Best Travel Credit Cards (2026)
Travel cards do two things well: earn extra on travel purchases, and unlock transferable points that can be worth far more than 1 cent when moved to airline and hotel partners. The best ones add credits and perks that offset their fees.
We rank by the travel earn rate and value points at a flat 1 cent, so the transfer upside is on top of what you see here. Pair a travel card with the right everyday earners for the strongest setup.
How travel rates work: many cards earn their highest travel rate only when you book through the issuer's own travel portal (Chase Travel, Capital One Travel, Citi Travel, and similar). Travel booked directly with an airline or hotel usually earns a lower rate. The rates below show the headline portal rate; each card's details list the direct-booking rate.
Our top picks
1. Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ 5x on travel
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ has a $95 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points ($600 value).
- 5x points on hotels
- 4x points on airlines
- 3x points on other travel and dining
- Transfer points to 10+ airline and hotel partners
- $50 annual statement credit toward airline purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
2. HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® 5x on travel
The HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® has a $495 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points.
- 5 points per dollar on travel
- Points transfer 1 to 1 to 11 airline and 2 hotel partners
- Up to $400 annual travel credit plus unlimited Priority Pass with two guests
- Up to $400 annual HSBC Travel credit
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit (up to $120)
- Up to $120 annual rideshare credit ($10 per month)
3. American Express® Platinum 5x on travel
The American Express® Platinum has a $895 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points.
- 5x points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel (up to $500k/yr)
- 5x on prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
- $200 airline fee credit annually
- $200 Fine Hotels + Resorts hotel credit
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- No foreign transaction fees
4. American Express® Platinum for Morgan Stanley 5x on travel
The American Express® Platinum for Morgan Stanley has a $895 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points.
- 5x points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel (up to $500k/yr) and 5x on prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
- Access to 1,550+ airport lounges including Centurion Lounges and Priority Pass Select
- $200 Uber Cash, $200 airline fee credit, $200 Fine Hotels + Resorts credit, $240 digital entertainment credit, $189 CLEAR Plus credit, and $100 Saks credit annually
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit; automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold and Hilton Honors Gold status
- No foreign transaction fees
- $200 airline fee credit annually
5. American Express® Platinum for Schwab 5x on travel
The American Express® Platinum for Schwab has a $895 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points.
- 5x points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel (up to $500k/yr) and 5x on prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
- Access to 1,550+ airport lounges including Centurion Lounges and Priority Pass Select
- $200 Uber Cash, $200 airline fee credit, $200 Fine Hotels + Resorts credit, $240 digital entertainment credit, $189 CLEAR Plus credit, and $100 Saks credit annually
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit; automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold and Hilton Honors Gold status
- No foreign transaction fees
- $200 airline fee credit annually
6. U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® 4x on travel
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® has no annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 20,000 points.
- 5x points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked in the U.S. Bank Rewards Travel Center
- 4x points on travel
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select with 4 airport lounge visits per year
- Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (once every 4 years)
- No foreign transaction fees
7. PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card 4x on travel
The PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card has a $95 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 50,000 bonus points.
- 4 points per dollar on travel for PenFed Honors Advantage members, 3 points without it
- Up to $100 per year in airline incidental credits
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit once every four years
- Up to $100 airline incidental fee credit annually
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit (every 4 years)
8. Chase Sapphire Reserve® 4x on travel
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $795 annual fee, plus a welcome offer of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points.
- 8x Ultimate Rewards® points on Chase Travel purchases
- 4x on flights and hotels booked directly with the airline or hotel
- $300 annual travel credit (auto-applied to travel purchases)
- Points Boost: redeem points for up to 2x value on select Chase Travel bookings
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit
- 1:1 point transfer to 14 airline and hotel partners
Compare the top cards
| Card | Rewards rate | Annual fee | Welcome offer | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ | 5x on travel | $95 | 60,000 bonus points ($600 value) | Review |
| HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® | 5x on travel | $495 | 60,000 bonus points | Review |
| American Express® Platinum | 5x on travel | $895 | 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points | Review |
| American Express® Platinum for Morgan Stanley | 5x on travel | $895 | 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points | Review |
| American Express® Platinum for Schwab | 5x on travel | $895 | 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points | Review |
| U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® | 4x on travel | No annual fee | 20,000 points | Review |
| PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card | 4x on travel | $95 | 50,000 bonus points | Review |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | 4x on travel | $795 | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points | Review |
Rewards rates and offers verified July 2026. Every point is valued at a flat 1 cent. Run your own numbers in the rewards calculator, and check the best current welcome offers for cards running an elevated bonus right now.
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