As travel roared back in the wake of the pandemic, we saw all-time high welcome offers, new credit cards launched and incredible travel deals. We also saw airport meltdowns and flight delays as some struggled to carry the load of revenge travelers eager to get back to the skies.
It pays to plan ahead when it comes to travel, and the same holds true when considering what travel rewards cards will earn a spot in your wallet. Whether loyalty and status are a priority or you’re a free agent, we’ve hand-picked a few cards with the most potential to earn and redeem rewards for travel in 2024.
Best Travel Credit Cards for 2024
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
It’s hard to argue against the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as the best travel rewards card for anyone taking their first peek behind the travel rewards curtain. It comes with a respectable welcome offer: 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The card also earns 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. It does charge an annual fee of $95, but that’s negligible when considering the value of the welcome offer and benefits.
Redeeming points can result in decent to extraordinary value depending on how much time you invest in planning travel. Booking in the Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel portal is as simple as it gets, and your points go 25% further when booking through Chase. If you’ve heard stories of value so high it doesn’t seem real, that’s probably your savvy friends who are transferring to travel partners where the value of these points can be double and more. Expect this card to continue to be a mainstay for discerning travelers.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Up to 5x Reward Rate
Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases, plusRead More
Welcome Bonus
60,000 bonus points
Annual Fee
$95
Regular APR
21.49%-28.49% Variable
Credit Score
Excellent, Good (700 – 749)
Offering a rare mix of high rewards rates and redemption flexibility, this card is a dream for frequent spenders on travel & dining – while charging a modest annual fee.
- Earn high rewards on several areas of spending
- Transfer points to travel partners at 1:1 rate
- Many travel and shopping protections
- Annual fee
- No intro APR offer
- Best travel earning rates are only for bookings through Chase
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (rates & fees) is a relatively new kid on the premium card block. Since its launch, it’s proven to be a strong contender for the crowd looking for a card with premium travel perks and who don’t mind paying a higher annual fee to get them. Speaking of fees, the Venture X has one of the lowest fees among premium travel cards at $395, and it’s one of the easiest to offset with the bundle of benefits included with the card.
One unique benefit of the Venture X is the ability to easily redeem your points for a statement credit. Use this feature to cover the cost of travel purchases that you might not typically be able to use points for like Airbnb stays.
Other notable Venture X perks include a $300 annual travel credit, 10,000-anniversary bonus miles and an impressive lounge network that includes up-and-coming Capital One lounges. These perks, compared to the card’s annual fee, make it a keeper year over year.
Bilt World Elite Mastercard®
What the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® team has accomplished in a short amount of time since its launch in 2021 is impressive. Bilt’s brilliance is that it was designed as the only card we’re aware of on the market that allows renters to earn points when paying rent. The card doesn’t offer a welcome bonus but earns 1 point per dollar on rent payments without the transaction fee (on up to 100,000 points each calendar year), 3 points per dollar on dining, 2 points per dollar on travel (when booked through the Bilt Travel Portal or directly with an airline, hotel, car rental or cruise company), and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Bilt has compiled a coveted list of air and hotel transfer partners. The card offers 1:1 transfers to both American Airlines and Hyatt, two of the top programs for travel rewards. Bilt also offers regular games to help users earn even more points, and their rent day promos have offered off-the-charts opportunities to make your points go further. It should be fun to see how Bilt continues to innovate to add value to an already compelling rewards program.
Bilt World Elite Mastercard®
Up to 3x Reward Rate
1x on rent payments with no transaction fee (on up to 100,000 points each calendar year). 2x points on travelRead More
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
See terms
Credit Score
Good/Excellent (700 – 749)
Pay rent, earn rewards and use your earnings for travel. Sounds like a great way to maximize your rent money to us.
- Earn rewards on rent
- No annual fee
- Primary car rental and cell phone insurance
- Points can be transferred to partners
- Requires five card transactions per statement period to earn rewards
- No welcome bonus
- High regular APR range
- Rewards outside of rent spend are relatively low compared to other cards
- Earn points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period
- $0 annual fee
- 1x points on rent payments with no transaction fee (on up to 100,000 points each calendar year)
- 2x points on travel (when booked directly with an airline, hotel, car rental or cruise company)
- 3x points on dining
- Plus 1x points on other purchases
- Cell Phone Insurance
- Purchase Protection
- Mastercard® World Elite Concierge
- Lyft Credits
- No foreign currency conversion fee
- Rewards & benefits terms
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express (Terms apply. See rates & fees) has been a stalwart in the travel rewards card space, both in terms of travel and ancillary benefits. With an annual fee of $695, this card is best for frequent travelers who can take advantage of its many perks. The card includes a welcome bonus of 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases on the card in the first 6 months of card membership and earns 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.
While it may not be the strongest earning card, the Platinum card includes various annual credits: $200 hotel credit, $200 airline fee credit, $240 digital entertainment credit (up to $20 monthly), $189 CLEAR® Plus credit, $100 Saks credit, up to $300 Equinox credit when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription with your card and $155 Walmart+ credit. Enrollment required.
Cardholders also get access to over 1,400 airport lounges as part of the Amex Global Lounge Collection. Moving forward, Amex will continue to expand its signature Centurion lounge footprint, with openings scheduled for Washington, D.C. (DCA), Atlanta (ATL) and Newark, NJ (EWR). Expect fewer crowds next year since Amex tightened restrictions for lounge access, and guests are no longer free.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
5X Reward Rate
Earn 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and on flights booked directlyRead More
Welcome Bonus
Earn 80,000 points
Annual Fee
$695
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Credit Score
Excellent/Good (700 – 749)
The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card’s staggering annual fee is well justified.
