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Travel rewards credit cards have changed the way smart travelers pay for their trips. You can earn points or miles on everyday purchases, get luxury perks like access to airport lounges, and lower the cost of flights, hotels, and more by using the right card at the right time. But there are so many cards on the market, each with its own set of bonuses, annual fees, and partners for redeeming points, that picking the right one can be hard.

This full guide goes into great detail about the five best travel rewards credit cards for 2025. We will look at each card based on:

• How much you can earn: points or miles for every dollar spent in certain categories
• Sign-up bonuses: how big the first offer is and how much you have to spend to get it
• Annual fees vs. benefits: Do the benefits make the cost worth it?
• Travel protections and benefits: include trip cancellation/interruption insurance, global entry credits, and access to lounges.
• Transfer partners and flexibility: You can move points to airline and hotel programs for a lot of value.

We will also share our methods, SEO-friendly tips for getting the most out of your redemptions, and an author bio that meets EEAT standards. By the end, you’ll know exactly which card is best for your travel style and spending habits, as well as how to get the most out of every reward dollar.

1. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Summary: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the best premium travel card because it comes with a lot of great benefits that can save you more than $2,700 a year, which more than makes up for its $550 annual fee. The Guy with the Points

Important Features

Rate of Earning:

• 10 times the points for Chase Travel℠ bought through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• Three times the points for all other travel and meals around the world
• 1 point for every other purchase

Bonus for signing up: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months (worth $900 for travel) The Guy with the Points

Fee for the year: $550

Perks and travel credits:

• $300 a year for travel (can be used for any travel purchase)
• Priority Pass™ Select lounge membership (you can go as many times as you want)
• Credit for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee (up to $100)
• Free DoorDash DashPass (up to $60 in statement credits)

Pros and Cons

Good things

• You can earn a lot of points by traveling and eating out at high-end places.
• Transfer partners with a lot of value, like United, British Airways, and Hyatt
• Strong travel protections include trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car collision insurance, and trip delay reimbursement.
• Access to a generous lounge and statement credits

Disadvantages

• The high annual fee may keep people from traveling once in a while.
• To get the best value, you need to redeem points through the Chase Travel portal for 1.5 cents each.

Who Should Use It

• People who travel a lot and will make the most of the $300 travel credit
• People who love points and want the best airport lounges and travel insurance
• People who are okay with paying a high annual fee for luxury benefits

2. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Overview: The Venture X Rewards Credit Card from Capital One is the company’s first real luxury travel card. It has a $395 annual fee, which is much lower than many other premium cards, and it comes with great perks. Kiplinger

Important Features

Rate of Earnings:

• 10 times the miles for hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5× miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• 2× miles on everything else you buy

Bonus for signing up: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months (worth $750 in travel). Kiplinger

Fee every year: $395

Perks and travel credits:

• $300 a year in travel credits for bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Access to the Capital One Lounge for the primary cardholder and two guests
• Membership in Priority Pass
• Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® (up to $100)

Pros and Cons

Pros

• A lot of bonus categories and 2× miles on all purchases
• Value goes up when you book through the issuer’s portal
• Full access to the lounge and statement credits
• After credits, the annual fee is really only $95.

Disadvantages

• Not as many transfer partners as Chase or Amex
• To get the best rewards, you need to book with Capital One Travel.

Who Should Use It

• Travelers looking for high-end benefits at a lower cost
• Cardholders who will use the $300 booking credit each year
• People who want to use the lounge without paying the highest annual fees

3. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Summary: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a mid-range annual fee of $95, which is a good balance between cost and benefits. It’s often suggested for people who are new to the points-and-miles game. The Points Guy

Important Features

Rate of Pay:

• 5× points for travel bought with Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Three times as many points for eating out, some streaming services, and groceries bought online
• 2x points on all other travel purchases
• 1 point for every other purchase

Bonus for signing up: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months (worth $750 toward travel). The Guy with the Points

Fee for the year: $95

Benefits and protections:

• Insurance for trip cancellations and interruptions
• Collision damage waiver for car rentals
• No fees for transactions with other countries

Good and bad points

Good things

• Low yearly fee with great bonus categories
• You can transfer points to the best hotel and airline programs at a 1:1 ratio.
• 25% more travel redemptions through the Chase portal
• The best way to get into Chase’s ecosystem

Disadvantages

• No credits for access to the lounge
• Travel insurance doesn’t cover as much as Reserve

Who Should Use It

• People who are new to travel rewards and want to get in cheaply
• People who travel a lot but still want good benefits
• People who have Chase cards and want to use the bank’s transfer network

4. Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Overview: The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is great for people who want to earn a lot of money every day without paying a lot of fees. It has a good sign-up bonus and gives you 3 points for every dollar you spend in popular categories. Forbes

Important Features

Rate of Earning:

• 3× points for eating out, buying groceries, traveling, getting gas, and having fun
• 1 point for every other purchase

Sign-up Bonus: You get 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months (worth more than $600). Forbes

Cost per year: $95

Benefits and protections:

• Protection against trip cancellations and interruptions
• Insurance for accidents while traveling around the world
• No fees for transactions outside the US

Good and bad points

Pros

• High earning rate on a wide range of everyday items
• You can transfer Flexible ThankYou® points to hotels and airlines.
• A competitive bonus for people who spend a lot

