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If you're thinking about getting into the points and miles game, you'll want to find a credit card that -- at a minimum -- makes it easy to earn and redeem travel rewards. Luckily, there are plenty of beginner-friendly cards that fit that description. Even better? Many come with extra features like sign-up bonuses, no foreign transaction fees, and travel insurance.
To help you get started, we've compiled the following list of the best travel credit cards for beginners. You'll find a range of options -- including cards with no annual fees -- so you can choose one that aligns with your spending habits and travel preferences.
card highlights intro bonusEarn 60,000 bonus points afteryou spend$4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's$750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards?.APR21.49% - 28.49% Variablerecommended creditExcellent/Goodreward rates It's no wonder why the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a favorite among all types of travelers, including beginners and experts. For starters, this metal card allows you to accrue points through Chase Ultimate Rewards, the company's travel portal. When you redeem your points through Chase's platform, you'll get a 25% bonus on flights, hotels, car rentals, and more.
If you'd rather book directly with a certain airline or hotel, the Chase Sapphire Preferred lets you transfer your points to several loyalty programs at a 1:1 rate. Transfer partners include Hyatt, JetBlue, Marriott, Southwest, and United.
The annual fee on this card is$95, which may seem steep if you're new to travel rewards. However, it includes an impressive number of perks, including bonus points on your cardmember anniversary, a$50 annual hotel credit, trip cancelation/interruption insurance, rental car coverage, and more. Plus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card currently offers an outstanding sign-up bonus of 60,000 points if you spend$4,000 in the first three months after opening your card.
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card highlights intro bonusEnjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend$4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to$750 in travelAPR21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)recommended creditExcellent, Goodreward rates If you want even more ways to redeem your miles, the Capital One Venture Rewards Card could be the right pick. There are three ways to trade in your miles for travel, including by booking through Capital One's portal and transferring to one of its 17 airline and hotel partners (such as Aeromexico, Air Canada, Choice Hotels, and Singapore Airlines).
To make redemption even easier, Capital One also allows you to cash in your milesafter you've booked travel. All you need to do is purchase your flight, hotel, vacation rental, or rental car, then log into your Capital One account and apply your accrued miles to your travel purchase. They should appear as a credit on your bill within two to three business days. For a$95 annual fee, it's a great option if you're busy and don't have time to transfer miles or search for travel rewards on the Capital One portal.
As far as spending goes, you'll earn 2x miles per dollar spent on every purchase, as well as 5x per dollar spent on rental cars and hotels reserved through Capital One's portal. Right now, the company is offering a bonus of 75,000 miles for spending$4,000 in the three months after opening the card.
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card highlights intro bonusEarn 60,000 Membership Rewards? Points after you spend$6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.APRSee Pay Over Time APRrecommended creditExcellent/Goodreward rates Love to eat? Whether you dine out or cook most of your meals at home, the American Express Gold Card is designed to reward foodies. With it, you'll earn 4x points per dollar on restaurants around the world, as well as takeout and delivery in the U.S. Plus, you'll also score 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (up to$25,000 per year, then 1x). To sweeten the deal, you can score up to$120 in dining credits and up to$120 in Uber Cash (for rides or food) each year.
Of course, the American Express Gold Card also offers travel-specific benefits. You'll accrue 3x points on flights (when booked directly with an airline or through the AmEx travel portal) and get a$100 annual credit on the Hotel Collection properties. All of your points are redeemable through the company's Membership Rewards program, where you can purchase flights, hotels, rental cars, and more. Alternatively, you can transfer points to more than 20 travel partners, including major players like Delta, Hilton, Marriott, and Radisson.
Compared to the other credit cards on our list, the$250 annual fee on the American Express Gold Card may seem high. However, if you spend a lot on food, it could make sense for you. If you enroll now, you can earn an extra 60,000 bonus points for spending$4,000 in the first six months after opening the card.
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card highlights intro bonus25,000 online bonus points after you make at least$1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a$250 statement credit toward travel purchases.APR18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfersrecommended creditExcellent/Goodreward rates The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card, another beginner-friendly option, doesn't have an annual fee -- but still has plenty of perks. If you choose this card, you'll earn a flat rate of 1.5x points for every dollar spent. This means that there aren't special bonus categories, which can be helpful if you're just starting out with points and miles.
