Updated: February 3rd, 2024 | Posted by:Â Grace Kim
From increased popularity and demand, there’s been a handful of what seems to be, the best travel credit cards to sign up for in 2023. As banks continue to release the newest and hottest travel credit cards with the juiciest sign up bonuses, which travel credit cards should you sign up for in 2023?
When I gave in my two weeks at the end of 2019, I bought a one way flight to San Francisco. Well, or should I say, I booked a one way flight to San Francisco on credit card points.
“How are you able to travel months at a time? Is someone funding your trips? How do you make money while traveling? How do you afford travel so much?”, continue to be the most common questions I’ve been receiving since the beginning of my travels.
According to Zippia, 83% of Americans own at least one credit card. Which means that 83% of Americans are earning some type of cash back rewards with a high chance that they’ve heard about the larger, credit card points and miles ecosystem.
Months prior to my flight to San Francisco, I’ve stacked up multiple credit card sign up bonuses since they didn’t expire and due to limited PTO hours. Until I officially took off, I didn’t realize how much I prepared myself in case I couldn’t afford to fly, which came in handy since I didn’t know how long I’d survive traveling alone for.
So how do you start? Which credit card do you start off with? In this blog post, I won’t be covering my step-by-step process but instead, will be sharing my favorite and best travel credit cards to sign up for in 2023. However, if you’re curious to learn more, be the first to know by signing up for my newsletter when I release my Full Points & Miles Utilization Guide, teaching you how to travel the world for free on points.
Disclaimer: This blog post features some affiliate links, which I receive a small commission from, but at no extra cost to you. It’s one way I’m able to continue sharing my insights as resources for my readers. Learn more about my privacy policy here. Thank you for your support!
Digital Currencies
There are so many ways to not pay full price for travel. Yes, when I first started traveling, I was paying full price for most things, such as flights, hotels, and rental cars. But overtime, I’ve picked up travel tips and “hacks” along the way, making me to realize that traveling actually doesn’t have to be as expensive as it seems.
Commonly, I’d get comments like “oh, so you must be rich if you travel so much” and “your parents are probably paying for all your trips.”
Wrong. While I may be rich in experiences, this is a valid, common misconception. But as we’re on the topic of money, there are three currencies to understand. And no, crypto is not one of them.
Credit card points, Airline miles and points, and hotel loyalty points.
Maximizing multiple credit card points and miles systems, free room upgrades from hotel loyalty programs, or not paying for luggage fees because your credit cards benefits. Yes, these programs are out there and although they sound intimidating, keep reading because they served as one of the biggest catalysts to how I’ve been able to travel for free.
There’s a lot to teach but for now, let’s fast forward and dive into which credit cards are the best for travel, and which travel credit card may be the best one for you to sign up today.
Reviewing the Best Travel Credit Cards in 2023
Breaking it down from the best cards for travel points to the best cards for earning miles, lets go through some of the most valued travel cards that’ll get you that next free trip.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
If you’re looking for the best travel credit card to earn miles, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a pretty optimal choice for starters. Especially if you’re not in a rush to travel anywhere anytime soon, this is the best time to sign up, reach minimum spend and receive a solid welcome bonus. Then, when you’re ready to book, you’ll have enough points that’ll bring you closer to a cheaper, if not, free flight.
Overview
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening (equivalent to $750 in travel; up to $1,275 when maximized through transfer partners)
- Annual fee: $95
- APR: 19.99% – 26.99% (Variable)
- Credit Score: 750-850
Travel Benefits
What’s special about the Capital One Venture Reward Card is that unlike other reward cards, you’re not forced to book travel rewards through a travel portal to redeem miles. Instead, you’re able to pay off your travel-related transactions directly off your statement balance. This is perfect in instances where if you’ve forgotten to book your flight with miles, you’d be able to pay it off with miles instead. Flexibility is what we like to hear, isn’t it? With the Capital One Venture Reward Card, here are other flexible perks:
- Unlimited 5 miles per $1 on hotels and flights booked through Capital One Travel
- 2 miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
- 2 lounge visits per year to Capital One Lounges (100+ locations)
- Hertz Five Star Status
- $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- No foreign transaction fees
From earning unlimited miles on flights to having access to exclusive lounges, what I love most about this card is that if you happen to to have a flight booked and see a price drop within 10 days, you can get up to $50 in travel credit for the difference. Considering that it can be likely to see price drops with flights, this is a great benefit that will cut costs on your next trip.
