If you’re in the market for a new credit card, you’re probably a busy person who doesn’t have time to go through all the hundreds of credit cards on the market at once. Sure, you can go through your credit score and let it guide you to your perfect card, but what if there was a way to analyze the best travel credit cards of the future? That’s the idea behind my new blog, informationdepot.com, which aims to help you find the best card for your needs.
Everyone knows the travel industry is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries. It’s always been a source of envy for people, who are constantly on the lookout for a new product or service to replace the gadgets they use at home. With the ever-increasing rise of the digital currency market, the world is entering a new era of digital transactions.
No matter what it is you are looking for when you travel, you can find it on the internet for a price. There are sites where you can find all the information you need to know about deals on hotels, flights, cruises, vacation packages, cars, and so much more. But there’s one thing you’ll need to do before all of that searching and exploring—make sure you have some money!. Read more about best travel credit card no annual fee and let us know what you think.(CNN) –
CNN Underscored looks at financial products like credit cards and bank accounts based on their total value. We may receive commissions through LendingTree’s partner network if you apply for and receive a card, but our reports are always independent and objective. The General Terms and Conditions apply to American Express benefits and offers. Registration may be required for certain American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com for more information.
After the vaccines spread across the country, travel began to pick up. And when that happens, many Americans will likely want – even need – a well-deserved break.
That’s where CNN Underscored’s list of the best travel credit cards for 2021 comes in. The right credit card can give you enough travel benefits to make your vacation easier, more enjoyable and even – dare we say it – almost free. Our comprehensive methodology compares all aspects of each travel credit card with our comparison credit card – the Citi® Double Cash card – to determine which cards can offer you the most benefits or rewards.
So take a few minutes to check out our list of the best travel credit cards for 2021 and think about which ones you can use to go on vacation when the planes start flying again.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Best Travel Rewards Card
American Express® Gold Card: The best non-travel card is the Chase Sapphire Reserve
: The best travel card
The Platinum Card® from American Express: The best benefits for luxury travelers
Priority Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards: Best card for air travel World of Hyatt
credit card : The best
Capital One® Venture® Rewards credit card for hotel travel: The best for user-friendly travel prices
Why did we choose these cards as our top travel credit cards for 2021? Join us to explore the details of each map and see how they relate to each other.
Why it’s great, in a sentence: Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 2 Ultimate Rewards points for every dollar spent on travel and dining. These points can be used to pay for travel and other eligible categories at 1.25 cents per point or transferred to program partners – airlines and hotels – for potentially even better deals.
This card is suitable for : Individuals with above average travel and/or meal expenses (including meal delivery) who want a low-cost card and transferable base points.
Highlights:
- Earn 2 points for every dollar spent on travel and dining out.
- All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
- Points can be redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal at 1.25 cents per point.
- Up to 30 years. September 2021, points can also be used for purchases at grocery stores, restaurants and hardware stores at 1.25 cents per point.
- Points can also be transferred to any of Chase’s 13 airline and hotel partners.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Ninety-five dollars a year.
Enrollment Bonus : Earn 80,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening, and up to $50 in credit for grocery purchases in the first year after account opening.
What we like about the Chase Sapphire Preferred program: It may not seem like it, but more than 10 years ago, the Chase Sapphire Preferred practically became the granddaddy of travel credit cards. With classic bonus categories for travel and dining, 5 points per dollar for Lyft rides, and a sign-up bonus of 80,000 points, you can easily earn a lot of points quickly, especially since most meal delivery services are coded as lunch in the CSP and earn 2 points per dollar. In addition, cardholders will receive a free DashPass subscription for at least one year if they purchase the card before the 31st. December 2021.
Related: That’s why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is our favorite travel credit card for first-time travelers.
But the real power of the Sapphire Preferred program lies in its benefits. You earn 1.25 cents per point when you use points on the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, and you can get even more value when you transfer points to one of Chase’s 13 travel partners. In fact, the Ultimate Rewards program still has some of the best transfer partners, including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Hyatt Hotels, and all Chase partners transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
Chase also added new trade-in options for the Sapphire Preferred in 2020. With the Pay Yourself Back issuer tool, you can use points not only for travel, but also for purchases. The categories currently being considered are grocery stores, cafeterias (including delivery and takeout) and convenience stores. Up to 30 years. September 2021, you will receive 1.25 cents per point if you use this method.
Plus, you can use Sapphire Preferred safely abroad, as there are no transaction fees for international purchases. They even offer primary insurance for rental cars, so you don’t have to rely on your own policy if you get into an accident with your rental car.
