credit for future travel air canada

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Air Canada's Future Travel Credits no longer expire in 24 months

Air Canada is now allowing travellers to use their Future Travel Credits whenever they want⁠— with no expiration date in sight.

Under a revised goodwill policy, new bookings made up to June 30th, 2020 can be changed without fees for original travel between March 1st, 2020 and June 30th, 2021.

In cases where Air Canada cancels flights due to COVID-19, customers with refundable tickets will continue to have the option of refunds . Since January 1, 2020, Air Canada has refunded nearly $1 billion to customers. Both customers with refundable and non-refundable tickets will have two new options to choose from:

An Air Canada Travel Voucher for the remaining value of their ticket that has no expiry date, is fully transferable and retains any residual value or;
The ability to convert the remaining value of their ticket into Aeroplan Miles, with 65 per cent more value versus the normal rate for buying Miles.

"While the world is making great progress against COVID-19, we know we must remain vigilant, which includes being flexible. This is why we are introducing two new solutions for customers should their travel plans change ," said Lucie Guillemette, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer at Air Canada.

What's changed?

In addition to the company's regular goodwill policies, starting June 1st, 2020, Air Canada will offer customers the choice of a travel voucher with no expiry date that is fully transferable or to convert their booking into Aeroplan Miles and get an additional 65 per cent bonus miles .

Both options, retroactive to March 1st, give customers more flexibility with their future vacation plans.

Previously, travellers had 24 months to use any issued credits from Air Canada.

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How To Cancel an Air Canada Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]

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How To Cancel an Air Canada Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]

Air canada’s cancellation policy: flights paid with cash or points, air canada’s flight change policy, how to cancel a flight with air canada, how to use an air canada travel evoucher, final thoughts.

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Key Takeaways

Air Canada allows flight cancellations with policies varying by fare type. Refundable fares offer full refunds, while non-refundable tickets may offer travel credits.
Cancellations within 24 hours of booking are eligible for a full refund, regardless of fare class.
Cancelling an award ticket incurs a fee of up to $150, depending on fare type.

At times, things happen that are outside of our control that can force us to cancel our travel plans. Unfortunately, the process of canceling a flight can be both expensive and complicated if you don’t know all of your options.

If you happened to book your flight with Air Canada and need to cancel, you’re in the right place! Here’s all the information you need to navigate their cancellation policy and determine what policies apply to your situation.

All customers have 24 hours from the time of their original booking to cancel their reservation without being charged a cancellation fee , regardless of the fare selected.

Cancellation Policy for flights between Canada and the U.S.

For cancellation policies of domestic Canada flights or flights between Canada and International destinations, visit here .

Basic Economy Ticket

Air Canada will not allow you to cancel a basic economy ticket unless it is canceled within 24 hours from when it was purchased. However, there are some circumstances where you can cancel and request a refund if Air Canada changes your flight schedule by 2 hours or more, if you have military orders, or if you or your traveling companion dies.

Non-Refundable Tickets

Standard, Flex, and non-flexible business or premium economy fares are all categorized as non-refundable.

You will be charged a fee to cancel your ticket. The fee incurred will depend on the fare type you purchased. After you pay the fee, you can apply the unused value of your ticket toward a future trip as long as your new trip begins no later than 1 year from the ticket’s original issue date and you canceled the original ticket before the departure of the first flight.

Hot Tip: Non-refundable tickets can still be refunded in the event of the death of the passenger or passenger’s traveling companion or because of military orders. Supporting documentation is required.

Refundable Ticket

Comfort, Latitude, and flexible premium economy or business fares are categorized as fully refundable. If you’ve purchased one of these tickets, cancellations can be made anytime before the departure of your flight, and the refund will be issued to your original credit card within 7 days (it should appear on your statement in 1-2 billing cycles).

Award Ticket

If you’ve booked an award ticket with Air Canada and more than 24 hours have passed, the cancellation fee is $0 – $150 (depending on the fare type) for those who cancel via aeroplan.com and $0 – $175 (depending on the fare type) for those who cancel via an Aeroplan contact center.

Those with top-tier Altitude Super Elite 100k status with Air Canada will not be charged cancellation fees.

Hot Tip: Looking for even more information about canceling award tickets? Explore our guide on canceling award tickets , including information on over 30 carriers, to learn more.

As with cancellations, all customers will have 24 hours from their original booking to change their reservation without being charged a fee, regardless of the fare selected.

Air Canada does not allow flight changes for those with basic economy tickets after the initial 24-hour window.

Standard, Lowest Premium Economy, and Lowest Business Class Fares

For Standard, Lowest Premium Economy, and Lowest Business class fares, after the 24-hour window has passed, Air Canada charges a change fee of $100. You must pay the price difference if you’re changing to a more expensive option.

Flex, Comfort, Latitude, Flexible Premium Economy, and Flexible Business Class Tickets

If you purchased a Flex, Comfort, Latitude, flexible premium economy, or flexible business class ticket, you can change your ticket without being charged any additional fee. You must pay the price difference if you’re changing to a more expensive option. If you’re changing to a cheaper flight, the difference in fare will be refunded to your original payment method.

If you need to make a change to your award ticket, you can do so up to 2 hours before the flight departs — but you will be charged a fee depending on the fare class. The fee is $100 per direction for all ticket types. Those with Altitude Super Elite 100k will not be charged a fee.

Same-Day Change

The Air Canada fees for same-day changes are as follows:

Basic Economy: not permitted
Standard Fares: $150 ($100 for routes between Toronto and JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark airports)
Flex and Lowest Premium Economy Fares: $75
Comfort, Latitude, Flexible Premium Economy, and Business Class: $0
Award Tickets: $100 per direction for all ticket types (those with Altitude Super Elite 100k will not be charged a fee)

Step 1: Log into your account on Air Canada’s homepage and select Manage Bookings .

Step 2: Select the booking you wish to cancel and click the Cancel Booking link.

Step 3: Once you have confirmed and finalized your cancellation, a confirmation email will be sent to the email you provided at the time of booking, and you’ll receive a voucher for any remaining funds after any potential cancellation fees.

Electronic travel vouchers are issued in the form of an email. Within the letter is your 13-digit electronic travel voucher number. Vouchers are transferable, and you can transfer the total or partial value of your electronic travel voucher to another person by calling Air Canada Reservations when you are ready to make a new reservation.

You can redeem your electronic travel voucher when you complete a booking on the Air Canada website by selecting a voucher as your payment method on the payment screen and then entering the voucher number.

If you’re worried that you may need to cancel your flight and want to make sure you can get a refund, a refundable ticket will be your best option, albeit more expensive.

Having to deal with canceling a flight can be difficult enough as it is, but knowledge is power (as are credit cards that provide compensation ). Be certain to review fare rules closely so that you know your options at the time of booking and if you need to cancel.

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Changes to the Air Canada Travel Voucher

Posted by Maple Miles | Jun 9, 2023 | Airlines , Commentary , Travel Tips | 0

Air Canada Travel Voucher (Prior to June 2023)

Since COVID-19, many airlines have imposed a flexible change and cancellation policy, despite most tickets being non-refundable. Most airlines offer the ability to cancel a reservation and receive a travel voucher for a future booking. This allowed many customers to re-book existing flights at a lower price if prices were to drop. Air Canada made it slightly difficult, by processing vouchers within six weeks of the cancellation. If you were looking to cancel and re-book because you found a lower fare, you could not use the same voucher for the new reservation. Instead, you had to spend more money and use the Air Canada travel voucher for another future reservation.

Despite the limitation, I personally leveraged this travel voucher on multiple occasions throughout the pandemic. I was able to book tentative flights knowing I could cancel for a voucher. In addition to that, I could book discounted fares with change fees, knowing that I would rather cancel for a full voucher than change my flight. However, I can imagine, a policy like this was detrimental to Air Canada. I’m sure Air Canada found their frequent flyers paying for tickets with change fees, knowing, that they will not pay a change fee if they cancel their reservation.

Fare Classes on Air Canada

When you typically book a flight within North America, you are often presented with the following fare classes :

Basic (Economy)
Standard (Economy)
Flex (Economy)
Comfort (Economy)
Latitude (Economy)
Lowest (Premium Economy)
Flexible (Premium Economy)
Lowest (Business Class)
Flexible (Business Class)

Air Canada Fare Class

The most restrictive fare category has always been the Basic Economy Class fare. The Basic Economy Class fare did not allow any voluntary changes. If Air Canada made a voluntary change , that could often work in your favor. The changes to the Air Canada travel voucher have no impact to the Basic Economy Class fare hack. I will continue to book Basic Economy Class fares when my travel is in the future. I am very confident that Air Canada will make a schedule change that will allow me to refund the reservation if necessary.

The following fare classes have a change fee of $100, which impacts the travel voucher changes the most:

Standard (Economy),
Lowest (Premium Economy),

In the future, if you book those fare classes, and want to change your flight, you will have to pay the $100 change fee as shown below.

Air Canada Travel Voucher (Ongoing)

In the picture below, I had paid $647.62 for my flight reservation. I booked Standard (Economy) and Lowest (Business Class) thinking I could obtain a voucher if my travel plans were to change. When I go to cancel the ticket, I see the following options:

Air Canada Cancellation Options

You might be fooled into believing that you should take the future travel credit. After all, the future travel credit was for the full amount. However, the last bullet point explicitly states

Any cancellation fees and fare difference will be applied to the new booking : if the value of new booking is lower, the difference will be forfeited

Previously, you could use the future travel credit across multiple reservations. Now it has to be used in one single reservation and cannot be used by anyone else other than the originally ticketed passenger. That is a massive change that will influence how you purchase revenue tickets going forward.

To receive a full voucher in the event of a cancellation, you have to purchase Flex (Economy) or Flexible (Premium Economy, or Flexible (Business Class). Purchasing a flexible ticket in Premium Economy and Business Class is redundant; you can always do a full refund back to your credit card for flexible tickets.

Let’s be honest, this policy change helps Air Canada. Air Canada on the other hand are hoping for a behavior change. Personally, Air Canada has succeeded in a behavior change. Going forward, I will only be booking flex for myself or the basic fare if I am booking in advance for others.

What’s the worst part of these changes?

The changes are retro-active. This means even if you purchased tickets in the past, expecting a very generous Air Canada travel voucher, you will now have the same restrictive policies applied.

I think it is safe to say; this is the end of Air Canada’s COVID-19 flexible travel policy. Going forward, with rising demand of travel, we are back to pre-COVID policies.

Air Canada, thank you. It was great while it lasted.

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Hello Hello, this is Moli! Welcome to Maple Miles. A tech professional on a weekday, and a global traveler outside of work. I manage my entire family's travel, connecting us across the globe, between Canada (Vancouver is home, for now), India and whatever country comes in between. I love water, so you might always find me either dreaming of a beach, or actually at a beach in my free time.

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News / air canada vacations updates guidelines for future travel credit.

ACV has updated policies in wake of coronavirus crisis

April 20 - Air Canada Vacations has made changes to its policies, including changes to guidelines for future travel credits, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

ACV says it has extended the validity of its future travel credits, plus passengers have the option to transfer the credit to another person, and the ability to keep the leftover value of the credit resulting from a fare difference.

Nino Montagnese, ACV’s Managing Director, says: “ Our travel partners have always been a vital link with our mutual customers. While we’ve all had to adapt rapidly to our new realities, Air Canada Vacations’ goal remains to work in tandem with travel agents to meet the evolving needs of our customers. ”

Montagnese says that in order to better support its retail partners, and with agent feedback, “ we’ve increased the flexibility of our future travel credits and made our procedures easier. ”

He adds; “ I know these are uncertain times and I want to thank our travel partners for their support, commitment and expertise, all of which I witness personally everyday .”

Here’s a look at the changes:

Automatic extension of future travel credit validity

Transfer a future travel credit to another person, residual value on future travel credits, cruise and group bookings.

More detailed information on each of the changes as well as updates to all of ACV’s procedures can be accessed through an agent’s ACV&ME account.

