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News: Best Credit Cards That Waive the First Year Annual Fee in 2026 - Credit-Land.com

When you start looking at travel rewards credit cards and premium credit cards, high annual fees may scare you off. It's hard to know if the rewards and benefits of your new card are worth the cost. However, there is a way to experience a premium credit card without any out-of-pocket costs, so you can understand if it's a good fit for you.

Many rewards credit cards come with waived annual fees for the first year. This will allow you to test the card's features and decide whether you want to commit yourself to paying the fee. Below we picked the top first year free credit cards for travel. These cards waive the annual fee for the first year so you can make a carefully weighed decision if the card is worth it.

Three travel credit cards that waive the annual fee:

  • Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®: the credit card waives the annual fee for the first 12 months, and it will be $99 after that. Benefits you get with the card: a welcome bonus offer, first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights, and 25% savings on American Airlines in-flight Wi-Fi.
  • United℠ Explorer Card: the card's annual fee is a bit higher - $150 annual fee - but it is $0 for the first year. Benefits you get with the card include a welcome bonus offer, free first checked bag (terms apply), priority boarding on United® flights, two United Club passes per year, and partner credits, including Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit.
  • Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card*: the annual fee for this card is also $150, and it is waived for the first year. Card benefits include a welcome bonus offer, Delta flight credit, partner credits, first checked bag free, baggage insurance plan, 20% back on in-flight purchases, and more.

Travel credit cards with annual fees tend to offer better rewards rates and benefits that can help you offset the cost of the card. However, it is often hard to decide whether you will be able to enjoy the benefits of the card and make it worth the fee. That's why trying a credit card with a $0 introductory annual fee can help you to make the decision.

*The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Credit-Land.com: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. Credit-Land.com does not receive commission for this product.

tags : Credit Card Benefits Fees Travel Credit Cards

Disclaimer: This editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the banks or credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of the banks or credit card issuer(s), and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the banks or credit card issuer(s). Reasonable efforts are made to present accurate info, however all info is presented without warranty. Consult with the issuing bank of the card or account for terms & conditions.
All rates and fees, and other terms and conditions of the products mentioned in this article/post are accurate as of the last update date but are subject to change. See the current products' Terms & Conditions on the issuing banks' websites.