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You get primary insurance when you rent your car through the Chase Sapphire Preferred program.
What could be better: The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a classic, but in some ways it’s long past its prime. Other credit cards now offer reward points or cashback in the same travel and restaurant categories, and in some cases at higher rates (but usually with a higher annual fee).
Even our benchmark card, the Citi Double Cash, earns 2% on all purchases (1% on purchase plus 1% on redemption), not just travel and dining, though you can get more value with Sapphire Preferred points than cash back alone.
For many people, the Sapphire Preferred is not as attractive as its older brother, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which offers travel benefits, higher rewards, and a $300 annual travel credit (but also a much higher annual fee). But if you don’t need or want all those extras – especially with travel options being so limited – you’re better off with this much cheaper version.
Where it beats our reference card: Bonus categories for travel and dining, excellent travel protection, trusted airline and hotel partners, and a check-in bonus.
Where our reference card is better: Citi Double Cash has no annual fees, an introductory transfer fee and easy cashback.
Read the CNN Underscored story on the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card.
Learn more and apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
Why it’s great, in a sentence: With the American Express Gold card, you can earn tons of valuable Amex travel points for almost every grocery purchase, even when you’re not traveling, and the credits available with this card almost offset the annual fee.
This card is suitable for : People who can use any credit card and spend a lot of money at restaurants, food delivery services or American supermarkets when they are not on the road.
Highlights:
- Earn 4 points for every dollar spent at US grocery stores (up to $25,000 in purchases per year, 1x thereafter).
- Earn 4 points per dollar at restaurants around the world.
- Earn 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or on amextravel.com.
- For everything else, you get 1 point per dollar.
- Up to $120 in annual meal vouchers.
- Up to $120 in Uber Cash per year.
- Annual fee of $250 (see Fees and Charges).
- Conditions apply.
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.
What we like about the American Express Gold program: It may sound strange to say that this is the best non-travel card, but the Amex Gold is the perfect choice if you want to earn as many travel points as possible even when you’re not traveling, and then have plenty of opportunities to use those points for travel when the pandemic subsides.
First: With the Amex Gold program, you earn 4 points for every dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and for annual purchases up to $25,000 at U.S. supermarkets (1 point per dollar thereafter). Most food delivery services are considered restaurants on this map. This means you earn 4x points for most of your food purchases, regardless of how you eat.
You also earn 3 points per dollar if you book directly with the airline. So if you want to take advantage of the end-of-year sale, you can pay with Amex Gold and earn extra points for that too.
The points you earn with this card are American Express Membership Rewards points, which are very valuable. You can redeem them directly through Amex Travel for 1 cent each for air travel, but if you set your sights on them and do some research, you may be able to get much more value out of them by transferring them to one of Amex’s 21 partner airlines and hotels, including Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Marriott and many others.
Related: Green, gold, platinum: What is the difference between American Express cards?
In addition, there are annual appropriations. Although the Amex Gold has a substantial annual fee of $250, you can earn almost as much with this card as you pay for the credits.
If you have an Amex Gold card, you can earn up to $120 in dining credits per year, to be used for purchases at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed and participating Shake Shacks. They are issued in monthly increments of $10, but the credits do not roll over from month to month, so you must use them or lose them.
In addition, Amex adds up to $120 in Uber Cash each year to the Amex Gold program. Again, this credit comes in monthly increments of $10 and can be used for both Uber rides and Uber Eats orders. By combining Uber Cash and restaurant credits, you can get up to $240 in annual credits, resulting in an effective annual fee of just $10 if you can use all the credits.
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With the American Express Gold card, you can get up to $10 a month in Uber Cash.
What could be better: The only major drawback to the Amex Gold is that most annual credits are in monthly installments, not annual. So you need to make sure you can use them every month to justify the card.
Also, while Amex points are valuable, they must be used to best effect by airline and hotel transfer partners, which takes some time to understand and be flexible to get the most out of them. If you prefer to just book flights through a standard online travel portal, it’s best to opt for one of the Chase or Capital One cards, which offer more benefits if you use the rewards in an easy way.
Where it beats our reference card: Welcome bonus, annual credit, bonus categories and strong airline and hotel partners.
Where our reference card is better: Citi Double Cash has no annual fees, an introductory transfer fee and easy cashback.
Read the CNN Underscored report on the American Express Gold Card.
Read more and apply for the American Express Gold Card.
