The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Stephanie Stevens is an associate writer with TPG's credit cards team. She focuses on creating timely credit cards content for TPG readers.
August 14, 2026 • 16 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The article reviews top travel rewards cards, highlighting those that offer a strong balance of flexible points, valuable travel perks and ease of use.
Recommendations span options for beginners, premium travelers, airline loyalists, hotel enthusiasts and those seeking no-annual-fee solutions.
Key features discussed include lounge access, travel credits, automatic hotel status and the ability to combine rewards for greater value.
The guide emphasizes matching card choice to personal travel habits and maximizing benefits based on individual needs.
What to consider
Many of the most rewarding cards require paying an annual fee, though some can be paired with no-annual-fee products for broader value.
Travel credits, lounge access and elite status perks can offset costs but may require specific types of spending or travel patterns to fully utilize.
Combining multiple cards from the same rewards ecosystem can enhance redemption options and overall value.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of specific card benefits, including which types best fit different travel styles and how to optimize card combinations for maximum rewards.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
I get asked some version of the same question all the time: what’s the best travel credit card to actually keep in your wallet?
For me, the answer has changed over time. As my travel habits have evolved, so has the mix of cards I rely on. Some are great for earning points quickly, others help offset costs with built-in credits and a few simply make the overall travel experience more comfortable.
And honestly, those perks matter more than ever right now. Travel isn’t getting any cheaper, award prices aren’t going down and the perks that used to feel like nice extras — like lounge access or built-in credits — have become much more valuable if you’re flying regularly.
In most cases, getting outsize value from a travel rewards card means paying an annual fee, though many of these cards can pair well with no-annual-fee products to maximize earnings. For this guide, I have focused on cards that offer a strong balance of earning potential, flexible points and genuinely useful travel perks — across a range of annual fees.
These are the travel credit cards I keep coming back to — and in some cases, the ones I’m planning to add next — based on how easy they are to use and the value I actually get from them.
How I chose these travel credit cards
I chose these cards based on the value they can provide travelers. In particular, I considered:
Earning potential: How rewarding the card is for both travel and everyday spending.
Rewards flexibility: How many useful options cardholders have for redeeming their rewards.
Travel benefits: Whether perks like lounge access, elite status and travel credits can meaningfully improve the travel experience.
Ease of use: How straightforward it is to maximize the card's benefits and statement credits.
Long-term value: Whether the card offers enough ongoing value to justify its annual fee, if it has one.
I've also included cards for different types of travelers, from beginners and those seeking premium perks to airline and hotel loyalists and travelers who don't want to pay an annual fee.
Earn 130,000 bonus points and a free night reward after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months from account opening.
$520 (plus the value of the free night reward)
12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio
6 points per dollar spent on purchases at U.S. gas stations, U.S. restaurants and U.S. supermarkets
4 points per dollar spent on U.S. online retail purchases
3 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
*Welcome offer value is an estimated value based on TPG's September 2026 valuations and is not provided by the issuer.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Best for: Premium travel perks
The card I’m looking to add next is the Sapphire Preferred's more premium sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve. While the Preferred is my go-to recommendation for beginners, the Reserve makes more sense for frequent travelers who want premium perks that can genuinely improve their travel experience.
You might wonder why it’s worth adding the Reserve when I already hold another Sapphire card, but the answer comes down to incremental value. The Reserve’s $300 annual travel credit is one of the easiest credits to use in the market, automatically applying to a wide range of travel purchases — from flights and hotels to parking garages and tolls.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Lounge access also makes this card stand out. As airport lounges become increasingly crowded and access restrictions tighten across the industry, having access to Sapphire and Priority Pass lounges has become much more valuable for frequent travelers.
On top of that, the card offers up to $500 in annual credits for The Edit, Chase’s curated hotel booking platform (issued as two credits of up to $250 per calendar year for stays of two nights or more). Add in additional recurring credits with partners like DoorDash, OpenTable and StubHub and the value proposition becomes much clearer for travelers who will regularly use the benefits.
The Sapphire Preferred was the first travel card in my wallet — and that goes for a lot of us here at TPG. It’s also the card I recommend most often to beginners or casual travelers who want flexible points without a sky-high annual fee.
The reason is simple: This card is one of easiest beginner travel cards on the market — if not the easiest. With beginner-friendly perks like a $100 annual hotel credit and strong travel protections, it delivers real value without overwhelming complexity.
RGSTUDIO/GETTY IMAGES
The card also makes it easy to get quick, upfront value. After earning the welcome offer and maximizing bonus categories — like 3 points per dollar spent on dining and 2 points per dollar spent on travel purchased outside the Chase Travel portal — I was able to build a sizable stash of points within a few months. I ultimately redeemed those points for a trip through four European countries, which is exactly the kind of payoff that makes this card so compelling.
It’s the travel card I recommend over and over again to friends and family because of its ease of use, strong earning potential and outsize value relative to its modest $95 annual fee.
