Here’s a detailed guide to 10 of the top US credit cards for travellers in 2025–2026, comparing their benefits, fees, reward features, and what kind of traveller each one is best for. I’ll also include tips on how to pick the right travel credit card for your style. If you want, I can focus on cards more usable from India / abroad too.
What travellers should look for in a credit cardhttps://www.freepik.com
Before diving into specific cards, here are key features that make a credit card great for travel:
| Feature | Why it’s useful |
| No foreign transaction fees | Saves ~3% or more on purchases abroad. |
| High rewards on travel + dining | Flights, hotels, car rentals, restaurants often cost most. |
| Travel credits / statement credits | Helps offset high annual fees. |
| Airport lounge access | More comfort during long layovers. |
| Travel protection & insurance (trip cancellation, lost luggage, rental car insurance etc.) | Helps avoid surprise costs. |
| Flexible redemption & transfer partners | More value from your points/miles. |
| Welcome bonus | A big chunk of value often comes from sign-up bonuses. |
| Good global acceptance | Visa/Mastercard and wide networks, so the card works in many countries. |
Top 10 US Travel Credit Cards & Their Benefitshttps://www.gettyimages.com
Below are 10 cards frequently mentioned among the best for travellers. After listing, I’ll dive deeper into a few of them.
Quick List
Here are 10 cards (in no special strict order) that tend to appear in top-travel-card lists:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Capital One Venture Rewards Card
- American Express Platinum Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Citi Strata Premier Card
- American Express Gold Card
- Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Discover It Miles
- Hilton Honors / Marriott Bonvoy hotel cards (e.g. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless)
Now let’s go deeper into some of them:
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Annual Fee: Recently increased to US$795.
Key Benefits:
- Flexible travel credits: up to $300/year on travel purchases.
- Chase Credit Cards
- +1
- A large credit toward hotel stays (“The Edit”) — up to $500 annually for pre-paid stays at certain hotels/resorts, plus perks like free breakfast, upgrades, etc.
- Chase Credit Cards
- +1
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Chase Credit Cards
- +2
- Chase
- +2
- Strong rewards:
- Lounge access: Priority Pass Select + access to Chase Sapphire Lounges.
- Chase Credit Cards
- Travel protections: trip cancellation/interruption, baggage delay, rental car primary coverage, emergency evacuation, etc.
- Chase Credit Cards
- +2
- Chase
- +2
Who it’s for: Frequent travellers who can make full use of credits and perks to offset the high fee. If you travel multiple times a year, stay in hotels, eat out, etc., this card delivers big value.
2. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Annual Fee: ~$95.
Key Benefits:
- Rewards: 2 miles per dollar on all purchases; 5× miles when booking hotels, rental cars, vacation rentals via Capital One Travel.
- NerdWallet
- +1
- Big welcome bonus: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in first 3 months.
- Capital One
- +1
- No foreign transaction fees.
- NerdWallet
- +1
- TSA PreCheck / Global Entry credit (up to $120 every 4 years).
- NerdWallet
- +1
- Rental car insurance, trip cancellation/interruption, fraud protection.
- NerdWallet
- +1
Who it’s for: Someone who wants a simpler rewards structure, doesn’t want to manage many different categories, but still wants good travel rewards and protections without huge fees.
3. American Express Platinum Card
Annual Fee: Now US$895.
Key Benefits:
- Access to many airport lounges (Centurion Lounges, etc.), “luxury” travel perks.
- Reuters
- +2
- Food & Wine
- +2
- Statement credits for various lifestyle & travel partners: e.g. airline fee credits, Uber, hotel credits, Resy dining credits (restaurants). Recently added Resy dining credit ($400 annually) etc.
- Food & Wine
- +2
- AP News
- +2
- No foreign transaction fees. (Most premium Amex travel cards have this.)
- NerdWallet
- +1
- Strong rewards on flights booked via Amex and hotels, plus good perks: hotel status, upgrades.
Who it’s for: Luxury travellers, frequent flyers, people who stay in premium hotels, make use of lounge access, value concierge benefits, etc. If you want the top end, this card often delivers, but only if you’ll use the perks enough to cover the high fee.
4. Chase Sapphire Preferred®
Annual Fee: $95.