Source: Travelweek

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Porter Airlines accessing Canada’s federal wage subsidy program How travel demand changed after weeks of lockdowns TIAC Tourism Advocacy Update Here’s a roundup of highlights from ACTA’s emergency financial assistance webinar

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Canada Jetlines Air passengers - Important information about cessation of air operations

If you are affected by Canada Jetlines' cessation of air operations, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) suggests the following:

Passengers who have purchased a ticket for future travel with Canada Jetlines should contact their travel agent or transportation provider as soon as possible to see if it is possible to make alternative arrangements. If not, they may need to secure their own alternative travel arrangements.
Passengers who paid for their tickets by credit card should contact their credit card company to see what they are eligible for.
If travel insurance was purchased, passengers should contact the insurance company to see if their coverage includes such circumstances.
If passengers purchased their travel arrangements from a travel agent that is registered in Ontario, Quebec or British Columbia, they may be eligible for a refund from the provincial government authorities responsible for travel. Those authorities are the following:

Ontario Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) Tel.: 1-888-451-8426 Email: [email protected] https://tico.ca/

Quebec Office de la protection du consommateur Tel.: 1-888-672-2556 https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/en/

British Columbia Consumer Protection BC Tel.: 1-888-564-9963 Start a complaint http://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/

The top 11 credit cards with annual travel statement credits

Editor's Note

Travel rewards credit cards entice new cardholders with flashy welcome offers and waived annual fees during the first year. They can also help you beat rising travel costs due to inflation.

However, many premium rewards cards on the market also offer ongoing travel benefits. These perks include airport lounge access and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursements, as well as annual statement credits toward travel purchases.

These can be especially useful for stays at boutique hotels that aren't part of a major loyalty program or even when using ride-hailing apps to get from your hotel back to the airport.

Credit card travel credits can vary from a flat $300 per year for a wide variety of travel purchases — as you get with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® — to up to $200 per calendar year as a statement credit specifically for non-ticket airline incidentals on your selected carrier with The Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment is required; terms apply).

In this guide, we'll walk through which credit cards have annual travel credits and how flexible they are for hotels, flights and everything in between.

Overview of cards with annual travel credits

Multiple credit cards offer annual travel credits, which can help offset portions of a trip where cash is required.

However, the rules for using these credits can vary by card. Let's look at the amount of credit you can receive on each card and its welcome bonus before exploring the details of what you can and can't use these credits for each year.

The information for the Premium Rewards Elite, Citi Prestige, Hilton Amex Aspire, Ritz-Carlton and U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

American Express Gold Card

The Amex Gold is generally recommended for foodies, but it provides some useful travel benefits as well.

Annual travel credit: Up to $120 in Uber Cash each calendar year — up to $10 monthly delivered in the form of Uber Cash that can be used on U.S. Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases, making the credits exceptionally versatile. Enrollment is required; terms apply.

Current welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first six months of card membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases (up to $100) within the first six months of card membership. Offer ends 11/6.

You might be eligible for a higher targeted offer via the CardMatch tool ; offers are subject to change anytime.

Annual fee: $325

Other benefits: Amex Gold cardmembers earn 4 points per dollar at restaurants (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 2 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked through amextravel.com and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.

This card earns Membership Rewards points, which you can transfer to a total of 21 airline and hotel partners . As a cardmember, you can earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly (up to $120 in annual dining statement credits each calendar year) when you pay with the Amex Gold at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and Five Guys. Enrollment is required; terms apply.

You can also earn up to $84 per calendar year (up to $7 per month) in statement credits for Dunkin' Donuts purchases in the U.S. and up to $100 per calendar year (up to $50 biannually) for purchases made at Resy-affiliated restaurants in the U.S. and on other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment is required; terms apply.

To learn more, read our full review of the American Express Gold .

Apply here: American Express Gold Card

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

With the opportunity to earn elevated rewards if you're a member of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program, the Bank of America Premium Rewards can be a strong addition to a traveler's wallet.

Annual travel credit: Up to $100 in statement credits for airline incidentals like checked bags, seat selection or upgrades each year.

Current welcome offer: Receive 60,000 bonus points after spending at least $4,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.

Annual fee: $95

Other benefits: The Bank of America Premium Rewards card has a solid rate of return. Cardholders earn 2 points per dollar on travel and dining and 1.5 points per dollar on everything else.

You can boost your earnings from 25% to 75%, depending on how much you have in deposits with Bank of America and Merrill through the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program .

Points can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards and purchases through the Bank of America Travel Center or as a deposit to a Bank of America account at a rate of 1 cent apiece. The card waives foreign exchange fees and will reimburse cardholders for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee once every four years (up to $100).

To learn more, read our full review of the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card .

Apply here: Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite Credit Card

Despite its hefty annual fee, the Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite can be worth considering for anyone heavily invested in the Bank of America ecosystem.

Annual travel credit: Up to $300 in statement credits for airline incidentals like checked bags, seat selection or upgrades each year.

Current welcome offer: Receive 75,000 bonus points after spending at least $5,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.

Annual fee: $550

Other benefits: The Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite card mirrors the earning rates on the Premium Rewards card: 2 points per dollar on travel and dining and 1.5 points per dollar on everything else.

If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, you can earn an additional 25% to 75% bonus points on purchases, depending on how much you have in deposits with Bank of America and Merrill. Points can be redeemed for statement credits , gift cards and purchases through the Bank of America Travel Center or as a deposit to a Bank of America account at a rate of 1 cent apiece.

Cardholders also receive a 20% discount when paying for airfare with points through the Travel Center and up to $100 in reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees once every four years.

Finally, cardholders can receive up to $150 in statement credits annually for eligible purchases, such as video streaming services, food delivery and ride-hailing services.

Related: The best premium credit cards: A side-by-side comparison

The Business Platinum Card from American Express

If you own a business with a high monthly expenditure, the Amex Business Platinum is a great card to consider.

Annual travel credit: Up to $200 in statement credits on airline incidental fees charged by the carrier on one select airline each calendar year.

Current welcome offer: Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.

Annual fee: $695

Other benefits: The Amex Business Platinum offers similar benefits as the personal version and some great additional ones.

The card offers annual statement credits to cardmembers for business and travel expenses with companies like Dell, Adobe and Clear Plus every calendar year.

Cardmembers can earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Cardmembers also receive a 35% rebate when redeeming points for airfare booked through Amex Travel (up to 1 million points per calendar year) on their selected qualifying airline or for business- or first-class tickets on any airline.

Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply.

To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Business Platinum .

Apply here: The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X is one of the best premium travel cards on the market right now.

Annual travel credit: $300 in annual credits for bookings made through the Capital One Travel portal .

Current welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Annual fee: $395 (see rates and fees )

Other benefits: The Capital One Venture X is a premium credit card that has garnered attention in the points and miles world. Cardholders earn 10 miles per dollar on hotel and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Capital One miles transfer to 15-plus airline and hotel loyalty programs, such as Air Canada Aeroplan , British Airways Executive Club and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles .

Other Venture X benefits include unlimited access to Capital One and Priority Pass lounges , a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit, the ability to add a number of authorized users for free (and share those lounge benefits; see rates and fees ), 10,000 bonus miles as an anniversary bonus every year and more.

To learn more, read our full review of the Capital One Venture X .

Apply here: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the most popular credit cards we recommend here at TPG, and for good reason.

Annual travel credit: $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for a broad range of travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.

This credit will apply automatically to the first $300 spent on travel, and purchases covered by this credit don't qualify for bonus points-earning rates.

Current welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Other benefits: The Chase Sapphire Reserve is widely considered to be one of the best all-around travel rewards credit cards, thanks to its slate of chart-topping benefits.

In addition to that annual travel statement credit, cardholders earn 10 points per dollar on car rentals and hotels booked through Chase Travel℠, 10 points per dollar on Lyft rides (through March 2025), 5 points per dollar on flights booked through Chase Travel, 3 points per dollar on other travel and dining worldwide and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Ultimate Rewards points transfer to 11 airline partners, including Southwest and Air Canada, and three hotel partners , including Hyatt, IHG and Marriott. Points may also be redeemed directly through Chase Travel for 1.5 cents apiece.

Cardholders can access Priority Pass lounges and be reimbursed up to $100 once every four years for a Nexus, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

Other benefits include a complimentary two-year Lyft Pink membership (when activated by Dec. 31), a complimentary DashPass from DoorDash (when activated by Dec. 31, 2027) and a range of travel protections.

To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Citi Prestige Card

Although the Citi Prestige is no longer open to new applicants, existing cardholders can take advantage of its travel benefits.

Annual travel credit: Up to $250 worth of annual travel statement credits each calendar year toward travel purchases, including airline tickets, hotel stays, car rentals, commuter transportation, subways, taxis, train tickets and more. This credit applies automatically.

Current welcome offer: The card is no longer available to new applicants.

Annual fee: $495

Other benefits: If you're a Citi Prestige cardholder, you earn an incredible 5 points per dollar at restaurants, on air travel and with travel agencies. Cardholders also earn 3 points per dollar at hotels and on cruise lines and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

Citi ThankYou points transfer to 20 airline and hotel partner programs , including Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Wyndham Rewards.

As a cardholder, you can enter Priority Pass lounges and receive the fourth night free on up to two hotel stays per year when booking through Citi concierge or at ThankYou.com.

With this card, you won't pay foreign transaction fees, and you can receive Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement once every five years.

Learn more: Citi Prestige

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

The Hilton Amex Aspire is Hilton's top-of-the-line credit card. It offers a range of benefits for avid Hilton fans.

Annual travel credit: Up to $400 per calendar year (up to $200 semi-annually) on eligible purchases made with Hilton Resorts and up to $200 on flight purchases made directly with the airline or through Amex Travel per calendar year (up to $50 per quarter). Enrollment is required; terms apply.

Current welcome offer: Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in purchases on the card within the first three months of card membership.

Other benefits: The Hilton Honors Aspire earns a whopping 14 points per dollar on Hilton purchases , 7 points per dollar on flights booked through Amex Travel or directly with airlines, on car rentals and at U.S. restaurants and 3 points per dollar on everything else.

The Hilton Amex Aspire offers automatic top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status and an annual free night reward . Cardmembers also get up to $100 in credits for qualifying charges at participating Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts when booking two-night-minimum stays by phone. Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply.

Learn more: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire

The Platinum Card from American Express

Prospective cardmembers may raise their eyebrows at its annual fee, but the Amex Platinum comes with a wide range of benefits to justify its cost.

Annual travel credit: Up to a $200 statement credit on airline incidental fees with your preferred airline each calendar year. Unfortunately, airfare itself does not count per the terms. Cardmembers can also score up to $200 in annual Uber Cash every calendar year (for U.S. services, up to $15 per month Jan. - Nov. and up to $20 in Dec.) after adding their Card in the Uber app.

Current welcome offer: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first six months. You may be eligible for a higher targeted offer via the CardMatch tool ; offers are subject to change at any time.

Other benefits: The Amex Platinum Card has plenty of perks to justify its high annual fee. Cardmembers earn 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with an airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

This card earns Membership Rewards points, which you can transfer to a total of 21 airline and hotel partners. Cardmembers can also receive up to $200 in annual credits for certain hotel bookings every calendar year, an up to $199 reimbursement for their annual Clear Plus membership fee each calendar year and a statement credit for a Global Entry ($100, every 4 years) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85, every 4½ years) application fee . Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply.

The card gets you into Centurion Lounges and offers Priority Pass lounge access , plus Delta Sky Club access when you're on a same-day Delta flight (limited to 10 annual visits from Feb. 1, 2025). At hotels, enjoy value-added benefits when booking stays through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts plus Gold status with Hilton Honors and Gold Elite status with Marriott . Enrollment required for select benefits.

To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Platinum .

Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express

Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card

Although the Ritz-Carlton card is no longer open to new applicants, it is possible to product-change to this card from one of Chase's Marriott Bonvoy cobranded cards.

Annual travel credit: Up to $300 in credits for airline lounge day passes or membership, airline seat upgrades, airline baggage fees, inflight Wi-Fi/entertainment or inflight meals. You will need to message Chase to manually request these credits.

Current welcome offer: No longer open to new applicants.

Annual fee: $450

Other benefits: The Ritz-Carlton Card offers more to travelers than just the $300 in annual travel credits. Additional benefits include an annual free night award worth up to 50,000 points, a Priority Pass Select membership and Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy .

Cardholders also can be reimbursed for their application fees for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years and receive a $100 hotel credit toward dining, spa treatments or other hotel recreational activities on paid stays of two nights or longer at Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties.

Related: Best Marriott credit cards

U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card

The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve is an underrated premium travel card and a great choice for those who want to keep their wallet simple.

Annual travel credit: Up to $325 in statement credits per cardmember year for purchases made directly with airlines, hotels, car rental companies, taxis, limousines, passenger trains and cruise lines. It can also be applied to restaurants (plus takeout and delivery) and fast-food and bar purchases.

