Stop Leaving Money on the Table: Earn Rewards On Every Purchase With These Top Cards

Last updated June 27, 2025 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

If you're looking to turn your everyday spending into flexible rewards points or miles that can be used for discounted flights, hotels, lounge access and more, check out these top-rated travel cards from our partners below.



Today's Top Travel Rewards Credit Cards

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2025 award winner Best for Simple Travel Rewards

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

4.7
info

on Capital One’s website

Welcome Bonus
75,000 Miles info
Rewards Rate
2X - 5X info
Miles
Annual Fee
$95
Why We Like It
  • Generous welcome offer worth up to $750 towards travel

  • Excellent reward rate on everyday purchases with no cap

  • Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®

on Capital One’s website

Recommended Credit info
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
Show All Card Details

New Offer
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2025 award winner Best Overall Travel Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

4.9
info

on Chase’s website

Welcome Bonus
75,000 info
Points
Rewards Rate
1X - 5X info
Points
Annual Fee
$95
Why We Like It
  • Popular travel card with perks like up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠ , bonus points each account anniversary equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year, and valuable travel protections

  • Amazing welcome offer valued at up to $1,125 when redeemed via Chase Travel℠, where points are worth up to 1.5x more

  • Solid rewards rate on travel, dining, select streaming services, and online groceries

on Chase’s website

Recommended Credit info
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
Show All Card Details

Excellent for easy travel rewards redemption

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

4.4
info

on Bank of America’s website

Welcome Bonus
25,000 info
Points
Rewards Rate
1.5X - 3X info
Points
Annual Fee
$0
Why We Like It
  • Simple, flat-rate rewards with up to 75% Bank of America Preferred Rewards® bonus potential.

  • Lengthy intro APR offer for purchases and qualifying balance transfers, helpful for covering large purchases or paying down high-interest debt.

  • No annual or foreign transaction fee.

on Bank of America’s website

Recommended Credit info
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
Show All Card Details

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2025 award winner Best for Dining Out

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.7
info

on Chase’s website

Welcome Bonus
$200 info
Bonus
Rewards Rate
1.5% - 5% info
Cash Back
Annual Fee
$0
Why We Like It
  • Solid flat-rate rewards on most purchases, with elevated rates on select travel, drugstore, and dining purchases

  • Impressive intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers, great for covering large purchases or paying down debt

  • Good purchase protections and coverage, all for no annual fee

on Chase’s website

Recommended Credit info
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
Show All Card Details

Excellent for travel + intro purchase and balance transfer perks

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

4.0
info

on Capital One’s website

Welcome Bonus
20,000 info
Miles
Rewards Rate
1.25X - 5X info
Miles
Annual Fee
$0
Why We Like It
  • Earn unlimited travel rewards with $0 annual fee

  • Long intro APR period to help fund your next purchase or tackle debt

  • Access to great prices on thousands of flights, hotels, and more through Capital One Travel

on Capital One’s website

Recommended Credit info
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
Show All Card Details

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2025 award winner Best No-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Card

Wells Fargo Autograph® Card

4.4
info

on Wells Fargo’s website

Welcome Bonus
20,000 info
Bonus Points
Rewards Rate
1X - 3X info
Points
Annual Fee
$0
Why We Like It
  • High unlimited reward rate on common spending categories with no cap

  • Flexible reward redemption, including statement credits, gift cards, and transfers to select travel partners

  • No annual or foreign transaction fee

on Wells Fargo’s website

Recommended Credit info
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
Show All Card Details

Excellent for high-rate cash back categories

Discover it® Cash Back

4.7
info

on Discover’s website

Welcome Bonus
Cashback Match™ info
Rewards Rate
1% - 5% info
Cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Why We Like It
  • Ability to earn a high reward rate on common rotating spending categories each quarter

  • Generous welcome offer that effectively doubles all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year

on Discover’s website

Recommended Credit info
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
Show All Card Details

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2025 award winner Best Premium Travel Credit Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

4.9
info

on Capital One’s website

Welcome Bonus
75,000 info
Miles
Rewards Rate
2X - 10X info
Miles
Annual Fee
$395
Why We Like It
  • Premium travel benefits like access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide and hard-to-get restaurant reservations in major cities across the country

  • Yearly perks such as a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles every year

  • Access to premium benefits when booking through Capital One Travel, including room upgrades, late checkout, and more when available

on Capital One’s website

Recommended Credit info
Excellent (740 - 850)
Show All Card Details


Bottom Line

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2025 award winner Best for Simple Travel Rewards

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees) is a great travel companion with numerous perks for a card with only a $95 annual fee.