Key Benefits:
- Generous sign-up bonus (often 60-75,000 points after a qualifying spend).
- Kiplinger
- +2
- The Points Party
- +2
- Rewards: 5× points on travel through Chase Travel, 3× on dining, etc. (varies with categories).
- The Points Party
- +2
- Kiplinger
- +2
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Kiplinger
- +2
- Kiplinger
- +2
- Transfer partners: points can be moved to airlines/hotels. Helps get outsized value.
- Kiplinger
Who it’s for: Good “mid-tier” travellers: those who travel somewhat frequently, want good rewards, but don’t need all the premium bells and whistles. Lower fee than premium cards, still strong value.
5. Citi Strata Premier Card
Annual Fee: ~$95.
Key Benefits:
- Solid rewards on multiple travel categories: hotels, car rentals, attractions etc.
- Kiplinger
- +1
- No foreign transaction fee.
- Kiplinger
- Good sign-up bonus offers.
Who it’s for: If your travel spending tends to include non-air-flight costs (hotels, sightseeing, rentals) and you want a card that rewards broadly.
6. American Express Gold Card
Annual Fee: ~$250.
Key Benefits:
- 4× points at restaurants (globally) and at US supermarkets (up to a cap), plus 3× on flights booked through Amex or AmexTravel.
- Kiplinger
- +1
- Several statement credits (Uber Cash, Resy / restaurant credits etc.) which help offset the fee.
- Kiplinger
- +1
- No foreign transaction fees.
- NerdWallet
- +1
Who it’s for: Foodies / people who eat out a lot / buy groceries frequently, and who travel but maybe not enough to justify a super-premium card.
7. Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card
Annual Fee: $0.
Key Benefits:
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Featured
- +1
- Flat rewards on all purchases for travel redemption. Simple structure.
- Featured
Who it’s for: Occasional travellers, or people who want no fees and a simple rewards structure. If you travel rarely and don’t want to worry about categories, this can be enough.
8. Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
Annual Fee: ~$350.
Key Benefits:
- Good miles earning when flying with Delta, plus on other travel/hotel bookings.
- Kiplinger
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Kiplinger
- Perks tied to airline loyalty, priority boarding, perhaps free checked bags etc.
Who it’s for: If you are loyal to a specific airline (Delta in this case), do most of your flying with them, and want perks tied to that airline (upgrades, free checked luggage, etc.).
9. Discover It Miles
Annual Fee: $0.
Key Benefits:
- Flat rate miles on all purchases (e.g. ~1.5× miles).
- Enjoy Travel
- First-year mile match (Discover matches all the miles you earn in the first year) – this is a special perk.
- Enjoy Travel
- No foreign transaction fees? (Need to check acceptance globally though—Discover is less accepted outside US in many places).
Who it’s for: Low cost card, good for people who want no fees, don’t expect ultra-luxury perks, just want something reliable and simple.
10. Hotel-Branded Cards (e.g. Marriott / Hilton)
These cards are valuable if you stay often in particular hotel chains.
Key Benefits (typical):
- Bonus points on stays with that hotel chain.
- Free night certificates (once/annually) or elite status perks (late checkout, upgrades etc.).
- Discounts or perks when booking through the hotel’s loyalty program.
Who they’re for: Frequent hotel stayers in certain brands; if you repeatedly stay at Marriott, Hilton, IHG etc., a branded card can deliver a lot of value.
Comparison: Cost vs Value
| Category | What you pay (annual fee etc.) | What you get vs “break-even” point |
| No / low fee cards ($0-$100) | e.g. Bank of America Travel Rewards, Discover It Miles, etc. | You save on foreign fees, get modest rewards. If travel is occasional, these cards may suffice. |
| Mid-tier cards ($95-$250) | e.g. Capital One Venture, Sapphire Preferred, Amex Gold | If you travel somewhat often, eat out, stay in hotels, etc., the credits + points + protections can make this category “profitable.” |
| Premium ($300-$900+) | Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, etc. | You need to use lots of perks (airport lounge access, credits, elite statuses) to justify the cost. |
Recent Updates You Should Know
- Chase Sapphire Reserve recently raised its annual fee from $550 to $795. In compensation, they’ve increased many credits and benefits.