Current welcome offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,500 within 90 days of account opening.

Annual fee: $400

Other benefits: U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel bookings and car rentals made through the Altitude Rewards Center, 3 points per dollar on travel and eligible mobile wallet purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Cardholders can redeem points for 1.5 cents apiece on airfare, hotels and car rentals booked through the Altitude Rewards Center and for lower values for other purchases. If used mostly for travel, your rate of return is a considerable 4.5% on most purchases.

As a cardholder, you'll also enjoy eight Priority Pass passes for airport lounge access, reimbursement for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four years and waived foreign transaction fees .

Learn more: U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card

Bottom line

Whether you prefer a travel rewards card that earns transferable points , a cobranded hotel card or a card that earns fixed-value points, some phenomenal options offer annual travel statement credits.

Picking one of them will ensure you continue to get value from your credit card long after you've earned its welcome bonus and paid its annual fee.

Related: 12 credit cards that can get you $1,000 or more in first-year value

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here . For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here . For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, click here .

Canada Jetlines grounds all flights, plans to file for creditor protection

Airline says it could not raise the financing needed to keep flying.

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Canada Jetlines is grounding all flights and says it is temporarily ceasing airline operations effective immediately, making it the latest carrier to signal distress within Canada's troubled commercial airline industry.

The airline, which flew mainly to sun destinations out of Toronto, said Thursday it has been unable to find the capital needed to stay afloat and plans to file for creditor protection.

"The company ... pursued all available financing alternatives including strategic transactions and equity and debt financings," said spokeswoman Erica Dymond in a release.

"Unfortunately despite these efforts, the company has been unable to obtain the financing required to continue operations at this time."

Passengers with existing bookings should contact their credit card company to secure refunds, the company said. "Every effort is being made to assist passengers at this time."

The shutdown follows the resignation of four executives on Monday, including CEO Brigitte Goersch.

It marks yet another airline departure from Canadian skies after the closure of Lynx Air and budget carrier Swoop within the past year.

Canada Jetlines, which is headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., serves Canadians flying within the country or to destinations in the U.S., Caribbean and Mexico. It launched its first flight in September 2022.

The carrier provides charter flights to sports teams and companies and leases its fleet to other carriers in the summertime. Its former CEO Eddy Doyle characterized it as leisure airline, though it was originally conceived as an ultra low-cost carrier.

That business model was ultimately shelved, partly because the starting price for discount carriers in Canada "is composed of a lot of taxes," and partly due to the challenges of competing with Air Canada and WestJet, Doyle told CBC News in February.

Why is it so much more expensive to travel by air in Canada?

At the time, Doyle said he thought there was "enough supply there to meet demand for the Canadian travelling public," with Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat back at full-strength following the disruptions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But he added that any new entrants would be fighting for the same portion of the market.

Canada Jetlines, which has struggled to get more than a handful of planes off the ground since its inaugural flight in September 2022, faced a series of hiccups even before this week's turbulence.

Even its initial launch, announced for December 2019, was postponed when company announced that fall it was laying off most employees after failing to secure the required financing and losing investment partners.

In January 2023, Canada Jetlines pressed pause on domestic routes as the carrier refocused on sun destinations and leasing its planes, but said at the time it aimed to resume in-country flights that fall.

That setback came after seven years of fundraising and despite Ottawa lifting the foreign ownership ceiling on Canadian airlines to 49 per cent from 25 per cent in 2018, allowing for a wider pool of investors.

Canada Jetlines lost $14.2 million over the 12 months between March 2023 and last March, despite eking out a profit in one of the quarters, according to financial filings. Quarterly revenues ranged between $8 million and $12 million.

In May, the company secured a $2-million loan from Square Financial Investment Corp., a Mississauga-based holding company owned by board member Reg Christian, who was named executive vice-president as a result. The loan is one of several taken out by Canada Jetlines over the past two years.

As recently as May 10, the company said in financial statements it planned to grow to seven planes by year's end and 15 aircraft by 2026.

And in June, Doyle announced his retirement three-and-a-half years after joining the company. Goersch then took over as chief executive.

'It's a sign of the times'

Aviation expert John Gradek told CBC News that the airline had "been on the edge for months."

"When you look at their pattern of operations and their pattern of funding ... to me it was a surprise that they didn't get their licence pulled by Transport Canada earlier," said Gradek.

"These guys had six airplanes and a couple hundred people, and they were just going month-to-month, trying to scramble and get as much cash as they possibly could to meet the payroll and the lease cost on the airplane[s]," Gradek said.

As Lynx heads to the discount airline graveyard, what options do travellers have?

He said it was only a matter of hours after the executive exodus on Monday that the airline would collapse.

"It's a sign of the times. We have a problem in terms of commercial aviation in Canada," Gradek added.

"People were spending five, six, $700 to buy a ticket on an airline that, in my opinion, was on pretty shaky ground. That, to me, is a failing of our transportation policy [and] practices."

Trading of company shares on the NEO Exchange was halted late yesterday afternoon.

With files from CBC's Jenna Benchetrit, Reid Southwick and Nisha Patel

15 Best Travel Credit Cards Of August 2024

Expert Reviewed

Updated: Aug 15, 2024, 10:32am

For anyone who travels enough to have a travel savings account, credit cards are a valuable resource toward booking and paying for your trip. The rewards can offset a huge portion of your out-of-pocket expenses, and the best travel credit cards often pay for themselves both in savings and avoided headaches.

Why you can trust Forbes Advisor

Our editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the credit card methodology for the ratings below.

113 countries visited
5,500 hotel nights spent
93,000,000 miles and points redeemed
29 loyalty programs covered

Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best Travel Credit Card for Beginners
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card : Best Everyday Earnings with Travel Redemptions
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best Flat-Rate Rewards Credit Card for Travel
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card : Best Travel Earnings Without a Portal
American Express® Green Card * : Best Midrange Travel Card with Lounge Access
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best Premium Travel Rewards Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best Travel Credit Card for International Travel
The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best Travel Rewards Card for Lounge Access
American Express® Gold Card : Best Travel Rewards Earnings for Foodies
U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card * : Best Premium Perks with Simple Redemptions
Chase Freedom Flex® : Best Intro APR Travel Card
Bilt World Elite Mastercard® : Best Flexible Rewards Without an Annual Fee
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card : Best No Annual Fee Card with Flat-Rate Rewards
United Quest℠ Card : Best Airline Credit Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best Hotel Credit Card
Best Credit Cards Of 2024
Credit Cards With Travel Insurance
Best Hotel Credit Cards
Best Credit Card For Lounge Access
Best No-Annual-Fee Cards For Travel
Best Airline Credit Cards

Best Travel Card Offers

Best travel credit card for beginners, chase sapphire preferred® card.

Up to 5x Reward Rate

Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all Read More

Welcome Bonus

60,000 bonus points

Regular APR

21.49%-28.49% Variable

Credit Score

Excellent, Good (700 - 749)

I jumped at the chance to get the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card when it was first launched. More than a decade later, I’m still a loyal cardholder. It’s the ideal starter card for someone dipping their toe into travel rewards and I’m living proof you may never need to upgrade. Cardholders earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points for access to transfer partners or for easy, no-strings-attached redemptions through Chase Travel℠. There’s no foreign transaction fee and a wide selection of travel insurances.

Why We Like It

For a modest annual fee of $95 (which can be partially offset with an annual $50 hotel credit for bookings through Chase Travel℠) you get a rare mix of high rewards rates and redemption flexibility.

What We Don’t Like

The highest earning rate requires making reservations through Chase Travel℠, which doesn’t include direct bookings or online travel agencies.

Who It’s Best For

This card is best for travelers who want to earn transferable points without a steep annual fee.

It’s the granddaddy of travel credit cards, but it still earns its reputation as one of the best around with solid bonus categories, strong travel protections, a great set of domestic and international transfer partners and a reasonable annual fee to boot. You can’t go wrong with it as your first travel credit card.

Earn high rewards on several areas of spending
Transfer points to travel partners at 1:1 rate
Many travel and shopping protections
No intro APR offer
Best travel earning rates are only for bookings through the Chase Travel℠ portal
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Member FDIC

Best Everyday Earnings with Travel Redemptions

Citi strata premier℠ card.

Up to 10X Reward Rate

Earn 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com, 3 points per dollar at Read More

70,000 bonus points

21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Excellent, Good

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card slides right into everyday life, with earning categories that reflect typical expenses at home as well as rewarding you for your travel spending—then giving you the opportunity to redeem toward travel.

This card could be a supreme fit for someone looking for a one-card solution, thanks to a low annual fee, access to transferable points and a variety of accelerated earn categories. It also offers a $100 annual hotel benefit which can be applied toward eligible stays reserved through Citi Travel to save you even more money. Select travel protections are also included.

Citi makes you jump through some hoops to access card benefits. You’ll need to book through the card’s proprietary booking portal to maximize your travel earnings and to use your annual hotel benefit.

The Strata Premier makes the most sense for travelers seeking a modest annual fee and a card that rewards varied spend.

Several key travel benefits were recently reintroduced on the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, including trip delay and cancellation protections and lost baggage and rental car damage coverage. But the card still retains all its original features and its relatively low $95 annual fee. The highlight of the Citi Strata Premier continues to be its ability to earn 3 points for every dollar you spend on gas, and now EV charging. Those points can be transferred to any of Citi’s over 15 airline and hotel partners, making your rewards potentially even more valuable than if you just earned straight cash back with another credit card

High rewards rates for many popular categories
Ability to transfer points to hotel and airline loyalty programs
No foreign transaction fees
Some built-in travel protections
The $100 hotel benefit is difficult to redeem
The highest earning rates are on Citi Travel bookings
$95 annual fee
Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Best Flat-Rate Rewards Credit Card for Travel

Capital one venture rewards credit card.

Up to 5X Reward Rate

Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5X miles on Capital Read More

Earn 75,000 bonus miles + $250 credit

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Casual travelers who don’t plan to carry a balance will find good value in the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ’s earnings rates ( rates & fees ). And if you appreciate the skip-the-line perks of TSA PreCheck® and Global Entry as much as I do, you’ll be grateful for the up to $100 credit toward program fees.

You can earn double miles on every purchase and can access transfer partners without ponying up a triple-digit annual fee.

Expect dialed-back benefits compared to more premium travel cards. You’ll still enjoy select trip protections along with no foreign transaction fee. Keep in mind that you’ll want to redeem for travel bookings or transfers to partner programs (cash back redemptions are often not the best value).

This card is ideal for cardholders who want to earn travel rewards at a flat rate and want to keep their annual fee below $100.

The Capital One Venture Rewards card is extremely low maintenance as far as travel reward cards go. It provides consistent value and flexibility when it comes to earning and redeeming points for travel and is an excellent alternative for anyone a bit leery of the high Venture X annual fee ( rates & fees ).

Solid rewards rate
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® statement credit (up to $100)
Miles are easy to redeem either via partner transfers or by applying against travel purchases
No introductory APR on purchases or transfers
Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Best Travel Earnings Without a Portal

Wells fargo autograph journey℠ card.

Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points Read More

21.24%, 26.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR

We love that the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card bestows you with strong earning rates on travel without requiring you to book through a card’s portal. Go ahead and book directly with your preferred airline and hotel: You’ll earn 5 points per dollar on hotels, 4 points per dollar on airlines, 3 points per dollar on other travel and restaurants and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

This card has a minimal annual fee and offers the opportunity to earn a $50 statement credit each year when you spend $50 or more on airline purchases. That’s a bargain all travelers will love.

For now, there’s a limited number of transfer partners, which means you’ll have fewer redemption options than what some other issuers provide.

This card is a perfect fit for travelers who like to book trips directly, especially if they’re looking for cash-back rewards rather than travel transfers.

Wells Fargo has entered the premium card market with its highly anticipated Autograph Journey credit card which offers accelerated points earnings on airfare, hotels and restaurants. It’s also the newest card to offer the option to redeem points by transferring them to travel partners.

Solid welcome bonus
High rewards rates on travel and restaurants
Annual statement credit for airfare
Limited everyday bonus rewards
Few transfer partners
Charges an annual fee
Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
$95 annual fee.
Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Best Midrange Travel Card with Lounge Access

American express® green card *.

