PerkJolt
Best Travel Credit Cards (October 2026)
Card details checked against each issuer’s official card page on October 8, 2026. Offers change often; the issuer’s application page is the final word. AI-assisted, reviewed by PerkJolt. See our advertiser disclosure.
The best travel card is the one whose points you will actually use. If you are new, start with one mid-fee card that earns flexible, transferable points, learn how it works, then add a second card only if its benefits clearly beat its fee. All eight cards below have no foreign transaction fees.
At a glance
| Card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | Top earn rate | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | 75,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months | 5x Chase Travel | Chase Ultimate Rewards |
| Capital One Venture Rewards | $95 | 75,000 miles after $4,000 in 3 months | 2x everything; 5x via Capital One Travel | Capital One Miles |
| Citi Strata Premier | $95 | 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months | 10x via cititravel.com; 3x five categories | Citi ThankYou |
| Bilt Obsidian | $95 | $200 Bilt Cash on approval | Up to 6x partner restaurants | Bilt Points |
| American Express Gold | $325 | As high as 100,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months (varies) | 4x restaurants and US supermarkets (capped) | Amex Membership Rewards |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | 75,000 miles after $4,000 in 3 months | 10x Capital One Travel hotels and cars | Capital One Miles |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $795 | 100,000 points after $6,000 in 3 months | 8x Chase Travel | Chase Ultimate Rewards |
| The Platinum Card from Amex | $895 | As high as 175,000 points after $12,000 in 6 months (varies) | 5x flights and prepaid hotels | Amex Membership Rewards |
Best starter cards ($95 and under)
Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Annual fee: $95
- Welcome offer: 75,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Not available if you already have the card.
- Earning: 5x Chase Travel; 3x dining, gas and EV charging, select streaming and online grocery; 2x other travel; 1x everything else.
- Why it’s here: Access to Chase transfer partners including United, Southwest, Air Canada Aeroplan, Flying Blue, Marriott and IHG, plus a $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit.
- Watch out for: Hyatt transfers are now 4:3, not 1:1.
See current terms on the issuer’s site
Capital One Venture Rewards
- Annual fee: $95
- Welcome offer: 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Capital One’s card page also lists a $300 Capital One Travel credit for hotels and vacation rentals in the first year.
- Earning: 2x on every purchase; 5x on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Why it’s here: Simple flat earning on everything, with miles that transfer to partners such as Turkish, Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles and Qantas.
- Watch out for: Its only US airline partner is JetBlue, at 5:3; US hotel partners are limited to Choice and Wyndham.
See current terms on the issuer’s site
Citi Strata Premier
- Annual fee: $95
- Welcome offer: 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months. Not available if you have or had a Citi Strata Premier or Citi Premier account.
- Earning: 10x hotels, car rentals and attractions on cititravel.com; 3x air travel, other hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and gas and EV charging; 1x everything else.
- Why it’s here: Full-rate transfers to partners including American AAdvantage, Flying Blue, Qatar and Singapore, plus $100 off one hotel stay of $500+ a year.
- Watch out for: Lower-tier Citi cards transfer at only 70% of the rate.
See current terms on the issuer’s site
Bilt Obsidian
- Annual fee: $95
- Welcome offer: $200 in Bilt Cash when you apply and are approved.
- Earning: Up to 6x at Bilt partner restaurants; 3x on your choice of dining or grocery (grocery up to $25,000 a year); 4x hotels and 3x flights booked through Bilt; up to 1.25x on rent or mortgage depending on your other spending.
- Why it’s here: Earns transferable points on housing payments, and transfers 1:1 to partners including Hyatt, Atmos (Alaska/Hawaiian) and United.
- Watch out for: Rent earning depends on how much else you spend on the card. Bilt also offers a $0 Blue card and a $495 Palladium card.
See current terms on the issuer’s site
Best mid-tier card
American Express Gold Card
- Annual fee: $325
- Welcome offer: As high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Amex shows your exact offer after you apply; offers vary and you may not be eligible.
- Earning: 4x at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 a year) and US supermarkets (up to $25,000 a year); 3x flights booked direct or via AmexTravel; 1x everything else.
- Why it’s here: Strong earning on food spending, with monthly dining and Uber Cash credits that can offset much of the fee if you use them.
- Watch out for: Many credits need enrollment and are use-it-or-lose-it each month.
See current terms on the issuer’s site
Best premium cards
Capital One Venture X
- Annual fee: $395
- Welcome offer: 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months (per Capital One’s travel-cards page).
- Earning: 10x hotels and rental cars and 5x flights and vacation rentals through Capital One Travel; 2x everything else.
- Why it’s here: The lowest-fee premium card here, with Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass access.
- Watch out for: Best value requires booking through Capital One Travel.
See current terms on the issuer’s site
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Annual fee: $795 ($195 per authorized user)
- Welcome offer: 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earning: 8x Chase Travel; 4x flights and hotels booked direct; 3x dining; 1x everything else.
- Why it’s here: Up to $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass lounges, and up to $500 a year for stays booked through The Edit.
- Watch out for: A high fee that only pays off if you use the credits.
See current terms on the issuer’s site
The Platinum Card from American Express
- Annual fee: $895
- Welcome offer: As high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend The Platinum Card from American Express
- Annual fee: $895
- Welcome offer: 2,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Amex shows your exact offer after you apply; offers vary and you may not be eligible.
- Earning: 5x on flights booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel (up to $500,000 a year) and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com; 1x everything else.
- Why it’s here: Amex Global Lounge Collection access, plus large hotel, dining and entertainment credits.
- Watch out for: The $895 fee only makes sense if you will use most of the credits.
See current terms on the issuer’s site
How we chose
Credit cards are a loan; only apply for a card you can pay in full each month. PerkJolt is not a financial advisor, and approval depends on the issuer’s criteria. Terms apply; check the issuer’s rates and fees before applying.