Bank of America Travel Rewards Card for Students Review [2024]

Card basics

Who should get the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card?

You should consider the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card if you want to take advantage of the intro APR offers or if you can qualify for the welcome offer where you could earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.

The introductory purchase APR can be useful for making a major purchase, such as buying a computer or textbooks for your classes, while the introductory qualifying balance transfer APR can be used for moving a high-interest balance from an existing credit card. While the spending requirement for the welcome bonus could seem high for students, it may be obtainable if you plan to use the card for your everyday expenses for a few months.

If you're hoping for bonus rewards or travel-specific features — which I've always felt make a travel card worth signing up for — you should look elsewhere. When I sign up for a travel card, I generally expect bonus rewards on travel as well as perks like travel insurance. Bank of America's card offers none of these benefits while other student cards do.

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, for example, provides 5% back for hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. It also offers travel accident insurance.¹ <p class="">For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.<br></p>

On the other hand, the Discover it^® Student Cash Back isn't as travel-focused but does offer 5% cash back for your spending in rotating categories each quarter, on up to $1,500 in purchases when you activate then 1% cash back on all other purchases and Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This is still a better deal for many students than Bank of America's card.

Here’s a closer look at this card’s top benefits

Here are more details about the perks offered by Bank of America's Travel Rewards for Students card.

• Welcome offer: You can earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases. But as I noted earlier, this does seem like a steep spending requirement for college students.
• Credit building tools: Bank of America's mobile app and website are designed to help you monitor and improve your credit. You can manage bank accounts, make payments, and obtain your FICO score. All of these tools, plus the bank's Better Money Habits resources, can help you get your financial life started right.
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fees: Unlike my Bank of America Premium Rewards, which has a $95 annual fee, the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card has a $0 annual fee. You also won't pay foreign transaction fees if you spend money abroad.

Earning and redeeming Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students rewards

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your cash back can add up with the Bank of America Travel Rewards Card for Students.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $459

Year two earnings: $209

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee.

Best ways to earn

Another downside of the Bank of America Travel Rewards Card for Students is that you have no opportunity to earn bonus rewards — even for travel-related purchases. You always earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases.

Maximizing your redemptions

You don't have the option to optimize your rewards by redeeming them strategically as you do with many of the best travel cards. You’re also only able to redeem rewards for statement credits. Unlike with some of the best credit cards, you don't redeem points directly for travel or shop through a special travel portal.

While some people might prefer not needing to be strategic about redemptions, I'm not one of them. When I traveled frequently before having two kids, I preferred a travel card that allowed me to maximize my savings by redeeming directly through a travel portal (Chase cards are great for this).

After all, in my opinion, the reason for getting a travel card is to earn bonus travel-related rewards to subsidize your trips.

Other cards to consider

If you're looking for alternatives with better rewards or travel perks, check out these cards.

• The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; plus unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. You also get travel accident insurance, exclusive access to presale tickets, and a more attainable welcome offer. With a $0 annual fee, this option may be a better choice if you want a student card that can help you save money on vacation. Learn more in our Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card review. 
• Discover it^® Student Cash Back allows you to earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. You can also take advantage of some of the same credit-building tools Bank of America's card offers. It also has a $0 annual fee and includes more redemption options than Bank of America’s card. Learn more in our Discover it^® Student Cash Back review. 

FAQs

Bottom line

Finding a card as a student can be more challenging since your credit history likely isn't long. If you would like a simple card with a flat cashback rate — and you don’t need common travel perks — then the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card could be a good fit. This is especially true since you can save money on interest with the intro APRs and spend enough to earn the welcome bonus.

Still, there are some great alternatives out there, including some awesome Bank of America credit cards like the Premium Rewards card I have in my wallet. Be sure to explore all of them, as you may find a card that's a better fit if you want to earn a higher rewards rate or take advantage of more travel-specific perks. Or if you want a student-focused card, check out our list of the best student credit cards.

Lucrative Welcome Bonus

Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card for Students

4.8

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Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card for Students

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Annual Fee

$0

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Introductory purchase and qualifying balance transfer APRs
• Welcome offer
• Credit-building tools, including monthly access to your FICO score
• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fees

Drawbacks

• No bonus rewards categories
• Missing important travel-related perks, such as travel accident insurance
• No special statement credits or spending categories
• High spending requirement for the welcome bonus

Card Details

• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.49% - 28.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• When handled responsibly, a credit card can help you build your credit history, which could be helpful when looking for an apartment, a car loan, and even a job. Access your FICO® Score for free within Online Banking or your Mobile Banking app.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.