There are so many travel rewards cards choosing the right card can be confusing. These are the top 5 travel rewards cards you should have in your wallet.
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Top 5 Travel Rewards Cards
These are my favorite travel rewards cards. If you had to only choose 5 credit cards, these are the cards you should get. The rewards you earn from most of these cards are transferable to many airlines and hotels. This means you have more options for free flights, hotels, and more!
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt and stay for free at hotels like the Park Hyatt Maldives
If you want to earn points that can be used for free flights and hotel rooms, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card card.
I’ve transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United to fly First Class on Lufthansa. I’ve also transferred them to Hyatt to stay at various hotels during my Quasi-Round the World Trip.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve gives you:
- 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
- $300 annual travel credit
- 10x points on hotels and car rentals booked through the Chase travel portal (3x points when booked direct)
- 5x points on airfare booked through the Chase portal (3x points when booked direct)
- 1x points on every $1 spent everywhere else
- $100 application fee credit for Global Entry
- Free Priority Pass Select membership (free airport lounge access)
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer on a 1:1 ratio to participating airlines and hotels
- No foreign transaction fees
- $550 annual fee (not waived the first year)
If you want similar benefits but a lower annual fee ($95) you should get the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred you get 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase travel portal (2X booked direct), 3x on dining, earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points that transfer on a 1:1 ratio to participating airlines and hotels, and no foreign transaction fees.
Check out my post on how to get into every airport lounge.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Transfer Membership Rewards points and fly First Class on Etihad
You can earn Membership Rewards points with The Platinum Card® from American Express. These points can be redeemed for airline tickets and hotel rooms.
Transfer Membership Rewards points to Etihad and you could shower on your flight.
With the Platinum Card from American Express you get:
- 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of opening your account
- 5x Membership Rewards points on up to $500,000 a year in purchases of flights booked with the airline or through American Express Travel
- 5x Membership Rewards points when you prepay and book hotels through American Express Travel
- 1x Membership Rewards points on all purchases
- $200 yearly statement credit when booking hotels through Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection
- Access to Fine Hotels & Resorts (free breakfast, upgrades, and more)
- Free entrance to Centurion Lounges
- $200 airline fee credit each year
- Free Priority Pass Select membership (free airport lounge access)
- $200 yearly Uber credit and Uber VIP status
- Free Marriott Gold elite status
- $179 CLEAR credit each year
- $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Free Hilton Honors Gold elite status
- $240 yearly credit for digital subscriptions like The New York Times, Audible, Peacock, and SiriusXM
- $300 Equinox credit ($25 a month)
- $100 yearly Saks credit ($50 every 6 months)
- No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
- $695 annual fee (not waived the first year) (see rates and fees)
- Terms apply
If you have a business, you can also get the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Many of the benefits are similar to the Platinum Card from American Express. But you get a higher welcome offer/bonus, $400 Dell credit, and $150 Adobe credit. You don’t get the Uber and Saks credits, and the annual fee is $695. (see rates and fees)
You get 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of having the American Express Business Platinum Card. Terms Apply.
Citi AAdvantage Executive Card
American Airlines miles can be used to fly on Cathay Pacific
If you fly on American Airlines or one of their many partner airlines like Cathay Pacific, Etihad, and British Airways, you should consider getting the Citi AAdvantage Executive card. Search for airline rewards cards.
You can use American Airlines miles for a free trip to Hawaii.
The Citi AAdvantage Executive card gives you:
- 80,000 American Airlines miles after spending $5,500 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening
- 4x miles on American Airline flights and purchases through December 31, 2022. Then 2x miles.
- 1x mile on every $1 spent
- Free checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions
- Priority check-in and priority boarding for up to 8 travel companions
- Free Admirals Club membership
- $100 application fee credit for Global Entry
- Earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after spending $40,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- No foreign transaction fees
- $450 annual fee (not waived the first year)
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Redeem your miles from your Capital One Venture Rewards card to pay for travel expenses like snorkeling
Photo courtesy: Pixabay
Confused by which points transfer to what airlines or hotels? Want a card that’s easy to get free travel? Then you should get the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
With the Capital One Venture Rewards card using your miles for free travel is simple and convenient. Make a travel-related purchase then use your miles to for statement credit. Which means your activities in cities like Vienna will be free! You can also redeem your miles for cashback.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United Airlines, then book a flight on Lufthansa
If you’re looking for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee, you should get the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card.
You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt hotels and stay for free in Hawaii.
With the Chase Freedom Unlimited you get:
- $200 cash back after spending $500 in the first 3 months
- 5% cash back at grocery stores the first 12 months up to $12,000
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points that transfer on a 1:1 ratio to participating airlines and hotels when you transfer to your Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred account
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
Conclusion
Just starting out with travel rewards cards? Not sure which cards to get? These are the top 5 travel rewards you should have in your wallet:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
- The Platinum Card from American Express or The Business Platinum Card from American Express
- Citi AAdvantage Executive – search airline rewards cards
- Capital One Venture Rewards credit card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
You can use the points you earn from these cards to get free flights and hotels rooms. With some of these cards, you can get free airport lounge access.
Which are your top 5 travel rewards cards?
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Alli
Wednesday 27th of December 2017
I’ve heard so much about Chase Sapphire! Unfortunately, I don’t think that one or any of the others are offered in Canada! But as I don’t have any kind of reward cards, this post certainly inspires me to look into what options I do have! :)
Elena
Wednesday 27th of December 2017
This list is very helpful. I never had a travel card, but I am very interested in getting one, considering that I travel a lot throughout the year. Thanks for the info, I will definitely look into all of these in more detail.
Lauren
Tuesday 26th of December 2017
I'm not sure that I can take advantage of any of these as a Canadian. But I love my Capital One World Aspire credit card because I collect lots of travel points on it! I get quite a few free flights out of it every year :) I keep hearing great things about that Chase Sapphire one though. Thanks for explaining all the perks!
Sandy N Vyjay
Tuesday 26th of December 2017
Reward cards are really useful and this is a good list. However in spite of all our travels we have not fully utilized our reward points. This is because we do not stick to the same airlines or hotel chains. One card that we have been using regularly is the Citibank card. With the onset of 2018 we hope to better plan our travels and capitalize on the advantages of these reward cards.
Nisha
Tuesday 26th of December 2017
Reward cards are so useful. These are perhaps some of the best. We don't have any of these in India but there are other alternatives. Only this summer I used up my card to get us a couple of tickets from India to Europe and back.