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Top 5 March 2024 credit cards for travel

Days are getting longer, snow is melting and you already feel the lightest breath of warm breeze on your skin - spring is here. It's time to earn rewards towards your future travel that may be as soon as this summer. We picked the creme de la creme of travel rewards credit cards and made them compete against each other in a vicious fight of rewards and bonuses. Take a look at our candidates and see who won in the spring rewards race.

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Note that these offers are for GOOD & EXCELLENT credit only. For lower credit score offers click here

#1 credit card

#2 credit card

#3 credit card

#4 credit card

#5 credit card

Discover it® Miles Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Citi Premier® Card Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
apply now apply now apply now apply now apply now
on Discover's secure website
on Capital One's secure website
on Capital One's secure website
on Citi's secure website
on Capital One's secure website
Bonus Offer
UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers - only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earning Rewards
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
  • Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
  • Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
  • Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
  • Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
  • Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
  • Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Intro APR on Purchases
0% Intro APR (15 months)
0% intro on purchases (for 15 months)
N/A
N/A
N/A
Ongoing APR
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Annual Fee
apply now apply now apply now apply now apply now
on Discover's secure website
on Capital One's secure website
on Capital One's secure website
on Citi's secure website
on Capital One's secure website

How to choose a
travel credit card

A good travel credit card helps you save on travel by earning rewards that you can later use to get free flights or hotel stays. Some travel rewards credit cards can give you more benefits than just rewards. But before you choose the best recommended travel credit card, you should make sure it will be worth your time and money.

First of all, to get a decent travel rewards credit card, you should have good or excellent credit. If you have bad credit, you won't be able to get a worthy travel credit card. The second thing to consider is your spending habits, which are closely followed by travel habits. Many cards for travel do not give big rewards for everyday purchases. So consider where you spend most of your money and try to find a travel card that will offer high rewards rate in this category. Same with travel, if you do not travel much, look for a travel credit card that will reward you for your everyday purchases, not only for travel purchases.

And the last thing to consider is your preferences. Whether you want to pay an annual fee or not, or maybe you need some travel perks like lounge access or free checked bags, or TSA Precheck credit. Still, you should keep in mind that there may be no travel credit card out there that could give you everything you want. So you may need to compromise or get more than one travel credit card to achieve your goals.

Credit Score
Most travel cards are designed for people with good or excellent credit.
Rewards Bonus
A sign-up bonus can be enough for a one-way or even round-trip domestic flight.
Rewards Categories
A good travel card will offer rewards equal to at least 1.5% to 2% of your spending.
Annual Fee
Travel cards with no annual fee tend to have fewer perks than the ones with an annual fee.
Perks & Benefits
Many travel cards offer perks and benefits that come in especially handy as you travel.

Airline credit cards vs. travel credit cards

When it comes to choosing a travel credit card, you usually have to decide between a hotel credit card, airline credit card, or a travel rewards credit card. So basically you are presented with a choice between a co-branded credit card and a general travel rewards credit card.

Airline co-branded credit card

Airline credit cards bear the name of an airline and the issuing bank. Rewards earned with this type of card can usually be redeemed with that airline for flights. So you are basically restricted to one airline. If the airline has partners or a part of an airline alliance (like Oneworld, Star Alliance, or SkyTeam), you get more redemption options, but they are still limited. Airline credit cards can also give you exclusive perks like priority boarding, free checked bag, lounge access and some other perks.

Travel credit cards

General travel rewards credit cards are not co-branded with any airline and therefore can be used for various travel expenses, not only airfare. Travel rewards credit cards will either allow you to use points to book travel directly, by redeeming points for statement credits, or by transferring points to participating loyalty programs. Also, travel credit cards can allow cash redemptions, but they are usually least beneficial. Travel rewards credit cards may not offer some perks like priority boarding or free checked bag, but they may offer other perks like concierge service, travel protections, or no foreign transaction fees.

Airline credit cards are usually great for those who travel with one airline all the time. Also, this type of card will be most beneficial for those who fly two times a year or more often as the biggest rewards are earned on airfare. Travel rewards credit cards will be good for various travelers and even for those who fly only occasionally. The flexibility in redemption will give travelers the freedom to plan their trips choosing the cheapest flight as points can be redeemed with various airlines.

Pay attention to fees, perks, and restrictions

The most disappointing thing that may come with a travel credit card is rewards expiration. No one will want their earned miles to be expired. With airlines credit cards, miles may often expire in several years of inactivity. So, if you do not fly often, an airline credit card won't be the best travel credit card for you. In this case, you'd better consider a regular travel rewards credit card.

