Best Travel Credit Cards (2026)
Travel cards do two things well: earn extra on travel purchases, and unlock transferable points that can be worth far more than 1 cent when moved to airline and hotel partners. The best ones add credits and perks that offset their fees.
We rank by the travel earn rate and value points at a flat 1 cent, so the transfer upside is on top of what you see here. Pair a travel card with the right everyday earners for the strongest setup.
How travel rates work: many cards earn their highest travel rate only when you book through the issuer's own travel portal (Chase Travel, Capital One Travel, Citi Travel, and similar). Travel booked directly with an airline or hotel usually earns a lower rate. The rates below show the headline portal rate; each card's details list the direct-booking rate.
Our top picks
1. Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ 5x on travel
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ has a $95 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points ($600 value).
- 5x points on hotels
- 4x points on airlines
- 3x points on other travel and dining
- Transfer points to 10+ airline and hotel partners
- $50 annual statement credit toward airline purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
2. American Express® Platinum 5x on travel
The American Express® Platinum has a $895 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points.
- 5x points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel (up to $500k/yr)
- 5x on prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
- $200 airline fee credit annually
- $200 Fine Hotels + Resorts hotel credit
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- No foreign transaction fees
3. Chase Sapphire Reserve® 4x on travel
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $795 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points.
- 8x Ultimate Rewards® points on Chase Travel purchases
- 4x on flights and hotels booked directly with the airline or hotel
- $300 annual travel credit (auto-applied to travel purchases)
- Points Boost: redeem points for up to 2x value on select Chase Travel bookings
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit
- 1:1 point transfer to 14 airline and hotel partners
4. Robinhood Gold Card 3x on travel
The Robinhood Gold Card has a $50 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 3% cash back on every purchase from day one.
- 5% cash back on travel booked through Robinhood Travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- Visa Signature benefits including travel protections and purchase security
5. American Express® Gold 3x on travel
The American Express® Gold has a $325 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points.
- 3x points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- Baggage insurance plan and trip delay reimbursement
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
Compare the top cards
| Card | Rewards rate | Annual fee | Welcome offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ | 5x on travel | $95 | 60,000 bonus points ($600 value) |
| American Express® Platinum | 5x on travel | $895 | 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | 4x on travel | $795 | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points |
| Robinhood Gold Card | 3x on travel | $50 | 3% cash back on every purchase from day one |
| American Express® Gold | 3x on travel | $325 | 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points |
Rewards rates and offers verified June 2026. Every point is valued at a flat 1 cent. Run your own numbers in the rewards calculator.
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