PickedFinance
Comparison guide

Best travel credit cards

Travel cards earn points or miles instead of cash, and most charge an annual fee. We read each issuer’s page on Nov 10, 2026 and list the bonus, fee, earn rates and credits exactly as published.

By PickedFinance Editorial TeamLast updated Rates checked Nov 10, 2026

Advertiser disclosure: links on this page go straight to each issuer’s or insurer’s own site. We don’t earn a commission from any product on this page, and no company paid to be included or to be placed higher. Commissions never affect which products we include or how we order them. How we make money.

How this page was made: it’s built from each provider’s own terms, rate and fee pages and from regulator sources, all listed at the bottom. We haven’t opened these accounts or products to test them, and we don’t give scores. Every rate shows the day we checked it. Our methodology.

Quick answer

Short answer: for a $95 travel card, Chase Sapphire Preferred showed 75,000 bonus points after $5,000 in 3 months, and Capital One Venture 75,000 miles after $4,000 with 2X on everything (Nov 10, 2026). Venture X costs $395 but adds a $300 Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles.

Last updated Rates checked Nov 10, 2026

Key facts at a glance

Key facts (each rate shows the day we checked it on the provider’s page)
PickProductBest forKey terms
Dining, streaming and Chase TravelChase Sapphire Preferred® CardFrequent diners who book through Chase Travel$95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026
Simple 2X miles on everythingCapital One Venture RewardsPeople who want one earn rate on everything$95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026
Premium perks that can offset the feeCapital One Venture X RewardsTravelers who will use the travel credit and lounges$395 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026

Every figure below comes from the issuer’s own page (Chase’s pricing and terms page for Sapphire Preferred; Capital One’s and Citi’s card pages) on Nov 10, 2026. We don’t assign a dollar value to points or miles, because that depends on how you redeem them. Links go straight to issuers with no affiliate tracking.

Our picks

Dining, streaming and Chase Travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
75,000 points after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026; $95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026.
Visit Chase (opens in a new tab)
Simple 2X miles on everything
Capital One Venture Rewards
75,000 miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026; $95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026.
Visit Capital One (opens in a new tab)
Premium perks that can offset the fee
Capital One Venture X Rewards
75,000 miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026; $395 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026; $300 annual Capital One Travel credit.
Visit Capital One (opens in a new tab)

How do they compare?

Travel cards on issuer pages, Nov 10, 2026
CardWelcome bonusAnnual feeEarningAPR
Chase Sapphire Preferred75,000 points after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026$95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 20265x Chase Travel; 3x dining, select streaming, online grocery, gas/EV and more; 2x other travel; 1x other19.49%–27.74% APR (variable) as of Nov 10, 2026
Capital One Venture75,000 miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026$95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 20262X on every purchase; 5X hotels, vacation rentals, rental cars via Capital One Travel19.74%–28.74% APR (variable) as of Nov 10, 2026
Capital One Venture X75,000 miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026$395 annual fee as of Nov 10, 202610X hotels and rental cars, 5X flights and vacation rentals via Capital One Travel; 2X other19.74%–28.74% APR (variable) as of Nov 10, 2026
Citi Strata Premier60,000 points after $4,000 in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026$95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 202610x hotels, car rentals, attractions via cititravel.com; 3x air, other hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, gas/EV; 1x other19.74%–27.74% APR (variable) as of Nov 10, 2026

The picks in detail

Dining, streaming and Chase Travel

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best for: Frequent diners who book through Chase Travel

Chase shows 75,000 points after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026 and $95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026. The pricing and terms page lists 5 points per $1 on Chase Travel (the first $100 of Chase Travel hotel purchases each year doesn’t earn points), 3 points on dining, select streaming services, online grocery (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), gas stations, EV charging and vacation homes at top brands, 2 points on other travel and 1 point on everything else. There’s up to a $100 statement credit each account anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel. No foreign transaction fee as of Nov 10, 2026. APR: 19.49%–27.74% APR (variable) as of Nov 10, 2026. Chase says points don’t expire as long as the account is open.

Key terms: $95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026 Chase terms

Pros

  • Broad 3x categories including dining and online grocery
  • Annual Chase Travel hotel credit
  • No foreign transaction fee

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • Highest bonus spend requirement here ($5,000)
Visit Chase (opens in a new tab)
Simple 2X miles on everything

2. Capital One Venture Rewards

Best for: People who want one earn rate on everything

Capital One shows 75,000 miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026, 2X miles on every purchase, and 5X on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. $95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026; No foreign transaction fees as of Nov 10, 2026. Miles can be transferred to 15+ travel loyalty programs, and there’s up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. APR: 19.74%–28.74% APR (variable) as of Nov 10, 2026. Capital One says you may not be eligible for the bonus if you’ve received a Venture or Venture X bonus in the past 48 months.

