Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards of 2026

Looking for a credit card that turns everyday spending into free flights, hotel stays, and travel experiences? We’ve analyzed over 50 travel rewards cards to find the best options for every type of traveler.

Quick Summary: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® remains our top overall pick for its unbeatable combination of earning rates, transfer partners, and reasonable $95 annual fee. For premium travelers, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or American Express Platinum® deliver exceptional value through lounge access and elite perks.

Detailed Reviews

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has dominated the travel rewards space for over a decade, and for good reason. It offers the perfect entry point into premium travel rewards without the steep annual fees of luxury cards.

The Good:

• Points transfer 1:1 to 14 airline and hotel partners including United, Hyatt, and Southwest
• Points worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Travel℠ (1.25 cents per point)
• $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
• Primary rental car insurance (saves ~$25/day vs. rental counter coverage)
• No foreign transaction fees
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance up to $10,000 per trip

The Not-So-Good:

• Lower earning rates than premium competitors
• No airport lounge access
• Travel protections require booking through Chase or using points

Best For: Travelers who want maximum flexibility without paying premium annual fees. Ideal if you value transfer partners over fixed-value redemptions.

Point Valuation: Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth approximately 1.8-2.2 cents each when transferred to partners, making the 60,000-point bonus worth $1,080-$1,320 in travel.

3. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Venture X disrupted the premium travel card market by offering comparable benefits to the Sapphire Reserve at a lower effective cost, plus genuinely unlimited earning.

The Good:

• $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel
• 10,000 bonus miles every anniversary (worth $100)
• Unlimited Capital One Lounge + Priority Pass + Plaza Premium access
• Miles transfer to 15+ airline partners at favorable rates
• 2X miles on literally everything (no category tracking needed)
• No foreign transaction fees

The Not-So-Good:

• Capital One Travel portal can have higher prices than booking direct
• Transfer partners slightly less valuable than Chase (no Hyatt equivalent)
• Capital One lounges only in Dallas and Denver (more coming)

Best For: Travelers who want simplicity—2X on everything, easy-to-use miles, and premium perks without overthinking category bonuses.

Effective Annual Fee: With the $300 credit and 10,000 anniversary miles, the effective cost is just -$5 (yes, negative). Capital One pays YOU to hold this card.

5. Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

The Autograph proves you don’t need an annual fee for solid travel rewards, offering competitive earning in the categories that matter most.

The Good:

• 3X points on travel, dining, gas stations, transit, streaming, and phone plans
• Points never expire
• Cell phone protection up to $600 (with $25 deductible)
• No foreign transaction fees
• 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases

The Not-So-Good:

• No transfer partners (must redeem through Wells Fargo)
• Points worth flat 1 cent each (no bonus redemption value)
• Limited travel protections compared to premium cards
• Requires Wells Fargo relationship for best approval odds

Best For: Travelers who want to earn solid rewards without annual fees and don’t want to manage transfer partner strategies.

Maximizing Your Travel Rewards

The Optimal Two-Card Strategy

For most travelers, pairing two cards maximizes rewards while minimizing complexity:

Option 1: Chase Trifecta

• Chase Sapphire Preferred (travel, dining, transfer portal)
• Chase Freedom Flex (5% rotating categories, 3X dining/drugstores)
• Pool all points in Sapphire for transfer access

Option 2: Amex Duo

• Amex Gold (4X groceries, 4X dining)
• Amex Platinum (flights, premium perks)
• Combine points for premium redemptions

Option 3: Simple Premium

• Capital One Venture X (2X everything, premium perks)
• One card, no category tracking, solid value

Transfer Partner Sweet Spots

The real value in travel cards comes from strategic transfers. Here are our favorite redemptions:

Chase → Hyatt: 15,000 points for Category 1-4 hotels worth $200-400 Chase → United: 70,000 points for business class to Europe (normally $3,000+) Amex → ANA: 88,000 points for first class to Japan (normally $15,000+) Capital One → Turkish: 45,000 miles for business class to Europe

Our Methodology

We evaluated travel credit cards across seven weighted criteria:

1. Earning Potential (25%): Points per dollar on travel and everyday spending
2. Redemption Value (20%): What points are actually worth when used
3. Welcome Bonus (15%): Sign-up offer value relative to spend requirement
4. Travel Benefits (15%): Insurance, lounge access, and perks
5. Annual Fee Value (15%): Benefits received relative to cost
6. Transfer Partners (5%): Quality and number of airline/hotel partnerships
7. Flexibility (5%): Ease of earning and redeeming

Editorial Note: Compensation from card issuers may impact card placement on this site. Our rankings are based on thorough analysis and are not influenced by advertising relationships.