Why it’s great, in a sentence: The popular Chase Sapphire Reserve program is pricey, but it also offers a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, a $60 annual DoorDash credit in 2021, a significantly higher pay rate when you use Lyft, and 3 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining.
This card is suitable for : People who do a lot of shopping while traveling, or even in their daily lives when not on the road.
Highlights:
- A $300 annual travel credit.
- Earn 3 points for every dollar spent at the restaurant.
- Earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel-related purchases (after using your $300 annual travel credit).
- Earn 10 points per dollar on Lyft purchases through March 20, 2022.
- All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
- Points can be redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal at 1.5 cents per point.
- Up to 30 years. In September 2021, points can also be redeemed for purchases at grocery stores, convenience stores and hardware stores at a rate of 1.5 cents per point.
- Points can also be transferred to any of Chase’s 13 airline and hotel partners.
- Annual DoorDash credit of $60 by 2021.
- Up to two years of free DashPass membership.
- One year free membership to Lyft Pink.
- Complimentary membership to the Priority Pass Select lounge at the airport.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Annual contribution of $550.
Enrollment Bonus : Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
What we like about Chase Sapphire Reserve: When the Chase Sapphire Reserve program launched in 2016, it was an immediate success, covering a wide range of travel and restaurant categories. It’s incredibly easy to earn reward points with this card, as almost all restaurants, fast food outlets, and even meal delivery services like Seamless are eateries.
DoorDash’s $60 annual credit makes the card even more valuable, especially now. If you can use it in conjunction with your travel credit, the effective annual fee is only $190.
The ability to redeem points earned with the card for a flight or hotel at 1.5 cents per point through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal makes it easy to use the card rewards, but you can get even more benefits if you use more advanced airline and hotel transfer partners.
As with the Sapphire Preferred, Chase has added a new Pay Yourself Back feature to the Chase Sapphire Reserve that allows you to use your points for something other than travel. Currently, grocery stores, cafeterias (including delivery and takeout), and convenience stores are eligible. Up to 30 years. September 2021 you will receive 1.5 cents per point if you use this method.
Related: Chase is expanding the Pay Yourself Back categories on his Sapphire cards.
And if you plan to fly frequently once you resume your travels, you’ll find great benefit in Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership, with access for you and two guests to over 1,200 lounges worldwide.
American Express
Visit the Plaza Premium Lounge at London Heathrow Airport, part of the Priority Pass Select network.
What could be better: Although the high cost of the Chase Sapphire Reserve was easily justified in recent years, the annual fee was increased from $450 to $550 in early 2020. To make the price worthwhile, you need to be able to use the card to its full potential, which can be a challenge given the current state of world travel.
Lyft bonus category means you can earn as much as 10 points for every dollar you spend on the ride-sharing service, but that won’t be helpful to most people who don’t currently use Lyft. The same goes for the extra annual DoorDash credit and free DashPass membership, which are only valuable to those who order food with delivery and have DoorDash service in their area.
And while the travel and dining rewards categories dominated the market four years ago, today there are other credit cards that offer similar or even better payouts in these categories, such as. B. The Amex Gold, which earns 4 points per dollar for restaurant visits worldwide. If the increase in annual Sapphire Reserve fees is too much for you, consider the more affordable Chase Sapphire Preferred program, which offers fewer traveler benefits but an annual fee of just $95.
Where it beats our reference card: Easy-to-use travel credit, bonus categories for travel and dining, excellent travel protection, trusted airline and hotel partners, and a sign-up bonus.
Where our reference card is better: Citi Double Cash has no annual fees, an introductory transfer fee and easy cashback.
Read CNN Underscored’s review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card. Learn more and apply for a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card.
Why it’s great, in a sentence: It’s certainly not cheap, but the famous American Express Platinum card is a heavyweight when it comes to travel privileges: multiple annual credits; access to more than 1,200 airport lounges around the world, including Amex-owned Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when you travel with Delta; elite status with Hilton, Marriott, Hertz, Avis, and National Car Rental, and many other perks for luxury travelers.
This card is suitable for : Individuals who wish to enjoy luxury travel privileges, refundable travel credits and transferable travel awards.
Highlights:
- Earn 5 points for every dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airlines or through American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per year, 1 point thereafter).
- Earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel reservations on Amex Travel.
- All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
- Points can be redeemed for travel through Amex Travel at 1 cent per point.
- Points can also be transferred to any of the 21 Amex partner airlines and hotels.
- Up to $200 per year in credits for applicable fees on a selected airline.
- Up to $100 per year in credits for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue.
