Cards
Best Travel Credit Cards
The cards our household planner is built around: flexible Chase points, hotel cards that pay for a free night every year, and a Delta card for the flights. Each one shows its welcome offer, what it earns, its fee and who can get its bonus.
Updated Oct 1, 2026
Each welcome offer shows the date we read it on the bank's page. Offers change often and can differ by applicant, so confirm the offer on the application page before you apply. Nothing here is financial advice; you decide what to apply for.
Personal Travel Rewards Credit Cards
Personal cards count toward Chase’s 5/24 limit, whichever bank issues them. Chase does not publish that rule; the points community reports it. In a couple, each of you has your own count, so it pays to plan who applies for what. Chase 5/24 and 2/30 for couples.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase
Welcome offer
100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
after you spend $6,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Read on Chase's page on Oct 1, 2026. Offers change; confirm it before you apply.
- Earns
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Annual fee
- $795
The best home for a household’s Chase points if Hyatt is in your plans. Reported to keep transfers to World of Hyatt at 1:1 after October 1, 2026, when the Sapphire Preferred moves to 4:3.
- 8x points on purchases through Chase Travel, 4x on flights and hotels booked direct, 3x on dining worldwide
- Up to $300 in statement credits for travel purchases each account anniversary year
- Chase Sapphire Lounges and 1,300+ Priority Pass airport lounges
- Points transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners
Chase: “This credit card is unavailable to you if you currently have one open. The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you previously held this card or received a new cardmember bonus for this card.”
Read more: Chase to Hyatt transfer ratio by card
Our referral link. Apply on Chase's site instead. Details checked Oct 1, 2026 on Chase's page.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase
Welcome offer
75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Read on Chase's page on Oct 1, 2026. Offers change; confirm it before you apply.
- Earns
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Annual fee
- $95
A lower-fee way into Chase Ultimate Rewards. Its points transfer to Hyatt at 4:3 from October 1, 2026, but Chase lets you move them to a household member’s Reserve first.
- 5x points on Chase Travel, 3x on dining worldwide including takeout and eligible delivery
- Up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
- Points transfer to most travel partners at 1:1; World of Hyatt is 4:3 from October 1, 2026
Chase: “This credit card is unavailable to you if you currently have one open. The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you previously held this card or received a new cardmember bonus for this card.”
Read more: Chase to Hyatt transfer ratio by card
Our referral link. Apply on Chase's site instead. Details checked Oct 1, 2026 on Chase's page.
IHG One Rewards Premier
Chase
Welcome offer
180,000 IHG One Rewards points
after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Read on Chase's page on Oct 1, 2026. Offers change; confirm it before you apply.
- Earns
- IHG One Rewards
- Annual fee
- $99
For IHG stays: a free night every year, and the fourth night free on award stays.
- Anniversary Free Night each year, at hotels up to 40,000 points a night
- Redeem 3 nights, get the 4th night free on consecutive award stays
- Platinum Elite status while you hold the card
- 10x points at IHG hotels, 5x on travel, dining and gas, 3x on everything else
Chase: not available if you currently hold any personal IHG One Rewards card, or received a new cardmember bonus for one in the last 24 months.
Details checked Oct 1, 2026 on Chase's page.
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Chase
Welcome offer
30,000 World of Hyatt points
after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Chase’s offer also adds a further bonus for extra spending in the first 6 months. See Chase’s page for those terms.
Read on Chase's page on Oct 1, 2026. Offers change; confirm it before you apply.
- Earns
- World of Hyatt
- Annual fee
- $95
For Hyatt stays: a Category 1–4 free night each year, and a head start on Hyatt elite status.
- A free night at any Category 1–4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
- 4 points per $1 at Hyatt; 2 per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets bought direct, local transit and gym memberships
- Discoverist status, plus 5 tier-qualifying night credits each calendar year and 2 more for every $5,000 spent
Chase: “This product is available to you if you do not have this card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for this card in the past 24 months.”
Details checked Oct 1, 2026 on Chase's page.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
Chase
Welcome offer
3 Free Night Awards, each for a night costing up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Read on Chase's page on Oct 1, 2026. Offers change; confirm it before you apply.
- Earns
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Annual fee
- $95
For Marriott stays: a Free Night Award every year, worth a night at hotels up to 35,000 points.
- Free Night Award each account anniversary, at hotels with a redemption level up to 35,000 points
- 6x points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 3x on the first $6,000 a year in combined grocery, gas and dining; 2x on everything else
- Silver Elite status and 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
Chase: not available if you hold, or received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months for, any of the Marriott Bonvoy cards Chase lists on the application.
Read more: Boundless free night awards explained
Details checked Oct 1, 2026 on Chase's page.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
American Express
Welcome offer
Amex shows your welcome offer during the application, after it approves you, and you can then decide whether to accept the card.
- Earns
- Delta SkyMiles
- Annual fee
- $650
For people who fly Delta: a Companion Certificate every year and Sky Club access when you fly Delta. Weigh both against the $650 fee.
- A Companion Certificate each year after renewal, for a Delta First, Comfort or Main round trip within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America (taxes and fees of $22 to $250 apply)
- Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta, unlimited after $75,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- 3x miles on Delta purchases, 1x on other eligible purchases
- $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each year with MQD Headstart
Community-reported: Amex offers each card’s welcome bonus once per lifetime, to people who have not had that card before. Amex’s own offer terms are shown on the application.
Our referral link. Apply on American Express's site instead. Details checked Oct 1, 2026 on American Express's page.
Business Travel Rewards Credit Cards
These need a business to apply for, and the bank decides what qualifies, so answer its questions accurately. Most business cards do not count toward 5/24, but you need to be under 5/24 to be approved for a Chase business card. Chase 5/24 and 2/30 for couples.
Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business
Chase
Welcome offer
200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
after you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months from account opening.
Read on Chase's page on Oct 1, 2026. Offers change; confirm it before you apply.
- Earns
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Annual fee
- $795
The business version of the Reserve. Reported to keep 1:1 transfers to World of Hyatt after October 1, 2026, like the personal card.
- 8x points on purchases through Chase Travel, 4x on flights and hotels booked direct
- Up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year
- Chase Sapphire Lounges and 1,300+ Priority Pass airport lounges
- Employee cards at no additional cost
Chase: “The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card.”
Read more: Chase to Hyatt transfer ratio by card
Details checked Oct 1, 2026 on Chase's page.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Chase
Welcome offer
100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
after you spend $8,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Read on Chase's page on Oct 1, 2026. Offers change; confirm it before you apply.
- Earns
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Annual fee
- $95
A $95 business card that earns Ultimate Rewards quickly in everyday business categories. Its Hyatt transfers are 4:3 from October 1, 2026, so a household with a Reserve moves the points there first.
- 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 each account anniversary year in shipping, social media and search advertising, travel, and internet, cable and phone
- 1 point per $1 on everything else, with no limit
- Points transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners; transfer rates vary by partner
Chase: “The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card.”
Read more: Chase to Hyatt transfer ratio by card
Details checked Oct 1, 2026 on Chase's page.