Travel to Croatia is getting easier
It's been a long time coming, but the Council of the European Union has invited Croatia to join the Schengen Area. That's a huge step for Croatia, which has been angling for that invitation for years. And as of Jan. 1, 2023, Croatia has officially become part of the Schengen Area.
What is the Schengen Area and why is it such a big deal?
Schengen is a much-vaunted "passport-free" zone comprised of 26 European countries. Those countries, known as Schengen states, are located across the continent and form the world's largest free movement area. Travel between Schengen states is essentially borderless.
Schengen is not the same as the European Union, but most Schengen states are also members of the EU.
Related: The cheapest ways to get to Croatia using points and miles
Although Croatia became an EU member in 2013, concerns over its border management have kept it from earning a coveted seat at the Schengen table until now.
That's good news, considering Croatia's popularity as a travel destination.
One of Europe's hidden gems for decades, the production of TV series such as "Game of Thrones" in Croatia thrust it into the visitor limelight in recent years. Pre-pandemic, crowd control and other growth limitations had to be established for the UNESCO World Heritage city of Dubrovnik. Still, the fact that the country wasn't part of the Schengen Area could put a damper on the notion of a quick jaunt to nearby countries. No longer.
Related: Second cities: Destinations to add on to a trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia
With Croatia finally being a full member of the Schengen Area, the benefits it will reap on the tourism front are not in doubt. Seamless border travel along the Adriatic coast is something we can all look forward to now.
Vienna to Budapest by train without those annoying passport checks? Sounds great. Or perhaps a side excursion to Italy for a few days from a Croatian home base. Borderless travel between Croatia and its neighbors in the Schengen zone will definitely make a visit to the country more attractive.
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month