- Up to $15 per statement per month ($35 in December) if you pay for Uber rides with your card.
- Complimentary access to American Express Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs on Delta flights, and Priority Pass airport lounges (excluding Priority Pass restaurants).
- Free Gold Elite status at Hilton and Marriott hotels.
- Free Preferred Elite status with Hertz, Avis and National car rental companies.
- Free membership of Shoprunner.
- Access to American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts.
- No fees for foreign transactions (see Fees and commissions).
- Annual stipend of $550 (see Fees and Expenses).
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after making $5,000 in eligible purchases in the first six months and earn 10 points per dollar on eligible purchases at U.S. gas stations and grocery stores, up to a total of $15,000 in the first six months of membership.
What we like about the American Express Platinum program: For an annual fee of $550 per year, you should be able to really take advantage of this card to make it worth the cost. Fortunately, as travel becomes the norm again, it’s getting easier and easier. When you travel with this card, you feel like a true VIP.
Amex Platinum has access to thousands of airport lounges, including Centurion Lounges, which are considered one of the best airport lounges in the United States. For many road users, this benefit alone is worth the price of the card.
But if you can still apply for an annual credit of up to $200 for occasional air travel, as well as an annual Uber credit of up to $200 and a Saks Fifth Avenue credit of up to $100 (which can be used for purchases at Saks, in-store and online), you’ll get up to $500 in annual credits for a card that costs $550 a year.
On topic: 9 of our favorite credit card perks you don’t want to miss.
Talk about credit: Uber credits can also be used to purchase Uber Eats, meaning you can use them even if you’re not currently using the shuttle service. The same goes for the Saks Fifth Avenue credit, which you can use on anything you buy on the Saks website.
The icing on the cake is a welcome bonus of 75,000 points after spending $5,000 on the card in the first six months, which you can redeem for at least two domestic airline tickets for you and your date or even a bus trip to Europe for yourself.
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Use your Amex Platinum bonus to buy a few domestic airline tickets.
What could be better: Surprisingly, the American Express Platinum is not an outlier card when it comes to earning points. This is advantageous when booking airline tickets, as you earn an impressive 5 points for every dollar you spend directly with the airline. But to earn 5 points per dollar in hotels, you must book prepaid hotels and only through Amex Travel. For such an expensive card, these bonus categories are not exceptional.
Fortunately, new card members get an additional temporary bonus category. During the first six months of your membership, you will also earn 10 points per dollar on eligible purchases at gas stations and supermarkets in the U.S., up to a total value of $15,000. It’s a fantastic income and a great way to earn travel points if you stay close to home.
Amex Platinum loans can also be difficult to maximize. Unlike travel credits offered by cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, random airline credits up to $200 are only valid on the airline you choose each year, and only for certain charges, such as baggage check-in fees or in-cabin pet fees.
The annual Uber credit, which can go up to $200, is not available as a one-time payment, but as a series of $15 monthly credits, with an additional $20 in December to earn $200. The Saks Fifth Avenue credit is also divided into two parts: $50 is available during the first six months of the calendar year, and the other $50 is available during the second half of the year.
After all, the Amex Platinum is not really meant for daily use. For the value of the card to pay off in the long run, you need to be a regular traveler who wants the best treatment during your long days on the road.
Where it beats our reference card: Luxury travel benefits and credits, airline and hotel bonus categories, robust travel protection, a wide selection of airlines and hotel partners, and a welcome bonus.
Where our reference card is better: Citi Double Cash has no annual fees, an introductory transfer fee and easy cashback.
Read CNN Underscored’s review of the American Express Platinum card.
Find out more and apply for the American Express Platinum Card.
Why it’s great, in a sentence: If you plan to be a regular Southwest passenger when you start traveling again, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is an easy win, as the annual credits, benefits and points easily offset the annual fee.
This card is suitable for : People who want a card with elite flight privileges on Southwest flights.
Highlights:
- You earn 2 points for every dollar spent on all Southwest purchases.
- All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
- Southwest travel credit of $75 per year.
- Four improved plantings per year, if available.
- 20% refund for drinks and Wi-Fi on board.
- 7,500 bonus points after the cardholder’s birthday each year.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- 149 per year.
Welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, and earn 3 points per dollar on meals, including takeout and related delivery services, during the first year.
What we like about the Southwest Priority card: If you’re already a Southwest fan, you’ll love the benefits of the Southwest Priority card. But it’s also a good time to take advantage of the card’s signing bonus and get the coveted Southwest Companion Pass.
