Best Credit Cards for Travel Rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Platinum

Picking the right credit card can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to choosing one that allows you to earn points and rewards that can be used for travel. There are many factors to consider, such as the card's rewards program, annual fee, interest rates, and also which spending categories align best with your own personal spending habits! Keep scrolling to see our top picks for cards that earn points for traveling!

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One of the best credit cards for generating travel rewards is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. This card offers a generous rewards program, with 3x points on dining, 2X points on travel (and 5x points on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal), 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2025, and 1X points on all other purchases. The points can be redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and they can be transferred to participating airline and hotel loyalty programs, including World of Hyatt, at a 1:1 ratio. If you frequently travel internationally, this card also offers No Foreign Transactions Fees, and it offers Trip Cancellation / Interruption Insurance, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Baggage Delay Insurance, Travel and Emergency Assistance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and Roadside Dispatch. The card also comes with a sign-up bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months, and has an annual fee of only $95. I have been primarily using the Chase family of credits cards for my own personal mileage/points accrual, as I am relatively new to the credit cards rewards hacking game, and Chase is the most conservative when it comes to issuing cards - so it’s best to get the Chase cards first. (Look up the 5/24 rule for more info!)

The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is another great card for frequent travelers. I would consider it an “upgraded” version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred, although it does come with a higher annual fee of $550. It offers a 3x points on travel, 3x points on dining, and 1x points on everything else. It offers a Travel Credit - reimbursing you $300 on travel purchases each calendar year, and a statement credit of $100 every four years for Global Entry/TSA Precheck, and comes with Priority Pass Select Membership for airport lounge access! In addition to the No Foreign Transaction Fees and Trip Cancellation / Interruption Insurance, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Travel Accident Insurance, Baggage Delay Insurance, Travel and Emergency Assistance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and Roadside Assistance offered by the Preferred Card, it also offers Emergency Evacuation and Transportation Coverage!

If you own your own business or have a side hustle, you may want to consider the Chase family of business credit cards. I have the Chase Ink Business Unlimited, which earns 1.5x points on all purchases. It currently has a sign up bonus of 90,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first three months with NO ANNUAL FEE! Another great option is the Chase Ink Business Preferred which offers
3X points on shipping, advertising via social media sites and search engines, internet cable and phone services, and travel (applies only to the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in those categories each account anniversary year), and then 1x points on everything else. It currently has a new cardmember offer of 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first three months, and the annual fee is only $95.

The American Express Platinum Card is another excellent option for earning travel rewards. This card offers 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, as well as on prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com, and 1x points on all other purchases. The points can be redeemed for flights, hotels, and other travel experiences through the American Express Membership Rewards program. It offers No Foreign Transaction Fees, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Trip Delay and Cancellation Insurance, Fee Credits for Global Entry, TSA Precheck, and Clear, and a $200 annual Airline Fee credit, a $200 annual statement credit on prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com, and a $240 annual Digital Entertainment Credit good towards Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, Audible, and The New York Times. Additionally, it offers $200 annual Uber credit, $155 annual Walmart+ credit, and $100 annual Saks credit - along with a PLETHORA of other benefits - wayyy too many to list them all here, so click to see the full list of benefits. My favorite benefit though is access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 650 cities in 140 countries via The American Express Global Lounge Collection. The card also currently comes with a sign-up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first six months. The annual fee is a bit hefty though, coming in at $695, but with the expanded perks and lounge access, you might think its worth it! With all of the traveling we do, and after years of paying $40 at the airport for a couple of snacks and waters every time we fly 😱😅, we justify the annual fee with all of the great FREE meals we can eat in the airport lounges!

If you spend most of your money on food, the American Express Gold Card is an incredible option for maximizing your points accrual! It earns 4x points at restaurants, 4x points on groceries, 3x points on flights booked directly through airlines or through amextravel.com, and 1x points on everything else - with an annual fee of $250. It also offers No Foreign Transaction Fees, Baggage Insurance, and Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, $120 Annual Dining Credit, and $120 annual Uber Credit. It currently has a sign-up bonus of 90,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months.

In conclusion, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, the Chase Ink family of Business Cards, and the American Express Platinum and Gold Cards are all excellent choices for generating points and rewards that can be used for travel. Each card offers a generous rewards program and sign-up bonus, and each of their rewards programs are also easily transferable to partners for better redemption values - making them all a great option for anyone looking to earn rewards to put towards their next vacation!