- Chase
- +4
- The Sun
- +4
- Business Insider
- +4
- Amex Platinum has also increased its fee (to ~$895) and added several new credits (Resy dining, hotel credits, etc.).
- Reuters
- +2
- AP News
- +2
So, in 2025, many premium cards have steeper fees but more perks and higher potential value — but the “break-even” usage threshold has gone up accordingly.
Which Card Fits What Traveller Profile
Here are some traveller types + what cards match best.
| Traveller Type | What you need most | Cards that fit well |
| Occasional international traveller, tight budget | No foreign transaction fees, simple rewards, low/no annual fee | Bank of America Travel Rewards, Discover It Miles, possibly lower-fee versions of “flat-rate” cards. |
| Food-lover / gourmet traveller | Good rewards on dining, restaurant credits, perks at nicer restaurants | Amex Gold, Sapphire Reserve, some Amex Platinum credits, cards with dining credits. |
| Frequent flyer (air travel + lounges) | Airline loyalty perks, lounge access, flight-booking bonuses | Amex Platinum, cards with strong airline partners (Delta, United), Sapphire Reserve. |
| Hotel-heavy traveller | Elite status, free-nights, upgrades, points on hotel spend | Branded hotel cards (Marriott, Hilton), Sapphire Reserve (hotel credits), Amex Platinum. |
| Luxury / premium travellers | Comfort, concierge, high-end perks, best lounges, travel insurance | Amex Platinum, Sapphire Reserve, maybe Strata Elite or similar premium cards. |
Tips to Maximise Value
- Always use the statement / travel credits or partner credits in full (dining, Uber, etc.). If you don’t use them, they don’t help.
- Combine cards: for example, use your premium card for travel & large purchases, a cashback or low-fee card for daily small spends.
- Keep an eye on transfer partners to shift points to airlines or hotel programs for outsized value.
- Use protections: When traveling, pay with a card that offers good travel insurance, rental car coverage, etc.
- Check global acceptance: Amex is not accepted everywhere, particularly in smaller merchants abroad. Visa / Mastercard are more universally accepted.
- Watch for credit bureau and credit score implications; applying for many cards or having high limits can affect your credit utilization or credit history.
Sample Deep Contrast: Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Capital One Venture vs Amex Platinum
To illustrate trade-offs, here’s how three top cards compare, for someone who travels several times per year:
| Feature | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Capital One Venture | Amex Platinum |
| Annual Fee | High (~$795) The Sun+1 | Moderate (≈ $95) Capital One | Very high (~$895) Reuters |
| Travel Credits & Perks | $300 travel credit; hotel credits; lounge access; strong travel insurance | TSA/Global Entry credit; no foreign fees; decent daily rewards; less premium perks | Extensive lounge access; many statement credits (airline, dining, hotels); concierge; elite status perks |
| Rewards Earning | Highest on travel/dining; extra on flights/hotels direct Chase+1 | Simplified: 2× all, bonus on travel booked via their portal etc. Capital One+1 | High rewards for airline/hotel booked via Amex, strong travel bonus categories; plus many additional partner perks |
| Break-Even Usage | You need to use credits + lounge + travel often to justify the high fee | Much easier to get value even with fewer trips, because fee is lower | Requires frequent luxury travel, eating, hotel stays, etc. to get full value |
Pros / Cons Summary
Below are typical trade-offs you’ll face:
| Pros of premium / rich traveller cards | Cons |
| Big perks: lounge access, free upgrades, high rewards multipliers, lots of credits that offset fees, excellent protections. | Very high annual fees; if you don’t use the perks, cost outweighs benefits; sometimes complicated terms; high spend requirements; may require good/excellent credit. |
Final Thoughts & Recommendations
If I were to recommend based on different travel styles:
- If you travel once or twice per year and want low fees: go for a no foreign transaction fee, no/low annual fee card. Something like Bank of America Travel Rewards or Discover It Miles.
- If you travel fairly often (say 3-6 times a year, hotel stays, etc.): mid-tier cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture give good return.
- If you travel frequently/in a premium way (luxury hotels, long flights, many layovers), then Chase Sapphire Reserve or Amex Platinum can deliver great value — but you must use their perks actively.