The Companion Pass is an elite benefit that allows another passenger to travel with you an unlimited number of times for free (plus taxes) on Southwest flights. In general, 125,000 eligible points are required in a calendar year to receive a pass. That’s a lot of flights on Southwest that you’re probably not taking right now.
Related: What is the Southwest Companion Pass, and is it worth it?
But sign-up bonuses on Southwest credit cards count toward the Companion Pass, meaning 40,000 bonus points on that card gets you almost a quarter of the way to your goal. And if you were a member of Southwest’s loyalty program in early 2021, Southwest has already added an additional 25,000 Companion Pass points to your account, bringing you even closer.
The Southwest Priority card also offers you some truly remarkable benefits. Most importantly, Southwest’s $75 annual travel credit can be used on any Southwest flight – just pay for the flight or taxes with your Southwest card to get up to $75 in credit. Use the credit every year, and you’ve already recouped half of the annual card fee.
The Southwest Priority card also offers four boarding upgrade certificates per year. This means you can buy a seat A1-15 at the gate (if available), which allows you to board earlier than most other passengers, and you get a credit on your statement for the fee.
You’ll also get 20% off drinks and Wi-Fi purchases at Southwest, and 7,500 bonus points for each card anniversary. These points are worth $113 for the Wanna Get Away rate. So this card will easily pay for itself if you travel with Southwest every year.
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The Southwest Priority Card offers great benefits to passengers traveling with Southwest.
What could be better: While Southwest passengers can benefit from the Southwest Priority Card, you probably don’t want to use it as a card for your everyday expenses. Southwest points are worth about 1.5 cents per point when you book the cheapest Southwest Wanna Get Away fares. So while you make a 3% profit on Southwest purchases, you only get 1.5% on everything else.
It’s best to make your everyday purchases with our comparison card, Citi Double Cash, and earn 2% cashback on everything – 1% on purchases and 1% on redemptions – and use other credit cards with broader rewards categories or more flexible travel rewards when possible.
Where it beats our reference card: Sign-up bonus and benefits for Southwest travelers.
Where our reference card is better: Citi Double Cash has no annual fees, an introductory transfer fee and easy cashback.
Find out more and apply for a Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority credit card.
Why it’s great, in a sentence: The World of Hyatt credit card has a robust set of reward categories and allows you to earn points in the most valuable hotel loyalty program. At the same time, it offers free Hyatt Discoverist Elite status and the opportunity to earn even higher Elite status, even if you can’t travel now.
This card is suitable for : People who regularly stay at Hyatt hotels under normal travel circumstances, including those who are aiming for Hyatt elite status.
Highlights:
- Earn 4 points for every dollar spent at Hyatt hotels.
- Earn 2 points per dollar spent on lunches and airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines.
- Earn 2 points per dollar on local transportation and tickets, and gym and health club memberships.
- All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.
- Free World of Hyatt Discoverist elite status and 5 qualifying night credits per year.
- Receive 2 qualifying nights for every $5,000 you spend.
- Receive one free night at a category 1-4 Hyatt hotel each year after your first card anniversary.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Ninety-five dollars a year.
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points – 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening, plus 2 bonus points for every $1 spent on purchases for which you earn 1 bonus point, up to $15,000 in the first six months after account opening.
What we like about the World of Hyatt credit card: Hyatt’s loyalty program remains the best of any major hotel chain. So the World of Hyatt credit card is our choice of hotel credit cards to include in our list of the best travel credit cards.
With this card, you can earn a significant number of Hyatt points while enjoying Hyatt rewards, including stays at world-class hotels like the Park Hyatt New York or the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara resorts.
Additionally, this card automatically qualifies you for Hyatt Discoverist elite status. This is the lowest elite status, but it still gives you benefits like 10% bonus points for stays at the Hyatt, elite check-in, premium internet and late check-out at 2pm when possible. Finally, the Hyatt card can help you achieve Explorist or Globalist status – cardholders earn 5 elite night credits each year just for having the card.
But the icing on the cake starts a year after the card opens: you get a free night at a Category 1 through 4 Hyatt hotel each year on the anniversary of the card opening if you pay the annual fee the following year. This is the perfect time, as travel should be significantly improved by then.
Hyatt Hotels
Stay at the Park Hyatt Sydney using points earned with your World of Hyatt credit card.
What could be better: While the rewards categories of the World of Hyatt credit cards are helpful, it’s important to remember that Chase’s Ultimate Rewards program also has Hyatt as a transfer partner. That means the points you earn with cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve can be converted to Hyatt points, as well as points from other airlines or hotels, making them more flexible than regular Hyatt points.