Another top contender in the premium space — and one that’s firmly earned a place in my wallet — is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card. For travelers who want premium perks without overcomplicating their card strategy, I think the Venture X hits the sweet spot.
Part of the reason I added the card was to diversify my points and miles beyond Chase Ultimate Rewards. Up until recently, I’d been almost exclusively earning Chase points, but as I’ve gotten deeper into the points and miles world, I’ve realized how valuable it is to have access to multiple transferable currencies and transfer partners.
MARRIOTT
At the same time, the Venture X fits naturally into my everyday spending habits. Cardholders earn a flat 2 miles per dollar on nearly every purchase, which removes the need to track bonus categories or optimize every swipe. It’s become my go-to catch-all card and the one I reach for whenever a purchase doesn’t neatly fit into a bonus category on another card.
The card also delivers where premium travel perks matter most. The $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles each year go a long way toward offsetting the $395 annual fee, while Priority Pass* and Capital One Lounge access make travel days noticeably more comfortable.
For me, the Venture X works because it combines simplicity with strong long-term value — whether I’m using it for everyday purchases at home or while traveling abroad.
For travelers who regularly fly a single airline — especially those based near one of that carrier’s hubs — a cobranded airline card can make a lot of sense.
That’s been true for me with United, but I think the same general strategy applies to frequent Delta and American Airlines flyers as well. If you consistently fly one carrier, the right airline card can make your travel experience cheaper, smoother and more comfortable through perks like travel credits, free checked bags and priority boarding.
For frequent United flyers — especially those based near a United hub — the United Quest is a strong long-term fit.
I wasn’t always loyal to a single airline, but moving to San Francisco — a major United hub — changed that. The Quest quickly proved its value.
Despite its $350 annual fee, the card offers several easy-to-use benefits that help offset the cost. The $200 annual United travel credit, for instance, has helped offset flights home to visit family, making it feel more like a built-in discount than a benefit I have to actively track.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
The card also offers award flight discounts, anniversary bonus miles, free checked bags, priority boarding and improved award availability, making it a strong companion for regular United flyers.
That said, I do wish it included lounge access — especially at this price point.
Still, for me, the Quest is less about airline loyalty and more about making my most frequent travel experience easier and more comfortable.
Not every worthwhile travel rewards card needs to charge an annual fee. The Freedom Unlimited is one I'm interested in adding to my wallet because it could fill an important gap in my Chase strategy without adding another annual fee.
FILADENDRON/GETTY IMAGES
On its own, the Freedom Unlimited earns cash-back rewards. But when you pair it with an eligible Ultimate Rewards-earning card like the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, you can combine your rewards and potentially get more value by redeeming them for travel or transferring them to Chase's airline and hotel partners.
That's particularly appealing to me because I'm working toward building the Chase Trifecta, a strategy that combines multiple Chase cards to maximize earnings across different types of purchases.
With no annual fee, the Freedom Unlimited could give me another way to earn rewards on everyday spending while letting my Sapphire cards handle travel purchases and unlock more valuable redemption options.
Best for: Hilton perks without the premium price tag
The Hilton Surpass is the newest addition to my wallet — and my first hotel credit card.
For years, I've prioritized flexible rewards over hotel-specific points because I didn't want to commit to a single hotel program. But as I've started traveling more and spending more nights in hotels, I realized I was leaving some valuable perks on the table.
HILTON
After comparing several hotel cards, I ultimately chose the Hilton Surpass because it struck the right balance between cost and benefits. One of the biggest draws for me is automatic Hilton Honors Gold status, which gives me meaningful hotel perks without requiring me to earn status through stays.
I'm also a fan of the card's up to $200 in Hilton statement credits each calendar year, issued as up to $50 each quarter. And Hilton's large footprint means I'm much more likely to find a property where I can actually put those benefits to use when I travel.
For me, the Surpass is a relatively approachable way to test-drive hotel loyalty while getting useful benefits from the start. As I spend more nights with Hilton, I'll be able to see whether a hotel card deserves a permanent place in my travel strategy.
Choosing the right travel credit card ultimately comes down to your habits, preferences and how much effort you want to put into maximizing rewards.
For beginners, the Chase Sapphire Preferred remains one of the strongest entry points thanks to its balance of value, flexibility and simplicity. Frequent travelers looking for a more premium experience — especially when it comes to lounge access and travel perks — may get more value from the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Meanwhile, the Capital One Venture X is a great fit for travelers who want premium benefits without overcomplicating their rewards strategy, and the United Quest offers a strong value proposition for frequent United flyers who prioritize convenience and United-specific perks.
For travelers who don't want to add another annual fee, the Chase Freedom Unlimited can be a useful complement to a Sapphire card, particularly if you're building a Chase trifecta. And for travelers who want hotel-specific perks, the Hilton Surpass offers a relatively accessible entry point to hotel loyalty with automatic Hilton Gold status and useful Hilton credits.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — but the good news is that today’s top travel cards offer more flexibility and value than ever before. The key is picking the one that fits how you travel.
