Are you looking to start 2018 off right with one of the best travel rewards credit cards? If so, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be reviewing the best travel credit cards in this post so you can make a good decision. There’s a lot of value in finding the best credit card for travel, especially since sign- bonuses can get well over $500, but it can be confusing because there are so many great travel credit cards to choose from.
I understand the value in holding one of the best travel rewards credit cards, since I use mine as my daily credit cards, and maximize their perks while I travel, so whether you want a flexible travel rewards card or one linked to your favorite airline or hotel there’s a travel credit card for you.
Here are the best travel rewards credit cards 2018:
- Best Overall Travel Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Best Business Travel Card: Chase Ink Business Preferred
- Hotel Rewards Cards: Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card
- Premium Travel Rewards: Platinum Card from American Express
- Flat Rate Redemption Travel Rewards: Bank of America Premium Rewards Card
- Airline Miles Card with Annual Fee: Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card
- Airline Rewards Card without Annual Fee: United TravelBank
Best Travel Rewards Credit Card: Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is my daily credit card, and it’s the first card I recommend to friends. The Sapphire Preferred comes with a sign-up bonus of 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in 3 months on purchases. You can redeem these 50,000 points through Chase’s travel portal for $625 in travel, or you can get even more value by transferring them out to one of Chase’s travel partners. Of course, you redeem your 50k points for $500 in statement credits or gift cards if you prefer.
When you crave flexibility, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best flexible travel rewards credit card because of its many redemption options and very reasonable annual fee.
Here are two good reasons why:
- Transfer your points on a 1:1 basis to your favorite airline and hotel travel partners
- Earn 2x points on all travel and dining purchases
Some of the Chase travel partners include United, Southwest Airlines, British Airways Avios, Hyatt, and Marriott. You can stretch each point even further when you book partner flights through a travel partner, especially when you want an award flight to Hawaii. Since you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points out to so many airlines the Sapphire Preferred is one of the better airline miles credit cards.
By adding an authorized user when you apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you will also automatically earn a 5,000 point bonus after they make a purchase in the same 3 month time period.
Best Business Travel Card: Ink Preferred
The Chase Ink Business Preferred has one of the most valuable sign-up bonuses for a travel rewards card–business or personal.
By spending $5,000 in three months, you will earn 80,000 bonus Chase points worth at least $1,000 in award travel. You can redeem the points through Chase or transfer them to any Chase Ultimate Rewards travel partner for even more value possibly.
If you own a small business or have a personal Chase Sapphire card you might also consider adding the Ink Business Preferred to have the best travel credit card combination. This way you can pool your Chase points together.
In addition to the 80,000 bonus points, you will also earn up to 3x bonus points per $1 on the following purchases:
- Travel
- Shipping purchases
- Internet, cable, and phone services
- Social media and search engine advertising
The Ink Preferred is also the best credit card to buy an iPhone with since it has a great cell phone protection plan.
Best Flat Rate Redemption Travel Rewards Card
The all-new Bank of America Premium Rewards earns 2 points per dollar on all travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points for all remaining card purchases.
You can only redeem the points for award travel at 1 cent each (10,000 points=$100). Sorry, point transfers are not an option.
In addition to the $500 bonus offer, you can also enjoy a $100 travel statement credits, TSA Precheck/Global Entry application fee reimbursement, and Bank of America/Merrill Lynch members will earn a loyalty bonus on all purchase rewards.
If you prefer a true flat-rate travel rewards card, the Barclaycard Arrival Plus earns 2x points on all purchase, has a 5% point redemption bonus, and a $400 sign-up bonus.
Best Premium Travel Card: Amex Platinum
Offer Value: $600+
Bonus Offer:60,000 Amex Membership Rewards points after spending $5,000 in 90 days
If you like to fly with fringe benefits like lounge access and free wifi, the Amex Platinum is your best premium travel credit card. You can compare the Amex Platinum with the Chase Sapphire Reserve here.
With your 60,000 bonus Membership Rewards points, you can:
- Transfer your points to 16 airline travel partners and 3 hotel travel partners
- Redeem them through AmexTravel.com for 1 cent each
Like the Chase Sapphire rewards cards, your most valuable redemption option will almost always be direct point transfers to your frequent flyer accounts.
Some of the Amex travel partners include Delta, Emirates, Etihad, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, and British Airways Avios.
Frequent flyers will also consider this the best travel credit card because:
- Earns 5x points on all airfare purchase (plus hotel booked through AmexTravel.com)
- Complimentary airport lounge access to 4 different networks
- $200 Airline Fee Credit
- $200 Uber credit
- Global Entry/TSA Precheck application fee reimbursement
Best Hotel Rewards Card: Starwood Preferred Guest
Offer Value: Up to 15 free hotel nights
Bonus Offer:30,000 Starpoints after spending $3,000 in 90 days
With free hotel nights starting at 2,000 points, the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program is one of the most award-friendly hotel programs. The Starwood Preferred Guest credit card makes it even easier to earn free nights.
Although 30,000 bonus Starpoints isn’t the highest bonus offer ever for this card, it’s still more valuable than the regular 25,000 point offer and more valuable than other co-brand hotel credit card offers because it takes so few points to stay at a Starwood property.
We will see a few changes to the SPG credit card in 2018 as the Marriott-Starwood merger finalizes, so you might want to swoop this card up in case the offer disappears.
In addition to the 30,000 bonus Starpoints, you can also earn up to 5x Starpoints on all Starwood stays and also transfer your points on a 1:1 basis to many airlines when a free flight is more valuable than a free hotel night.
Best Airline Credit Card: Delta Gold
There are several Delta credit cards to choose from, but the most budget-friendly is the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card when you want to enjoy extra Delta perks like 8 free checked bags and priority boarding, plus 2x SkyMiles on Delta purchases and 20% in-flight savings.
You will earn 35,000 SkyMiles after spending an easy $1,000 in the first 90 days. By making your first Delta purchase within the first three months, you will also receive a $50 statement credit.
Redeeming Delta SkyMiles isn’t always a clear-cut process since Delta’s award flight price vary from day to day, but award flights start at 5,000 SkyMiles.
Best No Fee Airline Credit Card: United Travel Bank
Offer Value: $150
Bonus Offer: $150 United TravelBank cash after spending $1,000 in first 90 days
A new addition to the travel rewards credit card mix are no annual fee airline rewards cards. The United TravelBank lets you earn $150 in cash rewards that can be redeemed for United purchases.
You also earn:
- 2% on United ticket purchases
- 1.5% on all non-United purchases
- 25% statement credit for in-flight purchases
By spending $1,000 in the first three months, you will enjoy a $150 cash back bonus that can be used for any United ticket purchase. If you don’t like keeping up with point balances, this card is a fresh change.
An honorable mention for this category is the Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card that earns up to 2x Delta SkyMiles on every purchase if you still want an airline credit card that earns miles without paying an annual fee.
Summary of the Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards 2018
A credit card sign-up bonus can be the deciding factor when you have several different rewards cards to choose from. In addition to the bonus offer, be sure to consider the redemption options too. After all, what good is what to be rich in points if you can’t use them? Hope this helps as you decide on your next travel rewards credit card.
