Best Travel Credit Cards of 2024: Maximizing Your Travel Benefits
- Darian Abraham
- Jul 9, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 15
Updated: September 15, 2024
Here are the top 10 travel credit cards, with their benefits in terms of savings on hotels and flights, access to exclusive airport lounges, comprehensive travel insurance/protections, and sign-up bonuses.:
The Platinum Card from American Express
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel; 5X Membership Rewards® Points for prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: Access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Trip cancellation and interruption insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance.
Sign-up Bonus: 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (670-850).
Annual Fee: $695.
Click here to see if you're qualified
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit; 3X points on dining.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: Access to Priority Pass Select.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance, emergency evacuation, and transportation.
Sign-up Bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Excellent (750+).
Annual Fee: $550.
Click here to see if you're qualified
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 2X points on travel and dining.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: None.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance.
Sign-up Bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (690-850).
Annual Fee: $95.
Click here to see if you're qualified
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 2X miles on every purchase.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: Cardholders get two complimentary visits yearly to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Travel accident insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver.
Sign-up Bonus: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (670-850).
Annual Fee: $95.
Click here to see if you're qualified
United Explorer Card
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 2X miles on United purchases, dining, and hotel stays.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: Two United Club one-time passes annually.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver.
Sign-up Bonus: 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (670-850).
Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Click here to see if you're qualified.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 6X points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 2X points on all other purchases. Also, receive 15 elite night credits towards your status, giving you the equivalent of staying 15 nights automatically each year with the card.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: None.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance.
Sign-up Bonus: 3 Free Night Awards after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (670-850).
Annual Fee: $95.
Click here to see if you're qualified
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 6X points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 4X points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, U.S. shipping, and wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers; 2X points on all other eligible purchases. Also, receive 15 elite night credits towards your status, giving you the equivalent of staying 15 nights automatically each year with the card.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: None.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance plan.
Sign-up Bonus: 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (670-850).
Annual Fee: $125.
Click here to see if you're qualified
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 6X points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 3X points on U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines; 2X points on all other eligible purchases. Also, receive 25 elite night credits towards your status, giving you the equivalent of staying 25 nights automatically each year with the card.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: Priority Pass Select membership.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Trip delay reimbursement and baggage insurance plan.
Sign-up Bonus: 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (670-850).
Annual Fee: $650.
Click here to see if you're qualified.
American Express Gold Card
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 4X points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery; 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1X); 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: None.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Baggage insurance plan, car rental loss and damage insurance.
Sign-up Bonus: 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 6 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (670-850).
Annual Fee: $250.
Click here to see if you're qualified
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Savings on Hotels and Flights: 3X points on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year.
Exclusive Airport Lounges: None.
Travel Insurance/Protections: Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance.
Sign-up Bonus: 100,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months.
Recommended Credit Rating: Good to Excellent (670-850).
Annual Fee: $95.
Click here to see if you're qualified
Comparison Table
Credit Card | Lounge Access | Travel Protections | Sign-Up Bonus | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Platinum Card® from American Express | Access to over 1,400 lounges worldwide, including Centurion, Priority Pass Select, Delta Sky Club, etc. | Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, car rental loss & damage insurance, and more. | 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months. | $695 |
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card | Priority Pass Select (over 1,200 lounges) | Trip delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and rental car insurance. | 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. | $650 |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Priority Pass Select (1,300+ lounges globally) | Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver (primary coverage), trip delay reimbursement, and baggage delay insurance. | 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. | $550 |
American Express® Gold Card | None | Baggage insurance plan, trip delay insurance, car rental loss & damage insurance (secondary). | 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 6 months. | $250 |
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | None | Baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, and lost luggage reimbursement. | 3 Free Night Awards (up to 50,000 points each) after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. | $95 |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | None (Priority Pass available on Venture X, not this version) | Travel accident insurance, rental car insurance (secondary), and 24-hour travel assistance services. | 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. | $95 |
United℠ Explorer Card | 2 United Club passes annually | Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, and baggage delay insurance. | 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. | $95 |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | None (but offers travel portal credits for bookings) | Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and primary auto rental collision damage waiver. | 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. | $95 |
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | None | Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, cell phone protection, auto rental collision damage waiver, and baggage delay insurance. | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months. | $95 |
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card | None | Baggage insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, and trip delay insurance. | 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months. | $125 |
Recommended Cards for Different Budgets
For Luxury Travelers, The Platinum Card® from American Express is ideal, with its extensive lounge access and luxury travel perks, despite the high annual fee.
For Frequent United Flyers: The United℠ Explorer Card offers solid benefits for United travelers, including free checked bags and lounge passes, with a moderate annual fee.
For Luxury Hotel Rewards: The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card provides excellent value for frequent Marriott guests with high rewards and elite status benefits. The card can be combined with the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card for an additional 15 elite night rewards (totaling 40 nights per year) and an 85K and 35K night rewards (valued at $600 and $250, respectively) just for having both cards (and could cost $775 in annual fees). (See the Marriot Post for more info) Note: You cannot have received a signup bonus on another Marriott card in the past 24 months.
For more information on Marriot Cards, please see the blog post on Understanding Marriott's Credit Cards and Points System!
For Everyday Spending: The American Express® Gold Card offers high rewards on dining and groceries, making it a great option for everyday use.
For Small Business Owners: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a top choice with high rewards on business expenses and comprehensive travel protections.
Trademark and Legal Information
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Trademark and Legal Information
The Platinum Card® from American Express, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, United℠ Explorer Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, American Express® Gold Card, Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, and Free Spirit® Travel More World Elite Mastercard are registered trademarks of their respective companies.
American Express®, Chase, Capital One, United Airlines, Marriott Bonvoy®, and Spirit Airlines® are registered trademarks of their respective owners, and all other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by any credit card companies mentioned. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners. Information provided about these products is subject to change. Please refer to the credit card issuer’s website for the most current and detailed information.