Ready to start travel hacking, but don’t know which card to start with? You’ve come to the right place. All info in this post is based on information from May 2020 and will be updated periodically since program details are constantly changing. Our best tip: Search for the credit card on an incognito window in Google Chrome. We’ve noticed that you find the best deals when doing this. Read on for our top 7 Travel Credit Cards so you can start racking up cheap flights to your dream destinations!
Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 60,000 points sign-up bonus, equivalent to $750 towards travel
- Must spend $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Annual Fee: $95
- 2x points earned on dining & travel. 1 point per dollar for all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
Chase United Explorer MileagePlus
- 40,000 miles sign-up bonus
- Must spend $2,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Annual Fee: $0 for the 1st year, then $95/year
- 2x miles earned on dining, hotels & United purchases. 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- 2 one-time United club passes each year (over $100 value)
- Free first checked bag & Priority Boarding on United operated flights
- 25% off purchases on United operated flights including Wi-Fi, food and beverages.
American Express Delta Skymiles Gold
- 50,000 miles sign-up bonus
- Must spend $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Annual Fee: $0 for the 1st year, then $99/year
- 2x miles earned on Delta purchases, dining & U.S. supermarkets. 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free first checked bag & Priority Boarding on Delta operated flights
- 20% off purchases on Delta operated flights including Wi-Fi, food and beverages.
- If you spend $10,000 on the card in 1 year, you will get a $100 Delta flight credit
American Express Delta Skymiles Platinum
- 70,000 miles sign-up bonus + 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles
- Must spend $2,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Annual Fee: $250
- 3x miles on Delta purchases. 2x miles earned on dining & U.S. supermarkets. 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free first checked bag & Priority Boarding on Delta operated flights
- $39/person Delta Sky Club access
- 20% off purchases on Delta operated flights including Wi-Fi, food and beverages
- $100 statement credit if you make a Delta purchase within the first 3 months
- 1 Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card
Citi American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum Select
- 50,000 miles sign-up bonus
- Must spend $2,500 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Annual Fee: $0 for the 1st year, then $99/year
- 2x miles on American Airlines purchases, dining & gas. 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free first checked bag for yourself and 4 travel companions.
- Preferred Boarding on American Airlines operated flights
- 25% off purchases on American Airlines operated flights including Wi-Fi, food and beverages
- If you spend $20,000 in 1 year and renew the card, you will get a $125 American Airlines flight discount
Bank of America Travel Rewards
- 25,000 points sign-up bonus, equivalent to $250 value
- Must spend $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Annual Fee: $0
- 1.5 points for every $1 on all purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
Capital One Venture Rewards
- 50,000 miles sign-up bonus, equivalent to $250 value
- Must spend $3,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Annual Fee: $95
- 2x miles for every $1 on all purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
Honorable Mentions
- JetBlue Plus
- Southwest Rapid Rewards
- Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
- Hawaiian Airlines
Ready to Start?
Pick one of these top 7 Travel Credit Cards to get started. For some more info on how travel hacking works and how to get started, check out our post on How to Hack Your Way to Cheap Flights.
READY TO START TRAVELING THE WORLD?
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