>> Sign up for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Trifecta
Let’s take a step back and look at Capital One’s credit card trifecta. If you’re familiar with Chase’s Trifecta (Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Freedom Flex, and Chase Freedom Unlimited), then you’ll find Capital One’s Trifecta just as exciting.
If you know that you’re looking to book a getaway in a few months, it’s probably a good time to search for your very next credit card for bookings. Similarly, although the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card card provides the same incentive sign up bonus to that of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, here are the main differences that may steer you to choose one from the other.
| Card | Capital One Venture X | Capital One Venture | Capital One VentureOne |
| Annual fee | $395 | $95 | $0 |
| Welcome bonus | 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening (equivalent to $750 in travel; up to $1,275 when maximized through transfer partners) | 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening (equivalent to $750 in travel; up to $1,275 when maximized through transfer partners) | 40,000 miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening (equivalent to $400 in travel) |
| Benefits | – Unlimited 2 miles per dollar on most purchases – 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel – 10 miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel | – 10 miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars when booked through Capital One Travel – Unlimited 5 miles per $1 on hotels and flights booked through Capital One Travel – 2 miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases | – Unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on most purchases – 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None | None |
Earning at least 1.25 miles per dollar on Capital One’s lowest tier credit card within the trifecta still offers a really great incentive. Even if you’re not planning a trip anytime soon, stacking up everyday expenses will add up quicker than you think. Use those points for your next trip and add it to your collection of best travel credit cards.
>> Sign up for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card is a solid choice, as it’s been a highly recommended travel rewards card for years. From earning 5x per points on travel to having complimentary access to services like DashPass, this card is a popular choice for both starters and avid users alike.
Overview
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening ($750 when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards; up to $1,560 when maximized through transfer partners)
- Annual fee: $95
- APR: 19.74% – 26.75% (Variable)
- Credit Score: 690-750
Travel Benefits
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a solid, mid-tier card card whether you travel monthly or twice a year. And as the perks and benefits seem too hard to ignore, here’s why this card should be in your wallet today:
- $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
- 5 points per $1 spent on travel purchases through Ultimate Rewards
- 3 points per $1 spent on dining
- 2 points per $1 spent on all other travel purchases
- 5 points per $1 spent on Lyft (through March 2025)
- 10% bonus points after every account anniversary from total purchases made the previous year
- 1:1 transfer partners
Of an accumulation of a high sign up bonus and highly-valued points, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is not only a great travel card, but it’s also a solid card for everyday purchases. With unique benefits, such as earning high rewards with Lyft and earning 10% bonus points each year, I know that I’ll be making up for the $95 annual fee in no time.
>> Sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
>> Sign up for the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
American Express Platinum Credit Card
Having a premium credit card in your wallet may seem like a flex, but is it worth paying hundreds of dollars to keep every year?
From ongoing debates, is the American Express Platinum Card really all the hype? An annual fee of $695 is a lot of money but if used correctly, the real question should be, how quickly can you make up for the annual fee?
Overview
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first 6 months from account opening (equivalent to $800 in travel; up to $1,600 when maximized through transfer partners)
- Annual fee: $695
- APR for Pay Over Time: 20.24% – 27.24% (Variable)
- Credit Score: 690-850
Travel Benefits
There seems to be hesitation signing up for this card simply because “a lot of places don’t take AmEx” and because “it’s not a good international credit card”. This may be true in some but definitely not all cases. While traveling Korea, the only credit card I used was my American Platinum Card and believe it or not, I ran into more instances where I couldn’t pay with a MasterCard.
