Welcome to our monthly roundup of the best travel credit cards! Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just getting started on your points and miles journey, having the right travel credit card in your wallet can make all the difference. From generous sign-up bonuses to accelerated point earnings on everyday spending, these cards can help you unlock amazing opportunities and get you to travel more with points and miles. It’s easy.
In this guide, you’ll find the best overall travel credit cards, best no-annual-fee travel credit cards, the best business travel credit cards and the best airline travel credit cards. We’ll show you how these cards can help you earn points and miles faster, enjoy perks like airport lounge access and free checked bags, and even gain valuable protections like travel insurance.
This expanded introduction provides more context and a welcoming tone, ensuring your readers understand the value they’ll get from the post and feel excited to explore the recommendations.
Best All-Around Travel Credit Cards for October 2024
Sign up offer: 60,000 after spending $4,000 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 5x on travel booked via Chase, 3x dining and groceries
Annual Fee: $95
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is an excellent choice for those getting into the travel hacking game. This card is easy to use, decent sign up offer and a variety of travel transfer partners. With 3X on dining and groceries, it allows cardholders to earn rewards quickly.
Sign up offer: 60,000 after spending $4,000 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 10x on travel booked via Chase, 3x dining and groceries
Annual Fee: $550
Chase Sapphire Reserved
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Chase Sapphire Reserve is an excellent choice for frequent travelers due to its generous rewards structure, $300 annual travel credit that offsets its high fee, and lounge access. However, this card is geared towards those who travel more than twice a year. Overall, it’s perfect for those who can fully leverage its benefits.
Sign up offer: 60,000 after spending $6,000 in 6 months
Earning Rate: 4x on dining and groceries
Annual Fee: $325
American Express Gold
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The American Express Gold Card is ideal for food lovers and travelers, offering 4X points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year). With up to $240 in annual dining and Uber credits, it significantly reduces the annual fee, making it a valuable choice for those who can maximize its benefits. With 20 hotel and airline transfer partners, this card should be in your arsenal.
Sign up offer: 80,000 after spending $8,000 in 6 months
Earning Rate: 5x on flights, 1x on everything else
Annual Fee: $695
American Express Platinum
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The American Express Platinum Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who value luxury perks. It offers extensive airport lounge access, including the premium Centurion Lounges. This card comes with over $1,500 of credits that can offset the annual fee. The card also provides elite status with hotel chains, comprehensive travel protections, and the ability to earn 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels, making it ideal for those who prioritize premium travel experiences and can maximize its array of benefits.
Sign up offer: 75,000 after spending $4,000 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 5x on booking travel through Capital One, 2x all others
Annual Fee: $95
Capital One Venture Rewards
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is an excellent choice for those seeking a straightforward travel rewards experience. It offers a high flat-rate of 2X miles on all purchases. The card also provides flexible redemption options, allowing you to use miles for any travel purchase or transfer to airline partners. With a generous sign-up bonus and travel perks like a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, it’s ideal for occasional travelers who want to maximize rewards without the complexity of some premium travel cards.
Sign up offer: 75,000 after spending $4,000 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 10x hotels and rental cards booked via Capital One, 5x flights booked via Capital One
Annual Fee: $395
Capital One Venture X Rewards Card
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who want premium benefits. The card also provides valuable perks like airport lounge access. It offers a generous rewards structure with 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, along with a $300 annual travel credit, Global Entry credit, and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles. With these benefits easily offsetting the $395 annual fee, it’s ideal for those seeking a balance of luxury travel perks and straightforward rewards earning.
Sign up offer:75,000 after spending $4,000 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 10x on travel booked with Citi, 3x on dining, groceries and gas stations
Annual Fee: $95
Citi Strata Premier
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Citi Strata Premier Card is ideal for earning generous rewards on gas station purchases. It also offers 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through Citi Travel, and 3X points on air travel. With a $100 annual hotel credit and valuable travel protections, it provides great value for its $95 annual fee. However, Citi has limited redemption options compared to Chase, Amex and Capital One.
Best No-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Cards for October 2024
Sign up offer: $150 after spending $500 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 5% on travel booked via Chase, 3% dining and drug stores, 1.5% on everything else
Annual Fee: $0
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great cash back card. But there’s more. Pair this card with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserved and convert the cash back into Chase Ultimate Rewards. It’s an excellent one two punch to maximize your Ultimate Rewards.
Sign up offer: None
Earning Rate: 3x on dining, 2x on travel, 1x on everything else
Annual Fee: $0
Bilt Mastercard
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Bilt Mastercard is an excellent choice for renters who want to earn rewards on rent payments without transaction fees. It offers 1X points on rent (up to 100,000 points annually), 3X on dining, and 2X on travel, with no annual fee. The card also provides valuable travel protections, flexible point redemption options, and a unique “Rent Day” promotion for elevated bonus earnings and transfer bonuses. Even for non-renters, its competitive rewards structure and benefits make it a solid option for everyday spending and travel rewards.
Best Business Travel Credit Cards for October 2024
Sign up offer: 90,000 after spending $8,000 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 3x on travel, Internet, cable and phone services, shipping
Annual Fee: $95
Chase Business Ink Preferred
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card is a great option for small business owners seeking to maximize rewards on spending. It offers a substantial sign-up bonus of 90,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first three months, potentially worth up to $1,250 in travel (or more). With 3X points on key business expenses like travel and advertising, plus valuable travel protections and no foreign transaction fees, it’s ideal for businesses with significant operational costs.
Sign up offer: 100,000 after spending $15,000 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 4x on top two spending categories each month
Annual Fee: $375
American Express Business Gold
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The American Express Business Gold Card is ideal for business owners with diverse expenses, offering 4X points on the top two spending categories each billing cycle (up to $150,000 annually). With a generous welcome bonus, statement credits for common business costs, and no foreign transaction fees, it provides significant value despite its $375 annual fee. This card is especially beneficial for those who can maximize rewards in key spending areas and travel. Watch for elevated offers.
Best Airline Travel Credit Cards for October 2024
Sign up offer: 75,000 after spending $4,000 in 3 months, 25,000 more after spending $20,000 in a year
Earning Rate: 3x on groceries
Annual Fee: $95
Aeroplan Credit Card
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The Chase Aeroplan Credit Card is a good choice to stock up points with Aeroplan and their flexible point redemption options. It offers 3X points on grocery stores, dining, and Air Canada purchases. The card provides automatic Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for new cardmembers, a $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, and no foreign transaction fees. With an elevated offer of 75k and up to 100k and Aeroplan airline partners, these points could go a long way.
Sign up offer: 85,000 Avios after spending $5,000 in 3 months
Earning Rate: 3x on flights on British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus
Annual Fee: $95
Chase British Airway Visa Signature Card
Pros:Cons:
Our Take: The British Airways Visa Signature Card is ideal for stocking up on Avios. The current offering is 85,000 Avios after spending $5,000 in the first three months. It earns 3X Avios on British Airways and partner purchases. Avios, the point and miles currency of British Airways, is also used by Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qartar Airways and Finnair. The Avios earned on this card can be transfered to any one of these airlines.
How to Choose the Best Travel Credit Card for You
When selecting a travel credit card, consider factors like the type of traveler you are, your spending habits, and the destinations you frequent. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Conclusion:
Each of these cards has unique advantages for different types of travelers. As of October 2024, these are the top options to help you earn points and miles, unlock travel perks, and maximize the value of your trips. Be sure to check back next month for updated recommendations!
