The best credit cards for digital nomads and long-term travelers

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with current information. It was originally published on July 31, 2018.

The right travel credit card is important for any trip as it can earn valuable points or miles and provide valuable trip protections. TPG has a guide to the best travel rewards credit cards. But what if you travel for months at a time as a digital nomad?

My husband JT and I have been living on the road as digital nomads for more than two and a half years. As digital nomads, we work remotely online while traveling, with no permanent home base. So, I’m writing this piece from personal experience. Although every traveler values credit card benefits differently, this guide considers some of the credit cards that I think are the best fit for long-term travelers and digital nomads.

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The best credit cards for digital nomads and long-term travelers

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: The best overall card for travel
• Citi Prestige® Card: The best card for dining, extended warranty protection and fourth-night-free stays
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: The best card for premium travel benefits
• Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card: The best fixed-rate travel rewards card
• Citi Premier® Card: The best sub-$100-annual-fee card for travel and extended warranty protection
• American Express® Green Card: The best card for modern travelers

The information for the Citi Prestige and the Amex Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Comparison of the best credit cards for digital nomads and long-term travel

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. Based on TPG’s latest valuations, this bonus is worth $1,000.

Rewards: 10x Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides through March 2022; 3x points on travel and dining, and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Standout benefits:

• Annual travel credit of up to $300
• Priority Pass Select lounge access
• Points redemption directly through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal at a rate of 1.5 cents apiece or points transfers to select airline and hotel partners
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years
• Special car rental privileges from National Car Rental, Avis and Silvercar
• Access to The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
• Complimentary Lyft Pink membership for 12 months
• Statement credits of up to $120 on DoorDash purchases ($60 in statement credits through 2020 and another $60 in statement credits through 2021), and at least 12 months of complimentary DashPass when the subscription is activated by Dec. 31, 2021
• No foreign transaction fees
• Travel protections, including primary auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance, emergency evacuation and transportation insurance, an emergency medical and dental benefit, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside assistance, trip delay protection and trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Shopping protections, including extended warranty protection, purchase protection and return protection

Annual fee: $550 ($75 for each authorized user)

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is my go-to card on the road because of its 3x earning on travel (excluding $300 travel credit) and dining, as well as its travel protections. These travel protections include everything from reimbursements for expenses related to travel delays and delayed baggage to emergency medical and dental benefits.

Although the annual fee is $550, the up to $300 annual travel credit, strong earning on travel and dining purchases and travel protections can provide significant value when you’re on the road all the time. Plus, as a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder, I can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned on all my Chase cards to hotel and airline partners or redeem them for 1.5 cents apiece through the Chase travel portal — which boosts the value of my Chase Freedom (5x on rotating categories up to $1,500 each quarter; No longer open to new applicants) and Chase Freedom Unlimited (1.5% back on purchases).

Related reading:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card review
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which card is right for you?
• 4 things to do once you get your Chase Sapphire Reserve

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Citi Prestige Card

Sign up bonus: Earn 50,000 Citi ThankYou points after spending $4,000 within three months of account opening. Based on TPG’s latest valuations, this bonus is worth $850.

Rewards: 5x Citi ThankYou points on airlines, travel agencies and restaurants; 3x points on hotels and cruise lines, and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Standout benefits:

• 4th-Night-Free benefit, capped at twice per year and must be booked through the Citi ThankYou travel center
• Annual travel credit of up to $250
• Redeem points directly for airfare at a rate of 1 cent per point or transfer points to select airline partners
• Priority Pass Select lounge access
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit every five years
• Protections, including extended warranty, purchase protection and cell phone protection
• No foreign transaction fees

Annual fee: $495 ($75 for each authorized user)

Although the Citi Prestige Card has undergone some significant changes — including the removal or devaluation of some useful benefits — it still earns a place in my wallet. The $495 annual fee is justified for me because of the 5x earning on dining, $250 travel credit and 4th-Night-Free benefit (even with the booking limitations). Plus, the 24-month extended warranty benefit comes in handy, as life on the road tends to be hard on electronics and other gear.