Up to 3X Reward Rate

Earn 3X Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit and restaurant purchases including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn Read More

Earn 40,000 points

See Pay Over Time APR

Excellent/Good (700 - 749)

When you don’t want to limit your earnings only to travel charges, check out the American Express® Green Card * . It offers elevated rewards on dining and local transit, too.

Cardholders have access to annual statement credits for CLEAR® Plus and LoungeBuddy charges, which can easily exceed the cost of the card’s annual fee and let you dip your toe into the world of premium perks.

Amex isn’t always accepted overseas, which could be a major issue for international travelers without a backup card.

This is a great midrange card that offers access to American Express Membership Rewards®, making it a good choice for those who don’t want the high cost of a Gold or Platinum card.

Occasional travelers who want to be treated like VIPs will find that the Amex Green card has an ideal set of perks. The $100 annual LoungeBuddy credit is just enough to cover airport lounge access a few times a year, and the CLEAR credit provides expedited access through TSA security at major airports across the country. Put them together and it’s a perfect balance of benefits for infrequent flyers at a relatively low annual fee.

No foreign transaction fee
Flexible redemption and points transfer options
High rewards rate on dining, travel and transit
Mediocre base rewards rate
Limited features and perks
No balance transfer option
Earn 40,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months
Earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel, transit purchases and eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide
Earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
$199 CLEAR® Plus and $100 LoungeBuddy credits
Trip delay insurance

Best Premium Travel Cards

Best premium travel rewards card, capital one venture x rewards credit card.

Earn 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals and 10 Read More

Earn 75,000 bonus miles

Excellent (750 - 850)

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is packed with extras that put it firmly in competition with other upscale credit cards. Just as important, the easy earnings structure is ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to stress over details.

Its annual fee ( rates & fees ) is easily recouped through an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles after your anniversary, which makes the perks feel almost free. A Priority Pass membership also provides value, giving you access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide.

The flat-rate earnings mean that if you spend a lot in a single category, you might be better off with a different card.

The Venture X is a strong choice for travelers who want premium benefits and are willing to book through Capital One Travel at least once a year.

If you’re looking for lofty perks without a lofty annual fee ( rates & fees ), the Venture X fits the bill. While other cards with elite benefits run nearly $700 a year, you’ll only pay a little more than half that for the Venture X. And you’ll still get Capital One and Priority Pass airport lounge access for you and your guests, an annual travel credit and solid earnings on everyday purchases.

Annual fee lower than others in its category
Annual travel credit through Capital One Travel and anniversary miles alone could justify the annual fee
Miles are easy to earn and easy to use
Lack of domestic airline and upscale hotel travel partners
Capital One lounge network in its infancy
Lack of hotel status benefits
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection

Best Travel Credit Card for International Travel

Chase sapphire reserve®.

Up to 10x Reward Rate

Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Read More

22.49%-29.49% Variable

If you spend frequently on travel and dining out, you can accumulate rewards with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . Its greatest selling point is its awesome list of 1:1 transfer partners. There are also best-in-market travel insurance benefits and no foreign transaction fees. Plus, as a Visa card, it’s widely accepted globally.

Cardholders can make up for a chunk of the annual fee with the $300 annual travel credit, a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership and up to a $100 credit every four years to cover your Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee, all of which make far-flung travel easier to bear. The travel protection benefits have personally reimbursed me more than $1,000.

There’s an extra fee to add an authorized user to your account.

This card is readymade for frequent travelers who want to take advantage of built-in travel insurance protections and airport perks.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is one of the most valuable flexible rewards credit cards thanks to its lucrative bonus categories and easy-to-use travel credit. Cardholders can offset the annual fee and get great value when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned on the card, thanks to partnerships with numerous airlines and hotels and its convenient travel booking portal, Chase Travel℠.

$300 annual travel credit is incredibly flexible
Generous welcome bonus
Get 50% more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase
Points transfer to valuable airline and hotel partners
High annual fee
High variable APR on purchases
Excellent credit recommended
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

Best Travel Rewards Card for Lounge Access

The platinum card® from american express.

5X Reward Rate

Earn 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and on flights booked directly Read More

Earn 80,000 points

Good,Excellent (700 - 749)

The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees ) is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of travel benefits. Trust me when I say the perks can make you feel like a VIP. The staggering annual fee for this classic status card won’t be worth it for everyone, but in the right hands the expense can be well justified.

Lounge access with this card extends beyond the Priority Pass membership you see on other premium cards. Plus, if you’re looking for a giant welcome bonus to get things started, the Platinum Card certainly shakes things up.

Many of the perks are very specifically applied and may require enrollment. Examples include statement credits toward Uber, Saks Fifth Avenue, select digital entertainment, select hotel stays and airline incidental fees.

The Platinum Card® from American Express could be a valuable pick for cardholders who are willing to track and maximize its long list of member benefits.

Being an Amex Platinum cardholder grants access to the International Airline Program, which can save you money on first and business class seats on more than 20 airlines as well as premium economy tickets for you and up to seven traveling companions. Start your search on the Amex Travel website to find international flights departing or arriving in the U.S. on any of those premium cabins.

High reward potential on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel
Multiple credits can help justify the fee
Comprehensive airport lounge access
Luxury travel benefits and elite status with Hilton and Marriott with enrollment
Very high annual fee
Maximizing the statement credits takes some work and could be impractical for many
Reward rate outside of travel is sub-par for a premium card
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
$200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
$199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
$695 annual fee.¤
Terms Apply.

Best Travel Rewards Earnings for Foodies

American express® gold card.

Up to 4X Reward Rate

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X; Earn Read More

Earn 60,000 points + earn up to $100 back

Foodies and travelers can leverage the American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, see rates & fees ) to the hilt, earning up to 4 points per dollar. The annual fee may seem intimidating—I get that. But my household comes out ahead by taking advantage of the card’s dining credits and rotating Amex Offers. It’s an appealing option for anyone who wants to redeem travel rewards but doesn’t spend enough on flights or hotels to require elevated earning categories on travel itself.

The grocery earnings on this card are impressive and rare for a travel card. For someone who wants to transform everyday expenses into a vacation, this card seamlessly blends the experience.

The American Express® Gold Card also offers a variety of ways to earn statement credits. This includes up to $120 ($10 per month) in annual dining credits for purchases at participating partners, up to $100 ($50 semi-annually) in annual statement credits for purchases at Resy restaurants and up to $84 ($7 per month) in statement credits for Dunkin purchases. Plus, cardholders get $10 in Uber Cash each month for a total of up to $120 per year. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

While the Amex Gold’s credits can be valuable, you’re required to enroll to take advantage of them and credits are dished out monthly or semi-annually rather than in an annual lump sum.

The Amex Gold might be the consummate choice for travelers with high spending on food expenses.

This card makes it easy to earn Membership Rewards points while doing regular grocery shopping since the card earns bonus points at supermarkets. And for the nights that cardholders don’t want to cook, they can make use of the monthly dining and Uber credits (which can be used on Uber Eats orders).

High rewards earnings possibilities
Points transfer option to many partners
Add up to five authorized users for no additional annual fee
Can choose from regular, rose gold or white gold versions
Most credits are doled out monthly and can be cumbersome to redeem
Limited options to carry a balance
High APR for pay over time feature
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
Get the American Express® Gold Card in either the Gold, Rose Gold or Limited-Edition White Gold metal design. White Gold design is only available while supplies last.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
$84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Dunkin’ locations.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit to use towards eligible charges, which may include food and beverage, spa, or other on-property charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Credit use varies by property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.

Best Premium Perks with Simple Redemptions

U.s. bank altitude® reserve visa infinite® card *.

Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center. Earn 3X points for Read More

50,000 points

22.24% - 29.24% variable

For a simpler take on travel rewards, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card * can be an excellent pick. It doesn’t have transferable rewards. Instead, you’ll get strong value by getting a 50% bonus when redeeming toward travel.

First of all, the earning potential on this card turns heads thanks to its multiplier on mobile payments which are accepted nearly everywhere these days. Earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center, 3 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases and mobile wallet spending and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible net purchases. We also love that its annual $325 credit can be used toward your choice of travel or dining, giving it ultra flexibility.

Though this card comes with Priority Pass airport lounge access, it limits cardholders to a maximum of eight free visits per year. That might be enough for some travelers but could be a major downside for frequent travelers or someone flying with multiple companions or family members.

The Altitude Reserve is best for travelers who don’t want to be limited by travel portals or partnering airlines and hotels for their travel redemptions.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card * is unique because it earns 3X on all mobile wallet spending, which no other ultra-premium cards offer, and has a low net annual fee after taking the $325 travel/dining credit into account. Given the net annual fee after the credit, the fact that the card lacks lounge access—even Priority Pass—is not that big of a deal. The question is, do you spend enough on mobile purchases to add a card specifically for that?

50% points bonus when redeeming for travel
Up to $325 in annual travel credit
No limits on points earnings
No points transfer options available
Free lounge access limited to eight visits per year
Earn 50,000 points after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days of account opening
Earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center, 3 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases and mobile wallet spending and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible net purchases
Earn up to $325 in annual credits
Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards

Best Intro APR Travel Card

Chase freedom flex®.

Up to 5% Reward Rate

Earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate quarterly on up to $1,500 when enrolled, 5% on travel purchased through Read More

20.49%-29.24% Variable

I don’t automatically think of the Chase Freedom Flex® as a travel card, but it’s a great everyday card that also rewards you generously for bookings made through Chase Travel℠.

In addition to the welcome offer and ongoing rewards this card offers, new cardholders can also take advantage of an introductory APR offer to help pay off their travel expenses: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24% applies. Balance transfer fee of up to 5% (min. $5) of the amount of each transfer applies.

Rewards are initially made available as cash back. If you want to transfer your rewards to partner airlines and hotels, you’ll also need to hold an Ultimate Rewards® card that offers that feature.

The Freedom Flex requires a little more hands-on management to earn in its quarterly bonus categories, so it’s a better fit for someone willing to stay on top of details.

Kudos to Chase for always keeping the rotating categories relevant on the Freedom Flex. From Amazon to PayPal and Starbucks to Walmart, you’re almost guaranteed to find at least one quarter every year (or even several) where the 5 bonus points roll in with almost no effort. Just don’t forget to activate the categories every quarter.

No annual fee
Rotating quarterly categories earn 5% rewards when activated, up to a combined quarterly $1,500 maximum
Travel rewards rate rivals some of the best premium travel cards
Generous rewards rate in several other categories
Travel bookings must be made through Chase Travel℠ to earn 5% cash back
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
Keep tabs on your credit health – Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.

Best Flexible Rewards Without an Annual Fee

Bilt world elite mastercard®.

Up to 3x Reward Rate

1x on rent payments with no transaction fee (on up to 100,000 points each calendar year). 2x points on travel Read More

Good/Excellent (700 - 749)

You don’t need to pony up an annual fee for the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® ( rates & fees ), which earns flexible points that you can transfer to a selection of beloved travel brands.

Bilt offers one of the most distinctive earning structures of all cards: 1 point per dollar on rent payments without the transaction fee (on up to 100,000 points each calendar year), 3 points per dollar on dining, 2 points per dollar on travel (when booked through the Bilt Travel Portal or directly with an airline, hotel, car rental or cruise company), and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. It also throws in some great travel benefits for a no-annual-fee card, including select trip protections, primary collision damage waiver on eligible car rentals and no foreign transaction fees.

This is the only credit card on our list that doesn’t include a welcome offer. Renters could make up for that opportunity cost quickly by earning points on their rent payments, but it’s an unmistakable disadvantage.

We recommend this card to someone paying rent and looking for a credit card with no annual fee.

It’s almost impossible to earn rewards on what is the biggest monthly expense for many people, which is why anyone who pays rent should have a Bilt Mastercard in their wallet. Not only will you earn points just from paying your rent (up to 100,000 points in a calendar year), you’ll do it without being charged a fee for the transaction, and Bilt points are among the most versatile travel points around. ( Pro Tip: Don’t redeem Bilt points to pay rent when you can get much more value for them for travel!).

Earn rewards on rent
Primary car rental and cellphone insurance
Points can be transferred to partners
Requires five card transactions per statement period to earn rewards
No welcome bonus
Rewards outside of rent spend are relatively low compared to other cards
Earn points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period
$0 annual fee
1x points on rent payments with no transaction fee (on up to 100,000 points each calendar year)
2x points on travel (when booked directly with an airline, hotel, car rental or cruise company)
3x points on dining
Plus 1x points on other purchases
Cell Phone Insurance
Purchase security (theft and damage protection)
Mastercard® World Elite Concierge
Lyft Credits
No foreign currency conversion fee
Select ‘Apply Now’ to learn more about the product features, terms, and conditions
Rewards & benefits terms

Best No Annual Fee Card with Flat-Rate Rewards

Capital one ventureone rewards credit card.

Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every Read More

20,000 Miles

High spenders will do better with one of Capital One’s other travel cards, but if you specifically are seeking out a no annual fee travel card, consider the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card ( rates & fees ).

This card incorporates positive facets from its Venture line, including a flat-rate earning structure, transferable rewards and no foreign transaction fees. New cardholders are also eligible for an introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, 19.99% – 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% balance transfer fee for the first 15 months, 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you.

The earnings rate isn’t particularly inspiring—unless you consistently maximize travel transfer redemptions, you’re likely better off with a 2% cash back card with no annual fee or an annual fee-carrying travel rewards card with 2X earnings.

The VentureOne can be a good way to get your foot in the door with Capital One, even if you ultimately decide to upgrade your card later.

A contender for the best no annual fee and starter travel card, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card could be a fantastic travel companion for vacation goers and road warriors. The travel value can be immediately appreciated with no foreign transaction fees, while the rewards-earning is higher than basic rewards-earning credit cards at 1.25X miles. Plus, this card earns Capital One Reward Miles, which offers excellent value when transferred to airline and hotel

No penalty APR
Ongoing rewards rate is relatively low
Locked in to Capital One Travel booking to earn the highest rewards
$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% – 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Best Travel Cards for Airlines and Hotels

Best airline credit card, united quest℠ card.

3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases. 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, select streaming services & all Read More

Earn 60,000 bonus miles

21.99% - 28.99% Variable

Frequent United Airlines customers will appreciate that the United Quest℠ Card comes with an annual up to $125 United credit, rewards on travel and dining and travel protections such as primary car rental coverage and trip cancellation insurance.

This card rewards your loyalty. You can earn up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits per year, starting after your first cardmember anniversary, for booking eligible award flights with your miles. You’ll also earn 25 Premier Qualifying Points for every $500 in net purchases (including purchases made by authorized users) up to a maximum of 6,000 PQPs, in a calendar year.

The annual fee on the United Quest is more than double the average airline card.

This card will likely appeal to United flyers who want above-average benefits but aren’t interested in committing to an ultra-premium card.

Don’t let the card’s annual fee scare you off. Even if you’re not a frequent flyer, the perks can make this card worth your while, and the rewards rates are better compared to most airline cards.

Up to $125 annual United purchase credit
Earn up to two 5,000-mile award flight credits annually
Two free checked bags for cardholder and a companion traveling on the same reservation
Earn up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points per calendar year
Primary auto collision damage waiver for eligible rentals
Checked baggage benefit only applies to one companion
Earnings for general purchases are only 1 mile per dollar
Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 PQP after qualifying purchases
Earn 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining and select streaming services
Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
Free first and second checked bags – a savings of up to $360 per roundtrip (terms apply) – and priority boarding
Up to a $125 United® purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year (terms apply)
Earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points per calendar year (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases)

Best Hotel Credit Card

The world of hyatt credit card.

Up to 9X Reward Rate

Earn up to 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4 bonus points per $1 on qualified purchases Read More

Up to 60,000 Bonus Points

21.49% - 28.49% variable

While Hyatt doesn’t have an extensive network of properties compared to other chains, the value offered by The World of Hyatt Credit Card is outstanding. If you’re a regular at Hyatt, a combination of high redemption values, sweet perks and one free night per year easily covers the annual fee and then some.

The card comes with five qualifying night credits, but cardholders can earn more through card spending to work their way up the elite ladder.

The automatic Discoverist elite status for cardholders is, frankly, uninspiring.

This card is designed for Hyatt enthusiasts looking to earn extra points and work toward status.

For many Hyatt loyalists, earning Globalist status each year is a priority and this card can help them get there faster by providing five elite night credits annually. Plus the complimentary yearly certificate for a category 1 to 4 Hyatt hotel counts toward elite status too and can offset the card’s annual fee.

Annual free night certificate on cardmember anniversary
Complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status
High points redemption values
Limited number of properties
No worthwhile redemption options aside from Hyatt properties
Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships

Here's a Summary of the Best Travel Credit Cards

Best Travel Credit Cards Methodology

Forbes Advisor considered dozens of airline, hotel and flexible-rewards credit cards to create this list of the best travel credit cards. The primary factors taken into consideration for all types were:

Estimated annual earnings—25% to 50% depending on card category
Welcome bonus—15% to 25% depending on card category
Travel benefits—15% to 25% depending on card category
Annual fee—5% to 15% depending on card category
Consumer benefits—0% to 10% depending on card category
Foreign transaction fee—0% to 5% depending on card category

Hotel earnings rate was weighted 25% for hotel credit cards and airline earnings rate was weighted 15% for airline credit cards.

Forbes Advisor rates cards both as stand-alone products (the card rating on the review) and compared to others in a specific use case. Sometimes, cards with average stand-alone ratings may still rank highly on a particular list according to how a person looking for a card in that category may value certain card features.

For instance, a card that might be considered mediocre overall could be the top card on a list of rewards cards with no annual fee. That’s because the card might offer limited features compared to other rewards cards, but after we remove cards that charge an annual fee, it’s the best card that remains.

Forbes Advisor uses data from multiple government agencies to determine how much a typical cardholder might spend. We use the same numbers for cards in the same category to make sure we are comparing cards the same way. The bonus categories for spending included with each card are factored into our determination of how many rewards a cardholder could expect to earn if they use the card as a consumer normally would.

Each Forbes Advisor credit card list is reevaluated at least every 12 months to determine if any cards need to be added and/or removed. However, a list could be updated sooner if significant changes are made to the mentioned cards or if a new credit card is announced that’s likely to impact the category.

To learn more about our rating and review methodology and editorial process, check out our guide on how Forbes Advisor rates credit cards .

Complete Guide to Travel Credit Cards

Best travel credit card deals right now, what is a travel credit card, how do travel credit cards work, types of travel credit cards, co-branded travel cards vs. general travel cards, pros and cons of travel credit cards, how many travel credit cards should i have, how to compare travel credit cards, evaluating airline credit cards, evaluating hotel credit cards, how to maximize credit card points for travel.

Travel Rewards Cards in the News

Are Travel Credit Cards Worth It?

Frequently asked questions (faqs).

If you want to replenish your stash of points to work towards booking your next dream trip, you may want to know which travel credit cards have the highest-value welcome bonuses right now. Below are the airline, hotel and flexible rewards travel cards with the highest welcome offers. Keep in mind that annual fees and additional benefits will vary, often significantly, so weigh the pros and cons of a particular card beyond just the bonus before you apply.

Top Travel Credit Card Offers

A travel credit card is a card that earns rewards on travel. Rewards may be earned in the form of airline miles, hotel points or flexible points that can be transferred to partners or applied towards travel charges.

Many travel credit cards also come with additional benefits such as free checked bags, priority boarding, elite status, access to airport lounges and even discounts on hotels or rental cars. Some cards offer welcome bonuses when you meet an initial purchase threshold, which can provide a nice cache of points or miles to help you start redeeming for valuable rewards. The best travel cards also charge no foreign transaction fees, which means there is no extra charge from the credit card company to make purchases abroad.

Credit cards with travel benefits can be an awesome resource, but don’t get fooled into thinking you need them all. Focus on cards that provide a good balance of benefits and costs to fit your specific needs. Otherwise, you’re paying annual fees for no reason.

– Becky Pokora , Credit Card Rewards Expert

A travel rewards credit card accrues miles or points for each purchase made with the card. Every card has a different earning and redemption structure.

A co-branded card , like one labeled with Marriott or Southwest, will earn rewards in the specifically named travel brand.
General travel cards may instead earn flexible bank points, like those you see with Chase Ultimate Rewards® or American Express Membership Rewards® .

Here’s how credit card points and miles work:

Earn rewards when you make purchases. Nearly all purchases on a card will earn rewards at the rate specified by the card. Rates may vary based on the type of purchase.
Rewards are deposited into your account. Most cards update your rewards balance once per month, after your billing statement closes. On co-branded cards, travel rewards are typically deposited into your existing airline or hotel account automatically. On general travel cards, you’ll most likely have a bank of points where rewards pool.
Consider your reward options. Airline and hotel point values often are variable, which means that the value of a point may fluctuate depending on the specific redemption. Before you make a redemption, ensure that you’re happy with the value of your specific reward.
Make a redemption. Once you’ve chosen a redemption option, you’ll need to follow the specific direction to request your reward. Depending on the type of redemption, you might request this through your card issuer through their travel portal or your preferred travel partner.

There are many other intricacies to redeeming miles and points , so if you’re not confident on all your options, you’ll want to review the opportunities from your program before committing to a redemption.

Not all travel credit cards are alike. Here’s how the various types break down, so you can choose which type of rewards card is best for your unique circumstances.

Transferable Rewards Credit Cards

These types of credit cards earn rewards that can be transferred to other programs, like airline or hotel loyalty programs. Transferable rewards include Capital One Rewards , Bilt Rewards , Brex Rewards , Chase Ultimate Rewards® , American Express Membership Rewards , Wells Fargo Rewards and Citi ThankYou® Points .

Airline Credit Cards

Airline credit cards earn miles that can be used to redeem for future purchases with that airline. You can also use that airline’s miles to book flights on partners, which may yield more award opportunities. Some common airline credit card extras may include free checked baggage, priority boarding, a TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fee credit and airport lounge access. If you’re able to max out these extras, the perks can often be worth more than the annual fee.

Hotel Credit Cards

With hotel cards, you’ll earn rewards in the hotel’s currency, like Marriott Bonvoy points , Hilton Honors points or World of Hyatt points , which are redeemable towards any eligible hotel property under that brand’s umbrella. Some cards also confer automatic elite status upon ownership, which comes with benefits that can range from late check-out to free breakfast to room upgrades. Additionally, many cards also offer one night free annually every year you renew your card membership, as well as other perks such as airport lounge access.

Fixed-Value Credit Cards

Credit card points may often have a fixed-value when redeemed for things like cash back or travel, where the issuer publishes the cash value per point. For example, a card may offer a value of a penny per point when redeemed for any valid travel purchase. Fixed-value points currencies can also vary by redemption type. For example, points on a card might be worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel rewards, but only be worth 1 cent each when redeemed for cash back.

Business Credit Cards for Travel

If you’re traveling for work and you want to keep your business expenses separate from your personal expenses, a travel business credit card may be worth considering. Business credit cards for travel function the same as consumer credit cards for travel, although the business versions often offer different earning rates and perks, as well as a different annual fee structure.

To learn more about the best co-branded credit cards, see our guides below:

Best American Airlines Credit Cards
Best Delta Credit Cards
Best Southwest Credit Cards
Best United Credit Cards
Best Hyatt Credit Cards
Best Marriott Credit Cards

Ask an Expert

Is it better to choose a flexible travel rewards card or one branded to a specific airline or hotel?

Yanely Espinal

Credit Cards Expert

Clint Proctor

Credit Cards Lead Editor

Becky Pokora

Credit Cards Writer

If I had to choose, I’d say flexible travel rewards because it allows for much more versatility in your redemption options beyond just flights and hotel stays. But the best approach is to have both. You can maximize benefits from each card type by earning rewards across all of the spending you normally do, while getting perks with your favorite travel providers at the same time.

Since I’m not particularly loyal to any airline or hotel, I prefer the flexibility of general travel cards. I especially appreciate travel cards that offer transfers to travel partners. With flexible rewards, I can access 10 to 20 or more loyalty programs from a single card. This increases my chances of being able to take advantage of the best award deals that are available for my next trip.

I love that most co-branded travel cards include benefits when booking with that brand. Free night certificates on hotel cards and free checked bags with airlines are valuable perks. Plus, even though earning a single type of point might seem limited, big hotel chains have more than a dozen brand choices and airlines may have 10 or more alliance partners, so you’ll still find plenty of versatility.

What is the most underrated benefit of travel credit cards that is often overlooked?

Jerod Morales

Credit Cards Editor

Credit Cards And Loyalty Programs Expert

Some of the benefits of travel cards I rely on that don’t get much attention are the travel and purchase protections. I always make sure to book travel with a card that includes things like trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay protection and lost or delayed baggage benefits. It’s not always a substitute for separate travel insurance, but it can go a long way to getting compensation when travel goes awry.

