Canada, check out this guide to best credit cards for Canadians.<\/a><\/p>\n If you\u2019re planning to travel, here\u2019s a closer look at my favorite travel credit cards and how to use them. I recommend choosing cards with no foreign transaction fees\u2014all of those listed below qualify. And if you decide to apply, please use my referral link so we both earn bonus points!<\/p>\n The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the perfect entry point for earning travel rewards. It\u2019s part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, meaning you can redeem points across numerous airlines, hotels, and car rental partners. With a low annual fee and the ability to combine points from multiple Chase cards, it\u2019s an easy choice for anyone starting their travel credit card journey.<\/p>\n Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred include:<\/strong><\/p>\n Annual fee:<\/strong> $95<\/p>\n Current sign-up bonus:<\/strong> 75,000 points<\/p>\n And with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you get additional annual benefits like:<\/strong><\/p>\n Annual fee:<\/strong> $795<\/p>\n Current sign-up bonus:<\/strong> 125,000 points<\/p>\n Explore current elevated offers here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Note: You can only have one Sapphire card at a time, so if you\u2019re applying for the Preferred, you\u2019re not eligible for the Reserve. Frequent travelers should still consider comparing the two. The hefty Reserve fee will only make this card worth it for travelers who use every one of the benefits attached to it.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The Chase Southwest cards are co-branded with Southwest Airlines and tied to its Rapid Rewards program. The lineup includes three personal cards\u2014Plus, Premier, Priority\u2014and two business cards, Premier and Performance. If you fly Southwest regularly, this is a good path for you. If you earn 135,000 points, you get Southwest Companion Pass<\/a> status, meaning a plus one will fly for free with you for the rest of the calendar year in which you earned it in addition to the following year. What does this mean? You should plan on hitting your sign-up bonus in January and not a minute before!<\/p>\n Some benefits of the Southwest cards (depending on the card):<\/strong><\/p>\n Annual fee:<\/strong> $99 to $299<\/p>\n Current sign-up bonus:<\/strong> between 60,000 and 85,000 depending on the card<\/p>\n Southwest cards are Chase products, but their points go straight to your Rapid Rewards account, not Chase Ultimate Rewards. To earn the Companion Pass through credit cards alone, start with the Southwest Performance Business card<\/a>, then open a personal card\u2014Plus, Premier or Priority<\/a>\u2014about 30 days later. Here\u2019s the best strategy<\/a> to do this.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This is the gold standard card<\/a> for those who travel often and well. It\u2019s not for the frugal traveler, as the annual fee is high, but the American Express Platinum is worth it for many, myself included. That said, you absolutely have to go into the benefits section of your dashboard and enable everything to make the fee worth it.<\/p>\n Benefits of the AmEx Platinum include:<\/strong><\/p>\n Annual fee:<\/strong> $895<\/p>\n Current sign-up bonus:<\/strong> up to 175,000 points<\/p>\n Yes, $895 is steep, but I easily save over $2,200 a year in credits on purchases I\u2019d make anyway, not counting the value of Gold status with Hilton and Marriott or access to AmEx\u2019s Centurion Lounges. Other perks include a $300 annual Equinox or SoulCycle at-home credit and 5x points on flights or travel booked through AmEx.<\/p>\n Explore current AmEx sign-up bonuses here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This card offers perks similar to the Chase Sapphire Reserve at a lower fee\u2014plus early access to events like bowl games and concerts. The Capital One Venture X earns 2x points on all purchases, making it a solid everyday card for non-bonus categories like hardware stores, vet visits, or medical bills. If Capital One expands its lounge network, it could climb even higher on my list. The standard\u00a0Capital One Venture<\/a> is also a good lower-fee option at $95 with many of the same perks.<\/p>\n Annual fee:<\/strong> $395<\/p>\n Current sign-up bonus:<\/strong> 75,000 points<\/p>\n Explore current Capital One bonuses here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Related post:<\/strong> Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which One is Better?