Related reading:

• Credit card review: Is the Citi Prestige worth it?
• So close, yet so far: Comparing the Platinum Card® from American Express and the Citi Prestige Card
• The dwindling appeal of the Citi Prestige Card: Why other premium cards are better

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership (worth $1,500 based on TPG’s most recent valuations), though be sure to check the CardMatch Tool to see if you’re targeted for a 100,000-point offer.

Rewards: 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel and on prepaid hotels booked directly through Amex. 10x points on eligible purchases on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. That’s an additional 9 points on top of the 1 point you earn for these purchases. 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Standout benefits:

• Annual airline fee credit of up to $200
• Annual Uber credits of up to $200
• Annual Saks Fifth Avenue credits of up to $100
• Lounge access through the Amex Global Lounge Collection including Priority Pass Select lounge access, access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta and access to Centurion Lounges
• Hotel elite status: Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold Elite
• Access to the  Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts program
• Transfer points to select airline and hotel partners
• Application fee credit every four years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck
• Travel protections, including trip delay and trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Emergency medical evacuation benefit regardless of whether the trip was purchased with the card
• Shopping protections, including extended warranty protection, purchase protection and return protection
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees)

Annual fee: $550 ($175 for up to three authorized users) (see rates and fees)

The up to $200 annual airline fee credit, up to $200 annual Uber credit and up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credits effectively decrease the annual fee (see rates and fees) of the Amex Platinum to $50. However, those of us who spend a lot of time outside the U.S. may have trouble using the Uber credit, since it’s a monthly credit that’s only good in the United States. Lounge access — especially to the Centurion Lounges — and hotel elite status at Marriott and Hilton can be especially valuable to those living on the road. The primary reason I believe the Platinum Card® from American Express is worth it for long-term travelers and digital nomads: the emergency medical evacuation benefit that’s provided just by being a Platinum Card cardmember as long as you return (even briefly) to your official residence every 90 days.

Related reading:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express review
• Maximizing benefits with the Amex Platinum Card
• Is the Amex Platinum once again the king of travel rewards cards?

Apply here: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. If you redeem at a fixed rate, the bonus is worth up to $600 in travel. But, if you transfer your miles to airline or hotel partners, TPG’s valuations estimate the bonus is worth up to $840.

Rewards: 2x Capital One miles on all purchases

Standout benefits:

• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Extended warranty protection
• No foreign transaction fees

Annual fee: $95 (no fee to add authorized users)

The Capital One Venture Card is great for flat-rate, hassle-free rewards, while also offering the ability to transfer your miles to airline and hotel partners. And the 2x miles on all purchases makes this card a good choice if you don’t want to worry about which card to use for every purchase.

Related reading:

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review
• Starter card showdown: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture
• Six reasons to get the Capital One Venture Rewards card

Citi Premier® Card

Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 Citi ThankYou points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months. Based on TPG’s valuations, that bonus is worth $1,020.

Rewards: 3x points per dollar on airfare, hotels, gas stations, restaurants and supermarkets, and 1x point on all other purchases

Standout benefits:

• Extended warranty protection and damage and theft purchase protection
• Redeem points directly for airfare through the Citi ThankYou travel center at a rate of 1.25 cents per point or transfer points to select airline partners
• Add an authorized user to your account at no additional cost
• No foreign transaction fees

Annual fee: $95 (no fee to add authorized users)

Like the Citi Prestige, this card features a 24-month extended warranty benefit that can be especially useful when living on the road, as nomadic life can take a toll on electronics and other gear.

Related reading:

• Citi Premier credit card review
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Citi Premier: Which card is better?
• Better together: Why the Citi Premier® Card and Citi Rewards+ Card are a great pair

Apply here: Citi Premier® Card

American Express® Green Card

Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 Membership Rewards points after you use your new card to make $2,000 in purchases in the first three months (worth $600 based on TPG’s most recent valuations), though be sure to check the CardMatch Tool to see if you’re targeted for a 45,000-point offer.