Fees are also unwelcome on travel cards, especially such fees as foreign transaction fees, redemption fees, or hefty annual fees. While most airline credit cards will charge you an annual fee, there are travel credit cards that do not charge an annual fee. Still, if a card offers benefits you often use and which otherwise would cost you a lot, having a travel credit card that offers this benefit for free can be worth paying the annual fee.

Foreign Transaction Fees
Look for a travel rewards credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees.
Rewards Expiration
If you do not travel often, look for a travel card with unlimited rewards that do not expire.
Blackout Dates
Loyalty is good, but it may mean a limited number of award seats you can book with your rewards.
Redemption Options
If you do not want to redeem for travel just yet, you should have other redemption options.
Cash Back
Sometimes you may want to simply turn your points or miles into cash without losing in value.

Let's compare
rewards credit cards BY MAIN FEATURES:

viewing 0-0 of 0
on Discover's secure website
#1 OFFER
on Capital One's secure website
on Capital One's secure website
on Citi's secure website
on Discover's secure website
on Capital One's secure website
on Citi's secure website
on Capital One's secure website
Intro APR on Purchases
0% Intro APR (15 months)
N/A
N/A
N/A
0% Intro APR (15 months)
0% intro on purchases (for 15 months)
0% (15 months)
N/A
Intro APR on Balance Transfers
0% Intro APR (15 months)
N/A
N/A
N/A
0% Intro APR (15 months)
0% intro on balance transfers (for 15 months)
0% (15 months)
N/A
Ongoing APR
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
30.74% (Variable)
Foreign Transaction Fee
None
None
None
0%
None
None
3%
No
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Balance Transfer Fee applies to balances transferred at a promotional rate
Balance Transfer Fee applies to balances transferred at a promotional rate
5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Balance transfer fee applies
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Balance Transfer Fee applies to balances transferred at a promotional rate
Bonus Offer
UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers - only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
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.
Max Rewards
1.5x Miles per dollar on all purchases
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
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.
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Rewards on Everyday Purchases
1.5x Miles per dollar on all purchases
2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
1.25X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Earn 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
Rewards Expiration
Rewards never expire.µ
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earnµ
Points do not expire provided your account is active and in good standingµ
Rewards never expire.µ
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Your rewards will never expire as long as your account remains open.µ
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Redemption Options
Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel. Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Redeem ThankYou® Points for gift cards, travel rewards, shop with points and moreµ
Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel. Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Redeem your points for cash back as a statement credit, direct deposit or check. Or explore other ways to redeem points including for gift cards, travel and Shop with Points at Amazon.comµ
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel. Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Additional Benefits
Redeem Miles as a statement credit to pay for your travel purchases — hotel rooms, rental cars, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants & more with no blackout dates. Or get cash to spend as you please.µ
  • 24-Hour Travel Assistance Servicesµ
  • Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiverµ
  • Travel Accident Insuranceµ
  • Transfer Your Milesµ
  • Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip optionsµ
  • Unlimited access to Capital One Lounges and over 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges worldwideµ
  • Booking with Capital One Travelµ
  • Transfer miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programsµ
  • Travel Accident Insuranceµ
  • Get insider access to premium dining, entertainment and sports experiencesµ
Enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more excluding taxes and fees through thankyou.com, once per calendar yearµ
N/A
  • Emergency Card Replacementµ
  • Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiverµ
  • Travel Accident Insuranceµ
  • Transfer Your Milesµ
N/A
  • Emergency Card Replacementµ
  • Capital One Loungeµ
  • Transfer Your Milesµ
Customer Service
100% U.S. - based customer service available any time.µ
24/7 Customer Serviceµ
24/7 Customer Serviceµ
Citi® Concierge experts are ready 24/7 to assist you with your travel, shopping, dining, entertainment, and everyday needs.µ
100% U.S. - based customer service available any time.µ
24/7 Customer Serviceµ
Citi® Concierge experts are ready 24/7 to assist you with your travel, shopping, dining, entertainment, and everyday needs.µ
24/7 Customer Serviceµ
Card Network
DISCOVER
Visa®
Visa®
Mastercard®
DISCOVER
Mastercard®
Mastercard®
Mastercard®

Alternatives to travel credit cards for bad credit

People with bad credit won't be able to get a decent travel credit card. However, they still have options. First of all, those who are loyal to one or two airlines and fly at least once a year can join the airline's loyalty program. That is not the fastest way to accumulate miles towards free flights, but still, you can get something. And the second option is to get a cash back credit card. Today it's even possible to find a secured credit card with cash back rewards. So, you can save at least 1% back on travel and other everyday purchases.

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