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Credit Cards

17 Best Travel Credit Cards of October 2026

UpdatedOctober 1, 2026

At The Points Guy, our goal is to help you maximize your travel experiences while minimizing spending. While we do receive compensation through our credit card application links, ads and clearly indicated sponsored content, our editorial content, points valuations and card analyses are entirely our own. Learn more about our advertising policy and product review methodology.

Best for premium travel perks and digital entertainment

American Express Platinum Card®

American Express Platinum Card®

  • Intro offerAs High As 175,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
  • Annual fee$895
  • You'll earn5x
  • Regular APRSee Pay Over Time APR
at American Express's secure site.
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

The best travel credit cards offer premium perks and benefits. Our team at The Points Guy curated a selection of the best travel credit cards for anyone from the occasional traveler to frequent flyer. We’ve chosen the top cards to earn rewards and save money.

Discover which travel credit card from our partners makes the best addition to your wallet.

Comparing the best travel cards

Which travel credit card is right for you?

  • Best credit card for the beginner traveler: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

    Who this is for

    The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great option for travelers who are new to rewards credit cards and want an easy way to earn and redeem travel rewards. It's designed for travelers planning their first award trip and want flexible rewards and easy redemption options without paying the high annual fees often associated with premium travel cards. 

    Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a good fit

    The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a combination of flexible rewards, straightforward redemption options and useful travel benefits. Cardholders can redeem points through Chase Travel℠ for a simple booking experience or transfer points to airline and hotel partners for potentially greater value. With a moderate annual fee and built-in travel protections, it provides an accessible entry point into travel rewards.

    Key benefits for beginner travelers

    • Earn rewards on common spending categories like travel, gas and dining
    • Earn flexible rewards that can grow with you as you travel more often 
    • Redeem points through Chase Travel or transfer them to airline and hotel partners
    • Get built-in travel protections like trip cancellation/interruption insurance
    • Pay a moderate annual fee compared to many premium travel cards

    Quick summary

    The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best credit cards for beginner travelers because it combines flexible rewards, simple redemption options and valuable travel benefits at a relatively affordable annual fee. It provides a simple way to start earning travel rewards while offering enough flexibility to support more ambitious travel plans over time.

    Best credit card for travelers who value flexibility: Chase Sapphire Reserve

    Who this is for

    The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a strong choice for frequent travelers who want multiple ways to earn, redeem and maximize the value of their rewards. It's designed for travelers who value premium travel benefits, strong redemption options and the freedom to use points across a variety of travel experiences.

    Why the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a good fit

    The Chase Sapphire Reserve combines premium travel perks with one of the most flexible rewards programs available. Cardholders can redeem points through Chase Travel℠ , transfer them to airline and hotel partners or choose from several other redemption options. The card also includes valuable benefits such as airport lounge access, annual travel credits and travel protections that can enhance the overall travel experience.

    Key benefits for travelers who value flexibility

    • Redeem rewards through Chase Travel or transfer points to airline and hotel partners
    • Receive an annual travel credit that helps offset travel expenses
    • Enjoy airport lounge access through Priority Pass Select and Sapphire Lounge by The Club locations
    • Earn elevated rewards on flights and hotels booked direct
    • Get premium travel protections, including trip delay and lost luggage reimbursement
    • Access a variety of redemption options that allow you to redeem rewards in the way that works best for your travel goals

    Quick summary

    The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best credit cards for travelers who value flexibility because it offers multiple ways to earn and redeem rewards without locking cardholders into a single airline and hotel program. Combined with premium travel benefits such as lounge access, annual travel credits and strong travel protections, the card provides a well-rounded travel rewards experience.

    Best card for the airport lounge enthusiast: American Express Platinum Card

    Who this is for

    The American Express Platinum Card® is an excellent choice for travelers who spend significant time in airports and want access to the most comprehensive lounge network. It's designed for frequent flyers who prioritize comfort, convenience and a premium airport experience before and between flights.