Not only is it simple to earn points, but it's also easy to redeem them. When you're ready, just book travel with your Bank of America card. After the charge posts to your statement, you can trade in your points for a statement credit. If you're traveling overseas, there are no foreign transaction fees, which is great to see on a no-annual-fee card.
If you belong to the America Preferred Rewards program, you can earn up to 75% more points per purchase. Plus, new cardholders can receive a 25,000-point bonus for spending$1,000 or more in the first three months after signing up.
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Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best credit card if you're new to travel rewards. It does come with a$95 annual fee, but it's easy to justify that expense with the annual hotel credit, sign-up bonus, no foreign transaction fees, bonus spending categories, and travel insurance features.
Card | Annual Fee | Points Earnings | Extra Perk |
Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 |
| $50 annual hotel credit |
Capital One Venture Rewards | $95 |
| Two airport lounge passes per year |
Chase Freedom Unlimited | $0 |
| Receive cashback on your statement or into a checking or savings account |
American Express Gold Card | $250 |
| $120 Uber Cash per year |
Bank of America Travel Rewards | $0 |
| No foreign transaction fees |
For many people, yes. Even if you're only an occasional traveler, you can use your points and miles to cover the costs of flights, hotels, and rental cars. Plus, many travel cards include great perks like trip cancelation insurance, lost baggage insurance, and rental car insurance. However, if you're in debt or struggling to pay your credit card bills in full each month, a travel credit card may not be the best choice for you.
In most cases, you need a "good" or "excellent" credit score (670 or higher) to be approved for a travel credit card.
No, but it helps. Most non-travel cards (like debit cards) charge foreign transaction fees, which can be around 3% per purchase. With cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Bank of America Travel Rewards card, you won't need to pay these fees when you're overseas.
The credit card space is highly competitive, with issuers offering tons of perks and features to attract new customers. To choose these five cards, we looked at several factors, including:
Fees:The annual fees on travel credit cards range from$0 to$600+. Our picks are on the lower end of this spectrum to accommodate beginners who are just starting their journey with travel rewards.
Points-per-dollar earnings:This is one of the most important considerations when it comes to travel cards. When redemption rates are higher (3x to 5x points per dollar), you'll get more value from your everyday purchases -- particularly if you spend a lot in certain categories. For this list, we chose cards with a variety of earning rates and bonus categories.
Sign-up bonuses:Also known as welcome offers, sign-up bonuses reward you for spending a certain amount of money after opening a card. In many cases, these bonuses can cover the costs of roundtrip flights or multiple nights at a hotel. Our travel card picks all have competitive welcome offers.
Extra features:From airport lounge access to hotel credit to concierge services, each travel card has its own set of attractive bonus features. The cards on this list include a mix of features, so you can choose the ones that appeal most to you.
While each of these five cards is great in its own way, there are certain ones that might make more sense depending on your personal situation.
For instance, if you're just testing the waters with travel rewards or don't plan to travel often, you might consider a card with a$0 annual fee (like the Chase Freedom Unlimited or the Bank of America Travel Rewards).
On the other hand, if you're planning a few big trips, you might be better off choosing a card with a generous welcome offer or the ability to transfer points to travel partners. In that case, cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the American Express Gold Card are wonderful options.
The travel cards listed above are some of the best options for beginners, but there are also a handful of other ones to consider, including:
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: This card offers 10x miles on rental cars and hotels and 5x miles on flights (as long as you book through the Capital One portal). It comes with a$395 annual fee.
Chase Ink Business Preferred? Credit Card:If you're a business owner, you can use this card to earn 3x points on travel and several business categories. There's a$95 annual fee, and the card currently has a 100,000-point welcome bonus.
Delta SkyMiles? Platinum American Express Card:We didn't include any hotel or airline-specific cards on our list, but if you're looking for a good option, this Delta card is worth considering. As a cardholder, you'll earn 3x miles on Delta and hotel purchases and 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide. Its fee is$250 per year (see rates and fees).
Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.?
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