<\/a><\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t already considered business cards<\/a>, they\u2019re a great way to rack up points without paying much at all in annual fees (even if you don\u2019t have an established business yet and are just a freelancer!). Many of Chase\u2019s Ink cards<\/a> like the Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited have no annual fee, and you can hold multiple of them,\u00a0which you can\u2019t do for other popular credit cards like the Chase Sapphires.<\/p>\n Here are a few other words of wisdom to keep in mind as you figure out the best travel credit card for your needs:<\/p>\n Points players all create a plan that will keep them under Chase\u2019s 5\/24 rule: You can only be approved for five personal credit cards (from any issuer) within a 24-month period. If you\u2019re serious about earning points, track your cards and opening dates in a spreadsheet. Once you\u2019re close to that limit, consider applying for cards from other issuers, like American Express, while you wait for your Chase window to reset.<\/p>\n Contrary to popular belief, holding multiple credit cards will not damage your credit score if you do it right, including not having too many credit inquiries (or hard pulls) in a set amount of time as well as paying off your balance in full every statement cycle so you don\u2019t find yourself paying interest. I repeat: You should only play this game if you have good credit already and can pay off your credit cards monthly. Free travel is awesome, but there\u2019s nothing worth getting into credit card debt over!<\/p>\n Cards like the AmEx Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve<\/a> come with steep annual fees, but you can easily offset them by using every available benefit. For example, my AmEx Platinum gives me $1,200+ a year in credits and perks\u2014not including lounge access. Don\u2019t get these cards just for the points; get them if you\u2019ll actually use the perks. And be sure to check your card dashboard regularly for new monthly and quarterly offers to activate.<\/p>\n Most of the top travel cards include trip delay, cancellation and baggage insurance, so if you\u2019re stuck overnight or need a last-minute hotel, you can often get reimbursed. They also typically offer primary rental car and cell phone coverage, meaning if you book your travel with these cards and something goes wrong, you can file a claim for reimbursement.<\/p>\n Related Post:<\/strong> What to Do When Your Airbnb Host Cancels Last Minute<\/a><\/p>\n The best way to earn flexible, valuable points is through Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) and AmEx Membership Rewards (MR). UR points transfer 1:1 to airlines like Delta, Southwest, Air Canada, British Airways and United\u2014or you can redeem them directly through the UR portal (just cross-check prices on the airline\u2019s site first). MR points also have strong transfer partners, including Delta, Qantas, Virgin, Singapore Air, and hotel brands like Hilton and Marriott.<\/p>\n A long credit history helps boost your score, so keep older cards open when possible\u2014even with a $0 balance. For example, if you decide you\u2019d rather use the Chase Sapphire Reserv<\/a>e as your own Sapphire product, don\u2019t cancel the Preferred; call Chase to product change it to a no-fee Freedom card instead.<\/p>\n Sometimes, though, you\u2019ll need to cancel a card to re-qualify for a new bonus, assuming there\u2019s no lifelong language. Most issuers require 24 to 48 months between bonuses, for example the Southwest suite of Chase cards.<\/p>\n Co-branded cards like Sephora or Delta usually aren\u2019t worth using one of your limited credit slots. If you\u2019re a casual traveler without strong airline loyalty, flexible point cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or AmEx Platinum are a smarter choice since you can transfer points to multiple partners.<\/p>\n![\"Best](\"https:\/\/www.camelsandchocolate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Best-Travel-Credit-Cards-1.jpg)
Quick hits for best credit cards by traveler<\/h2>\n
A deep dive into the best travel credit cards<\/h2>\n
Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred<\/a><\/h3>\n
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Southwest Rapid Rewards Cards<\/a><\/h3>\n
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The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express<\/a><\/h3>\n
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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card<\/a><\/h3>\n
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A few other credit card tips<\/h2>\n
Know the 5\/24 rule<\/h3>\n
Having multiple cards alone will not hurt your credit<\/h3>\n
Use all the benefits and offers<\/h3>\n
Many cards offer insurance, so use it<\/h3>\n
Stay within a flexible points system<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t cancel cards, product change them instead<\/h3>\n
Co-branded cards often aren\u2019t worth it<\/h3>\n