  • Generous welcome offer: New cardholders can enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening — that’s worth $750 towards travel.
  • Earn unlimited miles: You can earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, simple! Plus, you can earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
  • Flexible rewards: Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase or redeem by booking through Capital One Travel. Plus, you can transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs. Miles won’t expire for the life of the account, and there’s no limit on how many you can earn.
  • Added travel perks: Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® and enrich every hotel stay from Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more.
  • Purchase and balance transfer APR: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable).
Recommended Credit Score info
Good
670-739
Excellent
740-850

>>Click here to apply now and start racking up miles for your next trip

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2025 award winner Best for Simple Travel Rewards

Benefits

Card Details

  • Easy rewards program and highly flexible travel redemptions
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Valuable travel protections
  • Generous welcome offer
  • Apply Now
  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
info
Apply Now

on Capital One’s secure website

Read Card Review

Intro Offer

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel

Annual Fee

$95

+

Why we like it



Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about travel credit cards? We've answered the most common ones below to help you choose the right card.

How do travel credit cards work?

Travel credit cards earn points (sometimes called miles) each time you make an eligible purchase. The typical earning rate is 1 to 2 points per dollar spent, and many cards give you extra points for certain purchases, typically within travel categories.

The value of a point (or mile) depends on the card that earned it and how you redeem it, but a good rule of thumb is to assume each point is worth an average of about 1 cent.

Your points accumulate in a rewards account, where you can use them to pay for travel. Most cards let you book travel directly using a portal, but instead of paying cash, you can pay with your points or miles. Depending on the card, you may also have the option of booking travel directly from your airline or hotel of choice, then cashing in your points for a credit against those expenses.

Is a travel card better than a cash back card?

While cash back cards offer a straightforward reward system, travel rewards cards often provide greater flexibility and value. With travel rewards, you can redeem points or miles for flights, hotels, car rentals, and more. This can lead to significant savings on your vacations and trips. Additionally, travel rewards cards often come with exclusive perks like airport lounge access, travel insurance, and priority boarding. By choosing a travel rewards card, you can turn your everyday spending into unforgettable travel experiences.

How often do I need to travel to make a travel card worth it?

Even if you're not a frequent traveler, a travel rewards card can still be a valuable asset. Many cards offer generous welcome offers that can be redeemed for hundreds of dollars worth of travel. Those rewards don’t generally expire while your account is active, so you can save them for the holidays or a big trip. Additionally, you can earn points or miles on everyday purchases like groceries and gas, which can add up quickly and offset any annual fee.

How do I earn the most travel points?

To maximize your travel rewards, consider these strategies:

  • Utilize welcome offers: Many travel cards offer substantial welcome bonuses when you meet a minimum spending requirement within a certain timeframe.
  • Maximize bonus categories: Look for cards that offer bonus points or miles on spending categories where you make regular purchases, such as dining or groceries.
  • Use your card for everyday purchases: By using your travel rewards card for regular expenses, you can accumulate points or miles over time.
  • Consider a premium card: Premium travel cards often offer higher earning rates and exclusive perks, but they may also have annual fees. Weigh the benefits against the cost to determine if it's worth the investment. It’s not uncommon for frequent travelers to get more value from a premium card than casual travelers.
  • Transfer points strategically: Some travel rewards programs allow you to transfer points to airline or hotel loyalty programs. This can be a great way to redeem your points for specific travel experiences.



How we chose these cards

FinanceBuzz evaluated a selection of cards from our partners, looking at various criteria including the annual fee, travel benefits, and bonus offers. We did not review all cards in the category and compensation was considered when evaluating and ordering the cards.