Best travel credit cards for beginners

If you’ve decided to take the leap into travel credit card rewards for the first time, you may be wondering where exactly you should start. After all, earning points and miles can be a simple way to cut down on the costs of travel and gain access to other valuable travel-related perks, but picking the right travel credit card can be tricky, especially for beginners.

So how do you know which travel credit card you should choose? Well, the right card option for you typically depends on your financial goals, preferences and other factors. For example, you may be ready to earn rewards on travel, but you might not be ready to pay a high annual fee for the opportunity to do so. That would limit your card options.

To help you narrow down the travel card choices, here are the best starter travel cards, which you can use to help find an option that best fits your lifestyle.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Best for flexible travel rewards

Why we picked it: Few credit card rewards programs offer as much flexibility as Chase Ultimate Rewards, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card gains you entry into this rewards ecosystem.

While it carries a $95 annual fee, the card comes with a host of benefits that any travel enthusiast can appreciate. Plus, it earns points in popular spending categories: 5X points on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel, 3X points at restaurants, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), 2X points on all other travel purchases and 1X points on everything else.

Ultimate Rewards points have excellent value, and points earned with this card, in particular, are worth 1.25 cents apiece when booking travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal.

Pros

• 60,000-point welcome bonus for spending $4,000 in the first three months (worth $750 in Chase Ultimate Rewards travel)
• $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
• 10% anniversary points bonus
• No foreign transaction fees
• Various coverages, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance and baggage delay insurance

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Who should apply: If you have another Chase Ultimate Rewards card and want to maximize points, you will likely benefit from the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Or, if you travel and dine out frequently (or want to get started with a solid first travel card), it may be worth considering this Chase credit card option.

Who should skip: If you’ve opened five or more new credit cards in the last 24 months, you may want to pause on applying due to the Chase 5/24 rule. Or, if you’re not keen on paying an annual fee, you might consider no-annual-fee travel card options instead.

Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card: Best for no annual fee

Why we picked it: Annual fees often scare away would-be travelers from signing up for travel rewards credit cards. Thankfully, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card carries no annual fee.

Besides no annual fee, cardholders are offered a decent flat-rate rewards with an unlimited 1.5X points on every purchase. Preferred Rewards members can also earn between 25% and 75% more points on purchases made with this card. To receive this benefit, you must have a three-month average of at least $20,000 total in Bank of America or Merrill investment accounts.

Pros

• No annual fee
• 25,000-point online bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
• Card qualifies for boosted rewards through the Preferred Rewards program
• No foreign transaction fees
• Car rental insurance

Cons

• Cash redemption holds a value of only 0.6 cents per point
• Preferred Rewards program requires Bank of America bank accounts with large balances
• Card lacks premium travel benefits

Who should apply: If you want to earn rewards for award travel but without the cost of an annual fee, it may be worth considering the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card. The card is also a good option if you’re looking to skip a complicated rewards structure, or if you’re a current Bank of America customers who meets the Preferred Rewards program’s requirements.

Who should skip: If you’d prefer to earn higher bonus rates in specific spending categories or want premium travel benefits, it may be best to look elsewhere.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for simple travel rewards

Why we picked it: If simplicity is what you aim for in your credit card strategy, you’ll probably like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Cardholders earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on everything else. With a $95 annual fee and minimal maintenance, this card is a dream for individuals jumping into the travel card space.

Points are redeemable for a wide range of travel purchases, as well as standard redemption options like cash back and gift cards.

Pros

• 75,000-mile bonus when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months
• Up to $100 in credits toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• No foreign transaction fees
• Travel accident insurance and an auto rental collision damage waiver

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Transfer partner list doesn’t include major carriers like Delta Air Lines and American Airlines

Who should apply: If you dine out frequently and use public transportation – and also travel regularly but not enough to justify the annual fee on a high-end luxury card – the Capital One Venture card could be the card for you.

Who should skip: If you’re looking for a wider variety of airline and hotel transfer partners, a travel card from a different issuer may be a better fit. Or, if you’re concerned about the $95 annual fee, consider Venture’s no-annual-fee sister card – the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

Citi Premier Card: Best for bonus categories

Why we picked it: The Citi Premier® Card offers rewards for spending in everyday categories, making it a great option for a wide variety of cardholders. You’ll get 3X points on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, air travel and hotel purchases, as well as 1X points on everything else. Similar to the other cards on our list, the Citi Premier charges a $95 annual fee.

Pros

• 80,000 ThankYou points when you spend $4,000 in first 3 months (worth $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com)
• $100 annual hotel savings benefit
• Access to Citi Concierge
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No hotel transfer partners
• Can book travel only through Citi

Who should apply: If you’re interested in earning rewards on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, air travel and hotel purchases (and are fine with paying the $95 annual fee), it could make sense to consider this card.

Who should skip: If you don’t want to pay an annual fee or would prefer to have access to hotel transfer partners, you may want to consider other options.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card: Best for airline benefits

Why we picked it: No travel rewards cards list is complete without a co-branded airline rewards card. While there are many airline credit cards to choose from, including many with lower annual fees than this card’s $149 fee, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is definitely worth considering.

First, cardholders earn 3X points on Southwest purchases and 2X points on local transit, commuting (including rideshare), internet, cable, phone services and select streaming, as well as 1X points on everything else.

The Rapid Rewards Priority also rewards you with 7,500 points each card anniversary, a $75 annual Southwest travel credit, four upgraded boardings per year and 25% back on in-flight purchases.

Pros

• 7,500 annual bonus points
• $75 Southwest travel credit
• Four upgraded boardings annually
• No change fees
• No foreign transaction fees
• Various travel benefits, such as car rental insurance and baggage delay insurance

Cons

• $149 annual fee
• Southwest doesn’t have transfer partners
• Card doesn’t come with automatic elite status

Who should apply: If you frequently book flights on Southwest Airlines and could make use of the various benefits offered by the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card, it might be a good option.

Who should skip: If you want the option to transfer your rewards elsewhere, it may be best to consider other travel cards. Or, if a $149 annual fee is too high, there are other Rapid Rewards cards to consider, such as the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card ($69 annual fee) and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card ($99 annual fee).

Compare the best travel credit cards for beginners

How to choose a travel credit card for beginners

There are so many great travel cards on the market that choosing one can be difficult. The easiest way to get the right card for you is to look for one that matches your travel goals, spending habits and, of course, your budget.

To start, decide which categories you spend the most in each month and opt for a card that rewards you in those areas. From there, you can use your travel goals to narrow down the choices. For example, if you don’t travel enough to make up for a card’s annual fee, you may want to go with a lower- or no-annual-fee card instead.

Lastly, consider which card will give you the best mix of rewards and perks – or a combination of both – before you apply.

Bottom line

A good first travel credit card isn’t expensive, but it fits your spending habits, offers the right type of value and helps you save on travel. To see travel cards tailored to your credit profile, check CardMatch; it’s free and doesn’t impact your credit score.