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Everything you need to know about the benefit of having a travel credit card
Everything you need to know about the benefit of having a travel credit card
Travel credit cards can seem very complex, overwhelming, and difficult to utilize all the benefits correctly. I always recommend travel credit cards to people who travel often, plan on booking a big trip, or want to travel for less!
What does a travel credit card provide, that a normal credit card doesn't?
What does a travel credit card provide, that a normal credit card doesn't?
Rewards on Travel Purchases: Earn points or miles on flights, hotels, dining, and other travel-related expenses. You are always earning $ to travel every purchase, enough said!
Travel Redemptions & Transfer Partners: Redeem points for flights, hotels, and more, often at higher value, or transfer them to airline and hotel loyalty programs. Transfering your points can get you the most bang for your buck,.
Travel Protections & Insurance: Many travel cards offer trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay coverage, rental car insurance, and more. Simply call the credit card company to see what their policy is and they will reimburse you.
Airport Lounge Access: Premium travel cards provide complimentary access to lounges worldwide. These are great options for free food, drink, less crowded space, clean bathrooms etc.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: This is literally game changer. Whatever country you are in, the credit card will convert the currency to USD and charge no transaction fee, like a debit card would.
Statement Credits & Perks: Some cards offer credits for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry, hotel stays, and travel bookings.
BEST BEGINNER CARDS
BEST BEGINNER CARDS
Capital One Venture
Capital One Venture
Rewards:
$250 Capital One Travel credit & earn 75,000 bonus miles
Earn 2X miles on every purchase
Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars with Capital One Travel
Receieve $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA pre-check
No foreign transaction fee
$95 annual fee
This is the key incentive when getting a travel credit card. I always recommend people sign up for them when they know they will be making a big purchase or around Christmas time
Rewards:
Earn 75,000 miles ($750) when you spend 4k within 3 months of having the credit card (this will only be a one time offer so its important to spend the required amount)
$250 (free $$) that you can utilize only on the Capital One app, to book flights, hotels, concert tickets etc.
Earn 2X miles on every purchase you make, meaning you are constantly earning points that you can put towards travel
Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacations, rentals, and rental cars only when booking through the Capital One app
No foreign transaction fees, all purchases made in foreign countries will have no charge and will automatically be converted to USD
Apply for TSA Pre-check or Global Entry, when you pay for the application at the very end, your account will be reimbursed automatically. Essentially, free money to make travel easier
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Rewards:
- Earn $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel credit and 60,000 points
Earn 5X total points on hotels, flights, car rentals when book through through Chase Travel
Earn 3X points on dining, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining
No foreign transaction fees
Door Dash Subscription: Get complimentary access to DashPass (value of $120 for 12 months - which unlocks $0 delivery fee) and $10 off a month on non-resturant door dash orders
- 5X on Peloton Purchases
- 5x on Lyft
95$ annual fee
Lets translate this...
This is the key incentive when getting a travel credit card. I always recommend people sign up for them when they know they will be making a big purchase or around Christmas time
Rewards:
Earn 60,000 points ($600) when spending 4k within 3 months of having the credit card (this is a one time offer as well)
Earn $50 every year in hotel credits but can only be used when booking through Chase Travel
Earn 5X the points when booking hotels, flights, car rentals etc. only when booking through Chase Travel
No foreign transaction fees, all purchases made in foreign countries will have no charge and will automatically be converted to USD
BEST CARD FOR FREQUENT TRAVELERS
BEST CARD FOR FREQUENT TRAVELERS
Capital One Venture X
Rewards:
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once spending 4k within 3 months of having the credit card
10,000 miles annual anniversary reward
$300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel
$120 TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credit
No foreign transaction fees
10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital one travel
5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked thorugh Capital One Travel
2X miles on every other purchase
$395 annual fee
Lets translate this...
Like all travel credit cards, this is the key incentive when opening a travel credit card.
You can earn 100,000 points ($1,000) when using a friends referral link. Here is my link if you'd like to earn more points :)
✰I would consider this card if you travel often. The annual fee is obviously much larger than the entry level travel credit cards, but you essentially get $400 every year towards travel, so, its essentially free (girl math).
✰The best part of having this card...is having access to the airport lounges. Lounges include complimentary food, drink, and private bathrooms. Lounges will also be less crowded, and have other amentities that the airport might not have avalible.
Rewards:
Earn 75,000 miles ($750) after spending 4k within 3 months of having credit card
10,000 miles ($100) annual anniversary reward
$300 to book through Capital One Travel, you are able to utilize it for up to one year cant be rolled over into the following year
Apply for TSA Pre-check or Global Entry, when you pay for the application at the very end, your account will be reimbursed automatically. Essentially, free money to make travel easier
No foreign transaction fees, all purchases made in foreign countries will have no charge and will automatically be converted to USD
10X miles when booking hotels and rental cars only through the Capital One Travel
5x miles when booking flights and vacation rentals only through Capital One Travel
Transferring Your Points
Now this is where it can get confusing...
Both Capital One and Chase allow you to transfer your points to airline loyalty programs, often at a 1:1 ratio (or better in some cases). This feature can maximize your rewards, as airline miles can sometimes be worth more than standard travel redemptions, especially for premium cabins and international flights.
Capital One Airline Transfer Partners (Most at a 1:1 ratio)
Capital One Airline Transfer Partners (Most at a 1:1 ratio)
Air Canada Aeroplan | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | British Airways Executive Club | Emirates Skywards | Etihad Guest
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go | Virgin Red (Virgin Atlantic) |Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | EVA Air Infinity MileageLands |Qantas Frequent Flyer | Finnair Plus
Chase Ultimate Rewards Airline Transfer Partners (All at a 1:1 ratio)
Chase Ultimate Rewards Airline Transfer Partners (All at a 1:1 ratio)
Aer Lingus AerClub | Air Canada Aeroplan | Air France/KLM Flying Blue
British Airways Executive Club | Emirates Skywards | Iberia Plus | JetBlue TrueBlue | Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer |Southwest Rapid Rewards | United MileagePlus |Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Best way to utilize, and get the most out of your points and upgrade to business class or first class
Best way to utilize, and get the most out of your points and upgrade to business class or first class
Step 1: Do your research. If you know you are going to specific countries, see what airline would be the best option to utilize when transferring your points.
Step 2: Once you find the airline that makes the most sense, research how you can transfer your points (usually you just need to make an account with the airline, and book the ticket through that account)
Step 3: Once you find the ticket, you will want ensure that you read through all the payment options because there will be a section where you can apply a select amount of points, or all of them.
⋆｡°✩ I will give you an example of how I utilize my Capital One points this year...
I got the Capital One Venture X card. I spent the amount required to earn the 75,000 points. I often travel to Greece to visit my family, so I am familiar with the airlines/routes that make the most sense. I created a MilesForSmiles account with Turkish Airline. When booking my one way business class ticket of almost $3,000...I applied all of my points which left me paying the taxes and fees (roughly $200). This was a great way to cut the cost of the trip significantally, and be able to enjoy a luxury flight home.
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