Prior to Korea, I traveled across Southeast Asia, where I barely had the opportunity to use my Amex cards; however, wasn’t limited to using all benefits. Laying out all the perks and benefits available in the U.S.:
@gracefkim Is this free money or what? 💳#amexplatinum #creditcards #americanexpress #amexplatinumcard #creditcardpoints #creditcardrewards #travelcreditcard
♬ Talking to the Moon – Bruno Mars
- $200 Uber Cash ($15 per month + plus a $20 bonus in December)
- $200 Airline Fee Credit
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit (up to $20 per month on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, and more)
- Up to a $300 statement credit when purchasing one SoulCycle at-home bike (up to 15 bikes per calendar year)
- $155 Walmart+ Credit (both online and in-store)
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Delta Sky Clubs on same-day Delta flights, and Airspace and Escape lounges
- $100 Credit at Saks Fifth Ave ($50 semi-annual statement credits)
- $200 Hotel Credit (2 day minimum booking)
- $189 with Clear (free membership, available at 45+ airport locations nationwide)
- Resy Global Dining Access
- Up to three authorized users for a $175 fee
- Point transfers to 20+ airline and hotel partners
- Complimentary memberships at Hertz Hold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive
- 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
>> Sign up for the American Express Platinum Credit Card
Understanding that it may be difficult to utilize all the offered benefits, if you travel at least 3x per year, the $695 annual fee may just be worth it. From taking an Uber to get to the airport to having access to 1,300+ airport lounges, you’ve already knocked out a fraction of the annual spend.
There may be some perks used quicker than others and some that may not even be used at all but if there’s a subscription you’ve been eyeing or an international trip that you’ve been wanting to plan, these benefits make paying for the annual fee worth it.
From the amount of earning potential this premium travel credit card has to offer, do note that not all perks and benefits can be redeemed outside of the U.S., like the Uber credits. However, my sister was able to register my credit card under her Uber account and utilized those points in the meantime.
Citi Premier Credit Card
Ranging across a variety of bonus spend categories, the Citi Premier Credit Card is a close competitor to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. With an attractive sign up bonus, although Citi Premier’s point redemptions aren’t as strong compared to that of Chase’s, it’s one of the best cards to earn for everyday spend.
Overview
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening (equivalent to $800 in travel; up to $1,360 when maximized through transfer partners)
- Annual fee: $95
- APR: 19.74% – 27.74%
- Credit Score: 670-850
Travel Benefits
Whether you’re looking to get a travel or an everyday card, the Citi Premier Card offers high reward bonuses, making it an extremely versatile card with these included benefits:
- $100 annual hotel savings (book a single hotel stay of $500 or more and get $100 off when booked through thankyou.com)
- $800 redeemable gift cards from 80,000 points at thankyou.com
- Shop with points at participating online merchants, such as Amazon and BestBuy
- Easy points transfer to loyalty programs like JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Singapore Airlines
- 3 points per $1 at supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations
- 3 points $1 on travel and hotels
- 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
With bonus categories allowing you to earn triple points and having the option to redeem $800 worth of gift cards, the Citi Premier serves as a flexible travel and everyday card. This is the first time I’ve seen it encouraged to redeem points as gift cards but if you’re a big shopper, this may be beneficial to you!
>> Sign up for the Citi Premier Credit Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card
Chase Freedom, Freedom Flex, and Unlimited. Why are there so many and should you have multiple Freedom Cards? Whether this is your first or fifth time hearing about any Chase Freedom Cards and you’re just as confused as I was at first, let’s catch you up to date.
The Chase Freedom Card was discontinued on September 15th, 2020 and is no longer available for new applicants. The Chase Freedom Flex, in a way, became the upgraded version of the Chase Freedom Card, with rotating quarterly bonuses. Finally, the Chase Freedom Unlimited has the highest everyday cash back percentage but does not offer rotating quarterly bonuses.
Although the Chase Freedom Unlimited and the Chase Freedom Flex offer similar benefits, one acts as a better travel credit card more than the other.