    Why the American Express Platinum Card is a good fit

    The Amex Platinum stands out for offering one of the broadest airport lounge access programs among cards. Cardholders can access the Centurion® Lounge network, Priority Pass™ Select lounges* and several other lounge programs, giving them access to one of the broadest airport lounge networks available through a card.  Beyond lounge access, the card includes travel credits and premium travel protections that add further value for frequent flyers.

    Key benefits for the airport lounge enthusiast

    *Enrollment required for select benefits

    Quick summary

    The Amex Platinum is one of the best cards for airport lounge enthusiasts because it provides access to an unmatched network of lounges worldwide. For frequent travelers who want a more comfortable airport experience, the card's lounge benefits, travel credits and premium travel perks deliver exceptional value. 

    For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.

How we rate cards

To choose the best travel credit cards, TPG’s editorial team considered the perks — including travel protections and insurance — that come with some of the most popular cards currently on the market. We also considered which cards our staff loves and uses for their own travels as well as taking welcome offers and earning rates into consideration, too. We chose cards for every type of traveler, whether you want premium perks or prefer a lowkey, more budget-friendly journey. To learn more about how TPG evaluates and chooses cards for our roundups, check out our methodology here.
  • Welcome bonus

    We considered which travel cards would provide the best welcome offers for new cardholders.

  • Annual fee

    The value and benefits of some cards — especially premium ones — can offset the annual fee.

  • Earning rates

    These cards feature solid reward earning rates that you can redeem for travel, including miles and upgrades.

  • Redemption options

    The best travel cards will offer various types of redemption options, including points and miles.

  • Added benefits

    Factors we considered for travel cards also included the bonus perks cardholders get access to when traveling.

Frequently asked questions

  • What credit score is needed for a travel credit card?

    Generally speaking, you need at least a very good credit score in order to get many popular travel credit cards. According to FICO, the scoring model used by most lenders, this is a score of at least 740. However, there’s no hard-and-fast rule, as each individual credit card issuer looks at a variety of factors in addition to your credit score when deciding whether to approve or decline your application.

    Thankfully, there are a number of ways to check your credit score for free, so you can get an idea of where you stand before wasting an application (and a hard inquiry on your credit report) for a card for which you’re unlikely to qualify.

  • What’s the difference between points and miles on a credit card?

    Points and miles are simply two different ways to describe the same thing: the rewards you earn on a credit card. As an example, many popular Capital One credit cards earn miles, whereas cards that participate in Chase Ultimate Rewards accrue points. There’s no appreciable difference between the two words.

    This gets a little more complicated when you begin discussing cash-back credit cards. Some of these show earnings with a dollar amount, while others show cash-back rewards in points. However, here too there’s no significant difference. It’s simply how the card issuer chooses to describe the rewards you’re earning.

  • Are travel credit cards worth it?

    It depends entirely on your typical travel habits. Many popular travel credit cards feature rewards, benefits and redemption options that only come into play when you’re actually on the road. This includes perks like airport lounge access, rental car insurance or statement credits for certain travel purchases. Ultimately, you should look at how much value you expect to get out of a given travel card in one year. Then, compare that to the card’s annual fee to make sure you’re getting at least that much value.

  • When should you use rewards instead of cash?

    It depends. Generally speaking, you should aim to use your rewards from travel credit cards for travel-related purchases – like flights or hotel rooms. However, everyone has a different version of what “value” looks like here. Some travelers are perfectly content redeeming 25,000 miles for a $250 economy flight. Others would rather save up and use 100,000 miles for a $5,000 business-class ticket. The important thing is to avoid redemptions like gift cards or merchandise, since those typically offer poor value for your points and miles.

    Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine whether you want to keep cash in your pocket by using rewards for a particular purchase instead.

  • Which travel credits are easiest to redeem?

    Many of the luxury travel cards on this list offer hundreds of dollars in annual travel statement credits. However, not all annual travel statements are created equal. While some cards feature easy redemptions, other cards feature redemptions that come with more restrictions. 

    Out of the various cards that offer annual travel credits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has the easiest redemption process for travel credits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve's travel credit covers a broad selection of charges, including flights, hotels, campgrounds and more. Additionally, the travel does not have to be booked through Chase’s travel portal, and the statement credit will automatically post when you make an eligible purchase.