Rewards: 3x American Express Membership Rewards points on restaurants worldwide and travel including transit, and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else

Standout benefits:

• Up to $100 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your Clear membership with your card
• Up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year when you use your card to purchase lounge access through LoungeBuddy
• Transfer points to airline and hotel partners
• Travel protections including trip delay insurance when you purchase an eligible round-trip ticket with your card and secondary car rental loss and damage insurance
• Shopping protections including purchase protection and extended warranty
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)

Annual fee: $150 (no fee for additional cards) (see rates and fees)

The American Express® Green Card provides 3x points on travel including transit, which can provide great value to frequent travelers. The Amex Green’s annual fee is slightly higher than the Citi Premier® Card or Capital One Venture Card, but the Amex Green has annual statement credits that can more than offset the $150 annual fee (see rates and fees) if you’re able to get significant value from Clear membership and LoungeBuddy credits.

Related reading:

• For the modern traveler: American Express® Green Card review
• Who should and who shouldn’t get the Amex Green?
• Amex Green card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Which card is right for you?

Apply here: American Express® Green Card

Airline and hotel credit cards

If you frequently fly a particular airline or stay at a particular hotel brand, it may make sense to carry a cobranded credit card from the airline or hotel. These cards provide many benefits, which can range from free checked bags to extra award availability to bonus earning to elite status.

Take a look at TPG’s guide to airline credit cards to see if the benefits provided by any of the cobranded credit cards make sense for your travel. Many of the cards provide a free checked bag, which can save you big time when you fly frequently — especially if you tend to purchase basic economy fares. Even if you only check a bag a few times each year, cards such as the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and United Explorer Card can pay off. The information for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.   

And, check out TPG’s guide to hotel credit cards to see if signing up for a hotel co-branded credit card makes sense for your travel style. For example, I’ve gotten excellent value from the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card. Since I often stay at IHG hotels, the benefits that come with this card easily make up for the $89 annual fee. Notable benefits include earning up to 25x earning at IHG properties, an anniversary night at an eligible IHG property after each account anniversary, automatic Platinum Elite status and a fourth reward night free on award stays of four nights or longer.

I also love the benefits that come with Hilton Diamond Elite status from the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, but the card’s $450 annual fee (see rates and fees) may be difficult to justify if you don’t stay at Hilton properties frequently. The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related reading: Are cobranded cards worth it anymore?

Business credit cards

Many long-term travelers and digital nomads have businesses that they’re running from the road. These travelers may find it useful to have one or more business cards as well.

One business card that’s particularly well-suited to long-term travelers and digital nomads: the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card. This $95 annual fee card currently has a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening; TPG’s most recent valuations value this bonus at $2,000. Earn 3x points on the first $150,000 spent on travel, shipping, social media and search engine advertising and internet/cable/phone services each account anniversary year, plus 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. The card offers cellphone insurance, primary rental car insurance on business-related rentals and no foreign transaction fees.

Read the full Ink Business Preferred card review here.

Related reading: Best business credit cards

Cash-back, no-annual-fee trifecta

Although most of us at The Points Guy enjoy maximizing redemptions and can accept paying annual fees when the benefits outweigh the fees, some travelers prefer cash-back rewards and simply refuse to pay any annual fees. If you’re in this camp, and can’t be convinced that even one annual-fee card is worthwhile, then the following cash-back, no-annual-fee trifecta may be right for you:

• Citi® Double Cash Card: Up to 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you buy, plus 1% as you pay)
• Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card: 1.5% cash back on all purchases; no foreign transaction fees; extended warranty, and auto rental collision damage waiver
• Chase Freedom: 5% cash back on quarterly rotating categories up to $1,500 per quarter after enrollment; 5% on Lyft (through March 2022); purchase protection; extended warranty; trip cancellation/interruption, and auto rental collision damage waiver

The information for the Chase Freedom has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

This trifecta works best for those who also have independent travel insurance and medical insurance that works abroad, as none of these cards offer adequate travel, medical or evacuation protections for long-term travelers.

Further reading: Best no-annual-fee cash-back credit cards for at home and abroad

Related guides

• Battle of the premium travel rewards cards: Which is the best?
• How a TPG contributor uses credit cards to travel nearly full time
• The best travel credit cards
• The best starter travel credit cards
• Ten commandments for travel rewards credit cards
• The best airline credit cards
• The best no-annual-fee credit cards

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

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Aspire Card, please click here.

Featured photo by dimarik/Getty Images.