I feel cellphone insurance is overlooked by some travelers and followed by travel insurance coverage. Many credit cards even cover the trip if you just pay taxes on a reward ticket.

Free nights, big bonuses and statement credits get all the attention but one perk that goes unnoticed is the option to add authorized users to your card account at a reduced cost (or even free). That extends benefits like airport lounge access to a household member, even if they’re not traveling with you.

The number of travel credit cards you should have depends on how often you travel, which benefits you value, your financial situation and whether you’re willing to spend time tracking multiple cards. Frequent travelers can find value in holding at least one travel card, but may consider holding several. For example, having both an airline card and a hotel card can provide complementary benefits and the ability to earn rewards for all aspects of your travel plans.

Personally, the vast majority of my spending is split between three credit cards in order to maximize earning rates, in different purchase categories. However, I also have three other travel cards that I primarily carry for the benefits—annual free hotel nights and extra award flight inventory make my travels more affordable.

– Becky Pokora , Credit Cards Writer

When comparing travel credit cards, items to consider include:

1. Annual fee

The annual fee on credit cards ranges from zero to several hundred dollars. In general, the more expensive the card, the richer the perks and rewards.

2. Foreign transaction fee

Foreign transaction fees can be an additional 2% to 3% surcharge when making transactions in other currencies, such as when you’re traveling abroad. The best no foreign transaction fee cards avoid this surcharge.

3. Sign-up bonus

One time offers to new cardholders can be extremely lucrative and an important factor in which cards appeal to you.

4. Rewards rate

Different cards have different earning rates, both in the amount you earn with every purchase and what form the rewards are provided in—points, miles or cash back.

5. International acceptance

When traveling outside of the United States, Visa and Mastercard tend to be more widely accepted than American Express or other cards. Because of this, international travelers may wish to pick their card type accordingly.

6. Travel protections

Included travel insurance could save you money compared to separately purchased policies, but won’t necessarily be comprehensive . If you travel often, it might be worth specifically seeking out the best credit cards with travel insurance .

Benefits might range from airport lounge access to statement credit reimbursements for certain purchases.

When choosing between two similar cards, it’s savvy to look for the less known credit card perks like luggage protection and travel delay insurance. These protections reimburse you up to a certain amount for lost or missing luggage and/or cover the cost of meals and lodging when your flight gets delayed more than a certain number of hours.

– Yanely Espinal , Credit Card Expert

Airline credit cards typically earn frequent flyer miles on every purchase. Co-branded airline cards also frequently come with perks while traveling, like free checked bags, enhanced award space or lounge access. They may also help you achieve elite status more easily.

When evaluating the best airline credit cards , think about:

Earning rates. Many airline credit cards don’t offer elevated earnings on categories other than airline spending, so you’ll need to choose carefully if that’s important to you.
Perks while flying. Typically, only cards with an annual fee include benefits while flying such as priority boarding or complimentary checked bags.
Elite-qualifying bonuses. Some cards include bonus elite-qualifying miles when hitting spending thresholds, which can further enhance your flying experience.
Companion fares. Some airline cards offer the opportunity to earn a companion certificate, which allows you to bring a second traveler on your trip for a reduced price.

Additionally, redeeming frequent flyer miles can be more complicated than requesting cash back or other types of rewards. Though using miles for award flights can lead to tremendous value, you’ll need to learn the ropes of the program.

Hotel credit cards earn points toward future free stays, but this is one case where the benefits can often outshine rewards. More often than not, hotel cards come with automatic elite status, as well as a fast track to even higher levels of status. Plus, annual free night certificates or statement credits add even more to their value proposition.

Many hotel loyalty programs offer multiple co-branded cards to choose from, making it even more important to compare the characteristics of an individual card. It’s not uncommon for a single hotel brand to offer a no-annual-fee card, a mid-tier card and a premium card—each with different earning rates and benefits.

When evaluating hotel credit cards, consider:

Elite status offers. Generally speaking, cards with higher annual fees may automatically bump you to higher elite status levels, which can be invaluable for frequent stays.
Free night certificates. Many, but not all, hotel cards offer free night certificates either upon renewal of your card or when hitting spending thresholds. Each certificate may come with restrictions on when or where you can redeem it, so compare fine print.
Earning rates. Hotel cards may offer huge multipliers on bonus categories, allowing you to earn five to 10 times on certain purchases. However, keep expectations in check: Hotel points may not be worth a full penny per point.
Statement credits. Some cards may include statement credits toward eligible purchases made at hotels and resorts or even on airline fees or restaurant purchases, which can be valuable, but you’ll need to actually use them.

The best way to make the most of your credit card is to use a card that aligns with your spending patterns.

Choose a card that offers bonus points in spending categories meaningful to you
Credit card pairings can maximize your earnings by pooling points from two or more cards that have different bonus categories
Use your credit card instead of cash or debit when possible

Airline and Hotel Rewards Loyalty Programs

Understanding how to get the most out of the points and miles you earn from your travel credit card goes hand-in-hand with using the loyalty programs offered by most airlines and hotel brands. It’s free to join and you can belong to as many loyalty programs as you like. Typically, when you sign up for a co-branded credit card affiliated with a particular brand, you’ll automatically become a member of the loyalty program if you aren’t already.

Track Your Credit Card Points and Miles Earnings

Tracking your spending allows you to make sure that every time you make a purchase, you’re using the card that earns the most rewards. This means knowing which card to use in which scenario based on how a particular merchant codes the purchase .

For example, if you own two credit cards, one that earns high rewards on dining and one co-branded airline card, it might not make sense to use the airline card to pay your restaurant tab since the dining card likely earns more rewards. You can do this by various methods as complicated as creating a spreadsheet or as simple as putting stickers on each card to remind you when to use it.

How To Use Credit Card Points for Travel

Beyond earning rewards, there are strategies to get the most value when it comes time to redeem your rewards, too. When you’re ready to cash in your travel rewards, there’s generally two ways to do it.

You can plan the itinerary you want and use your rewards to fully or partially off-set the cost. Or, you can research to see where the rewards you have can be used to get the most bang for your buck. Now, American Express is making it easier for some cardmembers to redeem miles for flights due to a partnership with Point.me .

Find The Best Credit Cards For 2024

No single credit card is the best option for every family, every purchase or every budget. We've picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers.

Travel Rewards Cards In the News

IHG One Rewards is presenting one of their best ever offers for new cardholders. This is your chance to earn free night certificates toward your next trip.
Small businesses wishing to earn travel rewards should look into a limited time offer on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card —you could earn an upgraded bonus of 120,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
You can extend the value of your travel rewards with these transfer bonuses in August 2024.

Best Small to Mid-Sized Travel Destinations for Redeeming Points/Miles, Ranked

It’s been a busy year for air travel, with a new high of 3,013,413 travelers screened by TSA checkpoints on July 7, 2024. Given unprecedented travel levels and rising costs, rewards are a valuable resource for covering the price of travel.

Forbes Advisor compared data on more than 20 metrics for 62 of the most-traveled small and mid-sized cities to reveal the best cities for redeeming points and miles. Of these, Tampa tops the list for being most accessible when paying with rewards, with two other Floridian cities rounding out the top three. Kona, Hawaii ranks at the bottom.

Top 5 Best Small to Mid-Sized Cities for Redeeming Points and Miles

1. tampa, fl.

Tampa’s score: 100 out of 100

When looking at nonstop route coverage and flight volume across five major U.S. airlines, Tampa ranks the highest, regardless of your preferred carrier. The city also ranked third-highest for hotel availability across the six major hotel groups ( Marriott, IHG, Hilton, Hyatt, Choice and Wyndam). It has over 263 hotels to choose from when redeeming points, ranging from luxe stays to more value-oriented options.

2. Orlando, FL

Orlando’s score: 99.4 out of 100

Catching a flight to Orlando should be easy even during peak travel periods as it ranks second-highest for flight availability in small and mid-sized cities. Redeeming points for a hotel stay is also simple, with 333 available hotels to choose from across six hotel groups. The combination of options on both flights and hotels puts it second on our list.

3. Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fort Lauderdale’s score: 83.9 out of 100

Travelers will have no issue securing a flight to Fort Lauderdale as it ranked third-highest for flight availability. The city ranked seventh-highest for hotel availability and is covered by all six of the major hotel groups. It has 287 total hotels to choose from within those groups. As a bonus, the ease of redeeming points for a trip to Fort Lauderdale may make it a worthy alternative to trips to Miami, less than 30 miles away.

4. Raleigh-Durham, NC

Raleigh/Durham’s score: 74.0 out of 100

If you’re looking to book a trip outside of Florida using points and miles, your best bet is the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. Travelers flying in will have multiple options for airfare, as it ranks sixth-highest for this category based on availability for flights from the six busiest airports nationwide by scheduled airline capacity as of May 2024 according to the most recent data from OAG Aviation Worldwide, a flight data analytics company. The city ranks 11th-highest for hotel availability with 170 hotels to choose from.

5. Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis’ score: 70.7 out of 100

Travelers looking to redeem their miles for a trip to Minneapolis will be happy to know that it ranked within the top 15 for the flight availability category. The city also tied for fifth place for hotel availability and is covered by all six of the largest hotel groups, with 237 total hotels that accept point redemptions.

Methodology

To uncover the small and mid-sized cities where it is easiest to redeem points and miles, Forbes Advisor looked at the 100 most traveled destinations nationwide (based on the number of domestic air passengers in 2023) and excluded the 25 largest cities and the principal cities of the 15 largest metropolitan areas.

We analyzed the remaining 62 cities across 22 metrics spanning four categories and using the weights described below:

Flight coverage
Flight availability
Hotel coverage
Hotel availability

For the flight-related metrics, data came from each airline's booking portal. This included United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways. We considered round-trip flights from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28, using the country’s six busiest airports (by passenger boarding volume): ATL, DFW, DEN, LAX, ORD and JFK.

Data for hotel coverage and volume comes from Booking.com with a check-in date of Friday, July 26 and a check-out date of Sunday, July 28.

Flight Coverage (15% of total score)

Star Alliance Carriers (3% of total score)
OneWorld Carriers (3% of total score)
Skyteam Carriers (3% of total score)
Southwest (3% of total score)
JetBlue (3% of total score)

Flight Availability by Volume (35% of total score)

Number of Flights from Star Alliance Carriers (7% of total score)
Number of Flights from OneWorld Carriers (7% of total score)
Number of Flights from Skyteam Carriers (7% of total score)
Number of Flights from Southwest (7% of total score)
Number of Flights from JetBlue (7% of total score)

Hotel Coverage (15% of total score)

Presence of Marriott group hotels (2.50% of total score)
Presence of IHG group hotels (2.50% of total score)
Presence of Hilton group hotels (2.50% of total score)
Presence of Hyatt group hotels (2.50% of total score)
Presence of Choice group hotels (2.50% of total score)
Presence of Wyndham group hotels (2.50% of total score)

Hotel Availability by Volume (35% of total score)

Number of Marriott group hotels (5.83% of total score)
Number of IHG group hotels (5.83% of total score)
Number of Hilton group hotels (5.83% of total score)
Number of Hyatt group hotels (5.83% of total score)
Number of Choice group hotels (5.83% of total score)
Number of Wyndham group hotels (5.83% of total score)

Generally speaking, yes, travel credit cards are worth it —if you’ll use the benefits. Travel rewards credit cards can be a strategic addition to your finances, if you travel with any regularity. You’ll be able to earn rewards on every purchase and later redeem those rewards toward future trips—often at a higher yield than cash back. Many travel cards also include benefits to enhance your travel experience along the way to add even more value.

To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page . To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card please visit this page . For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Is it a good idea to use a credit card when traveling?

Paying by credit card can be a smart idea while traveling since it offers additional protections compared to paying with cash or debit card. You might also earn rewards on your purchases by paying by card. Before traveling internationally, check to see whether or not your credit card charges a foreign transaction fee. If it does, every transaction will cost you a little extra (usually around 3%). The best travel cards don’t charge this fee.

What is the easiest travel credit card to get?

Most travel credit cards require good to excellent credit scores. However, generally speaking, travel cards with no annual fee are typically easier to be approved for than the ultra-premium travel cards with high annual fees.

What is the best credit card with travel insurance?