Cons

• Few premium travel benefits (no access to lounges)
• Not as many transfer partners as Chase and Amex

Who It Works Best For

• Travelers who spend money in different ways, like on food, gas, and groceries
• People who don’t spend too much and want a simple rewards card
• People who want to combine rewards in the Citi ecosystem

5. Credit Card for Travel Rewards from Bank of America®

Summary: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards card gives you 1.5 points for every dollar you spend, and there are no annual fees or fees for foreign transactions. This makes it a great travel card with no fees. The Points Guy

Important Features

Rate of Earnings:

• 1.5 points for every dollar spent on all purchases

Sign-up Bonus: After spending $1,000 in 90 days, you’ll get 25,000 bonus points, which is worth $250 in travel. The Guy with the Points

No annual fee

Extra Benefits:

• No fees for transactions outside the country
• Flexible redemption: cash back, gift cards, and travel statement credits

Pros and cons

Pros

• Structure with no fees at all
• You earn a flat rate on all purchases.
• Easy to cash in through an online portal

Cons

• Lower pay for bonus categories
• No extra benefits for premium members, like access to the lounge or elite status credits

Who It’s Good For

• Travelers on a budget who don’t want to pay a yearly fee
• People who travel sometimes and want a simple way to earn and spend
• People who like simple things more than premium travel perks

How We Picked the Best Cards for Travel Rewards

We looked at each card against the following criteria to make sure that our recommendations are of the highest quality, openness, and user value:

• How many points/miles you can earn
  • Bonus categories include travel, food, and groceries.
  • Flat-rate vs. tiered structures
• Value of the Sign-Up Bonus
  • Amount of the first offer
  • Time frame and spending needs
• Fee for the Year vs. Benefits
  • The value after statement credits and bonuses
  • Good for different types of travelers
• Benefits and protections for travelers
  • Insurance for trip interruptions or cancellations
  • Coverage for delayed luggage and rental cars
  • Access to the lounge, credits for elite status
• Partners for Transfers and Flexibility
  • Partners with hotels and airlines
  • 1:1 transfer rates and value
  • Portal redemption increases

We narrowed down the top five cards that offer great real-world value by comparing them to industry leaders like The Points Guy, NerdWallet, and Forbes Advisor and testing each card’s online portal.

Tips and best practices for getting the most out of your travel rewards

• Stack Portal Bonuses and Spending by Category
  • When you can, book flights through your issuer’s travel portal to get portal multipliers (like 10× on Sapphire Reserve).
• Make the most of your statement credits.
  • Plan your trips each year so you never lose $300 (Reserve) or $300 (Venture X) credits.
• Use Transfer Partners
  • Keep an eye on transfer bonuses, like getting 30% more points when you transfer points to Hyatt during limited-time offers.
• Combine cards in a smart way
  • Use a no-fee flat-rate card (like BofA Travel Rewards) for everyday purchases and a premium card for dining and travel.
• Be aware of fees and limits
  • Always check to see if a card limits how much you can spend in a bonus category (for example, 3× on groceries up to $6,000 per year).
• Get the most out of your points
  • Don’t just get cash back; instead, try to get award flights or hotel stays where points are worth 1.5 to 2 cents each.

Questions that are often asked (FAQs)

Q1: Are travel credit cards worth the annual fees? If you use all of the card’s statement credits and premium perks, like access to lounges and travel protections, which are often worth more than the fee, then the annual fee is worth it. The Guy with the Points

Q2: How do I choose between points and miles? Points from flexible currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capital One Miles usually have more options for transferring, while airline-specific miles can get you more awards on that airline. The Guy Who Points

Q3: What’s the best way to use credit card points to get the most value? Instead of getting cash back or gift cards, which usually give points a value of about 1¢ each, you can get more points by transferring them to a partner or your issuer’s travel portal (for example, 1.5¢–2¢ per point). The Guy with the Points

Q4: Is it possible to have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Preferred? Yes, a lot of travelers use both: they use Preferred for its lower fee on moderate spending and Reserve to get premium benefits when they travel. The Guy with the Points

Q5: If my card already has foreign transaction fees, do they matter? If your main card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, you’ll save 1–3% on every purchase made outside of the US. This is a small but cumulative benefit on long trips. Kiplinger

End

Choosing the best credit card for travel rewards depends on how much you spend, how often you travel, and how much you want to get extra benefits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Capital One Venture X are the best options for high-frequency travelers looking for luxury perks. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Citi Strata Premier℠ are great options for moderate spenders. The Bank of America® Travel Rewards card is still the best no-fee choice for people who want to save money.

You can take your travel hacking to the next level by learning about each card’s earning structure, sign-up bonus, and annual value proposition, and by following our tips for making the most of them. Before you apply, always check the issuer’s website for the most up-to-date terms. Have a great trip!

References

1. “Best Travel Credit Cards of July 2025,” The Points Guy. https://thepointsguy.com/credit-cards/travel/
2. “7 Travel Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees,” Kiplinger, July 2025. https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/what-credit-cards-have-no-foreign-transaction-fee
3. “16 Best Travel Credit Cards of July 2025,” NerdWallet, July 2025. https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/credit-cards/travel
4. “Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards of 2025,” Forbes Advisor, July 2025. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/best-travel-credit-cards/
5. “Best Rewards Credit Cards of July 2025,” The Points Guy. https://thepointsguy.com/credit-cards/rewards/