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Consider factors like ongoing APR and balance transfer fee
Most Rewarding Balance Transfer Credit Cards for Travelers
Posted on May 2, 2023
Updated on May 2, 2023
The best 0% balance transfer credit cards are already rewarding because they offer an incredible promotional rate. But frankly, nobody wants to miss out on a chance to get rewards and use miles or points on an upcoming trip or to pay for some travel expenses. Below you will find out whether it is possible and well worth it.
Balance Transfer Credit Cards for Travel Rewards
Balance transfer credit cards can bring you lots of benefits. Moving your existing credit card balance to another card, ideally one with a lower interest rate, will essentially allow you to pay off your credit card debt more quickly and less costly. But if you're wondering whether a balance transfer will earn you miles, cash back, points or other rewards, the answer is no. A balance transfer is not considered as a purchase and does not earn rewards.
The cards below are some of the few balance transfer cards that offer an interest-free period and an opportunity to earn travel rewards on everyday spending, providing your credit limit is sufficient.
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Intro APR on Purchases
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Regular APR
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee
3% for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Annual Fee
$0
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Rates & Fees
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Intro APR on Purchases
N/A
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% (18 months)
Regular APR
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min).
Annual Fee
$0
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. - Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
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Intro APR on Purchases
0% (15 months)
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% (15 months)
Regular APR
18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min).
Annual Fee
$0
- Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
- Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 18.74% - 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
- The Citi Rewards+® Card - the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase - with no cap.
- No Annual Fee
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When choosing a balance transfer rewards card, you should know you don't earn rewards on the amount of a balance transfer. Besides, carrying a balance on your credit card can be precarious, as any amount you pay in fees or interest could wipe out the value of points or miles you earn.
The catch is that if you carry a balance from doing a balance transfer and do not pay off the minimum amount due each month, you may lose the card's introductory APR and grace period. The grace period is the time between the end of the credit card billing cycle and the due date of the bill (at least 21 days), when a cardholder does not have to pay interest on new purchases. The grace period only applies if you make minimum payments each month. If you don't, interest will be charged on any new spending right away, unless the new credit card to which balances are transferred has a 0% annual percentage on purchases.
So, if you do decide to apply for the card that offers balance transfers and rewards, but lacks intro APR on purchases, pay off the due balance first, and then use the card for your daily purchases to earn rewards. Below, we've picked up balance transfer cards with room to earn rebates.
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Intro APR on Purchases
0% (15 months)
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% (15 months)
Regular APR
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Annual Fee
$0
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025. - No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- No Annual Fee
- Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.
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Intro APR on Purchases
0% (15 months)
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% (15 months)
Regular APR
18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 min) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 min).
Annual Fee
$0
- Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
- Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 18.74% - 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
- The Citi Rewards+® Card - the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase - with no cap.
- No Annual Fee
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our choice
Intro APR on Purchases
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Regular APR
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee
3% for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Annual Fee
$0
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Rates & Fees
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Splitting Balance Transfer and Travel Rewards Credit Card
The best travel rewards credit cards can provide you with premium benefits and decent sign-up bonuses, while also saving you money. But in case you have exhausted the available limit on your travel rewards credit card, another go-to option is to pair the cards and apply for a balance transfer credit card. You can take advantage of the promotional 0% annual percentage rate on balance transfers to move your debt to a new card and temporarily avoid interest charges.
While the average APR on credit cards is currently over 20%, some of the best travel credit cards charge much higher regular interest rates. So, if you have an outstanding balance on your travel card at the end of your promotional interest-free period, the interest you have to pay each month can eat up all of your rewards. So, transferring your balance can be a great way to keep your rewards and earn more, since you'll have access to the full credit limit again.
Points to Keep in Mind
Most balance transfer cards offer zero interest for over a year. Some have a special financing period of up to 21 months. The longer this temporary interest-free window lasts, the more time you have to avoid costly credit card APRs. It's important to note each balance transfer card's regular APR, since your interest rate will eventually end to that rate after the intro APR offer ends.
One more thing to note is balance transfer fee. A common balance transfer fee ranges between 3 and 5 percent of the transfer amount. So, if you transfer your debt to a balance transfer card, you'll pay an extra sum in fees. There are relatively few cards on the market without balance transfer fees, but you still can find a few no-balance-transfer-fee options.
Additionally, there are some cards that offer an outstanding 0% intro APR on both balance transfers and purchases. This can help you finally manage your debt by transferring an existing balance and pay off your purchases at no interest.
Hence, don't miss out and take advantage of one of the credit cards offers from our partners above to pay less interest over time and rack up the rewards.