Forbes Advisor’s best credit cards for travel insurance list has a variety of cards offering solid travel insurance. Although you shouldn’t get a credit card for this feature alone, it can be a useful money-saving extra. Credit cards that offer travel insurance tend to have high annual fees, so keep this in mind when weighing whether or not you are likely to use the feature.

What is the best card for international travel?

Many credit cards are well suited for international travel. You want to make sure that the card has no foreign transaction fees . It also helps if the card’s points are suitable for the locations where you wish to travel. For instance, if you want to go to Asia, an airline card co-branded with a U.S.-based airline that doesn’t fly to Asia, like Southwest, won’t help you.

How can you travel for free with credit cards?

Travel with credit card points can save you a lot of money on travel compared to paying full price. A combination of welcome bonus offers and the rewards you earn from everyday spending can add up to hundreds of dollars in value toward free travel. However, you’ll need to learn the rules of your specific program to maximize travel points and get the most possible value.

Included statement credits or card benefits can also help you travel for free. Premium credit cards may offer annual credits toward the purchase of select travel, effectively serving as a rebate. Alternatively, you might have airline companion certificates or hotel free night certificates, which work more like a coupon.

Other Credit Cards To Be Considered

Best Business Credit Cards for Travel
Best Travel Credit Cards For Fair Credit

*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: American Express® Green Card, U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card, Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card . The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

With more than 50 million redeemed miles under her belt, Becky Pokora is a rewards travel expert. She's been writing about credit cards and reward travel since 2011 with articles on Forbes Advisor, BoardingArea, The Points Guy and more. Her redemptions have helped her travel to more than 50 countries and all seven continents.

Clint Proctor is a lead editor with the credit cards and travel rewards team at Forbes Advisor. He has five years of experience in personal finance journalism and has contributed to a variety of leading national publishers including Business Insider and MyFICO. Clint has redeemed millions of credit card points and miles to book budget-friendly travel and is passionate about helping others do the same.

Yanely Espinal is the director of educational outreach for Next Gen Personal Finance, a nonprofit working to ensure that every high school student gets a full semester of personal finance education—including lessons in proper credit card usage—before graduation. She is often described as a ball of energy, with a gift for storytelling, and a passion for explaining credit cards and other financial concepts in a straightforward way. While working as an elementary school teacher, Yanely decided to change her financial life by paying off $20,000 of debt in just 18 months. In 2015 she created MissBeHelpful, a YouTube channel and social media platform that now has over 5 million views, to help others learn the money skills she never learned in school. Some of her most popular videos on the channel include “5 Things to Consider When Applying for a Credit Card” and “When To Pay Your Credit Card Bill and Increase Your Credit Score.” Her book, “Mind Your Money,” is an Amazon bestseller and was a Plutus Award finalist for Best New Personal Finance Book of 2023. She hosts Financially Inclined from Marketplace, a video podcast for teens about money lessons for living life your own way. Yanely is also a member of CNBC's Financial Wellness Advisory Council and an Advocate at the NGPF Mission 2030 Fund.

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Payment options

Travel credit

Understanding travel credit options.

We offer different types of travel credit: Trip Credit, Flight Credit, and Travel Vouchers. Each type of travel credit has its own terms and conditions, so be sure to read them carefully before redeeming your credit. Keep in mind, travel credits can only be used to book flights, and can’t be used to pay for extras like seats or bags.

Extended Trip Credit

For Trip Credit issued on or after April 2, 2024, AAdvantage ® members have 12 months to use their Trip Credit when canceling their trip on aa.com or the American app and their AAdvantage ® number is included in their reservation. Non-AAdvantage ® members have 6 months.

Types of travel credit

*Can’t be used for extras like seats or bags.

**For Trip Credit issued on or after April 2, 2024, AAdvantage® members have 12 months to use their Trip Credit when canceling their trip on aa.com or the American app and their AAdvantage® number is included in their reservation. Non-AAdvantage® members have 6 months.

***When booked on aa.com, Flight Credit can only be applied to flights within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (U.S. currency only)

Ready to book a trip?

Book a trip with your Trip Credit

Find your trip to use your Flight Credit

Contact Reservations

If you received a travel credit, you can use it to book your next trip. Here's how to find and redeem your Trip Credit and Flight Credit.

Trip Credit

If you're an AAdvantage ® member, most Trip Credits will appear in your AAdvantage ® account.

Step 1: Find your Trip Credit email

Look for an email from American Airlines with the subject line ‘Your Trip Credit.’
Your Trip Credit number is a 13-digit number that begins with ‘00115.’

Keep in mind there are separate ticket numbers for add-ons like seats, upgrades, and bags.

Step 2: Book and add your Trip Credit

Go to aa.com and book your new flight.
On the payment screen, select ‘Trip Credit.’
Follow the prompts to pay using your Trip Credit.
You may use a credit card to pay any remaining balance.

Flight Credit

If you're an AAdvantage ® member and had your account number listed in your reservation before cancellation, you can log in to your account and view available Flight Credit in your AAdvantage ® account.

Step 1: Find your canceled trip or confirmation email

You'll need your 6-character confirmation code and 13-digit ticket number.
American tickets have a 13-digit number that begins with '001'.

Step 2: View your canceled trip

Go to aa.com and choose ‘Manage trips / Check-in’
Choose ‘View canceled trips’ and enter your trip details.
You’ll find your Flight Credit details on the ‘Your trip’ page.

Step 3: Rebook and add Flight Credit

Go to aa.com and find your new flight.
On the payment screen, choose ‘Add Flight Credit.’
Enter the ticket number from your canceled trip and apply the credit.

Book a trip with your Flight Credit

General rules

Trip Credit is non-refundable, non-transferable, non-returnable, may not be redeemed for cash, check or credit (except where required by law) and has no implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability or fitness.
Trip Credit is void if bought, sold or bartered, advertised for sale or used for commercial or promotional purposes.
We won’t replace Trip Credit if lost or stolen. This may include inadvertent deletion, forwarding or access of the email containing your Trip Credit number. Please guard the Trip Credit number as you would cash.
Except where prohibited by law, we reserve the right to refuse, void, cancel, reject or hold for review any Trip Credit mistakenly issued in an incorrect denomination or issued or obtained, directly or indirectly, in connection with fraudulent actions, fraudulent claims, compensation abuse or in connection with any violation of these terms and conditions.

Expiration and validity

Valid until 11:59 p.m. (CT) on the date listed on the Trip Credit, and we won't reissue it past the expiration date.
We won't accept invalid or expired Trip Credit.
We won’t accept Trip Credit with an invalid number or if we are unable to locate it within the American Airlines systems.
To receive Trip Credit, your original ticket must be canceled before the departure of the first flight (or the ticket loses any remaining value and cannot be used for future travel).

Redemption and usage

You may redeem Trip Credit on aa.com or by contacting Reservations. Trip Credit is not redeemable through any other channels, including airport ticket counters or travel agencies.
When contacting Reservations, tell the agent you have Trip Credit and you want to use it to book your travel.
Trip Credit is redeemable toward air travel on flights operated by American, American Eagle ® or flights marketed by American (designated with an AA*). You can’t use Trip Credit for payment of air travel on any other airline on aa.com.
Contact Reservations to use Trip Credit for qualifying one world ® or other airline partner itineraries.
Trip Credit is redeemable toward the base air fare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges collected as part of the fare calculation.
You may not use Trip Credit for products and / or services sold separate from the fare price or for taxes, fees or charges in connection with AAdvantage ® award travel, American Airlines Vacations℠ or any other non-flight products and / or services sold by American.
You may only use non-taxable Trip Credit for single-passenger reservations on aa.com.
Contact Reservations to use Trip Credit for more than 9 passengers.
The recipient of Trip Credit can use it to pay for travel for themselves or others.
You may redeem up to 8 Trip Credits in a single transaction on aa.com or through Reservations.
If the ticket price is greater than the value of the Trip Credit, you may pay the difference only with a credit card accepted by American.
If the ticket price is less than the value of the Trip Credit, we’ll issue any remaining value on a new Trip Credit, delivered via email to the passenger ticketed on the Trip Credit redemption. You may choose to have the new Trip Credit email sent to your email address and then use the remaining value on a new reservation for yourself or someone else.
You may not combine Trip Credit with the value of an existing ticket to pay for a new ticket.
Flight Credit is non-refundable, non-transferable, non-returnable, may not be redeemed for cash, check or credit (except where required by law) and has no implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability or fitness.
Flight Credit is void if bought, sold or bartered, advertised for sale or used for commercial or promotional purposes.
We won’t replace Flight Credit if lost or stolen. This may include inadvertent deletion, forwarding or access of the email containing your Flight Credit number. Please guard the Flight Credit number as you would cash.
Except where prohibited by law, we reserve the right to refuse, void, cancel, reject or hold for review any Flight Credit mistakenly issued in an incorrect denomination or issued or obtained, directly or indirectly, in connection with fraudulent actions, fraudulent claims, compensation abuse or in connection with any violation of these terms and conditions.
Flight Credit is valid for 1 year from the date the ticket was issued. We will not extend or reissue once it expires.
If you don't show for your flight, your ticket will no longer be valid or eligible for any credit.
We won't accept invalid or expired Flight Credit.
You may redeem Flight Credit on aa.com, in person at the airport or by contacting Reservations.
When contacting Reservations, tell the agent you have Flight Credit and you want to use it to book your travel.
The recipient of Flight Credit can use it to pay for travel for themselves only.
Flight Credit is redeemable toward air travel on flights marketed and operated by American, by American Eagle ® carriers or on flights marketed and sold by American but operated by one of American’s codeshare or one world ® partners (i.e. flights designated with an AA*).
Flight Credit is redeemable toward initial booking, the base air fare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges collected as part of the fare calculation.
You may only redeem 1 Flight Credit for single-passenger trips on aa.com or through Reservations. In order to redeem up to 2 Flight Credits in a single transaction, you must contact Reservations.
If the ticket price is greater than the value of the Flight Credit, you may pay the difference only with a credit card accepted by American.
If the ticket price is less than the value of the Flight Credit, you can only use the value of Flight Credit needed for the current booking while remaining value will be issued as travel credit for future reservations.
You may not use Flight Credit for products and / or services sold separately from the fare price or for taxes, fees or charges in connection with AAdvantage ® award travel, American Airlines Vacations℠ products or services or any other non-flight products and / or services sold by American.

Electronic travel voucher terms and conditions

eVouchers are provided for U.S. customers only.
eVouchers are non-refundable, non-transferable, non-returnable, may not be redeemed for cash, check or credit (except where required by law) and have no implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability or fitness.
eVouchers are void if bought, sold or bartered, advertised for sale, or used for commercial or promotional purposes.
We won’t replace eVouchers if lost or stolen. This may include inadvertent deletion, forwarding or access of the email containing your eVoucher number. Please guard the eVoucher number and PIN as you would cash.
Except where prohibited by law, we reserve the right to refuse, void, cancel, reject or hold for review any eVouchers mistakenly issued in an incorrect denomination, or issued or obtained, directly or indirectly, in connection with fraudulent actions, fraudulent claims, compensation abuse or in connection with any violation of these terms and conditions.
eVouchers are valid for 1 year from the date of issue, and we won’t reissue them past the expiration date.
We’re not responsible for honoring invalid or expired eVouchers.
We won’t accept an eVoucher with an invalid number or if we are unable to locate it within the American Airlines systems.
You may redeem eVouchers only on aa.com or by contacting Reservations. eVouchers are not redeemable through any other channels, including airport ticket counters or travel agencies.
eVouchers are redeemable toward air travel on flights operated by American, American Eagle ® , one world ® partners or on flights marketed by American (designated with an AA*). You can’t use eVouchers for payment of air travel on any other airline.
Flights sold or originating outside the U.S., Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands or operated by other carriers are not eligible.
eVouchers are redeemable toward the base air fare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges collected as part of the fare calculation.
You may not use eVouchers for products and / or services sold separate from the fare price or for taxes, fees or charges in connection with AAdvantage ® award travel, American Airlines Vacations℠ or any other non-flight products and / or services sold by American.
The eVoucher recipient can use it to pay for travel for themselves or others.
You may redeem up to 8 eVouchers in a single transaction.
If the ticket price is greater than the value of the eVoucher(s), you may only pay the difference with a credit, debit or charge card with a billing address in the U.S., Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands.
If the ticket price is less than the value of the eVoucher(s), the unused amount will remain on the eVoucher until it reaches zero, at which time the eVoucher will be deactivated.
You may not combine eVouchers with the value of an existing ticket to pay for a new ticket.