- High reward potential on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel
- Multiple credits can help justify the fee
- Comprehensive airport lounge access
- Luxury travel benefits and elite status with Hilton and Marriott with enrollment
- Very high annual fee
- Maximizing the statement credits takes some work and could be unworkable for many
- Reward rate outside of travel is sub-par for a premium card
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
- $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
- Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Will Wells Fargo Add Transfer Partners and Travel Rewards?
Rumor has it Wells Fargo intends to enter the transfer partner space in the near future. This perk is expected to be available for its points-based cards. That includes the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card but not the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. While we don’t know what airline and hotel transfer partners might be included, if the structure is anything like the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® partnerships, things could get interesting.
With the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card’s strong earning potential in popular categories, this card could become a daily driver in your wallet. The Autograph card currently earns 3 points per dollar at restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Another signal that Wells Fargo intends to enter the travel rewards space is a Priority Pass landing page for yet-to-be-announced Wells Fargo Business cards. Wells Fargo’s business credit cards webpage promises new cards will be coming soon, but no word on those yet.
More competition in the travel rewards space usually means a win for consumers. We may see competitors sweeten rewards and welcome offers to maintain their market share of customers when Wells Fargo enters the scene.
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Up to 3X Reward Rate
Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up – like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streamingRead More
Welcome Bonus
30,000 bonus points
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR thereafter
Credit Score
Good, Excellent (700 – 749)
Earning 3 points per dollar spent on a wide range of spending—including restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit and popular streaming services—for no annual fee, the Wells Fargo Autograph is a powerhouse.
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fee
- Introductory APR period
- Plentiful reward points categories
- Protections include cell phone insurance
- Balance transfer fee
- No introductory balance transfer APR
- No travel transfer partners
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Limited time offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $300 cash redemption value.
- Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up – like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
- Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).
- Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
- Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world’s most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge.
Co-Branded Cards
Co-branded cards are those issued by banks in partnership with an airline or hotel. These cards can be valuable for working toward things like earning status with your preferred airline or hotel.
Amex has made significant changes to several of its co-branded cards. Recent devaluations to Delta and Hilton Amex cards might signal a similar fate for other Amex co-branded cards.
Additional trends with co-branded cards are increases in annual fees, more restrictions for lounge access and elevated requirements to work toward status.
After countless opportunities to earn elite status with loyalty programs in the aftermath of the pandemic, programs seem to be adopting the philosophy that if everyone is elite, then no one is elite. This means that you might need to spend more on co-branded cards to gain elite status with a respective loyalty program in the future.
What To Expect Looking Forward
New and Improved Airport Lounges From Credit Cards
One exciting development as we move toward a new year is seeing banks open more lounges. Amex Centurion lounges are about to get more competition as Capital One and Chase prepare to launch additional namesake lounges soon.
Capital One currently operates lounges in Dallas (DFW) and Washington D.C. (IAD), with another recently opened in Denver (DEN). Access to these lounges is complimentary for Venture X and Venture X Business* cardholders, and Venture and Spark Miles cardholders get two visits per year. Capital One lounges are among the top domestic lounges available, with hot food, complimentary cocktails and even to-go food and beverage options.
Not to be outdone, Chase recently entered the lounge space. Chase first opened a Sapphire Terrace lounge in Austin, TX (AUS). It’s more lounge lite, but it includes a small indoor seating area with minimal complimentary food and drink options and a large outdoor patio overlooking the runways. The first legitimate lounges from Chase opened in Boston (BOS) and Hong Kong (HKG) and were met with rave reviews. Since then, Chase has announced Sapphire lounges coming soon to Las Vegas (LAS), New York City (LGA), Philadelphia (PHL), Phoenix (PHX) and San Diego (SAN). Cardholders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, JP Morgan Reserve Card* and Ritz-Carlton (no longer available for applications) cards get complimentary access to Chase lounges.
For free agents who don’t pursue status with any airline that might grant them lounge access, these cards open new avenues to find a respite outside airline-specific lounges.
Unbundling of Credit Card Benefits
You may have heard of airlines unbundling fees and charging passengers for things like bags, seats and boarding positions. It seems credit card companies have taken notice of the added revenue unbundling brings and are primed to take a similar approach to card benefits.
Amex recently revamped the benefits on the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*. Now, Amex requires you to jump through more hoops to get the full value of the $200 flight credit. Cardholders can only get the maximum value if they use up to $50 each quarter through the year, up to $200. This will likely lead to more breakage, which benefits credit card companies.
The Value of Points and Miles
As the saying goes, the only thing certain is death and taxes, but it seems fair to add devaluations to that list. Travel rewards are big business, and generally, the value of your points and miles will go down over time.
Most often, these devaluations look like increases in the amount of points it takes to book hotel rooms and flights. So, the lesson here is: Don’t sleep on a pile of points if you plan to use them for travel. Instead, make a plan for your points and spend them if you’ve got them.
We do not anticipate travel rewards coming to an end despite recent efforts to pass the Credit Card Competition Act.
Bottom Line
Peak revenge travel may be behind us, but don’t expect things to grind to a halt. The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book reports that this year’s busy travel season represents the “last stage of pent-up demand for leisure travel from the pandemic era.” In the same report, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta saw a rise in business travel, possibly signaling a more significant return of road warriors. While no one knows for sure what travel will look like in the future, the benefits and perks from any one of the cards mentioned here can help take some of the stress out of your trips and offer a more pleasant experience overall.
Find the Best Travel Credit Cards For 2023
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To view rates and fees for Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.