The Best Travel Credit Cards for Travel Buffs

If you’re in need of some extra funds and currently have good credit, don’t hesitate to apply for a credit card. Today’s credit cards don’t just make more money immediately available to you when you need to make a big purchase. Many of them offer additional perks that put cash right back into your pocket in one form or another. Travel bonuses are some of the best and most useful credit card rewards that you can get.

Selecting the Right Card for the Travel Enthusiast

There’s no material object that can trump the value of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you’ve always dreamed of going to new places and seeing new things, a travel rewards credit card could be a great fit for you. Perhaps you already journey from one foreign land to another on the regular and want to make your adventurous lifestyle a little more affordable. You guessed it – a travel rewards card would also benefit you. So how do you decide which one to get? We’ve chosen a couple of the best to help get you started.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase Bank provides a nice selection of credit cards to choose from. For the travel-oriented, the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card is arguably the premier choice. The headline perk of this card is the huge 50,000-point bonus towards travel-related expenses. That translates to a solid $625 worth of travel money after spending $4,000 on your card during the initial three months. Buying anything after adding an authorized user nets you another 5,000 points.

But that’s not all. Every single purchase made on airfare, hotels, and dining will net you double the points. When you make reservations through Chase Ultimate Rewards, your points are worth 25% more. While your options might be somewhat limited using this method, you’ll save big if you can find what you’re looking for.

When you use the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, your points automatically post to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account after purchases have been cleared. Redeeming your accumulated points is as easy as logging in and booking flights or travel accommodations through Ultimate Rewards. Additionally, your annual fee of $95 is waived for the first year. With a variable APR of 16.99% to 23.99%, the Sapphire card is competitive with most credit cards on the market. While some people might not like the $95 yearly fee, you’ll likely offset this cost by getting much more in cash back if you use the card with any regularity. There isn’t much of a downside when you make Sapphire your go-to for travel.

Bank of America Travel Rewards

The Travel Rewards card from Bank of America is an all-around excellent credit card to have in your wallet. There isn’t an annual fee anywhere in sight and foreign transaction fees are nonexistent. No matter what you choose to put on your card, you’ll get a return of 1.5 points for every dollar you spend. Unlike the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can go wherever you want on the web to book flights, rooms, car rentals, vacation getaways, and even cruises. There are no timelines or limitations on when or how you book your method of travel and accommodations.

If you already have an account with Bank of America, all of your points are increased by 10% for every purchase. If you’re registered for Preferred Rewards, you’ll reap the greatest benefit – a 25% to 75%-point increase on anything that you spend. With a 0% introductory APR for the first year, you can’t lose with the Bank of America Travel Rewards card.

Nobody wants to spend more than they have to. Travel can be quite expensive, so you’ll want to save as much as you can wherever possible. With a credit card that includes travel perks, your travel costs are going to dip lower than ever. You can fly further, stay longer, and enjoy more with either one of the great options above.

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