Combining Credit Card Insurance Benefits with Additional Travel Insurance Coverage

Travel insurance is an essential aspect of any trip, providing peace of mind and financial protection against unforeseen events. Many credit cards offer built-in travel insurance, but sometimes the coverage might not be comprehensive enough for your needs, or your trip exceeds the number of days allowed by your current credit card. In such cases, extending your travel insurance coverage with another carrier can fill the gaps and ensure you are adequately protected.

Here’s a guide on how you can extend your existing travel insurance coverage .

Understand Your Current Coverage

Before seeking additional coverage, it’s crucial to understand what your credit card travel insurance covers. Typical benefits may include:

Travel Medical Insurance: Coverage for medical emergencies abroad.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance : Reimbursement for non-refundable expenses if your trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
Travel Accident Insurance: Compensation for accidental death or dismemberment while traveling. With credit cards this coverage is limited to common carriers (airlines, trains, ferries, etc.)
Baggage Delay/Loss Insurance: Coverage for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage. Some credit cards do not include coverage for damaged baggage as part of their coverage. Of note here are cards from Desjardins and Collabria which have age restrictions on baggage coverage.

Carefully review your credit card’s policy document to know the limits, exclusions, and conditions of your current coverage.

Recommended reading: Guide to Credit Card Emergency Medical Insurance Coverage Recommended reading: Loyalty Lesson: Be aware of this quirk with Desjardins Baggage Insurance

Identify Coverage Gaps

Once you understand your credit card’s coverage, identify any gaps that could leave you vulnerable. Common gaps might include:

Medical Coverage Limits: Your card might offer limited medical coverage, which may not be sufficient in case of serious illness or injury. Your coverage maybe be reduced at a certain age, this being the most common gap in credit card coverage. Another common gap is the stabilization period which is how long prior to a trip an existing medical condition must not have any changes to it (including increase/decrease in prescription dosage)
Trip Duration Limits: Some credit card policies only cover trips up to a certain number of days and select cards like those from National Bank and Desjardins will not cover you at all for medical if your trip extends beyond their coverage period.

Exclusions: Activities like adventure sports or pre-existing medical conditions or unstable pre-existing medical conditions might not be covered.

Recommended reading: Loyalty Lesson: Be aware of this condition with National Bank of Canada and Desjardins out of province emergency travel medical insurance coverage

Additional Travel Insurance Coverage

To fill these gaps, research additional travel insurance providers. Look for policies that complement your credit card coverage. When purchasing additional travel insurance, ensure it doesn’t duplicate your credit card coverage unnecessarily. Some insurance providers offer “top-up” policies designed to work in conjunction with existing coverage. These policies extend the benefits without overlapping them. Compare the cost of different policies to find one that offers good value for money.

soNomad travel insurance offers great rates when topping up existing credit card coverage. They have unique product features such as reduced stability clauses and emergency round trip benefits. Additionally, they have no admin fees for any date changes or cancellation fees, making it 100% refundable. They also offer flexible payment options to fit any traveler’s budget. You can contact them directly at (888) 860-2515.

Click here to learn more about SoNomad and to request a free quote

Beyond top-up insurance for emergency medical coverage, soNomad also offers a wide range of benefits and coverage options such as:

Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption
Cancel for Any Reason Coverage
Baggage Insurance Option
Extreme Sports Coverage Rider
Visitors to Canada Insurance

Purchase and Document the Coverage

After selecting the appropriate policy, purchase the additional coverage. Make sure to:

Keep Documentation Handy: Carry both your credit card insurance details and the additional policy information while traveling.
Inform Travel Companions: Ensure your travel companions are aware of the coverage details in case of an emergency.
Know How to Make a Claim: Familiarize yourself with the claim procedures for both your credit card and the additional insurance policy. Keep emergency contact numbers and claim forms easily accessible.

Wrapping it up

Extending your travel insurance coverage by combining your credit card benefits with an additional policy can provide comprehensive protection for your travels. By understanding your current coverage, identifying gaps, researching providers, and documenting coverage, you can travel with peace of mind knowing you are well-protected against unexpected events.

This article is published in partnership with SoNomad Travel Insurance

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IMAGES

Air Canada Travel Credit Policy
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Air Canada Travel Credit Policy
The Future of Air Canada's Rewards Program
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COMMENTS

Air Canada credit options
To use your Future Travel Credit: contact us directly at 1-888-247-2262 (for international and other numbers) reach out to your travel agent*. meet with an Air Canada ticketing agent (where available) Make sure you have your Future Travel Credit number handy at the time of booking.
Vouchers, ACCredit and eCoupons
Vouchers, ACCredit and eCoupons. Air Canada offers different ways to redeem a variety of fees, travel options and services. Air Canada Travel Voucher. Electronic Travel Vouchers. ACCredit. eCoupons. Due to high demand, we are experiencing a delay in issuing Air Canada Travel Vouchers, and are currently handling requests for the months of July ...
Can you still get flight credit when cancelling? : r/aircanada
A place for discussion of Air Canada flights, events, destinations, Aeroplan, service directors, concierges, flight attendants, gate agents, airport experiences, challenges, compliments- just about anything! ... ie. does not say "NO FUTURE TRAVEL CREDIT" like it does for Within Canada or To The US. Is it safe to assume you can cancel and ...
Vouchers, ACCredit and eCoupons
ACCredit. eCoupons. Air Canada Travel Voucher. The Air Canada Travel Voucher was introduced on May 18, 2020 for customers who held tickets for flights that were cancelled on or after March 1, 2020. The voucher is fully transferable, can be used multiple times and never expires. You can use an Air Canada Travel Voucher to book your next flight ...
Air Canada's Future Travel Credits no longer expire in 24 months
Air Canada is now allowing travellers to use their Future Travel Credits whenever they want⁠— with no expiration date in sight.. Under a revised goodwill policy, new bookings made up to June 30th, 2020 can be changed without fees for original travel between March 1st, 2020 and June 30th, 2021. In cases where Air Canada cancels flights due to COVID-19, customers with refundable tickets will ...
Air Canada Future Travel Credit
If you want to know how to redeem Air Canada Future Travel Credit then check out this video. Read this guide: https://airlinesmanagebooking.com/travel-guide/...
Air Canada Vacations Future Travel Credit
The terms and remarks of the credit say: -Trip must be rebooked and completed by December 31, 2023. -Any unused funds will be kept on file until expiry. -The credit is transferable. -Any additional difference in fare will be charged upon rebooking. -Future travel credit is for the amount paid. With that said, I don't have any plans to book with ...
Can Air Canada credit be used for any destination?
8. Re: Can Air Canada credit be used for any destination? 4 years ago. @SydMB - The short answer, is 'it depends'. First, if your ticket happens to meet the conditions of any waivers that may be offered with respect to the current coronavirus pandemic, the fees normally associated with your ticket may be waived.
How To Cancel an Air Canada Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]
How to Cancel a Flight With Air Canada. Step 1: Log into your account on Air Canada's homepage and select Manage Bookings. How to cancel your Air Canada booking. Image Credit: Air Canada. Step 2: Select the booking you wish to cancel and click the Cancel Booking link.
How does the AC Wallet option compare to the "Future travel credit
A place for discussion of Air Canada flights, events, destinations, Aeroplan, service directors, concierges, flight attendants, gate agents, airport experiences, challenges, compliments- just about anything! ... But the AC Wallet seems like the best option as for a future travel credit you have to call in which will be a pain in the arse.
About to cancel a flight
A place for discussion of Air Canada flights, events, destinations, Aeroplan, service directors, concierges, flight attendants, gate agents, airport experiences, challenges, compliments- just about anything! ... Thanks for the info. I think that's the part not clear. It looks like to me Future travel credit will deduct me less (or 0) but I have ...
Manage Your Booking
If you've booked your vacation through a travel agent, you can also cancel your trip directly online. 2-0 days before departure with no refund or future travel credit. If your departure is in less than 72 hours, please call us at 1-800-296-3408 and select option 1 to cancel your vacation. Terms and conditions for CareFlex cancellation policy.
Get your refund started
This means that you hold electronic travel credits or future travel credits, which are different than Air Canada Travel Vouchers. Simply have your booking reference number and last name ready to get your refund request started, and remember to select the second option: 'I don't have a travel voucher'.
Using future travel credit
Nov 11, 2023, 10:03 am. # 3. warpdryv. Join Date: Nov 2021. Location: YYZ. Programs: AC SE100K. Posts: 193. I called AC last week and had a future travel credit moved over to my "air canada wallet". It had only been a couple of days since I had canceled the flight and had intended to select the wallet as my refund method but must have ...
Changes to the Air Canada Travel Voucher
I am very confident that Air Canada will make a schedule change that will allow me to refund the reservation if necessary. The following fare classes have a change fee of $100, which impacts the travel voucher changes the most: Standard (Economy), Lowest (Premium Economy), Lowest (Business Class) In the future, if you book those fare classes ...
Air Canada Vacations updates guidelines for future travel credit
April 20 - Air Canada Vacations has made changes to its policies, including changes to guidelines for future travel credits, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. ... Residual value on future travel credits If a customer books a new package that is less expensive than the value of the future travel credit, any residual value from the lower ...
Standard economy flight refund options : r/aircanada
Your cancellation options would be an actv or a credit. With the actv Air Canada will send you a gift card for the full value of the ticket plus any seat fees or other services booked. It does take 6-10 weeks to issue which is the downside. Depending on the original issue date of your ticket you would be eligible for a credit for future travel ...
Refund Options
The value can be used for future travel on Air Canada, Air Canada rouge or Air Canada Express. Unused non-refundable travel options, such as assigned seat selection, Maple Leaf Lounge access, and Air Canada Bistro snack or meal vouchers may be used on future flights, subject to availability.
Canada Jetlines Air passengers
If you are affected by Canada Jetlines' cessation of air operations, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) suggests the following: Passengers who have purchased a ticket for future travel with Canada Jetlines should contact their travel agent or transportation provider as soon as possible to see if it is possible to make alternative arrangements.
The top 11 credit cards with annual travel statement credits
Capital One miles transfer to 15-plus airline and hotel loyalty programs, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles. ... Annual travel credit: Up to $400 per calendar year (up to $200 semi-annually) on eligible purchases made with Hilton Resorts and up to $200 on flight purchases made directly ...
Canada Jetlines grounds all flights, plans to file for creditor
The future of Canada Jetlines is in doubt as the leisure airline has temporarily ceased operations and plans to file for creditor protection following an exodus of executives. ... Why air travel ...
15 Best Travel Credit Cards Of August 2024
Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best Travel Credit Card for Beginners; Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: Best Everyday Earnings with Travel Redemptions; Capital One ...
Future travel credit question : r/aircanada
A place for discussion of Air Canada flights, events, destinations, Aeroplan, service directors, concierges, flight attendants, gate agents, airport experiences, challenges, compliments- just about anything! ... Btw you can pay a $50 fee to book a flight with an extension of the expiry of future travel credit by 90 days. In the same call as ...
Air Canada
You are cancelling your flight at least two hours before departure. You may not cancel your booking online if: You booked an Aeroplan flight reward on or before November 7th. Please call: 1-800-361-5373 (Canada, USA, and the Caribbean) 0800 756 3865 (United Kingdom) 1-514-395-0300 (all other areas) You booked your flight through Air Canada ...
Travel credit − Customer service − American Airlines
Understanding travel credit options. We offer different types of travel credit: Trip Credit, Flight Credit, and Travel Vouchers. Each type of travel credit has its own terms and conditions, so be sure to read them carefully before redeeming your credit. Keep in mind, travel credits can only be used to book flights, and can't be used to pay ...
Air Canada's hurricane and tropical storm policy
If you purchased a non-refundable ticket, we'll transfer the full amount paid into your AC Wallet or to a Future Travel Credit 2 valid for one year. Choose a new travel date (subject to availability), earlier than originally planned or up to and including 14 days 3 after your original departure date and you won't pay any difference in fare.
Combining Credit Card Insurance Benefits with Additional Travel
Here's a guide on how you can extend your existing travel insurance coverage. Understand Your Current Coverage. Before seeking additional coverage, it's crucial to understand what your credit card travel insurance covers. Typical benefits may include: Travel Medical Insurance: Coverage for medical emergencies abroad.