Key terms: $95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026 Capital One terms

Pros

  • 2X on everything, no categories
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • 48-month bonus eligibility rule
Visit Capital One (opens in a new tab)
Premium perks that can offset the fee

3. Capital One Venture X Rewards

Best for: Travelers who will use the travel credit and lounges

Venture X shows 75,000 miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026 and $395 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026. It earns 10X on hotels and rental cars and 5X on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X on everything else. Capital One lists a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles every year starting on your first anniversary, and access to 1,300+ lounges through Priority Pass for primary cardholders. APR: 19.74%–28.74% APR (variable) as of Nov 10, 2026. We didn’t see the foreign transaction fee stated on the card page we read, so we haven’t listed it.

Key terms: $395 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026 Capital One terms

Pros

  • $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles
  • Lounge access
  • Higher earn on Capital One Travel bookings

Cons

  • $395 annual fee
  • The credit only helps if you book through Capital One Travel
Visit Capital One (opens in a new tab)
Best for Earning 3x on everyday categories as well as travel

4. Citi Strata Premier® Card

Best for: Earning 3x on everyday categories as well as travel

Citi shows 60,000 points after $4,000 in the first 3 months as of Nov 10, 2026 and $95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026. It earns 10x on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on cititravel.com; 3x on air travel and other hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and gas and EV charging stations; 1x on everything else. Citi lists a $100 annual hotel benefit (once per calendar year, $100 off a single stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through cititravel.com) and no foreign transaction fees. APR: 19.74%–27.74% APR (variable) as of Nov 10, 2026. Citi’s separate terms page didn’t load, so these figures are from the card page’s Pricing Details.

Key terms: $95 annual fee as of Nov 10, 2026 Citi terms

Pros

  • 3x on supermarkets, restaurants and gas as well as travel
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • Hotel benefit needs a $500+ stay through Citi Travel
Visit Citi (opens in a new tab)

Also considered

We tried to read American Express’s Gold Card page on Nov 10, 2026 but it didn’t load, so it isn’t included. If you want no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, Capital One Quicksilver (1.5% cash back) is on our cash back cards page.

Is the annual fee worth it?

Compare what you’d earn on a fee-free 2% cash back card with what you’d realistically redeem from a travel card, minus its fee and plus any credits you’d actually use. For example, Venture X’s $395 fee is partly offset by a $300 credit only if you book through Capital One Travel anyway.

Who should skip this

  • You carry a balance. These cards’ variable APRs start around 19% to 20%; interest will outweigh rewards.
  • You travel rarely. A no-fee cash back card is simpler.
  • You can’t meet the spending requirement naturally. Spending to chase a bonus defeats the purpose.

Frequently asked questions

Which travel card has the biggest bonus right now?
On Nov 10, 2026, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture and Venture X each showed a 75,000 point or mile bonus. Chase required $5,000 in purchases in 3 months; Capital One $4,000 in 3 months.
Do these cards charge foreign transaction fees?
Chase’s terms list none for Sapphire Preferred, Capital One’s Venture page says no foreign transaction fees, and Citi lists none for Strata Premier. We didn’t see the fee stated on the Venture X page we read.
Do points expire?
Chase says Sapphire Preferred points don’t expire as long as the account is open. Check each issuer’s rewards terms for the others.
What’s the difference between Sapphire Preferred and Venture?
Both cost $95. Sapphire Preferred earns more in categories like dining (3x) and Chase Travel (5x); Venture earns 2X on everything. See our side-by-side comparison.
Do you get paid when I apply?
No. Links go directly to the issuers with no affiliate tracking.

Sources

Every source below was opened and read for this page (rates last checked Nov 10, 2026). Providers’ own pages are labeled with the provider’s name; regulator pages are labeled with the agency. Rates and terms change often, so confirm on the provider’s site before you apply.

  1. Chase: Sapphire Preferred card page (creditcards.chase.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
  2. Chase: Sapphire Preferred pricing & terms (sites.chase.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
  3. Capital One: Venture Rewards card page (capitalone.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
  4. Capital One: Venture X Rewards card page (capitalone.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
  5. Citi: Strata Premier card page (Pricing Details) (citi.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
  6. Capital One: Quicksilver card page (capitalone.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
  7. CFPB: Credit cards key terms (consumerfinance.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)
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Best hotel credit cards

A hotel card pays off mainly through its anniversary free night and elite status, so pick the chain you already stay with. We read each card’s issuer page on Nov 10, 2026.

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Best airline credit cards

An airline card makes sense if you fly one airline often enough to use the checked-bag and boarding perks. We compared each airline’s mid-tier card on the issuer’s page on Nov 10, 2026.

comparison

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve

Reserve costs $700 more a year than Preferred. It gives that back only if you use its credits (travel, dining, The Edit hotels) and lounge access. Otherwise Preferred earns similar points for far less.

comparison

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

Both cards cost $95 a year and offered 75,000-point or -mile bonuses on Nov 10, 2026. The difference is how you earn: Sapphire Preferred rewards categories, Venture pays 2X on everything.

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Best credit cards

There’s no single best credit card. Start with what you need it for: cash back, travel, an interest-free period or building credit. Each pick below links to a full comparison, and every figure is dated and taken from the issuer’s own page.

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Best cash back credit cards

If you pay in full every month, a cash back card is a simple discount on spending. We read each issuer’s page on Nov 10, 2026 and list only what the issuer publishes: earn rates, annual fee, APRs and bonuses.