Overview
- Intro offer: $300
- Annual fee: $0
- APR: 0% for 15 months from account opening and balance transfers (18.74% – 27.49% after intro period)
- Credit Score: 690-850
Travel Benefits
Unlike other travel credit cards, if you’re worried about meeting a minimum spend requirement to redeem for cash back, you don’t need to with the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card. On top of that, you’re also earning:
- 5% on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3% on dining at restaurants, takeout, and eligible delivery services
- 3% on drugstore purchases
- 1.5% on all other purchases (up to $20,000 spent in the first year) worth up to $300 in cash back
- 5% back on qualifying Lyft services purchased through the Lyft app up until March 31st, 2025
- No minimum to redeem any amount
>> Sign up for the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card
What I find extremely convenient is the 5% rewards rate for travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards and the 1.5% rewards rate back on all purchases. Compared to its competitors like as American Express and Citi, we see that the 1.5% rewards rate back for all purchases is the highest.
Finally, there’s a ton of flexibility transferring points across accounts through the Chase ecosystem. Within seconds, the points you’ve earned through your Chase Freedom Unlimited Card can be transferred over to your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card in seconds.
For example, if you want the Chase Freedom Unlimited to be your first card to start building credit, save your 5% rewards rated points. Then, when you are more comfortable signing up for mid-tier cards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, transfer those points over to redeem your points at a 25% higher rate through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
If I’ve confused you even more, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be one of the first to know when I release my Full Points & Miles Utilization Guide.
American Express Gold Card
To survive means to eat. To eat, you need food. Whether you’re a foodie or not, the American Express Gold Card should be your next, go-to credit card. Not typically known as one of the better travel credit cards, the American Express Gold is one of the best cards when dining in at restaurants or used at supermarkets.
Overview
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 6 months from account opening (equivalent to $600 in travel; up to $1,200 when maximized through transfer partners)
- Annual fee: $250
- APR: 20.24% – 27.24% (Variable)
- Credit Score: 690-850
According to the Economic Research Service, average annual food-at-home prices were 3.5% higher from 2020 to 2021 and it doesn’t look like it’s stopping there. Besides from the unpredictable, quarterly 5% bonuses at supermarkets with the Chase Freedom Flex Card, the American Express Gold Card offers high, consistent reward rates at restaurants and supermarkets. But that’s not all that’s rewarded on food, additional ones include:
- 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, takeout, delivery, and supermarkets in the U.S.
- 3x Membership Rewards points on flights directly booked with airlines or on amextravel.com
- $120 Uber Cash ($10 in monthly statement credits used towards Uber Cash or Uber Eats)
- $120 Dining Credit ($10 in monthly statement credits used at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations)
- No foreign transaction fees
- Card color of choice: Gold or Rose Gold
- Add up to 5 authorized users for no additional annual fee
Listing out all the perks, how is the Amex Gold on the list of best travel credit cards? Although there are better travel credit card options out there, when you’re not traveling, high chance that most of your everyday spend will be related to food. And as those points stack up by the day, you’ll have a lot more points available when looking to book that next trip.
However, do note that the dine-in reward credits cannot be earned outside of U.S., and the Uber credits cannot be redeemed internationally. Since such is the case, I added my mom an authorized user so she could reap the benefits while I’m abroad.
>> Sign up for the American Express Gold Card
Overall
Whether you’re looking to sign up for a travel credit card to prepare for that big international trip or if you’re looking maximize rewards on everyday purchases, signing up for the best travel credit card truly depends on your individual circumstances and financial goals.
Ask yourself, do you travel frequently enough to be able to afford a big annual fee? Do you pay off your other credit card balances in full each month? If so, do you have good credit? Are you looking to open up your first credit card to start building credit? Will you remember to take full advantage of all the perks and benefits offered with each card to weigh out the annual fee?
Being aware of everyday spend and comparing all reviewed credit cards are big first steps. Opening up a travel credit card with an annual fee can be intimidating but a small investment can take you a long way. In the end, if a cards perks and benefits are all fully optimized, the annual fees will be made up in no time.
From churning and managing personal and business credit cards for years, points and miles is easily one of the biggest reasons how I’ve been able to travel for free for so long. Traveling truly doesn’t have to be as expensive as it seems and as there are so many ways to make it affordable, which travel credit card is best for you? I’d love to hear in the comments section below, or personally reach out to me at [email protected]!
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