So if you have a card like the Sapphire Reserve card, you can use that instead of the Hyatt card for certain purchases. With the CSR card, you receive, for example, B. 3 points for every dollar spent at the restaurant, compared to 2 points with the Hyatt card (and you have more opportunities to use Chase points).
A big disadvantage of Hyatt is that the chain is much smaller than the big players like Hilton and Marriott, so in some smaller cities it can be difficult to find a suitable Hyatt hotel. In recent years, however, the chain has made promising attempts to improve this situation by forming partnerships with other hotel groups, such as. B. Small luxury hotels around the world, allowing Hyatt points to be used in a wider variety of accommodations.
Additionally, Hyatt had planned last year to add peak and off-peak redemption rates to its chart award, which would have meant that points would have become more expensive in periods of high demand for the property (while they would have been cheaper in periods of low demand). However, the network has announced that these changes will be delayed until 2021.
Where it beats our reference card: Hyatt sign-up bonuses, exciting bonus categories and travel benefits.
Where our reference card is better: Citi Double Cash has no annual fees, an introductory transfer fee and easy cashback.
Find out more and apply for a World of Hyatt credit card.
Why it’s great, in a sentence: You’ll earn 2 Capital One miles for every dollar you spend with your Capital One Venture credit card, and you can use those miles for any travel purchase at 1 cent per mile, or transfer them to Capital One’s partner airlines to potentially make even better purchases.
This card is suitable for : People who want to travel for free, with easily redeemable miles, but with the opportunity to learn how to use transferable miles to get even more value later.
Highlights:
- Earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, no limit.
- Redeem miles for each travel purchase at a rate of 1 cent per mile.
- Miles can also be transferred to any of Capital One’s 15 partner airlines.
- A credit of up to $100 when applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Ninety-five dollars a year.
Welcome bonus: Get up to 100,000 bonus miles – 50,000 miles when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months, and another 50,000 miles when you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months.
What we like about Capital One Venture: Some people want travel rewards that are easy to redeem. Others don’t mind the more difficult trades that can add value to their miles. The Capital One Venture card offers you the best of both worlds.
If you don’t want to deal with complicated charts or premium availabilities, you can use Venture’s purchase removal feature. The miles you earn will be applied to all travel purchases made with your card at a rate of 1 cent per mile. So a bonus of 100,000 miles is worth at least $1,000 in travel.
For those who want to take the time to research and find discounted first or business class airfare when they return from their trip, Capital One’s 19 airline transfer partners offer another option. You can transfer miles to these partners at a ratio of 1:1, 2:1.5 or 2:1, depending on the partner.
Related: Capital One is adding new airline and hotel partners to its credit cards and improving transfer rates.
Capital One has removed the exemption from annual fees for the first year of the Venture card, so you will have to pay $95 per year up front. But you still get $100 credit when you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and you don’t have to pay a foreign transaction fee.
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Use Capital One Venture to take your family on a beach vacation.
What could be better: Capital One Venture only has one bonus category – you get 5 miles per dollar on hotels or car rentals, but only if you book through Capital One Travel. Unfortunately, if you book your hotel through a travel portal and not directly with the hotel, you will not receive elite credit and elite benefits. There is also no trip cancellation or interruption insurance included, which is a bit unusual for a travel credit card.
If you only plan to use miles with Purchase Eraser, you’re better off with our Citi Double Cash referral card, which offers 2% cashback on everything – 1% on purchases and 1% on redemptions, since you get 2 cents in rewards for every dollar you spend anyway, but the Venture card has an annual fee of $95.
Capital One’s transfer partners also include only one U.S. airline (JetBlue), although advanced cardholders will be able to use international airline alliances to get benefits on domestic flights. But if you are thinking about participating in airline transfers in the future, the Venture card is a great entry into the world of transfer points for beginners.
Where it beats our reference card: Registration bonus, purchase protection and travel protection.
Where our reference card is better: Citi Double Cash charges no annual fee and offers an introductory interest rate on transfers.
Read our comprehensive review of the Capital One Venture credit card.
Do you want a credit card that covers your travel expenses? Check out CNN Underscored’s guide to the best credit cards with travel insurance coverage.
Get the latest deals, news and tips on personal finance at CNN Underscored Money.If you want to get the most out of your next international trip, you need a credit card that can help you plan, book, and pay for those trips. That’s why we’re here to help you find the right travel credit card for your needs.. Read more about best rewards credit card and let us know what you think.
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